First Installment
Due to the length of this maamar (eight lengthy chapters), we will present here the first two chapters as the first installment. With Hashem’s help, we hope in the coming years to give out the next installments of this maamar until its completion.
Chapter 1
“These are the records of the counting of the donations given for the building of the Mishkan, which is the Mishkan of testimony, which were counted according to Moshe’s instruction, and the work of the Levi’im (Levites) was under the direction of Isamar son of Aharon the Kohen.”
Now, the questions about these verses are known:
- Question one: Why does it say the word "Mishkan" twice?
- Question two: We also need to understand what is written: “Which were counted according to Moshe’s instruction,” which is indirect. It should have said “Which Moshe counted,” which would be more direct.
- Question three: We also need to understand what it says in the continuation of this verse: “the work of the Levi’im.” What is the relevance here of “the work of the Levi’im,” which was to carry the Mishkan when the Jews travelled, how is this connected to “the counting of the donations given for the Mishkan,” which is discussing the materials of the building of the Mishkan?
- Question four: We also need to understand what is written: “The work of the Levi’im was under Isamar’s direction.” Why was the work under Elazar’s direction, who was another of Aharon’s sons’, not also mentioned?
(These questions are brought in the commentary on the Chumash of Rabbi Moshe Alshich, a contemporary of the Arizal.)
The idea behind this is:
The Alter Rebbe now enters a discussion regarding Hashem’s revelation in this world, and its various levels and forms. This will span five chapters, and is the primary focus of this ma’amer. This discussion will eventually lead to answers for the above questions, in chapters five and six.
The idea of the Mishkan was to be the resting place of the Shechina (Divine Presence) amongst the Jewish people; as the verse states, “And I will dwell amongst them” (Shemos, 25:8); and it is stated, “they (the Jewish People) are a Royal House for Hashem” (Yirmiya, 7:4).
This is similar to the saying of our sages, that “Hashem desired to have a dwelling place in the lowest (i.e., physical) world,” (Tanchuma, Naso, chap. 16).
But regarding this, we need to understand: Even without this idea that Hashem “dwells” in the Mishkan, the verse says (Yirmiyah 23:24), “I Hashem fill the heavens and earth” by default and always; what then does Hashem’s “resting” in the Mishkan add?
Since Hashem is always everywhere anyways, what does it mean that He “dwells” in the Mishkan and in the Jewish People in the physical world more than He is present anywhere else?
Rather, the idea is: The intention of this “dwelling place” is that it would be a place where Hashem’s Light and Power would be revealed, (and not only present).
This is the meaning of dwelling specifically in “the lowest world”: The meaning of “lower” with regard to Hashem, is not about physical place and location, because He is not in the realm of place, as the verse says “See now, space itself exists within me” (Shemos, 33:21).
Rather, the meaning and context of “higher realms” and “lower realms” with regard to Hashem, is their spiritual level: The “lowest world” refers to this physical world, because this low world is the lowest of spiritual stature.
Meaning, that it is the end and culmination of all spiritual levels, which are referred to as the chainlike descent of spiritual worlds.
This is why comprehension of Hashem’s Revelation is greatly diminished and limited here, and “(spiritual) darkness covers the land,” (Yeshaya, 9:2).
Therefore, Hashem specifically desired “to have a dwelling place” and the revelation of His Light and Power here, in the physical world, in order to illuminate specifically the darkness.
This is accomplished through learning Torah and fulfilling mitzvos.
As is known the saying of our sages, “one hour of Teshuva and good deeds in this world is more precious than all the life of the world to come” (Avos, 4:17).
This is because through Torah and mitzvos, one draws more revelation of Hashem than what is experienced in the level of “The life of the World to Come,” which is Gan Eden.
Even though in the spiritual level of Gan Eden, called “the World to Come,” there is a great revelation of Hashem’s Light, nonetheless is it like nothing compared to the connection to Hashem established through Torah and Mitzvos in this world.
Now, facilitating Hashem’s dwelling place, and drawing down this revelation of Hashem is accomplished specifically through subduing the “Sitra Achara-Side of Otherness,” which in each person is one’s “Yetzer Hora-Unholy desires.”
The term “Sitra Achara” literally means "the Side of Otherness,” meaning, the Side which is the opposite of Holiness.
It is also called “Otherness” since it is about separateness and fragmentation, where everything feels separate from its source in Hashem and separate from each other. This is the opposite of Holiness, where the focus is “Oneness,” being united with our source in Hashem, and since we are all united with Hashem, we are also united with each other, since our lives all revolve around the same thing, serving Hashem.
The “Yetzer Hara” literally means the “Bad/Unholy Nature.” These are the base natural desires of the “animal soul,” which desires physical enjoyment. These desires are the opposite of the desires of the “Divine soul,” which desires connection to Hashem through Torah and Mitzvos.
In our personal life, subduing “Sitra Achara” means overcoming the base natural desires for physicality which very often distract us from the service of Hashem.
For example: A person is sitting eating dinner and the time comes to daven mincha or maariv. His animal soul says he should finish eating and miss the minyan and daven at home when he is ready. The Divine soul says he should run to shul to daven and finish eating afterward. By overcoming the desires of the animal soul, he is “subduing the Sitra Achara.”
