כל מה שמשיג האדם יותר, רואה יותר איך אורו ית' מגיע אפילו עד הלבושים היותר רחוקים. ובזה יש דרגות, כל אחד כפי כח קיבולו יכנוס לפרד"ס, ומה שאין בכוחו להשיג, על זה נאמר במופלא ממך אל תדרוש.
The Mystery of Faith is the Secret of the Divine Chariot Through the mystery of faith, one sees how God’s unity extends down to the lowest aspects of creation – even to the kelipot (the “impure shells”), which are those forces of negativity that conceal or deny God’s all-encompassing presence. These are alluded to in Yehezkel’s vision as “storm wind, cloud, and fire.”
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ולהיות לא לבאר הפרטים ידרש בזה, אך בכולל הוא לראות איך אור השי"ת והשגחתו נמצא בכל פרט, שכל הפרטים הם מרומזים בשם אלהים, כדאיתא בזה"ק (משפטים קח:) ושרש האור הוא משם הוי"ה ולאחד אור שניהם שיתאחדו בלב האדם והשגתו, כל מה שמבין יותר ומשיג יותר, רואה יותר איך אור הש"י מגיע אפילו בלבושים היותר רחוקים, וגם מהם יוצא כבוד שמים ולכבודו בראם. ובספר הבהיר (בד"ה שאלו תלמידיו של ר' רחומאי) הא דאמרינן עלה במחשבה ולא אמרינן ירד, דהא אמרינן המסתכל בצפיית המרכבה ירד ואח"כ יעלה וכו' שזה הוא מעשה מרכבה לראות שהכל ברא הש"י לכבודו אפילו לבושים הרחוקים. ובזוה"ק שמות (דף טו:) אמר ליה רבי עקיבא מהו דכתיב אל גנת אגוז ירדתי וכו' ומה דאמר ירדתי כמה דתנן ירד פלוני למרכבה וכדמסיק שם בקליפי דאגוזא וכו'. ולכן יש בזה דרגות, כל אחד כפי כח כלי קבולו כן יכול לכנוס לפרדס, ומה שאין כחו להשיג, על זה אמרו במופלא ממך אל תדרוש ובמכוסה ממך אל תחקור, אין לך עסק בנסתרות:
There are many details necessary to understand the mystery of faith. The basic idea is to see how God’s light and providence exists in every detail of His creation. All of the details of creation are hinted at in the name, “Elo-him,”51The name of God, “Elo-him,” is numerically equivalent to the word for nature, “הטבע”. as it is said in the Zohar (Mishpatim 108b), whereas the source of God’s light comes from the name “Havaye” (the Tetragrammaton). One needs to unite the light in the details with the light from the Source, so that both are united in man’s heart and understanding. The more one succeeds in understanding and internalizing, the more he will see how God’s light reaches even the furthermost “garments,”52A term commonly used in Izhbitzer chasidism (particularly, the writings of the Beit Yaakov). It refers to those aspects of reality that conceal the Divine Presence. the places that seem most distant from Godliness. Even these distant places express the Glory of God, as He created them for his Glory. It is written in the Sefer HaBahir (v. “Rav Rahumai’s students asked him”): When discussing God, why do we use the expression, “it ascended in His thought,” and not, “it descended?” This is as we say, “one who glimpses the Merkava (the Chariot of Divine mysteries) first descends, and then ascends.” What is, “Ma’aseh Merkava,” or the study of the secret of God’s conduct of the creation? It is the ability to see how God created everything for His glory, even those “garments” which appear the furthest away from Godliness. This relates to the Zohar’s statement (Shemot, 15b): Rabbi Akiva said to him, what is the meaning of the verse (Shir HaShirim, 7:11), “I descended to the egoz (nut) garden to see the fruits of the brook”? Why does this verse say, “I descended”? It is just like the way we say, “he descended to the Merkava.” (When our sages describe one who is involved with Ma’aseh Merkava53Or, one who speaking in a prophetic experience (רוח הקודש) (Rav Moshe Cordevero). they refer to it as “descending.” This Zohar compares the Merkava to a nut in a number of ways, one of which is that they both have a kelipa (outer shell or peel). The chariot of Yehezkel was surrounded by the kelipot of the storm wind, cloud, and fire.54Yehezkel described the Divine chariot as being surrounded by concentric circles. The outer layers correspond to the four “kelipot,” or “forces of evil.” Three of them – the storm wind, cloud, and fire – are pure evil and can not be rehabilitated for the good. One of them, however, called nogah (or, “brilliant light,”) has the capability of being rehabilitated. Within these four circles of kelipah, are holy, divine entities - the angels. In the center, God Himself resides in His hidden Glory. The meaning is, when one descends, and sees God’s glory even in the lowest of places, this it Ma’aseh Merkava. In this there are different levels. The knowledge one receives the garden of Torah knowledge depends on his ability to receive. Concerning the knowledge that is beyond man’s ability to receive, the Talmud says (Chagiga, 13a), “Do not seek that which is too wondrous for you, and that which is hidden from you do not investigate. These mysteries are not for you,” and other verses that imply his knowledge of lack.
