*NOTE
In the following note the Alter Rebbe states that the revelation of Divine Will in a particular World, caused by the ascent of Torah and mitzvot thereto — a revelation which he describes as "an hour of '(Divine) Will,' or '(Divine) Favor'" — produces a reaction in the middot of that World: With the revelation of Divine Will the middot fuse, and the attributes of Severity are "sweetened", or tempered, with Kindness. This in turn results in an increased flow of Divine Kindness into our world.
This effect of the mitzvot is felt primarily in the fusion of the middot of Atzilut.
הגהה
ושם מאיר ומתגלה גם כן היחוד העליון הנעשה בכל מצוה ותלמוד תורה
There in the higher Worlds, there also shines forth and is revealed the Supernal union effected by every mitzvah and by Torah study,
שהוא יחוד מדותיו ית'
namely, the union of G‑d's middot.
שנכללות זו בזו ונמתקות הגבורות בחסדים
These middot fuse with each other, and the Gevurot (the attributes of "Severity") are "sweetened" by Chassadim (the attributes of "Kindness")
ע"י עת רצון העליון א"ס ב"ה המאיר ומתגלה בבחי' גילוי רב ועצום
through the 'Hour of Will (favor) of the blessed Ein Sof,' i.e., the revelation of the Will of the Ein Sof, which shines forth and reveals itself in abundant and intense revelation,
באתערותא דלתתא היא עשיית המצוה או עסק התורה שבהן מלובש רצון העליון א"ס ב"ה
by reason of the "arousal (of man) below," consisting of the performance of a mitzvah or occupation in Torah in which the Supernal Will of the blessed Ein Sof is clothed.
The revelation of Divine Will (i.e., the Will clothed in Torah and mitzvot) produces a fusion of the middot and a "sweetening" of Gevurot in whatever World the Torah and mitzvot ascend to.
אך עיקר היחוד הוא למעלה מעלה, בעולם האצילות
But the main unity caused by Torah and mitzvot takes place far higher, in the World of Atzilut,
ששם הוא מהות ועצמות מדותיו ית' מיוחדו' במאצילן א"ס ב"ה
where the core and essence of G‑d's middot are united with their Emanator, the Ein Sof, blessed be He,
ושם הוא מהות ועצמות רצון העליון א"ס ב"ה
and there is found the core and essence of the Supernal Will of the blessed Ein Sof,
והארתן לבד היא מאירה בבי"ע בכל עולם מהן לפי מעלתו
of which a mere glimmer radiates in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah — in each of these Worlds according to its rank.
ואף שנפש האדם העוסק בתורה ומצוה זו אינה מאצילות
Now, although the soul of the person engaging in this Torah study or mitzvah does not stem from Atzilut,
מ"מ הרי רצון העליון המלובש במצוה זו והוא הוא עצמו הדבר הלכה והתורה שעוסק בה
nevertheless he is able to effect unity in the middot of Atzilut because the Supernal Will, which is clothed in this mitzvah, and in the case of Torah it is not merely "clothed" in it, but furthermore — it is indeed the very halachah and Torah that he is studying, —
הוא אלהות ואור א"ס המאציל ב"ה שהוא ורצונו אחד
this Supernal Will is G‑dliness, and is the Ein Sof-light of the Emanator [of the Sefirot of Atzilut], since He and His Will are one;
וברצונו ית' האציל מדותיו המיוחדות בו ית'
and this Supernal Will is actually the source of the middot, since it was by His Will that He emanated His middot, which are united with Himself.
וע"י גילוי רצונו המתגלה ע"י עסק תורה ומצוה זו הן נכללות זו בזו
Therefore, by means of the revelation of His Will caused by one's engaging in Torah or in a particular mitzvah, the middot fuse with each other,
ונמתקות הגבורות בחסדים בעת רצון זו
and the Gevurot are sweetened by Chassadim at this "hour of revealed, favorable Will."
END OF NOTE
