להבין משארז"ל יפה שעה אחת

שייך לפסוק ואברהם זקן בא בימים

Pertaining to the verse "And Avraham was old, advanced in days."¹

להבין ענין מה שאמרו רבותינו זכרונם לברכה: "יפה שעה אחת בתשובה ומעשים טובים בעולם הזה, מכל חיי עולם הבא".

To understand the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory: "One hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world is better than all the life of the World to Come."²

וצריך להבין.

This needs to be understood.

והלא תכלית תשובה ומעשים טובים הוא שמהם נעשו לבושין לנשמה, שתוכל ליהנות מזיו השכינה בעולם הבא?

Is not the purpose of teshuvah and good deeds that they become garments (levushim) for the soul, through which it can enjoy the radiance of the Shechinah³ in the World to Come?^[a]

כמאמר הזוהר, על פסוק: "ואברהם זקן בא בימים" - "באינון יומין עילאין כו', ווי ליה לההוא גברא דגרע יומין לעילא, דכד בעיין לאלבשא ליה באינון יומין - יומא דפגם, חסרא ליה מההוא לבושא כנזכר לעיל".

As the Zohar says on the verse "And Avraham was old, advanced (lit., 'came') in days": "[He came] into those supernal days etc. Woe to the man who diminishes his days above! For when they come to clothe him in those days, the day that he blemished is missing from that garment," as mentioned above.⁴

והענין, דהנה ענין "זיו השכינה" בעולם הבא, אינו כמו התפשטות חיות אלקות בתוך העולמות.

The explanation: the "radiance of the Shechinah" in the World to Come is not like the spreading of G‑dly life-force within the worlds.^5[b]

כמו שכתוב: "ואתה מחיה את כולם" - שהחיות אלקות המתלבש תוך עלמין, אינו מושג ונראה.

As it is written, "And You give life to them all"⁶: the G‑dly life-force clothed within the worlds is not grasped or seen.

כמשל התפשטות החיות של הנשמה תוך הגוף בהתחלקות האברים.

This is like the spreading of the soul's life-force within the body, divided among the limbs.⁷

ובודאי בהחיות רוחני לא שייך כלל שיהיה בו גם כן התחלקות החיות לחלקים, כי אין ברוחניות שום תמונה וציור.

Certainly in the spiritual life-force itself there is no division into parts at all, for in spirituality there is no form or shape.

והנה התפעלות החיות באברים ניכר ונראה, אבל מהות ועצמות החיות אינו נראה וניכר כלל.

The effect of the life-force in the limbs is noticeable and seen, but the essence and very being of the life-force is not seen or noticed at all.

כמו כן חיות אלקות המחיה כל העולמות בעלי גבול ותכלית, בודאי אין בהחיות הרוחני בחינת גבול ותכלית.

So too the G‑dly life-force that gives life to all the worlds, which have limit and end: certainly the spiritual life-force itself has no limit or end.

דרך משל: חיות המחיה את עיגול כדור השמים, בודאי לא יתכן לומר שגם החיות הרוחני הוא בתמונת עיגול, כנזכר לעיל.

For example: the life-force that animates the sphere of the heavens. One certainly cannot say that the spiritual life-force itself has the shape of a sphere, as mentioned above.

רק שהתפשטות החיות הוא לפי תמונת כלי המקבל החיות. ואף על פי שהחיות מתלבש לתוכו - מכל מקום החיות עצמו אינו בגדר מקום וגבול:

Rather, the life-force spreads according to the shape of the vessel that receives it. And although the life-force is clothed within it, the life-force itself is not within the bounds of place and limit.

ובזה יובן, דכתיב: "מלא כל הארץ כבודו", ותרגומו: "זיו יקריה", שהוא רק זיו והתפשטות הארה בלבד.

This explains [an apparent contradiction]. It is written, "The whole earth is full of His glory,"⁸ which the Targum renders "the radiance of His glory"⁹: only a radiance, a spreading of illumination.

וכתיב: "את השמים ואת הארץ אני מלא"?

Yet it is written, "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?"¹⁰

והענין, ששניהם אמת, כנזכר לעיל.

The explanation is that both are true, as mentioned above.¹¹

וזהו שאמרו רבותינו זכרונם לברכה: "במקום שאתה מוצא גדולתו של הקדוש ברוך הוא שם אתה מוצא ענותנותו כו'".

