In Toras Chayim, the Mittler Rebbe adds: The two types of Mitzvos, Mitzvos Asei and Mitzvos Lo Saaseh correspond (in a certain sense) to the two perspectives of from Above to Below and from Below to Above. Mitzvos Lo Saaseh are more connected with Yichuda Ila’a, from Above to Below, and Mitzvos Asei are more connected with Yichuda Tita’a, from Below to Above. Therefore, by having the combination of both types of mitzvos, this also helps in the process of merging Hashem’s Above to Below perspective into our Below to Above perpective.
Measured Perspectives
The next word in the verse, “ונְכְתִנ-measured,” which on a simple level (see Rashi) means that Hashem measures all our mitzvos and aveiros, can also mean that Hashem creates a way for the two perspectives of “Perceiving His Oneness from Above to Below” and “Perceiving His Oneness from Below to Above” to be equally measured and balanced, i.e. corresponding in their measured content, "ונְכְתִנ" – לִּהְיו ת ש ָּוִּים יִּחוּדָּא ־ הָּאָּּ לִּע וְיִּחוּדָּא־ תַּתָּּאָּה , that the way we see things from our perspective below should exactly the same as Hashem sees them from His perspective Above (as it were), לִּהְיו ת לְמַטָּּה כְּמו לְמַעְלָּה מַמָּּש , meaning, that anything that prides itself in being something separate from Hashem should be considered completely insignificant. ַה ה יְהִּי אּ ל ש ֵּ יש תּו פֵס מָּקו ם כְּלָּל .
From Hashem’s perspective whatever is farther from His Light, and feels itself existing separately from Him, is less real and less important. Ego is the furthest thing from the Light of Hashem, and therefore of absolutely no real value at all.
Through our mitzvos, we create a window to allow Hashem’s perspective to enter our reality. This allows us to see that the true value of anything is in the context of how it is connected to Hashem, and how it helps us connect to Hashem.
This is the opposite of the egotistical perspective that: “I am important on my own, nothing to do with Hashem, and things in this world are important because they, not Hashem, make me happy,” G-d forbid to think this way.
Through mitzvos we let ourselves begin to understand that whatever is further from ego and closer to Hashem is more important and more real. This process of balancing out our perspective with Hashem’s
The Role of Torah and Mitzvos
How do Torah and mitzvos accomplish this merging of Hashem’s perspective into our reality?
For about Torah and mitzvos it was said, “[Hashem said to the angels:] Let us [discuss how I Myself will] create man ‘ונְמְל צְב-in My image,’ and ‘ונְת ומְדִ כ-in My form.’” (Bereshis, 1:26) כִּּי עַל הַתּו רָּה וּמִּצְו ת נ אֱמַר (בְּרֵ אש ִּ ית א, כו) :"נַעֲש ה אָּדָּם ַַׁׁ ונ מְל צְ ב ַׁ ונ ת ומְדִ כ" :
The phrase ‘ונְמְל צְב-in My image,’ represents the idea of Torah, and ‘ונְת ומְדִ כ-in My form’ represents the idea of mitzvos. "בְּצַלְמֵנוּ " בְּחִּינַת הַתּו רָּה , "כִּּדְ מוּתֵנוּ " בְּחִּינַת הַמִּּצְו ת . and the Torah and Mitzvos are also referred to as “The image of the appearance of a ‘Man’ who sits on the image of the ‘Throne.’” (Yechezkal 1:26) ש הֵן הֵן בְּחִּינַת "אָּדָּם " ש "עַל דְּ מוּת הַכִּּסֵּא כוּ' "
Obviously, Hashem Himself doesn’t have any image or form whatsoever, G-d forbid.
What the verse means by saying that Hashem makes man in His “image and form” is that He makes man corresponding to the Torah and mitzvos, which are the “image and form” that Hashem’s Will and Wisdom takes on.
Hashem’s Essential Will is Infinite and indivisible, but for Hashem’s Will to actually be fulfilled, it needs to descend into a system of definable instructions that we can actually understand and accomplish in the physical world.
Similarly, Hashem’s Infinite Wisdom descends to take on the form of Wisdom-Chochma in Atzilus, and then the form of the Torah as it descends into our physical world as it is understood with the human mind.
