Tanya
תניא

Part I; Likkutei Amarim 2/2

Chapter 30

This also a person must resolve in his heart to fulfill the instruction of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, “And be humble of spirit before every person.” 1   Avot 4:10. This you must be in true sincerity, in the presence of any individual, even in the presence of the most worthless of worthless men. This accords with the instruction of our Sages, “Do not judge your fellow man until you have stood in his place.” 2  Ibid., 2:4.
For it is his “place” that causes him to sin, because his livelihood requires him to go to the market for the whole day and to be one of those who “sit at the [street] corners,” where his eyes behold all the temptations; the eye sees and the heart desires, 3  Rashi, Numbers 15:39; Bamidbar Rabbah, 10:2. and his evil nature is kindled like a baker’s red-hot oven, as is written in Hosea, “He burns like a flaming fire….” 4  Hosea 7:6.
It is different, however, with him who goes but little to the marketplace and who remains in his house for the greater part of the day; or even if he spends the whole day in the market but is possibly not so passionate by nature—for the evil inclination of all people is not the same: there is one whose nature…, 5  For more on this subject, see, e.g., Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 2d; Va’etchanan 5a. as is explained elsewhere.
In truth, however, even he whose nature is extremely passionate and whose livelihood obliges him to sit all day at the [street] corners has no excuse whatsoever for his sins, and he is termed an utter evildoer ( rasha gamur ) because there is no dread of G–d before his eyes.
For he should have controlled himself and restrained the impulse of his desire in his heart because of the fear of G–d Who sees all actions, as has been explained above, 6  Chs. 12, 19. for the mind has supremacy over the heart by nature.
It is indeed a great and fierce struggle to break one’s passion, which burns like a fiery flame, through fear of G–d; it is like an actual test.
Therefore, each person according to his place and rank in the service of G–d must weigh and examine his position as to whether he is serving G–d in a manner commensurate with the dimensions of such a fierce battle and test—in the realm of “do good,” 7  Psalms 34:15. That of “turn away from evil” will follow later. as, for example, in the service of prayer with kavanah (devotion), pouring out his soul before G–d with his entire strength, to the point of exhaustion of the soul, 8   Sifrei on Deuteronomy 6:5—עד מיצוי הנפש—literally, to the extent of “wringing out” the soul. while waging war against his body and animal soul within it which impede his devotion, a strenuous war to beat and grind them like dust, each day before the morning and evening prayers. Also during prayer he needs to exert himself, with the exertion of the spirit and of the flesh, as will be explained later at length. 9  Ch. 42.
Anyone who has not reached this standard of waging such strenuous war against his body has not yet measured up to the quality and dimension of the war waged by one’s evil nature which burns like a fiery flame, that it be humbled and broken by dread of G–d.
So, too, in the matter of Grace after meals and all benedictions, whether those connected with the partaking of food or with the performance of precepts, [to be recited] with kavanah, to say nothing of the kavanah of precepts “for their own sake.”
So, too, in the matter of one’s occupation in the study of the Torah, to learn much more than his innate or accustomed desire, and inclination, by virtue of a strenuous struggle with his body.
For to study a fraction more than is one’s wont is but a small tussle which neither parallels nor bears comparison with the war of one’s evil impulse burning like fire, he is called utterly wicked ( rasha gamur ) if he does not conquer his impulse so that it be subdued and crushed before G–d.
For, what difference is there between the category of “turn away from evil” and that of “do good”? 10  Sins of omission are as reprehensible as sins of commission insofar as disobedience is concerned. Both are the command of the Holy King, the One and Only, blessed is He.
So, too, with the other commandments, especially in matters involving money, as the service of charity ( tzedakah ) and the like.
Even in the category of “turn away from evil,” every intelligent person can discover within himself that he does not turn aside from evil completely and in every respect where a hard battle at a level such as described above is called for, or even on a lesser level than the aforementioned: for example, to stop in the middle of a pleasant gossip, or in the middle of a tale discrediting his fellow, even though it be a very small slur, and even though it be true, and even when the purpose is to exonerate oneself—as is known from what Rabbi Simeon said to his father, our saintly teacher, “I did not write it, but Judah the tailor wrote it,” when his father replied, “Keep away from slander.” [Note there, in the Gemara, beginning of ch.10 of Bava Batra.] 11   Bava Batra 164b.
The same applies to very many similar things which occur frequently, especially with regard to sanctifying oneself in permissible things, an enactment based on the Biblical text, “You shall be holy…” 12  Leviticus 19:2. and “Sanctify yourselves….” 13  Leviticus 20:7. Moreover, “Rabbinic enactments are even stricter than Biblical enactments,” 14   Eruvin 21b; Mishnah, Sanhedrin 11:3. Berachot 3b; Avodah Zarah 41a; See also Rosh Hashanah 19a; Taanit 17b; Yevamot 85b. and so forth.
But all these and similar ones are of the sins which a person tramples underfoot and has come to regard as permissible in consequence of repeated transgression, and so on. 15   Avodah Zarah 18a.
In truth, however, if he is a scholar and upholds the Law of G–d and wishes to be close to G–d, his sin is very great and his guilt is increased manifold in that he does not wage war and does not overcome his impulse in a manner commensurate with the quality and nature of the intense battle mentioned above, than the guilt of the most worthless of worthless men of the corner-squatters who are removed from G–d and His Torah, whose guilt is not as heinous—in not restraining their impulse which burns like a fiery flame by means of the dread of G–d, Who knows and sees all their deeds—as the guilt of the person who is ever so close to G–d, His Torah, and His service. As the Rabbis, of blessed memory, said about Acher, “For he knew My glory….” 16   Eyn Yaakov, Chagigah 15a. (Comp. Hagahot HaBach 4, ad loc.)
Therefore the Rabbis declared in regard to the illiterate that “deliberate infringements [of the Law] are regarded, in their case, as inadvertent acts.” 17   Bava Metzia 33b.

Chapter 31

Even if by prolonging the deep concentration on the aforementioned matters for an hour or two in order to acquire a humble spirit and a contrite heart, the individual will lapse into a profound dejection, he should not worry.
For although sadness stems from the realm of kelipat nogah and not from that of holiness, since in regard to holiness it is written, “Strength and gladness are in His place,” 1  I Chronicles 16:27. and “the Divine Presence ( Shechinah ) abides only in joy…as is the case also in the study of halachah,” and so on, 2  See Shabbat 30b. except that if the sadness comes from reflections about celestial [i.e., spiritual] things, it is derived from the realm of goodness that is in nogah
[hence the Arizal 3  See above, ch. 2, note 9. wrote that even worry about sins is only fitting during confession 4  In the Prayer Before Retiring to Bed. but not during prayer and Torah study, which should be conducted with joy derived from the side of holiness, exclusively]—
Nevertheless, the method of subduing the sitra achara is on the latter’s own ground, as the Rabbis of blessed memory have said, “From the forest itself is taken the axe wherewith to fell it,” 5   Sanhedrin 39b. and “He met his equal.” 6   Shabbat 121b.
With regard to this it is written, “In every sadness there is profit,” 7  Proverbs 14:23. the profit being the joy that follows the sadness, as will be explained later.
In truth, however, a contrite heart and the bitterness 8  The author makes a distinction between עצבות (“sadness,” bordering on depression or melancholy) and מרירות (“bitterness”). of the soul—because of its remoteness from the light of the Divine Countenance and its being clothed in the sitra achara —are not called atzvut (dejection) in the sacred tongue, for atzvut implies that the heart is dull like a stone and is devoid of vitality. But in the case of merirut (bitterness) and a broken heart, the contrary is surely true—there is vitality in the heart fermenting agitation and bitterness, except that this vitality stems from the attribute of the holy gevurot (severity), whereas joy comes from the attribute of chasadim (kindness), for the heart is comprised of them both.
Thus it is sometimes necessary to awaken the attribute of the holy gevurot in order to ameliorate the stern judgments, arising from the animal soul and evil nature, when triumphing, Heaven forfend, over man. For the stern judgments can be sweetened only at their source. 9  See below, chs. 40 and 41. Therefore the Rabbis, of blessed memory, said that “a person should always rouse the good impulse,” 10   Berachot 5a. that is, whenever he perceives in his soul that he is in need of it.
But the propitious time, which is the time specifically fitting for the majority of people, is when one is in any case troubled by mundane worries, or, simply, without apparent cause. Then is the appropriate time to transform the sadness by becoming one of those “masters of account” mentioned earlier 11  Ch. 29. and to act on the counsel of the Rabbis that “[a person should] always rouse…,” as has been mentioned above. Thereby will he rid himself of the dejection occasioned by mundane affairs.
Following this he will attain true joy when he will reflect in his heart and gain a double measure of comfort, in view of what has been said above in truth, saying to himself: “Truly and without doubt I am far removed from G–d, and I am abominable and loathsome, and so on. Yet all this is myself alone, that is to say, the body with its vivifying soul. Yet, there is within me a veritable part of G–d, which is found even in the most worthless of the worthless, namely, the divine soul with a spark of veritable G–dliness which is clothed in it and animates it, except that it is, as it were, in [a state of] exile. Therefore, on the contrary, the further I am separated from G–d, and the more contemptible and loathsome, the deeper in exile is my divine soul, and the more greatly is she to be pitied; therefore I shall make it my whole aim and desire to extricate her and liberate her from this exile, in order to return her ‘to her Father’s house as in her youth,’ 12  Leviticus 22:13. before she was clothed in my body, when she was absorbed in His light, blessed be He, and completely united with Him. Now she will again be thus absorbed and united with Him, blessed be He, if I will bend my whole aim toward the Torah and the commandments, to clothe therein all her ten faculties, as mentioned above, especially in the precept of prayer, to cry to the L–rd in her distress of exile in my despicable body, to liberate her from her prison, that she may attach herself to Him, blessed be He.”
This is the essence of “repentance and good deeds,” 13  Comp. Avot 4:11. the latter being the good deeds which one performs in order to restore the portion of the L–rd to the Source and Root of all the worlds.
And this shall be his service all his life in great joy, the joy of the soul in her release from the despised body and “returning to her Father’s house as in her youth,” when engaged in Torah and prayer. Indeed, the Rabbis, of blessed memory, have said that one should be in a state of repentance throughout one’s life. 14   Shabbat 153a.
For there is no greater joy than the escape from exile and imprisonment, as in the example of the king’s son who was kept in captivity, turning the millstone in prison and becoming covered with filth; then he is liberated and he returns to his father’s royal house.
And although the body is still in its contemptible and abominable state—it is referred to in the Zohar as “the skin of the serpent”—inasmuch as the essence and substance of the animal soul have not converted to good, so as to merge into holiness, nevertheless his soul will become more precious in his eyes than the despised body, and he will rejoice in her joy and not confound and confuse the joy of the soul with the misery of the body. 15  Cf. below, ch. 33.
This [release of the soul from her exile in the body] is in the nature of the Exodus from Egypt, in connection with which it is written, “The people had fled.” 16  Exodus 14:5. At first sight it is strange that it should have happened in this way. For had Pharaoh been requested to liberate them forever, would he not have been compelled to let them go?
But because the evil in the souls of the Israelites was still in its strength in the left part—for not until the Giving of the Torah did their impurity cease 17   Shabbat 146a. —yet their aim and desire was to free their divine souls from the exile of the sitra achara, which is the “defilement of Egypt,” and cleave to Him, blessed be He, as is written, “The L–rd is my strength and my fortress and my refuge in the day of affliction…,” 18  Jeremiah 16:19. “My high tower and my refuge…,” 19  II Samuel 22:2. “and He is my escape…,” 20  Liturgy, Adon Olam. [so, too, was the physical exodus from Egypt in a manner of escape].
Hence in the time to come, when the L–rd will remove the spirit of impurity from the earth, it is written of it, “[You shall not go out in haste], nor go by flight, for the L–rd will go before you….” 21  Isaiah 52:12.
The quality of this repentance will be stronger and more intense, from the depth of the heart, and likewise the joy of the soul will be with an added measure of light and joy, when he will reflect in his heart with knowledge and understanding to console himself from his distress and sorrow, saying, as above: “Truly and without a doubt…”—“but it was not I who created myself. Why, then, has G–d done such a thing, to cause a portion of His light, blessed be He, which fills and encompasses all worlds, and before Whom everything is of no account, to descend and to be clothed in a ‘serpent’s skin’ and in a fetid drop? It cannot be otherwise than that this descent is for the purpose of an ascent—to raise up to G–d the whole vital animal soul, which is of the kelipat nogah and all her ‘garments,’ namely her faculties of thought, speech, and action, through their being enclothed in the act, speech, and thought of the Torah.” [As for the meaning of this ascent—how this is the ultimate purpose of the creation of the world—it will be later explained at length.] 22  Chs. 35, 36, 37. “If this is so, there is one thing for me to do, and this will be my sole aim all the days of my earthly life, to fully occupy therein the life of my spirit and soul, as is written, ‘To You, L–rd, I lift my soul,’ 23  Psalms 25:1. that is to say, to bind my thought and speech with His thought and speech, blessed be He, which are the very laws which have been set before us, and likewise my action—in the performance of the commandments.”
For this reason the Torah is described as “restoring the soul,” 24  Psalms 19:8. i.e., [restoring it] to its source and root. Concerning this it is written, “The precepts of the L–rd are right, rejoicing the heart.” 25  Psalms 19:9.

Chapter 32

Acting on the suggestion mentioned above—to view one’s body with scorn and contempt and finding joy only in the joy of the soul alone—is a direct and easy way to attain the fulfillment of the commandment “You shall love your fellow as yourself” 1  Leviticus 19:18. toward every soul of Israel, both great and small.
For, whereas one despises and loathes one’s body, while as for the soul and spirit, who can know their greatness and excellence in their root and source in the living G–d? Being, moreover, all of a kind and all having one Father—therefore, all Israelites are called real brothers by virtue of the source of their souls in the One G–d; only the bodies are separated. Hence in the case of those who give major consideration to their bodies while regarding their souls as of secondary importance, there can be no true love and brotherhood among them, but only [a love] which is dependent on a [transitory] thing. 2   Avot 5:16.
This is what Hillel the Elder meant when he said in regard to the fulfillment of this commandment, “This is the whole Torah, while the rest is but commentary,” 3   Shabbat 31a. and so on. For the basis and root of the entire Torah are to raise and exalt the soul high above the body, reaching to the Source and Root of all the worlds, and also to bring down the Light of the En Sof, blessed is He, upon the community of Israel, as will be explained later, 4  Ch. 41. i.e., into the fountainhead of the souls of all Israel, to become “One into One.” 5   Zohar II:135a. This is impossible if there is, G–d forbid, disunity among the souls, for the Holy One, blessed is He, does not dwell in an imperfect place, 6   Zohar I:216b. as we pray, “Bless us, our Father, all of us as one, with the light of Your Countenance,” 7  Liturgy, Amidah. as has been explained at great length elsewhere.
As for the Talmudic statement 8   Shevuot 30a. to the effect that one who sees his friend sinning should hate him and should tell his teacher to hate him also, this applies to a companion in Torah and precepts, having already applied to him the injunction, “You shall repeatedly rebuke your friend ( amitecha ),” 9  Leviticus 19:17. meaning “He who is with you in Torah and precepts,” 10  A play on the word עמיתך: עם-אתך. See Kitzurim V’Hearot, p. 36. and who, nevertheless, has not repented of his sin, as stated in Sefer Charedim. 11  By Rabbi Eliezer Azkari (16th century).
But as for the person who is not one’s colleague and is not on intimate terms with him, Hillel the Elder said, “Be of the disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving the creatures and drawing them near to the Torah.” 12   Avot 1:12. This means that even in the case of those who are removed from G–d’s Torah and His service and are therefore classified simply as “creatures,” one must attract them with strong cords of love, perchance one might succeed in drawing them near to the Torah and Divine service. Even if one fails, one has not forfeited the merit of the precept of neighborly love.
Even with regard to those who are close to him, and whom he has rebuked, yet they had not repented of their sins, when he is enjoined to hate them, there still remains the duty to love them also, and both are right: hatred because of the wickedness in them, and love on account of the aspect of the hidden good in them, which is the Divine spark in them, which animates their divine soul. He should also awaken pity in his heart for [the divine soul], for she is held captive, as it were, in the evil of the sitra achara that triumphs over her in wicked people. Compassion destroys hatred and awakens love, as is known from the [interpretation of the] text, “To [the house of] Jacob who redeemed Abraham.” 13  Isaiah 29:22. See Torah Or 51a-b.
[As for King David, peace unto him, who said, “I hate them with a consummate hatred,” 14  Psalms 139:22. he was referring to [Jewish] heretics and atheists who have no portion in the G–d of Israel, as stated in the Talmud, Tractate Shabbat, beginning of ch. 16.]

Chapter 33

This, also, will be the true joy of the soul, especially when one recognizes, at appropriate times, that one needs to purify and illuminate one’s soul with gladness of the heart. Let him then concentrate his mind and envisage in his intelligence and understanding the subject of His true Unity, blessed be He: how He permeates all worlds, both upper and lower, and even this world is filled with His glory, and how everything is of no reality whatsoever in His presence, and He is One Alone in the upper and lower realms, as He was One Alone before the six days of Creation and also in the space wherein this world was created, the heavens and earth, and all their host—He alone filled this space; and now also this is so, being One Alone without any change whatsoever.
For all things created are nullified besides Him in their very existence, as are nullified the letters of speech and thought within their source and root, namely, the essence and substance of the soul, which are its ten faculties, chochmah, binah, daat, and so on, wherein the element of letters is not yet found prior to their embodiment in the garment of thought [as has been explained at length in chs. 20 and 21, note there], and as is explained elsewhere by means of an illustration from nature, namely, the nullification of the sun’s radiation and light at their source, the orb of the sun in the sky. For surely its radiance and light glow and spread forth there, too, and even more strongly than in the space of the universe, but there [in the sun] the light is nullified within its source, as though it were nonextant at all.
Exactly so, figuratively speaking, is the world and all that fills it dissolved out of existence in relation to its source, which is the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, as is there explained at length.
When one will deeply contemplate this, his heart will be gladdened and his soul will rejoice even with joy and singing, with all heart and soul and might, in [the intensity of] this faith which is tremendous, since this is the [experience of the] very proximity of G–d, and it is the whole [purpose] of man and the goal of his creation, as well as of the creation of all the worlds, both upper and lower, that He may have an abode here below, as will later be explained at length. 1  Ch. 36.
Behold, how great is the joy of a common and lowly man when he is brought near to a king of flesh and blood, who accepts his hospitality and lodges under his roof! How infinitely more so is the [joy in the] abiding nearness of the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed is He. And so it is written, “For who is this that engaged his heart to approach Me? says the L–rd.” 2  Jeremiah 30:21.
For this reason it was instituted to offer praise and thanks to His Name, blessed be He, each morning, and to say, “Fortunate are we! How good is our portion, how pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our heritage!” 3  Liturgy, Morning Prayer; introduction to first Shema. In other words, just as a person rejoices and is happy when an inheritance of an immense fortune, for which he had not toiled, falls to him, how infinitely more should we rejoice over our heritage that our fathers have bequeathed to us, namely, the true Unity of G–d: that even down here on earth there is naught else besides Him alone, and this is His abode in the lower worlds.
This is what our rabbis, of blessed memory said, 4   Makkot 24a. “Six hundred and thirteen commandments were given to Israel…. Came Habakkuk and based them [all] on a single one, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by his faith,’ ” 5  Habakkuk 2:4. that is to say, as if there had been no more than one commandment, namely, faith alone. For by faith alone will he come to fulfill all the 613 commandments.
In other words, when his heart will exult and rejoice in his faith in G–d’s Unity, in perfect joy, as though he had but this one commandment, and it alone were the ultimate purpose of his creation and that of all the worlds—then with the force and vitality of his soul which are generated by this great joy, his soul will ascend ever higher above all internal and external obstacles which hinder his fulfillment of all the 613 commandments.
This is the meaning of the words “shall live by his faith,” with the emphasis on shall live, as at the Resurrection of the Dead, by way of example; so will his soul revive with this great joy. This is a doubled and redoubled joy, for apart from the joy of the soul apprehending the nearness of G–d and His dwelling with him, he will doubly rejoice with the joy of G–d and the tremendous gratification rendered to Him by virtue of his faith, whereby the sitra achara is verily subdued and darkness is changed into light, i.e., the darkness of the kelipot of this corporeal world, which obscure and conceal His light, blessed be He, until the End, as is written, “He sets an end to darkness” 6  Job 28:3. [which refers to the end of days, when the spirit of impurity will be banished from the earth, 7  Zechariah 13:2. and the glory of the L–rd will be revealed, and together all flesh will see; 8  Isaiah 40:5. as will be explained later 9  End ch. 36. ].
This is particularly so in the Diaspora, where the atmosphere is unclean and filled with kelipot and sitra achara. For there is no joy before Him, blessed be He, like the light and joy of the particular excellence of light that comes out of darkness.
This is the meaning of the verse, “Let Israel rejoice in its Maker,” 10  Psalms 149:2. that is to say that everyone who is of the seed of Israel should rejoice and be happy in the joy of G–d, Who is pleased and glad to dwell in the lower spheres, which are of the order of physical Asiyah.
That is why the Psalmist uses the plural osav [“its makers”], referring to the corporeal world which is full of kelipot and the sitra achara and is called “public domain” 11  רשות הרבים in the sense of “multiverse.” and “mountains of separation.” And these are transmuted to light and become a “private domain” 12  רשות היחיד in the sense of “universe.” for His Unity, blessed be He, by means of this faith.

