Parshas Tazria
1. On the verse "אשה כי תזריע וילדה זכר" ("When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male"), our Sages said:1 "אשה מזרעת תחלה יולדת זכר, איש מזריע תחלה יולדת נקבה" ("If the woman emits seed first, she gives birth to a male; if the man emits seed first, she gives birth to a female"). The Alter Rebbe cites2 the explanation of "the philosophers" on this: "Since the woman emits seed first, the drop of the male comes last, and 'עילאה גבר' ('the upper one prevails'); whereas if the man emits seed first, etc."
However, the Alter Rebbe writes about this explanation that "in truth it is a great strain in explaining the words 'the woman emits seed first,' which imply that it is specifically from her that the conceiving of the male comes, and not through the male emitting seed last, etc. Furthermore, our Sages said at the end of the third chapter of Niddah: regarding Dinah it is written,3 'his daughter' — the daughter of Yaakov; and regarding the tribes it is written,3 'the sons of Leah' — for the woman emits seed first, etc. If so, this implies that it is specifically from the woman's seed that the male is born (and so it is in Midrash Rabbah, Tazria, end of chapter 14: 'the male is from the woman, etc.' — see there)." He therefore explains it "according to its plain meaning: that 'when a woman conceives,' she herself actually gives birth, through this, to a male — and not according to the explanation of the philosophers, that it is because the seed of the male comes last, etc." See there at length.
Now, since the explanation of the philosophers was cited by great Torah sages of Israel4 (who are cited many times in Chassidus), and it has spread throughout most of the Jewish dispersions,5 and especially since the Alter Rebbe himself, here, cites their explanation (although he afterwards explains it differently), we must say that (even according to the Alter Rebbe) there is room for this explanation of the Sages' words "the woman emits seed first, etc." (for otherwise he would not have cited their explanation at all) — only that the primary meaning of "the woman emits seed first, she gives birth to a male" is "according to its plain meaning."
2. This will be understood by first noting the following: the matter of "the woman emits seed first, she gives birth to a male," etc., derives (like all matters of this world) from its counterpart in spirituality. "Man and woman" are, so to speak, the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Community of Israel (Knesses Yisrael). When "the woman emits seed first" — meaning that first there is an arousal from below (is'arusa dil'sata) directed upward, and afterwards an arousal from Above (is'arusa dil'eila) is drawn down — then "she gives birth to a male," meaning the great love (ahavah rabbah), the level of "מי לי בשמים ועמך לא…" ("Whom do I have in heaven? And besides You, I do not…") [OCR unclear: the end of this passage is missing in the source].
The reason for this is that the arousal from Above that is drawn down on its own, without an arousal from below, is "only from the level of the external aspect of the light and vitality that the Ein Sof, blessed be He, radiates,"10 whereas when the arousal from below comes first, "then the arousal from Above is drawn from a lofty level and rung, from the inner aspect of the light and vitality that the Ein Sof, blessed be He, radiates into Knesses Yisrael; and through this 'she gives birth to a male' — a spirit from on high is poured upon him, so that the love is at the level of great love, etc."10
Seemingly, however: since the birth of the love at the level of "male" actually comes from the arousal from Above, and the preceding arousal from below is only so that this arousal from Above should be drawn from the inner aspect of the light, it follows, seemingly, that the birth of the male comes not from the woman's seed (Knesses Yisrael), but from the man's seed (the arousal from Above, from the Holy One, blessed be He) — as in the view of the philosophers. How, then, does this fit with the Alter Rebbe's explanation, that the birth of the male is from the woman's own seed?
Now, simply, one could distinguish as follows: according to the explanation of the philosophers, the birth of the male does not pertain to the woman, but to the man, for "the upper one prevails"; whereas according to the explanation in terms of the service of G‑d, the birth of the male — which is the level of great love that comes from Above — comes on account of the arousal from below, for it is the arousal from below that brings about that [the arousal from Above] be drawn from the inner aspect of the light, and through this the level of great love is born, as explained above.
However, this is not sufficient,11 for ultimately the birth of the "male" does not come from the woman (the arousal from below) herself, but from the man (the arousal from Above); for the arousal from below is merely a cause that the arousal from Above should come from the inner aspect of the light, but the birth itself is from the arousal from Above — as in the words of Likkutei Torah there: "and through this she gives birth to a male, that a spirit from on high is poured upon him, etc.," as cited above. Yet the Alter Rebbe is precise, several times,12 in the (plain) explanation of the Sages' statement, that "it is specifically from the woman's seed that the male is born," and in the wording of the Midrash, "the male is from the woman"; and as he concludes, that according to his explanation "the wording of the verse is well understood according to its plain meaning: that 'when a woman conceives,' she herself actually gives birth, through this, to a male."
