As [this wisdom] came down by progressive descents from World to World, the Shechinah, too, came down and clothed itself in it in each World.

[Thus, within the Supernal Wisdom which descends into each World is to be found the Shechinah of that World].

This is the shrine of the "Holy of Holies," which is contained in each World.

[I.e., the Shechinah resides with the "Holy of Holies" of each World, this being the Divine "intelligence" enclothed in the Torah of each particular World].

So also has it been stated in the Zohar and Etz Chayim, that the Shechinah, which is Malchut of Atzilut ([4] being the manifestation of the light and vitality of the blessed Ein Sof, which illumine the worlds, wherefore [i.e., since it is a revelation] it is called "G-d's speech" and the "breath of His mouth," as it were, [for the purpose of speech is to reveal that which was concealed in thought, as in the case of a person, by way of example, speech reveals to the hearers the speaker's concealed and hidden thought).

[The same applies Above: Malchut of Atzilut, the level at which the light of Ein Sof and the previously concealed vitality becomes manifest, is called "G-d's speech," for it reveals G-dliness to the Worlds.

This level of Shechinah, which is Malchut of Atzilut], clothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Beriah, namely, the Chochmah, Binah and Daat of Beriah. Through the fact that [the latter Sefirot] clothe themselves in the Malchut of Beriah, the souls and angels which exist in the World of Beriah have been created.

[At this point the Rebbe Shlita notes: "[The ChaBaD of Beriah clothe themselves in the Malchut of Beriah] together with the Malchut of Atzilut which is within them, for, as stated earlier [in this chapter], `from this source... have been created....'"

The souls and angels of the World of Beriah are created beings. Unlike the Sefirot of any particular World, they are not the G-dliness of their World, but are created from the level of Malchut therein. Thus, the souls and angels of the World of Beriah are created from Malchut of that World. [6]

And from there also - [from Malchut of Beriah, in which is enclothed the Shechinah, i.e., Malchut of Atzilut, which previously had clothed itself in the Chochmah, Binah and Daat of the World of Beriah, after which the latter are clothed in Malchut of the World of Beriah] - derives the Talmud that we possess. [7]

And as has previously been explained in the name of the Tikkunim, that in the World of Beriah there shine and flow forth the Chochmah, Binah and Daat of the Ein Sof, in a powerfully contracted manner, in order that the souls and the angels, which are finite beings, shall be able to receive influence from these categories of ChaBaD.

[Souls and angels in the World of Beriah are unable to receive influence from ChaBaD as it exists in its essential state, in Atzilut.

Only after ChaBaD descends in a powerfully contracted manner into Beriah are they able to receive its influence].

Therefore the Talmud [not the Mishnah, but the Gemara] also originates from there - [from the World of Beriah], for it [the Talmud] is also of the category of ChaBaD, for the Talmud is [i.e., it consists of] the clearly defined reasons of the Halachot, and the reasons [being rational] are from the category of ChaBaD "[intelligence]".

And the laws themselves [found in the Mishnah] derive from the middot [the emotive attributes] of the Ein Sof, namely, kindness, severity, mercy, and so on, from which originate permission and prohibition, [permission deriving from kindness and prohibition from severity], ritual validity and invalidity, liability and blamelessness, [ritual validity and blamelessness originating from the attribute of kindness, and ritual invalidity and liability originating from the attribute of severity], as is explained in the Tikkunim.

By virtue of the clothing of Malchut of Atzilut in Malchut of Beriah [8] it then clothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Yetzirah, this being the ChaBaD of Yetzirah - [the Chochmah, Binah and Daat of Yetzirah. It is in this manner that the Shechinah of Malchut of Atzilut ultimately comes to reside in the World of Yetzirah].

When [later on] the latter [Malchut of Atzilut, together with the Sefirot in which it is enclothed - in Malchut of Beriah and in ChaBaD of Yetzirah] are clothed in Malchut of Yetzirah, the souls which are called Ruchot are created.

[For the three levels of souls, Nefesh, Ruach (singular of Ruchot) and Neshamah, correspond to the three lower Worlds: Nefesh originates in Asiyah, Ruach in Yetzirah and Neshamah in Beriah.

With regard to Neshamot, the Alter Rebbe has said previously that they are created from Malchut of Beriah. In now discussing the level of Malchut of Yetzirah, he writes that souls of the level of Ruach are created], and the angels [which are of the World] of Yetzirah.