Chapter 34

It is well known that the Patriarchs were truly the “chariot” of G–d. 1   Cf. above, ch. 18, note 3. For throughout their lives they never for a moment ceased from binding their mind and soul to the L–rd of the universe, with the aforementioned absolute surrender to His Unity, blessed be He.
Likewise were all the Prophets after them, each according to the station of his soul and the degree of his apprehension, the rank of our teacher Moses, peace to him, surpassed them all, for concerning him it was said, “The Shechinah speaks out of Moses’ throat.” 2   Zohar III:232a; cf. also Zohar III:7a. Something of this [union] the Israelites experienced at Mount Sinai, but they could not endure it, as the rabbis say 3   Shabbat 88b. that at each [Divine] utterance their souls took flight…, which is an indication of the extinction of their existence, of which we spoke above.
Therefore G–d at once commanded that a Sanctuary be made for Him, with the Holy of Holies for the presence of His Shechinah, which is the revelation of His Unity, blessed be He, as will be explained later. 4  Ch. 53.
But since the Temple was destroyed, the Holy One, blessed is He, has no sanctuary or established place for His habitation, that is, for His Unity, blessed be He, other than the “four cubits of halachah,” 5   Berachot 8a. which is His will, blessed be He, and His wisdom, as embodied in the laws which have been set out for us. Therefore, after contemplating deeply on the subject of this self-nullification, discussed above, according to his capacity, let the person reflect in his heart as follows: “Inasmuch as my intelligence and the root of my soul are of too limited a capacity to constitute a chariot and abode for His Unity, blessed be He, in perfect truth, since my mind cannot at all conceive and apprehend Him with any manner or degree of apprehension in the world, nor even an iota of the apprehension of the Patriarchs and Prophets—if this be so, I shall make for Him a tabernacle and habitation by engaging in the study of the Torah, as my time permits, at appointed times by day and by night, in accordance with the law which was given to each individual in the Laws Concerning the Study of the Torah, and as the Rabbis stated, ‘Even one chapter in the morning….’” 6  “…and one at night.” Menachot 99b.
In this way his heart will be gladdened and he will rejoice and offer praise and thanks for his portion, with a joyous and happy heart, that he has merited to act as host to the Almighty twice daily, to the limit of his available time, and according to the capacity which has been generously bestowed upon him by G–d.
And if G–d will lavish on him in yet a fuller measure, then “He who has clean hands will increase his effort” 7  Job 17:9. and “A good intention….” 8  “…G–d joins to a deed.” Kiddushin 40a; Zohar I:28a. And even the remainder of the day, when he is engaged in commerce, he will provide a dwelling for Him, blessed be He, through the giving of charity out of the proceeds of his labor, which is one of the Divine qualities, “As He is compassionate…,” 9  “…so must you be compassionate.” Shabbat 133b. and as written in the Tikkunim that “Kindness is the right hand.” 10   Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 17a.
And even though he distributes no more than a fifth part, this fifth carries the other four parts with it up to G–d to provide a dwelling for Him, blessed be He, as is known from the Rabbinic statement that the commandment of charity is balanced against all the sacrifices. 11   Sukkah 49b; Bava Batra 9a. And through the sacrifices all living creatures were elevated to G–d through the offering of one beast, all plants through that of one-tenth of a measure of fine meal mingled with oil, and so on. Apart from this, at the time of study and prayer, there ascends to G–d everything one has eaten and drunk and enjoyed of the other four parts for the health of the body, as will be explained later.
All the abovementioned particulars regarding the diverse joys of the soul do not preclude the person from considering himself shameful and loathsome, or from having a contrite heart and humble spirit, at the very time of the joy. For the sense of shame, and so on, is occasioned by the aspect of the body and animal soul, while his joy comes from the aspect of the divine soul and the spark of G–dliness that is clothed therein and animates it, as has been discussed above [ch. 31].
After this manner it is stated in the Zohar, “Weeping is lodged in one side of my heart, and joy is lodged in the other.” 12   Zohar II:255a; III:75a.

Chapter 35

Let us elucidate further the term “to do it.” 1  Cf. above, beg. ch. 17. Let us also understand, in a very small measure, the purpose of the creation of benonim (intermediates) and the descent of their souls into this world, to be clothed within the animal soul which is derived from the kelipah and sitra achara. Since they will not be able to banish her [the animal soul] throughout their lives, nor to dislodge her from her place in the left part of the heart so that none of her impure fancies should rise to the brain, inasmuch as the very essence of the animal soul derived from the kelipah remains [in the benonim ] in her full strength and might as at birth, except that her “garments” do not invest their bodies, as discussed above 2  Ch. 12. —if so, why have their souls descended into this world to labor in vain, G–d forbid, to wage war throughout their lives against the [evil] nature which they cannot vanquish?
But let this be their solace, to comfort them doubly and helpfully, and to gladden their heart in G–d, Who dwells with them in their Torah and [Divine] service:
To quote, by way of preface, the comment of the Yenuka [ Zohar, Parashat Balak 3   Zohar III:187a. ] on the verse, “The wise man’s eyes are in his head” 4  Ecclesiastes 2:14. : “Where else are a man’s eyes? …But the interpretation of the verse certainly is as follows: We have learned that a man must not walk four cubits bareheaded. The reason is that the Shechinah rests on his head, and a wise man’s eyes and everything he possesses are ‘in his head,’ i.e., in Him Who rests and abides above his head; and if his eyes are there, he must know that the light which shines above his head needs oil, for the body of a man is a wick, and the light is kindled above it. And King Solomon cried, saying, ‘Let there be no lack of oil above your head.’ 5  Ecclesiastes 9:8. For the light on a man’s head must have oil, meaning good deeds, and this is the meaning of the phrase, ‘The wise man’s eyes are in his head.’” The quotation ends here.
The explanation of this figure, whereby the light of the Shechinah is compared to the flame of a lamp which produces no light nor clings to the wick without oil, and likewise the Shechinah does not rest on a man’s body, which is likened to a wick, except through good deeds alone, and it is not sufficient that his soul ( neshamah ), which is a part of G–dliness from Above, should act for him as oil to the wick—is clear and understandable to every intelligent person. It is that the neshamah of a person—even if he be a perfect tzaddik serving G–d with fear and love of delights 6  Cf. above, chs. 9, 14. —does not, nevertheless, completely dissolve itself out of existence so as to be truly nullified and absorbed into the light of G–d to the extent of becoming one and the same absolutely, but the person remains an entity apart, one who fears G–d and loves Him. It is different, however, with the commandments and good deeds, which are His will, blessed be He. His will, blessed be He, is the source of life for all the worlds and creatures, flowing down to them through many contractions ( tzimtzumim ) and the concealment of the Countenance of the will of the Supreme One, blessed is He, and the recession of the levels, until it was made possible for creatures to come into being ex nihilo, separate beings that should not lose their identity, as discussed above. 7  Chs. 20, 21, 22. The commandments, however, are different in that they are His innermost will, blessed be He, without any concealment of the Countenance whatsoever; the vitality that is in them [therefore] is in no way a separate, independent thing, but is united and absorbed in His will, blessed be He, and they become truly one with a perfect union.
Now, the meaning of the “indwelling” of the Shechinah is the revelation of His G–dliness, blessed be He, and of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, in any thing. That is to say that such thing merges into the light of G–d, and its reality is completely dissolved in Him; only then does the One G–d abide and manifest Himself in it. But any thing whose reality is not completely nullified in Him, the light of G–d does not abide nor manifest itself therein, even if one be a perfect tzaddik who cleaves to Him with abundant love, 8  Above, ch. 9. since no thought can truly apprehend Him at all. For the truth of “The L–rd is the true G–d” 9  Jeremiah 10:10. is His Unity and Oneness—that He is One Alone and there is no reality whatsoever apart from Him. 10  Isaiah 45:6.
Hence the person who loves [G–d] and [ ipso facto ] exists [apart] and is not null and void—cannot by his thought apprehend Him at all; and the light of G–d cannot abide and reveal itself in him, except through the fulfillment of the commandments which constitute in reality His will and wisdom, blessed be He, without any concealment of Countenance.
NOTE: This accords with the comment and explanation which I heard from my teacher, peace to him, on a passage in Etz Chaim stating that the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, does not become unified even in the world of Atzilut unless it clothes itself first in the sefirah of chochmah —the reason being that the En Sof, blessed is He, is the true One Who is One Alone and apart from Whom there is nothing, and this is the level of chochmah, and so on.
Therefore, when a person occupies himself in the Torah, his neshamah, which is his divine soul, with her two innermost garments only, namely the power of speech and thought, are absorbed in the Divine light of the En Sof, blessed is He, and are united with it in a perfect union. This constitutes the resting of the Shechinah on his divine soul, as the Rabbis stated, “Even if one person sedulously occupies himself with the Torah, the Shechinah is with him.” 11   Berachot 6a.
However, in order to draw the light and effulgence of the Shechinah also over his body and animal soul, i.e., on the vital spirit clothed in the physical body, he needs to fulfill the practical commandments which are performed by the body itself. For then the very energy of the body itself which is engaged in this action is absorbed in the Divine light and in His will and is united with Him in a perfect union. This is the third garment of the divine soul.
Thereby also the energy of the vital spirit in the physical body, originating in the kelipat nogah, is transformed from evil to good and is actually absorbed into holiness like the divine soul itself, since it is this [animal soul] that carries out and performs the act of the commandment, because without it the divine soul could not have been acting through the body at all, for it is spiritual while the body is material and coarse. The intermediary linking them is the vital animal soul, which is clothed in the human blood, in the heart, and in all the body.
And although the essence and substance of the animal soul in his heart, namely its evil dispositions, have not yet been absorbed into holiness, nevertheless since they have submitted to holiness and, albeit unwillingly, respond “Amen” and agree and are reconciled to perform the commandment under the preponderance of the divine soul in his brain which rules the heart, and, in the meantime, these [evil dispositions] are in a state of exile or slumber, as it were, as discussed above 12  Ch. 13. —therefore, this is no obstacle to the suffusion of the Shechinah over the human body at such time.
Thus the energy of the vital soul that is embodied in the performance of the commandment is actually absorbed into the Divine light and is united with it in a perfect union, thereby illuminating the totality of the vital soul throughout the body, and also the physical body itself in a manner of “encompassing from above,” from head to foot. This is what is meant by the phrase, “the Shechinah rests on his head; 13  See above, pp. 157 and 159. the word “on” indicates this. Similarly, “On every gathering of ten [Jews] the Shechinah rests.” 14   Sanhedrin 39a.
Clearly, any such diffusion of the light of the Shechinah, that is, the revelation of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, cannot be termed mutability in Him, G–d forbid, nor multiplicity. Witness the passage in Sanhedrin, 15  Ibid. where a heretic said to Rabban Gamliel: “You say that on every gathering of ten [Jews] the Shechinah rests. How many Divine Presences have you, then?” And he replied to him with an example of the light of the sun which enters through many windows…. The intelligent man will understand.

Chapter 36

It is a well-known Rabbinic statement that the purpose of the creation of this world is that the Holy One, blessed is He, desired to have an abode in the lower worlds. 1   Midrash Tanchuma, Nasso 16.
But surely with Him the distinction of “upper” and “lower” has no validity, for He pervades all worlds equally.
The explanation of the matter, however, is as follows: Before the world was created, He was One Alone, one and Unique, ruling all space in which He created the universe. It is still the same now insofar as He is concerned. For the change relates only to those who receive His life-force and light, blessed be He, which they receive through many “garments” which conceal and obscure His light, blessed be He, as is written, “For no man shall see Me and live,” 2  Exodus 33:20. and, as our Rabbis, of blessed memory, have explained it, that even angels, who are called Chayot, 3  An interpretation of the word וחי. cannot see Him…. 4   Sif-rei, end of Parashat Behaalotcha ; Bamidbar Rabbah, end of Parashat Nasso.
This is the concept of the hishtalshelut (downward gradation) of the worlds and their descent, degree by degree, through a multitude of “garments” which screen the light and life that emanate from Him, until there was created this material and gross world, the lowest in degree, than which there is none lower in the aspect of concealment of His light, blessed be He; [a world of] doubled and redoubled darkness, so much so that it is full of kelipot and the sitra achara which actually oppose G–d, saying: “I am, and there is nothing else besides me.” 5  Isaiah 47:8, 10; Zephaniah 2:15.
Clearly, the purpose of the hishtalshelut of the worlds and their descent, degree by degree, is not for the sake of the higher worlds, because for them this is a descent from the light of His Countenance, blessed be He. But the ultimate purpose [of creation] is this lowest world, for such was His will, blessed be He, that He shall have satisfaction when the sitra achara is subdued and the darkness is turned to light, so that the Divine light of the En Sof, blessed is He, shall shine forth in the place of the darkness and sitra achara throughout this world, all the more strongly and intensely, with the excellence of light emerging from darkness, than its effulgence in the higher worlds, where it shines through “garments” and in concealment of the Countenance, which screen and conceal the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, in order that they should not dissolve out of existence.
For this purpose, the Holy One, blessed is He, gave to Israel the Torah which is called “might” and “strength,” 6   Shir Hashirim Rabbah 2:10; Zohar II:58a; III:269a; cf. Zevachim 116a. as the Rabbis, of blessed memory, have said 7   Sanhedrin 100b. that the Almighty puts strength into the righteous in order that they may receive their reward in the hereafter, without being nullified in their very existence, in the Divine light that will be revealed to them in the hereafter without any cloak, as is written, “Your teacher shall no longer be concealed from you [literally: He will not conceal Himself from you with robe and garment]…but your eyes shall see your Teacher.” 8  Isaiah 30:20. It is also written, “For they shall see eye to eye…” 9  Isaiah 52:8. and “You shall no longer have the sun for light by day…for the Lord shall be to you for an everlasting light….” 10  Isaiah 60:19-20.
It is well known that the Messianic Era, and especially the time of the Resurrection of the Dead, is the fulfillment and culmination of the creation of the world, for which purpose it was originally created.
NOTE: The receiving of the reward is essentially in the seventh millennium, as is stated in Likkutei Torah of the Arizal. 11  See above, ch. 2, note 9.
Something of this revelation has already been experienced on earth, at the time of the Giving of the Torah, as is written, “You have been shown to know that the L–rd is G–d; there is none else aside from Him” 12  Deuteronomy 4:35. —“have been shown ” verily with physical vision, as is written, “And all the people saw the thunderings” 13  Literally: “voices.” Exodus 20:15. —“they saw what is [normally] heard.” 14   Mechilta, on the verse. And the Rabbis, of blessed memory, explained, “They looked eastward and heard the speech issuing forth: ‘I am,’ etc., and so [turning] toward the four points of the compass, and upward and downward,” as is also explained in the Tikkunim that “There was no place from which He did not speak to them….”
This was so because of the revelation of His will, blessed be He, in the Decalogue constituting the epitome of the whole Torah, 15  Rashi, Exodus 24:12; Zohar II:90b. which is His innermost will, blessed be He, and His wisdom, wherein there is no concealment of the Countenance at all, as is written, “For by the light of Your Countenance You gave us the Torah of life.” 16  Liturgy, Amidah Prayer. Therefore they [the Israelites at Sinai] repeatedly expired out of existence, as the Rabbis have taught 17   Shabbat 88b. that at each [Divine] utterance their souls took flight…but the Holy One, blessed is He, restored it to them with the dew with which He will revive the dead. This is the dew of the Torah which is called “might,” as the Rabbis have said, “Everyone who occupies himself with the Torah is revived by the dew of the Torah….” 18   Ketuvot 111b.
Later, however, the sin [of the Golden Calf] caused both them and the world to become gross again—until the end of days, when the dross of the body and of the world will be purified, and they will be able to apprehend the revealed Divine light which will shine forth to Israel by means of the Torah, called “might.” And, as a result of the overflow of the illumination on Israel, the darkness of the gentiles will also be lit up, as is written, “And the nations shall walk by your light…,” 19  Isaiah 60:3. and, “House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the L–rd,” 20  Isaiah 2:5. again, “And the glory of the L–rd will be revealed, and together all flesh will see…,” 21  Isaiah 40:5. and, “To go into the holes of the rocks, and into the clefts of the boulders, for fear of the L–rd and for the glory of His majesty.” 22  Isaiah 2:21. And as we pray, “Reveal Yourself in the majesty of Your glorious might over all the inhabitants of Your terrestrial world….” 23  Liturgy, Amidah, High Holidays.

