ח' כסלו – קונטרס אחרון פרק ד'

Now, aside from everything discussed until now, even when we speak about the נשמה דאצילות—the soul as it exists in the world of Atzilus, it too is considered as coming from the כלים דאצילות—the vessels of Atzilus. The same is true for the levels of נפש and רוח—the lower soul-powers, which are rooted in the vessels of Yetzirah and Asiyah.

This means that even the highest levels of the soul, as they are found in the loftiest worlds, are still associated with the concept of vessels—keilim—and not just pure light or energy. The soul, even in its most elevated state, is not just an abstract spiritual entity; it is always connected to a form, a vessel, a way in which it is expressed and contained.

When we talk about רחימו—love (and perhaps here it should read דו"ר, meaning both love and awe)—as they are experienced intellectually, these qualities also have an effect on the vessels of Yetzirah and Asiyah. They cause an elevation from below to above, which is known as אתערותא דלתתא—an arousal from below.

This process is called histalkus—a withdrawal or ascent. The soul is drawn upwards, yearning to rise and connect to its source. However, this is only an ascent; it is a movement away from the world, not a drawing down of G‑dliness into the world. If a person only experiences this kind of spiritual elevation, it remains a withdrawal, a departure from the world, and does not accomplish the ultimate purpose of creation.

But when it comes to drawing down G‑dliness from above to below—hamshacha milmaalah lematta—this is achieved specifically through practical mitzvos, through action. Only through the performance of mitzvos in the physical world can we draw the Divine light into the vessels, and specifically into the external aspect of the vessels—חיצוניות הכלים.

This means that while love and awe can elevate the soul, it is only through the actual deeds, the mitzvos themselves, that we bring G‑dliness down into the world, into the tangible, physical reality. The mitzvos are what connect the spiritual with the physical, ensuring that the Divine light is not just something abstract or removed, but is actually present and manifest in the world.

Here we come to a profound principle: חיצוניות העליון יורד למטה—the external aspect of the higher level descends below, while פנימיות התחתון עולה למעלה—the inner aspect of the lower level ascends upward.

This means that when we perform mitzvos, the external, more accessible aspect of the higher spiritual worlds is drawn down into our reality, while the deepest, innermost part of our lower world is elevated upward. There is a dynamic exchange: the outer dimension of the higher world comes down, and the inner dimension of the lower world rises up. This creates a true connection and unity between the higher and lower realms.

This is what the Zohar means in Parshas Pekudei, where it says that there is an order—סדורא—and that both the ascent and the descent are necessary for the Divine purpose. Both the elevation of the lower and the drawing down from above are needed for the sake of the higher goal—tzorech gavoha.

How is this accomplished? Through the elevation of מ"ן—the feminine waters, representing the arousal from below—which comes from ס"ג (a Kabbalistic term for a particular Divine name), and this is achieved through עובדא ומלולא—action and speech. In other words, the practical performance of mitzvos and the words of Torah and prayer are what bring about this dynamic of ascent and descent, uniting the higher and lower worlds for the sake of G‑d's purpose.

This, then, is the ultimate purpose of the entire chain of creation—תכלית ההשתלשלות: that the Divine light should be revealed below, in this world. The goal is not for the lower to ascend upward and leave the world behind, because that is only a temporary state—lefi sha'ah, for a moment.

The true objective is that G‑dliness should be drawn down and revealed within the world itself, transforming the physical into a dwelling place for the Divine. The ascent of the lower worlds is only a stage, not the end goal. The real purpose is the revelation of G‑dliness here, in the lowest realms.

Even so, there are times when the vessels themselves are elevated to higher lights—this is the special quality of Shabbos and Yom Kippur. On these days, the vessels are uplifted to a higher spiritual state. But this does not mean that the lights themselves are withdrawn or depart—הסתלקות האורות—G‑d forbid. As the Pri Etz Chaim explains, the elevation is only of the vessels, not of the lights themselves.

So, while there are moments of spiritual elevation, the ultimate goal remains the drawing down of G‑dliness into the vessels, into the world, through mitzvos. The elevation is a special, temporary state, but the ongoing purpose is to bring the Divine into the physical.

In this context, the נר"ן—the nefesh, ruach, and neshamah—of a person, in relation to his body in this world, are considered as lights compared to the vessels. Similarly, the intellectual love and awe—דו"ר שכליים—are like lights, while the actual performance of mitzvos is like vessels.

This means that the soul and its emotions are spiritual, like light, but it is only through the practical mitzvos—the vessels—that the Divine purpose is fulfilled. The mitzvos are what bring the soul's love and awe into concrete expression, making them real and lasting in the world.

Therefore, Moshe Rabbeinu prayed תפלות כמנין ואתחנן—a number of prayers corresponding to the numerical value of "ואתחנן"—specifically for the fulfillment of practical mitzvos. This means that Moshe's intense longing and supplication were not just for spiritual elevation or for the experience of love and awe of G‑d, but for the actual performance of mitzvos in the physical world.

This idea extends as well to the דבור גשמי—the physical speech involved in discussing and learning the laws of the mitzvos. It's not enough to have spiritual feelings or even to study Torah in a purely intellectual or emotional way; the mitzvos must be brought down into concrete action, and even the words spoken about them must be expressed in a tangible, physical manner.

On one hand, love and awe of G‑d are lofty spiritual qualities, and they certainly elevate a person. However, the ultimate purpose is not just to reach higher spiritual states, but to draw that inspiration down into the world through action. The mitzvos performed with physical objects, and the actual articulation of their laws, are what bring the Divine presence into the lowest realms. This is why Moshe's prayers focused on the ability to fulfill mitzvos in a practical sense, emphasizing that the main thing is the deed.

In summary, the passage teaches that while spiritual feelings are important, the true goal is to express them through action—by performing mitzvos and speaking their laws in the physical world. This is the way to make a dwelling place for G‑d below, which is the ultimate purpose of creation.