This is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Wherever you find the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, there you find His humility etc."^12[c]

דהיינו, לא כמו שהעולם סוברים, שגדולת הבורא נקרא מה שהוא יתברך מחיה כל העולמות -שאדרבה, זו היא ירידה אצלו יתברך, שמשפיל עצמו ומתלבש תוך כולא עלמין להחיותם ולקיימם.

That is: not as people think, that the Creator's greatness lies in His giving life to all the worlds. On the contrary, that is a descent for Him, blessed be He: He lowers Himself and clothes Himself within all the worlds to give them life and sustain them.

ומה שכתוב: "ואתה מחיה את כולם" - אינו שבח בבחינת גדולתו יתברך, ש"לגדולתו אין חקר, ולתבונתו אין מספר".

And what is written, "And You give life to them all," is not praise of His greatness, for "His greatness is unfathomable, and His understanding is beyond number."¹³

אלא השבח הוא בבחינת ענוה שלו, שיוכל להשפיל עצמו וכו'.

Rather, the praise is of His humility: that He can lower Himself etc.¹⁴

אבל ענין עולם הבא, שנהנין מזיו השכינה, הוא השגת מהות ועצמות התפשטות החיות אלקות בבחינת גילוי:

But the World to Come, where they enjoy the radiance of the Shechinah, is the grasp of the essence and very being of the spreading of G‑dly life-force in a revealed way.

ועתה צריך להבין, איך תוכל הנשמה שהיא בחינת נברא יש ודבר בפני עצמה, להשיג מהות ועצמות אלקות שאינו בבחינת השגה וגבול?

Now we must understand: how can the soul, which is a created being, an independent existence (yesh) of its own, grasp the essence and very being of G‑dliness, which is beyond grasp and limit?^[d]

ואף שהנשמה היא חלק אלוה ממעל? - הוא דרך משל כענין טפת הזרע שנמשכה מן המוח.

And although the soul is "a portion of G‑d above,"¹⁵ that is like the analogy of the seminal drop drawn from the brain.

שלא יתכן לומר שגם עודנה במוחו היתה טפת זרע גשמית - שאם כן הי' נחסר מהמוח כו'?

One cannot say that while still in the brain it was already a physical drop, for then the brain would be diminished etc.

אך שבאמת התחלת המשכתה מן המוח הוא כח רוחני לבד. אלא שאחר כך בהשתלשלות ירידתה דרך חוט השדרה נשתנית ונעשית טפה גשמית.

Rather, at its start, as it is drawn from the brain, it is a spiritual power alone; only afterwards, as it descends through the spinal cord, it changes and becomes a physical drop.

כן על דרך משל הנשמה - עיקר שרשה מבחינת אלקות ממש, רק שנשתלשלה בירידתה להיות בחינת נברא, יש ודבר בפני עצמה כו'.

So too, by analogy, the soul: its main root is from actual G‑dliness, but it descended step by step until it became a created being, an independent existence of its own etc.

ואם כן איך תוכל להשיג מהות ועצמות אלקות?

If so, how can it grasp the essence and very being of G‑dliness?

והענין, דהנה כתיב: "ויבא משה בתוך הענן, ויהי שם ארבעים יום וארבעים לילה לחם לא אכל כו'".

The explanation: it is written, "Moshe came into the midst of the cloud, and he was there forty days and forty nights; he ate no bread etc."^16[e]

והי' גופו הגשמי ניזון ממזון רוחני לבד.

His physical body was nourished by spiritual food alone,

כמו שכתוב: "לחם אבירים אכל איש וכו'", ממש כמו המלאכים!

as it is written, "Man ate the bread of the mighty etc."¹⁷: exactly like the angels!

ואיך יוכל להיות זה, שגשמי יקבל מזון וחיות מרוחני, שמובדלים זה מזה בתכלית?

How can this be, that something physical should receive food and life from something spiritual, when they are utterly apart from each other?

אך זהו ענין הענן, שהיה משה עליו השלום מתכסה בו, דהיינו שהיה הענן שרשו ממדרגת אלקות מאד נעלה, אך שנשתלשל ונתגשם להיות לבוש למשה עליו השלום, שעל ידו יוכל להשיג אלקות -, והיה לו למזון.

