“Essential Form” p: 172

Thursday, August 16, 2012

“Essential Form” p: 172

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Thursday 28 MenachemAv 5772

Page 172 – 11th line of the page (line starts, 'be-olomots...') For text, see picture below.

Tzurah atzmi means an essential form. A from that cannot be separated from the essence. But there is no form in the essence.

So you could think of it as the light that cleaves to the essence. Cleaving means that it is totally initiated from the essence and is like the essence. How is it like essence if it is a tzurah/form? Because in this there is the koach/power of the essence. It does not stand in the position of being a revelation from the essence, but being that it has the will of essence, thus it has the manner of being totally united with the essence.

The light did not come as an answer to an external need. It was initiated from above and thus has the koach/power/faculty of atzmus/essence.

This is like the soul dressed in the body. It gives life to the body and imbues the body with life. This life is connected to the soul. If the body is damaged, it can heal because it draws life from the soul that cannot be damaged. So in the body there is koach haneshamah / a soul faculty. The lifeless body comes to life. This is like the light that is cleaving to the essence, and thus has life from it.

And because of this it is called a tzurah atzmis – an essential form.

It is critical to understand tzurah atzmi to know that souls and Torah are essential. Otherwise you may think they are worldly.

It is known that there are levels in the light that precedes the tzimzum/contraction. You might think it is one permeating reality without levels. But no. the reason there are levels are because there is the essence of light and the spreading of the light. Think essence, but in the state of light/ohr.

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The power of the name...

In everything there is how this thing pertains to itself and how it represents itself. This representation is really a secondary element in this presence – that it can be viewed from outside and that it represents itself. There is a deep element - you would think that we can represent ourselves any way we want – this is politics, but this is a perversion. Really there is an essential element in a person to represent himself. This is the power of a name – it is an external thing, but at the same time it touches his essence. A person has a body and soul – the purpose of the soul in the body is not for itself, but to express itself outside...! ~ Shiur Sunday 8.22.2010

Light Power

All that came into being...

...all the created worlds and all the ethereal entities that live in them, even the worlds that are mere emanations without tangible substance, even the worlds of thought and beyond to the realms of infinite light that preceded Creation...

--all this came to be only as a result of the thought of you, the earthly being, struggling in a world that only a infinitesimal glimmer of G-dliness has reached in its purity, bringing light where light could not be.

And so it follows, that with one simple act of beauty, all those worlds and realms of light find their purpose fulfilled, and so shine yet brighter--and reciprocate with a burst of illumination into our lowly world.

That is why the entire creation can be transformed with one simple, sincere deed.

Never underestimate the power of light.

From the wisdom of the Rebbe. Words by Tzvi Freeman

Tools of the trade (Glossary)

(… to be continued and developed…)

· Bechinat – aspect

· Keili – vessel/container

· Ohr – light (pl: Ohrot or Orot)

· Hitlabshut – enclothement

· Kodesh – holy (lit: removed)

· Shaichus - connection

· Madrega – level

· Etzem – essence

· Muvdal – removed/separated

· Koach – power (as in koach reiya – the power of sight. Pl: kochot)

· Dibur – speech

· Machshavah – thought

· Myseh – action

· Malchus – kingship

· Kesser – crown, encompassing level

· Etzem – essence

· Mekabel – recipient

· Mashpia – giver / mentor

· Misromem – exalted

· Oh ein sof – infinite light

· Melech – king

· Meturgeman – translator / intermediary

· Tammuz – a Hebrew month

· Rav – teacher

· Sechel – mind

In the world - Beyond the world - Exodus - Shattering and Refinement

Hayom Yom (25 Tevet):

"From my father's discourses we see that Exodus from Egypt means leaving limitations and bounds, and Chassidus is to enable man to leave the restrictions of the material world.

There is a difference: The Egyptian Exodus means shattering and then departure. We went away from Egypt.

The Chassidic Exodus means purification and correction, stepping out of worldly limitations and bounds while remaining in the the world.

This means, that while functioning within the world we must transcend its limitations. We are to remove the limitations and bounds, and perceive the truth - that the world per se is truly good, since, after all, the natural world is what G-d intended.

This is attained through the Avoda (work) of Chassidus."

Notes: When society and environment ("world" in chassidic usage) conflict with Torah, there may be a reaction of withdrawal from "world" and its affairs. Extreme monastic withdrawal is rejected by Torah.
Chassidus advocates being "within world," involvement in the normal routines of family and occupation for example, but refusing subservience to the values and principles of "world."

The Jew's values are to be Torah's while he functions in the marketplace or laboratory. He utilizes the opportunities and challenges of "world" to subordinate and use worldly affairs for Torah ideals, values and goals.

He will do this intellectually when confronting concepts that appear not to be consonant with Torah, and also by observing Mitzvot in inhospitable circumstances.

While functioning in this environment he is apart from it, refusing to be dominated or intimidated by it.

Stand, Walk and Jump - Daily Chassidus

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Thursday, August 16, 2012

“Essential Form” p: 172

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