Hashem’s Infinite Light, but they do not serve their own function as “separated garments.”
מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּיַ"ע כַּנַּ"ל : This is not the case regarding the Sefiros of the worlds of Beriya, Yetzira and Asiya, as explained previously.
We mentioned above that the Sefiros of Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya are themselves “garments” for the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus. However, they do not have the level of unity with the Infinite Light of Hashem that the Sefiros of Atzilus possess. They are like the “separated garments” that cover over the person, and only tell you about the person through the choice of “style” of the covering, as explained at length above.
(ד) Chapter 4
וְזֶהוּ "אַנְתְּ הוּא חַד וְלָא בְחוּשְׁבָּן" – שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִמְנֶה בִּכְלָל הַיּוּ"ד סְפִירוֹת, And this is the meaning of, “You are He that is One, but not one that is counted,” meaning, that “He” is not counted amongst the Ten Sefiros.
(וְקָאֵי עַל כֶּתֶר־עֶלְיוֹן הַמְמוּצָע בֵּין הַמַּאֲצִיל לַנֶּאֱצָלִים), (And this “One that is not counted” refers to the level of the Keser-Crown Above, which acts to interface between the Infinite Source of Atzilus and the Sefiros of Atzilus).
שֶׁאֵין עָרוֹךְ אֵלָיו כְּלָל. this level of “Kesser-Crown” - referred to as “He” - is not counted as one of the Ten Sefiros since there is no comparison between the Sefiros of Atzilus to it at all, since it is a different category altogether.
In the maamar entitled Pasach Eliyahu 5715, the Rebbe explains (based on teachings of the Previous Rebbe):
In the beginning of the passage of Tikkunei Zohar of “Pasach Eliyahu,” it says the phrase “You are He,” three times, 1- You are He that is One but not one that is counted, 2- You are He that transcends all transcendence, concealed beyond all concealments. No thought can possibly grasp You,” 3- You are He that brought out ten “Tikunim-adornments’ We call them ten Sefiros.” These three expressions correspond to three levels, the first “You are He that is One, but not one that is counted,” refers to the higher levels of Kesser, which is called Atika Kadisha, the second expression “You are He that transcends all transcendence,” refers to the lower level of Kesser, Arich Anpin. The third expression “You are He that brought out Ten ‘Tikunim-adornments,’ are the Ten Sefiros.
Based on this, perhaps we will understand what the Alter Rebbe says in our maamar:
The level called “Kesser-Crown” is the intermediary stage between Atzilus and its ultimate source, the Infinite Light of Hashem. This intermediary level has two parts to it: The higher aspect is called “Atika,” which means separate and removed, since it completely transcends the world of Atzilus. The lower aspect is called Arich Anpin, which means “all-encompassing revelation,” since it is the direct source of all the revelations of Atzilus, yet it still transcends Atzilus, even though it has a connection to Atzilus.
Now, the lower level of Kesser, which is Arich Anpin, even though it is above Atzilus, it is connected to the world of Atzilus. However, Atik is not directly connected to the world of Atzilus, and therefore it is “One that is not counted” among the Sefiros of Atzilus, since it is a level of Hashem’s Oneness that transcends Atzilus.
However, this level of Atik is still part of Kesser, it is still part of the intermediary levels between the Infinite Light of Hashem and Atzilus, and therefore it can still be described as an “intermediary” between the Infinite Source of Atzilus, the Infinite Light, and the world of Atzilus, starting with Arich, which is the “beginning” of the realm of Atzilus.
To make it easier to relate to this:
The two aspects of Kesser, which are “Atik” and “Arich” correspond to two encompassing soul powers, which are pleasure – Atik, and will power – Arich. These two encompassing soul powers are the intermediary stage between the simple indivisible essence of the soul, and the definable and limited conscious soul powers of intellect and emotion (see Soul System chart above). The higher of these two soul powers, pleasure, relates only to the person himself, a “pleasure” cannot be transferred to anything outside of himself, it only exists in the context of the person in himself. Intellect and emotions are levels that can be given over to someone else, you can express an idea or feeling in words. Will power has two aspects to it: On the one hand, it is the person’s own will and desire, it does not exist outside of the person. However, it can be expressed to someone else, you can share with others your will by putting it into words and instructing others to fulfill your will. Thus, it is the beginning of how the soul extends to something outside of itself. Now, this will power is driven by the power of enjoyment. Thus, the power of enjoyment is the “indirect source” of how the simple essence of the soul interacts with the outside of itself.
