Page
57 [of the pamphlet] about a third into the page – line starts:
'di-yichud'. (P43 in the book)
The
Rebbe is insisting we learn the fine principles of chassidus!
Light
has 2 elements – as it is unto itself, and as it is unto its
source. Due to its association with its source it actually acquires
the quality of its source.
The
union of the light with the vessels is on the level of 2 things
coming together.
By
contrast the union of the lights with their source is complete.
And
this is how it is also preceding the tzimtzum.
And
at that level the 10 sphirot are the first allusion to world...
Page
57 [of the pamphlet] 6th line of the page – line starts:
'keshurin'. (P43 in the book)
The
level of 'filling world' settles into world and relates to all its
details. The surrounding level does not relate to the details of the
world.
This
'filling level' is also Godliness. It is rooted in the the
surrounding level'.
The
Rebbe explains, that the memale ['filling world level'] is contained
within the sovev ['surrounding the worlds level'] as the the sovev
is contain within the ohr ein sof.
Why
is there affinity between these different levels? There is a 'First
Being' who creates everything... this means not that there is 'stuff
without meaning', but rather it is recognizable as His creation...
and thus it has the reality of a real presence.
Imagine
a world without human beings. Jungles, fish, butterflies, and no
humans. What would it represent?! Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
What
is the special attribute of the human being?
He
has an element of truth. A real creation represents its Creator.
There
is a truth in everything that He created. Particularly in the human
being. He gives value to all other creatures.
The
details of the world, which unto themselves lack completion and
significance, have an affinity with the surrounding level and the
truth of creation... they did not develop on their own... His spirit
flows through everything...
Page
57 [of the pamphlet] 6th line of the page – line starts:
'keshurin'. (P43 in the book)
We
said that the light that fills the world is also united with the
surrounding light...
The
level of the filling light comes forth in the 32 paths of knowledge –
all connected to the garment itself – the surrounding light – and
are made of the same primary reality.
Light
is always representative of its source. It never becomes an entity
unto itself. So how does the contraction/tzimtzum affect it? The
light lands up taking on the feature of 'presence', rather than just
being fully unified with its source.
We
are looking at light and vessel – they are distinguishable by this
feature: light cannot be separated from its source. The vessel can
be separated. Both light and vessel originate in the source and are
unified with it. But there's a difference in the way the light and
vessel are unified.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] last line of the page – line starts:
'vehinei'. (P43 in the book)
When
a host serves his guest and the guest begins to eat and tastes the
food, nonetheless that food carries the significance of where that
food came from.
If
the host would get up and leave, the guest would not want to eat. He
would lose his appetite.
The
level of 'filling all worlds' means He provides for everything to be.
And not that He created the world like a man makes a watch, but
rather that He fills the world. The creation continues to carry the
significance of the Creator.
So
the level of 'filling the worlds' is 'worldly', but it is there with
a Godly imprint.
The
level of 'surrounding all worlds' brings to the world a sense of
total nullification/bitul.
This
is what makes things real. If this initial aspect is lost you have
nothing. A true sense of being comes from the level of sovev /
surrounding the worlds – this gives a sense of Source and Origin.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] 3rd last line of the page – line
starts: 'zeh-hu'. (P43 in the book)
A
question triggers an internal process to go to the basis for the
answer. This is the source and root [shoresh and makor]. The source
is not the answer, it is the basis for the answer.
Man
relates to the source of things. Not to the experiential level.
The
light from the level that is 'filling all worlds' [involved with the
details of the world], has a light or spirit from the level of
'surrounding all worlds'.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] lower quarter of the page – line starts:
'bhituhrvut'. (P43 in the book)
Kavanah/intent
is much more refined than any other emanation and much more representative
of the essence than anything else.
There
is an attack on sechel/mind from all sides. Sechel is a soul
expression not a wordly phenomenon.
He
reveals how everything is part of one creation. This is revelation.
Only He can do this.
Sechel
is a soul emanation. We do not define it. Like you cannot define
life. We have it. It is a Godly gift. Sechel cannot be proven –
you either see it or you don't.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] lower quarter of the page – line starts:
'bhituhrvut'. (P43 in the book)
The
process of tzimtzum below is one step. Above it is 2 step –
removal of the light, and secondly a contraction of the sphirot
themselves.
At
the outset the sphirot are intermingled together. It is
representative of the fact that there is a higher light that combines
them all. And they are all dedicated to this higher element.
This
is like the way the shine of the sun is nullified within the sun
itself.
God
made light before there were any creations to benefit from it. He is
introducing a truth element saying, 'Hey, this is a Godly creation!'