From there too, [from Malchut of Yetzirah], comes the Mishnah that we possess, which comprises the legal decisions that are likewise derived from ChaBaD of the blessed Ein Sof. [9]

[Not only the Gemara within the Talmud, but the Mishnah too, derives from the "intelligence" of the Ein Sof. Even though it was stated earlier that the Mishnah derives from middot, yet since within the Mishnah there is concealed the rationale of the laws, they, too, emanate from the ChaBaD of Ein Sof].

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.

[In the Gemara the reasons for the laws are revealed, whereas in the Mishnah all that is revealed is the actual law itself, not the reasons underlying it].

While the elements of the halachot, which are in a revealed form in the Mishnah, are the very reflection of the middot of the blessed Ein Sof in their revealed form.

[As mentioned earlier, the actual halachic decision that something is permissible derives from the divine attribute of kindness, and that something is prohibited derives from the attribute of severity].

Thus, it has been explained above in the name of the Tikkunim, that six Sefirot nest in Yetzirah.

They [the six Sefirot or middot comprise], in general, two extensions - right and left, [right representing kindness, and left, severity], acting with forbearance deriving from the aspect of kindness, [which results in adjudicating leniently], that is to say, to permit [a thing] to ascend to G-d.

[For only that which is permitted to a Jew can ascend to G-d.

Thus, when a ruling is lenient and the object in question is permitted for use, it enables the individual, through utilizing it in the performance of a mitzvah, to cause it to ascend to G-d. This, of course, is an act of kindness].

Or acting in a stringent manner, and so on, [declaring the object to be forbidden for use, and thereby precluding its elevation to holiness. This is an act of severity.

These two traits, kindness and severity, represent the two general directions of the emotive attributes as they exist Above, and from which the halachot of the Mishnah derive].

And all this, [both the Mishnah and Talmud], is according to the Supernal Chochmah of Atzilut, and Binah and Daat are comprised in it [i.e., in Chochmah].

And they [the Mishnah and Talmud, and the illumination of ChaBaD and middot found in them] are united with the blessed Ein Sof, for in all of them are clothed ChaBaD of Atzilut, with which the light of the blessed Ein Sof is united in a perfect union.

[Thus, when the Shechinah enclothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of the World of Yetzirah, and thereafter in Malchut of Yetzirah, that part of Torah which is called the Mishnah is drawn down, this being the receptacle for the light of the Shechinah as it is revealed in the World of Yetzirah].

In like manner, [i.e., in the same manner that the Shechinah first clothed itself in the level of Malchut of Yetzirah], the Shechinah then descended and clothed itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of Asiyah.

And each of these three Worlds, [Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah], is subdivided into myriads of gradations, which are also called particular worlds.

And Malchut of Atzilut [the level of Shechinah] is clothed in

1. the level of Malchut * of each particular World;

2. [moreover, through the above-mentioned enclothing, it] descends, and

3. enclothes itself in the shrine of the Holy of Holies, namely, the ChaBaD, which is in the World below it in rank.

[e thus have Malchut of Atzilut as it is enclothed in Malchut of a World of higher rank, descending into the ChaBad of a World of lesser rank. [10]

* NOTE

This will enable us to understand the wording of the verse: "Your kingdom is the kingdom of all Worlds."

[The text seems to imply that there is one level of kingship called "Your kingdom," and another level of kingship known as "the kingdom of all Worlds."

The Alter Rebbe therefore explains that the verse is telling us that "Your kingdom" is the innermost aspect of "the kingdom of all the Worlds." Within them all is enclothed "Your kingdom" - Malchut of Atzilut].

END OF NOTE

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 that whole World and the creatures contained therein - the souls, angels, and so forth.

[The last phrase refers to the other beings of each World, such as the heichalot; they all receive light and vitality from the Shechinah as it is enclothed in the shrine of the Holy of Holies of that particular World].

For they were all created by the ten Divine utterances of creation, [11] these being G-d's speech, which is termed the Shechinah.

[Divine speech revealed that which was previously concealed.

This is also the purpose of the Shechinah - revealing to the world a light which is essentially higher than the world.

Therefore, Malchut of Atzilut (which is termed the Shechinah, and which is G-d's speech as revealed in the ten Divine utterances of creation) is the level from which life and vitality are drawn down and revealed to all Worlds and created beings.

And all this is accomplished through Torah, for Torah is the shrine of the Holy of Holies (in which the Shechinah first resides) in every World.

Thus, as mentioned earlier, it serves as a "garment" to the Shechinah.