But this is the meaning of the cloud with which Moshe, peace be upon him, was covered. The cloud had its root in a very lofty level of G‑dliness, but it descended and became physical, to be a garment for Moshe, peace be upon him, through which he could grasp G‑dliness; and it was his food.

כמשל אדם הרואה ומסתכל באור צח דרך יריעה.

This is like a person who looks at a bright light through a curtain.

כמו כן תורה ומצות מעשיות, ששרשם מרצון העליון מחכמתו יתברך, שהם מיוחדים בו יתברך.

So too the practical Torah and mitzvos: their root is in the Supreme Will, from His wisdom, blessed be He, and they are united with Him, blessed be He.

"הוא חכים כו'" - שהם למעלה מזיו השכינה, שהוא רק התפשטות החיות כו'.

"He is wise etc."¹⁸: they are higher than the radiance of the Shechinah, which is only the spreading of the life-force etc.

ונשתלשלו ונתפשטו ונתלבשו בעניני זה העולם הגשמי, כמו קלף של תפלין וצמר של ציצית וצדקה כו'.

They descended, spread out, and were clothed in matters of this physical world, such as the parchment of tefillin, the wool of tzitzis, and charity etc.

כשאדם עוסק בתורה ובמצות, נעשה לנשמתו לבושים שנתלבש בהם בגן עדן העליון, שעל ידה תוכל הנשמה שהיא בחינת נברא להשיג זיו השכינה עצמות אלקות.

When a person engages in Torah and mitzvos, garments are made for his soul, in which it is clothed in the higher Gan Eden; through them the soul, a created being, can grasp the radiance of the Shechinah, the very essence of G‑dliness.

וזהו: "יפה שעה אחת בתשובה ומעשים טובים", שהם שרשם מרצון העליון ברוך הוא.

This is the meaning of "One hour of teshuvah and good deeds": their root is in the Supreme Will, blessed be He.

"מכל חיי עולם הבא" - שהוא רק זיו השכינה, כידוע.

"[Is better] than all the life of the World to Come": that is only the radiance of the Shechinah, as is known.^[f]

מכל מקום הם נקראים לבושים - שעל ידיהם תוכל להשיג זיו השכינה. ודי למבין:

Nevertheless they are called garments, for through them [the soul] can grasp the radiance of the Shechinah. This suffices for the discerning.

ועתה צריך להבין ענין אהבה ויראה שהם רק גדפין לבד, להגביה עיקר הדבר, שהם תורה ומעשים טובים?

Now we must understand why love and fear are only "wings,"¹⁹ to lift up the main thing, which is Torah and good deeds.^[g]

ולהבין מהות האהבה מה היא?

And to understand the essence of love: what is it?

הנה בקריאת שמע צריך: "שימליכוהו למעלה ולמטה ולד' רוחות העולם".

In the Shema one must "proclaim Him King above and below and in the four directions of the world."²⁰

פירוש, דכתיב: "מלא כל הארץ כבודו", ותרגומו "זיו יקריה". שהוא רק זיו והתפשטות והארה בלבד, המתלבשת תוך כל עלמין.

The explanation: it is written, "The whole earth is full of His glory," and the Targum renders "the radiance of His glory": only a radiance, a spreading and illumination, clothed within all the worlds.

וכתיב: "את השמים ואת הארץ אני מלא", בבחינת עצמות אלקות, שאינו נתפס תוך מדה וגבול?

Yet it is written, "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?": in the level of the very essence of G‑dliness, which is not held within measure and limit.

והענין ששניהם אמת כו'. כמשל בטול זיו השמש במקור השמש עצמה. כידוע שבאמת עצמות אלקות מלא כל הארץ, אך מה שהוא מתפשט תוך כלי וגבול - הוא בטל ונכלל במהות ועצמות אלקות כו'.

The explanation is that both are true etc., like the analogy of the sun's radiance being nullified within the sun itself. As is known, in truth the very essence of G‑dliness fills the whole earth; but what spreads into vessel and limit is nullified and included within the essence and very being of G‑dliness etc.

והנה כשיתבונן אדם היטב בזה בפסוקי דזמרה ובקריאת שמע, איך שבאמת הוא כן, שהעולמות בטלים במקור חיותם.

