Concerning this our Sages of blessed memory said, “Originally it arose in [G–d’s] thought to create the world with the attribute of stern judgement;1I.e., with the attribute of tzimtzum, complete concealment of the Divine light. Judgment signifies an act of negation and an imposition of limits. Therefore, in Kabbalah it is a synonym for tzimtzum and gevurah. He saw, however, that the world could not endure, [so] He combined with it the attribute of mercy,”2Rashi, Genesis 1:1. See Bereishit Rabbah 12:15; Pesikta Rabbati 40:2. that is, the revelation of G–dliness through the tzaddikim and the signs and miracles recorded in the Torah.3Miracles are evidence of G–d’s “hand” in nature and demonstrate that He is the Master of all; all cosmic and natural powers are subservient to Him.
And regarding this, it was stated in the Zohar, “Above, in the ‘side of supernal holiness,’ there is right and left,” namely, chesed and gevurah. This means that both are attributes of G–dliness, above the intellect and comprehension of the creatures, for “He and His attributes are One in the world of Atzilut.”4Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction. Even the comprehension of Moses, our teacher, peace unto him, in his prophetic vision, was not in the world of Atzilut [itself], but only as it [Atzilut] becomes clothed in the world of Beriah,5See above, ch. 2, note 16. and even then, was not of these two attributes, chesed and gevurah, but only as they become clothed in attributes which are of lower levels than they, viz., the attributes of netzach (victory, eternity), hod (majesty), yesod (foundation)6See Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 15. [as is explained in Shaar Hanevuah].7Brackets are the author’s.
It is only the tzaddikim in Gan Eden who are granted the reward of comprehending the spreading forth of the life-force and light which issues from these two attributes, chesed and gevurah. And this [comprehension] is the “food”8Just as food is absorbed by the body and transformed into flesh and blood, so is the light of Atzilut comprehended and absorbed by the soul and united with it. This Divine light is the “food” or inner life of the soul. Cf. Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 5. of the souls of the tzaddikim who, in this world, occupied themselves with the study of Torah for its own sake.9From pure and disinterested motives—to fulfill G–d’s command—and not for the purpose of reward or self-aggrandisement. In Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ibid., it is interpreted as “study with the intent to attach one’s soul to G–d through the comprehension of the Torah, each one according to his intellect.” For from the spreading forth of these two attributes, a firmament10Shamayim, the Hebrew word for heaven, is a combination of esh (fire) and mayim (water) which symbolize gevurah and chesed respectively. is spread over the souls in Gan Eden, and this firmament is called razah d’oraytah (“the secret of the Torah”). In it is the secret of the twenty-two letters of the Torah which was given from these two attributes, as it is written, “From His right hand He gave them a fiery Law.”11Deuteronomy 33:2. “Right hand” indicates chesed, “fiery” indicates gevurah. It was necessary for the Torah, whose source is chesed—i.e., the issuing forth of the infinite light—to descend and become condensed through tzimtzum and gevurah until it could become clothed in the corporeal, material things of this world and could be comprehended and fulfilled by created beings. Cf. Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 10. And from this firmament drops dew12The Torah is likened to dew (See Deuteronomy 32:2), which symbolizes the esoteric aspect of the Torah. as “food” for the souls, i.e., the knowledge of the secret of the twenty-two letters of the Torah. For this firmament is the “secret of knowledge,” and the Torah is the “food” of the souls in Gan Eden; and the precepts are “garments” [of the souls], 13The soul, being finite and limited, could not comprehend the light of Atzilut, which is infinite and beyond comprehension. The precepts serve as “garments” of the soul and veil and screen the infinite light so that it can be comprehended and absorbed by the soul, as, for example, one looks at a brilliant light through a veil. Cf. Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 29. as all this is explained [in Zohar Vayakhel, pp. 209-210 and in Etz Chaim, Shaar 44, ch. 3].14Brackets are the author’s.
וְהִנֵּה, עַל זֶה אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״בִּתְחִלָּה עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה לִבְרוֹא אֶת הָעוֹלָם בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין, רָאָה שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּים – שִׁתֵּף בּוֹ מִדַּת רַחֲמִים״, דְּהַיְינוּ, הִתְגַּלּוּת אֱלֹהוּת עַל יְדֵי צַדִּיקִים וְאוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.
Concerning this our Sages of blessed memory said, “Originally it arose in [G–d’s] thought to create the world with the attribute of stern judgement;1I.e., with the attribute of tzimtzum, complete concealment of the Divine light. Judgment signifies an act of negation and an imposition of limits. Therefore, in Kabbalah it is a synonym for tzimtzum and gevurah. He saw, however, that the world could not endure, [so] He combined with it the attribute of mercy,”2 Rashi, Genesis 1:1. See Bereishit Rabbah 12:15; Pesikta Rabbati 40:2. that is, the revelation of G–dliness through the tzaddikim and the signs and miracles recorded in the Torah.3Miracles are evidence of G–d’s “hand” in nature and demonstrate that He is the Master of all; all cosmic and natural powers are subservient to Him.
