“Ways of Seeing” p: 65

AyinBase with R' Paltiel WednesdayNight 6 Adar II 5772 

Page 65 – about 9 lines from the top of the page (line starts, 'be-re-iyat eyin hasechel...') For text, see link top right of the blog. Or for text right click here.

Seeing with a flesh eye is due to the imposition of the object, as opposed to seeing with the mind's eye which is due to an inclination. This means it makes a different impression, it imposes itself as opposed to being due to an affinity. Prophesy is like seeing with the flesh eye, even though it is a spiritual sighting. The view is ingrained and formatted in the prophet's mind – it imposes itself on him – like eye sight.

Nevertheless, if the navi/prophet is also a great sage, which affects and refines his vessels/faculties, and elevates the person, then the engraving will be with greater revelation/clarity.

This is a mashal/metaphor for the way that 'kisses'/wisdom affect something of essence – the hasagas hamehus.

How is the prophesy different? The fact that he is a great sage, means that his keil/vessel would be of a great quality.

The Truth of Kissing” p: 64

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Wednesday 6 Adar II 5772 

Page 65 – about 5 lines from the top of the page (line starts, 'hu gum ken...') For text, see link top right of the blog. Or for text right click here.

We are saying that the reflection/ha-arah from a higher level is more powerful than the essence/mehus of a lower level. It is not just that it comes from a higher level, but that it is reflective of this higher level. And 'kisses' are from the level of ha-arah. 

Souls are of the essence. So what is meant by 'hasagah hamehus/grasp of the essence'? The principle is that in souls the concept of hasagah is different from how intellectual grasp works for a soul in the body. The body can only relate to things that are tangible. The hasagah is how the soul grasps the intangible in the tangible. Something that is totally intangible is not within the realm of awareness of the guf/body. We refer to something tangible and then go beyond it. The neshamah per se does not have this process – it doesn't relate to physicality and metaphors – it sees things directly. Its own reality is Elokus/G-dliness.

Then there are 'kisses'. They elevate the understanding. The understanding is no longer based on its own existence, it is now illuminated by a different level of truth. This is to say, that the food (in our metaphor of being a guest at a table) acquires a different quality with the presence of the host.

This is like the way the level of sagacity of the prophet adds to his prophesy. You may think being a sage has to do with powers of mind alone, but he has an advantage that is seen in prophesy (which is a faculty beyond mind).

Just as in physical sight we see it not because, 'I understand it', but because it is there. Seeing with the mind's eye also as this aspect. Seeing because it is there to be seen. How does one get to the point that it is like seeing with the eye? This come from the process of eliminating all possible kinks and objections, till he has a clear view, till he gets to the real thing. There are different degrees of sight, even though sight is real. The deeper you go and the more clarity you attain, the better you see it.

This is to explain how it can be that the sagacity of the prophet affects the quality of his prophesy. Prophesy is beyond the seeing of the mind's eye – it is like seeing with the physical eye.    

“Sense of Intent” p: 64

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Tuesday 5 Adar II 5772 

Page 64 – about 5 lines from the end of the page (line starts, 'levad...') For text, see link top right of the blog.

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We are looking at how the reflection/ha-arah from a higher level is more powerful than the essence/mehus of a lower level. We are looking at how a chocham/sage is more powerful/adif than a navi/prophet. Moses was told, 'My face you will not see', because it is not possible to gaze at the mehus/essence.

We are looking at how the reflection/ha-arah from a higher level is more powerful than the essence/mehus of a lower level. It is not just that it comes from a higher level, but that it is reflective of this higher level.

Sunlight has a function for us on earth, but it too has an essential quality – this is reflective of essential light that knows no darkness. This is the meaning of reflection/ha-arah from a higher level. The meaning of an essence of light is not the consumption of fuel. And we cannot really comprehend it. The sun is a mashal/metaphor for this. It manifests a different reality. We are given the opportunity to see that which we cannot understand.

