ChaBaD DailyTanya Igeret HaTeshuva, middle of Chapter 4
ChaBaD DailyTanya Igeret HaTeshuva, middle of Chapter 4
The key to this will be found in the phrase, “For [G-d’s] people are part of G-d…”14;
אַךְ הָעִנְיָן יוּבַן, עַל פִּי מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב: "כִּי חֵלֶק ה' עַמּוֹ וְגוֹ'",
[they are] part of the Four-Letter Name of G-d.
חֵלֶק מִשֵּׁם הַוָיָ' בָּרוּךְ־הוּא,
Thus, describing G-d’s infusion of a soul into the body of Adam, it is written: “And He blew into his nostrils a soul of life,”15
כְּדִכְתִיב: "וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים",
and, as the Zohar comments,16 “He who blows does so from within him, etc.”17
וּ"מַאן דְּנָפַח מִתּוֹכוֹ נָפַח וְכוּ'".
The metaphor of blowing signifies that the soul of a Jew originates in the innermost aspect of G-dliness—in the Tetragrammaton, as shall be soon explained.
Now, [G-d] has no bodily form, and so on,18 G-d forbid.
וְאַף שֶׁ"אֵין לוֹ דְמוּת הַגּוּף וְכוּ'" חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,
How, then, is it possible to say that G-d “blew” and to speak of a “part” of Himself?
However, the Torah “speaks as in the language of men,”19 i.e., anthropomorphically.
אַךְ "דִּבְּרָה תוֹרָה כִּלְשׁוֹן בְּנֵי אָדָם".
By way of analogy: There exists a vast difference in the case of mortal man between the breath issuing from his mouth while speaking and the breath of forceful blowing.
כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ הֶפְרֵשׁ וְהֶבְדֵּל גָּדוֹל בָּאָדָם הַתַּחְתּוֹן, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, בֵּין הַהֶבֶל שֶׁיּוֹצֵא מִפִּיו בְּדִיבּוּרוֹ לַהֶבֶל הַיּוֹצֵא עַל־יְדֵי נְפִיחָה,
The breath that issues with his speech embodies the soul’s power and life-force only minimally,
שֶׁבַּיּוֹצֵא בְּדִיבּוּרוֹ – מְלוּבָּשׁ בּוֹ כֹּחַ וְחַיּוּת מְעַט מִזְּעֵיר,
and that is only from the superficial aspect of the soul that dwells within him.
וְהוּא בְּחִינַת חִיצוֹנִיּוּת מִנֶּפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה שֶׁבְּקִרְבּוֹ,
But the breath that issues when he blows forcefully, from deep within himself,
אֲבָל בַּיּוֹצֵא בְּכֹחַ הַנּוֹפֵחַ, דְּמִתּוֹכוֹ נָפַח –
embodies the internal power and life-force of the vivifying soul….
מְלוּבָּשׁ בּוֹ כֹּחַ וְחַיּוּת פְּנִימִית מִבְּחִינַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה וְכוּ'.
Just as there exists a vast difference between man’s speaking and forceful blowing:
Precisely so in the analogy [of Creation], allowing for the infinite differentiations involved [between Creator and created],
כָּכָה מַמָּשׁ עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, הַמַּבְדִּיל הַבְדָּלוֹת לְאֵין קֵץ,
there exists a prodigious difference Above,
יֵשׁ הֶפְרֵשׁ עָצוּם מְאֹד לְמַעְלָה,
between all the hosts of heaven, even the spiritual beings like angels, who were created ex nihilo, [and the soul of man].
בֵּין כָּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַאֲפִילוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים, שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מֵאַיִן לְיֵשׁ,
They derive their life and existence from the external aspect of the life-force issuing forth from the Infinite One to vitalize creation.
וְחַיִּים וְקַיָּימִים מִבְּחִינַת חִיצוֹנִיּוּת הַחַיּוּת וְהַשֶּׁפַע שֶׁמַּשְׁפִּיעַ אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא לְהַחֲיוֹת הָעוֹלָמוֹת,
This [external] aspect of the life-giving power is called the “breath of His mouth,” as it were, as the verse states: “By the breath of His mouth, all their hosts [were created].”20
וּבְחִינָה זוֹ נִקְרֵאת בְּשֵׁם "רוּחַ פִּיו" עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם",
This is the creative power embodied in the letters of the ten utterances
וְהִיא בְּחִינַת חַיּוּת הַמְלוּבֶּשֶׁת בָּאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁבַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת
(21these letters being in the nature of vessels, and a drawing down and so forth of the life-force, as explained in Likkutei Amarim, Part II, ch. 11).
