Sunday, January 27, 2013

“A Monkey in Silk” p: 9


AyinBase / Ayin Beis with R' Paltiel Sunday 16 Shvat 5773 

Page 9
Top of the page – (line starts, 'hakav...') For text, click here.

We are looking at the 10 sphirot of mah – the principle here is that there is a 'First Creator' who is the basis of all, and all knowledge.

What does it mean that He is the First Being? It means that He pre-existed. He did not come into being. Regular intellect works by going outside an object and then you can define it in contrast to other objects and background... but the First Being cannot be grasped, since he is rishon/first. He created everything and it comes from Him. He possesses it. It was not added to Him. For Him all is pristine and not preceded by not being.

Also anything created has 2 elements. Its presences and its purpose. This is its presence and the element of the Creator within it.

The inner level represents the Creator element. This is the pristine truth and thus not defined.

Light comes from the essence and so you might say it does not have an inner and external levels...


Godliness does not have to announce its presence in order to be. All creations by contrast have to make an impact in order to be present.

The kav/line is an element of light. It emanates from the ein sof. On the other hand it can be called a 'yesh mi ein' – a something that comes into being from ein/nothing... and announces its own presence. So in some subtle way it can be called a 'yesh mi ein' – a something.

And why should we care about this stuff?

There is a principle in Chassidus, that it needs to be applied to oneself to be true. Otherwise you cannot even learn it properly. If we just want information, and not to apply the teaching to ourselves, then it is just in the world.

How does your soul react if you think of yourself as an 'advanced monkey', or if you think or yourself as a human being...? If I am a human being I have a true purpose and a real reason for being. Not just a natural presence. I relate to the First Being. I am here with a mission. If I lose my mission I lose my motivation for life.

So he looks at this truth that gives his life meaning.

The kav/line comes through the effect of the tzimzum/contraction.

Before the tzimzum all was part of Him – infinity.

If we think of the infinity in the world, and imagine that each thing has to fight for its survival, then each new discovery would be a threat... but we live quiet comforatbly in the world, and when we find something new we say, 'okay, there's room for this and plenty more...' That's because we really see the world as a G-dly creation!

Your soul has this infinity element. Everything is there. Because it comes from the truth of His presence. And you will never exhaust the possibilities. We see infinity.

Kabbalah describes that He made a vacuum and 'open space' within Himself and that became the place for the creation of the world... what is the difference between hallal/vacuum and makom panui/open space? Vacuum provides for nothing, but an open place provides a context. This provided for 2 perspectives. Open space is the perspective of holiness – everything has a place in Him. Vacuum is 'smash and grab' - things trying to survive.


The only way we relate to essence is by our dedication to Him. There is no standing separate and contemplating essence. To relate to essence is to sense, 'this is our reality and this is who we serve and worship'. 

I know Him because I serve Him. And if I do not serve Him then I cannot know Him.

Creation was made to have an aspect of being outside/separate from Him.




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