Chochmah is external, but that which is seen in chochmah stands on its own and can be the basis for one's life. This is because it is a reflection/ha-arah from a higher level and one can sense the reality.

This is like 'kisses'. Why do souls desire the kisses? The kisses are only a reflection/ha-arah, but yet still there is an advantage. And it is appropriate that the souls desire this level, even though it is just a reflection. Kisses are from chochmah and binah – chabad. The principle of chabad is that there is a sense of intent. midot/emotions are an actual feeling. Something that actually exists has a feeling of 'I value it because I have it', but by contrast with kisses there is a sense of intent and looking forward...

zivug gufni/physical union is like the child. He is from the essence of the father, but he becomes an independent entity. Where is the connection seen? In the 'kisses'. It is a profoud suffering to not know who one's parents are. Why? This is because you're not a 'boy in a bubble' – you don't live in isolation – you couldn't live in a bubble with all your supplies – life is that which is part of the entire reality. The lack of knowing is zivug gufni, without 'kisses'. The kiss is intangible, but it says, 'yes, you were in my mind' and that is a completely different reality.

When there is a revelation of the element of 'kisses' then as a result the mehus/essence is also recognized in a higher way. It is given new depth and significance.

“No One Sees My Face” p: 64

 AyinBase with R' Paltiel Monday 4 Adar II 5772 

Page 64 – about 8 lines from the end of the page (line starts, 'kuli...') For text, see link top right of the blog.

Or for text right click here.
We are looking at the principle that a reflection of a higher level supersedes the mehus of a lower level.

“Essence Walking” p: 64

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Sunday 3 Adar II 5772  

Page 64 – about a third from the top of the page (line starts, 'kuli...') For text, see link top right of the blog.

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A ha-arah is seen only where it has a function and there it's effect is in combination with the object. This is like rays of light only being visible where they strike an object. The rays of light have the functional element not the essential element. The essence remains what it is. It does not change no matter where it goes, and yet we pointed out that this hamshacha (download) of essence can be found at various levels and differs at each level.

How does it not change and yet have some features of the level where it is?

The mashal/metaphor to understand this: the pitcher does not look at the target as he powers the ball towards the hitter. This makes it an unqualified force. This is the level of essence being made manifest in the hand...

the horse walks because it has legs. A human being walks because he has a perception of what it is to be a human being. The horse walks not to reach something. He just walks. A human being has an intellectual relationship to his motion. That he can walk is related to the fact that, 'the whole world has been given to him'. His ability to walk and move is reflective of this. So the feet are representative of an essential element, so too the hand that throws the ball. This essential level comes down to the functional level, but remains connected to the essential level.

This is not a ha-arah/reflection. It is the essence as it is manifest at this level. Midot/emotions are rooted in essence. On the one hand essence does not change, yet it has different manifestation at different levels.

'Though kisses are not an essential presence, still they are a reflection of a higher level.

“Primary Reality” p: 64

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Friday 1 Adar 5772 

Page 64 – the 7th line from the top of the page (line starts, 'nitfasim...')

For text right click here.

We are bringing cases of how the essence, though unchanging, presents differently on different levels.

All souls are from essence. But the souls of atzilus, though functioning in a body will not be grasped by the body. They will not follow wherever the body leads. The soul will rise away from the body at the possibility of sin. The souls of biyah are grasped. They follow through if the body leads to sin – though not initiating of participating...

the souls of the future will be rooted in pnimius atik. The current souls are from atzilus. The current souls will be raised up by being absorbed by the souls of the future.

This is like the principle, 'you will eat what has already been eaten and be satiated...' - this means that souls that have done their work will go through a process of being raised into a higher level. What we accomplish is just the preparation for the ultimate elevation of the future. The lower souls are consumed by the higher souls – and this will be their elevation, but still the lower souls are also G-dly.

So this tells us something about why the souls of Israel desire the, 'kisses of His mouth'.