This “image and form” that Hashem’s Will and Wisdom take on to become accessible to us through the Torah and Mitzvos are also referred to as “the ‘Man’ on the ‘image of the Throne.’”
In other words, Hashem descends to interact with us as our King by giving us the Torah and Mitzvos, like a king descends to interact with the people of his country and judge when he sits on his throne.
Thus, the idea of making ‘man,’ i.e., Jewish people, in Hashem’s “image and form” means in the image and form of the Torah and Mitzvos, which is the form that Hashem’s Will and Wisdom takes on to be accessible to us.
Since these Torah and Mitzvos are the Inner Will and Wisdom of Hashem, in which Hashem does not “hide His Face” (i.e., His revealed presence), therefore, the feeling of being separate from Hashem, which conceals Hashem’s Light in this world in general, does not affect the Torah and Mitzvos, and does not cover over and conceal the Infinite Light of Hashem that is invested and infused into them from shining forth from them into the world.
Because of this, Hashem’s Infinite Light comes down into them, and through them into this world below, just as it shines Above (in Atzilus), thereby revealing in our world the feeling and perspective that “Nothing exists separately from Hashem” (Devarim 4:35), which is the perspective of “Above to Below,” as explained previously.
In other words, the Torah and Mitzvos serve as a “bridge” to connect to us to Hashem and His perspective, because they contain two ideas:
- On the one hand, they are Hashem’s Will and Wisdom, and therefore completed united with Hashem. They are completely aligned with the “Above to Below” perspective that Hashem is the absolute Real Existence, and whatever is closer to Him is more real, and whatever is further from Him is less real.
- On the other hand, they have a “form” that corresponds to something that people can relate to. Meaning they are comprehensible ideas and practical instructions that a human being can learn and apply in the physical world.
Because of this, when a person learns Torah and fulfills Mitzvos, he is not only learning about Hashem and showing his obedience to His commands, but he is also entering into Hashem’s reality and perspective, and bringing that perspective into his version of reality.
To bring Hashem’s Light and His perspective into us when we learn Torah and fulfill mitzvos, we cannot allow our ego to create a barrier that blocks that out. The Alter Rebbe will bring a source from the Chumash and the Gemara for this concept:
The verse says: “And you should not ‘ולְלַחְת-desecrate’ My holy Name, and I will be sanctified in the midst of the Children of Yisroel, I am Hashem Who makes you holy.” (Vayikra 22:32) "יִּשְדָּק םֵש ת א ּולְלַחְת א לְו וְנִּקְדַּשְתִּּי ה יִּנֲא לֵאָּרְשִּי יֵנְּבך ותְּב' מְקַדִּּשְכ ם ." (אֱמו ר כב, לב) –
The simple meaning of ‘ולְלַחְת’ is to ‘desecrate,’ but it could also be translated as “make an empty space,” from the word ‘חָּלָּל-a hollow space,’ thus, the word ‘ולְלַחְת’ would mean: “And you should not make yourself into a place devoid of My holy Name (through your ego).” לָּלָּח ת ו שֲעַל אּ ל ש כוּ',
This fits with the continuation of the verse: “לֵאָּרְשִּי יֵנְּבך ותְּב יִּּתְשַּדְקִּנְו- Because Hashem wants His holiness to permeate inside of every Jew.”
A person’s ego creates a “vacuum” empty of Hashem’s holiness, by blocking out Hashem’s Light and perspective from entering. The verse is telling us that we cannot allow our ego to block out Hashem’s holiness from permeating us.
Now the source from the Gemara is brought:
And, we cannot allow ourselves to be someone that “pushes away the ‘feet’ of the Shechina (Divine Presence),” as mentioned in the Gemara (Brachos 43b). וְל א לִּהְיו ת "דּו חֵק רַ גְלֵי הַש ְּכִּינָּה" ,
The Gemara says: “A person should not walk with a fully upright posture, rather, he should walk slightly bowed, as it was taught: One who walks with a fully upright posture in an arrogant manner, even four cubits (6ft), it is as if he is pushing away the ‘feet’ of the Shechina, as it written (Yeshaya 6:3): ‘The entire world is full of His glory.’”