(שֶׁהֵן בְּחִינַת כֵּלִים וְהַמְשָׁכוֹת וְכוּ', כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּלִקּוּטֵי־אֲמָרִים חֵלֶק ב׳ פֶּרֶק י"א);
In contrast, the soul of man derives initially from the innermost dimension of the life-force and flow issuing from the Infinite One,
וּבֵין נִשְׁמַת הָאָדָם, שֶׁנִּמְשְׁכָה תְּחִלָּה מִבְּחִינַת פְּנִימִיּוּת הַחַיּוּת וְהַשֶּׁפַע שֶׁמַּשְׁפִּיעַ אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא,
as in the verse quoted above, “And He blew….”
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "וַיִּפַּח וְכוּ'",
As mentioned earlier, this verb indicates the internal aspect of the Divine flow of life-force, for “he who blows does so from his innermost being.”
Thus, the soul originated in the internal aspect of the life-force and flow issuing from G-d. It is only afterward, in order to enable it to be invested within the body, that the soul descended to a more external level, as the Alter Rebbe now goes on to say.
It then descended through ever more concealing planes, also (like the angels who were created by means of “letters”) by means of the letters that comprise the Divine utterance, “Let us make man…,”22
וְאַחַר כָּךְ יָרְדָה בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה, גַּם כֵּן, עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁבְּמַאֲמַר "נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם" וְכוּ'
in order that it could eventually be invested in a body in this inferior, [physical] world.
כְּדֵי לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּגוּף עוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַתַּחְתּוֹן.
This, then, is the difference between souls and angels: Souls derive from the innermost aspect of G-dliness, the Tetragrammaton, while angels are rooted in the external aspect of G-dliness, the Divine Name Elokim, as is now explained.
For this reason, Scripture calls the angels “Elokim,”
וְלָכֵן נִקְרְאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים בְּשֵׁם "אֱלֹקִים" בַּכָּתוּב,
as23 in the phrase, “For the L-rd your G-d, He24 is the G-d of G-ds (Elokim)…,”25 the last word here referring to angels,
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "כִּי ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם [הוּא] אֱלֹקֵי הָאֱלֹקִים גוֹ'"
[and likewise], “Praise the G-d of G-ds (Elokim)…,”26 once again referring to angels by the name “Elokim,”
"הוֹדוּ לֵאלֹקֵי הָאֱלֹקִים גוֹ'"
and (in yet another reference to angels), “The sons of G-d (Elokim) came to present themselves….”27
"וַיָּבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹקִים לְהִתְיַיצֵּב גוֹ'" –
The Name Elokim is applied to angels:
Because they derive their nurture from the external degree [of G-dliness], which is merely the state of “letters.”
לְפִי שֶׁיְּנִיקַת חַיּוּתָם הִיא מִבְּחִינַת חִיצוֹנִיּוּת שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת לְבַד,
Similarly, the Name Elokim is an external state relative to the Tetragrammaton.
וְשֵׁם אֱלֹקִים הוּא בְּחִינַת חִיצוֹנִיּוּת לְגַבֵּי שֵׁם הַוָיָ' בָּרוּךְ־הוּא.
But the soul of man, deriving from the internal aspect of the G-dly vivifying power, is a part of the Tetragrammaton,
אֲבָל נִשְׁמַת הָאָדָם, שֶׁהִיא מִבְּחִינַת פְּנִימִיּוּת הַחַיּוּת – הִיא חֵלֶק שֵׁם הַוָיָ' בָּרוּךְ־הוּא,
for the Tetragrammaton indicates the innermost dimension of the life-giving power, which far transcends the state of letters.
כִּי שֵׁם הַוָיָ' מוֹרֶה עַל פְּנִימִיּוּת הַחַיּוּת, שֶׁהִיא לְמַעְלָה מַּעְלָה מִבְּחִינַת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת.
Deuteronomy 32:9.