3. Now, an explanation similar to that of Likkutei Torah [that the birth of the male is from the revelation from Above, only that this revelation comes by reason of the preceding arousal from below] seems to be given also by the holy Ohr HaChaim13 on this verse. In his words: "Knesses Yisrael… is called 'woman'… 'When a woman conceives' means the sowing of mitzvos and good deeds… 'and gives birth to a male'… this is a level higher than the level of the female… And the verse informs us that if Knesses Yisrael sows, she will surely give birth to the higher levels. And this is the statement of our Sages about the immense, wondrous marvels that G‑d will perform at the coming of the Redeemer… He intends to distinguish between the future Redemption and the past Redemption from Egypt, when Israel were 'naked and bare'… and that Redemption… did not endure, for the Temple was destroyed and they were exiled… and this good was not at the level of 'male.' But the future Redemption, since at least it will come through the merit of Israel… the Redemption will be at the level of 'male'14 and will endure forever." Now, the future Redemption will come from the Holy One, blessed be He, only that it will come by reason of and through the merit of Israel15 — similar to the explanation in Likkutei Torah.
In truth, however, these two explanations — that of the Ohr HaChaim and that of Likkutei Torah — are different explanations. For it is stated in Likkutei Torah15 that the level of arousal from Above that comes through an arousal from below, although it is loftier than the level of arousal from Above that comes of its own accord (for the arousal from Above that comes of its own accord is from the external aspect of the light, while that which comes through an arousal from below is from the inner aspect of the light, as explained above), nevertheless, there is also an advantage in the arousal from Above that comes of its own accord over the arousal from Above that comes through an arousal from below: that which comes from Above of its own accord is drawn from a loftier level, from a level that the arousal from below does not reach; whereas the arousal from Above that is drawn through a preceding arousal from below is only from a level that the arousal from below reaches [except that it has an advantage, for within that level itself it is from the inner aspect, as explained above, and therefore it is specifically on account of this that "she gives birth to a male," as explained above; whereas the first [kind of] arousal from Above, although it is from a higher level, is from the external aspect].
In the continuation of the matter there, it is explained that there is a third level of arousal from Above, "which is also the arousal from Above that is beyond the arousal from below, meaning that the arousal from below does not reach there at all… But nevertheless it does not rest and become revealed except when there is completeness in the deeds of the lower beings, upon whom there has already flowed the arousal from Above that corresponds to the arousal from below; then there also rests and is revealed the arousal from Above that is utterly beyond any relation to the arousal from below."
And he concludes there16 that these three levels are "close" to the matter of the three times of Pesach, Sefiras HaOmer and Shavuos: "Pesach was the level of skipping over and the revelation of the arousal from Above of its own accord… Sefiras HaOmer is the drawing down of the arousal from Above through the arousal from below of refining the animal soul… and afterwards, on the fiftieth day, is the revelation of the fiftieth gate, which is beyond the arousal from below; and this is 'on the third day, when it was morning'… which is the matter of 'ביום השלישי יקימנו' ('on the third day He will raise us up')."
It is thus understood that the explanation in the Ohr HaChaim and the explanation in Likkutei Torah are different explanations. According to what is explained in Likkutei Torah, "she gives birth to a male" is the level of arousal from Above that comes through an arousal from below, which is drawn down during Sefiras HaOmer; whereas according to the explanation of the Ohr HaChaim, that "she gives birth to a male" refers to the future Redemption, the level of "male" pertains to the third arousal from Above,17 the level of "on the third day" [on the festival of Shavuos,18 and primarily in the Time to Come].
4. What emerges from all the above is that regarding the Sages' statement "the woman emits seed first, she gives birth to a male," we find two interpretations, and in both, explanations that seemingly contradict each other:
a) Regarding "the woman emits seed first" (in which case she gives birth to a male): whether the birth comes from the woman's seed, or whether the woman's seed (the arousal from below) is only a cause that the arousal from Above should come from a loftier level.
b) Regarding the level of "male" that is born through "the woman emits seed first": whether it refers to a level that pertains to created beings — the revelation drawn down during the forty-nine days of the Counting, which are the forty-nine gates of Binah (understanding); or whether it refers to a level beyond any relation to the worlds — the revelation of the fiftieth gate, which will be revealed on Shavuos and primarily in the Time to Come.
