LESSONS IN TANYA: Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Chabad.org
Today's Tanya Lesson
Kislev 11, 5772 · December 7, 2011
Kuntres Acharon, middle of Essay 4

והטעם: משום דחב״ד דעשיה דבחינת נשמה, הוא מקור החיות דחב״ד דנפש רוח

The reason for this transcendence is that the ChaBaD of Asiyah of the state of Neshamah is the source of life of ChaBaD of Nefesh-Ruach

ותולדותיהן והתהוותן מאין ליש עם תולדותיהן, עד סוף העשיה, היא הארץ וכל צבאה

and their offspring, and their coming into being ex nihilo with their offspring, unto the ultimate stage of Asiyah, namely the earth and all its hosts.

The ChaBaD of Asiyah (in the state of Neshamah) is thus a source for created beings.

אבל חב״ד דהלכות וטעמיהן, שבמלכות דבריאה ויצירה

But as to the ChaBaD of the laws with their rationales, that are in Malchut of Beriah and Yetzirah,

This level of ChaBaD is not a source of created beings; rather:

ענין החכמה היא בתיקון פרצופי האצילות

the function of the Chochmah [within them] is the rectification of the visages of Atzilut,

שבהן תלוין כל טעמי המצות

upon which are dependent all the rationales of the commandments —

מצות עשה בה׳ חסדים, ומצות לא תעשה בה׳ גבורות

[the rationales of] the positive commandments [depend] on the five attributes of Kindness of Za of Atzilut, and [the rationales of] the prohibitions in the five attributes of Severity of Za of Atzilut.

ומשום הכי נמי כשירדו להתלבש בנבראים

Therefore, even when they descended to be clothed in created beings,

Even when the rationales for the laws, that essentially derive from visages of Atzilut, descended to become rationales for laws for created beings, —

הן במלכות דבריאה ויצירה, דבחינת נשמה דוקא, שהוא מכלים דאצילות

they are in Malchut of Beriah and Yetzirah of the specific [G‑dly] state of Neshamah, which is of the vessels of Atzilut — for the thirty vessels of Zu"n of Atzilut become a Neshamah for Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah,

ולא בבחינת נפש רוח

and not of the degree of Ruach and Nefesh; the rationales for the laws did not vest themselves within Ruach and Nefesh, which are created beings.

ואף דחב״ד דבריאה יצירה דבחינת נשמה, שגבהה מאד מעלתן על בחינת מלכות דבריאה יצירה דנשמה

Now though ChaBaD of Beriah-Yetzirah of the state of Neshamah by far transcend Malchut of Beriah-Yetzirah of the state of Neshamah, for ChaBaD is the highest of the Sefirot of the world, while Malchut is the lowest,

ואף על פי כן, הן מקור לחב״ד דבריאה יצירה של בחינת נפש רוח, שהן המלאכים

still, [the ChaBaD of Beriah and Yetzirah] are the source for ChaBaD of Beriah-Yetzirah of the state of Nefesh-Ruach, namely the angels.

How do we then say that Malchut of Beriah and Yetzirah of the state of Neshamah cannot descend to become a source for created beings, when ChaBaD of Beriah and Yetzirah of the state of Neshamah that is far loftier than Malchut does serve as a source for created beings?

לא קשיא מידי

This is not a question at all.

דבאמת המלאכים והנשמות אינן אלא מטפה הנמשכת מחב״ד דנשמה ליסוד ז״א, וניתן לנוקבא

For in truth, the angels and souls that are created of ChaBaD of Beriah and Yetzirah are only of a drop drawn from ChaBaD of the Neshamah to the attribute of Yesod of Za, and then transmitted to nukva, i.e., to Malchut,

ומשם יצאו בבחינת לידה

and from there they (the souls and angels) went forth in a state of "birth" — a new entity resulted.

Thus, this is not a mere emanation from ChaBaD, as is the case with laws, for such an emanation cannot in fact serve as a source of created beings. Rather, it resembles the drop that brings about a birth. For this reason it is possible that created beings should result even from ChaBaD of Beriah and Yetzirah.

כי אף אם תמצי לומר שנבראו מהארת הכלים דנוקבא דאצילות, הרי הם היורדים ונעשים נשמה

For even if it is proposed that they are created from the radiance of the vessels of nukva of Atzilut, nevertheless, they themselves descend into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah and become Neshamah unto them.

אבל עצמות חב״ד דנשמה מתפשט בו׳ קצוות דזו״ן

But the essence of ChaBaD of Neshamah extends into the "six directions" of Zu"n,

ושם הם שיתא סדרי משנה וגמרא

and there they are the Six Orders of Mishnah and the Gemara — the laws of the Torah.

The essence of ChaBaD thus descends specifically within the laws of the Torah, which are Divinity. Torah, in turn, descends within the level of Neshamah, which is also Divinity.



The Tanya of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, elucidated by Rabbi Yosef Wineberg    More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author
Translated from Yiddish by Rabbi Levy Wineberg and Rabbi Sholom B. Wineberg. Edited by Uri Kaploun.
Published and copyright by Kehot Publication Society, all rights reserved.
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