“Yet it is Still Called 'Holy'... ” p: 175

AyinBase / Ayin Beis with R' Paltiel ThursdayNight 4 Tishrei 5772 

Page 175 – lines from 2^nd line – (line starts, 'kmo...') For text, see picture below.

We have been saying that there are levels in light. The Rebbe clarifies that the levels are not in the essence of the light, but in how it is revealed.

Now we are going to the second line of 175. here we are going to look at the fact that although the light is in the vessel and functions according to its location, still it is called kadosh/holy and has an atzmius/essential quality.

So the light functions now according to the nature and message of the vessel. Yet still it does not change to be transformed into the mehus of the vessel – it remains essentially light, not vessel.

This is like water that seems to take on the color of the transparent glass vessel that holds it... so the water may appear blue for example, but the color is not taken on by the water – the water remains unchanged, while appearing to have the color of the vessel.

This is not an optical illusion. There is an effect of color on the water – a superficial effect. The water remains unchanged, but 'functions' with the color...

Here's another example: our world is essentially dark, and the sun brings light to it. Even during daytime, the essential character of the world has not changed. The light unites with the world and the essential state of darkness remains. It is light despite the darkness.

The light pushes of the light without a fight. But if it was to really overcome the darkness, it would no longer be a world.

The light of the sun 'fits' itself to the world, while creating daytime.

Another example is the way light takes on the color of the hue of the filter through which it passes. The light in essence remains neutral.

So this is why we say that the light even while being involved in a vessel, remains essentially holy, pure and separate.

The 'emotions' of the animal are the whole animal. It does not have an awareness beyond its emotive state. It has a complete lack of contemplation. A human being by contrast is never, 'through and through' this or that emotion. A human being knows what he is doing. He has real emotions, that are accompanied by a higher state – a neutral level – a sense of reality.

Human emotions are always imbued with an element of sechel/mind.

This is the meaning of the light remaining essentially light and essential.

And when someone passes from the world, you know he is eternal.  And when he is in this world, no form or task captures his essential reality!  A man who was a taxi driver is not captured by the way he earned his living.  The Fredike Rebbe said, "the American expression, 'How much is he worth?' misses the point..."  A person is not 'worth' his money!

Bottom line: we have a physical world and think we can explain everything, but at the end of the day it remains a mystery.  'In the beginning He made heaven and earth...' says Genesis and we say, 'ahhh, now it makes sense... okay, he made it and now it has a G-dly element...'

So why is the world so crazy?!  we ate from the 'tree of knowledge' and now we want to know everything, but we have to know there is a limit to our knowledge and we are not our knowledge.