A man had been told that it was impossible to understand the Kabbalah without fasting and frequent immersion in the mikvah. He saw the Rebbe in Uman and asked him about this.
He explained,“The reason why the main Kabbalistic work, Etz Chaim (see note 306, p. XX) and other such works are so difficult to understand is because they are not written in order.
Scientists and philosophers can only speculate within the bounds of the physical world. They can reach up to the stars and galaxies, but beyond that, they know absolutely nothing. Even their understanding of the physical world is very incomplete, as they themselves admit.
The wisdom of Kabbalah begins where their wisdom ends, beyond the physical world. The Kabbalah includes the entire physical world as part of the World of Action. Its teachings then go beyond the World of Action to the Worlds of Formation, Creation and Emanation.331The Kabbalah speaks of four transcendental worlds: Atzilut (Emanation), Beri'ah (Creation), Yetzirah (Formation) and Asiyah (Action or Completion), alluded to in Isaiah 43:7. See Pardes Rimonim 16; Etz Chaim, Sha'ar Kelalot ABYA. The World of Action also has a spiritual level beyond the realm of science and philosophy.
Speaking of awesome degrees of perception, the Rebbe once said, “The knowledge of scientists ends with the physical universe. It seems to them that beyond that is only God’s essence. In fact, the entire study of Kabbalah deals with the many levels and worlds beyond this world.
The Rebbe once saw a book containing some writings of the Ari which were not widespread. This work speaks of the levels of emanation before the World of Emanation contained in the World of the Garment.332In Hebrew, Olam HaMalbush. Worlds above Atzilut are discussed in Pardes Rimonim 11; Etz Chaim, Drush Egolim VeYosher 4; Shaar HaHakdamot 1. See note 142. This is also discussed in the work, VaYakhel Moshe.333"And Moses Assembled,” a Kabbalistic work by Rabbi Moshe ben Menachem, a disciple of Rabbi David Oppenheim of Prague (1664-1737) (Shem HaGedolim). First published in Dessau in 1699.
I was very surprised when the Rebbe told me this. I had thought that there was nothing higher than the World of Emanation and was astonished to discover Kabbalistic teachings speaking of higher levels.
רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, כְּשֶׁהָיָה בְּאוּמַאן, שָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ אֶחָד: אִם אֶפְשָׁר לֵידַע חָכְמַת הַקַּבָּלָה בְּלִי תַּעֲנֵיתִים וּמִקְוָאוֹת? כִּי אֶחָד אָמַר שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לֵידַע הַקַּבָּלָה כִּי אִם וְכוּ'.
A man had been told that it was impossible to understand the Kabbalah without fasting and frequent immersion in the mikvah. He saw the Rebbe in Uman and asked him about this.
הֵשִׁיב: אֶפְשָׁר לֵידַע הַחָכְמָה בְּלֹא הַנַּ"ל. כִּי הוּא חָכְמָה וְכוּ'.
The Rebbe answered, “It is possible to know the wisdom of Kabbalah without this. For it is wisdom ….
וְאָמַר אָז: שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁקָּשֶׁה לְהָבִין סֵפֶר הָ"עֵץ חַיִּים" וְכוּ', הוּא מֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא נִכְתַּב כְּסֵדֶר.
He explained,“The reason why the main Kabbalistic work, Etz Chaim (see note 306, p. XX) and other such works are so difficult to understand is because they are not written in order.
וְאָמַר: שֶׁבְּמָקוֹם שֶׁחָכְמַת הַפִּילוֹסוֹפְיָא מִסְתַּיֶּמֶת שָׁם מַתְחִיל חָכְמַת הָאֱמֶת, שֶׁהוּא חָכְמַת הַקַּבָּלָה.
“Where science and philosophy end, that is where true wisdom, that is Kabbalah, begins” (cf. Likutey Halakhot, Netilat Yadayim 6:79).
פֵּרוּשׁ: כִּי הַפִּילוֹסוֹפִים לֹא חָקְרוּ כִּי אִם עַד הַגַּלְגַּלִּים, וּמִשָּׁם וּלְמַעְלָה אֵין יוֹדְעִים מְאוּמָה. וְגַם בְּהַחָכְמוֹת שֶׁמֵּהַגַּלְגַּלִּים וּלְמַטָּה גַּם כֵּן הֵם נְבוֹכִים מְאֹד בְּרֻבָּם כְּכֻלָּם כַּיָּדוּעַ לָהֶם בְּעַצְמָם.
Scientists and philosophers can only speculate within the bounds of the physical world. They can reach up to the stars and galaxies, but beyond that, they know absolutely nothing. Even their understanding of the physical world is very incomplete, as they themselves admit.
וְחָכְמַת הַקַּבָּלָה מַתְחֶלֶת בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁמִּסְתַּיֶּמֶת חָכְמָתָם דְּהַיְנוּ מֵהַגַּלְגַּלִּים וּלְמַעְלָה. כִּי כָּל "עוֹלַם הָעֲשִׂיָּה" עִם הַגַּלְגַּלִּים בִּכְלָל, כּוֹלֶלֶת חָכְמַת הַקַּבָּלָה בְּתֵבָה אַחַת שֶׁהוּא: עוֹלַם הָעֲשִׂיָּה. וְכָל חָכְמַת הַקַּבָּלָה הוּא מַעֲשֶׂיהָ וּלְמַעְלָה, שֶׁהוּא יְצִירָה וּבְרִיאָה וַאֲצִילוּת לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה וְכוּ' וְגַם בָּעֲשִׂיָּה בְּעַצְמָהּ, בִּפְנִימִיּוּת הָעֲשִׂיָּה, דְּהַיְנוּ רוּחָנִיּוּת הָעֲשִׂיָּה, אֵין לְהַפִּילוֹסוֹפִים שׁוּם יְדִיעָה כְּלָל.