When a person contemplates this well during Pesukei deZimrah and the Shema, how this is truly so, that the worlds are nullified within the source of their life,

רק מפני שהאדם הוא בכלי גשמי הגוף, שהוא "משכא דחויא" שמתגדל ומתרבה מגשמיות, המסתיר ומעלים שלא יוכל לראות בעיני ראי' חושית - אזי יתעורר בלב תשוקה, שיהיה קשור בהתבוננות זו כל היום, ולא יפרד ממש כלל.

only, because man is in a physical vessel, the body, which is "the serpent's skin,"²¹ growing and increasing from physicality, which hides and conceals so that he cannot see it with his physical eyes, then a longing will be aroused in his heart to remain bound to this contemplation all day, and not be separated from it at all.

וזהו קבלת מלכות שמים בפסוק ראשון: "ואהבת" שיהיה "הוי' אלקיך" - שיהא תמיד קשור בהתבוננות זו, ביטול העולמות להמחיה ומהווה אותם.

This is the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven in the first verse: "And you shall love," so that "Havayah" (the Four-Letter Name) will be "your G‑d,"²² always bound to this contemplation: the nullification of the worlds to the One Who gives them life and brings them into being.

רק מפני היות כי גופו הגשמי לא יוכל לקבל ביטול אמתי הנזכר לעיל - יגמור בדעתו בקריאת שמע ענין לימוד התורה, באמרו: "ודברת בם".

But since his physical body cannot receive the true nullification mentioned above, he should resolve during the Shema to study Torah, as he says, "and you shall speak of them."²³

דהיינו שנפשו האלקית, בעסקו בתורה, נעשה יחוד אמתי עם התורה: ואורייתא וקודשא בריך הוא כולא חד ממש - כי אורייתא מחכמה עילאה נפקת, ונתלבשה בעניני זה העולם.

That is, his G‑dly soul, by engaging in Torah, becomes truly united with the Torah, for the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one,²⁴ truly; for the Torah issues from Supernal Wisdom²⁵ and was clothed in matters of this world.

וכשאדם מלביש נפשו האלקית בעניני לימוד התורה שבזה העולם, אזי גם שרש נפשו למעלה מתלבש גם כן בתורה שלמעלה, עד רום המעלות, ונעשה שם יחוד גמור. וזהו הקדוש ברוך הוא: "יושב ושונה כנגדו" כנזכר לעיל.

When a person clothes his G‑dly soul in the study of Torah in this world, then the root of his soul above is also clothed in the Torah above, up to the highest heights, and a complete union takes place there. This is [the meaning of] the Holy One, blessed be He, "sitting and studying opposite him,"²⁶ as mentioned above.²⁷

וזהו: "ה' צלך". פירוש כמו צל.

This is "G‑d is your shadow":²⁸ that is, like a shadow.

והנה כתיב: "אני הוי' אלהיכם אשר הוצאתי אתכם מארץ מצרים". -

Now it is written, "I am Havayah your G‑d, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt."^29[h]

פירוש שלא יאמר האדם בדרך שפלות, האיך יגיע למדרגת היחוד בתורה ותפלה, מאחר שהוא עדיין אינו סור מרע גמור כו', והוא עדיין בשלימות אצלו?

That is: a person should not say in lowliness, "How can I reach the level of union in Torah and prayer, when I have not yet completely turned away from evil³⁰ etc., and it [the evil] is still whole within me?"

זאת ישיב אל לבו, שהשם הוא המוציא אותו מארץ מצרים. פירוש, שהוא מבדיל ומפריש בנפשו הטוב מן הרע, הנפש אלקית מנפש הבהמית, כשהוא עדיין לא עשה רע בפועל ממש.

Let him take this to heart: it is G‑d Who brings him out of the land of Egypt. That is, He separates and divides within his soul the good from the evil, the G‑dly soul from the animal soul, as long as he has not yet actually done evil.

ואפילו רשע גמור, הוא ממשיך בנפשו האלקית בעסקו בתורה, רק שעליו נאמר: "ולרשע אמר אלקים מה לך לספר חוקי" -

Even a complete rasha (wicked man) draws [G‑dliness] into his G‑dly soul by engaging in Torah; only, of him it is said, "But to the wicked G‑d said: What have you to do with recounting My statutes?"³¹

פי' שאין תועלת לנפשו האלקית, מפני שעליו נאמר: "ותשלך דברי אחריך". שלא יוכל להמשיך בתוך פנימיותו.