Genesis 2:7.
See above, Part I, beg. of ch. 2, citing the Zohar.
The Rebbe suggests that “etc.” alludes to the continuation of this statement above, Part I, beg. of ch. 2: “…from his inwardness and his innermost being.”
Note by the Rebbe: “‘Etc.’ signifies ‘nor body’—from the hymn entitled Yigdal. See also beg. of Likkutei Torah Legimmel Parshiyot.”
Berachot 31b.
Psalms 33:6.
Parentheses are in the original text.
Genesis 1:26.
The Rebbe notes that the Alter Rebbe cites three verses to adduce that angels are called Elokim, possibly in order to allude to the three general categories of angels—in the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. The angels closest to souls (souls having “arisen in the Divine thought”) are those of the World of Beriah, the World of Thought. They are alluded to in the first verse, which states that “Your G-d,” i.e., the G-d of souls, is “the G-d of angels.” The second verse, which mentions neither “Your G-d” nor the Tetragrammaton, may be said to refer to the angels in the World of Yetzirah. The final verse, which speaks of the angels who give testimony with regard to the worldly affairs of man, may be said to apply to the angels of the nethermost world, the World of Asiyah.
In line with Scripture, the Rebbe restored the word “He” to the paraphrase in the text.
Deuteronomy 10:17.
Psalms 136:2.
Job 1:6.
Dr. Joshua Kulp
Five possessions did the Holy Blessed One, set aside as his own in this world, and these are they: The Torah, one possession; Heaven and earth, another possession; Abraham, another possession; Israel, another possession; The Temple, another possession. 1a) The Torah is one possession. From where do we know this? Since it is written, “The Lord possessed (usually translated as ‘created’) me at the beginning of his course, at the first of His works of old” (Proverbs 8:22). 2a) Heaven and earth, another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is said: “Thus said the Lord: The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool; Where could you build a house for Me, What place could serve as My abode? (Isaiah 66:1) And it says: “How many are the things You have made, O Lord; You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your possessions” (Psalms 104:24). 3a) Abraham is another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is written: “He blessed him, saying, “Blessed by Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 15:19). 4a) Israel is another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is written: “Till Your people cross over, O Lord, Till Your people whom You have possessed” (Exodus 15:16). And it says: “As to the holy and mighty ones that are in the land, my whole desire (possession) is in them” (Psalms 16:3). 5a) The Temple is another possession. From where do we know this? Since it is said: “The sanctuary, O lord, which your hands have established” (Exodus 15:17”, And it says: “And He brought them to His holy realm, to the mountain, which His right hand had possessed” (Psalms 78:54).
I like to call out to all my Jewish friends:
Zechariah 8:23
23So said the Lord of Hosts: In those days, when ten men of all the languages of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a Jewish man, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." | | כגכֹּֽה־אָמַר֘ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָאוֹת֒ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔מָּה אֲשֶׁ֚ר יַֽחֲזִ֙יקוּ֙ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל לְשֹׁנ֣וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְֽהֶחֱזִ֡יקוּ בִּכְנַף֩ אִ֨ישׁ יְהוּדִ֜י לֵאמֹ֗ר נֵֽלְכָה֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם כִּ֥י שָׁמַ֖עְנוּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים עִמָּכֶֽם: |
ten men: from the seventy nations. This equals seven hundred for each corner. For the four corners of the tallith there will be two thousand and eight hundred. | | עשרה אנשים: משבעים לשון הרי שבע מאות לכל כנף וכנף הרי לד' כנפי הטלית אלפים ושמונ' מאו': |
Please Judah if a righteous gentile tries ‘to grasp your ‘tsi-sit’ and say: "Let me go with you, for I have heard that God is with you." Open your heart for him/her and share all our Torah. The Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu as it is written and spared and is teaches in the Tanach and all scripture of Rabbinical Judaism………
Ariel your Representee, Representee of Ephraim and adviser (not a rabbi but friendly adviser) of Bet Yisrael international on the Har HaBayit.
Read my story: https://rb.gy/i654b
Please contact me for further questions: Telegram https://t.me/ArielRepresentative WhatsApp: +972 54-568-3031 Ariel van Kessel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-van-kessel-71797424 Email: arielvankessel@aol.com Ariel, hopefully your Representative
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