Similarly, Atik is the pleasure Hashem has in our service of Him, which is the driving force behind why Hashem has a will and desire to create the world etc. Arich is the will and desire of Hashem that there should be the world of Atzilus, and the subsequent worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiya. Therefore, Atik is the “indirect source” of Atzilus and the other worlds, and serves as the intermediary between the Infinite Light of Hashem and the beginning of worlds, starting with Arich and Atzilus.
כִּי הִתְהַוּוּת חָכְמָה מֵהַכֶּתֶר הִיא מֵאַיִן מַמָּשׁ, וְלֹא כְּסֵדֶר הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת שֶׁהֵן בְּחִינַת הִתְהַוּוּת יֵשׁ מִיֵּשׁ כוּ'. Since the existence of Chochma-Wisdom, as derived from Keser-Crown comes from literally ‘ayin-nothing in the same category at all.’ (ex-nihilo). It does not come to be by way of orderly progression from one level to another, similar, but lower level.
In other words, for Chochma to come into being from Kesser, especially from Atik, there needs to be a “jump,” from Infinite to finite. This is unlike the progression from Chochma to Bina, and from Bina to Ze’eir Anpin etc., since those levels are all in the same general category, similar to the orderly fashion of cause and effect, e.g., intellect producing emotions.
וְהִנֵּה בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת אֲבִי"ע יֵשׁ בְּחִינַת כֶּתֶר הַמְמוּצָע: Now, in each of the four Worlds of Atzilus, Beriya, Yetzira and Asiya, there is a level of Keser that serves as an intermediary level:
כִּי מַלְכוּת־דַּאֲצִילוּת נַעֲשָׂה כֶּתֶר לִבְרִיאָה, וּמַלְכוּת־דִּבְרִיאָה כֶּתֶר לִיצִירָה. Malchus of Atzilus becomes Keser of Beriya, and Malchus of Beriya becomes Keser of Yetzira.
The level of Malchus of each level becomes the intermediary level for the next world to come into being. This is because Malchus has two levels: It has one aspect of how it exists in its own world, and one aspect of how it “descends” into the next, lower, world. Because of this, it can be the “connection point” between the worlds. From the perspective of the lower world, the Malchus of the higher world is called Kesser, and from the perspective of the higher world it is called Malchus. (This is similar to a building with many levels: The floor of one level is also the ceiling of the lower level.)
אַךְ הַהֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין כֶּתֶר־דַּאֲצִילוּת לְכֶתֶר שֶׁבְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת: However, the difference between the Keser of Atzilus connecting it to the Infinite Light to the Keser in between each world is as follows:
כִּי הִתְהַוּוּת אֲצִילוּת הוּא עַל יְדֵי צִמְצוּם אוֹר אֵין־סוֹף לִהְיוֹת מָקוֹם פָּנוּי וְחָלָל מַמָּשׁ כוּ' The existence of Atzilus is by way of a Tzimtzum-contraction/withdrawal of Hashem’s Infinite Light. This causes an “empty space” and a “void” in which Hashem’s revelation is withheld.
וְהִתְהַוּוּת בִּי"ע הַיְינוּ עַל יְדֵי פַּרְסָא הַמַּפְסִיק בֵּין אֲצִילוּת לִבְרִיאָה, וּבֵין בְּרִיאָה לִיצִירָה כוּ' – וְלֹא מָקוֹם פָּנוּי. However, the existence of Beriya, Yetzira and Asiya comes by means of a “Parsa-Curtain,” which separates between Atzilus and Beriya, and then between Beriya and Yetzira, etc. However, the three lower worlds do not come to be through an “empty space.”
וְהַהֶפְרֵשׁ שֶׁבֵּין 'פַּרְסָא' לִ'מָקוֹם פָּנוּי', Now, the difference between a “Parsa-Curtain” and a “Mokom Ponui-An Empty Space,”
יוּבַן בְּהַקְדֵּם עִנְיַן הַצִּמְצוּם בְּאוֹר אֵין־סוֹף: can be understood by first explaining the idea of a “Tzimtzum- Withdrawal” of Hashem’s Infinite Light.
כִּי הִנֵּה, "אוֹר אֵין־סוֹף", הַיְינוּ אוֹר וְגִילוּי לִהְיוֹת אֵיזֶה הִתְפַּשְׁטוּת וְהִתְהַוּוּת מָקוֹר וְחַיּוּת. Now, “Hashem’s Infinite Light” refers to a revelation of Light that extends to become a source of life for all the worlds.