- light is removal of the worldly concealment allowing for
unification and intermingling.
Rambam
says, “know there is a First Being that brings everything into
existence” and this is what allow everything to interrelate. This
statement is reflected on the worldly level by 'light'.
So
thus the light of the 1st day was 'super-worldly' – it
was light without a luminary – it was the Godly presence. It was
overpowering.
So
afterwards it was given a 'physical' representation – namely the
sun.
Yes,
the the light of the 1st day was camouflaged by hiding the
light in the sun, but yet the same effect remains. Day-light is
transformative, and the sun is an essential illuminator.
The
ray of light is fully nullified to the sun.
The
10 hidden sphirot before the tzimtzum were fully nullified to the
infinite light that surrounded them.
That's
why 'above' the tzimtzum is a 2 step process.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] lower quarter of the page – line starts:
'bhituhrvut'. (P43 in the book)
We
are discussing the tzimtzum in detail. We are looking at why the way
it occurs here below is different from how it occurs above.
Below
there is one step that accomplishes the tzimtzum. For example if you
have a word... and each letter there is part of that word... which is
a living sechel/concept... and if you remove a letter it is no longer
the same word and the overall light is removed – this is a metaphor
for the tzimtzum.
Above
the process is different.
Firstly
the infinite light is removed and goes back to its source. And
secondly, the 10 sphirot, which are the root for the kav/line are
identified individually.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] below middle of the page – line starts:
'histalkut'. (P43 in the book)
The
principle of all the sphirot being unified is removed and each is
brought forward individually.
The
encompassing light is also removed/nistalek.
If
you remove one letter from the word 'baruch', then the encompassing
light automatically vanishes.
Above
in the 10 hidden sphirot there are 2 individual
tzitzumim/contractions. Firstly, the
reduction of the 'infinity element'. This is the contraction
of the infinite light into concealment. It is incorporated back into
its essence.
How
is this done? Reality cannot vanish so how can the infinite light be
contracted? It is absorbed into its source. Light is present in the
presence of an essence. For example a human being changes the entire
environment...
And
secondly, the tzimtzum that affects the root of the kav/line
to permit one sphirah to be revealed at a time... and not a whole
blend of sphirot at once.
And
the revelation of the sphirot one by one is still within the context
of an overall reality and this provides for a world and a clarity of
what is being represented.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] below middle of the page – line starts:
'deyeshlaymor'. (P43 in the book)
We
are correlating the metaphor of the letters with combination of
lights as they are included in their source before the tzimtzum.
The
fact that there are 10 sphirot is due to the inner light [ohr pnimi]
which corresponds to 'intent'/kavanah elyona – a supreme intent to
affect creation.
By
means of the tzimtzum the sphirot are exposed individually in a
defined manner.
Before
the tzimtzum there was no identification of any individual quality.
The
tzimtzum has 2 effects. 1. it conceals the overall reality and
individual faculties come to the fore. For the soul to come into the
body, its grandeur had to be contracted... the faculties are drawn
from the soul where they are unified and not defined.
It
is very hard to present the material – to present what we are
learning...
For
that reason we are starting again at the middle of the page.
Letters
are the equivalent of a 'concrete presence'. For that you need to go
back to the source of sechel!
This
is what is behind the point of every idea/paradigm/sechel. It is
more pointed than the point.
Letters
bring the sechel to a concrete presence with ramifications and
applications...
An
illustration of the way that letters are rooted higher than
sechel/mind is the way that the 10 hidden sphirot are treasured and
hidden in the ohr ein sof that precedes the tzimtzum/contraction.
After
tzimtzum there is a relation to expression/revelation. Before you
have the light 'as it is unto itself'.
So
you may ask what are the 10 sphirot doin' there are that point? 10
implies a number that is necessary and appropriate for creation –
and this is before the tzimtzum...
The
letters are coming from yechida level of the soul that is the source
of sechel/mind.
We
live in a huge world – each element contributes to the wholeness of
the world – the tree, the bird, the sun etc... there are
innumerable stars – beyond counting... how is this accommodated?
How does each star have its own place? Does each star fight for its
place or is it assigned to it?
The
world really accommodates the stars and each thing...
So
too in the yechida she b'nefesh – it is the source of all that is
in the soul – every faculty and every sechel/state of mind
originates there.
The
world gives infinite provision. Each star has a place and a reality.
The source of the soul (yechida) provides infinite provision...
This
yechida is a Godly presence – unlimited – and unites everything.
There is inherent unity, not on a secondary level, just because they
happen to be on the same level.