One who walks in an arrogant way shows a lack of regard for the glory and honor of Hashem that is surrounding him, and thereby chases Hashem from that place, as it were.
Obviously, a person does not actually chase away Hashem, but with his ego he chases away Hashem’s revelation from permeating himself.
Rather, we should learn Torah in such a way that we will feel how, “it is I [Hashem] that puts My words in your mouth” (Yeshaya, 51:16), to feel that these words of Torah that we say are actually Hashem’s words, and we are just Hashem’s messengers, like a prophet who gives over Hashem’s message. "ָּךיִּפְּב יַרָּבְּד םיִּשָּאָּו" קַר (יְש ַעְיָּה נא, טז) – דְּבָּרַי מַמָּּש .
Hashem tells Yeshaya the prophet: “And I placed My words into your mouth, and with the shadow of My hand I covered you, to plant the heavens and to establish the earth, and to say to Zion [that] you are My people.”
There are two ways to explain this verse:
Targum Yonasan explains that the “words” that Hashem put in Yeshayas’s mouth refer to words of prophecy, the message that Hashem will protect the Jewish people in exile, who are compared to the stars of heaven and the dust of the earth.
In Yalkut Shimoni (and Abarbanel, Metzudos) it explains that the “words” that Hashem is putting in his mouth are the words of Torah, since it is the merit of the Torah study of the Jewish people that the heavens and earth exist, and in their merit the Jewish people will return to be planted firmly on their land.
Seemingly, the Alter Rebbe is combining the two explanations of “the words that Hashem places in our mouth,” to mean that whenever a Jew learns Torah, he should feel like Hashem is giving him a prophetic message, it is Hashem speaking directly to him, not an old message that he is just learning about or repeating.
Now, mitzvos are the spiritual “clothing” that encompass a person, וְהִּנֵּה , ןיִּפיִּקַמּו ןיִּשּובְל ןֵה ת וְצִּּמַה, and Torah is the spiritual “food” of a connection to Hashem that becomes absorbed inside the person’s mind and heart, תּו יִּמיִּנְפּו ן וזָּמ איִּה הָּר וּתַהְו ; meaning, that through these Mitzvos Hashem brings down His Infinite Light to rest upon the person’s soul in an encompassing manner, beyond the limitations what his mind and heart can grasp, ־ךּורָּּב ף וס־ןיֵא ר ואךיִּשְמַמ ם הָּּב ש הוּא לִּהְיו ת ש ו ר ה עַל נַפְש ו בִּּבְחִּינַת ףיִּקַמ, and in addition, through Torah study, Hashem brings down His Light into the person’s soul in a revealed conscious manner, so that inside his mind and heart he should be permeated with a love for Hashem. וְגַם לִּהְיו ת הַנּ פ ש תּו כָּהּ רָּ צוּף אַהֲבָּה בִּּבְחִּינָּה פְּנִּימִּית.
Regarding this it was said, “For הֲוָּיָּ"ה-Havaya (Hashem), ַָּׁךיֶׁה לֱא- וְעַל ז ה נ אֱמַר (וָּא תְחַנַּ ן ד, כד) :"כִּּי הֲוָּיָּ"הַַָּׁׁךיֶׁה לֱא א ש ַׁאו ַׁא והַׁהָּלְכ":
The meaning of Hashem’s Name ‘הֲוָּיָּ"ה-Havaya’ in this verse also refers specifically to how Hashem is found in the Torah, פֵּירוּש "הֲוָּיָּ"הַׁ" – בְּחִּינַת תּו רָּה, and the meaning of Hashem’s Name ‘ַָּׁךיֶׁה לֱא-your G-d’ in this verse also refers specifically to how Hashem is found in the Mitzvos, וְ "ַָּׁךיֶׁה לֱא" פֵּירוּש – בְּחִּינַת מִּצְו ת,
The Name ‘הֲוָּיָּ"ה-Havaya’ represents how Hashem is above nature and beyond time and space. This is expressed more strongly in the Torah. The Torah is Hashem’s Wisdom that precedes the creation of the world, and can exist even without any world at all. It can be studied equally by all Jewish people in all times and places equally, and isn’t affected by the situation of the person learning the Torah.
