י"א כסלו – קונטרס אחרון פרק ד'

The reason for this is that the level of חכמה בינה דעת דעשיה—Chokhmah, Binah, and Daas of Asiyah—specifically in the aspect of נשמה—Neshama, or soul—is the source of vitality for all the lower levels within Asiyah.

Every world contains all ten sefirot, and within Asiyah itself, there are different gradations: Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama. The חכמה בינה דעת—Chokhmah, Binah, and Daas—of the level of Neshama in Asiyah serves as the root and source for the vitality of the lower levels, namely Nefesh and Ruach, and their derivatives.

The חכמה בינה דעת דנפש רוח—Chokhmah, Binah, and Daas of Nefesh and Ruach—and all their offshoots, are all derived from this higher source within Asiyah.

That is, the spiritual energy and intellectual faculties found in the lower levels (Nefesh and Ruach) are generated from the higher, more refined level of Neshama within Asiyah. This is a process of spiritual descent, where the higher level gives rise to and enlivens the lower levels.

The process of creation, התהוותן מאין ליש—their coming into being from nothingness into existence—along with all their derivatives, is a result of this flow from the higher to the lower.

This means that the lower levels and their various manifestations are not just continuations, but are actually brought into existence from the higher spiritual source. The vitality and existence of the lower levels are entirely dependent on this process of emanation from the higher levels of Chokhmah, Binah, and Daas.

This process continues עד סוף העשיה—all the way to the very end of Asiyah, which is the physical world as we know it: היא הארץ וכל צבאה—the earth and all its hosts.

In other words, the spiritual descent and creation that begins with the higher levels of Asiyah ultimately results in the creation of the physical universe and everything within it. The earth and its multitude of creations are the final outcome of this chain of spiritual cause and effect.

However, when it comes to the חכמה בינה דעת דהלכות בטעמיהן—the Chokhmah, Binah, and Daas of the halachos (Jewish laws) together with their reasons—which are found in מלכות דבריאה ויצירה—the Malchus (sovereignty) of Briya and Yetzirah, the dynamic is different.

Here, the Chabad that is present in the reasons and understanding of the halachos is not simply a source for lower levels, as is the case within Asiyah. Rather, it is rooted in a much higher spiritual reality, connected to the Malchus of the higher worlds of Briya and Yetzirah.

The function of החכמה—Chokhmah, wisdom—here is not to create lower levels, but rather בתיקון פרצופי האצילות—to bring about the rectification and completion of the partzufim (spiritual configurations or "faces") of Atzilus, the highest of the four worlds.

This means that the Chokhmah involved in the reasons for the halachos is not about generating new creations or descending to lower levels, but about perfecting and organizing the spiritual structures within Atzilus itself. Its role is internal and elevating, rather than creative and descending.

It is within these spiritual structures—שבהן תלוין כל טעמי המצות—that all the reasons for the mitzvos (commandments) are dependent.

In other words, the deeper rationale and spiritual significance of the mitzvos are rooted in these lofty levels of Atzilus. The true understanding of why we perform mitzvos is tied to the inner workings and rectification of the partzufim in Atzilus, not to the lower worlds or their processes of creation.

For example, the positive commandments—מצות עשה—are rooted בה' חסדים—in the five chassadim (kindnesses) of Zeir Anpin of Atzilus.

This means that the source of the mitzvos aseh, the positive commandments, is in these five spiritual channels of kindness within the Zeir Anpin configuration of Atzilus. The performance of mitzvos in the physical world is thus a reflection of these higher spiritual realities and their rectification.

The mitzvos lo sa'aseh—the prohibitive commandments—are rooted in the five גבורות—severities or powers of restraint. This means that the source of the prohibitions in Torah is in the aspect of gevurah, the attribute of restraint and limitation, as opposed to chesed, which is about giving and doing.

So, just as the positive commandments are associated with chesed, the negative commandments are associated with gevurah, and specifically with the five forms or levels of gevurah. This is a foundational idea in Kabbalah and Chassidus: every mitzvah, whether positive or negative, has its spiritual root in the Sefiros.

Because of this, when these spiritual levels descend to become enclothed within created beings—כשירדו להתלבש בנבראים—the process is not simple. The descent of these spiritual energies, from their lofty source, involves many stages and transformations.

When the Chabad (Chokhmah, Binah, Daas) of the halachos and their reasons descend, they do not simply become part of the lower worlds in a direct way. Rather, there is a process by which these spiritual levels are able to be manifest in the world of creation, in a way that they can be grasped and have an effect on the created beings.

This descent happens specifically in מלכות דבריאה ויצירה דבחינת נשמה דוקא—the level of Malchus of Beriah and Yetzirah, but only in the aspect of נשמה—the soul-level of neshama. This level is still godly, still a form of elokus, and it is sourced in the כלים דאצילות—the vessels of Atzilus.