It can be said that these two matters are connected to each other. According to the explanation that the arousal from below is only a cause, the superiority of the level of "male" is only in that it is from the inner aspect, but it still has a relation and connection to created beings. However, when Knesses Yisrael rises to a loftier level, to the point that the birth is from the woman's seed — then a loftier level is "born" from this: the inner aspect of the level that is beyond any relation to created beings, as will be explained.
5. All this will be understood by first noting the superiority of [our] service (avodah) ("the woman emits seed first"). One of the explanations of this is19 that it is specifically through [our] service that the intent is fulfilled that "נתאווה הקב"ה להיות לו ית' דירה בתחתונים" ("The Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower realms").20
The explanation of the matter: the intent of "a dwelling place in the lower realms" is21 that "the lower realms," by their own nature, should become a dwelling place for Him, may He be blessed.22 Therefore the "dwelling place" must be made through the service of the souls of Israel enclothed in bodies, for specifically then do "the lower realms" become a dwelling place for Him. Whereas if the "dwelling place" were made through the revelation from Above, then the lower realms themselves, by their own nature, would not have become a dwelling place for Him.23
And since the "dwelling place in the lower realms" must be made specifically through service, we are compelled to say that even the loftiest revelations — even the level of light that is beyond any relation to created beings, which the arousal from below does not have the power to reach — are drawn down through service.23 For it is known24 that the meaning of a dwelling place for Him is a dwelling place for His Essence.25 If we were to say that what is drawn down through service is only a level that the arousal from below reaches, while the drawing down of the level beyond it is only by way of a gift — it would follow that the entire matter of service is only a preparation and a cause for the "dwelling place," while the dwelling place itself is made through the revelation from Above. Since the dwelling place must be made through service, it is necessarily so that service also draws down the matters that the arousal from below does not have the power to reach — up to the drawing down of the Essence.
This is also proven from what is explained in Tanya26 that the revelations of the Time to Come depend "on our deeds and our service, etc., for the reward of a mitzvah is brought about by the mitzvah itself, for by performing it one draws down, etc." And since the revelations of the Time to Come are the level of "on the third day He will raise us up," it is understood that the drawing down and revelation of this level, too, is accomplished through service.
But seemingly this is not understood: how does this fit with what was cited above from Likkutei Torah, that through service there is drawn down only from a level that the arousal from below reaches, whereas the higher level is drawn down by way of a gift from Above?
6. The explanation of this: This lowly world is "full of kelipos and sitra achra, which are actually opposed to G‑d."27 From this it is understood that making a dwelling place in the lower realms is [not only a revelation of what is concealed in this world — that is, to say that through the service of Torah and mitzvos one reveals the good within this world, and through this it becomes a dwelling place for Him; for this is not at all sufficient, since this world is full of (meaning, it is a "vessel" for) kelipos, as mentioned above — but rather it is] by way of bringing about something new in this world.28
And since the power to bring about something new lies in His Essence28* — similar to, and just as, He alone has the power and ability to create something from nothing29 — it is understood that the fact that Israel make a dwelling place in the lower realms (by way of bringing about something new) is because "ישראל וקוב"ה כולא חד" ("Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one"). Therefore they possess the power of the Essence30 [only that this power, as it is drawn down into the souls, is (mainly) not to create something from nothing, but to make the "something" into "nothing"].
Accordingly, it is understood how the service of the souls of Israel brings about the drawing down of the Essence — even though the service of created beings reaches only up to the level of the root of created beings. For since there is within Israel the power of the Essence, which is expressed in their having the power to transform this world, which is "full of kelipos and sitra achra," into holiness — "bringing about something new" — therefore, through this service, the power of the Essence within them is revealed, and on account of the revelation of this power, the drawing down of the Essence is accomplished through them.31
In other words: the fact that the arousal from below reaches only up to the level that pertains to created beings is on account of the nature of created beings — an "arousal from below."
[This is what is explained in Likkutei Torah, that [what lies beyond] the level of the arousal from below is by way of a gift — for the "arousal from below," as it is at the level of "below" [which is separate from "above"], reaches only up to the root of created beings, and the levels beyond that are drawn down only by way of a gift.]