The Name ‘ךי ה לֱא-your G-d’ represents how Hashem comes down into our world according to the nature and limitations of each person, ‘your,’ personal, G-d. This is expressed more strongly in the Mitzvos. Since, in a certain sense, commandments only exist in the context of a Commander, Hashem, and people who receive that command, us. A commandment implies a relationship with someone that you are commanding, and does not exist when a person is by himself. Specifically, the obligation of the mitzvos depends on the nature and situation of everyone separately. A man has certain mitzvos, a woman has different mitzvos, a Kohen, Levi, and Yisroel have different mitzvos, some mitzvos are only in Eretz Yisroel, some only when there is Bais Hamikdash etc. In that sense, Mitzvos are more strongly connected with the Name ‘ךי ה לֱא-your -personal- G-d.’
And these Torah and Mitzvos are compared to a consuming fire, by way of analogy: הֵן הֵם כְּמו הָּ א ש ַׁ לָּ שָּמך ר ּד לַע, If a fire is placed inside a vessel and surrounding it from the outside, then certainly the fire will be able to burn up all the contents of the vessel through יִּלְּכַהך וּת שֵא םיִּנְת ונ םִּא ש וּסְבִּיבו תָּיו , הֲרֵ י מִּמֵּילָּא ש ו לֵט הָּאֵש יֵרְמַגְל הּ לַכְמּו ףֵר ו שְו ר בֵע ל א ר בֵעֵמ ; and through, completely burning and destroying everything.
The same is true with Torah and Mitzvos: ,ת וְצִּּמַהְו הָּר וּתַהךָּּכ Since they affect the person from the inside and from the outside, תּו יִּמיִּנְּפ תַניִּחְבִּּב םֵה ש יֵדְי לַע ,ןיִּפיִּקַמ תַניִּחְבִּבּו they have the power to completely destroy and burn up the materiality of the animal soul and its coarseness, ף ורְ שִּלְו ת וּלַכְל ַח ּכ ן הָּּב שֵי יֵרֲה תיִּמֲהַּבַה ש פ נ תּו יִּרְמּוח ת א יֵרְמַגְלוְגַסּוּתָּהּ, which is what covers and conceals the Infinite Light of Hashem, ש הִּיא הַמַּסְתּ ר ת וּמַעֲל מ ת עַל או ר ה',אּוה־ךּורָּּב ף וס־ןיֵא and it causes the person to look at himself and the world around him as being an independent existence that is separate from Hashem. לִּהְיו ת נִּרְ א ה לְיֵש וְדָּבָּר בִּּפְנֵי עַצְמו , And that is why it – the animal soul of many people – needs to be cleansed in Gehinom (purgatory), to remove that barrier of ego of the animal soul that blocks out the Light of Hashem from fully shining into the Neshama. .ם ּנִּהיֵּגַּב קּוריֵמְל הָּכיִּרְצ איִּה ןֵכָּּל ש
However, as the Gemara says (Chagiga 27a): “The fire of Gehinom does not have power over a Talmid Chacham (one who studies Torah seriously) to burn him,” אֲבָּל 'תַּלְמִּיד־חָּכָּם – אֵין אוּר ש ל ' וּב טֵל ו ש ם ּנִּהיֵּג
for the Torah and Mitzvos have already cleaned him from outside and inside, and the glory of Hashem is revealed in him down below just as it is revealed Above. כִּּי הַתּו רָּה וְהַמִּּצְו ת הֵם הַמְמָּרְ קו ת מִּבַּיִּת וּמִּבַּחוּץ, "וְנִּגְלָּה כְּבו ד ה'" (יְש ַעְיָּה מ, ה) לְמַטָּּה כְּמו לְמַעְלָּה.
Because Torah and mitzvos are like “fire” that consumes the coarseness of the animal soul and reveal Hashem’s light, the Talmid Chacham does need to suffer the cleansing fire of Gehinom to become transparent to Hashem’s Light.