Sechel can do its research and come to a conclusion. A person can understand an opionion that opposes his own. Middos/emotions are different – he cannot relate to that which is different to him. This is yichud gufni – by essence one relates to that to which he can relate – so it is pnimi. Nevertheless, we see a principle, 'essence remains essence, but it remains so, within the level where it is expressed, thus when souls are from essence, but the level of zun, it is much lower than the ha-arah of av'ah, and hence their desire for kisses.

The fact that there are emotions representing the whole person, is the representation of the crown at a lower level. 'There is much harvest in the power of the ox' – the ox does not contemplate yes and no – it brings its whole being into any activity. Humans go through a process of decision making. This is like the pitcher in baseball. He looks at the target and then looks away. Then during the power of the through he is not focussed on the aim, but on the thrust... this is the midot...

“This is the Reality” p: 63-4

AyinBase with R' Paltiel   ThursdayNight 30 Shvat 5772 

Page 63 – the 3rd line from the end of the page (line starts, 'lekachte lechem...') Or see link top right of the blog.

For text right click here.

Essence is absolute and not identified with function or any effect. Yet it is a presence. This is why we use the metaphor of the host, who does not provide a functional element, and yet his presence is of great significance.

“My own truth denies your theory” the 18 year old to her atheist theology teacher. Her professor graded the paper F. The dean of the school gave her an A. Rabbi said, 'what they fail to recognize is that the present of the human being denies all of their theories!'

the presence of man bears testimony to Him! 

Inside the text: we are looking at pnimius and atzmus. Atzmus remains unchanged wherever it reaches. It does not translate. It has no function, nor effect. Yet, there is a difference at each level.

Negative mitzvoth reach to the level of pnimius abba.

There is a means to reach it. But at the level of pnimius atik it cannot be reached.  

The profound reality that is 'us' is that pnimius abba is pnimius atik. You have chochmah, which is part of sechel. But not sechel/mind based on discovery, but rather a touching of the reality itself. This is the sense of life that is in the human being. It is not reactive, like that of the animal. This is like the Rambam says, 'to know there is a first Being' – know Him independently. He's more real than the world. This is in the chochmah that touchs reality.  

This described above is like the young student's observations mentioned at the beginning of today's notes. 

Sight is a metaphor for chochmah/mind. Sight observes as if it is part of the object of sight. Not an observer. Pnimius abba pnimius atik. If not for sight the world would not be real to us. Pnimius atik is reality itself. And seeing it is having it on the chochmah level. 

A person can be confused and dragged all over the place, but the chochmah/insight cannot be made impure. It works not with evidence but actual presence.

This is the reality upon which our lives are built. And thus it is unshakable. Not due to evidence. It is reality itself.

Even in hamshacha atzmius, there is difference in levels.

We are saying that physical union is pnimi and essential and souls are the result of this. And it does not change at any level. So why do the souls crave kisses.

It does not change, yet there is a difference.

That's why we used the example of the host to show there can be the very same thing, namely the host himself at a different level – at the table with guest.

You may think halachot/Jewish laws are circumstantial, but really they are conceptualized in higher chochmah, as dressed in malchus de briah... as the essential truth manifests itself on lower levels.

So too the neshamos/souls – there is a difference between those of atzilus and those of biah. 'Tho all souls fit perfectly with each other like twins, since they are all literally G-dly, yet still there is a a difference between those of atzilus and those of biah. The difference is that a soul of atzilus is not grasped by gashmiut/physicality. It remains what it is. Souls of biah do get 'grasped' by physicality.

“I am Here” p: 63

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Thursday 30 Shvat 5772 

Page 63 – the 3rd line from the end of the page (line starts, 'lekachte lechem...')


For text right click here.
When you are a guest at a meal, you get the intangible presence of the host. This is different from how he is unto himself. He gives his presence, which is a download from the essential level. The significance of what he gives him is, 'I am here'.

