In the beginning, as the Midrash teaches,1 G‑d “created worlds and destroyed them.” The Kabbalah explains that this refers to spiritual worlds, Supernal Sefirot (“emanations”), that first existed in one state of being and then in another. The Sefirot in the former state of being — called the World of Tohu (lit., “Chaos”) — underwent a “breaking of the vessels.” The World of Tikkun (lit., “Order”) was then built.
The Sefirot comprise orot (“lights”) and kelim (“vessels”) that contain these lights. The crisis in the World of Tohu occurred because the orot were so intense that the kelim were incapable of containing them. As a result of this breakage, sparks of holiness descended within the kelipot. These sparks are to be found in the Worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah in general, but particularly within the physicality of our world. It is the task of the Jew to sift this materiality by using it properly, in order to extract and refine these sparks, thereby elevating them to their original source in the World of Tohu. This elevation in turn elicits a mighty downflow of Divine energy from Tohu, and from even higher than that level.
(Certain Divine Names, whose respective Kabbalistic meanings are signified by Hebrew letter-combinations, are related to this process of beirurim, the extraction and refinement of the sparks of holiness. Thus the Name known as Ba’n (ב״ן) is the source of the fallen holy sparks; the Name Ma’h (מ״ה) is the power that extracts and elevates them; while the Name Sa’g (ס״ג) is the original source of the World of Tohu. When the extraction and elevation of the sparks deriving from the Name Ba’n is accomplished through the Name Ma’h, a lofty degree of Divine illumination is drawn down from the Name Sa’g, and is vested within the “capacious vessels” of the World of Tikkun.)
This extraction is for the most part accomplished through the performance of action-oriented mitzvot involving physical objects which derive their life-force from kelipat nogah, and which house the sparks of Tohu. Performing a mitzvah with such objects disencumbers the hidden sparks of their corporeal husk and elevates them.
The seeking out of sparks, however, can also be accomplished through the study of Torah, as well as through prayer.
In the present essay the Alter Rebbe will explain the statement of Pri Etz Chayim that nowadays this “extraction” is mainly effected through prayer. For prayer is uniquely able to draw down an infinite degree of G‑dliness; prayer alone can bring about changes within the world, healing the sick and causing rain to fall. In order for such a degree of G‑dliness to be called down, there must first be an arousal initiated from below, an expression of man’s ardent desire to be the recipient of Divine benefactions. And if these benefactions are to flow from an infinitely high source, the plea that requests them must surge from a correspondingly deep source — “with all one’s might,” from the infinite depths of one’s soul.
להבין מה שכתוב בפרי עץ חיים, דבזמן הזה עיקר הבירור על ידי התפלה דוקא
To understand the statement in Pri Etz Chayim,2 that in the contemporary period the refinement [of the sparks of Tohu] is primarily effected by prayer,
As explained above, the task of sifting the materiality of this world and salvaging its hidden holy sparks is the ongoing mission of Jews living as souls within bodies in this physical world.
This is accomplished either (a) through the performance of the action-oriented mitzvot which entail the use of physical objects whose life-force derives from kelipat nogah; (b) through the audibly-articulated study of Torah subjects that deal with physical matters; (c) through prayer, a form of spiritual service through which the Divine soul influences and refines the animal soul (whose life-force derives from kelipat nogah) to the point that it can attain a love of G‑d.
As stated above, Pri Etz Chayim teaches that in these latter generations the extraction and elevation of sparks is effected primarily through prayer.
אף שתלמוד תורה למעלה מהתפלה
even though Torah study is superior to prayer:
Torah study is3 “equivalent to them all,” to all the mitzvot, and higher even than4 “concentration in prayer.” Why, then, is the extraction of the sparks of Tohu mainly accomplished in the present era through prayer?
הענין הוא, שעל ידי תורה ומצות מוסיפין אור באצילות כו׳
The explanation is, that through Torah and mitzvot additional light is drawn forth into Atzilut…
Divine light is drawn forth into the various worlds either in accordance with (a) Sod Shoresh (lit., “the principle of the root”), the degree of revelation originally apportioned, or in accordance with (b) Sod Tosefet (lit., “the principle of addition”), depending on the spiritual service of mortals. This additional measure of revelation is much greater than the base allocation.
Through Torah and mitzvot, as stated above, one draws down an additional measure of Divine illumination into the World of Atzilut.
פירוש: אור אין סוף ברוך הוא בכלים דאצילות, על ידי תלמוד תורה, בפנימית, דהיינו המשכות המוחין
This means that through Torah study the [infinite] Ein Sof-light [is drawn] into the inner aspect of the vessels of [the Sefirot of] Atzilut. This is a drawing down of the Divine Intellect.
