“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.