The Dual Perspectives and the Word 'Velo'
Lessons in Likutay Torah | February 14, 2025
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The Dual Perspectives and the Word 'Velo'

Lessons in Likutay Torah | December 31, 2025

For to Hashem, just as when looking “from Above to Below,” whatever is spiritually lower is like nothing, i.e., less real and important, and less noticeable, in the same way Hashem can make it possible for people who see things “from Below to Above” to also see things that way.

הַמ לָּּכ הָּּטַמְּל־הָּלְעַמְּלִּּמ ש םֵ שְּכ ש סֵפ וניֵאְו ,א לְּכ אּוה הָּּטַמְּל ש םַג הָּלְעַמְל־הָּּטַּמִּמ אּוהְךָּּכ ,ם וקָּמכֵּן,

In other words, because Hashem can appreciate both perspectives, He is able to share the “Above to Below” perspective with people who naturally have the “Below to Above” perspective.

If Hashem only had the “Above to Below” perspective, then we would have no chance to ever figure out how Hashem sees things from Above to Below, since there would be no “common language,” as it were, for Hashem to share His perpective with us.

But since Hashem also has the “Below to Above” perspective, and He can explain things to us in that “language,” He can explain to us the “Above to Below” perspective on our level of understanding, until we can relate to it even in our physical world.

Hashem can give us the insight into His “Above to Below” perspective, until we can begin to think the same way and look at things in our life that way as well, similar to how Hashem looks at them, as it were.

This is because, as the verse concludes, “(ולא) וְלו נִּתְכְּנוּ עֲלִּלו ת-For Him, our actions are measured,” (Shmuel, ibid): מִּפְּנֵי כִּּי (ש ְ מוּאֵל ש ָּם): "וְלו נִּתְ כְּנוּ עֲלִּילו ת ":

The word “וְלו -to Him” as it is written is spelled “וְל אַׁ” with an א' instead of a ו', which would mean “and not,” instead of “for Him.”

However, when it is read, it is pronounced “וְלו ַׁ” with a ו' instead of an א', thus meaning “for Him,” instead of “and not.”

The maamar will give the mystical meaning of the two version of this word: יִּרְּקַהְו"וְלו ַׁ " בְּוָּי"ו :

The word “וְל א” with an א', meaning “and not” represents the Mitzvos of things that we are “not” allowed to do, known as Mitzvos Lo Saaseh, "וְל א" בְּאַ ל ף הֵם מִּצְו ת ל א תַעֲש ה ;

The word “וְלו ַׁ” with a ו', meaning “for Him,” represents the Mitzvos of things that we do “for Him,” known as Mitzvos Asei. "וְלו " בְּוָּי"ו הֵם מִּצְו ת עֲש ֵה.

The Alter Rebbe established that the word (ולא) /וְלו refers to all the mitzvos. This leads in to the next word of the verse “נִּתְכְּנוּ -measured,” since it through the mitzvos that we perform that we bring Hashem’s perspective into our perspective, created a “measured” and equal balance between the two perspectives:

Seemingly the distinction between the two version of the word is only in terms of content meaning, since according to how we read וְלֹא and וְלו there is no difference in pronunciation (as far the translator could discern).

(רְ אֵה ז הַר חֵל ק ג אִּדְּ רָּ א זוּטָּא רצב , סו ף עַמוּד ב).

For to Hashem, just as when looking “from Above to Below,” whatever is spiritually lower is like nothing, i.e., less real and important, and less noticeable, in the same way Hashem can make it possible for people who see things “from Below to Above” to also see things that way.

הַמ לָּּכ הָּּטַמְּל־הָּלְעַמְּלִּּמ ש םֵ שְּכ ש סֵפ וניֵאְו ,א לְּכ אּוה הָּּטַמְּל ש םַג הָּלְעַמְל־הָּּטַּמִּמ אּוהְךָּּכ ,ם וקָּמכֵּן,

In other words, because Hashem can appreciate both perspectives, He is able to share the “Above to Below” perspective with people who naturally have the “Below to Above” perspective.

If Hashem only had the “Above to Below” perspective, then we would have no chance to ever figure out how Hashem sees things from Above to Below, since there would be no “common language,” as it were, for Hashem to share His perpective with us.

But since Hashem also has the “Below to Above” perspective, and He can explain things to us in that “language,” He can explain to us the “Above to Below” perspective on our level of understanding, until we can relate to it even in our physical world.

Hashem can give us the insight into His “Above to Below” perspective, until we can begin to think the same way and look at things in our life that way as well, similar to how Hashem looks at them, as it were.

This is because, as the verse concludes, “(ולא) וְלו נִּתְכְּנוּ עֲלִּלו ת-For Him, our actions are measured,” (Shmuel, ibid): מִּפְּנֵי כִּּי (ש ְ מוּאֵל ש ָּם): "וְלו נִּתְ כְּנוּ עֲלִּילו ת ":

The word “וְלו -to Him” as it is written is spelled “וְל אַׁ” with an א' instead of a ו', which would mean “and not,” instead of “for Him.”

However, when it is read, it is pronounced “וְלו ַׁ” with a ו' instead of an א', thus meaning “for Him,” instead of “and not.”

The maamar will give the mystical meaning of the two version of this word: יִּרְּקַהְו"וְלו ַׁ " בְּוָּי"ו :

The word “וְל א” with an א', meaning “and not” represents the Mitzvos of things that we are “not” allowed to do, known as Mitzvos Lo Saaseh, "וְל א" בְּאַ ל ף הֵם מִּצְו ת ל א תַעֲש ה ;

The word “וְלו ַׁ” with a ו', meaning “for Him,” represents the Mitzvos of things that we do “for Him,” known as Mitzvos Asei. "וְלו " בְּוָּי"ו הֵם מִּצְו ת עֲש ֵה.

The Alter Rebbe established that the word (ולא) /וְלו refers to all the mitzvos. This leads in to the next word of the verse “נִּתְכְּנוּ -measured,” since it through the mitzvos that we perform that we bring Hashem’s perspective into our perspective, created a “measured” and equal balance between the two perspectives:

Seemingly the distinction between the two version of the word is only in terms of content meaning, since according to how we read וְלֹא and וְלו there is no difference in pronunciation (as far the translator could discern).

(רְ אֵה ז הַר חֵל ק ג אִּדְּ רָּ א זוּטָּא רצב , סו ף עַמוּד ב).

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