“Surrounding Embrace; Look Ahead” p:72(14)

AyinBase / Ayin Beis with R' Paltiel 10 Kislev 5775 

Artwork by Yitzchak Bloom

Page 72(14)

At 5^th line from end of the page – (line begins: 'be-gan eiden...') For text see below.

We are saying that by getting to know and understand the light that is in vessels, we get to see the light that transcends worlds – sovev kol almin.

The surrounding light is on the one hand higher than world – it cannot be defined and put in a vessel/definitions. On the other hand it embraces the world and allows it to receive the light that fills the worlds (memaale kol almin).

If it surrounds the world, then how is it transcendent? The answer is that it is beyond being dressed into the world. And it is wondrous. And what is the point of knowing something beyond world, when you are in the world? The answer is that world per se is a lie. It is all about darkness and tangibility. And knowing by touch is not knowing the thing at all, only how it affects you. So there is no reality...!

So knowing only by means of world is living a lie. No reality to it. The presence of the Creator gives the world a reality. And that is the sovev – the surrounding aspect that provides reality. This is the Creator relating to his world. This is kingship.

Etzem ohr ein sof is how the light from the Creator is unto itself. This is above the element of sovev/surrounding light described above.

When a child learns to ride a bike, he is told, “don't look down. Look ahead”. So too, our life is based on 'looking up'. The world could not exist without the sky. There is no reality without 'shamayim'.

And here (below) are some notes from Yehudah:

Just a few quick thoughts. I've been wanting to write something for a while just to get something out there. Not very good, but here goes:

Memale Kol Almin – reflects itself in the world on a worldly/ functional level. Yet it is ohr, not worldly functionality. Example: suspension bridge captures the spirit of “where a person wants to be, there he is” on a worldly level. “He is wherever his ratzon is” is not a worldly statement. It is a truth that is higher than world. On a worldly level, he is not automatically everywhere, he has to “get” there. The fact that he wants to make a bridge reflects the fact that he belongs everywhere. A suspension bridge reflects this truth in a limited way. It gets a person across a particular body of water, but it reflects a human/G-dly truth. The fact that it reflects a truth is what makes it ohr. Yet the ohr is mislabesh in kalim. It is not purely kalim. 

Sovev – it is shyiach to the world but beyond being mislabesh in the world. Fact that it is shyiach to the world means that it is a presence that can be recognized by the world. There is a big difference between the way a host serves a guest or the way a waiter sets out a meal. The host has the guest in mind. There is a connection. Sovev represents that G-d wants the world. He is host and we are the guests.

Yehudah