In other words, when the reasons for the mitzvos and the halachos come down into the lower worlds, they are still on a very high spiritual level. They are not yet in the realm of created, separate existence, but remain within the sphere of godliness, albeit in a more concealed form.

However, this does not extend to the level of נפש רוח—the lower soul-levels of nefesh and ruach. The Chabad of the halachos, in their reasons and spiritual source, do not descend to become part of the nefesh and ruach levels, which are already more associated with created beings and with the world as we experience it.

This distinction is important: the neshama level remains connected to godliness, while nefesh and ruach are more about the vitality and emotional expression within creation. The reasons for the mitzvos, as they exist in the higher worlds, do not become enclothed in these lower levels.

Even though the חכמה בינה דעת דבריאה יצירה דבחינת נשמה—the Chokhmah, Binah, and Daas of Beriah and Yetzirah at the level of neshama—are themselves extremely lofty, far higher than the level of מלכות דבריאה יצירה דנשמה—Malchus of Beriah and Yetzirah at the level of neshama, there is still a relationship between them.

The Chabad of neshama in Beriah and Yetzirah is a much higher spiritual state than Malchus of neshama in those worlds. Yet, as will be explained, even these high levels can serve as a source for lower levels.

Nevertheless, we find that these very lofty levels—חכמה בינה דעת דבריאה יצירה דבחינת נשמה—are in fact the source for the Chabad of Beriah and Yetzirah at the levels of נפש רוח—nefesh and ruach, which are the levels of the מלאכים—the angels.

This raises a question: if the Chabad of neshama is so much higher, how can it serve as the source for the Chabad of nefesh and ruach, which are already in the realm of created beings, such as the angels? How does this transmission from a level of pure godliness to a level of creation take place?

This is not a difficulty at all. In truth, the angels and the souls—המלאכים והנשמות—which are the levels of nefesh and ruach, are not direct emanations of the Chabad of neshama. Rather, they are like a טפה הנמשכת—a drop that is drawn down from the Chabad of neshama, which passes through the יסוד ז"א—the Yesod of Ze'er Anpin, and is then given to the נוקבא—the feminine aspect (Malchus), from which they emerge in the form of birth.

In other words, the process is not a direct transformation from godliness to creation. Instead, there is a transmission—a "drop" or spark—that passes through various stages, ultimately resulting in the creation of angels and souls. This preserves the distinction between the essential level of Chabad of neshama (which remains godly) and the created beings (which are a new entity).

Even if you were to say that these beings are created from the radiance of the כלים דנוקבא דאצילות—the vessels of the Nukvah (Malchus) of Atzilus, the process is still one of descent. They descend and become a נשמה—a soul, for the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah.

This means that even when the source is very lofty, the act of creation involves a descent and transformation, so that what emerges is no longer the original godly level, but a new creation—a soul appropriate for the lower worlds.

However, the essence of Chokhmah, Binah, and Daas of the level of Neshamah—that is, the innermost aspect of the intellectual faculties at the level of Neshamah—מתפשט בו' קצוות דז"א ונוקבא—spreads out into the six directions (the six emotional attributes) of Ze'er Anpin and Nukvah. This means that the core intellect of Neshamah is not limited to itself, but extends and is manifest within the emotional attributes of Ze'er Anpin and its feminine counterpart, Nukvah.

And it is ושם הם שיתא סדרי משנה וגמרא—there, in these six directions, are found the six orders of the Mishnah and the Gemara. In other words, the source and root of the Mishnah and Gemara, the revealed part of Torah, is in these six emotional attributes as they are infused with the essence of Chokhmah, Binah, and Daas of Neshamah.

What this means is that the inner intellect of the higher worlds, the Neshamah level, is not just a source for further creation or lower levels, but actually expands and is present within the emotional attributes—specifically, the six directions of Ze'er Anpin and Nukvah. It is within these attributes that the Mishnah and Gemara, the structure and logic of Torah law, are rooted and manifest.

This explains why the Mishnah and Gemara are not simply a product of lower levels, but are directly connected to the highest aspects of intellect as they are drawn into the emotional attributes. The six orders of the Mishnah correspond to the six directions, and their source is in the expanded essence of Chokhmah, Binah, and Daas as they are revealed in Ze'er Anpin and Nukvah.

In summary, the essence of the intellectual faculties at the level of Neshamah does not remain isolated, but spreads into the emotional attributes, and it is there that the Mishnah and Gemara are rooted. This is a much higher source than the levels of intellect that descend to become the soul of created beings; here, the intellect is manifest as an expansion within the divine attributes themselves, giving rise to the inner structure of Torah law.