Chapter 37

This culminating fulfillment of the Messianic Era and of the Resurrection of the Dead, which is the revelation of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, in this material world, depends on our actions and service throughout the duration of the galut.
For what causes the reward of a commandment is the commandment itself, 1  See Avot 4:2. because by virtue of performing it the person suffuses a flood of light of the En Sof, blessed is He, from above downward, to be clothed in the corporeality of the world in something that was previously under the dominion of the kelipat nogah, from which it had received its vitality. These are all those things that are [ritually] clean and permissible, wherewith the precept of action is performed, viz., parchment used in the tefillin, mezuzah, and Torah scroll, as taught by the Rabbis 2   Shabbat 28b; 108a. that nothing is fitting for a sacred purpose which is not clean and permissible for consumption; similarly an etrog which is not orlah ;
NOTE: For orlah is one of the three completely impure kelipot that can never ascend [into holiness], as explained in Etz Chaim. Similarly, the performance of any precept involving a transgression, G–d forbid.
so, too, money given to charity which had not been dishonestly acquired; and similarly with other things.
Thus, when a person performs the Divine commandment and will, by means of these [“clean” things], the vitality that is in them ascends and is dissolved and absorbed into the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which is His will, blessed be He, that is clothed in them, since therein there is no concealment of Countenance whatsoever to obscure His light, blessed be He.
In like manner, the energy of the vital animal soul which is in the organs of the body of the person performing the commandment is also clothed in this performance, and it rises from the kelipah and is absorbed into the holiness of the precept, which is His will, blessed be He, and is dissolved into the light of the En Sof, blessed is He.
Likewise in regard to the commandment of Torah study and the recital of Shema and Prayer, and similar precepts, although they do not involve physical action in the strict sense, such as would be dominated by the kelipat nogah. Nevertheless it has been established that meditation cannot take the place of speech 3   Berachot 20b. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 62:3. and that a person does not fulfill the commandment until he has uttered [the words] with his lips. And it has been established that the articulation by the lips is deemed as “action.” 4   Bava Metzia 90b; Sanhedrin 65a. For the divine soul cannot express itself through the lips and mouth and tongue and teeth, which are all corporeal, except through the agency of the vital animal soul, which is clothed in the organs of the physical body. Hence the more strength one puts into his speech, the more of the vital soul’s energy does he introduce and invest into those words.
This is the meaning of the verse, “All my bones shall declare….” 5  Psalms 35:10. This also is what the Rabbis meant when they said, “If the Torah reposes in all the 248 organs, it will be preserved; but if not, it will not be preserved.” 6   Eruvin 54a. For forgetfulness comes from the kelipah 7   Zohar I:193b; Pardes, s.v. Shikchah ; Rabbi Chaim Vital, Shaar Hamitzvot, beg. of Va’etchanan. of the body and vital animal soul, which are of the kelipat nogah that is sometimes absorbed into holiness, which is accomplished when one weakens their power and transfers all their strength into the holiness of the Torah or Prayer.
Furthermore, the vital soul’s energy which is clothed in the letters of speech in Torah study or Prayer, or the like, or in the precepts of performance, derives its entire growth and vitality from the blood, which is of the kelipat nogah itself, namely, all the foods and drinks which the person has eaten and drunk and which have become blood, having been under its dominion and having drawn their nurtures from it [the kelipat nogah ]. But now it is converted from evil to good and is absorbed into holiness, by virtue of the energy of the vital soul that has grown from it, which has now clothed itself in these letters or in this action which actually constitute His innermost will, blessed be He, without any concealment of Countenance. And their vitality is also absorbed into the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which is His will, blessed be He. And with their vitality, the energy of the vital soul is absorbed and elevated.
Thereby will ascend also the totality of the kelipat nogah, constituting the general vitality of this material and gross world, when the whole neshamah and divine soul of all Israel, which is divided into 600,000 particular offshoots, and each particular soul will fulfill all the 613 commandments of the Torah:—
The 365 prohibitions, to restrain the 365 blood vessels of the vital soul in the body, so as not to receive nurture or vitality through that sin from one of the three completely unclean kelipot, from which are derived the 365 prohibitions in the Torah together with their offshoots as laid down by the Rabbis, for the vital soul would no longer be able to ascend to G–d if it had been defiled with the impurity of the three unclean kelipot, which can never be elevated but must be completely nullified and annihilated, as is written, “And I will remove the unclean spirit from the land”; 8  Zechariah 13:2. and The 248 positive precepts, in order to draw the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, earthward, so as to raise up to Him and bind and unite with Him, the totality of the vital soul which is in the 248 organs of the body, with a perfect union, to become truly one, as it was His Will, blessed be He, that He should have an abode among the lowest creatures, and they become a “vehicle” for Him, as were the Patriarchs. 9  See above, ch. 18, note 3.
Thus, when the totality of the vital soul of the community of Israel will be a holy vehicle for G–d, then shall the general vitality of this world, now constituting the kelipat nogah, emerge from its impurity and filth and ascend to holiness to become a vehicle for G–d, through the revelation of His glory, “And together all flesh will see,” 10  Isaiah 40:5. and He will reveal Himself upon them with the majesty of His glorious might, 11  See Liturgy, Amidah, High Holidays. and “The whole world will be filled with the glory of the L–rd,” 12  Numbers 14:21. and Israel shall behold [it] eye to eye, 13  Cf. Isaiah 52:8. as at the Giving of the Law, as is written, “You have been shown to know that the L–rd is G–d; there is none else aside from Him.” 14  Deuteronomy 4:35.
In this way, all three unclean kelipot will be completely destroyed and annihilated, for their present nurture and vitality from holiness comes to them through the medium of the kelipat nogah, which is the intermediary between them.
It follows, therefore, that the whole fulfillment of the Messianic Era and of the Resurrection of the Dead—which is the revelation of His glory and G–dliness, blessed be He, and the banishment of the spirit of impurity from the world—is dependent on the suffusion of His G–dliness and of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, over the vital soul of the community of Israel in all its 248 organs, through its fulfillment of all the 248 positive precepts, and on the banishment of the spirit of impurity from it through its observance of all the 365 prohibitions, so that its 365 veins do not derive nurture from it.
For the community of Israel, comprising 600,000 particular souls, is the [source of] life for the world as a whole, which was created for their sake. 15  Cf. Rashi, Genesis 1:1. And each one of them contains and is related to the vitality of one part in 600,000 of the totality of the world, which [part] depends on his vital soul for its elevation to G–d through its own [the soul’s] elevation, by virtue of the individual’s partaking of this world for the needs of his body and vital soul in the service of G–d, viz., eating, drinking, and the like, [his] dwelling and all his utensils.
Yet these 600,000 particular souls are roots, and each root subdivides into 600,000 sparks, each spark being one neshamah ; and so with the nefesh and ruach in each of the four worlds— Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah.
And each spark descended into this world—although it is indeed a profound descent and a state of true exile, for even if one be a perfectly righteous person, serving G–d with fear and a great love of delights, he cannot attain to the degree of attachment to G–d, in fear and love, as before it came down to this gross world, not a fraction of it, and there is no comparison or similarity between them at all, as is clear to every intelligent person, for the body cannot endure, and so on, nevertheless [each spark] descended into this world, to be clothed in a body and vital soul, for the sole purpose of mending them and separating them from the evil of the three impure kelipot, through the observance of the 365 prohibitions and their offshoots, and in order to elevate his vital soul together with its portion that belongs to it of the totality of the world, so as to join and unite them with the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which the person draws into them through fulfilling all the 248 positive precepts through the agency of the vital soul, the very one that fulfills all the active commandments, as has been explained above.
It has also been stated in [ Etz Chaim, Portal 26] that the soul itself [ neshamah ] needs no perfecting at all…and there is no necessity for it to be embodied in this world…except in order to bring down the light to mend them…and this is exactly similar to the esoteric exile of the Shechinah for the purpose of elevating the sparks….
In the light of the above, one can understand why our Rabbis, of blessed memory, so strongly emphasized the virtue of charity, 16   Bava Batra 9a. declaring that “it balances all the other commandments,” 17  Ibid. and throughout the Jerusalem Talmud it is called simply “the commandment,” for such was the usage of the language to call charity simply “the commandment,” because it is the core of the precepts of action and surpasses them all. For all [precepts] are only intended to elevate the vital soul to G–d, since it is she [the soul] that performs them and clothes itself in them, thereby being absorbed into the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which is vested in them. Hence you can find no commandment in which the vital soul is clothed to the same extent as in the commandment of charity: for in all [the other] commandments only one faculty of the vital soul is embodied, and then only at the time of the performance of the precept, while in the case of charity, which a man gives out of the toil of his hands, surely all the strength of his vital soul is embodied in the execution of his work or occupation by which he earned the money; when he gives it for charity, his whole vital soul ascends to G–d.
Even where one does not depend on his toil for a livelihood, nevertheless since with this [charity] money he could have purchased necessities of life, for his vivifying soul, hence he is giving his soul’s life to G–d.
Therefore our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said that it [charity] brings the Redemption nearer. 18  Ibid., 10a. For with one act of charity a person elevates a great part of the vivifying soul, of whose powers and faculties he cannot elevate in the same measure by performing several other active precepts.
As for the statement of our Rabbis that “the study of the Torah is equivalent to them all,” 19  Mishnah, Peah 1:1. this is because Torah study is effected through the faculties of speech and thought, which are the innermost garments of the vivifying soul; also the essence and substance of the faculties of chabad ( chochmah, binah, daat ) of the kelipat nogah in the vivifying soul are integrated into holiness itself when one occupies oneself in Torah with concentration and intelligence.
And although the essence and substance of the emotion attributes ( middot )— chesed, gevurah, tiferet, and so on—cannot be mastered by benonim (intermediates) so as to be converted to holiness, this is because the evil is stronger in the emotion attributes than in the intelligences, by reason of its greater nurture from the holiness of the middot, as is known to the students of Kabbalah.
Furthermore, and this is the most important aspect of all in the pre-eminence of Torah study over all other commandments, based on the abovementioned 20  Ch. 23. quotation from the Tikkunim that “the 248 commandments are the 248 ‘organs’ of the King”: Just as in the case of a human being, by way of example, there is no comparison or similitude between the vitality that is in his 248 organs and the vitality that is in the brain, i.e., the intellect which is subdivided into the three faculties of chabad, exactly analogous, by way of example, yet removed by myriads of distinctions ad infinitum, is the illumination of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, that is clothed in the active precepts, compared with the illumination of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, in the chabad aspects of the wisdom of the Torah, in each man according to his intelligence and mental grasp.
And although his apprehension is only in its material aspects, yet the Torah is likened to water, which descends from a high level…, as has been explained above. 21  Ch. 4.
Nevertheless, the Rabbis declared, “Not study, but doing, is the essential thing.” 22   Avot 1:17. It is also written, “This day to do them.” 23  Deuteronomy 7:11. And [it has been ruled that] one should interrupt the study of the Torah in order to fulfill an active precept that cannot be performed by others. 24   Moed Kattan 9b. For, “This is the whole man,” 25  Ecclesiastes 12:13. and the purpose of his creation and his descent to this world, in order that He have an abode here below especially to turn darkness into light, so that the glory of the L–rd shall fill all of this material world, with the emphasis on material, “and together all flesh will see,” as has been discussed above.
On the other hand, when the precept is one that can be performed by others, one does not interrupt the study of the Torah, 26   Moed Kattan 9b. though the whole Torah is, after all, only an explanation of the active ordinances. The reason is that [the Torah] is, as it were, the chabad of the En Sof, blessed is He, and when a person is engaged in it he draws over himself the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, of an infinitely higher order and splendor than the illumination and influence obtained through the commandments, which are “the organs of the King.” This is what Rav Sheshet [meant when he] said, “Rejoice, O my soul! For you did I learn Scripture; for you did I learn Mishnah,” 27   Pesachim 68b. as is explained elsewhere at length.
This influence and illumination which man, by means of his occupation with the Torah, draws from the reflected light of the En Sof, blessed is He, and causes to shine on his soul and on the souls of all Israel, which is the Shechinah, Keneset Israel, the fount of all the souls of Israel, as will be explained later 28  Chs. 41, 52. —is termed “ keriah ” (“calling”); hence korei baTorah [“calling by means of the Torah”]. This means that through one’s occupation with the Torah one calls to the Holy One, blessed is He, to come to him, to use an anthropomorphism, like a person calling to his companion to come to him, or like a child calling his father to come and join him, so that he should not be separated from him and remain alone, G–d forbid.
This is the meaning of the text, “The L–rd is close to all that call upon Him; to all who call upon Him in truth,” 29  Psalms 145:18. The word באמת is here translated not as an adverb (i.e., “truthfully”), but as a noun—instrument—“by means of (that which is) Truth,” namely, the Torah. and “‘Truth’ applies only to the Torah.” 30   Tanna Dvei Eliyahu Zuta, ch. 21. The meaning is thus rendered in the sense of calling to the Holy One, blessed is He, specifically through the Torah. It is different, however, when one does not call Him through occupation in the Torah, but merely cries: “Father! Father!” as the prophet laments over him, “And no one calls in Your name…,” 31  Isaiah 64:6. “The Torah is His Name,” Zohar II:90b; III:73a. as is explained elsewhere. The intelligent person should ponder on this in order to inculcate into himself a great reverence at the time of his occupation with the Torah, as has been previously explained [ch. 23].

Chapter 38

In light of all that has been said above, one will clearly understand the decision of the halachah that has been laid down in the Talmud and Codes that meditation is not valid in lieu of verbal articulation, 1   Berachot 20b; Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 62:3. so that if one has recited the Shema only in his mind and heart, even with the full force of his concentration ( kavanah ), he has not fulfilled his obligation, and he is required to recite it again [orally]. 2   Shulchan Aruch, loc. cit. Similarly with Grace after meals, 3  Ibid. 185:2. which is ordained by the Torah, 4  Maimonides, Hilchot Berachot 1:1. and with other benedictions ordained by the Rabbis, 5   Shulchan Aruch, ibid. 206:3. and with prayer. 6  Ibid. 101:2. On the other hand, if he has uttered them with his lips but did not intend with his heart, he has fulfilled his obligation ex post facto, and he is not required to repeat them, except for the first verse of the Shema 7  Ibid. 60:5. and the first benediction of the Amidah. 8  Ibid. 101:1. Thus it is stated [at the beginning of ch. II of Berachot ], 9   Berachot 13b. “Up to here the commandment of intention ( kavanah ) applies; from here on comes the commandment of recitation,” and so on.
The reason is that the neshamah needs no perfecting 10  See above, ch. 37. for herself by means of the commandments but has only to draw forth light to perfect the vivifying soul and body by means of the letters of speech which the nefesh pronounces with the aid of the five organs of verbal articulation. Similarly with the active commandments which the nefesh performs with the [aid of the] other bodily organs.
Nevertheless, it has been said that “Prayer or other benediction [recited] without kavanah is like a body without a neshamah.” 11   Shnei Luchot HaBrit, vol. 1, 249b. This means that, just as in all creatures in this world, possessing a body and a soul, namely the nefesh of all living, and the ruach of all human flesh, and the neshamah of all that has the spirit of life in its nostrils among all living creatures, all of which G–d animates and brings into existence ex nihilo, constantly, by the light and vitality which He imbues into them, for also the material body, and even the very inanimate stones and earth, have within them light and vitality from Him, blessed be He, so that they do not revert to naught and nothingness as they were before—there is, nevertheless, no comparison or similarity whatsoever between the quality of the light and vitality that illumine the body, and the quality of the light and vitality that illumine the neshamah, which is the soul of all living.
To be sure, in both there is an identical light, in terms of concealment of the Countenance and [in terms of] the identical garments wherein the light hides, conceals, and clothes itself, for both [body and soul] are of this world wherein the light and vitality [issuing] from the breath of His mouth, blessed be He, is equally concealed in a general way, by virtue of the concealment of the Countenance and graded descent, in the progressive lowering of the worlds, by means of numerous and profound tzimtzumim (contractions) until [the light] has clothed itself in the kelipat nogah, in order to animate the totality of this material world, that is, all things which are permissible and clean in this world; and from it and through it, all things that are impure receive their sustenance, for it is the mediating agent, as it were, as has been explained above. 12  Ch. 7.
Nevertheless, the illumination, i.e., the flow of vitality wherewith G–d illumines and animates by way of this garment, is not the same for all of them in the manner of contraction and expansion.
For in the corporeal body and in the actually inanimate object, like stones and earth, the illumination is one of greatest contraction which has no parallel, where the vitality is so minute as not to have even the power of vegetation. In plants the illumination is not so greatly contracted.
In general, all things are subdivided into four grades—mineral, vegetable, animal, and man (“speaker”)—corresponding with the four letters of the Name of Havaya, blessed is He, from which they receive their influence.
And just as the illumination and flow of vitality in the inanimate and vegetable bear no comparison or parallel with the illumination and flow of vitality which is clothed in animals and man, although in all there is one equal light in the category of concealed Countenance, which is clothed in the same garment in all of them, namely, the garment of nogah 13  See above, chs. 7, 37. —so, too, there is no comparison or parallel between the illumination and flow of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He—His innermost Will, blessed be He, without concealment of the Countenance and without any garment whatsoever—which irradiates and pervades the active precepts; likewise in articulation and utterance of the lips without kavanah, which [articulation] is regarded as real action, as mentioned above, by comparison with the illumination and flow of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which irradiates and pervades the kavanah of the active precepts that a person intends, while engaged in performing them, to cleave to Him, blessed be He, through fulfilling His will, inasmuch as He and His will are one and the same. 14  The concept of kavanah, of far-reaching mystical implications in Lurianic and earlier Kabbalah, receives a simplified definition.
Similarly in the case of kavanah in prayer, the recital of Shema with its benedictions, and all other benedictions, wherein through his intention ( kavanah ) he attaches his thought and intellect to Him, blessed be He.
Not that an attachment ( devekut ) of the human thought and intellect to Him, blessed be He, is intrinsically superior to the attachment through the performance of the active precepts in actual practice, as will be explained further on. Rather it is also His will, blessed be He, that one should cleave to Him with one’s intelligence, thought, and intention in the active commandments, and with intention during the recital of Shema, prayer, and other benedictions. And the illumination of this Supernal Will which irradiates and pervades this kavanah is infinitely greater and more sublime than the illumination of the Supernal Will which irradiates and pervades the performance of the commandments themselves in action and speech but without kavanah. It is comparable to the superiority of the light of the soul over the body, which is a vessel and garb for the soul, as the body of the commandment itself is a vessel and garb for its kavanah.
And although in both of them, in the commandment and in its kavanah, there is the same Will which is perfectly simple, without any change or multiplicity, G–d forbid, which is united with His Essence and Being, blessed be He, in perfect unity, nevertheless the illumination is not the same in respect of contraction and extension,
NOTE: It is also so explained in Etz Chaim that the kavanah of the commandments and of Torah study is in the category of “light,” while the commandments themselves are grades and categories of “vessels” that constitute tzimtzum of the light, for through the contraction of the light the vessels came into being, as is known to the students of Kabbalah.
and it, too, is differentiated into four grades. For the “body” of the commandments themselves constitute two grades, namely, the commandments involving real action and those which are performed verbally and mentally, such as the study of the Torah, reciting the Shema, praying, saying Grace after meals, and other benedictions. The kavanah of the commandments [i.e., the intention] to cleave to Him, blessed be He, being like the soul to the body [of the commandments], is likewise subdivided into two grades, corresponding to the two categories of soul which are present in corporeal bodies, namely in animals and in man [respectively].
In the case of a person who is intelligent enough to know G–d and to reflect on His greatness, blessed be He, and to beget out of his understanding a lofty fear in his brain and a love of G–d in the right part of his heart so that his soul will thirst for G–d, [seeking] to cleave to Him through the fulfillment of the Torah and commandments, which are an extension and reflection of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, onto his soul thereby to cleave to Him; and with this intention he studies [the Torah] and performs the commandments, and likewise with this intention he prays and recites the blessings—then this kavanah is, by way of simile, like the soul of a human being, who possesses intelligence and freedom of choice and speaks from knowledge.
But he whose intelligence is too limited to know and reflect on the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, so as to beget out of this understanding a conscious love in his heart, and also awe in his mind and dread of G–d in his heart, yet he recalls and awakens the natural love that is hidden in his heart, bringing it out of the hidden recesses of the heart into the conscious mind, at least, so that his will which is in his mind and which is latent also in his heart should approve and favor, with complete willingness and truthful sincerity, that he suffer martyrdom in actual fact for the Unity of G–d, in order to attach to Him his divine soul and her garments and unite them with His Unity and Oneness, namely, the Supernal Will that is clothed in Torah study and in the performance of the commandments, as explained above; and in this [natural love] is contained also fear [wherewith] to accept His reign and not rebel against Him, G–d forbid—and with this kavanah he turns away from evil and does good, and studies and prays and recites benedictions, following only the plain meaning of the words without conscious fear and love in his heart and mind—this kavanah is, by way of the simile, like the soul of a living creature that has no intelligence and freedom of will, whose middot, namely its fear of harmful tilings and its love of pleasing things, are only natural to it and do not originate in its understanding and knowledge. So, by way of example, are the natural love and fear which are latent in the heart of every Jew, since they are our heritage from our Patriarchs and like a natural instinct in our souls, as has been mentioned above. 15  Chs. 18, 19.