That is, it brings no benefit to his G‑dly soul, because of him it is said, "And you cast My words behind you":³² he cannot draw it into his inner being.

ודי למבין:

This suffices for the discerning.

והנה בענין ברכות. "ברוך אתה הוי'".

Now regarding the blessings:³³ "Blessed are You, Havayah."^[i]

פי': "ברוך" - הוא המשכה ורבוי, שיהיה "הוי'" שהוא בחינת צמצום והתפשטות כו', יהיה בחינת "אתה" - לנוכח, התגלות כו'.

That is: "Blessed" (baruch) means drawing down and increase, so that "Havayah," which is the level of contraction and expansion etc., will become "You": addressed directly, revealed etc.

אך להיות כי הגוף הוא המסתיר ומחשיך, רק לעתיד לבא יהיה התגלות אלקות: "וראו כל בשר", ויהיה בבחינת ביטול.

But since the body hides and darkens, the revelation of G‑dliness will come only in the time to come, "and all flesh shall see,"³⁴ and it will be in a state of bittul (self-nullification).

אבל עכשיו צריך להראות על כל פנים ענין הביטול בחיצוניות, בכריעה והשתחואה בראש: "הכורע - כורע בברוך".

Now, however, one must at least show bittul outwardly, by bowing and bending the head: "One who bows, bows at 'Baruch.'"³⁵

וענין: רופא חולים, וגואל ישראל, ומברך השנים - הם כלים לבחינת המשכה והתגלות אלקות כו'.

And [the blessings] "Healer of the sick," "Redeemer of Israel" and "Who blesses the years" are vessels for the drawing down and revelation of G‑dliness etc.³⁶

ו"הכורע צריך שיראה איסר כנגד לבו" - פירוש עיקר המשכה יהיה במוח, עד שיתפשט גם כן בלבו אפילו מעט - היינו בחינת איסר.

And "one who bows must [bow until] an issar is visible opposite his heart":³⁷ that is, the main drawing-down shall be in the mind, until it spreads into his heart as well, even a little; that is the level of issar.

(ועיין מה שכתוב לקמן בפירוש אוסרי לגפן) שהוא בחינת חפץ.

(And see what is written below in the explanation of "osri lagefen")³⁸ which is the level of desire (chefetz).

כדכתיב: "הודו על ארץ ושמים" - אפילו בבחינת זיו והתפשטות החיות המלובש תוך כל עלמין.

As it is written, "His glory is over the earth and heaven,"³⁹ even in the level of the radiance and spreading of the life-force clothed within all the worlds.⁴⁰

ותכלית הכוונה - להיות לו דירה בתחתונים:

The ultimate intent is to have a dwelling place in the lower realms.^41[j]

וסוף מעשה במחשבה תחלה - נעוץ סופן בתחלתן. ולכן אמרו רבותינו זכרונם לברכה, "ארץ נבראת תחלה כו'":

And "last in deed, first in thought":⁴² "their end is wedged in their beginning."⁴³ Therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said, "The earth was created first etc."⁴⁴

Summary

How can "one hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world" be better than "all the life of the World to Come," if Torah and mitzvos only make garments for enjoying the radiance of the Shechinah there? The radiance of the Shechinah is only a radiance, a spreading of G‑dly life-force, while Torah and mitzvos are rooted in the Supreme Will and wisdom, which are one with G‑d. Like the cloud that covered Moshe, they came down from a very high level and were clothed in physical things, and so they become garments through which a created soul can grasp G‑dliness. Love and fear are the "wings" that lift Torah and mitzvos: in the Shema one contemplates the nullification of the worlds in their source, resolves to study Torah, and so unites with G‑d, Who "studies opposite him." G‑d separates good from evil in the soul, as in the Exodus. In prayer, bowing at "Baruch" is an outward bittul until the revelation of the time to come; and the ultimate intent of all is a dwelling place for G‑d in the lower realms.