And this is the meaning of what is written, “And Har Sinai was full of smoke, for Hashem had descended upon it with fire,” (Shemos 19:18) וְז הוּ ש כָּּתוּב (יִּתְרו יט, יח): "וְהַר סִּינַי 'ה ויָּלָּע דַרָּי ר שֲא יֵנְּפִּמ וּלֻּכ ןַ שָּע בָּּאֵש " , and in another verse: “And Hashem spoke to you out of the midst of the fire.” (Va’eschanan, 4:12). שֵאָּהך וּתִּמ ם כיֵלֲא ה"ָּיָּוֲה רֵּבַדְיַו'ֹוגו" (וָּא תְ חַנַּ ן ד, יב) .:
The reason that the Hashem’s revelation at the Giving of the Torah was compared to a “fire”: The idea of Torah and Mitzvos is to “burn away” all barriers of ego and perception of being separate from Hashem, allowing us to become transparent to His Light to shine within us.
Chapter 4 (ד)
Now, this power – for bringing down this Light of Hashem into our world – was given to the Jewish people, ו הִנ ֵּה, כּ חַ ז ה לְהַמְש ָּכָּה זו נִּיתַּן לְיִּש ְ רָּ אֵל ,
Since they are the ones who bring down His Torah and Mitzvos with the Light contained in them remaining intact, ש הֵם הֵם הַמַּמְש ִּ יכִּים תּו רָּ תו וּמִּצְו תָּיו through their involvement in Torah and their service of Hashem with humility, “without letting their ego create an empty space void of Hashem’s Light.” עַל יְדֵי עֵס ק תּו רָּ תָּם וַעֲבו דָּתָּם בִּּבְחִּינַת " ּולְלַחְת א לְו'ֹוגו" .
This is not the case regarding the other nations of the world: מַה ש ּ אֵין כֵּן (עו בְדֵי כו כָּבִּים וּמַזָּּלו ת ) [אֻמּו ת הָּעו לָּם ] , Even if they would fulfill Torah and Mitzvos, they would not bring down any Light of Hashem. ןיֵא ת וְצִּמּו הָּר וּת ןיִּמיְיַקְמ םִּא ּו ליִּפֲא מַמְש ִּ יכִּין כְּלוּם .
In other words, because a non-Jewish person will always have some ego and feeling of being separate from Hashem. Therefore, he can never be fully transparent to Hashem’s Light to allow it to shine through him into this world through Mitzvos, even if he would do them. (And, in fact, he does have to fulfill the 7 Mitzvos for all humanity (Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach). Yet, despite his fulfillment of the 7 “Mitzvos” he doesn’t reveal Hashem’s Light into this world in the same way that the Mitzvah of a Jewish person does.)
This is the idea of the Torah being described as a “good gift” from Hashem, וְהִּיא בְּחִּינַת "מַתָּּנָּה טו בָּה", as our Sages say (Brachos 5a): “There are three ‘good gifts’ that Hashem gave to the Jewish people, and all of them can only be acquired through suffering: The Torah, Eretz Yisroel, and the World to Come. How do you know that Torah is only acquired through suffering? It says (Tehillim 94:12): Fortunate is the man that You afflict, Hashem, and You teach him from Your Torah.” וּכְמַאֲמַר רַזַ"ל: ש ָּל ש מַתָּּנו ת טו בו ת א ל ןָּּלּוכְו ,לֵאָּרְ שִּיְל אּוהךּורָּּב ש ודָּקַה ןַתָּנ הָּר וּת :ןֵה ּו לֵא ,ןיִּרּוּסִּי יֵדְי לַע אָּּל א ןָּנָּתְנ וְא ר ץ יִּש ְ רָּ אֵל וְהָּעו לָּם הַבָּּא .תּו רָּה מִּנַּיִּן — ּהָּּי ּוּנ רְּסַיְּת ר שֲא ר בּגַה יֵרְ שַא״ :רַמֱא ּנ ש ּוּנ דְּמַלְתָּךְתָּר וּתִּמּו.״ כו'
In other words, this gift is so “good” and valuable that you cannot get it without hard work, which is the painfully hard work of destroying our ego. The Mittler Rebbe adds in Toras Chayim: It is called a “gift” because it doesn’t change at all on its way down here, it is the same essence and nature as in its original source in Hashem, like one who gives a gift straight from his hand into your hand.