Another level is that the inside of abba (chochmah) is the inside of atik (essence). Sight is like chochmah – you see it but you are not it.

  

“Light and Shade” p: 63

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Wednesday 29 Shvat 5772 

Page 63 – the 7^th line from the end of the page (line starts, 'lekachte lechem...')

See link (top right) for link to all pages of the text.

When you have sunlight reaching our world, it is light, but not the pnimi and atzmi (inner and essential) element of the sun. It is just a ha-arah/reflection of the sun. this is the kind of light that can be obstructed and shadows are created. We see by means of light and shade – the way the light reflects off objects. An essential thing cannot be blocked or dissipate.

Yes indeed there can be an essential influence, but it can be at various levels. In atik is an element of atzmius/essence. Atzilus is not essence, but atik is called essence. This is like the difference between chochmah and oneg. That which 'makes sense' in chochmah/mind is a reflection of what preceded it in ratzon/will and oneg/pleasure. In chochmah there is a perception. There is the element of, 'this makes sense' and 'it looks right' and this indicates not having the thing itself. The thing itself doesn't 'look right' it 'is right'. Oneg/pleasure is not the recognition, it is the reality and truth of the soul itself. Oneg is experience without any explanation 'why'.

Oneg is unlike chochmah. It is not open to evaluation. It is a reflection of the essence. Oneg/atik are used interchangeably with essence. There is no 'justification' for oneg. The tzemach tzedek wrote about wealth/honor and says there are 2 elements. For someone for whom weath is honor, 'he may or may not get it'. For someone for whom it is itself, he will get it. Atik is a reflection of essence. Atik is called essence/atzmus.

Where atik is for atzilus it functions as an intermediary for essence and that which is being reflected.

Sechel is like sights. A recognition of reality, not due to its effect or function. How does one relate to a reality that does not affect one at all? This is possible because he knows there is an overall reality and whatever he sees is part of this reality. Sechel/mind (not the mind to sort through what you observe and touch) tells you that the whole thing exists because of sechel – due to the oneg/pleasure/essence behind it. If not for the essence behind it, then it would be just an imaginary thing.

Psychology says there's no such thing as kindness. They say that everything has an alterior motive. But we say the human being is an atzmi/essential being and thus there can be real kindness...

“Home Work” p: 63

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Tuesday 28 Shvat 5772  

Page 63 – middle of the 2^nd paragraph (line starts, 'be-zun...')

See link (top right) for link to all pages of the text.

If the souls of Israel come from an essential level, why do they crave the 'kisses of His mouth', which are from a spiritual level. The kisses have an advantage in that they are from a level of sechel – avah.

Drawing by Joel Andresson

A human being has an element of essence. There's a saying, 'a man without a home is not a man...' it is not that the house makes him. He has an essential quality that is reveal by him having a house. Where was it prior to expression? In his essence. It is rooted at a higher level than where it finds expression. Having the house is an expression of an essential element.  

The kisses are a revelation of a higher level.

A man goes to work and gets very involved. But the truth remains that he goes to work to support his family. When a man gets married, it is not an addition. This defines him completely – he's a married man – and this is the case because marriage is an essential element in a person. This stays with him wherever he goes.  A pnimius does not change. So why does it reveal itself in different ways? To be addressed tomorrow.

 

“It's Just There” p: 63

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Monday 27 Shvat 5772 

Page 63 – middle of the 2^nd paragraph (line starts, 'be-zun...')

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Ownership is a human quality. This is because humans have an essential quality.

The home exists when the owner is sitting at his table and when he's away on a trip. When he's away 'he's there in a way of absence'. This is the chitzonius/external element of the ha-arah/reflection of the essence.

“'It Works for Me” p: 63

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Sunday 26 Shvat 5772 

Page 63 – 5 lines from the top (line starts, 'yoter...')

See link (top right) for link to all pages of the text.

Souls have a superiority over angels. This is because souls result from physical unions, but angels result from spiritual revelations. Souls have an essential quality, and can handle any revelation.

