Excerpt from the Alter Rebbe’s Tanya chapter 51 and pertains to footnote 51:
To explain the concept of the Shechinah “dwelling” that it “dwelt” in the Holy of Holies, and there are detailed laws defining the marks of respect due to the Holy of Holies because of the “dwelling” there of the Shechinah. Likewise, in any other place where the Shechinah dwells. What is meant when we say that a particular location is distinguished as being a place where the Shechinah dwells, rather than elsewhere? Surely “the whole world is full of His glory,” and “no place is void of Him”! This means that the Shechinah’s “dwelling” upon something means the revelation of that aspect of G-d’s Presence known as Shechinah. Although G-d exists everywhere, His existence is concealed. But when the Shechinah “dwells” upon something, this denotes a revelation of G-dliness. However, the key to understanding the subject is to be found in the text, ומבשרי אחזה אלוה “And from my flesh I see G-d.” literally: from what we see within ourselves, in our own soul and body, we can visualize the parallel on the spiritual level — in the Divine emanations and the world in general. By way of analogy: The human soul pervades the body to the extent that no organ or portion of it remains void of the soul including all 248 organs of the body, from head to foot ;
In our own soul and body, we can visualize the parallel on the spiritual level — in the Divine emanations and the world in general. By way of analogy: The human soul pervades the body to the extent that no organ or portion of it remains void of the soul including all 248 organs of the body, from head to foot ; nevertheless, the soul’s principal abode and dwelling place is in one’s brain, and from the brain the soul is diffused throughout all the organs; moreover, each organ receives from the soul a different form of life force and functional power appropriate to it according to its (the organ’s) composition and character. In other words, the difference between the functional ability of one organ and that of another does not derive from the organ itself. Rather each organ draws from the soul its ability to see or hear, and so on, as the eye receives from the soul a life-force and ability to see; the power of sight accords with the smooth and translucent nature of the tissue of the eye; the ear receives from the soul a life-force and ability to hear, the mouth to speak, and the feet to walk - each organ in the body, in accordance with its composition and character, receives its life-force and ability from the soul which “dwells” and becomes revealed initially in the brain, as we clearly sense how in the brain one is conscious of all that occurs within the 248 organs and of everything experienced by them, because the brain is the nerve-centre and principal abode and source of the life-force of the entire body. So the life-force from the soul which animates the body comprises two aspects. One is its life-giving force in that the whole body is alive and draws its vitality from the soul. In this aspect, there is no difference between one organ and the next. The head, for example, is no more alive than the foot, just as the foot is no less alive than the head. The entire body, with all its organs, is equally alive throughout. In a truly similar manner, figuratively speaking, does the blessed Ein Sof fill all worlds so as to animate them. There is a marked similarity between the soul pervading the body and Ein Sof permeating all the worlds: Just as in the analogy, the soul is found within and suffuses the entire body, in a parallel manner Ein Sof fills and is found in all worlds. In the realm of the spirit separate and distinct entities are the result of their being on different spiritual grades and levels. Thus, a multitude of worlds implies a multitude of varying levels of spirituality. Hence the sheer numerousness of worlds and created beings: each differs from the other in its spiritual gradation. despite the vast differences that exist between one bodily organ and the other, the soul’s essence is equally to be found in them all. So too in the analogue of the Ein Sof as well, the essence of the Ein Sof is found in a hidden manner equally within all worlds. Now, the core and essence of the blessed Ein Sof is the same in the higher and lower worlds, as in the example of the soul mentioned above, as explained that the soul’s core and essence is not divisible, and thus it cannot be said of it that it is found in the brain to a greater extent than it is found in the feet, even in the higher, hidden worlds He is hidden and concealed within them, just as He is hidden and concealed in the lower worlds. Because G-d is equally concealed from all worlds, no distinction can be made between higher and lower; He defies the comprehension of the higher worlds to the same degree that He cannot be apprehended in the lower worlds. And he is found, i.e., with regard to where G-d is to be found just as He is found there - in the higher worlds - so is He to be found in the very lowest worlds. The difference between the higher and lower worlds is with regard to the flow of vitality which the blessed Ein Sof causes to flow and illumine in a manner of “revelation out of concealment,” This revelation is intended for the purpose of vitalizing the worlds and their inhabitants, for the vitality of all worlds and creatures derives from the revelation of G-dliness within them. Thus, the difference between the higher and lower worlds lies in the varying degrees of Divine revelation within them. The difference between the higher and lower worlds is that the higher worlds receive this vitality and light in a somewhat more revealed form than do the lower; I.e., even in the higher worlds this light and vitality is not manifestly revealed. and all creatures therein - in the higher worlds - receive the revealed aspect of vitality, albeit each according to its capacity and nature, just as in the analogy each bodily organ receives vitality from the brain according to its “character and nature,” so too in the analogue that each creature receives its vitality according to its “capacity and nature.” This means that each being receives vitality according to its capacity to have the life-force and vitality revealed within it, and according to the manner in which this vitality is to be revealed whether as a revelation of intellect and comprehension, or in an emotive manner.