As it is written in the Zohar (Parshas Teruma, folio 128): “When the Sitra Achara is subdued, the Glory of Hashem rises above and beyond everything in the world etc.”
Now, at the beginning, a person needs to subdue the Yetzer Hora, and then it is possible to reach the level of “transforming the (spiritual) darkness (of the animal soul) into (spiritual) Light.”
Now, a person needs to subdue the Yetzer Hora in all his five senses. For example, with regard to the sense of sight, one should “Close his eyes to avoid seeing what is bad” for one to see (Yeshaya, 33:15).
The same is true with the sense of hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
This also applies to one’s speech and action, and to one’s thoughts and emotions/character traits of the person.
As our sages say, “Make yourself holy and separate from excesses, even with what is permissible to you,” (Yevamos, 20a).
Through this process of subduing the Yetzer Hora, one will eventually reach the level of “transformation.” Meaning, that one’s five senses and thoughts can literally become an appropriate recipient where Hashem's Infinite Light can shine.
This is why it says about the Jewish people, “They are a Royal House for Havaya (Hashem).” What is the meaning of “a Royal House for Havaya?”
The idea is: Mitzvos Asei (mitzvos that command a person to do an action) and Mitzvos Lo Sa’ase (mitzvos that command a person to refrain from an action) are derived from and connected to Hashem’s Name “Havaya,” as will be further explained.
Mitzvos Asei are connected to the letters “ו and ה” of this Name, and Mitzvos Lo Sa’ase are connected to “י and ה” of this Name.
The first two letters of Hashem’s Name Havaya are י' and ה'. The י' corresponds to Chochma-Wisdom and the ה' corresponds to Bina-Understanding. These levels are similar to the two parts of intellect, the source of the initial flash of insight, and the logical processing of that insight, (or in other terms, imagination and logic). These two levels are how a person reveals himself to himself, in his own mind and understanding.
The last two letters of Hashem’s Name Havaya are ו' and ה'. The ו' corresponds to Ze’eir Anpin and the ה' corresponds to Malchus. These levels are similar to a person’s emotions and his ability to express himself in thought, speech, and action. These two levels are how some relates to something outside of himself, for example, to another person.
In Hashem, as He shines in the World of Atzilus, His revelation is much greater in Chochma and Bina than in Ze’eir Anpin and Malchus. Just as a person’s revelation to himself will always be incomparably deeper than what he shows to someone else.
This higher level of revelation of Chochma and Bina is expressed through fulfilling the Mitzvos Lo Sa’ase, as will be further explained.
The lower level of the revelation Ze’eir Apin and Malchus is expressed through fulfilling Mitzvos Asei.
Therefore, through fulfilling the Mitzvos Asei and Lo Sa’ase we become a “Royal House” and vessel to receive the actual revelation of the Name Havaya, and this is the idea of Hashem “dwelling in them.”
This revelation of the two levels of Havaya drawn down through Mitzvos Asei and Lo Sa’ase will be further explained in connection with the repetition of the word Mishkan in the verse “these are the recordings of the counting of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of testimony.”
Later in the maamar it will explain how the double expression of “Mishkan” refers to two levels of receiving Hashem’s revelation, one level, one “Mishkan,” are Mitzvos Lo Sa’ase, which receive the revelation of the letters י' and ה'. The second level, the second “Mishkan,” are Mitzvos Asei, which receive the revelation of the letters ו' and ה' of Hashem’s Name.
This is the meaning of the saying of our sages, “In the future, the title “Kadosh-Holy” will be declared before the righteous, as it is before Hashem” (Bava Basra, 75b).
This is because through their Torah and mitzvos they draw onto their souls a revelation of Hashem’s Infinite Light, which is “holy” and separate, i.e., above and beyond the limitations of all worlds.
Therefore, corresponding to the three times “Kadosh-Holy” is recited in praise of Hashem in the daily prayers, it says about the Jewish People three times “they are the Royal House of Hashem.” (Yirmiyah, 7:4)
This alludes to the three garments of the soul, which are thought, speech and action, upon which the fulfilment of all mitzvos is dependent.
The clothing a person wears expresses what kind of person he is, and allows him to interact with other people. So too, the three methods of expression of soul, thought, speech, and action, are “garments” for the soul, expressing its nature and allowing it to interact with itself and others.
This is the meaning of “A dwelling place in the lowest world”: That the Divine souls of the Jewish People should come specifically into this world, into a body, and there they will be able to receive in themselves that Infinite Light of Hashem which is “holy” and separate from all worlds.
As it is written: “The Holy One, i.e., Hashem as He shines in His Infinite Light, is found inside of you.” (Hoshea 11:9)
This is the meaning of “I will dwell in them” specifically.
This all happens through subduing the Sitra Achara, through “Turning away from bad and doing good.” (Tehillim, 34:15).
Summary:
The idea of the Mishkan is to fulfill the verse: “and I will dwell amongst them,” which is “a dwelling place in the lowest world.”
This is accomplished through subduing the desires of the animal soul and transformation of the animal soul.
“They are the Royal House of Hashem,” is mentioned three times in the verse, corresponding to the three times we say about Hashem that He is “Kadosh-Holy.”