כל מה שמשיג האדם יותר, רואה יותר איך אורו ית' מגיע אפילו עד הלבושים היותר רחוקים. ובזה יש דרגות, כל אחד כפי כח קיבולו יכנוס לפרד"ס, ומה שאין בכוחו להשיג, על זה נאמר במופלא ממך אל תדרוש.
The Mystery of Faith is the Secret of the Divine Chariot
Through the mystery of faith, one sees how God’s unity extends down to the lowest aspects of creation – even to the kelipot (the “impure shells”), which are those forces of negativity that conceal or deny God’s all-encompassing presence. These are alluded to in Yehezkel’s vision as “storm wind, cloud, and fire.”
ולהיות לא לבאר הפרטים ידרש בזה, אך בכולל הוא לראות איך אור השי"ת והשגחתו נמצא בכל פרט, שכל הפרטים הם מרומזים בשם אלהים, כדאיתא בזה"ק (משפטים קח:) ושרש האור הוא משם הוי"ה ולאחד אור שניהם שיתאחדו בלב האדם והשגתו, כל מה שמבין יותר ומשיג יותר, רואה יותר איך אור הש"י מגיע אפילו בלבושים היותר רחוקים, וגם מהם יוצא כבוד שמים ולכבודו בראם. ובספר הבהיר (בד"ה שאלו תלמידיו של ר' רחומאי) הא דאמרינן עלה במחשבה ולא אמרינן ירד, דהא אמרינן המסתכל בצפיית המרכבה ירד ואח"כ יעלה וכו' שזה הוא מעשה מרכבה לראות שהכל ברא הש"י לכבודו אפילו לבושים הרחוקים. ובזוה"ק שמות (דף טו:) אמר ליה רבי עקיבא מהו דכתיב אל גנת אגוז ירדתי וכו' ומה דאמר ירדתי כמה דתנן ירד פלוני למרכבה וכדמסיק שם בקליפי דאגוזא וכו'. ולכן יש בזה דרגות, כל אחד כפי כח כלי קבולו כן יכול לכנוס לפרדס, ומה שאין כחו להשיג, על זה אמרו במופלא ממך אל תדרוש ובמכוסה ממך אל תחקור, אין לך עסק בנסתרות:
There are many details necessary to understand the mystery of faith. The basic idea is to see how God’s light and providence exists in every detail of His creation. All of the details of creation are hinted at in the name, “Elo-him,”51The name of God, “Elo-him,” is numerically equivalent to the word for nature, “הטבע”. as it is said in the Zohar (Mishpatim 108b), whereas the source of God’s light comes from the name “Havaye” (the Tetragrammaton). One needs to unite the light in the details with the light from the Source, so that both are united in man’s heart and understanding. The more one succeeds in understanding and internalizing, the more he will see how God’s light reaches even the furthermost “garments,”52A term commonly used in Izhbitzer chasidism (particularly, the writings of the Beit Yaakov). It refers to those aspects of reality that conceal the Divine Presence. the places that seem most distant from Godliness. Even these distant places express the Glory of God, as He created them for his Glory. It is written in the Sefer HaBahir (v. “Rav Rahumai’s students asked him”): When discussing God, why do we use the expression, “it ascended in His thought,” and not, “it descended?” This is as we say, “one who glimpses the Merkava (the Chariot of Divine mysteries) first descends, and then ascends.” What is, “Ma’aseh Merkava,” or the study of the secret of God’s conduct of the creation? It is the ability to see how God created everything for His glory, even those “garments” which appear the furthest away from Godliness. This relates to the Zohar’s statement (Shemot, 15b): Rabbi Akiva said to him, what is the meaning of the verse (Shir HaShirim, 7:11), “I descended to the egoz (nut) garden to see the fruits of the brook”? Why does this verse say, “I descended”? It is just like the way we say, “he descended to the Merkava.” (When our sages describe one who is involved with Ma’aseh Merkava 53Or, one who speaking in a prophetic experience (רוח הקודש) (Rav Moshe Cordevero). they refer to it as “descending.” This Zohar compares the Merkava to a nut in a number of ways, one of which is that they both have a kelipa (outer shell or peel). The chariot of Yehezkel was surrounded by the kelipot of the storm wind, cloud, and fire.54Yehezkel described the Divine chariot as being surrounded by concentric circles. The outer layers correspond to the four “kelipot,” or “forces of evil.” Three of them – the storm wind, cloud, and fire – are pure evil and can not be rehabilitated for the good. One of them, however, called nogah (or, “brilliant light,”) has the capability of being rehabilitated. Within these four circles of kelipah, are holy, divine entities - the angels. In the center, God Himself resides in His hidden Glory. The meaning is, when one descends, and sees God’s glory even in the lowest of places, this it Ma’aseh Merkava. In this there are different levels. The knowledge one receives the garden of Torah knowledge depends on his ability to receive. Concerning the knowledge that is beyond man’s ability to receive, the Talmud says (Chagiga, 13a), “Do not seek that which is too wondrous for you, and that which is hidden from you do not investigate. These mysteries are not for you,” and other verses that imply his knowledge of lack.