“The Presentation of Itself” p:13

AyinBase / Ayin Beis with R' Paltiel ThursdayNight 25 Adar 5773 

Page 13

Top line of the page – (line starts, 'kocho...') For text, click: Here.

The Rebbe wants us to understand light/ohr.

Light is a non-entity. It has an effect. But not a real presence. Shefa is an actual force – the bestowing of a real presence.

Like in the case of the stone flying – the force of the thrower, propels the stone.

Ohr on the other hand is just a statement of, 'I'm here' and that is its effect. The presentation of itself is its effect.

What is the point of our discussion? It is to see why we say 'ohr ein sof' and not 'ohr ein lo techilah' – 'light without beginning'! And if the light is like the essence, which is without beginning, why don't we call it 'without beginning'. The answer is that the light has its qualities not due to itself, but due to its connection to the source.

The light cannot represent the essence in this aspect of it having no beginning. This is because this element has no gilui/revelation aspect.

This is a truth element. It is known without getting to know it. It is beyond sechel/mind.

We did not make ourselves. And we don't feel that we were made. But we sense a certain truth about our existence that cannot be explained. Sechel/mind cannot understand its own beginning. This is a secular folly.

I am connected to the truth by hodah/submission.

When we say 'kadmon/primal' we know there is no definition. The only why to describe that is by the word 'emes/truth'.

Moses saw furthest. Beyond what angels can see.

One of the great challenges of learning chassidus is to focus in on 'what is being given' rather than 'what I am searching for'. If I search it is about me/yeshus. You need to put yourself aside to let the master present what is being given.

The point is that the light cleaves to its source, in contrast to shefa which leaves the source.

Forget your questions. Focus on what the Rebbe is presenting. The light is cleaving to the source. And you must ask 'what is 'cleaving'?' Cleaving means it cannot exist without the source. Its whole presence is pointing to the source. Sechel/mind has a different process, it says, 'look, here is a truth you can understand'.

Inside the text: at the top of page 13. No matter how many gyrations light goes through it is connected to its source.

There is a difference between light and atzilus. The world of atzilus is also a term of light/ohr, since it means emanation – just like light emanates from a source. The difference is that ohr is a state still within the essence and its revelation is 'minay u bay' / 'from itself and within itself'.

But atzilus by contrast is the element of 'the revelation of light beyond itself'. External to the essence.

What does the essence need with light? The essence does not need it. The light is not there to serve any need, but due to the reality of essence itself...

what is essence/etzem. We talk about the uniqueness of the human being in contrast to everything else in the world. He has 'daas' says Rashi. What is daas? Not so simple. Being sly/clever is seen in the fox. What is daas? It is a unique quality not seen in any other creature in the world, despite their accomplishments.

Daas is that the human being knows that the world exists. He does not just experience it. What is so special about that? This knowing is a statement that the world is real. Not just functional. Only humans have objective knowledge. A human knows the world 'from before its creation'. This is what gives him this special reality.

So the human beings presence in the world is way beyond his functionality. He brings a sense of abslolute reality. He is the one that says, 'this is for real'. Without him, the existence of the world and the absence of the world is exactly the same.

The human relates to the world on the basis of reality. All the features of the world, 'beauty', 'greatness' and 'variety' for example exist within the parameters of the world. The term 'reality' has no parameters!

Essence is omnipresent. It is reality itself. It does not exist in a certain place. Essence is an absolute presence. So this 'presence everywhere' is the light/ohr that is within the essence. Man's awareness of his own truth is the light of his essence. This is what gets him up in the morning...

God forbid he loses that spirit. It is the most painful thing imaginable.

The Rebbe is telling us this. We have to focus in on these words and accept them and then we will be able to understand them...!