“I Don't Wake Myself” p: 171

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Sunday 3 MenachemAv 5772 

Page 171 – 1^st line of the page (line starts, 'pratiot...') For text, see link top right of the blog (needs update).

The kav/line has a faculty of essence. This defined, beginning of creation carries an infinite imprint.

“He and the life that comes from Him is one”, says the Zohar. And the Alte Rebbe says about this that the sphirot in atzilus are imbued the line from the Infinite (the kav from the Ohr Ein Sof).

And he also says, this light is of the aspect of the Illuminator.

Even after the tzimzum/contraction, an element of the Originator is found in the light. This is because it is initiated from above. The initial force is the ultimate reality that is present in all the lower stages. 

So the conclusion from this lengthy discussion, is that the creation of the light is not similar to other states of creation/coming forth. Bringing out vessels is a different effect and result. Even though the light too comes via the tzimzum/contraction, yet still it has the element of devekut/cleaving. Thus no matter where the light lands up it is representative of essence, and has within it a faculty of essence (koach ha-etzem).

P171 sent by Noah.

This is due to the special nature of light itself. It representing its source, rather than itself. This is why it transforms the world, and makes, 'day'. It never claims its own existence, and this is important to 'service' as well and that is because the impetus behind it, is not itself, but rather will/shine from above.

In the morning, 'I don't wake myself – I am awakened' and, 'He sends my soul back into me and opens my eyes and gets me up...' 'He gives me the impetus to start the day...' This is the key to reality.

So although there comes light from Essence/infinity you cannot says this is 'light from the essence' since essence is beyond containing light. 

There is no compelling factor, yet He could not have chosen differently. Or said another way, 'not that He could not have chosen differently, but rather the choice could not have been different.' His will is the creator of the light we have been discussing.

1 hour into the class: I want to reflect and put our thinking in some kind of context. A context that is totally different from 'normal' thought that deals with 'cause and effect'. Like the Rambam says, 'the start of thought is to know that there is a First Creator, who makes all, and thus creation and thought has a real basis'. We are talking of something that is way beyond thought/sechel/mind. We are talking about Essence. The truth of His presence. He is present not because he is presence, but because He is true.

The world presents falseness. Not true presence. The Torah does reveal to us that there is truth in the world, since it is His creation, but this is not a worldly phenomenon. So the intellectual faculties that are usually valid, fail in this arena. Here we have to be able to relate to 2 opposite realities, and yet there is no contraction. Chassidus is about being about 'light and dark' above 'good and bad' above 'definitive presence'. So too look at atzmus/essence, you have to leave behind the laws of intellectual thought, and some how we have by G-d's grace this capacity, but it is a completely different form of knowledge/knowing.

No thought can grasp Him. The mind cannot grasp 2 opposites. But, you can relate to it. In the faculties of the soul there are powers of the intellect. Chochmah/wisdom is sympolised by the letter 'yud'. This is seeing the point, without expansion of space and time. Though in thought there is no grasp of this. Yet chochmah glimpses this, and sees the 'thin strand' (kotz) that precedes the letter 'yud'. This is the emunah/faith of our chochmah. We are aware of it, but have absolutely no basis for being aware of it.

And this is why it is so vulnerable. You have to be careful with it. It is very easy to shake it or dismiss it with questions. 'But this is what I know, you want to know why I know? I don't know? This is my life. You want to steal my life from me. Go ahead'.