וְהִנֵּה עַל זֶה אָמְרוּ בַּזֹּהַר, דִּ״לְעֵילָּא, בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה עִילָּאָה, אִית יְמִינָא וְאִית שְׂמָאלָא״, דְּהַיְינוּ, חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה, פֵּירוּשׁ, דִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן הֵן מִדּוֹת אֱלֹהוּת לְמַעְלָה מִשֵּׂכֶל הַנִּבְרָאִים וְהַשָּׂגָתָם, ״דְּאִיהוּ וְגַרְמוֹהִי חַד״ בְּעוֹלַם הָאֲצִילוּת. וְאַף הַשָּׂגַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו־הַשָּׁלוֹם בִּנְבוּאָתוֹ, לֹא הָיְתָה בְּעוֹלַם הָאֲצִילוּת, אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי הִתְלַבְּשׁוּתוֹ בְּעוֹלַם הַבְּרִיאָה. וְאַף גַּם זֹאת, לֹא בִּשְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ – חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה, אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי הִתְלַבְּשׁוּתָן בַּמִּדּוֹת שֶׁלְּמַטָּה מֵהֶן בְּמַדְרֵגָה, שֶׁהֵן מִדּוֹת נֶצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד [כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּשַׁעַר הַנְּבוּאָה].
And regarding this, it was stated in the Zohar, “Above, in the ‘side of supernal holiness,’ there is right and left,” namely, chesed and gevurah. This means that both are attributes of G–dliness, above the intellect and comprehension of the creatures, for “He and His attributes are One in the world of Atzilut.”4Tikkunei Zohar, Introduction. Even the comprehension of Moses, our teacher, peace unto him, in his prophetic vision, was not in the world of Atzilut [itself], but only as it [Atzilut] becomes clothed in the world of Beriah,5See above, ch. 2, note 16. and even then, was not of these two attributes, chesed and gevurah, but only as they become clothed in attributes which are of lower levels than they, viz., the attributes of netzach (victory, eternity), hod (majesty), yesod (foundation)6See Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 15. [as is explained in Shaar Hanevuah].7Brackets are the author’s.
רַק שֶׁמַּתַּן שְׂכָרָם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים בְּגַן עֵדֶן, הוּא הַשָּׂגַת הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת הַחַיּוּת וְאוֹר הַנִּמְשָׁךְ מִשְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה, וְהוּא – מְזוֹן נִשְׁמוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁעָסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה לִשְׁמָהּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. כִּי מֵהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת שְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ, נִמְתָּח רָקִיעַ עַל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁבְּגַן עֵדֶן, וְרָקִיעַ זֶה נִקְרָא ״רָזָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא״, וּבוֹ סוֹד כ״ב אוֹתִיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, הַנְּתוּנָה מִשְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ״, וּמֵרָקִיעַ זֶה, נוֹטֵף טַל לִמְזוֹן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת, דְּהַיְינוּ, יְדִיעַת סוֹד כ״ב אוֹתִיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי הָרָקִיעַ הַזֶּה – הוּא סוֹד הַדַּעַת, וְהַתּוֹרָה – הִיא מְזוֹן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת בְּגַן עֵדֶן, וְהַמִּצְוֹת – הֵן לְבוּשִׁים, כִּמְבוֹאָר כָּל זֶה [בַּזֹּהַר וַיַּקְהֵל דַּף ר״ט וְר״י, וּבְעֵץ חַיִּים שַׁעַר מ״ד פֶּרֶק ג׳]:
It is only the tzaddikim in Gan Eden who are granted the reward of comprehending the spreading forth of the life-force and light which issues from these two attributes, chesed and gevurah. And this [comprehension] is the “food”8Just as food is absorbed by the body and transformed into flesh and blood, so is the light of Atzilut comprehended and absorbed by the soul and united with it. This Divine light is the “food” or inner life of the soul. Cf. Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ch. 5. of the souls of the tzaddikim who, in this world, occupied themselves with the study of Torah for its own sake.9From pure and disinterested motives—to fulfill G–d’s command—and not for the purpose of reward or self-aggrandisement. In Likkutei Amarim, Part I, ibid., it is interpreted as “study with the intent to attach one’s soul to G–d through the comprehension of the Torah, each one according to his intellect.” For from the spreading forth of these two attributes, a firmament10Shamayim, the Hebrew word for heaven, is a combination of esh (fire) and mayim (water) which symbolize gevurah and chesed respectively. is spread over the souls in Gan Eden, and this firmament is called razah d’oraytah (“the secret of the Torah”). In it is the secret of the twenty-two letters of the Torah which was given from these two attributes, as it is written, “From His right hand He gave them a fiery Law.”11Deuteronomy 33:2. “Right hand” indicates chesed, “fiery” indicates gevurah. It was necessary for the Torah, whose source is chesed—i.e., the issuing forth of the infinite light—to descend and become condensed through tzimtzum and gevurah until it could become clothed in the corporeal, material things of this world and could be comprehended and fulfilled by created beings. Cf. Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 10. And from this firmament drops dew12The Torah is likened to dew (See Deuteronomy 32:2), which symbolizes the esoteric aspect of the Torah. as “food” for the souls, i.e., the knowledge of the secret of the twenty-two letters of the Torah. For this firmament is the “secret of knowledge,” and the Torah is the “food” of the souls in Gan Eden; and the precepts are “garments” [of the souls], 13The soul, being finite and limited, could not comprehend the light of Atzilut, which is infinite and beyond comprehension. The precepts serve as “garments” of the soul and veil and screen the infinite light so that it can be comprehended and absorbed by the soul, as, for example, one looks at a brilliant light through a veil. Cf. Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 29. as all this is explained [in Zohar Vayakhel, pp. 209-210 and in Etz Chaim, Shaar 44, ch. 3].14Brackets are the author’s.