Volume 12 | Tazria | Sicha 2
The Verse
Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a woman conceives and gives birth to a male... (Vayikra 12:2)
“When the woman gives seed first she gives birth to a male” (Talmud, Nidda 31a)
The sages explain that “If the man gives seed first, his wife gives birth to a female; if the woman gives seed first, she gives birth to a male”. The Alter Rebbe quotes the interpretation of the philosophers who explain that when the woman gives seed first then the seed of the man is stronger, because it comes later, consistent with the principle that “the upper one is stronger.” The Alter Rebbe rejects this interpretation, and explains the statement according to its literal meaning: The male comes from the seed of the female. The Alter Rebbe explains that the woman refers to the Jewish people. When the inspiration from Above is awakened through the inspiration from below, then “a male,” representing great love which derives from the inner Light and energy, is born. If however the inspiration from Above comes on its own, it gives birth to a “female,” which represents the level of “small love.”
Seemingly, however, there is a difficulty in the explanation of the Alter Rebbe, because according to the Alter Rebbe, as well, the “male” is born through the “male” (inspiration from Above), which is drawn down (through and after) the inspiration from below (“woman”). This differs from the straightforward meaning of the statement which states that the “male” is born from the seed of the woman!?
The Alter Rebbe explains that there is a third level: The inspiration from Above which is higher than, and completely removed from, the inspiration from below. This inspiration is drawn down only after the people have completed their service.
[According to this we can say that the Alter Rebbe’s explanation differs from the explanation of the Ohr Hachaim, who explains that “gives birth to a male” refers to the future redemption, which is the third level. According to the Alter Rebbe “gives birth to a male” refers to the inspiration from above (level 2) which follows the inspiration from below (level 1), which is the level which is drawn down through the counting of the omer. According to the Ohr Hachaim, “gives birth to a male” refers to the awakening from Above which is dwan down on its own, after the completion of the person’s service, which is the level of Shavuos.]
Based on the above there are two interpretations of this teaching of our sages:
- “When the woman gives seed first”: The seed of the woman is only an introduction to the birth of the male. When the seed of the woman is only an introduction then “gives birth to a male” refers to the inspiration from Above which is drawn down through the inspiration from below (level 2).
- The birth of the male comes from the seed of the woman. “She gives birth to a male” refers to the inspiration from Above which is far higher than the creations (level 3).
The Explanation:
This will be understood by prefacing the concept of the purpose of Creation, namely, to make a dwelling place for atzmus, (Hashem’s essence), in the lower realm. The Divine purpose is that the dwelling place in the lower realm should be as the lower realm exists within its own context. This implies that the drawing down of atzmus is achieved through human service, because otherwise the dwelling place would nor be connected with people’s own identity. This seems to contradict the interpretation of the Alter Rebbe in Likkutei Torah, which states that the third level is altogether removed from the service of man and is a gift from above!?
The souls of Israel possess the power to innovate and transform the world, which is full of unholiness, into a dwelling place for Hashem. This power to innovate comes from atzmus. It follows then that the arousal by the creations as they exist in their own context reaches only the source of the creations but not higher. However, through the power of atzmus invested in the creations, the inspiration from below reaches atzmus.
In order that the dwelling place created by the creations should be felt by the creations themselves and not by the power of atzmus invested in the creations, at first the inspiration from below draws down only the inspiration from Above that is connected to the inspiration from below. Only after the person’s service is completed, the inner dimension of the service -- the power of atzmus invested in it -- is revealed, and therefore the service draws down atzmus, (the third level mentioned earlier).
On that basis, we can explain the above-mentioned opinions: When the woman’s seed is only the cause for the birth of the male (as the philosophers explain), then the level drawn down is merely the source of the creations (the second level). At the conclusion of the service, it is revealed that “the Jewish people and Hashem are one,” and then the level drawn down is the inspiration from Above that is higher than the inspiration from below (the third level), and the drawing down of this level is attributed to the Jewish people, the “woman gives birth to a male.”