Flow of the maamar (where the Alter Rebbe is heading)

a. Here is the question on which the maamar is built: if Torah and mitzvos are only garments for enjoying the radiance of the Shechinah in the World to Come, how can one hour in this world be better than all of the World to Come? The answer comes further on: the root of Torah and mitzvos is in the Supreme Will, higher than the radiance of the Shechinah.

b. To answer, he first explains what the "radiance of the Shechinah" is: only a radiance and spreading, not the very essence of G‑dliness. On this basis he will say further on that Torah and mitzvos are higher than it.

c. The saying "wherever you find His greatness" is brought to show that the life-force that animates the worlds is a descent, His humility, not His greatness. From this it follows that the revelation in the World to Come too is only a radiance and spreading.

d. A second question: how can a created soul grasp G‑dliness? The answer, the analogy of Moshe's cloud, will also explain why Torah and mitzvos are called "garments."

e. The analogy of the cloud: a garment that comes from a very high level and became physical, through which the physical can receive from the spiritual. So too Torah and mitzvos, as he explains next.

f. Here he returns to the Mishnah quoted at the opening and answers the question: Torah and mitzvos are rooted in the Supreme Will, so one hour in them is better than all the life of the World to Come, which is only the radiance of the Shechinah. Yet they are called garments, because through them the soul grasps that radiance.

g. A new subject begins: love and fear, the "wings" of Torah and mitzvos. To explain what love is, he returns to the two verses brought earlier, "The whole earth is full of His glory" and "I fill the heavens and the earth," and explains them here as the nullification of the worlds in their source.

h. Here he answers one who feels he has not yet left evil behind: the Exodus means that G‑d separates the good from the evil within his soul, so he too can reach union through Torah and prayer.

i. From the Shema he moves on to the blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei (as the Rebbe notes). Bowing at "Baruch" is an outward bittul now, until true bittul is revealed in the time to come.

j. The close of the maamar ties everything to the ultimate purpose: G‑d desired a dwelling in the lower realms. That is why service in this world, through Torah and mitzvos, is better than all the life of the World to Come, which answers the Mishnah quoted at the opening.

Notes

1. Bereishis 24:1: "And Avraham was old, advanced in days, and G‑d blessed Avraham with everything."

2. Avos 4:17: "One hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world is better than all the life of the World to Come; and one hour of tranquility of spirit in the World to Come is better than all the life of this world."

3. After Berachos 17a: "In the World to Come there is no eating and no drinking... but the righteous sit with their crowns on their heads and enjoy the radiance of the Shechinah."

4. Zohar, on the verse "And Avraham was old, advanced in days." The "days" are the soul's garments, made from the days of a person's life spent in Torah and mitzvos; a day he blemished is missing from the garment.

5. Further on he explains that the World to Come is the grasp of the essence of the spreading of G‑dly life-force in a revealed way, whereas within the worlds "the effect of the life-force in the limbs is noticeable and seen, but its essence is not seen at all."

6. Nechemiah 9:6: "You alone are G‑d... and You give life to them all, and the host of heaven bows to You."

7. That is: "the essence and very being of the life-force is not seen or noticed at all."

8. Yeshayahu 6:3: "And one called to another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the L‑rd of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory."

9. Targum Yonasan there: ziv yekarei, "the radiance of His glory."

10. Yirmeyahu 23:24: "Can a man hide in secret places that I will not see him? says G‑d. Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? says G‑d."

11. Apparently his intent is that "the whole earth is full of His glory" refers to the radiance of the Shechinah (as in the World to Come), while "I fill the heavens and the earth" refers to what was said above: "And You give life to them all," the G‑dly life-force clothed within the worlds, which is not grasped or seen.

12. After the saying of the Sages in Megillah 31a: "Wherever you find the might of the Holy One, blessed be He, there you find His humility."

13. Tehillim 145:3: "G‑d is great and highly praised, and His greatness is unfathomable"; Tehillim 147:5: "Great is our L‑rd and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond number."

14. It seems he brings the saying about His greatness here to say: since the life-force itself is beyond the bounds of place, and yet it clothes itself in limitation, this is His humility.

15. Iyov 31:2: "What is the portion of G‑d above, and the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?" See Tanya, ch. 2: "The second soul of a Jew is truly 'a portion of G‑d above'"; and there: "As a son is drawn from his father's brain, so, as it were, the soul of every Jew is drawn from His thought and wisdom."

16. See Shemos 24:18: "Moshe came into the midst of the cloud and went up the mountain, and Moshe was on the mountain forty days and forty nights"; and Shemos 34:28: "He was there with G‑d forty days and forty nights; he ate no bread and drank no water..."