The wisdom of Kabbalah begins where their wisdom ends, beyond the physical world. The Kabbalah includes the entire physical world as part of the World of Action. Its teachings then go beyond the World of Action to the Worlds of Formation, Creation and Emanation.331The Kabbalah speaks of four transcendental worlds: Atzilut (Emanation), Beri'ah (Creation), Yetzirah (Formation) and Asiyah (Action or Completion), alluded to in Isaiah 43:7. See Pardes Rimonim 16; Etz Chaim, Sha'ar Kelalot ABYA. The World of Action also has a spiritual level beyond the realm of science and philosophy.
אֲבָל חָכְמַת הַקַּבָּלָה מְדַבֶּרֶת רַק מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂיָּה בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת וּמִשָּׁם וּלְמַעְלָה. נִמְצָא שֶׁבְּמָקוֹם שֶׁמִּסְתַּיֶּמֶת חָכְמָתָם שֶׁל הַמְחַקְּרִים מִשָּׁם מַתְחֶלֶת חָכְמַת הַקַּבָּלָה.
The Kabbalah speaks only of the spiritual roots of the World of Action and above. Therefore, the Kabbalah begins where scientific knowledge ends.
גַּם אָנֹכִי שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ לְעִנְיַן הַשָּׂגוֹתָיו הַנּוֹרָאִים שֶׁדִּבֵּר כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים מִזֶּה וְאָמַר: הֲלֹא אֵצֶל הַמְחַקְּרִים מִסְתַּיֶּמֶת יְדִיעָתָם בַּגַּלְגַּלִּים. וְנִדְמֶה לָהֶם שֶׁמִּשָּׁם וּלְמַעְלָה הוּא רַק עֶצֶם הָאֱלֹקוּת יִתְבָּרַךְ. וּבֶאֱמֶת כָּל לִמּוּד הַקַּבָּלָה הוּא בְּעוֹלָמוֹת וּמַדְרֵגוֹת שֶׁמִּשָּׁם וּלְמַעְלָה.
Speaking of awesome degrees of perception, the Rebbe once said, “The knowledge of scientists ends with the physical universe. It seems to them that beyond that is only God’s essence. In fact, the entire study of Kabbalah deals with the many levels and worlds beyond this world.
כְּמוֹ כֵן אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁהִשִּׂיג חָכְמַת הַקַּבָּלָה הֵיטֵב שֶׁהוּא חָכְמַת הָאֱמֶת אַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵין חֵקֶר לִתְבוּנָתוֹ כִּי עֲדַיִן יֵשׁ גָּבוֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבוֹהַּ וְכוּ'
One who knows the truth of Kabbalah understands that it is unfathomable. For there is level above level (Ecclesiastes 5:7) ….”
וְכֵן פַּעַם אַחַת רָאָה סֵפֶר אֶחָד שֶׁמְּלֻקָּט מִכִּתְבֵי הָאֲרִ"י ז"ל, שֶׁאֵינָם מְצוּיִים, שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר מֵהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת וְהַמַּדְרֵגוֹת שֶׁקֹּדֶם הָאֲצִילוּת שֶׁהוּא עוֹלָם הַמַּלְבּוּשׁ וְכוּ' כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר "וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה" וְכוּ'.
The Rebbe once saw a book containing some writings of the Ari which were not widespread. This work speaks of the levels of emanation before the World of Emanation contained in the World of the Garment.332In Hebrew, Olam HaMalbush. Worlds above Atzilut are discussed in Pardes Rimonim 11; Etz Chaim, Drush Egolim VeYosher 4; Shaar HaHakdamot 1. See note 142. This is also discussed in the work, VaYakhel Moshe.333"And Moses Assembled,” a Kabbalistic work by Rabbi Moshe ben Menachem, a disciple of Rabbi David Oppenheim of Prague (1664-1737) (Shem HaGedolim). First published in Dessau in 1699.
וְדִבֵּר עִמִּי מִזֶּה, וְנִפְלֵאתִי מְאֹד עַל זֶה, מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ לִמּוּד בַּקַּבָּלָה גַּם לְמַעְלָה מֵאֲצִילוּת וְנִדְמֶה לִי שֶׁאֵין גָּבוֹהַּ יוֹתֵר.
I was very surprised when the Rebbe told me this. I had thought that there was nothing higher than the World of Emanation and was astonished to discover Kabbalistic teachings speaking of higher levels.
וְשָׂחַק, וְאָמַר אָז גַּם כֵּן: הֲלֹא אֵצֶל הַמְחַקְּרִים נִדְמֶה שֶׁמִּסְתַּיֵּם הַיְדִיעָה בַּגַּלְגַּלִּים וְכוּ', כַּנַּ"ל.
I expressed my surprise to the Rebbe and he laughed. He said, “Don’t you realize it is the philosophers think thatl knowledge ends with the planets?”
וְכַוָּנָתוֹ הָיָה כְּמוֹ כֵן אֲפִלּוּ בִּידִיעַת הָאֱמֶת לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה יֵשׁ עוֹד גָּבוֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבוֹהַּ בְּלִי שִׁעוּר וְעֵרֶךְ וְכוּ'.
This is also the case with true Knowledge. Even in the transcendental worlds, there are levels above levels, high above high, without limit or bounds.
כִּי לִגְדֻלָּתוֹ אֵין חֵקֶר, וְעִנְיָן זֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר בִּכְתָב.
Thus, it is written, “There is no fathoming His greatness” (Psalms 145:3). But words cannot express this.