In other words, this “Infinite Light” is not Hashem Himself, it is His revelation of His power to create and enliven infinite worlds.
וְאוֹר אֵין־סוֹף שֶׁבְּעַצְמוּתוֹ, הַיְינוּ בְּחִינָה זוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ אוֹר לִהְיוֹת מֵאִיר וּמִתְפַּשֵּׁט לְהַוּוֹת וּלְהַחֲיוֹת. And the Infinite Light within Hashem Himself refers to the idea that He contains within Himself a power that can be used to create and animate created beings that exist outside of Himself.
The Rebbe Rashab explains: In Hashem Himself, as it were, there are two aspects (from our perspective16): Hashem Himself is not a “luminary,” it is not Hashem’s job to shine light. If He did not want, there would be no Light, no Infinite, at all. This is the absolute truth of Hashem’s Essence, that He is beyond being called “the source of Light,” even Infinite Light. However, once Hashem decided that He wants there to be Light, He then has in Himself that “potential” for Infinite Light. This is what the Alter Rebbe means by “the Infinite Light within Hashem Himself.”
וְזֶהוּ "קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם הָיָה הוּא וּשְׁמוֹ בִּלְבַד"17, דְּהַיְינוּ: "הוּא" – אֵין־סוֹף בְּעַצְמוֹ. And this is the meaning of what is stated in Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer (Ch. 3), that “Before the world was created, only Him and His Name existed.” “Him” refers to the Infinite One Himself.
"וּשְׁמוֹ" – הוּא אוֹר אֵין־סוֹף שֶׁבְּעַצְמוּתוֹ, שֶׁהוּא רַק בְּחִינַת "שְׁמוֹ", שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַגִּילוּי. “His Name” refers to the Infinite Light that is contained within Himself, which is likened to a name, since it is a source for revelation.
Just as a name makes it possible for others to relate to a person, the Infinite Light within Hashem is what enables others to eventually come to be and relate to Him. Thus, His “Name” is that “potential” for Infinite Light, as it exists in Himself, as explained above.
דְּהַיְינוּ מַה שֶּׁיָּכוֹל לִהְיוֹת מִתְגַּלֶּה וּמִתְפַּשֵּׁט. This refers to merely the possibility to be revealed and relate outwards, but not necessarily actually relating to others.
כְּמוֹ זִיו הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מֵהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ – שֶׁהַזִּיו הוּא הָאוֹר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּשֶּׁמֶשׁ לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ, וְהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עַצְמוֹ הַיְינוּ גּוּף הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עַצְמוֹ. This is analogous to the rays of the sun that shine from the sun. The rays are the ability, from within the sun, to shine upon the earth. And the sun itself refers to the actual solar globe.
וְהִנֵּה הָאוֹר הַיּוֹצֵא מֵהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ נִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם "אוֹר", כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בְּרֵאשִׁית א, ה): "וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹקִים לָאוֹר יוֹם", שֶׁהַיּוֹם נִקְרָא אוֹר עַל שֵׁם הִתְפַּשְׁטוּת הָאוֹר וְהַזִּיו מַה שֶּׁמֵּאִיר בַּיּוֹם. The light that shines forth from the sun is called “Light,” as the verse states (Bereishis 1:5), “And Hashem called the light ‘day.’” Day is called ‘light’ due to the light rays that shine forth during the daytime.
מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן עַצְמִיּוּת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ נִקְרָא "מָאוֹר", וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בְּרֵאשִׁית א, טז): "אֶת שְׁנֵי הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדֹלִים כוּ'". However, the sun itself is not called ‘light,’ but rather, “the luminary” or the source of the light. As the verse states regarding the sun and the moon (Bereishis 1:16) “The two great luminaries, etc.”
וְכָךְ הוּא בְּאוֹר אֵין־סוֹף, שֶׁהָאוֹר נִקְרָא הַגִּילוּי שֶׁמִּתְפַּשֵּׁט מִמֶּנּוּ הִתְהַוּוּת הָאוֹר וְחַיּוּת כוּ', This is the idea of Hashem’s Infinite Light: The “light” refers to the revelation from which light and life exists and extends forth.
וְאֵין־סוֹף בְּעַצְמוֹ הוּא בְּחִינַת הַמָּאוֹר, שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹר הָאוֹר, וּמִמֶּנּוּ נִמְשָׁךְ הָאוֹר. : And, accordingly, the Infinite One Himself is the “luminary,” the source of the light, from which the light extends.