Since Torah study involves mortal intellect, its heavenly echo calls forth a corresponding revelation of the Divine Intellect, which is the inward aspect of the Sefirot.
ובקיום המצות, בחיצונית הכלים, שהם בחינת נצח הוד יסוד שבי׳ ספירות ז״א שבאצילות
Through mitzvah observance [the light is drawn] into the external aspect of the vessels, meaning Netzach-Hod-Yesod of the Ten Sefirot of Za (the six emotive attributes) of Atzilut.
Za is a configuration (partzuf, lit., “countenance”) which comprises a full complement of Ten Sefirot. Into Netzach-Hod-Yesod, the lower Sefirot which are “outside of the torso”5 of Za and thus comprise its external aspect, the [infinite] Ein Sof-light is drawn down, by means of those mitzvot that are performed with man’s power of action. For this power is external to man’s essence, just as Netzach-Hod-Yesod are external to Za.
The infinite lights from Divine Intellect that are drawn down by Torah and mitzvot are thus invested primarily in Atzilut.6
רק שמתלבשים בבריאה יצירה עשיה, בתורה ומצות הגשמיים שבעולם הזה
They [later] only clothe themselves with diminished intensity in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, in the physical Torah and mitzvot in This World.
The Divine Intellect that is drawn down into Atzilut is ultimately vested within the Torah of this world, while the Divine light which is drawn into the externality of the vessels of Za of Atzilut is vested within the mitzvot of this world. The effect is thus strictly within the material aspect of the Torah and mitzvot of this world, but not within the materiality of the world itself.
אבל התפלה היא המשכת אור אין סוף ברוך הוא בבריאה יצירה עשיה דוקא, לא בדרך התלבשות בלבד
Prayer, however, calls forth the [infinite] Ein Sof-light into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah directly, and not by means of mere enclothement, as is the case with the study of Torah, where the Divine light is garbed in an entity which in turn is drawn down into this world.
רק האור ממש, לשנות הנבראים מכמות שהם
Rather, it is the actual light which modifies the state of created beings,
שיתרפא החולה, וירד הגשם משמים לארץ ויולידה ויצמיחה
so that (for example) the ill will be cured through the petition of “Heal us” in the Shemoneh Esreh, and the rain from heaven will fall to the earth so that it becomes fertile and yields vegetation,7 in response to the prayer of the “Blessing of the Years.”
These are changes effected within the actual physical world.
מה שאין כן בתורה ומצות, שאין שינוי בקלף התפילין על ידי הנחתן בראש ובזרוע
This is not the case with Torah and mitzvot: no modification in the parchment [on which are inscribed the Biblical passages] of the tefillin results from their being placed upon head and arm, notwithstanding the drawing down of Divine light and the subordination of mind and heart to the Divine Will.
וגם במצות שעשייתן הוא גמר מצותן
Even in the case of those mitzvot that are fulfilled through making [the object],
Examples would be the writing of a Torah scroll or making a sukkah (according to the opinions that the actual construction of a sukkah is a mitzvah8). Unlike tefillin, where the mitzvah is performed by wearing them and not by making them, these mitzvot are performed by modifying the relevant object. Nevertheless:
השינוי הוא על ידי אדם, ולא בידי שמים כבתפלה
the change within the object is effected by man, and not by Heaven, as is the case with prayer,
When an individual succeeds in bringing about a change in this world through prayer, e.g., the sick person becomes well, this change is ultimately brought about from above, not by the individual’s prayer,
שהיא המשכת החיות מאין סוף ברוך הוא, שהוא לבדו כל יכול
for this calls forth the vivifying power from the Infinite One, blessed be He, Who alone is all-capable.
It is only G‑d who can effect a change such as this in our world, bringing about the cure or the productive rain.
והלכך, כדי להמשיך אור אין סוף ברוך הוא למטה, אי אפשר בלי העלאת מין נוקבין מלמטה דוקא
Therefore, calling forth the [infinite] Ein Sof-light into the lower world is impossible without the [prior] “elevation of mayin nukvin” specifically from below, whereby the mortal recipient initiates an anticipatory “arousal from below” through his spiritual service during prayer.
As the Alter Rebbe will soon explain, since this entails an infinite degree of service on the part of man it is able to draw down an infinite response from above, reciprocating each individual’s particular “arousal from below.”
מה שאין כן לתלמוד תורה, שבאצילות, המיוחדת בלאו הכי במאציל ברוך הוא
This is not the case with the study of Torah, which [affects] Atzilut, for [the Torah] is united in any case with the Emanator.
Since Torah study thus does not need to be drawn down below, there is no need for an “arousal from below.”
As the Rebbe notes, “The Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain how this may be considered mayin nukvin, and what is its connection to the infinite light.”