But on account of the power of the Essence within Israel, which is revealed through their service in refining and [OCR unclear] this material world — even the drawing down of the levels that are beyond any relation to the worlds, up to the drawing down of the Essence, comes about on account of their service itself. For since, through their service in refining the world, the power of the Essence within them is revealed, through this very thing the world becomes a dwelling place for Him — for Him, for His Essence.
7. Now, although the making of the dwelling place comes about through the power of the Essence that is in Israel, nevertheless, since the intent of a dwelling place in the lower realms is that the lower realms should be transformed into a dwelling place for Him by their own nature, it is therefore necessary that the making of the dwelling place be in such a manner that it is felt that it is accomplished [not by the power of the Essence within Israel, but] by the power of the souls themselves — service by one's own strength.
Therefore: the beginning of the drawing down that comes through service is from the level of the root of created beings, the place that the arousal from below reaches. But after the preceding arousal from below and the arousal from Above that comes through it — that is, after everything that pertains to the service of created beings has been completed (both the service and the drawing down that comes through it) — then the "inner dimension" of this service is revealed, namely, the power of the Essence that is present in the service of Israel (because "Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one"),32 and consequently there is then drawn down also the level of light that the arousal from below does not reach,33 up to the drawing down of the Essence.
8. According to the above, the two explanations regarding the level of "male" that is born through "the woman emits seed first" will be understood (whether "male" is the level that pertains to created beings, the second arousal from Above — as explained in Likkutei Torah; or whether it refers to the level beyond the worlds, which will be revealed primarily in the Time to Come — as explained in the Ohr HaChaim), together with their connection to the question of how the birth that comes about through "the woman emits seed first" takes place (whether it comes from the woman's seed itself, or whether this is only a cause):
When the woman's seed is only a cause, as in the explanation of the philosophers —
and in spiritual terms, this means that the service of Knesses Yisrael and the drawing down from Above are as if two separate things [for the matter of "Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one" has not yet been revealed], and the service of Knesses Yisrael is only a cause that the arousal from Above should come (with increased strength,34 that is,) from the inner aspect of the light —
then the level that is born from this is a level that is within the scope of created beings. For since the service of Knesses Yisrael is a matter of "arousal from below" (meaning: "below," which is separate from "above"), it is impossible for created beings to reach beyond their root and source — the level of arousal from Above that is drawn down during Sefiras HaOmer.
But after the completion of the service, when it is revealed in Knesses Yisrael that "Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one," so that even the drawing down from Above is then attributed to Israel themselves — from which it derives also below, in a physical man and woman, as explained by the Alter Rebbe —
then the drawing down from Above is the level of the third arousal from Above, which is beyond any relation to created beings: the revelation of the fiftieth gate, the level of "on the third day He will raise us up."
9. According to the above, the connection of Parshas Tazria with "Sefiras HaOmer"35 (for in most years it is read during this period) will also be explained:
The explanation of this: regarding Sefiras HaOmer it is said,36 "תספרו חמשים יום" ("You shall count fifty days"), and it is explained in Likkutei Torah37 that although "we count only forty-nine days, which are the drawings down of the forty-nine gates of Binah… and the fiftieth day we do not count on Shavuos — that is because the deeds of the lower beings do not reach there at all, and we do not have the power to draw it down through counting; rather it is drawn down of itself, automatically, without our counting… nevertheless, it is drawn down only when the counting of the Omer of forty-nine days precedes it… Therefore it is said, 'You shall count fifty days,' etc. — for the verse regards us as if we drew down the fiftieth day."
This is the connection of "When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male" with the days of the Counting — for in "and gives birth to a male" there are these two matters: at first, the level of the male born from "when a woman conceives" is the level of the forty-nine gates of Binah; and afterwards, the birth of the male which is a loftier level, the fiftieth gate. And this birth, too, comes from "when a woman conceives," as cited above from Likkutei Torah, "the verse regards us as if we drew down the fiftieth day" — for "Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one."38
(From the sicha of Shabbos Parshas Tazria, 5725)
Notes
1) Niddah 31a, end. See the sources noted there.