This being the case, why are the souls, longing for 'His kisses', when they have essence, which is greater than kisses?!

Kisses are in essence of a higher level than the physical. Kisses are from avah (mother and father – chochmah and binah). So the kisses, though the are chitzonius/external, they do have an advantage.

Midot have their own sense of reality. In serving Hashem, the focus is on love and awe of Him. The emotional element is validation. But the emotions/midos have the limit of the fact that they are subjective, the element of , 'it works for me'.

Sechel knows the topic in its own place. The basis of sechel/mind is the knowledge that there is a Primary Being who is the foundation. As opposed to 'my personal feeling'.

So avah (chochmah and bina) is higher than emotions. But here the midot are more pnimi/internal, because they have an authentic reality.

Gufni/body is the meaning that 'this is my truth'.

Sechel/mind is a recognition of a truth that is not related to me.

2 people recognize the truth of something and they want to be involved in it together – and they experience the topic and not each other. If they experience each other in midot then there is an actual experience of each other. Zivug elyon – higher union – is based on truth, in contrast to zivug tachnot, which is based on the experience of each other. Kisses are an expression of affection and even though it is only an expression it has great significance, because the time when the expression is sufficient is when there is a recognition of the reality of the connection.

We are dealing with 2 elements. Essence and the revelation of the essence – light. Essence per se – does not extend outward. Anything that can be disseminated is not essence – it is a ha-arah (reflection). In the ha-arah (reflection) level itself there are 2 levels. A ha-arah atzmis – a reflection of what essence is.

How can there be a reflection of essence. Take the mashal/metaphor of the sun. we get rays of light, not the essence of light here on earth. The sun stays in its place. So the ha-arah atzmis is a reflection of essence – you take something of yours and give it away. It reflects you, but it is not you.

“I Should Tell Him” p: 63

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Friday 24 Shvat 5772 

Page 63 – top of the page 

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“An Essential Move” p: 71-2

AyinBase with R' Paltiel ThursdayNight 23 Shvat 5772 

Page 71-2 – lower quarter of the page (line starts, 'bemetziut...')

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The soul is able to focus on the truth to the exclusion of all else. This is due to the quality of atzmus/essence.

From time to time one should contemplate the perspective of a tzaddik. This is not false imaginings. The soul has this truth, even if he lacks the 'brain power' to reach into that level of the soul... how does one relate to this view of, 'yes this is true and I am not up to it....?' It is because there is an element in a person where the truth is the only thing that matters.

He relates to truth beyond his understanding.

This is also the basis for the soul's ability to do tshuvah/return. Even from a great distance... a move is accomplished by an 'essential move'.

One can understand a man feeling a lack of significance and wanting improvement. This is not yet tshuvah, this is improvement. This is still on a functional level. But the truth of tshuvah is that which comes from the essence of the soul to return to the essence of the Endless One (Ein Sof). It is not 'finding oneself', but rather connecting to Him, to the infinite reality.

So the basis of this 'move' is because the souls are the element of pnimius/inner reality rather than funcion. They are bound up with the 'hidden of all hiddeness' – truth that never came into being, without an element of expression.

This is why they have the power to return. The become fully embraced in the level of fully hidden, without personal cognizance at all...

The souls are made in 'His image' – in 'Our form'.

We are not aware of the depth they contain.

The natural world is subservient to the Torah. 'Follow My law says Hashem and I will have your rains fall at the proper time...' Nature represents the external influence.

“An Extension, Not a Representation” p: 71

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Thursday 23 Shvat 5772  

Page 71 – lower third of the page (line starts, 'shekolel...')

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The souls of Israel, put themselves aside to do His will. This ability is unique to them. What type of faculty is necessary to mevatel/nullify oneself? Usually say you need a faculty, 'to make something of oneself'! A person has to be able to identify with what he is doing. Commonly a person thinks, 'this exists and this is what I want to do'. The souls of Israel have awareness without engaging their own presence. If the soul is a non-entity, how does he do anything? This is a special ability.