   

Notes:

4. (Back to text) Parentheses are in the original text.

6. (Back to text) Iggeret HaKodesh, on the third page of Epistle 25.

7. (Back to text) The Rebbe Shlita explains why the Alter Rebbe has added, "that we possess," i.e., the Talmud that we possess here, in this world.

   Possibly, he says, this was added in order to anticipate a question that might arise from chapter 23 above. There the Alter Rebbe says that Torah is the illumination of the blessed Ein Sof, for "He is the Knower...." This indicates that Torah is wholly one with G-d Himself. How, then, can it be said that the Talmud emanates from a level and Sefirah no higher than the World of Beriah?

   The Alter Rebbe therefore explains that this refers only to the Talmud "that we possess," as man studies it in this world. This concept sits well with the statement in chapter 23, that the laws are "particular streams flowing from the inner Supreme Will itself" - but an emanation from the Supreme Will. The Rebbe Shlita also cites the Alter Rebbe's second note to chapter 40, which says that the core and the essence of the Supreme Will is in Atzilut, and only a glow therefrom radiates to each World according to its rank.

8. (Back to text) The Rebbe Shlita addresses the question of why the Alter Rebbe repeats, "By virtue of the clothing of Malchut of Atzilut in Malchut of Beriah," when it had already been stated: "Through the fact that [the latter Sefirot] clothe themselves in the Malchut of Beriah...."

   He answers: The vestment spoken of earlier is much milder and conceals little. From it, therefore, there only come about entities of the World of Beriah such as the souls and angels of that World, or the part of Torah connected with that World - the World of Beriah being on the level of a "world of concealment."

   The vestment which the Alter Rebbe speaks of here is so much stronger and conceals so much more, that through this concealment creatures of the World of Yetzirah come into being - the World of Yetzirah being on the much lower level of a "world of manifestation."

   The Rebbe Shlita provides an additional answer, which because of its complexity will be presented in capsule form.

   There are two manners in which the Shechinah (Malchut of Atzilut) may clothe itself in the Malchut of every World. The actual manner in which it vests itself depends on its goal. When the vestment takes place in order to create creatures of that World itself (for example, when the Shechinah vests itself in Malchut of Beriah in order to create angels and souls of the World of Beriah), then the Shechinah first clothes itself in the ChaBaD of that World. Only after vesting itself there will it clothe itself in Malchut.

   In such a situation, the prior vestment in ChaBaD is indispensable, just as in the analogy of body and soul, the vitality of all parts of the body derives from the brain - ChaBaD.

   However, when the Shechinah vests itself in the Malchut of a lower World not for the sake of the World itself, but only in order to be able to descend into an even lower World (for example, when Malchut of Atzilut vests itself in Malchut of Beriah, in order to be later able to vest itself in Malchut of Yetzirah), then the vestment is direct: the Shechinah descends directly into the Malchut of the lower World.

   Even if it were argued that in this instance too there must be some manner of prior vestment in ChaBaD of that World, still, in the subsequent vestment of the Shechinah in Malchut, no real effect of the prior vestment in ChaBaD is felt. At any rate, this lesser effect is present only to the degree necessary to enable the Shechinah to clothe itself in Malchut of the lower World.

   This is why, when the Alter Rebbe begins discussing the World of Yetzirah, he first says, "By virtue of the clothing of Malchut of Atzilut in Malchut of Beriah." This he does in order to emphasize that the vestment of the Shechinah in Malchut of Beriah is a direct (or at least a more direct) vestment, since it is not for the sake of Beriah itself, but rather for the sake of Yetzirah.

9. (Back to text) Note of the Rebbe Shlita: "For all of Torah is wisdom of the blessed Ein Sof, for which reason `Torah and G-d are truly one.'

   This is why the distinctive quality of Torah surpasses even that of the mitzvot, as explained in many places in t he Tanya."

10. (Back to text) The division of stages into (a), (b) and (c) is by the Rebbe Shlita; so too the repetition of "Malchut of Atzilut" in each and every one. It seems that the Rebbe is thereby indicating that the vestment in the Holy of Holies of each World relates to Malchut of Atzilut, and not to the Malchut of the lower Worlds in which Malchut of Atzilut vests itself. This corresponds with what the Alter Rebbe says further: "...and from the Shechinah which is clothed in the shrine of the Holy of Holies...."

11. (Back to text) Note of the Rebbe Shlita: "For before this there were no Worlds (this being the meaning of `In the beginning' - at the beginning point of creation - from non-being to being)."