17. Tehillim 78:25: "Man ate the bread of the mighty; He sent them provision to satiety." See Yoma 75b: "'Man ate the bread of the mighty': bread that the ministering angels eat. So said Rabbi Akiva." Hence: "exactly like the angels."

18. After the Tikkunei Zohar (second introduction, 17a), Pasach Eliyahu: "You are wise, but not with a known wisdom."

19. Gadfin: wings. See Tanya, ch. 40: fear and love are called "wings," as it is written, "and with two it would fly"; those who engage in Torah and mitzvos with fear and love are called "children," and otherwise "fledglings, who cannot fly." Just as wings lift the bird, love and fear raise Torah and mitzvos on high.

20. After Berachos 13b, on lengthening the word "Echad" in the Shema: "Once you have proclaimed Him King above and below and in the four directions of the heavens, you need no more."

21. Mashcha dechivya, "the serpent's skin": the Zohar's name for the physical body. See Tanya, ch. 31.

22. Devarim 6:5: "You shall love G‑d your G‑d with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might."

23. Devarim 6:7: "You shall teach them to your children and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the way, when you lie down and when you rise."

24. Zohar, quoted in Tanya, ch. 4: "The Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one."

25. After the Zohar, quoted in Tanya, ch. 52: "The Torah issues from Wisdom," that is, Supernal Wisdom.

26. See Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah, ch. 18; Yalkut Shimoni, Eichah, 1034: whoever sits and studies [Torah], the Holy One, blessed be He, studies opposite him.

27. Where is the "mentioned above" in this maamar? Several times in this maamar he says "as mentioned above," and it is not entirely clear what he refers to.

28. Tehillim 121:5: "G‑d is your guardian; G‑d is your shadow at your right hand." Just as a shadow follows every movement of a person, so G‑d, as it were, acts in response to man's deeds below.

29. Bamidbar 15:41: "I am G‑d your G‑d, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your G‑d; I am G‑d your G‑d."

30. After Tehillim 34:15: "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

31. Tehillim 50:16: "But to the wicked G‑d said: What have you to do with recounting My statutes and taking My covenant in your mouth?"

32. Tehillim 50:17: "For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you."

33. The Rebbe notes: this apparently refers to the Shemoneh Esrei, and perhaps it should read "the eighteen blessings"; it follows on from the Shema, explained just before.

34. Yeshayahu 40:5: "The glory of G‑d shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see that the mouth of G‑d has spoken."

35. Berachos 12a: "One who prays, when he bows, bows at 'Baruch' (Blessed), and when he straightens, straightens at the Name."

36. In the blessings of the Shemoneh Esrei: "Blessed are You, G‑d, Redeemer of Israel"; "...Healer of the sick of His people Israel"; "...Who blesses the years." These blessings are vessels for drawing G‑dliness down, in redemption, in healing and in livelihood.

37. Berachos 28b: "Ulla said: [He must bow] until an issar is visible opposite his heart." Rashi there: "Issar: two folds, one below and one above, with an issar's width of flesh between them." That is, he bows until the flesh opposite his heart creases, with the width of an issar (a small coin) between the folds.

38. See Torah Ohr, Vayechi, the maamar "Osri LaGefen Iroh".

39. Tehillim 148:13: "Let them praise the Name of G‑d, for His Name alone is exalted; His glory is over the earth and heaven."

40. See Hayom Yom, 18 Cheshvan: there is a printing error here, and it should read: "And it shall be in a state of bittul (but now ... that is, the level of issar, and see what is written below on osri lagefen), which is the level of desire; and it is written, 'His glory' ... within all worlds. But the ultimate intent..." That is: the parenthesis runs from "but now" to "osri lagefen"; "which is the level of desire" continues "it will be in a state of bittul" above; "as it is written" should read "and it is written"; and "and the ultimate intent" should read "but the ultimate intent."

41. See Midrash Tanchuma, Naso 16; Tanya, ch. 36: "The purpose of the creation of this world is that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower realms."

42. From the hymn Lecha Dodi: "Last in deed, first in thought": what is done last was first in thought.

43. Sefer Yetzirah 1:7: "Their end is wedged in their beginning, and their beginning in their end."

44. Chagigah 12a: "Beis Hillel say: The earth was created first and afterwards the heavens, as it is said: 'On the day that G‑d made earth and heaven.'" The earth, the lowest, came first in creation because it is the ultimate intent, a dwelling in the lower realms.