The Alter Rebbe now distinguishes between permitted and forbidden objects. The former receive their life-force directly through kelipat nogah; for the latter to receive the G‑dly life-force clothed in kelipat nogah, it must first descend still further, to be veiled in the three completely impure kelipot.

 

דהיינו כל דברים המותרים והטהורים שבעולם הזה, וממנה ועל ידה מושפעים דברים הטמאים כי היא בחינה ממוצעת, כנ״ל

 

This means: (1) all things of this world that are permitted and pure which receive their vitality directly via kelipat nogah; and from and through [kelipat nogah] evolve (2) all impure, forbidden things, which derive their vitality from the three impure kelipot; yet their vitality too, stems from nogah since it is the intermediary level between holiness (where all life originates) and the three impure kelipot, as mentioned above.

 

We can conclude from this that there is no difference between the life-force of the soul and that of the body in terms of revelation or concealment. Since both body and soul are of this world, the life-force in them is equally concealed in the veil of kelipat nogah.

 

אף על פי כן, ההארה, שהיא המשכת החיות אשר ה׳ מאיר ומחיה דרך לבוש זה

 

Nevertheless, the [G‑dly] illumination, meaning the flow of vitality by which G‑d illumines and gives life to all creatures of this world by way of this garment i.e., kelipat nogah,

 

אינה שוה בכולן, בבחינת צמצום והתפשטות

 

is not the same for them all, and the difference between the life-force of the various creatures is in terms of contraction and expansion. In some creatures the life-force is constricted and limited, while in others it finds broader expression.

 

The difference between “concealment” (hester) of the life-force and its “contraction” (tzimtzum) can be expressed as follows:

 

Suppose one hangs a thick curtain on a window to screen out the sunlight. The light entering the room through the curtain will be of an entirely different quality; in fact it might be described as a mere echo of the original light. This is “concealment”.

 

If on the other hand, one boards up the window and leaves only a tiny hole by which the light may pass, the light shining through the hole, though greatly restricted, will be the same, qualitatively, as the original light. This is what is meant by “contraction”.

 

So it is too with regard to our subject: Kelipat nogah is the thick curtain which veils the divine creative power equally from all creatures of this world. This “curtained” light varies, however, from one creature to another in degree of contraction. The Alter Rebbe now goes on to enumerate these differences:

כי בגוף הגשמי והדומם ממש כאבנים ועפר

 

In the physical body [of a living creature], and in an absolutely inanimate [being] such as stones or earth, in which no life or spirituality are apparent, since they lack even the power of growth,

 

ההארה היא בבחינת צמצום גדול אשר אין כמוהו

 

the ray of the divine creative power is in a state of unparalleled contraction.

 

והחיות שבו מועטת כל כך עד שאין בו אפילו כח הצומח

 

So minute is the life-force within these inanimate beings that they lack even the power of growth.

 

ובצומח ההארה אינה בצמצום גדול כל כך

 

In vegetation, the ray is not so greatly contracted; the phenomenon of growth indicates the presence of something more than mere physical matter; some degree of spirituality is in evidence.

 

ודרך כלל נחלקות לארבע מדרגות: דומם, צומח, חי, מדבר

 

In general [all things in this world] are divided into four categories: mineral, vegetable, animal and man (lit., “the speaker”),

 

כנגד ד׳ אותיות שם הוי׳, ברוך הוא, שממנו מושפעים

 

corresponding to the four letters of the Divine Name (the Tetragrammaton) from which they are derived. Each of these four categories receives its vitality from one of the four letters.

 

וכמו שאין ערך ודמיון ההארה והמשכת החיות שבדומם וצומח, לההארה והמשכת החיות המלובשות בחי ומדבר

 

Now, just as the illumination and the flow of vitality found in the mineral and vegetable [categories] bears no comparison or likeness to the illumination and flow of vitality clothed in animals and man (since in the latter two categories it is clearly apparent that they are alive) —

 

אף שבכולם אור אחד שוה בבחינת הסתר פנים, ומלובש בלבוש אחד בכולם, שהוא לבוש נוגה

 

although in all [four categories] the [divine animating] light is the same in terms of the “concealment of Countenance” i.e, in all four categories the inner aspect of the divine light is concealed equally, and in all [four categories the light] is clothed in the same garment, namely the garment i.e., veil of nogah; hence, in none of these categories is it apparent that their vitality is actually G‑dliness — yet despite this equality, the vitality of inanimate beings and plants is incomparable to that of animals and man;