This
is why there can be untold number of letters coming from the soul and
there is no conflict nor shortage of space – they are
representative of the soul.
There
is an inexhaustible supply of Godliness... this is the truth of
existence... thus the world is an indestructible reality.
There
is no conflict within the yechida of the soul – this is a Godly
spark – one spark is an infinity. It can accommodate an infinite
number of letters.
Anything
Godly has total clarity. And infinite accommodation – there is not
conflict within that truth.
Letters
are higher than sechel/mind. They are also a vessel for sechel and
identify the sechel at its source.
The
soul of man is sichli – it relates to itself and world – this is
part of the reality of the soul. Why does the soul need sechel? It
has levels higher than that, but it has inherent the mission to be
effective and this is where sechel comes into play. The soul tells
you by means of sechel what is going on in the world... sechel is the
souls statement to you.
In
the source each sechel is a reality in its own right... there is no
clash. Only one who senses the soul at that level can bring it down
in words.
Meteorites
collide by direction, not due to a conflict.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] at last line of the page – line starts:
'vehinei'. (P43 in the book)
We
have been talking about how He surrounds all worlds and fills all
worlds...
The
RAMBAM says that the first principle of chochmah/wisdom is that there
is a First Being, who brings all into being – without this all
wisdom/chochmah dissipates.
And
He is the source, through the 10 sphirot, of the elements of
surrounding and filling all worlds.
The
light that fills the world [ohr ha-mema'aleh] gives significance to
everything. The physical earth has been prepared for man. The
wisdom of man translates down into the world of action. The filling
light contains a nuance from the presentation of the surrounding
light.
The
filling light is absorbed within the surrounding light. And both of
these are unified within the Infinite Light, blessed be He [ohr ein
sof baruch hu].
Lights
are ultimately 'dressed in vessels' – and this is a perfect fit
between the vessels and the lights they hold. The vessel lends
itself to express the nature of the light.
Letters
are written with a pen. Written with ink. Ink can be spilled
without any connection to letters... the pen can make fine lines, but
unto themselves the fine lines do not allude to any idea. They are
like vessels. The light needs to be added. The pen does not
automatically tell you it will make letters. The lines are like
vessels absorbed in the ohr ein sof... by contrast the lights are
representative of the light.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] at last line of the page – line starts:
'vehinei'. (P43 in the book)
Been
talkin' about the 10 hidden sphirot.
They
represent the 'coming up' of His will/will [aliyat haratzon]. In
truth, unto Himself there are sphirot without limit. 10 indicates an
intended design.
This
rising of His intent sets a boundry – and the 10 hidden/treasured
sphirot represent this.
Think
of a wealthy person in contrast to a worthy king. The wealthy man's
resources are defined – there is a quantity. The king's wealth and
provisions are beyond the realm of being defined by quantity.
When
the wealthy man goes to help others it is aroused by the difference
between his resources and those of the poor man...
Contrast
this with the way a king relates to others. When a king attends to
his subjects and his intent to raise them, it is not based on
comparison to himself... Rather he says, “they are my subjects.
They are worthy of being supported!” it is out of respect for
them, not out of pity. It is a completely different attitude. He
looks at them from the perspective of their greatness not their
neediness.
The
way the king is 'motivated' in the description above is to illustrate
'aliyat haratzon' / the arising of His will.
The
fact that there are 10 represents that 'there is some kind of a
plan'. This is the source for the elements of 'surrounding all the
worlds' and 'filling all the worlds'.
Yes,
He makes the world and it is from the First Being. Is he divorced
from His creation? If the world had no sense of its Originator it
would not be real. So we have 'surrounding all worlds' – He as He
surrounds the world – and that's what gives it a real sense of
presence.
Page
56 [of the pamphlet] at last paragraph of the page – line starts:
'deyesh laymor'. (P43 in the book)
We
came to the point that the 10 hidden sphirot are similar to the ray
of light hidden within the sun.
The
tzimtzum: the infinite light is withdrawn and, each individual
sphira becomes an individual presence.
The
10 hidden sphirot are based on His simple will to create.
This
is like faith. There is no substantiation for it. It is just the
Godly reality in the soul. This is like the First Being – He's
beyond our understanding – but He created everything.
Nothing
caused His will. It arose in Him. We have no access to this level.
From
our perspective it indicates, 'He really wants the world, and people,
and Torah.' Reward is based on His will. Why should He care? But
He does. His concern goes down to the level of a small mosquito in
the deepest jungle.
And
the 10 hidden sphirot follow the rise of his will create.
Before
the the tzimtzum there were sphirot ein ketz (without limit).