Chapter 39

It is also for this reason that the angels are called Chayot (beasts) and Behemot (cattle), as is written, “And the face of a lion on the right side…and the face of an ox on the left side…,” 1  Ezekiel 1:10. for they have no freedom of choice, and their fear and love are their natural instincts, as stated in Raaya Mehemna on Parashat Pinchas. Therefore the quality of tzaddikim is superior to theirs, for the abode of the souls of the righteous is in the world of Beriah, whereas the abode of the angels is in the world of Yetzirah.
NOTE: This refers to ordinary angels, but there are higher angels in the world of Beriah, whose service is with intelligent fear and love, as is explained in Raaya Mehemna, ibid., that there are two kinds of holy Chayot, instinctive and intelligent, as also explained in Etz Chaim.
The difference between them is that in the world of Yetzirah only the middot of the En Sof, blessed is He, shine forth, namely the love of Him, and the dread and fear of Him…, as is stated [in the Tikkunim 2   Tikkun 7. and in Etz Chaim ] 3   Seder ABYA ch. 3. that the six sefirot nest in [the world of] Yetzirah.
Therefore it is the constant service of the angels, resting neither by day nor by night, to stand in fear and dread…, these being the whole camp of Gabriel on the left, while the service of the camp of Michael is with love…. 4   Zohar III:118b; Tikkunei Zohar 70. But in the world of Beriah shine forth the chochmah, binah, and daat of the En Sof, blessed is He, which are the source of the middot and their “mother” and root, as stated in the Tikkunim 5   Tikkun 7. that ima ilaah (“supernal mother”) 6  Synonymous with Binah. nests in the three sefirot, in the [Divine] throne which is the world of Beriah.
Therefore this is the abode of the souls of the righteous who serve G–d with fear and love, which are derived from the understanding and knowledge of the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He. For this love is called re’uta d’liba (“heart’s desire”), as has already been mentioned. 7  See above, ch. 17; also below, ch. 44. And from this “heart’s desire” is produced a garment for the soul in the world of Beriah which constitutes the Higher Garden of Eden, as will be explained later, and as is written in the Zohar on [ Parashat ] Vayakhel.
But this applies specifically to neshamot, which [possess] a great cognition, as it were, of the En Sof, blessed is He. As for the category of ruach of the righteous, as also all other souls of Israelites who have served G–d with the fear and love that are latent in the heart of all Jews, these do not ascend there, except on Shabbat and the New Moon by means of the pillar that rises from the Lower to the Higher Garden of Eden, i.e., the world of Beriah which is called the Higher Garden of Eden, wherein to take pleasure in G–d and derive enjoyment from the splendor of the Shechinah. For the intellect of a created being can have no enjoyment or pleasure except in what it conceives, understands, knows, and apprehends, with its intellect and apprehension, what is possible for it to understand and grasp of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, by virtue of His wisdom and understanding, blessed be He, which shine forth in the world of Beriah.
As for the reason that these souls merit to ascend higher than the angels, even though their service has been with no more than natural fear and love, it is that through their fear and love the sitra achara which was clothed in their body was subdued, both in the realm of “turn away from evil”—by subjugating and breaking the passions—and in the realm of “do good,” as discussed earlier. 8  Ch. 38, end. See also above, ch. 16. For they had the freedom to choose evil, G–d forbid, yet they chose the good in order to subdue the sitra achara, thereby elevating the glory of the Holy One, blessed is He…, “As the excellence of light…,” 9  Ecclesiastes 2:13. Above, ch. 12. discussed above. 10  Ch. 27.
However, all this is concerned with the abode of the souls and their station, but their Torah and service are actually absorbed into the ten sefirot which are a category of G–dliness and with which the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, unites itself in perfect unison; that is to say, in the ten sefirot of Beriah —through intelligent fear and love, and in the ten sefirot of Yetzirah —through natural fear and love. In them are clothed the ten sefirot of Atzilut and are completely united with them, while the ten sefirot of Atzilut are absolutely united with their Emanator, the En Sof, blessed is He.
The souls, on the other hand, are not absorbed into the G–dliness of the ten sefirot, but are stationed in the hechalot (palaces) and abodes of Beriah or Yetzirah, enjoying the effulgence of the Shechinah, the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which is united with the ten sefirot of Beriah or Yetzirah, it being the glow of their very Torah and service [see Zohar, Vayakhel, p. 210], 11  Zohar II:210a ff. for “the reward of a commandment is the commandment itself.” 12   Avot 4:2.
The world of Atzilut, however, is beyond the intelligence, comprehension, and understanding of a created intellect, because the chochmah, binah, and daat of the En Sof, blessed is He, are united with it therein in perfect unity, a profound and wonderful unity which infinitely excels, in degree and form, that which is found in the world of Beriah, for in the latter they descended to give light by means of tzimtzum, so that created intellects should be able to receive from them chabad ( chochmah, binah, daat ), to know G–d and to understand and apprehend something of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, to the extent possible for created intellects which are limited and finite, without their being dissolved in their existence and ceasing completely to exist as created beings, only to revert to their source and root, namely, G–dliness itself.
It is this tzimtzum that is the cause of the glow of chabad of the En Sof, blessed is He, illuminating the souls in the world of Beriah.
It is different in [the world of] Atzilut, where they [ chabad ] are not subject to the same extent of tzimtzum ; consequently it is impossible for created intellects to apprehend them. That is why no thought of the [created intellects] can apprehend anything there.
Hence it is the abode of the great tzaddikim, whose service supremely transcends even the quality of fear and love which are derived from the understanding and knowledge of His greatness, blessed be He, just as the world of Atzilut is far beyond the understanding and knowledge of a created intellect. Indeed, their service has been truly in the nature of a “vehicle” to the En Sof, blessed is He, being nullified to Him in existence and absorbed in His light, blessed be He, they and everything they possessed, through the fulfillment of the Torah and commandments, in the way which has been said of the Patriarchs that they were truly the “chariot” of G–d, because throughout their lives this was their service.
But as for him whose soul’s root is too small to contain such perfect service, so as to be nullified and absorbed in His light, blessed be He, by constant service, but only at such intervals and times which are propitious on high, viz., during the prayer of the Amidah which is in Atzilut, especially when making the genuflexions, 13  There are four genuflexions in the Amidah. for genuflexion characterises Atzilut [as explained in Pri Etz Chaim on the prayer of the Inauguration of Shabbat], since it symbolizes self-nullification in His light, blessed be He, to be accounted as nothing at all before Him—in such a case, therefore, the principal abode of his soul is in the world of Beriah [and only occasionally, at propitious times, does his soul ascend to Atzilut, by virtue of the “feminine waters,” 14  מ"ן – מיין נוקבין. See above, end ch. 10. as is known to the students of Kabbalah].
“The reward of a commandment is the commandment itself” means that from the reward we know its essence and rank. But we do not concern ourselves with esoteric matters, which are [related to] the great tzaddikim who are at the level of a “vehicle.” Our concern is with matters that are “revealed to us,” to which every man should aspire: to know with certainty the essence and quality of Divine service, with a conscious fear and love in one’s heart, stemming from understanding and knowledge of the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, which has its place in the ten sefirot of Beriah, and of service with the natural fear and love in the mind, [which is] in the ten sefirot of Yetzirah.
But a service without the inspiration of fear and love even in the mind, in a conscious state, that is to say, without arousing the natural love which is hidden in the heart and bringing it out of the concealment and recesses of the heart into the consciousness of the mind and the latency of the heart at any rate, but it remains hidden in the heart as at birth, as it was prior to the service—such a service remains below, in the world of “separateness,” called the externality of the worlds, having no power to rise and be absorbed in His Unity, blessed be He, in the ten holy sefirot, as is written in the Tikkunim that “Without fear and love it cannot soar upward, nor can it ascend and stand before G–d.” 15   Tikkunei Zohar 10.
This is so even if the service is not strictly “not for its own sake,” that is, for some ulterior motive, Heaven forfend. It also applies to the service which is described as “Their fear toward Me has become [like] a trained human precept,” 16  Isaiah 29:13. that is to say, it is a matter of habit to which the person has become accustomed since infancy, having been habituated and trained by his father and teacher to fear G–d and to serve Him, but he does not really do it for its own sake. For [performance] truly for its own sake cannot be without arousing at least the innate fear and love and bringing them out from the concealment of the heart into the consciousness of the mind and the latency of the heart, at any rate. For just as a person does nothing for his companion in carrying out the latter’s will, unless he loves him or fears him, so one cannot truly act for His Name, blessed be He, just to carry out His will, without recalling and arousing any love or fear for Him in his mind and thought and the latency of his heart, at least.
Nor is love alone called “service” without at least the lower fear ( yirah tataah ), which is latent in every Jewish heart, as will be later amplified. 17  Ch. 41.
However, when a person is engaged [in service] truly not for its own sake, but for some personal motive, with a view to his own glorification, as, for example, in order to become a scholar and the like, then that motive, which originates in the kelipat nogah, clothes itself in his Torah, and the Torah is temporarily in a state of exile in the kelipah, until he repents, since “[Repentance] brings healing to the world.” 18   Yoma 86b. For with his return to G–d, his Torah also returns with him.
Therefore the Rabbis of blessed memory declared, “A man should always occupy himself [with Torah and precepts, even if not for its own sake], for from motives of self-interest he will come [to study and observe] for its own sake” 19   Pesachim 50b; Nazir 23b. —[this they state] with certainty, for ultimately he is bound to do repentance, whether in this incarnation or in another, “Because none is rejected by Him.” 20  II Samuel 14:14.
On the other hand, if a person acts without any particular motivation, neither “for its own sake” nor for selfish reasons, then it is not contingent upon repentance, but as soon as he, once again, learns this subject “for its own sake,” then even that which he had learned without any particular intent conjoins and attaches itself with this study and ascends on high, since it had not yet been invested with any kelipot nogah. Therefore “A man should always occupy himself….”
The same is true of prayer without kavanah, as is discussed in the Zohar. 21  Cf. Kuntres Acharon, Essay 3.

Chapter 40

However, as long as he has not restudied that subject “for its own sake,” his study does not ascend even into the ten sefirot which shine in the worlds of Yetzirah and Asiyah. For the sefirot are a category of G–dliness, and in them is clothed and united the actual light of the En Sof, blessed is He, and “Without fear and love it cannot ascend and stand before G–d,” as is written in the Tikkunim. But his study ascends into the hechalot and abodes which are the externalities of the worlds, wherein the angels stand. Thus Rabbi Chaim Vital, of blessed memory, writes in Shaar Hanevuah, ch. 2, that from Torah studied without kavanah angels are created in the world of Yetzirah, while from commandments performed without kavanah, angels are created in the world of Asiyah 1  Ibid. —and all angels are possessed of matter and form. 2  Cf. Nachmanides, Shaar HaGemul.
However, Torah which is studied “not for its own sake” indeed, as, for example, for the purpose of becoming a scholar and the like, does not at all ascend on high even to the hechalot and abodes of the angels of Holiness, but it remains below in this material world which is the dwelling place of the kelipot
NOTE: As explained in the Zohar, vol. III, pp. 31b and 121b, see there: “That word ascends and breaks through the heavens…and evokes what it evokes—if good—good…,” note there. Also page 105a: “From a word of the Torah is formed a sound which ascends….” Also page 168b: “The voices of Torah and Prayer ascend on High and rend the heavens….”
as commented in the Zohar 3  I:233b. on the verse, “What profit has man of all his toil which he labors under the sun?” 4  Ecclesiastes 1:3, with emphasis on “his labor” and on “under the sun.” : “Even with the toil of Torah, if he does it for his own glory….” This is also the meaning of the statement, “Happy is he who comes here with his learning in his hand,” 5   Pesachim 50a. which means that it was not left behind in this world below.
[The reason Torah requires kavanah to ascend on high] albeit the Torah and the Holy One, blessed is He, are altogether One, for He and His will are One [is as follows]. Although the Holy One, blessed is He, fills all worlds alike, nevertheless the worlds are not all of equal rank. The difference is due to the recipients in two respects: Firstly, in that the higher worlds receive a radiance infinitely greater than the lower; secondly, in that they receive it without as many “garments” and “screens” as the lower. And this world is the lowest world in both aspects, for the radiance that is in it is greatly contracted to the utmost limit; hence it is corporeal and material. And even this [contracted radiance] comes in many “garments” and “screens” until it is clothed in the kelipat nogah to animate all clean things in this world, including the vivifying, articulate soul in man.
[Consider,] therefore, [this animal soul] as it utters words of Torah and prayer without kavanah. These are holy letters, of course, and the kelipat nogah in the vivifying soul constitutes no separating curtain in any degree concealing and covering His Holiness, blessed be He, clothed in them, as it conceals and covers His Holiness, blessed be He, in the vivifying soul when it speaks idle words, or as in the vivifying soul of any of the other living creatures that are clean. And though there is no place that is void of Him, 6   Tikkunei Zohar 57. yet He is the “Most hidden One of all the hidden” 7  Ibid., Introduction. and is called the “Hidden G–d.” 8  Isaiah 45:15. So, too, the radiance and extension of vitality from Him, blessed be He, is hidden in the many dense “garments” and “screens” until it is clothed and concealed in the garment of nogah. This is not, however, the case with the holy letters in the words of Torah and Prayer, wherein, on the contrary, the kelipat nogah is converted to good and is absorbed into this Holiness, as is discussed above. 9  Chs. 35, 37; cf. end ch. 53. Nevertheless the glow of His Holiness, blessed be He, that is in them is in a state of tzimtzum to the utmost limit, since the voice and speech are material.
But in the case of prayer with kavanah and Torah with kavanah “for its own sake,” the kavanah is clothed in the letters of the speech because it is their source and root, since by reason and cause of it he speaks these letters. Therefore it elevates them to its level in the ten sefirot of Yetzirah or Beriah, according to whether the kavanah is inspired by intelligent or natural fear and love, and so on, as has been discussed above.
There the Light of the En Sof, blessed is He, namely, the will of the Supreme One, blessed is He, which is clothed in the letters of the Torah which he studies and in their kavanah, or in the prayer and its kavanah, or in the commandment and its kavanah, shines forth and is revealed with a great and infinite brightness that cannot shine forth and be revealed at all in any manner or form as long as the letters and the commandment are still in this material world, until the era of the end of days, when the world will be uplifted from its materiality, “And the glory of the L–rd will be revealed…,” as has been previously discussed at length. 10  Chs. 36-37. See also ch. 33.
NOTE: And there [in the ten sefirot ] shines forth and is revealed also the supernal union ( yichud elyon ) that is produced by each commandment and by Torah study, this being the union of His attributes, blessed be He, which coalesce into one another, gevurot (the “stern” attributes) are sweetened by chasadim (benevolent attributes) through the propitious time of the supernal En Sof, blessed is He, which shines forth and reveals itself in a manner of a great and intense manifestation by reason of the “impulse” from below, namely, the performance of the commandment, or the occupation in Torah, wherein the will of the supernal En Sof, blessed is He, is clothed. But the essential union takes place far higher, in the world of Atzilut, where the core and essence of His attributes, blessed be He, are united with their Emanator, the En Sof, blessed is He, and there is the core and essence of the the will of the supernal En Sof, blessed is He, while only a glow from them shines in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, in each of these worlds according to its rank. And although the soul of the person who occupies himself in the Torah and in the commandment does not derive from Atzilut, nevertheless the Supernal Will that is clothed in this commandment and which is identical with the very halachah or word of the Torah in which he is occupied is G–dliness and light of the En Sof, the Emanator, blessed is He, for He and His will are One, and by His Will, blessed be He, He has caused His attributes to emanate from Him yet they are united with Him, blessed be He. By the revelation of His will, which becomes manifest through this occupation with the Torah and the particular commandment they [the attributes] coalesce into one another and the gevurot are sweetened by chasadim at this propitious moment.
In the light of the above it will be clearly understood why fear and love are figuratively called “wings,” as is written, “And with two he would fly” 11  Isaiah 6:2. [and as Rabbi Chaim Vital, of blessed memory, explained in Shaar Hayichudim, ch. 11], that the wings are to a bird what arms are to a man…. And in Tikkunim it is explained that they who occupy themselves with Torah and commandments in fear and love are called “children”; otherwise they are called “fledglings” that cannot fly.
NOTE: In Tikkun 45 it is written that the [figure of a] bird represents Metatron. 12  The highest ranking angel. His head is the letter yud, the body is the letter vav, and the two wings are the two [letters] hey, 13  Referring to the Name of Havaya. and so forth. This refers to the world of Yetzirah which is identified with Metatron, wherein are the “bodies” of the halachot of the Mishnah; his head symbolizes the intellectual aspects, the chochmah, binah, daat ( chabad ), that is the inwardness of the halachot, their esoteric meaning and their reasons; while the two wings—fear and love—refer to the higher hey, which is love, and the lower hey, which is the lower fear ( yirah tataah ), namely, the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and the dread of G–d, like the awe one feels in the presence of a king, for example; for this is an external and exposed fear, unlike the higher fear ( yirah ilaah ), which is a feeling of shame, which is of “The hidden things belonging to the L–rd our G–d,” 14  Deuteronomy 29:28. and it is found in the Higher Wisdom ( chochmah ilaah ), symbolizing the letter yud of the Name of Havaya, blessed is He, as is explained in Raaya Mehemna.
For just as the wings of a bird are not the essential parts of it, and its vitality does not depend on them at all—as we have learned, that “If its wings have been removed, it is kosher ” (ritually clean), 15  Chullin 56b. the essential parts being its head and entire body, while the wings merely serve the head and body, enabling it to fly with their aid—so, by way of example, are the Torah and commandments the essential aspect of the higher union through the manifestation of the Supernal Will that is revealed through them, while the fear and love raise them to that place where the will, the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, and the union ( yichud ), are revealed, namely, the worlds of Yetzirah and Beriah.
NOTE: Or even in [the world of] Asiyah, in the ten sefirot of holiness, the abode of the active commandments and also of [the study of] Scripture. But in the case of the Mishnah, the yichud and light of the En Sof, blessed is He, are revealed in [the world of] Yetzirah ; and, in the case of Talmud, in [the world of] Beriah. This means that when one studies Scripture, the yichud and light of the En Sof, blessed is He, are diffused from Atzilut to Asiyah ; and in [the study of] Mishnah [they reach] to Yetzirah only; and in [the case of] Talmud—to Beriah only. For they are all in Atzilut. As for Kabbalah, it is not diffused at all from Atzilut to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, as is explained in Pri Etz Chaim.
And although fear and love also form part of the 613 commandments, 16  See Maimonides, Sefer Hamitzvot, Precepts 3 & 4. nevertheless they are called “wings,” for the consummation of love is the service out of love, and love without service is a “love of delights” 17  See above, chs. 9, 14. delighting in G–d, which is of the nature of the World to Come and the receiving of reward, as it is written, “This day—to do them,” “and tomorrow” [in the World to Come]—to receive one’s reward. 18   Eruvin 22a.
But he who has not attained this dimension of savoring the nature of the World to Come, but whose soul still yearns and thirsts for G–d and goes out to Him all day, yet he does not quench his thirst with the water of the Torah that is in front of him—such a man is like one who stands in a river and cries: “Water! Water to drink!” Thus the prophet laments over such a man, “Ho, all who thirst, go to water.” 19  Isaiah 55:1. For in its simple meaning the verse makes no sense: Surely, he who is thirsty and longs to learn will study of his own accord; why, then, does the prophet need to rebuke him “Ho”? This is explained at length elsewhere.