וְהִנֵּה הַצִּמְצוּם הָיָה בְּאוֹר אֵין־סוֹף, דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁהָאוֹר נִכְלָל בַּמָּאוֹר. Now, the Tzimtzum-Withdrawal was only in the Infinite Light, meaning, that Light retracted to become included within the Luminary.
The Tzemach Tzedek (Likutei Torah, Vayikra 52d) explains this:
When a person is by himself, he generally communicates to himself through thought. However, sometimes he may speak over to himself his thoughts, to help concretize a concept. (In fact, when we learn Torah, even by ourselves, we need to verbally recite our learning in order to internalize it and help us remember it etc.)
Similarly, as it were, before Hashem created the world, He had the “potential” for Infinite Light in Himself. This is like a person’s thoughts, which are the potential for revelation in speech. In addition, Hashem had “self-speech,” a revelation of His Infinite Light, of His infinite power to create and give life. The effect of the Tzimtzum was to “retract” this self-revelation of His Infinite Light, to revert to the “potential stage,” like a person who stops speaking and retracts his “self-revelation” back into his thoughts.
Now the Alter Rebbe explains the reason why this “retraction” of the expression of the Infinite Light was needed:
כִּי לְפִי שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָמוֹת יְכוֹלִים לְקַבֵּל גִּילוּי אוֹר אֵין־סוֹף כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא בְּעַצְמוּתוֹ, וְהָיוּ בְּטֵלִים בִּמְצִיאוּת מַמָּשׁ כוּ', The worlds were unable to receive the revelation of Hashem’s Infinite Light as it existed previously within Himself, and they would have lost their own seemingly independent existence.
לְכָךְ צִמְצֵם הָאוֹר שֶׁיּוּכְלַל בַּמָּאוֹר (לִהְיוֹת רַק בְּכֹחַ וְלֹא בְּפוֹעַל), Therefore, Hashem retracted the Light so that it should be included within “the Luminary,” (so that it exists only in potential, but not actually revealed,)
וְיִתְעַלֵּם בּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה גִּילוּי הָאוֹר רַק הַמָּאוֹר. and thereby concealed it, so that the Light would not be revealed, rather, only “the Luminary” would be “revealed.”
(אֲבָל בַּמָּאוֹר – שֶׁהוּא אֵין־סוֹף עַצְמוֹ – לֹא שַׁיָּיךְ צִמְצוּם חַס־וְשָׁלוֹם וְלֹא הֶעְלֵם. (However, in “the Luminary,” the Infinite One Himself, there is no possibility of Tzimtzum-Withdrawal or concealment, G-d forbid.
וְאַדְרַבָּה, הַמָּאוֹר הוּא בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת. On the contrary, “the Luminary18” is revealed even more than before the Tzimtzum.
There are three levels19 in understanding this statement, that “on the contrary, the Luminary is revealed” through the Tzimtzum:
1- A basic level of understanding this is that the Tzimtzum did not affect the Luminary, Hashem’s Essence. This is because He transcends the category of Light, He is not a “Light” and therefore cannot be hidden. He is not an idea or concept that can be too lofty to be grasped. He is the “True Existence” of anything that can come into being, and nothing could possibly exist unless He is
16 We cannot describe Hashem Himself in any way at all, period, we cannot say that Hashem has different “aspects,” since He is beyond all limitations, including that of being comprised of various aspects, chas veshalom, He is a Singular Oneness, uncompounded in any way. However, in order to describe certain aspects of His revelations relative to His Essence, we use different descriptions from our perspective. This concept is very subtle and must be carefully understood.
17 (פרקי דרבי אליעזר פרק ג).
18 In Sefer Hasichos 5752 page 127, note 59, the Rebbe explains: Here we are referring to Hashem as the “Luminary” not as a “definition,” since it is not Hashem’s job to give light, and here we are talking about Hashem’s Essence that transcends all Light. Nonetheless, since we are talking about Hashem in the context of how He is found and “recognized” on a core-level awareness by creations, we use the term “Luminary” figuratively, in the sense that He is “found” below in this world just as He is found Above in the spiritual worlds (and even more so), unlike His Light, which is found Above more than below.
19 The explanation here that there are three levels of understanding this statement of the maamar, is partially based on two essays on this topic, one from Rabbi Yitzchok Meir Gurary, printed in קובץ היובל ע' 449, and from Rabbi Hertzel Pevzner, printed in הערות התמימים ואנ"ש כפר חב"ד תשע"ג.