Chapter 2
In the previous chapter of this maamar, the Alter Rebbe asked how Hashem’s mercy is expressed in the month of Elul. Before answering, the Alter Rebbe explained at length the difference between Torah study and Mitzva performance, and how they correspond to two ways that Hashem reveals Himself: 1) By “encompassing all worlds” equally, where His true Being exists everywhere; 2) By “filling all worlds” internally, giving each creature a personalized existence and life, according to what it can grasp. Through Torah, we connect to Hashem’s internally revealed Light, and through Mitzvos, we connect to the “encompassing” Light of Hashem.
To explain the idea that Mitzvos connect us to the “encompassing” Light of Hashem, the Alter Rebbe explains the general idea that this “encompassing” Light is more expressed in the physical world than in the spiritual world, which is one reason that Mitzvos can only be performed in the physical world.
This is also why Teshuva can only be done in the physical world and not in the spiritual world, since the power to do Teshuva also comes from the "encompassing" Light. (However, Teshuva's power comes from a deeper level in the encompassing Light than the level that Mitzvos derive from, which is why Teshuva can correct the blemish caused by the lack of Mitzvos).
It is written, (Devarim 7:11) “These are the Mitzvos that I command you today to do them.” Only “today” in this physical world, which is called “the world of action,” are we able to do Teshuva.
This is not the case in the spiritual World to Come. There, the person will remain as he is, and he is not able to transform himself from the way he is upon his arrival to World to Come.
Except if his "dirty garments" of improper thought, speech, and action (the garments of the soul) will be removed from him through the process called "the slingshot," where his soul is flung back and forth from spiritual awareness to physical awareness as a purification for exiling his Divine soul in improper conduct. But, on his own he is not able to change.
The reason for this is as follows: Regarding the spiritual World to Come the Sages said, (Berachos 17a) “The souls dwell there and enjoy the radiance of the Divine Presence.” This is because they perceive Hashem’s revelation in a way that they can actually understand, which means that this revelation is of the type that is “מְמַלֵא כָל עָלְמִין- permeates all worlds” and is invested in creations in a revealed manner.
This aspect of how Hashem is “מְמַלֵא כָל עָלְמִין-permeates all worlds” varies according to the individual nature of each creature, as explained previously in the maamar. Therefore, since the soul in the World to Come exists in this aspect of Hashem’s revelation, which is “מְמַלֵא כָל עָלְמִין-permeates all worlds,” it is impossible for one to change to a different level, since everything in that world is varied and different, and each thing has its own specific place. There, everything exists in its clearly defined level and category, so nothing can change to become something other than what it already is.
However, in this physical world there is a revelation of how Hashem is “סוֹבֵב כָל עָלְמִין-encompasses all worlds,” and even though it is hidden so we cannot perceive it, it nonetheless has an effect here in this physical world. Since there is an expression of how Hashem is “סוֹבֵב כָל עָלְמִין-encompasses all worlds,” which is the same in all worlds and makes them all seem equal by comparison, even opposites like good and bad, like it says about this level, (Iyov 35:7) “If you have acted righteously, what have you given Him (Hashem)?” Since, on this level all seems equal, we are able to do Teshuva, and to change from bad to good.