Chapter 41

One must, however, constantly bear in mind the beginning of the service and its core and root. By this is meant that, although fear is the root of “turn away from evil” and love—of “do good,” nevertheless it is not sufficient to awaken the love alone to do good, but one must at least first arouse the innate fear which lies hidden in the heart of every Jew not to rebel against the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed is He, as has been stated above, 1  Ch. 4; set also end of chs. 19, 38. so that this [fear] shall manifest itself in his heart or, at least, his mind.
This means that he should at least contemplate in his thought on the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, and on His Kingship, which extends to all worlds, both higher and lower, and that “He fills all worlds and encompasses all worlds,” as is written, “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” 2  Jeremiah 23:24. Yet He leaves both the higher and lower [worlds] and uniquely bestows His Kingdom upon His people Israel, in general, and upon him in particular, as, indeed, a man is obliged to say, “For my sake was the world created.” 3  Mishnah, Sanhedrin 4:5. And on his part, he accepts His Kingdom upon himself, that He be King over him, to serve Him and do His will in all kinds of servile work.
“And, behold, G–d stands over him,” 4  Allusion to Genesis 28:13. and “The whole world is full of His glory,” 5  Isaiah 6:3. and He looks upon him and “Searches his reins and heart” 6  Jeremiah 11:20. [to see] if he is serving Him as is fitting. Therefore he must serve in His presence with awe and fear like one standing before the king.
One must meditate profoundly and at length on this thought according to the capacity of apprehension of his brain and thought and according to the time available to him, before he occupies himself with Torah or a commandment, such as prior to putting on his tallit or tefillin.
He should also reflect how the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which encompasses all worlds and pervades all worlds, which is identical with the Supernal Will, is clothed in the letters and wisdom of the Torah and in the tzitzit and the tefillin, and through his study or donning these latter he draws over himself His light, blessed be He, that is, over “the portion of G–dliness from above” which is within his body, 7  See above, beg. ch. 2. that it may be absorbed and nullified in His light, blessed be He.
Specifically, in the case of the tefillin, [he should intend] that the attributes of wisdom and understanding which are in his divine soul may be nullified and absorbed into the attributes of wisdom and understanding of the En Sof, blessed is He, which are clothed, in particular, in the chapters of קדש and והיה כי יביאך. 8  Two of the four parchment scrolls contained in the tefillin are inscribed with the portions of Exodus 13:1-10 and Exodus 13:11-16; the other two are mentioned below. That is to say that he should use his wisdom and understanding that are in his soul only for G–d alone. Similarly that the attribute of daat that is in his soul, which includes both chesed (kindness) and gevurah (sternness), i.e., fear and love, in his heart, be nullified and absorbed into the attribute of the Higher Knowledge, which contains chesed and gevurah, which is clothed in the chapters of שמע and והיה אם שמוע. 9  Deuteronomy 6:4-8 and Deuteronomy 11:13-21. See note above. This is what is written in the Shulchan Aruch : 10   Orach Chaim 25:5. “That he make his heart and brain subservient to Him….”
And while putting on the tzitzit he should bear in mind what is written in the Zohar, namely, to draw over himself His kingship, blessed be He, which is the kingship over all worlds…to bestow it particularly upon us through this commandment. And this corresponds to the subject of “You shall surely set a king over yourself.” 11  Deuteronomy 17:15.
In such a case, even though after all this [contemplation] no fear or dread descends upon him in a manifest manner in his heart, nevertheless since he accepts upon himself the Kingdom of Heaven and draws fear of Him, blessed be He, over himself in his conscious thought and rational volition, and this submission is beyond doubt a sincere one—for it is the nature of all Jewish souls not to rebel against the Holy King, blessed be He—then the Torah he studies or the commandment he performs because of this submission and because of this inspired fear in his mind are termed “perfect service,” like all service [performed] by a slave to his master or to his king.
On the other hand, if one studies and performs the commandment with love alone, in order to cleave to Him through His Torah or commandments, it is not termed “service of a servant,” which is what the Torah demands, viz., “And you shall serve the L–rd your G–d…,” 12  Exodus 23:25. and “Him shall you serve…,” 13  Deuteronomy 13:5. as explained in the Zohar [ Parashat Behar ], “Just like the ox on which one first places a yoke in order to make it useful to the world…so, too, must a human being first of all submit to the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven…and if this submission is not found in him, holiness cannot rest on him….” 14   Zohar III:108a, with slight changes. [See also Raaya Mehemna, ibid., 111b] that every man must be of two categories and levels, namely, the category of a servant and that of a son.
And although there is a son who is also a servant, it is not possible to attain to this degree without the prerequisite of yirah ilaah, as is known to the initiated.
Furthermore, even in the case of him who in his mind and thought feels no fear or shame on account of the poor capacity of his soul, originating in the lower degrees of the ten sefirot of Asiyah, nevertheless since he is intent in his service to serve the King, it is a complete service, for fear and service are accounted as two commandments of the total of 613, and they do not deter each other.
But as a matter of fact, he also fulfills the commandment of fear in that he introduces the fear into his thought, for at this hour and moment, at any rate, there rests on him the fear of Heaven, at least like the fear in the presence of an ordinary mortal, even not a king, who is watching him, when he would restrain himself from doing anything unbecoming in the other’s eyes. This is termed fear, as Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai said to his disciples: “May it be G–d’s will that the fear of Heaven be upon you like the fear of a human being…for you know that when a person commits a sin, he says [to himself], ‘May no one see me….’” 15   Berachot 28b.
However, such fear is termed yirah tataah (“lower fear”) and yirat chet (“fear of sin”) which precedes wisdom, 16   Avot 3:9. while the higher fear is the fear of shame…, 17  See above, ch. 3. “For there are two kinds of fear….” 18   Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 5b.
Without any fear at all, however, it does not soar on high through love alone, just as a bird cannot fly with one wing, for fear and love are the two wings [as has been explained in the Tikkunim ]. Similarly, fear alone is but one wing, and one’s service cannot ascend on high with it, although it is termed the “service of a servant,” for there must also be the filial quality, in order to awaken, at least, the natural love that is hidden in his heart, to become conscious of it in his mind at any rate, to be aware of his love of the One G–d in his thought and desire to cleave to Him, blessed be He.
This should be his kavanah when occupying himself with the Torah or the particular commandment, that his divine soul as well as his vivifying soul, together with their “garments,” shall cleave to Him, as has been explained above. 19  Chs. 23, 35, 37. See also ch. 14.
Yet in fact the Rabbis, of blessed memory, have said that a man should never separate himself from the community. 20   Berachot 49b; here in a figurative sense. Therefore he should intend to unite and attach to Him, blessed be He, the fount of his divine soul and the fount of the souls of all Israel, being the spirit of His mouth, blessed be He, called by the name Shechinah, 21  See above, ch. 37. because it dwells and clothes itself in all worlds, animating them and giving them existence, and is that which imbues him with the power of speech to utter the words of Torah, or with the power of action to perform the particular commandment.
This union is attained through the drawing forth of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, here below by means of occupation in the Torah and the commandments wherein [the light of the En Sof ] is clothed.
And he should be intent on drawing His light, blessed be He, over the fount of his soul and of the souls of all Israel to unite them. The meaning of this union will be discussed at length later on, note there. 22  Ch. 46. This is the meaning of “For the sake of the Union of the Holy One, blessed is He, with His Shechinah, in the name of all Israel.” 23  Text of this declaration, introducing the Morning Prayer, is to be found in the Siddurim following the Lurianic custom.
NOTE: Thereby the gevurot will, of themselves, also be sweetened by the chasadim through the coalescence of the middot and their union by means of the revelation of the will of the Supreme One, blessed is He, which is revealed on high through the impulsion from below, namely, its revelation here below in the occupation in the Torah and commandment which are His Will, blessed be He. Thus it is written in Idra Rabbah and in Mishnat Chassidim, Tractate Arich Anpin, ch. 4, that the 613 commandments of the Torah are derived from the “whiteness” of arich anpin, 24  See Addendum, Glossary. which is the Supernal Will, the source of the chasadim.*
And although in order that this kavanah should be sincere in his heart, so that his heart should truly desire this yichud elyon (higher union), there needs to be in his heart the “great love” (אהבה רבה) for G–d alone, to do what is gratifying only to Him and not [even] for the purpose of satiating his own soul which thirsts for G–d, but he must be “Like a son who strives for the sake of his father and mother, whom he loves more than his own body and soul…” (as explained above 25  Ch. 10. in the name of Raaya Mehemna ), nevertheless every man should habituate himself to this kavanah.
For though it may not be in his heart in perfect and complete truth, so that he should long for it with all his heart, nevertheless his heart does genuinely desire it to some small extent, because of the natural love in every Jewish heart to do whatever is the will of the Supreme One, blessed is He, and this union is his true desire, namely the higher union in Atzilut, which is produced by the impulsion from below, through the union of the divine soul and its absorption into the light of G–d which is clothed in the Torah and commandments in which it occupies itself so that they become One in reality, as has been explained above. 26  Chs. 5, 23. For by reason of this are also united the source of Torah and commandments, i.e., the Holy One, blessed is He, with the source of his divine soul which is called Shechinah. These are the two categories of “filling all worlds” and of “encompassing all worlds,” 27  The immanent and transcending Divine attributes are thus brought into unity through the agency of man. as is explained elsewhere at length.
But the union of the soul with, and its absorption into, the light of G–d, making them one, this is what every member of Israel desires in very truth, utterly, with all his heart and all his soul, because of the natural love that is hidden in every Jewish heart to cleave to G–d and not, under any circumstances, to be parted or sundered or separated, G–d forbid, from His Unity and Oneness, blessed be He, even at the cost of his very life.
And occupation in the Torah and commandments and prayer is also a matter of actual surrender of the soul, as when it leaves the body at the end of seventy years, for it no longer thinks of bodily needs, but its thought is united with, and clothed in, the letters of the Torah and prayer, which are the word and thought of the G–d, blessed be He, and they truly become one. This is [also] the whole occupation of the souls in the Garden of Eden, as is stated in the Gemara and in the Zohar, except that there they find delight in their apprehension of, and absorption into, the light of G–d.
This is why it was ordained to recite at the beginning of the Morning Blessings before the prayer, “My G–d, the soul which You have given me is pure…You have breathed it into me…and You will eventually take it from me….” Meaning: Inasmuch as You have breathed it into me and You will eventually take it from me, I therefore as of now hand it over and return it to You to unite it with Your Oneness, as is written, “To You, O L–rd, I lift my soul,” 28  Psalms 25:1. that is, through the binding of my thought with Your thought, and of my speech with Your speech, by means of the letters of the Torah and of prayer; and, especially, when one speaks to G–d in the second person, as “Blessed are You,” and the like.
With this preparedness to surrender his soul to G–d, he should begin [to recite] the morning benedictions, “Blessed are You….” Similarly, with this preparedness he should also begin to learn a regular course of study immediately after prayer. So, also in the course of the day, such preparation is necessary at least before he begins to study, as is known that the essential preparation [of intent] “for its own sake,” where it is sine qua non, is before the beginning of study in the case of benonim (intermediates). This is the same as in the case of [writing] a bill of divorce or a scroll of the Torah, requiring sine qua non “for their own sake,” and it is sufficient if at the commencement of writing he says, “I am now about to write for the sacred purpose of the scroll of the Law,” 29   Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 274:1. or [in the case of a bill of divorce] “for him and for her….” 30  Ibid., Even HaEzer 131:1, 8.
However, when he studies for a number of consecutive hours he should reflect on the preparedness referred to above, at least at hourly intervals. For in each hour there is a different flow from the higher worlds to animate those who dwell here below, while the flow of vitality of the previous hour returns to its source [in accordance with the esoteric principle of the “advance and retreat” in Sefer Yetzirah ] together with all the Torah and good deeds of those who dwell here below [performed within that hour]. For in each hour of the twelve hours of the day, there rules one of the twelve combinations of of [the letters that form] the Ineffable Name of G–d, blessed is He, while the combinations of the name A-D-N-Y rule at night, as is known. 31  Regarding the doctrine of tzerufei otiot (“letter combinations”) in the process of Creation, see Likkutei Amarim, Part II, ch. 1.
Now, all his intent in the surrender of his soul to G–d through Torah and prayer, to elevate the spark of G–dliness therein back to its source, should be solely for the purpose of bringing gratification before Him, blessed be He, as, for example, the joy of a king when his only son returns to him, being released from captivity or imprisonment, as has been mentioned above. 32  Ch. 31.
This kavanah is genuinely and truly sincere in every Jewish soul at every season and every hour, by virtue of the natural love which is a heritage bequeathed to us from our ancestors. Nevertheless, one needs to establish set periods for reflecting on the greatness of G–d in order to attain intelligent fear and love, and with all that, perhaps one may succeed, as has been stated previously.

Chapter 42

In the light of what has already been said on the subject of the lower kind of fear, one will clearly understand the Talmudic comment on the verse, “And now, Israel, what does the L–rd your G–d demand of you? Only to fear the L–rd your G–d.” 1  Deuteronomy 10:12. [The Gemara asks,] “Is fear, then, such a small thing?” [And the Gemara replies:] “Yes, in the case of Moses it was a small thing,” and so forth. 2   Berachot 33b.
At first glance the answer is incomprehensible, for it is written, “[What does the L–rd] demand of you?” [not of Moses]. The explanation, however, is as follows: Each and every soul of the House of Israel contains within it something of the quality of our teacher Moses, peace unto him, for he is one of the “seven shepherds” 3   Sukkah 52b; another version in Tikkunim, end; Zohar Chadash (104a). who cause vitality and G–dliness to flow to the community of Jewish souls, for which reason they are called “shepherds.” Our teacher, Moses, peace unto him, is the sum of them all, and he is called “the faithful shepherd.” This means that he brings down the quality of daat (knowledge) to the community of Israel that they may know the L–rd, each according to the capacity of his soul and its root above, and [according to] its nurture from the root of the soul of our teacher Moses, peace unto him, which is rooted in the Daat Elyon (Higher Knowledge) of the ten sefirot of Atzilut, which are united with their blessed Emanator, for He and His Knowledge are One, and He is the Knowledge…. 4  Ref. to Maimonides’ statement already quoted in chs. 2, 4, 23.
In addition and beyond this [general influence to the community as a whole] there descend, in every generation, sparks from the soul of our teacher Moses, peace unto him, and they clothe themselves in the body and soul of the sages of that generation, the “eyes” of the congregation, 5  See Taanit 24a and Rashi, loc. cit.; Numbers 16:24. to impart knowledge to the people that they may know the greatness of G–d and serve Him with heart and soul. For the service of the heart is according to the daat as is written, “Know the G–d of your father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind.” 6  I Chronicles 28:9. But regarding the future [Messianic Era] it is written, “And no longer shall every man teach his neighbor […] saying, Know the L–rd, for they shall all know Me….” 7  Jeremiah 31:33.
However, the essence of knowledge is not the knowing alone, that people should know the greatness of G–d from authors and books; but the essential thing is to immerse one’s mind deeply into the greatness of G–d and fix one’s thought on G–d with all the strength and vigor of the heart and mind, until his thought shall be bound to G–d with a strong and mighty bond, as it is bound to a material thing that he sees with his physical eyes and concentrates his thought on it. For it is known that daat connotes union, as in the phrase “And Adam yada (knew) Eve….” 8  Genesis 4:1.
This capacity and this quality of attaching one’s “knowledge” to G–d is present in every soul of the House of Israel by virtue of its nurture from the soul of our teacher Moses, peace unto him. Only, since the soul has clothed itself in the body, it needs a great and mighty exertion, doubled and redoubled: First is the wearying of the flesh, the crushing of the body and its submission, so that it shall not obscure the light of the soul, as has been mentioned above 9  Ch. 29. in the name of the Zohar, that “a body into which the light of the soul does not penetrate should be crushed,” which is accomplished by means of penitential reflections from the depths of the heart, as is explained there.
Next is the exertion of the soul, that the service shall not be burdensome to it, to exert its thought to delve into and reflect upon the greatness of G–d for a long and uninterrupted period, the measure of which is not the same for every soul. There is the naturally refined soul which, immediately as it considers the greatness of G–d, attains a fear and dread of G–d. As is written in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, sec. 1, that “When a man reflects that the great King, the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed is He, with Whose glory the whole world is full, stands over him and sees his actions, he will immediately be overcome with fear….”
There is a soul that is of lowly nature and origin, coming from the lower gradations of the ten sefirot of Asiyah, which cannot discover G–dliness by contemplation except with difficulty and forcefulness, especially if it had been contaminated by the sin of youth, for the sins interpose, and so on [as is explained in Sefer Chassidim, ch. 35].
Nevertheless, by dint of forceful effort, when his thought greatly exerts itself with much vigor and toil and intense concentration, immersing in [contemplation of] the greatness of G–d for a considerable time, there will certainly come to him, at any rate, the lower fear referred to above, and as the Rabbis, of blessed memory, have said, “[If a man says] ‘I have labored and I have found’—believe him.” 10   Megillah 6b. It is also written, “If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the L–rd.” 11  Proverbs 2:4-5. This means, in the manner of a man seeking a hidden treasure or the wealth buried in the depths of the earth, for which he digs with tireless toil, so must one delve with unflagging energy in order to bring to light the treasure of the fear of Heaven, which lies buried and concealed in the understanding of the heart of every Jewish individual, this being of a quality and level transcending the limitations of time, and this is the natural, hidden fear referred to above.
However, in order that it should be translated into action, in the sense of “fear of sin,” namely, to turn away from evil in deed, word, and thought, one needs to bring it to light from the hidden depths of the understanding of the heart, where it transcends time, and to place it within the realm of the actual thought that is in the brain. [This means] immersing his thought in it for a lengthy period of time until its activity shall emerge from the potential into the actual, namely, turning away from evil and doing good in thought, speech, and act because of G–d, Who looks and sees, hears and listens and perceives all his deeds and searches his reins and heart. As the Rabbis, of blessed memory, said, “Reflect upon three things…an Eye that sees, an Ear that hears….” 12   Avot 2:1.
And although He has no bodily likeness, yet, on the contrary, everything is revealed and known to Him infinitely more than, for example, through the medium of physical sight or hearing. It is, by way of illustration, like a man who knows and feels within himself all that is happening to and being experienced by each and all of his 248 organs, such as cold and heat, feeling the heat even in his toenails, for example, as when he is scorched by fire; so also their essence and substance and all that is done to them, he knows and senses in his brain.
Corresponding to this knowledge, by way of example, the Holy One, blessed is He, knows all that befalls all created beings, both higher and lower, because they all receive their flow of life from Him, blessed be He, as is written, “For all is from You.” 13  I Chronicles 29:14. And this is the meaning of what we say, “And no creature is hidden from You.” 14  Liturgy, Musaf for Rosh Hashanah. And as Maimonides has said [and this has been accepted by the scholars of the Kabbalah, as Rabbi Moses Cordovero writes in Pardes ], that “Knowing Himself, as it were, He knows all created things that exist by virtue of His true existence….”
Nevertheless this parallel is only an appeal to the ear. In truth, however, the analogy bears no similarity whatsoever to the object of the comparison. For the human soul, even the rational and the divine, is affected by the events of the body and its pain by reason of its being actually clothed within the vivifying soul which is clothed in the body itself.
The Holy One, blessed is He, however, is not, Heaven forbid, affected by the events of the world and its changes, nor by the world itself, for they do not affect any change in Him, G–d forbid. In order to help us perceive this well with our intelligence, the Scholars of Truth have already treated of it at length in their books. But all Jews are “believers descended from believers,” 15   Shabbat 92a. without human intellectual speculation whatsoever, and they declare, “You were [the same] before the world was created,” and so forth, 16  Liturgy. Cf. Yalkut, Va’etchanan 836, quoting a source in the Jerusalem Talmud. as has been explained above in ch. 20.
Now, therefore, each individual Jew, whoever he may be, when he ponders upon this for some considerable time each day—how the Holy One, blessed is He, is truly omnipresent in the higher and lower [worlds], and in reality fills the heavens and the earth, and that the whole world is truly full of His glory, and that He looks and regards and searches his reins and his heart and all his actions and words, and counts his every step—then fear will be implanted in his heart throughout the day; and when he again meditates on this, even with a superficial reflection, at any time or moment, he will turn away from evil and do good, in thought, speech, and deed, so as not to rebel, G–d forbid, in the sight of His glory whereof the whole world is full. This is in accord with the instruction of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai to his disciples, quoted above. 17  Ch. 41.
This, then, is what the verse means, “Only to fear the L–rd your G–d, to walk in all His ways.” 18  Deuteronomy 10:12. For this is the fear that leads to the fulfillment of His commandments, blessed be He, through turning away from evil and doing good. This is the “lower fear” which has been discussed earlier. As it applies to “Moses,” that is to say, in relation to the quality of daat that is in each divine Jewish soul, this is a minor thing, as has been stated above. [For daat is [the faculty] which binds the hidden understanding of the heart with that which is actually revealed in thought, as is known to the students of Kabbalah].
In addition to this, one should remember that, as in the case of a mortal king, the essence of fear [of him] relates to his inner nature and vitality and not to his body—for when he is asleep, there is no fear of him—and, surely, his inner character and vitality are not perceived by physical eyes but only by the vision of the mind, through the physical eyes beholding his stature and robes, and making the beholder aware of the vitality that is clothed in them. If this be so, he must likewise truly fear G–d when gazing with his physical eyes at the heavens and earth and all their host wherein is clothed the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, that animates them.
NOTE: And it is also seen with the glance of the eye that they are nullified to His light, blessed be He, by the fact that they “prostrate” themselves every day toward the west at the time of their setting. As the Rabbis, of blessed memory, commented on the verse: “And the hosts of the heavens bow before You,” 19  Nehemiah 9:6. that the Shechinah abides in the west, so that their daily orbit westward is a kind of prostration and self-nullification. 20   Sanhedrin 91b; Bava Batra 25a. Even he who has never seen the king and does not recognize him at all, nevertheless when he enters the royal court and sees many honorable princes prostrating themselves before one man, there falls on him a fear and awe.
And although many garments are involved in this investment, there is no difference or distinction at all in the fear of a mortal king, whether he be naked or robed in one or in many garments.
The essential thing, however, is the [mental] training to habituate one’s mind and thought continuously, that it ever remain fixed in his heart and mind, that everything one sees with one’s eyes—the heavens and earth and all that is therein—constitutes the outer garments of the King, the Holy One, blessed is He. In this way he will constantly be aware of their inwardness and vitality. This is also implicit in the word emunah (“faith”), which is a term indicating “training,” to which a man habituates himself, like a craftsman who trains his hands.
There should also be a constant remembrance of the dictum of the Rabbis, of blessed memory, “Acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven,” which parallels the injunction “You shall surely set a king over yourself,” 21  Deuteronomy 17:15. as has been explained elsewhere, and so on. For the Holy One, blessed is He, forgoes the higher and lower worlds and uniquely bestows His Kingdom upon us, and so on, and we accept it, and so forth. And this is the significance of the obeisances in the prayer of the Eighteen Benedictions, following the verbal acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven in the recital of the Shema, whereby one accepts it once again in actual deed, with a [positive] act, and so forth, as is explained elsewhere.