Now, the time for this gift is on the Holiday of Shavuos — the time of the Giving of the Torah. וּזְמַן מַתָּּנָּה זו הִּיא בְּחַג הַש ָּּבוּעו ת – זְמַן מַתַּן־תּו רָּה, Because on that day, the level called “The Crown of the Torah,” which is higher than the Torah itself, is revealed (as will be explained soon). איִּה ש ,הָּר וּת־ר ת ּכ תַניִּחְּב יּו לִּּג לְמַעְלָּה מִּבְּחִּינַת הַתּו רָּה .
And this is the meaning of: “If not for this day of receiving the Torah which caused me to become spiritually great, how many people named יו ס ףַׁ-Yosef just like I am named would there be in the market, leaving as nothing special?”: םיִּרָּּג אָּקְּד אָּמ וי יאַה ואָּל יִּא" ּוה זְו, כַּמָּּה יו ס ף אִּיכָּּא בְּש וּקָּא:"
The simple meaning of this Gemara is that Rav Yosef was referring to his own name, Yosef, and was saying that many people are named Yosef, but he is special because of the Torah he learned.
The Alter Rebbe will interpret it on a deeper level:
He wasn’t referring to his own name, Yosef, but rather to the concept of ‘יו ס ף-increasing,’ referring to wisdom. Wisdom is called “increase” because it is the only thing that can always increase over time (even after a person passes away), unlike everything else a person has in this world that eventually gets weaker or lost.
Based on this interpretation, Rav Yosef was saying:
Without receiving the Torah on Shavuos, there would be many types of wisdom that would all be pretty much the same, since none of them possess the Light of Hashem shining openly in them. There would be nothing special about Rav Yosef being a genius in his religious studies compared to someone else who is a genius in his philosophy.
The only reason why Rav Yosef, a Torah genius, is exalted above a genius of any other philosophy, is because Hashem put His Light into the Torah down here, so that by learning Torah we become united with His Light and with Hashem Himself at the deepest possible level, besides for any intellectual achievement.
This can also mean: If not for the day of Shavuos, how many levels of ‘יו ס ף-increasing,’ i.e., of wisdom, would there would be in the world, כַּמָּּה בְּחִּינו ת "יו סֵף":
The term ‘יו סֵף-increasing’ refers to wisdom and knowledge, as we see in the verse that these two phrases are connected: as it says: “he who ‘יו סִף-increases’ knowledge, increases pain.” "יו סִּף דַּעַת יו סִּף מַכְאו ב" (ק ה ל ת א, יח) ;
And there are many types of wisdom that are foreign to the wisdom of the Torah, regarding them it was written (Yirimiya 4:22): “They are wise to do evil, but they do not know to do good.” וְכַמָּּה מִּינֵי חָּכְמו ת זָּרו ת, דִּּ כְתִּ יב בָּּה ם: "חֲכָּמִּים הֵם לְהָּרַ ע, וּלְהֵטִּיב ל א יָּדָּעוּ" ,"
Because, these types of wisdom come from a place of perceiving themselves as being separate from Hashem, which is the opposite of the Torah, which comes from Atzilus, where Hashem’s Oneness if fully revealed. כִּּי "מִּש ָּּם יִּפָּּרֵ ד" (בְּרֵ אש ִּ ית ב, י ),
But “this day” of Shavuos, is when Hashem’s Wisdom and Will becomes revealed as it is invested in the Torah that we receive, ותָּמְכָּח יּו לִּּג אּוה "אָּמ וי יאַה" לָּבֲא ,הָּר וּתַּב ת ש ּבּולְמַהךֵרָּּבְתִּי ונ וצְרּו since, in it, the Torah, Hashem’s Infinite Light becomes invested and revealed down here in this world as it is revealed Above in Atzilus. ־ךּורָּּב ף וס־ןיֵא ר וא תּו שְּבַלְתִּה ּהָּּב ש הוּא, וְגָּלוּי לְמַטָּּה כְּמו לְמַעְלָּה.
For “this day” of Shavuos is referred to as “the day after the seventh ‘תָּ ב ש-week,’” (Vayikra, 23:16), כִּּי "הַאי יו מָּא" הוּא "מִּמָּּחֳרַ ת הַש ַּבָּּת [הַש ְּבִּיעִּת]" (אֱמו ר כג, ט ז ) –
We start to count the Omer on the day after the first day of Pesach. We count seven weeks, 49 days, and on the day after the seventh week, the