The souls do not possess the element of being separate entities. They are an extension of essence. And they are not, 'a reflection of a reflection'. They were created to be the essential light – an extension, not a representation.

Essential light does not have a presence. It does not 'come into being' and does not have a definition. It is ein – nothing. This is why the souls are completely able to negate themselves and have the full effects of accepting His will. They know essence not through themselves but by being essence.

Usually we have awareness via sechel/mind. Then there is essential sechel/mind. This is what emanates directly from the soul. Then there is the soul itself. And the soul, 'knows it' because essence 'knows it', not because 'the soul knows it'.

“I'm not Here to be Here” p: 71

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Wednesday 22 Shvat 5772  

Page 71 – below the middle of the page (line starts, 'lemata...')

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Souls here below can distinguish between the inner/pnimi and external/chitzoni elements.

The souls of Israel are rooted in the inner and essential level.

The soul says, 'I'm a soldier, I was sent on a mission, I'm not here to be here, I don't have my own presence, I represent Him'. This type of presentation is seen in full only from a Rebbe. The rest of us relate to it once we're exposed to it. The Rebbe said, 'the worst of our yeshivah's are better than their best...' this is because for us there is no separate metziut/entity.

The emphasis in our chinuch/education is to follow through on the Rebbe's instruction. Other yeshivahs have the focus on shteig/strive and grow to become a lamden/scholar. One can strive mightily and not reveal anything of the essence of the soul.

“Know the Essential Reality” p: 71

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Tuesday 21 Shvat 5772 

Page 71 – about the middle of the page (line starts, 'kuli...')

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We're looking at the revelation of the hidden choice. The expression is down here below – 'souls in bodies'.

And from down here they can differentiate the inner from the external. They know the essential reality in themselves.

What quality enables the correct identification? It is the Unending Essence (Atzmus Ein Sof). This element is found also in the souls of Israel and it is rooted in a level above His essential pleasure.

His choice is not based on any 'personal affinity'.

It is phenomenal to think... some of our boys look to India for some meaning... if you approach Torah without the inner level then the whole point is missed.

The souls of Israel have an element of essence. This is because they were already identified and selected in Essence, so thus they represent the ultimate, inner intent, that desires pnimius/inner reality. The souls have no qualities except His intent. And this is why the souls of Israel have the ability, here below to separate between the inner and outer levels. This is an essential quality and enables the ability to discern and to distinguish.

A chabad boy goes on shlichus (being an emissary) not because of who he is. He goes because he is connected to the one who sends him.

Pnimius 'looks up to its source' and chitzonius/external reality, 'becomes something unto itself'.

 

“The Tree” p: 71

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Monday 20 Shvat 5772 

Page 71 – about a third from the top of the page (line starts, 'kuli...')

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He let go the highest and the lowest worlds and the spiritual worlds that recognized Him and none satisfied him as being His particular choice, except for Israel, that was in the exile of Egypt at that time.

His pleasure is revealed and is expressed in the very lowest level – where there is 'just presence' – 'letters on the parchment'. These letters were given to this people, being brought out of slavery, where they had been reduced to subhuman status – and this is 'dirah betachtonim'/a dwelling for Him.

In our days we see that one can say, 'this is logical, this is the way I think of it...' and it can lead to a low depravity. This is due to being cut off from the Source and things being handled on the most external level.

There's a feeling of self-satisfaction, that precludes acknowledging Him. This is like Adam (when he was a composite of male and female) being alone and perfect in himself, and thus not recognizing the higher reality that makes him possible. When male and female were made distinct and he was presented with and ezer k'negdo / a helpmate, then their later union became based on acknowledging the One who made them...

The tree of knowledge is good and bad mixed together. And how is the good identified? The real good, not the practical artificial good, but the essential good? It comes by virtue of Torah and mitzvoth where the essential good is identified.