Chapter 43

Concerning this yirah tataah (“lower fear”), which is directed toward the fulfillment of His commandments, in both areas of “Turn away from evil and do good,” 1  Psalms 34:15. it was said, “Where there is no fear [of G–d], there is no wisdom.” 2  Avot 3:17.
It comprises a quality of “smallness” 3  Referring to the “natural” fear defined in chs. 41 and 42. and a quality of “greatness.” The latter being the quality of fear that has its origin in contemplation on the greatness of G–d—that He fills all worlds, and “From the earth to the heaven is a distance of 500 years…and [similarly] from one heaven to the next…the feet of the Chayot measure up to them all…,” 4   Chagigah 13a. and similarly on the evolvement of all the worlds, one above the other to the topmost heights—nevertheless this fear is called an “external” and “inferior” fear because it is derived from the worlds which are “garments” of the King, the Holy One, blessed is He, Who conceals and hides and clothes Himself in them, to animate them and give them existence, that they may exist ex nihilo, and so on, yet [this fear] is the gate and entrance 5  I.e., a preliminary and prerequisite. to the fulfillment of the Torah and commandments.
As for the yirah ilaah (“higher fear”), however, a fear stemming from a sense of shame, an inner fear that derives from the inward aspects of G–dliness within the worlds, it was said concerning it that “Where there is no wisdom, there is no fear,” 6   Avot 3:17. for חכמה is [made up of the letters] כ״ח מ״ה, 7  See above, ch. 19. and “ Chochmah comes from ayin ” (nothing), 8  A paraphrase of Job 28:12. and “Who is wise? He who sees that which is born.” 9   Tamid 32a. Note the reinterpretation. That is to say, he sees how everything originates and comes into being ex nihilo by means of the word of G–d and the breath of His mouth, blessed be He. As is written, “And by the breath of His mouth all their hosts.” 10  Psalms 33:6.
Therefore, the heavens and the earth and all their hosts are truly nullified in reality, within the word of G–d and the breath of His mouth, and are accounted as nothing at all, as nought and nothingness indeed, just as the light and brightness of the sun are nullified within the body of the sun itself. And let not man regard himself as an exception to this principle, for also his body and nefesh and ruach and neshamah are nullified in reality in the word of G–d, Whose word, blessed be He, is united with His thought, and so on, as has been explained above at length [chs. 20 and 21], taking as an example the human soul, one utterance of whose speech and thought are veritably as nothing, and so forth. This is what is meant by the verse, “Behold, the fear of the L–rd, that is wisdom.” 11  Job 28:28.
However, one cannot attain this fear and wisdom except in the fulfillment of the Torah and commandments through the lower, external fear. And this is what is meant by the statement, “Where there is no fear, there is no wisdom.” 12   Avot 3:17.
Now, in love, too, there are two grades— ahavah rabbah (“great love”) and ahavat olam (“eternal love”). 13  Lit. “worldly” love, i.e., of this world, a love of G–d derived from contemplation of G–d in nature, as explained later on. “Great love” is an ecstatic love, and it is “a fiery flame that rises of itself.” It comes from above in a manner of a “gift” to him who is perfect in fear, as is known from the saying of the Rabbis, of blessed memory, “The way of a man is to search for a woman.” 14   Kiddushin 2b. For love is called “man” or “male,” as is written, “He has remembered His lovingkindness,” 15  Psalms 98:3; a play on the word זכר (“remembered”) which can be read by merely changing one vowel as זכר (“male”). while a woman [symbolizes] “fear of G–d,” as is known. 16  A reference to Proverbs 31:30. Cf. Zohar III:42b, where the whole ch. 31 of Proverbs is interpreted allegorically. “Male seeking female” is here metaphorically explained as “love seeking fear” in order to fulfill itself. Without the prerequisite of fear, it is impossible to attain to this “great love,” for this love originates from the realm of Atzilut, wherein are no sundering or separateness, G–d forbid.
Ahavat olam, however, is that which comes from the understanding and knowledge of the greatness of G–d, the En Sof, blessed is He, Who fills all worlds and encompasses all worlds and before Whom everything is accounted as nothing at all, like the nullity of one utterance within the intelligent soul while it still remains in its thought or in the desire of the heart, as has been explained earlier. 17  Ch. 20. For as a result of such contemplation, the attribute of love that is in the soul will be divested of its garments, i.e., it will not clothe itself in anything of pleasure or enjoyment, whether physical or spiritual, to love it, and will not desire anything whatsoever in the world other than G–d alone, the Source of the vitality of all enjoyments, for they are all nullified in reality and are accounted as nothing at all, compared with Him, there being no manner of comparison or similitude between them, G–d forbid, just as there is no comparison between that which is absolutely nought and nothing—and everlasting life. As is written, “Whom do I have in heaven [besides You]? And when I am with You I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart yearn, Rock of my heart….” 18  Psalms 73:25-26. And this will be explained later. 19  Ch. 48.
Also one whose soul’s quality of love is not clothed at all in any physical or spiritual enjoyment is able to kindle his soul as with burning coals and an intense fire and a flame that strives heavenward through the contemplation referred to above, as will be enlarged upon later.
This quality of love sometimes precedes fear, according to the quality of the daat which fathers it, as is known. [For daat incorporates both chasadim and gevurot, which are love and fear, and sometimes the chasadim descend and manifest themselves first.] Therefore it is possible for a wicked and a sinful person to repent by virtue of the love that is born in his heart at the time he remembers the L–rd his G–d.
At any rate, fear, too, is included therein [in the love], as a matter of course, except that it is in a stage of “minuteness” and “concealment,” namely, the fear of sin, of rebelling against Him, G–d forbid, while the love is in a revealed state in his heart and mind. However, such a case is but an accidental and spontaneous occurrence, or an “emergency prescription” through G–d’s particular providence as the occasion requires, as happened with Rabbi Eliezer ben Durdaya. 20   Avodah Zarah 17b.
However, the order of service, which is determined by and depends on man’s choice, is to begin with the fulfillment of the Torah and commandments through the “lower” fear in its state of “minuteness” at least, to “turn away from evil and do good,” so as to illuminate his divine soul with the light of the Torah and its commandments, whereupon the light of love will also shine forth upon it [for the word ואהבת—“And you shall love”—has a numerical value twice that of אור—“light” 21  Alluding to the light of Torah and its commandments, which arouses the light of love. —as is known to the students of Kabbalah].

Chapter 44

Each of the said two grades of love—the “great love” and the “eternal love”—is subdivided into many shades and gradations without limit in each individual according to his capacity. As is written in the holy Zohar 1   Zohar I:103b. on the verse, “Her husband is known in the gates,” 2  Proverbs 31:23. Cf. Compiler’s Foreword, note 17. that “This refers to the Holy One, blessed is He, Who makes Himself known and attaches Himself to every one according to the extent ‘which one measures in one’s heart….’”
Therefore fear and love are called “The secret things known to the L–rd our G–d,” 3  Deuteronomy 29:28. while the Torah and commandments are those things which are “revealed to us and to our children to do….” 4  Ibid. For we have all one Torah and one law, insofar as the fulfillment of all the Torah and commandments in actual performance is concerned. It is otherwise with fear and love, which vary according to the knowledge of G–d in the mind and heart, as has been mentioned above. 5  Chs. 42, 43.
Yet there is one love which incorporates something of all the distinctions and gradations of both “great love” and “eternal love,” and is found equally in every Jewish soul, as our inheritance from our Patriarchs.
And that is what the Zohar says on the verse, “My soul; I desire You at night…,” 6  Isaiah 26:9. that “One should love the Holy One, blessed is He, with a love of the soul and the spirit, as these are attached to the body, and the body loves them,” and so forth. 7   Zohar III:67a. This love of G–d is equated with the love of life itself—somewhat less altruistic than the love defined further on. This is the interpretation of the verse, “My soul, I desire You,” which means “Since You, O L–rd, are my true soul and life, therefore I desire You.” That is to say, “I long and yearn for You like a man who craves the life of his soul, and when he is weak and exhausted he longs and yearns for his soul to revive in him; and also when he goes to sleep he longs and yearns for his soul to be restored to him when he awakens from his sleep. So do I long and yearn to draw the Light of the En Sof, blessed is He, the Life of true life, within me through occupation in the Torah when I awaken during the night from my sleep,” for the Torah and the Holy One, blessed is He, are one and the same.
As the Zohar says, ibid., “Out of love for the Holy One, blessed is He, a man should rise each night and exert himself in His service until the morning….”
A great and more intense love than that—one which is likewise concealed in every soul of Israel as an inheritance from our ancestors—is that which is defined in Raaya Mehemna, “Like a son who strives for the sake of his father and mother, whom he loves even more than his own body, soul, and spirit…,” 8  Cf. end ch. 10 and ch. 43. for “Have we not all one Father?” 9  Malachi 2:10.
And although [one may ask], who is the man and where is he, who dares presume in his heart to approach and attain even a thousandth part of the degree of love of “the faithful shepherd” [Moses]? Nevertheless a minute portion and particle of his great goodness and light illumines the community of Israel in each generation, as is stated in the Tikkunim 10   Tikkun 69, pp. 112a; 114a. Cf. Iggeret Hakodesh, end sect. 27. that “an emanation from him is present in every generation,” “to illumine them,” 11  Cf. Zohar III:216b; 273a. and so forth. Only this glow is in a manner of great occultation and concealment in the souls of all Israel. But to bring forth this hidden love from its veil and concealment to [a state of] revelation, to be manifest in his heart and mind, is “not beyond reach nor is it afar off, but the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart.” 12  Cf. Deuteronomy 30:11, 14.
That is to say, it should be habitual on his tongue and voice to arouse the intention of his heart and mind, so as to immerse his thought in the Life of life, the En Sof, blessed is He, for He is literally our true Father and the Source of our life, and to awaken our love for Him like the love of a son for his father. And when he accustoms himself to this continually, habit will become nature.
Even if it appears to him at first sight that this is an illusion, he need not be concerned because it is intrinsically the absolute truth by virtue of the “hidden love.” But the purpose of its emergence into the open is in order to translate it into action, namely, the occupation in the Torah and commandments which he studies and performs as a result of it, with the intention to bring gratification before Him, blessed be He, like a son serving his father.
Concerning this it was said that “A good thought is united by the Holy One, blessed is He, to a deed,” 13   Kiddushin 40a. providing the “wings” to soar upward, as explained earlier. 14  Ch. 39; cf. also ch. 16. As for the “gratification,” it is akin, by way of the illustration used earlier, 15  Ch. 31. to the joy of a king whose son returns to him after liberation from captivity, or from the fact that it has been made possible for Him to have a habitation down here, as already mentioned. 16  End ch. 41, and ch. 31.
But even in regard to the abovementioned [love, in the] category of “My soul, I desire You,” it is readily possible to bring it out of [its] concealment into the open through constant practice, with mouth and heart in full accord.
However, even if he cannot bring it into a revealed state in his heart, nevertheless he can occupy himself in the Torah and commandments “for their own sake” through portraying the idea of this love in the contemplation of his mind, and “A good thought is united by the Holy One, blessed is He….”
The said two distinctions of love—though they are an inheritance for us from our Patriarchs, and like a natural instinct in our souls, and so, too, is the fear that is contained in them, which is the fear of being sundered, G–d forbid, from the Source of our life and our true Father, blessed is He—are, nevertheless, not termed “natural” fear and love unless they be in the mind and thought alone and in the latency of the heart. Then their station is in the ten sefirot of Yetzirah to where they bring up with them the Torah and commandments of which they have been the inspiration and cause.
But when they are in a manifest state in the heart, they are called in the Zohar re’uta d’liba (“heart’s desire”) and they are stationed in the ten sefirot of Beriah, to where they bring up with them the Torah and commandments which have been induced by them. For their emergence from the latency and concealment of the heart into a state of “revelation” comes through the faculty of daat, i.e., through a powerful fixation of the mind and an intense concentration—touching the depth of the heart pre-eminently and continuously—on the En Sof, blessed is He, as to how He is our very life and our blessed true Father.
And it is well known what is written in the Tikkunim, 17   Tikkun 6. that “there in the world of Beriah nests the ‘Supernal Mother,’” 18  The attribute of Binah of the world of Atzilut. which is the contemplation of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, the Giver of life, which is in accordance with the teaching of Elijah, “ Binah is the heart, and with it does the heart understand.” 19   Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 17a.
Furthermore, these two distinctions of love, that have been referred to above, contain a quality of love which is greater and more sublime than the intelligent fear and love, the love termed above as ahavat olam (“eternal love”).
Nonetheless a person must strain his intellect to apprehend and attain also the distinction of “eternal love” referred to above, 20  Ch. 43. which stems from understanding and knowledge of the greatness of G–d, in order thereby to fan the blaze of the fiery love, with glowing coals and an intense fire and a flame that rises heavenward, so that “not even many waters can extinguish it…nor rivers quench it….” 21  Song of Songs 8:7. Hebrew text should read וגו' instead of וכו' as the quotations refer to a Scriptural text. For there is a superiority and excellence in the quality of love burning like fiery coals and an intense flame, and so on, which comes from the understanding and knowledge of the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, over the two distinctions of love referred to above, when they are not like fiery coals and a blaze, and so forth, similar to the superiority and excellence of gold over silver, and so on, as will be explained later. 22  Ch. 50.
Besides, this is the whole man and his raison d’etre, that one may know the glory of the L–rd and the majestic splendor of His greatness, each according to the limit of his capacity, as is written in Raaya Mehemna, Parashat Bo, “In order that they may know Him…,” 23   Zohar II:42b. and as is known.

Chapter 45

There is yet another direct road open to man, namely, to occupy himself with the Torah and commandments for their own sake through the attribute of our Patriarch Jacob, peace unto him, this being the attribute of mercy. 1   Pardes, Shaar 23, ch. 10. It is first to arouse in his mind great compassion before G–d for the Divine spark which animates his soul that has descended from its Source, the Life of life, the En Sof, blessed is He, Who pervades all worlds and transcends all worlds and in comparison with Whom everything is accounted as nothing. Yet it [this spark] has been clothed in a “serpent’s skin” which is far removed from the light of the King’s Countenance, at the greatest possible distance, since this world is the nadir of the coarse kelipot ….
And especially when he will recall all his actions and utterances and thoughts since the day he came into being, unworthy as they were, causing the King to be “fettered by the tresses” 2  Song of Songs 7:6. —“by the impetuous thoughts of the brain,” 3   Tikkunei Zohar 6. Another meaning of רהטים is “gutters” (comp. Genesis 30:38). Thus מלך אסור ברהטים could be rendered “The King bound in the gutters.” Cf. Vayikra Rabbah 31:4. for “Jacob is the cord of his inheritance,” 4  Deuteronomy 32:9. Note the interpretation of the word חבל, usually translated in this verse by “lot.” as in the illustration of one pulling a rope, and so forth. 5  Tugging at a rope at one end vibrates the other—a figure to illustrate how every action below causes a corresponding reaction On High. See Iggeret Hateshuvah, ch.5. This is the esoteric doctrine of the “exile of the Shechinah.”
This is the meaning of the verse, “And Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept.” 8  Genesis 29:11. For “Rachel” represents Knesset Israel, 9  Comp. Bereishit Rabbah 71, 3; 82, 11. the community of Israel, the fount of all souls, and “Jacob”—with his supernal attribute, the attribute of Mercy in Atzilut —is the one who arouses great compassion for her. “And he lifted up his voice”—upward to the fount of the Higher Mercies, called the “Father of Mercies,” and their source; “and he wept”—to awaken and draw from there abundant compassion upon all the souls and upon the fount of the community of Israel, to raise them from their exile and to unite them in the yichud elyon (higher unity) of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, on the level of kisses,” which is “The attachment of spirit with spirit,” as is written, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,” 10  Song of Songs 1:2. which means the union of the word of man with the word of G–d, namely, the halachah. 11   Shabbat 138b. So, too, are coupled thought with thought, act with act, the latter referring to the active observance of commandments and, in particular, the act of charity and loving-kindness. For “ chesed (kindness) is the [Divine] right arm,” 12  Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 17a. and this is, as it were, an actual “embrace,” as it is written, “And his right arm embraces me,” 13  Song of Songs 2:6. while the occupation in the Torah by word of mouth and concentrated thought constitute, as it were, actual “kisses.” Concerning this it is written, “And let him return to the L–rd, and have mercy upon Him,” 6  Note the deviation from the standard translation (“that He may have mercy upon him”). The ambiguity of the word וירחמהו permits both renditions. arousing great compassion toward G–d Who dwells among us, as is written, “Who dwells among them in the midst of their uncleanness.” 7  Leviticus 16:16.
In this way, a person is able to attain the distinction of ahavah rabbah (“great love”) in the consciousness of his heart, as is written, “To [the house of] Jacob who redeemed Abraham,” 14  Isaiah 29:22. as has been explained elsewhere. 15  See above, end ch. 32. See Torah Or 51a-b.

Chapter 46

There is yet another good way for a man, which is suitable for all and “very near” indeed, to arouse and kindle the light of the love that is implanted and concealed in his heart, that it may shine forth with its intense light, like a burning fire, in the consciousness of the heart and mind, to surrender his soul to G–d, together with his body and [material] possessions, with all his heart, and all his soul, and all his might, from the depth of the heart, in absolute truth, especially at the time of the recital of the Shema and its blessings, as will be explained.
This [way] is to take to heart the meaning of the verse, “As water mirrors the reflection of a face, so is the heart of man to man.” 1  Proverbs 27:19. This means that as [in the case of] the likeness and features of the face which a man presents to the water, the same identical face is reflected back to him from the water, so indeed is also the heart of a man who is loyal in his affection for another person, for this love awakens a loving response for him in the heart of his friend also, cementing their mutual love and loyalty for each other, especially as each sees his friend’s love for him.
Such is the common nature in the character of every man, even when they are equal in status. How much more so when a great and mighty king shows his great and intense love for a commoner who is despised and lowly among men, a disgraceful creature cast on the dunghill, yet he [the king] comes down to him from the place of his glory, together with all his retinue, and raises him and exalts him from his dunghill and brings him into his palace, the royal palace, in the innermost chamber, a place such as no servant nor lord ever enters, and there shares with him the closest companionship with embraces and kisses and spiritual attachment 2  “Embraces”—performance of the precepts; “kisses”—precepts performed orally (esp. prayer); “spiritual attachment” (lit., “attachment of spirit to spirit”)—meditation and comprehension. In other words, complete communion by thought, word, and deed. with all heart and soul—how much more will, of itself, be aroused a doubled and redoubled love in the heart of this most common and humble individual for the person of the king, with a true attachment of spirit, heart, and soul, and with infinite heartfelt sincerity. Even if his heart be like a heart of stone, it will surely melt and become water, and his soul will pour itself out like water, with soulful longing for the love of the king.
In a manner corresponding in every detail to the said figure and image but to an infinitely greater degree, has the L–rd our G–d dealt with us. For His greatness is beyond comprehension, and He pervades all worlds and transcends all worlds; and from the holy Zohar, as also from the Arizal, 3  See above, ch. 2, note 9. it is known of the infinite multitude of hechalot and worlds, and of the countless myriads of angels in each world and hechal. So does the Gemara note, “It is written, ‘Is there any numbering of His hosts?’ 4  Job 25:3. Yet, it is also written, ‘A thousand thousands serve Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before Him….’” 5  Daniel 7:10. The discrepancy is explained by the answer, “A thousand thousands…is the quota of one ‘troop,’ but His troops are innumerable.” 6   Chagigah 13b. Yet, before Him, all of them are accounted as nothing at all and are nullified in their very existence, just as one word is truly nullified in relation to the essence and being of the articulate soul while the utterance was still held in its [faculty of] thought, or in the will and desire of the heart, as has been explained above at length. 7  Ch. 20.
All these [angels] ask, “Where is the place of His glory?” And they answer, “The whole earth is full of His glory,” 8  Isaiah 6:3. that is, His people, Israel. For the Holy One, blessed is He, forsakes the higher and lower creatures, choosing none of them but Israel His people, whom He brought out of Egypt—“the obscenity of the earth,” 9  Genesis 42:9. the place of filth and impurity—“not through the agency of an angel, nor of a saraf …but the Holy One, blessed is He, Himself in His glory” 10  Passover Haggadah. descended there, as is written, “I have come down to deliver them…,” 11  Exodus 3:8. in order to bring them near to Him in true closeness and unity, with a truly soulful attachment on the level of “kisses” of mouth to mouth, by means of uttering the word of G–d, namely, the halachah, and the fusion of spirit to spirit, namely, the comprehension of the Torah and the knowledge of His will and wisdom, all of which is truly one [with G–d]; also with a form of “embrace,” namely, the fulfillment of the positive precepts with the 248 organs, for the 248 ordinances are the 248 “organs” of the King, as has been explained. 12  Ch. 23. These, in a general way, are divided into three categories—right, left, and center—namely, chesed (kindness), din (stern justice) and rachamim (mercy)—the two arms and the body, and so forth. 13   Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction.
This is the meaning of [the text of the benedictions] “Who has sanctified us with His commandments”: like one who betrothes 14  The word קדשנו (“who sanctified us”) may be tendered “who has betrothed us” (קדושין—betrothal). a wife that she may be united with him with a perfect bond, as is written, “And he shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh.” 15  Genesis 2:24. Exactly so, and even infinitely surpassing, is the union of the divine soul that is occupied in Torah and commandments, and of the vivifying soul, and their garments referred to above, with the light of the En Sof, blessed is He.
Therefore did Solomon, peace unto him, in the Song of Songs compare this union with the union of bridegroom and bride in attachment, desire, and pleasure, with embrace and kissing.
This is also the meaning of “Who has sanctified us with His commandments,” by means of which He has raised us to the heights of the Holiness of the Supreme One, blessed is He, which is the holiness of the Holy One, blessed is He, Himself. Kedushah (“holiness”) is a term indicating separateness, in that the Holy One, blessed is He, is apart from the worlds, namely, His quality of “encompassing all worlds,” which cannot be clothed within them.
For through the union of the soul with, and its absorption into, the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, it attains the quality and degree of the actual holiness of the En Sof, blessed is He, since it unites itself with, and is integrated into, Him, blessed be He, and they become One in reality. This is the meaning of the verse, “And you shall be holy to Me, for I the L–rd am holy, and I have separated you from other peoples that you should be Mine,” 16  Leviticus 20:26. and “You shall do all My commandments and be holy to your G–d; I am the L–rd your G–d….” 17  Numbers 15:40-41. The meaning is that through fulfillment of the commandments I become your G–d, [in the same sense] as “the G–d of Abraham,” “the G–d of Isaac,” and so on, called thus because the Patriarchs were a “chariot” for Him, 18  See above, ch. 18, note 3. blessed be He, and they were nullified and absorbed into His light.
So it is with the soul of every Israelite at the time he occupies himself with Torah and commandments. Therefore the Rabbis, of blessed memory, made it obligatory for us to rise and remain standing in the presence of every one who is engaged in a commandment, even if the latter is uncultured and illiterate. 19  Kiddushin 33a. This is because the L–rd dwells and clothes Himself in this man’s soul at such time, though his soul is unconscious of it because of the barrier of the bodily grossness which has not been purified and which dims the eyes of the soul [preventing it] from seeing Divine visions, as experienced by the Patriarchs and others of their stature, who “saw their world during their lifetime.” 20  See above, ch. 14.
This is also the meaning of what Asaf said, under Divine inspiration, on behalf of the whole community of Israel in exile: “I was a boor and did not understand, like an animal was I with You. Yet I was always with You.” 21  Psalms 73:22-23. This means that even though I am like an “animal” when I am with You, being unaware of, and insensitive to, this union in my soul, which should bring down on it fear and awe first, followed by a great love of delights, or a burning [love] like fiery coals, similar to the quality of the tzaddikim, whose corporeality has been purified, for, as is known, daat 22  Implicit in the words ולא אדע. connotes a sensitivity of the soul, comprising chesed (kindness) and gevurah (sternness) 23  I.e., love and fear. —yet “I was always with You,” for the corporeality of the body does not prevent the union of the soul with the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, Who fills all worlds, and as is written, “ Even the darkness obscures not from You.” 24  Psalms 139:12, here interpreted “obscures (me) not from You.”
Thereby will be understood the severity of the punishment for transgressing the prohibition of work on Shabbat or that of unleavened bread on Passover, which [prohibition] equally applies to all. For even in the soul of an uncultured and completely illiterate person shines the light of the sanctity of Shabbat or the Festival; hence he faces capital punishment by karet 25  “Cutting off” of the soul; Divine punishment through premature or sudden death. or stoning for the profanation of this sanctity.
Similarly, [transgression involving] the slightest amount of leaven, or the handling of muktzeh, 26  Anything forbidden to be used or handled on Shabbat and Festivals. tarnishes the sanctity which rests on his soul, just as it would the sanctity of the soul of a tzaddik, for we have all one Torah.
[And as for the use of the plural form behemot, 27  In Psalms 73:22, quoted earlier. this is an intimation that before Him, blessed be He, even the so-called daat elyon (“supernal knowledge”)—which comprises chesed and gevurah —is like “beasts” i.e., a physical creation, when compared with the light of the En Sof, as is written, “You have made them all with wisdom,” 28  Psalms 104:24. and this is called behemah rabbah (“a great beast”), as is explained elsewhere. And this is the Name of ב“ן, 29  The Name of Havaya spelled out fully (each of the four letters—phonetically) in Hebrew letters produces four variations, or Names, numerically equivalent to the numbers 45 (שם מ"ה), 52 (שם ב"ן), 63 (שם ס"ג), and 72 (שם ע"ב). with the numerical equivalent of בהמה (beast), preceding Atzilut.]