2) Likkutei Torah, beginning of our parshah. Ohr HaTorah here (explains): a) that there is another explanation along the lines of the natural sciences (similar to the philosophers) — cited in Rabbeinu Bachya here — and it, too, is explained according to Chassidus; b) the explanation of the Sages' statement (Niddah 71a; Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 21) that "the woman emits seed first" — this is through his restraining himself, etc., his service (until he receives reward for it), and about this it is said, "to make his children males." — Seemingly, this is a new matter (that a male is born as a reward).
3) Bereishis 46:15.
4) [The text of this note is missing in the source.]
5) [The text of this note is missing in the source.]
[Note fragments without numbers, apparently from the missing notes before note 10:] …Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim, the discourse beginning "Lehavin Inyan HaTaam" (22b–c). …Shoresh Mitzvas HaTefillah, ch. 40 (Derech Mitzvosecha 136b ff.). …(for hands did not tamper with it so much). And this is easy to understand.
10) Likkutei Torah, our parshah, there (20b).
11) See Ohr HaTorah, our parshah (vol. 3), p. 813: "When the female emits seed first, the drop is drawn more from the essence of the intellect than when the man emits seed first." According to this, there might perhaps have been room to say that "the woman emits seed first" is only a cause for "she gives birth to a male." But from what is explained in Likkutei Torah, our parshah (19d), "for her influence (that of the woman) is specifically from the level of Chesed; therefore she gives birth to a male, which is from Chesed," it is understood as written in the text.
12) At the beginning of the parshah.
13) Cited and explained in Ohr HaTorah, our parshah (vol. 2), p. 491 ff.; (vol. 3), p. 809 ff.
14) See also Ohr HaTorah there (vol. 1), p. 70, that "'and gives birth to a male' refers to Moshiach."
15) Shir HaShirim 23d ff. See also Likkutei Levi Yitzchak on the sayings of our Sages, end of p. 108 ff.
16) 24c.
17) See Ohr HaTorah there (pp. 70, 495, end of p. 809), that "and gives birth to a male" (according to this explanation) is a drawing down from the level of the inner dimension of Atik.
18) See also Ohr HaTorah, our parshah (p. 72), that "and gives birth to a male" refers to the revelation of the festival of Shavuos.
19) See the discourse beginning "Tik'u," 5667 (in the series of 5666).
20) Tanchuma, Naso 16.
21) See also Likkutei Sichos vol. 9, p. 63, sec. 4, on the explanation of the verse "וראו כל בשר גו' כי פי הוי' דיבר" ("And all flesh shall see… that the mouth of the L‑rd has spoken"), that "all flesh shall see" will come about not (only) on account of the revelation of the level of "the mouth of the L‑rd," but on account of the flesh itself.
22) And it is specifically through this that the true meaning of His Oneness is expressed. For as long as the self-nullification of created beings to G‑dliness is because the Oneness of the Holy One, blessed be He, is felt in them, and not on account of the created beings themselves, then — although His Oneness is felt in the created beings — nevertheless, since this feeling does not come from the created beings, the very existence of the created beings is a kind of contradiction to His Oneness. Whereas when the self-nullification comes from the created beings themselves — it is specifically in this that the true meaning of His Oneness is expressed (see Likkutei Sichos vol. 4, p. 1335 (and the note there); see also below, note 25; and see below, note 30).
23) See also Likkutei Sichos vol. 4, Parshas Tavo, that if the level beyond any relation to created beings (which is the main thing) were not drawn down through service, it would be "bread of shame."
24) The series of 5666, at its beginning (end of p. 3); the discourse beginning "Tik'u," there, close to its end (end of p. 350); and in many places.
25) These two matters — "a dwelling place" [i.e., for His Essence] and "in the lower realms" [i.e., that the lower realms should become a dwelling place for Him on account of the nature of the lower realms themselves] — depend on each other. For every level of revelation, since it is defined within the parameters of "light," the existence of the "lower realms" [in which there is "doubled and redoubled darkness" (Tanya, ch. 36)] is its opposite. For the lower realms, too, to become a dwelling place for Him, this comes about specifically through their becoming a dwelling place for His Essence, which is omnipotent and bears opposites (see the Likkutei Sichos cited in note 22).
26) Beginning of ch. 37.
27) Tanya, ch. 37.
28) See all this at length in Likkutei Sichos vol. 6, p. 22 ff., and the sources noted there.
28*) Similar to what is said, "אין כל חדש תחת השמש" ("There is nothing new under the sun") (Koheles 1:9). See Ohr HaTorah, Bereishis, pp. 20, 1060; and in many places.