 

כך אין ערך ודמיון כלל בין הארת והמשכת אור אין סוף ברוך הוא, שהוא פנימיות רצונו יתברך, בלי הסתר פנים ולבוש כלל

 

similarly, there is no comparison or likeness between the illumination and flow of the blessed Ein Sof-light — meaning the inner aspect of His Will, without “concealment of Countenance” and with no garment whatsoever —

 

המאירה ומלובשת במצות מעשיות ממש. וכן במצות התלויות בדבור וביטוי שפתיים בלי כוונה, שהוא נחשב כמעשה ממש, כנ״ל

 

as it radiates in and is clothed within the mitzvot consisting of action — whether actual action, or mitzvot performed through speech and verbal articulation which is regarded as actual action as mentioned above — when performed without kavanah,

 

לגבי ההארה והמשכת אור אין סוף ברוך הוא המאירה ומלובשת בכוונת המצות מעשיות

 

[The illumination of Ein Sof found in these mitzvot bears no likeness or comparison] with the [superior] illumination and flow of the blessed Ein Sof-light radiating and clothed in the kavanah of the mitzvot of action,

 

שהאדם מתכוין בעשייתן כדי לדבקה בו יתברך על ידי קיום רצונו, שהוא ורצונו אחד

 

meaning man’s intention to attach himself to G‑d by fulfilling His Will as expressed in the mitzvot, since He and His Will are one.

 

וכן בכוונת התפלה, וקריאת שמע וברכותיה, ושאר הברכות, שבכוונתו בהן מדבק מחשבתו ושכלו בו יתברך

 

Similarly with regard to kavanah in prayer, the recital of Shema and its blessings, and in other blessings, where, through one’s kavanah in them, he attaches his thought and intellect to G‑d.

ולא שדבקות המחשבה ושכל האדם בו יתברך היא מצד עצמה למעלה מדבקות קיום המצות מעשיות בפועל ממש

 

It is not that attachment of man’s thought and intellect to G‑d is intrinsically superior to attachment through the actual, practical fulfillment of the mitzvot dependent on action —

 

כמו שיתבאר לקמן

 

for as will be explained further on the unity with G‑d achieved by performance of mitzvot is described in the same terms as the unity of husband and wife — “kiddushin”, as we say in the blessing preceding the fulfillment of a mitzvah: “…G‑d,… Who sanctified us (קדשנו) with His commandments….” Naturally, man cannot attain this degree of unity with G‑d by his own efforts. It is only by G‑d’s kindness in charging us with the mitzvot that we become united with Him thereby.

 

Obviously, the quality of man’s attachment to G‑d through kavanah cannot surpass that of the performance of mitzvot, which possesses the G‑d-given ability to unite man with Him. Where, then, lies the superiority of kavanah over actual performance of mitzvot (described earlier as paralleling the superiority of soul over body)?

 

The Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that, like the actual mitzvot themselves, man’s kavanah in performing them expresses G‑d’s Will. It is the illumination of Divine Will contained in kavanah that is superior. In the Alter Rebbe’s words:

 

אלא מפני שזהו גם כן רצונו יתברך, לדבקה בשכל ומחשבה וכוונת המצות מעשיות ובכוונת קריאת שמע ותפלה ושאר ברכות

 

Rather kavanah is superior because this, too, is G‑d’s Will — that one attach himself to Him by intellect and thought, and [by] the kavanah of the active mitzvot, and by one’s kavanah during the recital of Shema, and in prayer and other blessings;

 

והארת רצון העליון הזה המאירה ומלובשת בכוונה זו

 

and the illumination of the Supernal Will that radiates and is clothed in this kavanah

 

היא גדולה לאין קץ למעלה מעלה מהארת רצון העליון המאירה ומלובשת בקיום המצות עצמן במעשה ובדבור בלי כוונה

 

is infinitely greater and loftier than the illumination of the Supernal Will that radiates and is clothed in the performance of the mitzvot themselves, in action and speech, without kavanah.

 

כגודל מעלת אור הנשמה על הגוף שהוא כלי ומלבוש הנשמה, כמו גוף המצוה עצמה שהוא כלי ומלבוש לכוונתה

 

This superiority of kavanah is similar to the superiority of the light of the soul over the body, which is a vessel and garment for the soul — just as the body of the actual mitzvah is a vessel and garment for its kavanah. For this reason, then, the performance of a mitzvah is likened to a body, and its kavanah to a soul.