Chapter 47

“In every generation and every day a person is obliged to regard himself as if he had that day come out of Egypt.” 1  The Mishnah ( Pesachim 10:5) does not contain the words “and every day” and “that day,” which the author inserts. This refers to the release of the divine soul from the confinement of the body, the “serpent’s skin,” in order to be absorbed into the Unity of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, through occupation in the Torah and commandments in general, and in particular through accepting the Kingdom of Heaven during the recital of the Shema, wherein the person explicitly accepts and draws over himself His Unity, blessed be He, when he says, “the L–rd is our G–d, the L–rd is One.” 2  Deuteronomy 6:4.
It has previously been explained 3  Ch. 46. that “our G–d” is understood in the same way as “the G–d of Abraham,” and so forth, 4  “…the G–d of Isaac, and the G–d of Jacob”—Liturgy ( Amidah ). Cf. Mechilta on Exodus 3:15. because he became nullified and absorbed into the Unity of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, except that Abraham merited this by reason of his works and his advancing in holiness from degree to degree, as is written, “And Abram journeyed, going on and on…” 5  Genesis 12:9.
In our case, however, it is a heritage and a gift, in that He has given us His Torah and has clothed in it His will and wisdom, blessed be He, which are united with His Essence and Being, blessed be He, in perfect unity; and surely this is as if He gave us His very self, as it were. In this sense the Zohar 6  II:140b. commented on the verse, “That they bring Me an offering.” 7  Exodus 25:2. [For the expression לי [“to Me”] has the same meaning as אותי [“Me”]; hence the text should have read “Me and an offering,” 8  Literally “…take Me and an offering.” except that both are one and the same. Study it well there.]
This is the interpretation of “And You, L–rd our G–d, have given us, in love…,” 9  Liturgy, Amidah for Festivals. [and] “For by the light of Your Countenance You gave us, L–rd our G–d….” 10  Liturgy, end of Amidah. The emphasis is on “You gave us…our G–d.” Therefore the only thing that precludes us from the attachment of the soul to His Unity and light, blessed be He, is the will, that is, if the human being does not will it at all, G–d forbid, to cleave to Him…. But immediately he does so desire, and he accepts and draws upon himself His G–dliness, blessed be He, and declares, “the L–rd is our G–d, the L–rd is One,” then his soul is spontaneously absorbed into His Unity, blessed be He, for “Spirit evokes spirit and draws forth spirit.” 11  I.e., bestows an extra measure of spirituality. Zohar II:162b. This is a form of “Exodus from Egypt.” Therefore it was ordained that the paragraph concerning the Exodus from Egypt be read specifically during the recital of the Shema, 12  Cf. Berachot 13a; Rabbi Schneur Zalman, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 58:1. although it is a commandment by itself and not appertaining to the commandment of the recital of the Shema, as is stated in the Talmud and Codes, 13   Berachot 21a; Shulchan Aruch, ibid., 67:1-2. for they are actually the same thing. Likewise, the paragraph referring to the Exodus from Egypt also concludes, “I am the L–rd your G–d.” 14  Numbers 15:41. This also accords with what has been explained earlier.

Chapter 48

Contemplating on the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, the intelligent person [will realize] that as His name indicates, so is He—there is no end or limit or finitude at all to the light and vitality that diffuse from Him, blessed be He, by His simple 1  I.e., uncaused. will, and which is united with His Essence and Being, blessed be He, in perfect unity. Had the worlds descended from the light of the holiness of the En Sof, blessed is He, without “contractions,” 2  The doctrine of tzimtzum has already been referred to previously in chs. 21 and 38. Here and in the next chapter, it is further expounded. but according to a gradual descent, from grade to grade by means of cause and effect—this world would not, in such case, have ever been created in its present form, in a finite and limited order, [viz.,] “From the earth to the heaven is a distance of 500 years,” 3   Chagigah 13a. and similarly between heaven and heaven, and so also the diameter of each heaven.
Even the World to Come and the Higher Garden of Eden—the habitation of the souls of the great tzaddikim —and the souls themselves and, needless to add, the angels—are all in the realm of bounds and limitation, for there is a limit to their apprehension of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which shines on them through being clothed in chabad, etc., hence, there is also a boundary to their enjoyment derived from the splendor of the Shechinah, and to their pleasure in the light of G–d, for they cannot absorb enjoyment and delight of an infinite order without being nullified out of their existence and returned to their source.
Now, as for the intricate details of the “contractions”—this is not the place for their explanation. 4  See Torah Or 27a; Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 51b ff.; Ekev 17a ff. See also Translator’s Introduction to Tanya, Part II (Addendum, p. a ). But in general they are something in the nature of “occulation and concealment” of the flow of the light and vitality, so that only an extremely minute portion of light and vitality should illuminate and reach the lower creatures in a revealed manner, as it were, pervading them and acting in them and animating them so that they might receive existence ex nihilo and be in a state of finitude and limitation. This constitutes an exceedingly contracted illumination, and it is considered as virtually nothing at all compared with the quality of the limitless and infinite illumination, and there is no reference or relationship between them, as the term “reference” is understood in values, where the figure 1 has a relevancy with the number 1,000,000, for it is one-millionth part of it; but as regards a thing which is in the realm of infinity, there is no number that can be considered relative to it, for a billion or trillion do not attain the relevancy of the figure 1 in comparison with a billion or trillion, but is veritably accounted as nothing.
So, indeed, is the quality of the contracted illumination which informs the higher and lower worlds, acting in them and animating them—compared with the quality of the hidden and concealed light that is of an infinite order and does not clothe itself or exercise its influence in the worlds, to animate them in a revealed manner, but it “encompasses” them from above and is called sovev kol almin (the “encompasser of all worlds”).
The meaning of this is not that it encircles and encompasses from above spatially, G–d forbid, for in spiritual matters the category of space is in no way applicable. But the meaning is that it “encircles and encompasses from above” insofar as the so-called “revealed” influence is concerned, for influence which is in the category of “revelation” in the worlds is referred to as “investiture,” being “clothed” within the worlds, for the influence that they receive is clothed and comprehended by them; whereas the influence which does not come within the category of “revelation,” but remains in occultation and concealment and is not apprehended by the worlds, is not described as being “invested” but as “encircling and encompassing.” Therefore, since the worlds belong in the order of the finite and limited, it follows that only an extremely minute and contracted reflection of the flow of the light of the holiness of the En Sof, blessed is He, clothes and reveals itself in them in a revealed form, and this only to animate them in a finite and limited state.
But the principal light without contraction to such an extent is called makif (“encircler”) and sovev (“encompasser”), since its influence is not revealed within them, inasmuch as they belong in the order of the finite and the limited.
To illustrate this point, consider this material world. Even though “The whole world is full of His glory,” 5  Isaiah 6:3. namely, the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, as is written, “Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the L–rd,” 6  Jeremiah 23:24. nevertheless only a very small vitality, of the category of inanimate and vegetable worlds, is clothed therein in the form of “revealed” influence, while all the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, is termed as “encompassing” it, even though it actually pervades it, since its influence is no more revealed in it but is active in it in a hidden and concealed manner; and any influence of a concealed nature is referred to as “encircling from above,” for the “hidden world” is on a higher plane than the “revealed world.”
Let us make it more intelligible by means of an example. When a man forms an image in his mind of something that he has seen or sees—although the entire body and essence of that thing, both its exterior and interior and its very core, are completely mirrored in his mind and thought, for he has seen it or is seeing it in its entirety—this is expressed by saying that his mind encompasses that object completely, and that thing is enveloped by his mind and thought. But it is not encompassed in actual fact, only in the imagination of the man’s thought and mind.
The Holy One, blessed is He, however, of Whom it is written, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts…,” 7  Isaiah 55:8. surely His Thought and Mind, knowing all created things, encompass each and every created being from its beginning to its end and its inside and very core, all in actual reality.
For example, in the case of the orb of this earth, His knowledge, blessed be He, encompasses the entire diameter of the globe of the earth, together with all that is in it and its deepest interior to its lowest depths, all in actual reality. For this knowledge constitutes the vitality of the whole spherical thickness of the Earth and its creation ex nihilo. However, it would not have come into being as it now is, as a finite and limited thing, with an exceedingly minute vitality sufficient for the categories of inorganic matter and vegetation, were it not for the many powerful contractions which have condensed the light and vitality that is clothed in the orb of the earth so as to animate it and sustain it in its finite and limited status and in the categories of inorganic and vegetable matter alone.
But His knowledge, blessed be He, which is united with His essence and being—for “He is the Knowledge, the Knower, and the Known, and knowing Himself, as it were, He knows all created things, but not with a knowledge that is external to Himself, like the knowledge of a human being, for all of them [the created things] are derived from the truth of His Being, blessed be He, and this thing is not within the power of human beings to comprehend clearly,” and so forth 8  Maimonides, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 2:10; cf. Tanya, beg. ch. 2. —
NOTE: As Maimonides, of blessed memory, has written—and the scholars of Kabbalah subscribed to his views—as is stated in Pardes of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, of blessed memory. This also accords with the Kabbalah of the Arizal, 9  See above, ch. 2, note 9. in the mystery of tzimtzum and the clothing of the lights in vessels, as has been mentioned previously in ch. 2.
—this knowledge, since it is of an infinite order, is not described as clothing itself in the orb of the earth, which is finite and limited, but as encircling and encompassing it, although this knowledge embraces its entire thickness and interior in actual reality, thus giving it existence ex nihilo, as is explained elsewhere.

Chapter 49

Even though the particular aspects of the nature of the occultation and concealment of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, in the descent of the worlds—until this material world was created—are too numerous to count and are of many diverse kinds, as is known to those who have tasted of the Tree of Life, 1  The Kabbalah. yet in general there are three levels of powerful and comprehensive “contractions,” giving rise to three comprehensive worlds, each category consisting of myriads upon myriads of particulars. These are the three worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, for the world of Atzilut is G–dliness itself.
In order to create the world of Beriah, which consists of the higher souls and angels, whose service to G–d is in the sphere of chabad [the intellectual faculties] which are clothed in them and are apprehended by them and from which they receive influence, there preceded a powerful “contraction,” as mentioned above.
So, too, from Beriah to Yetzirah. For the minute portion of light which clothes itself in the world of Beriah is still in a category of infinity in relation to the world of Yetzirah and is unable to clothe itself in the latter except through a contraction and occulation. So, too, from Yetzirah to Asiyah. [An elaborate explanation of these three “contractions,” in order to make them more accessible to our poor intellect, is given elsewhere. 2  The doctrine of tzimtzum is more fully discussed in Likkutei Amarim, Part II, ch. 4 ff. See also above, ch. 48, note 4. ]
The purpose of all the “contractions” is the creation of the material human body and the subjugation of the sitra achara to bring about the pre-eminence of light supplanting darkness—when a person elevates his divine soul and his vivifying soul together with their garments and all the powers of the body to G–d alone, as has been discussed earlier at length, 3  Chs. 35-37. for this is the purpose of the descent of the worlds.
To quote [again] “As water mirrors the reflection of a face”: As the Holy One, blessed is He, has, as it were, laid down and set aside, figuratively speaking, His great infinite light and has stored it away and concealed it by means of three different kinds of “contractions”—and all this because of His love for lowly man, in order to raise him up to G–d, for “Love impels the flesh,” 4   Bava Metzia 84a. how much more, and an infinite number of times more, is it fitting that a man also should relinquish and set aside all he possesses, both spiritually and physically, and renounce everything in order to cleave to Him, blessed be He, with attachment, desire, and longing, without any hindrance, within or without, neither of body nor soul, nor money, nor wife and children.
Thereby will be understood the true reason and meaning of the Rabbinical enactment ordaining the recitations of the blessings of the Shema : two preceding it…. 5  Mishnah, Berachot 1:4. For it would appear, at first glance, that they have no connection whatsoever with the recital of the Shema, as Rashba 6  Rabbi Solomon ibn Aderet, 13th cent. Spanish Talmud exegete and codifier. and other codifiers have stated. Why, then, were they termed “Blessings of the Shema?” And why were they ordained to be recited specifically before it?
But the reason is that the essence of the recital of the Shema is to fulfill the injunction “With all your heart…,” namely, “with both your natures…,” 7   Berachot 54a. that is to say, to overcome anything that deters from the love of G–d. For “your heart” alludes to the wife and children, to whom a man’s heart is, by his very nature, bound. So have the Rabbis, of blessed memory, commented on the verses, “For He spoke, and it came to be,” 8  Psalms 33:9. that this refers to the wife; “He commanded, and it endured,” 9  Ibid. that this refers to the children; 10   Shabbat 152a. and by “your soul and your might” is understood, literally, your life and sustenance—renouncing everything for the love of G–d.
But how can physical man attain to this level? It is, therefore, to this end that the blessing of Yotzer Or 11  Liturgy, First Blessing Preceding the Morning Shema. was introduced first, for [in this blessing] there is said and repeated at length the account and order of the angels “standing in the heights of the universe” in order to proclaim the greatness of the Holy One, blessed is He—how all of them are nullified in His light, blessed be He, and “proclaim in awe…and hallow…declaring in reverence, ‘Holy…’ 12  Isaiah 6:3. ” meaning that He is apart from them, and He does not clothe Himself in them in a “revealed” state, but “the whole earth is full of His glory,” namely, the community of Israel above and Israel below, as has been explained earlier.
So, too, “the Ofanim and holy Chayot with a mighty sound…[declare] ‘Blessed be the glory of the L–rd from its place,’” 13  Ezekiel 3:12, cited in the aforementioned blessing. for they neither know, nor do they apprehend His place, as we say, “for He alone is exalted and holy.” 14  Liturgy, ibid.
Then follows the second blessing, “With an everlasting love You have loved us, L–rd, our G–d.” 15  According to the Lurianic rite—אהבת עולם. In the Ashkenazic rite—אהבה רבה. That is to say that He set aside all the supernal, holy hosts and caused His Shechinah to dwell upon us, so that He be called “our G–d,” in the same sense that He is called “the G–d of Abraham,” as explained earlier. 16  Chs. 46 and 47. This is because “love impels the flesh.” Therefore it is called ahavat olam (“worldly love”), for this is the so-called “contraction” of His great and infinite light, taking on the garb of finitude, which is called olam (“world”), for the sake of the love of His people Israel, in order to bring them near to Him, that they might be absorbed into His Unity and Oneness, blessed be He.
This is also the meaning of “[You have bestowed upon us] exceedingly abounding mercy,” 17  Liturgy cited in note 16. namely, exceeding the nearness of G–d toward all the hosts above; “…and You have chosen us from among all nations and tongues,” which refers to the material body which, in its corporeal aspects, is similar to the bodies of the gentiles of the world; “and have brought us near…that we may thank You…”—the interpretation of “thanks” will be given elsewhere; “and proclaim Your Unity…” 18  Ibid. —to be absorbed into His Unity, blessed be He, as has been explained above.
When the intelligent person will reflect on these matters in the depths of his heart and brain, then—as water mirrors the image of a face—his soul will spontaneously be kindled and it will clothe itself in a spirit of benevolence, willingly to lay down and resolutely to abandon all he possesses, in order only to cleave to Him, blessed be He, and to be absorbed into His light with an attachment and longing, and so forth, in a manner of “osculation” and the attachment of spirit to spirit, as has been explained earlier.
But how does the attachment of spirit to spirit take place? To this end it is stated [further on], “And these words shall be…upon your heart. And you shall speak of them….” 19  From the first portion of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). As is explained in Etz Chaim that the union of “osculation” is essentially the union of chabad with chabad, 20  The attachment of the intellectual faculties of man to those of G–d embodied in the Torah. that is, concentration in the Torah; while the mouth, as the outlet of the breath and its emergence into a revealed state represents the category of speech engaged in words of the Torah, for “By the word that proceeded out of the mouth of G–d does man live.” 21  Deuteronomy 8:3.
However, one does not fulfill one’s duty by meditation and deliberation alone until one expresses the words with his lips in order to draw the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, downward [even] to the vivifying soul which dwells in the blood of man—which is produced by [the intake of food from] the mineral, vegetable, and animal [worlds]—thus to raise them all to G–d, together with the entire Universe and to cause them to be absorbed in His Unity and Light, blessed be He, which will illumine the world and its inhabitants in a revealed manner, “And the glory of G–d will be revealed, and together all flesh will see ….” 22  Isaiah 40:5. For this is the purpose of the descent of all the worlds, that the glory of the L–rd may pervade this world especially, in a revealed manner, to “change darkness to light and bitterness to sweetness,” as has been explained above at length. 23  Chs. 36, 37.
And this is the essence of man’s kavanah in his service: to draw the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, down below. However, the initiative must come through the elevation of the mayin nukvin 24  Feminine waters. See above, end ch. 10. to surrender to Him his soul and possessions, as has been explained above.