29) Iggeres HaKodesh, ch. 20 (130b). The reason for this is because "He is not caused by any cause that preceded Him, G‑d forbid; and therefore He alone, etc." — and every true innovation has no cause, etc.
30) Similarly with regard to the world: for the world [by its own nature] to become a dwelling place for Him, this comes about through the revelation of the power of the Essence within it — that the true existence of the created "something" is the true "Something." See Biurei HaZohar, Beshalach, the discourse beginning "Kegavna Dil'eila," close to its end (43c ff.), and in many places; and the discourse beginning "U'lekachtem Lachem," 5661, that the true "existence of the 'something' of the worlds and created beings is the level of the actual Essence of the Ein Sof."* Nevertheless, through the world becoming a dwelling place for Him, His unlimited Oneness is expressed (see above, note 22) — for the very fact that "the existence of the 'something' of the worlds and created beings is the level of the Essence" is [not because the nature and level of the worlds pertain to this, but] because His Essence is omnipotent and [bears] opposites. Therefore, the matter of Oneness as it is from the standpoint of His Essence is that even the existence of the "something" of the worlds [which, from the standpoint of the "limits" (of the level of revelations), is an existence opposite to G‑dliness] is united with Him.
*) Only that the (revelation of the) power of the Essence within the world is not like the power of the Essence within Israel (which is why even in the Time to Come, when the intent of "a dwelling place in the lower realms" will be fulfilled, Israel will be distinct from the (nations of the) world, as it is written, "ועמדו זרים גו'" ("And strangers shall stand…"); see Tanya, end of ch. 36; Ohr HaTorah, Sukkos, p. 1769; the series of 5666, [OCR unclear] p. 70). For the meaning of the existence of the worlds being the Essence is that the Essence "is what brings them into being… and without Him there is no existence whatsoever" (the discourse "U'lekachtem," there); whereas with regard to Israel — their very existence is, as it were, the Essence. See Likkutei Sichos vol. 23, p. 177 ff.
31) See also the discourse "Tik'u," there (p. 350): that the souls are rooted in the level of the Essence of the Ein Sof light, etc., and from there the power is drawn, etc., to bring about something new in the matter of the refinements; and likewise the level of innovation, to draw down the level of a new light from the level of the Essence of the Ein Sof, so that there should be for Him, may He be blessed, for His very Essence and Being, as it were, a dwelling place in the lower realms.
32) Nevertheless, there is in this the superiority of service by one's own strength — because this matter ["Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one"] is, of itself, in a state of concealment, and the revelation of the power of the Essence within Israel comes through the completion of their service — the arousal from below and the arousal from Above that comes through it. [Similar to what was explained above in note 30, that through the world becoming a dwelling place for Him, His unlimited Oneness is expressed — even though this comes about through the revelation of the power of the Essence within the world — this is specifically because the world of itself (before the service) is in a state of concealment, and the revelation of the power of the Essence within it comes afterwards, through the service.] Compare what is explained in the series of 5666, end of p. 380 ff.
33) Accordingly, it can be said that what is explained regarding the third arousal from Above, that it comes by way of a gift (Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim, there) — for "if he had not given him satisfaction, he would not have given him a gift" (the series of 5666, p. 131; the discourse beginning "Ve'atah Im," 5705, ch. 20) — means that by giving "satisfaction to his soul" (that of the giver), he is elevated to the level of the giver; that is, the revelation of the power of the Essence within the souls.
34) Similar to "the upper one (the man's seed) prevails," which comes about through the woman preceding.
35) See Shelah, Torah Shebichsav section, Parshas Vayeshev.
36) Emor 23:16.
37) Shir HaShirim 35b.
38) Compare what is explained in Likkutei Sichos vol. 6, there, note 73, on the explanation of the Sages' statement "the verse regards him as if he became a partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the work of Creation": that "a partner in the work of Creation" means that Israel bring about something new in the work of Creation; and the reason they said (only) "the verse regards him" is that the power for this innovation comes from His Essence.
Key Lesson
"When a woman conceives and gives birth to a male" teaches that a Jew's own service does not merely prompt a response from Above; because "Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one," the service itself draws down even the loftiest levels, up to G‑d's very Essence. Just as the count of forty-nine days is credited as if we drew down the fiftieth, our refinement of this world by our own effort is what makes it a true dwelling place for Him.