Chapter 50

All the distinctions and gradations of love, that have been mentioned above, derive from the “right side,” from the distinction of “priest, man of grace” 1   Zohar I:256b; 258b. and are called kesef hakodoshim (“longing for holy things”) 2  כסף הקדשים—lit. “holy silver” (cf. II Kings 12:5). etymologically, as in “For you longed repeatedly 3  נכסף נכספת—from the same root as כסף. for your father’s house.” 4  Genesis 31:30.
There is, however, yet another distinction of love which excels them all, as gold is superior to silver, and this is a love like fiery coals from the distinction of the supernal gevurot from binah ilaah (supernal understanding). 5   Chochmah and binah in the intellect have their counterparts chesed and gevurah in the middot.
This is when, through contemplation on the greatness of the En Sof, blessed is He, before Whom everything is truly accounted as nought, the soul is kindled and flares up toward the glory of the splendor of His greatness in order to gaze on the glory of the King, like glowing coals of a mighty flame which surges upward, striving to be parted from the wick and the wood on which it has taken hold. This is brought on by the preponderance of the element of Divine fire that is in the divine soul. In consequence of this it develops a thirst, as is written, “My soul thirsts for You”; 6  Psalms 63:2. next it attains the distinction of “lovesickness”; 7  Song of Songs 2:5. and then it reaches a state of very rapture of the soul (כלות הנפש) as is written, “Indeed, my soul pines.” 8  Psalms 84:3.
From here [supernal gevurot ] issues forth the root of the Levites 9  Whereas the priest is the man of chesed, the Levite symbolizes gevurah, as explained in many sources of Kabbalah and Chasidut. Cf. e.g., Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 1c; Korach 54a f; Va’etchanan 8b. [on earth] below [and in the World to Come, when the world will be exalted, they will become the priests, as the Arizal 10  See above, ch. 2, note 9. commented on the verse, “But the priests, the Levites,” 11  Ezekiel 44:15. that the Levites of today will become the priests of the future]. The service of the Levites was to raise the voice of melody and thanksgiving, with song and music, with tunefulness and harmony, in a manner of “advance and retreat” 12  The counterpart of the ecstatic worship by the angels ( Chayot ); cf. Ezekiel 1:14. which is the distinction of the intense love resembling the flame that flashes out of the lightning, as is mentioned in the Gemara [ Chagigah, ch. 2]. 13   Chagigah 13b.
It is impossible to elucidate this matter clearly in writing. Yet every warmhearted and intelligent person gifted with understanding, who deeply binds his mind and contemplation to G–d, will discover the goodness and light which are treasured up in his intelligent soul, each according to his capacity—[“there is one who is affected [in one way]…and there is one who is affected [in another], and so forth”]—prefacing it with the fear of sin, in order to be completely parted from evil, that the iniquities may not interpose…, G–d forbid.
The order of the service in occupying oneself with the Torah and commandments, a service derived from the category of the said intense love, is in the manner of “retreat” alone, as is written in Sefer Yetzirah, “And if your heart hastens, return to the One.” 14  1:8. Cf. Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 7a. The interpretation of [the phrase] “if your heart hastens” is the craving of the soul that is in the right side of the heart —when it gains sway 15  …over the left part, i.e., over the natural desires of the animal soul. and bursts into flame and grows so exceedingly enraptured that the very soul is consumed with a desire to pour itself out into the embrace of its Father, the Life of life, blessed is He, and to leave its confinement in the corporeal, physical body, in order to attach itself to Him, blessed be He—then one must take to heart the teaching of the Rabbis, of blessed memory, that “against your will you live” 16   Avot 4:22. in this body, animating it for the purpose of drawing downward the higher life from the Life of life, blessed is He, through the life-giving Torah, that there may be a dwelling in the lower world for His Oneness, blessed be He, in a revealed state. As has been explained above, and as is explained in the holy Zohar, 17  II:135a. “that there be ‘One in One,’ the meaning of which is that the yichud hane’elam (hidden Unity) shall become a category of the ‘revealed world.’”
And this is the interpretation of the text, “Come, my beloved….” 18  “…let us go out into the field…” (Song of Songs 7:12), alluding to the consummation of love in the “field,” i.e., this material world. Or perhaps it refers to the well-known Shabbat hymn, “Come my Beloved to meet the Bride.” From this will be understood the adage of the Rabbis, “against your will you live; against your will….” 19   Avot 4:22. What then should one’s desire be? The answer will be found elsewhere 20  See Torah Or 2a; 25b, et al. in the lengthy explanation of this Mishnah, “against your will you live”—with the aid of the Life of life, blessed is He.

Chapter 51

To return to, and further to elucidate, the expression of the Yenuka, mentioned earlier, 1  Ch. 35. it is necessary first to explain—so that one may understand a little—the subject of the indwelling of the Shechinah, which rested in the Holy of Holies and likewise all other places where the Shechinah rested. What is the meaning of this? Is not the whole world full of His glory? And surely there is no place void of Him.
The [clue to the] understanding of this is to be found in the text, “From my flesh I see G–d.” 2  Job 9:26. The analogy is from the soul of a human being which pervades all the 248 organs of the body, from head to foot, yet its principal habitation and abode is in his brain, whence it is diffused throughout all the organs, each of which receives from it vitality and power appropriate to it, according to its composition and character: the eye for seeing, the ear for hearing, the mouth for speaking, and the feet for walking—as we clearly sense that in the brain one is conscious of everything that is affected in the 248 organs and everything that is experienced by them.
Now, the variation in the acquisition of powers and vitality by the organs of the body from the soul is not due to the [soul’s] essence and being, for this would make its core and essence divisible into 248 diverse parts, vested in 248 loci according to the various forms and locations of the organs of the body. If this were so, it would follow that its essence and core are fashioned in a material design, in a likeness and form resembling the shape of the body, Heaven forfend! Rather, it is entirely a single and simple spiritual entity, which, by its intrinsic essence, is divested of any corporeal shape and of any category and dimension of space, size, or physical limitation. It is, therefore, impertinent to say, in relation to its core and essence, that it is located in the brain of the head more than it is in the feet, since its core and essence are not subject to the dimensions and categories of physical limitation. But there are contained in it, in its intrinsic essence, 613 kinds of powers and vitalities to be actualized and to emerge from concealment in order to animate the 248 organs and 365 veins of the body, through their embodiment in the vivifying soul, which also possesses the corresponding 248 and 365 powers and vitalities.
It is with reference to the flow of all the 613 kinds of powers and vitalities from the concealment of the soul into the body in the process of animating it that it has been said that the principal dwelling place and abode of this flow of life and of this manifestation is situated entirely in the brains of the head. Therefore they first receive the power and vitality appropriate to them according to their disposition and character, namely, chabad ( chochmah, binah, daat ) and the faculty of thought, and all that pertains to the brains; and not only this, but also the sum total of all the streams of vitality flowing to the other organs is also contained and is clothed in the brain that is in the head. It is there that the core and root of the said manifest flow of the light and vitality of the whole soul are to be found. From there a radiation is diffused to all the other organs, each of which receives the power and vitality appropriate to it in accordance with its disposition and character: the faculty of sight reveals itself in the eye, and the faculty of hearing manifests itself in the ear, and so forth. But all the powers flow from the brain, as is known, for therein is located the principal dwelling place of the whole soul, in its manifest aspect, since the sum total of the vitality that is diffused from it is revealed there. Only the [individual] powers of the said general vitality shine forth and are radiated from there into all the organs of the body, much in the same manner as light radiates from the sun and penetrates rooms within rooms. [Even the heart receives vitality from the brain; hence the brain has an intrinsic supremacy over it, as has been explained above. 3  Ch. 12. ]
In a truly like manner, figuratively speaking, does the En Sof, blessed is He, fill all worlds and animate them. And in each world there are creatures without limit or end, myriads upon myriads of various grades of angels and souls, and so on, and likewise, the abundance of the worlds is without end or limit, one higher than the other….
Now, the core and essence of the En Sof, blessed is He, is the same in the higher and lower worlds, as in the example with the soul given above and as is written in the Tikkunim that “He is the Hidden One of all the hidden.” 4   Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction 17a. This is to be understood that even in the higher, hidden worlds He is hidden and concealed within them, just as He is hidden and concealed in the lower, for no thought can apprehend Him at all even in the higher worlds. Thus as He is to be found there, so is He found in the very lowest.
The difference between the higher and lower worlds is with regard to the stream of vitality which the En Sof, blessed is He, causes to flow and illumine in a category of “revelation out of concealment” [which is one of the reasons why the influence and stream of this vitality is figuratively called “light”], thereby animating the worlds and the creatures therein. For the higher worlds receive, in a somewhat more “revealed” form, than do the lower, and all creatures therein receive each according to its capacity and nature, which is the nature and the form of the particular flow with which the En Sof, blessed is He, imbues and illumines it.
But the lower [worlds], even the spiritual ones, do not receive [the light] in quite such a “revealed” form, but only by means of many “garments,” wherein the En Sof, blessed is He, invests the vitality and light which He causes to flow and shine on them in order to animate them.
These garments, wherein the En Sof, blessed is He, invests and conceals the light and vitality, are so numerous and powerful that thereby He created this very corporeal and physical world. He gives it existence and animates it by the vitality and light which He causes to flow and shine forth to it—a light that is clothed, hidden, and concealed within the numerous and powerful garments, which hide and screen the light and vitality, so that no light or vitality whatsoever is visibly revealed, but only corporeal and physical things that appear lifeless. Yet they contain light and vitality which constantly give them existence ex nihilo, that they shall not revert and become nothing and nought as they had been. This light comes from the En Sof, blessed is He, except that it is clothed in many garments, as is written in Etz Chaim, that the light and vitality of the physical orb of Earth, which is seen by mortal eyes, is derived from malchut d’malchut d’Asiyah 5  The lowest of all the sefirot ; for Malchut is the tenth sefirah, and Asiyah —the fourth of the Four Worlds. and in it is contained malchut d’Yetzirah, and so on, so that in all of them are contained the ten sefirot of Atzilut which are united with their Emanator, the En Sof, blessed is He.

Chapter 52

Now, just as in the human soul the principal manifestation of the general vitality is in the brain, while all the organs receive merely a light and potency which shines to them from the source of the manifestation of the said vitality in the brain, so indeed, figuratively speaking, is the essential manifestation of the general stream of vitality, animating the worlds and the creatures therein, clothed and contained in His will, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, blessed be He, which are called the “intelligence,” and these are those which are clothed in the Torah and its commandments.
The manifestation of this general flow of life is the source of the vitality which the worlds receive, each one in particular. Only a glow is diffused and shines forth from this source in a similar manner as the light radiates from the sun, by way of example, or as the powers of the organs of the body derive from the brain, as discussed above. 1  In the previous chapter.
It is this source which is called the “world of manifestation,” or “matron,” or “nether matriarch,” or “ Shechinah,” 2  Literally “indwelling,” from the word ושכנתי in the quoted verse. from the Scriptural phrase, “That I may dwell among them.” 3  Exodus 25:8. For this source is the beginning of the revelation of the light of En Sof, which extends to and illumines the worlds in a “revealed” manner. From this source there extends to each individual thing the particular light and vitality suitable for it, and it [the light] dwells and is clothed in them, thereby animating them.
Therefore it is figuratively called “mother of the children” and “community of Israel,” for from this source have emanated the souls of Atzilut and have been created the souls of Beriah, and so forth, all of them being derived only from the extension of the vitality and light from this source which is called “ Shechinah,” resembling the radiation of light from the sun.
But as for the Shechinah itself, namely, the origin and core of the manifestation whereby the En Sof, blessed is He, illumines the worlds in a “revealed” form and which is the source of all streams of vitality in all the worlds [their entire vitality being no more than the light which is diffused from it like the light radiated from the sun], the worlds cannot endure or receive the light of this Shechinah, that it might actually dwell and clothe itself in them—without a “garment” to screen and conceal its light from them, so that they may not become entirely nullified and lose their identity within their source, like the nullification of the light of the sun in its source, namely, in the sun itself, where this light cannot be seen, but only the integral mass of the sun itself.
But what is this “garment” which is able to conceal and clothe [the Shechinah ] yet will not [itself] be completely nullified within its light? This is His will, blessed be He, and His wisdom, and so forth, which are clothed in the Torah and its commandments that are revealed to us and to our children, for “the Torah issues from wisdom,” 4   Zohar II:85a and 121a. which is chochmah ilaah (supernal wisdom) that is immeasurably higher than the world of manifestation, for “He is wise, but not with a knowable wisdom,” and so forth. And as has previously been explained, the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, is clothed in and united with the supernal wisdom, and He, blessed be He, and His wisdom are One, only that it has descended by means of obscuring gradations, from grade to grade, with the descent of the worlds, until it has clothed itself in material things, namely, the 613 commandments of the Torah.
As [this wisdom] came down by descents from world to world, the Shechinah, too, came down and clothed itself in it in each world. This is the shrine of the “Holy of Holies,” which is contained in each world. So also has it been stated in the Zohar and Etz Chaim that the Shechinah —which is malchut d’Atzilut [being the manifestation of the light and vitality of the En Sof, blessed is He, which illumines the worlds, wherefore it is called the “word of G–d” and the “breath of His mouth,” as it were, as in the case of human beings, by way of example, speech reveals to the hearers the speaker’s secret and hidden thought]—clothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Beriah, namely, the chabad ( chochmah, binah, daat ) of Beriah. Through the latters’ clothing themselves in the malchut d’Beriah, there have been created the souls and the angels which exist in the world of Beriah.
From there also descends the [wisdom of the] Talmud that we possess. It has already been previously explained 5  Chapter 39. in the name of Tikkunim that in the world of Beriah there shine and flow forth the chochmah, binah, and daat ( chabad ) of the En Sof, blessed is He, in a powerfully contracted manner, in order that the souls and the angels, which are limited and finite beings, shall be able to receive the influence from these categories of chabad. Therefore from there also originates the Talmud, which is also a category of chabad, for the Talmud consists of the reasons and interpretations of the halachot in clearly defined terms. These reasons and interpretations are a category of chabad, while the halachot themselves derive from the middot of the En Sof, blessed is He, namely, kindness, justice, mercy, and so on, from which originate permission and prohibition, license and restriction, liability and blamelessness, as is explained in the Tikkunim.
By virtue of the clothing of malchut d’Atzilut in malchut d’Beriah it clothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Yetzirah, this being the chabad of Yetzirah. When the latter are clothed in the malchut d’Yetzirah, there are formed the ruchot 6  Sing. ruach, the second of the three grades comprising the human soul ( nefesh, ruach, neshamah ). and the angels which belong in [the world of] Yetzirah.
From there, too, comes the Mishnah that we possess, which comprises the legal decisions that are likewise derived from chabad of the En Sof, blessed is He.
Only that the categories of chabad, that is, the reasons and interpretations of the halachot, are clothed and hidden within the laws themselves and are not in a revealed form, while the elements of the halachot [themselves], which are in a revealed form, are the very reflection of the attributes of the En Sof, blessed is He, in their revealed form. Thus, it has been explained above in the name of the Tikkunim, namely, that six sefirot nest in Yetzirah. They comprise, in general, two extensions—right and left—acting either with forbearance from the aspect of kindness, that is to say, to permit a thing to ascend to G–d, or acting forbiddingly, and so on. 7  Things permitted (“unchained” or “released”) are said to be determined by the aspect of chesed, while the things forbidden (“chained”) are determined by the aspect of gevurah. Cf. ch. 7. And all this is according to the chochmah ilaah d’Atzilut (higher wisdom of Emanation); in which binah and daat are contained, and they are united with the En Sof, blessed is He, for in all of them are clothed chabad of Atzilut with which the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, is united in a perfect union.
In a like manner the Shechinah descended and clothed itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Asiyah.
Each of those three worlds is subdivided into myriads of gradations, which are also called particular worlds, and malchut d’Atzilut which is clothed in the malchut
NOTE: Thereby will be understood the text of the verse, “Your kingship ( malchutecha ) is a kingship over all worlds.” 8  Psalms 145:13.
of each particular world—descends and clothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies, namely, the chabad, which is in the world below it in rank.
It is from the Shechinah which is clothed in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of each and every general or particular world that light and vitality are extended and diffused to the whole world and the creatures contained therein, the souls, angels, and so forth, for all of them were created by the ten fiats in the act of Creation, these being the “word” of G–d which is termed “ Shechinah.”

Chapter 53

At the time the First Temple stood, in which the Ark and Tables [of the Decalogue] were housed in the Holy of Holies, the Shechinah, i.e., malchut d’Atzilut, that is, the aspect of the “revealed” light of the En Sof, blessed is He, dwelled there and was clothed in the Ten Commandments, far higher and stronger, and with a greater and mightier revelation, than its revelation in the shrines of the Holy of Holies above in the upper worlds. For the Ten Commandments are the all-embracing principles of the whole Torah, which comes from the chochmah ilaah (higher wisdom) 1   Zohar II:85a; 121a. that is far higher than the world of manifestation. In order to engrave them on material tablets of stone it (the Shechinah ) did not descend degree by degree, parallel to the order of descent of the worlds down to this material world. For this material world functions through the garment of material nature, while the Tables [of the Decalogue] are “The work of G–d, and the writing is the writing of G–d,” 2  Exodus 32:16. beyond the nature of this material world which is derived from the effulgence of the Shechinah in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Asiyah (“Action”), whence issues light and vitality to the world of Asiyah, in which this our world also is contained.
But the category of the higher wisdom of Atzilut, consisting of the totality of the Torah as it is epitomized in the Decalogue, has clothed itself in malchut of Atzilut and of Beriah alone, and they alone, united as they are with the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, that is within them, are referred to as the “ Shechinah ” which rested in the Holy of Holies of the First Temple, through its clothing itself in the Ten Commandments, which were engraved in the Tables [reposing] in the Ark, by miraculous means and by the work of the Living G–d [this being the “hidden” world which nests in the world of Beriah, as is known to to the students of Kabbalah].
As for the Second Temple, in which did not repose the Ark and Tables [of the Decalogue], 3   Yoma 21b. our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said that the Shechinah did not abide there. 4  Ibid. 96. This refers to the category of the Shechinah which used to abide in the First Temple—which was not of the ordinary descent of the worlds. But in the Second Temple it abided according to the order of gradual descent, of malchut d’Atzilut vested in malchut d’Beriah and the latter in malchut d’Yetzirah, and the latter in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Asiyah which in turn was clothed in the Holy of Holies of the Temple here below. In it rested the Shechinah, i.e., malchut d’Yetzirah, which was clothed in the Holy of Holies of Asiyah. Therefore no man was permitted to enter there, except the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. However, since the Temple was destroyed, there remains to the Holy One, blessed is He, but “the four cubits of halachah alone.” 5   Berachot 6a. Hence each individual who sits by himself and occupies himself in the Torah, the Shechinah is with him, as is stated in the first chapter of Berachot. 6  Ibid. The phrase “the Shechinah is with him” means in the order of the gradual descent and investment of malchut d’Atzilut in malchut d’Beriah, and Yetzirah and Asiyah.
For the 613 commandments of the Torah are by and large active precepts, as are also those which are fulfilled by word and thought, such as Torah study, Grace after meals, the recital of the Shema and Prayer, for it has been ruled that contemplation has not the validity of speech, and one has not fulfilled one’s obligation by contemplation and kavanah alone, until he gives utterance with his lips; and it has been ruled that the motion of the lips is considered an “action.”
The 613 commandments of the Torah, together with the seven commandments of our Rabbis, combine to total the numerical equivalent of כתר (“crown”) which is the the will of the Supreme One, blessed is He, which is clothed in His wisdom, blessed be He, and they are united with the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, in a perfect union. “The L–rd has founded the earth with wisdom,” 7  Proverbs 3:19. which refers to the Oral Law that is derived from the higher wisdom, as is written in the Zohar, “The Father [ chochmah ] begat the daughter 8   Zohar III:248a; 256b. [i.e., malchut, the Oral Law].”
And this is what the Yenuka meant when he said that “the supernal light that is kindled on one’s head, namely, the Shechinah, requires oil,” 9   Zohar III:187a. Cf. Tanya, chs. 35, 51. that is, to be clothed in wisdom, which is called “oil from the holy anointing,” 10  Exodus 30:31. as is explained in the Zohar, that “these are the good deeds,” namely, the 613 commandments, which derive from His wisdom, blessed be He. Thereby the light of the Shechinah can cling to the wick, i.e., the vivifying soul in the body, which is metaphorically called a “wick.” For just as in the case of a material candle, the light shines by virtue of the annihilation and burning of the wick turning to fire, so does the light of the Shechinah rest on the divine soul as a result of the annihilation of the animal soul and its transformation from darkness to light and from bitterness to sweetness in the case of the righteous, or at least through the destruction of its garments, which are thought, speech, and action, and their transformation from the darkness of the kelipot to the Divine light of the En Sof, blessed is He, which is clothed and united in the thought, speech, and action of the 613 commandments of the Torah, in the case of benonim.
For as a result of the transformation of the animal soul, originating from the kelipat nogah, [a transformation] from darkness to light, and so forth, there is brought about the so-called “ascent of the feminine waters” 11  See above, end ch. 10. to draw the light of the Shechinah, i.e., the category of the “revealed” light of the En Sof, blessed is He—over one’s divine soul [principally dwelling] in the brain of the head. Thereby will also be clearly understood the text “For the L–rd Your G–d is a consuming fire,” 12  Deuteronomy 4:24. as is explained elsewhere. 13   Likkutei Torah, Shelach 40b; Re’eh 34c; Haazinu 78d, et al.
CONCLUSION OF THE FIRST PART WITH THE HELP OF G-D, MAY HE BE BLESSED AND EXALTED.