עיין עץ חיים, שער הנקודות, שער ה׳, פרק ו׳

 

Examine the statement in Etz Chayim, Shaar HaNekudot, Shaar 8, ch. 6,

 

שאין החזרת פנים בפנים, כי אם על ידי מצות מעשיות דוקא

 

that there can be no “turning of face to face” except through mitzvot requiring action.

 

The text cited had previously discussed the stage of creation at which (i) the bracket of six Sefirot known collectively as Za (ז״א; Z’eir Anpin), and (ii) the Sefirah of Malchut,1 were first emanated and revealed (in the World of Atzilut) from Chochmah and Binah, their spiritual parents. Adam had not yet been created and hence the avodah of fulfilling mitzvot did not yet exist. At this stage, if Za and Malchut had united “face to face,” there would be an effusion of Divine energy from the innermost aspect of Za to the innermost aspect of Malchut. This, however, would enable the kelipot to receive more than their due share of life-giving influence from the source of holiness. The union was therefore merely “back to back,” i.e., only the external aspect of Za was drawn down to Malchut.

 

Only after Adam was created and performed mitzvot, effectively “trimming and hacking off the thorns,” i.e., limiting the nurture of kelipot, could Za and Malchut be united “face to face.”

 

In other words, Divinity can be revealed within this world (without any nurture being illegitimately diverted to the kelipot) only by means of mitzvot whose performance entails an actual deed.

 

וטעם הדבר

 

The reason for this, as given there in Etz Chayim,

 

כי על ידי מעשים טובים גורם זיווג העליון וכו׳

 

is that by means of good deeds one brings about a Supernal Union, causing Za and Malchut to turn “face to face.”

 

ולהבין אמאי מעשיות דוקא

 

Now, why only mitzvot involving action?

 

Why can the same result not be brought about by mitzvot fulfilled by thought and speech?

 

יובן ממה שכתוב בשער מ״ן ומ״ד

 

This may be understood in the light of what is written in [Etz Chayim,] Shaar Ma’n Uma’d,2

 

כי צריך תחלה להעלות מ״ן דנוקבא דז״א

 

that first, before the Supernal Union takes place, there must be an elevation of mayin nukvin (i.e., an arousal initiated by the recipient) from the nukva (i.e., the feminine element) of Za, viz., Malchut,

 

ומ״ן דנוקבא הן בחינת עשיה, כמו שכתוב שם, פרק א׳

 

and the mayin nukvin of nukva is the state of action, as explained there, in ch. 1.

 

In other words: The things of this world, whose source is the Sefirah of Malchut (which is the nukva of Za) must be elevated to their source in holiness. This can be accomplished only through mitzvot whose fulfillment requires actions performed with the material components of the world. This alone makes possible the Supernal Union which reveals Divinity within this world.

 

But how can it be ensured that no part of this revelation will leak to the kelipot (which are also known as chitzonim — lit., “extraneous forces”)?

 

והנה, המעשים טובים נקראים כסוח וקיצוץ הקוצים הנאחזים באחוריים

 

Good deeds are described as trimming and hacking off the thistles that attach themselves to the hinderpart,

 

שהן בחינת עשיה

 

which is the state of deed,

 

כמו שכתוב בשער מ״ז, פרק ה׳

 

as is written in [Etz Chayim,] Shaar 47, ch. 5.

 

It is the performance of specifically these commandments that hacks away the kelipot which, like the unchecked roots of thistles or weeds in a vineyard, would otherwise encroach on the life-giving waters and divert them from their intended destination.

 

והיינו, על ידי העלאת הטוב הגנוז בהם, המלובש במצות מעשיות

 

This [pruning is effected] by elevating the element of good that is concealed in them (i.e., in things of this world that are related to Asiyah) and that is enclothed in mitzvot of action,

 

למקורו, לקדושת האצילות שכבר הובררה

 

[elevating this element of good] to its source, to the sanctity of Atzilut that has already been refined.

 

The performance of practical mitzvot thus makes possible the purification and elevation of those physical things that are in need of this, by extracting the element of good that is within them and elevating it to holiness.

 

ומה שכתוב שם, שאדם הראשון תיקן גם כן על ידי תפלה

 

As to the statement there that Adam effected rectification (tikkun) through prayer as well, which would not appear to be a mitzvah requiring action,

 

היינו, על ידי אותיות הדבור, דעקימת שפתיו הוי מעשה

 

this means [that he did so] through uttering the letters of speech, i.e., not through the intent of prayer, but by the actual deed involved, for the movement of one’s lips is also deemed a deed.3

 

כי הן מנפש החיונית שבגוף ודמו, אשר שרשן מנוגה

 

For they — these utterances — derive from the vivifying soul which is in one’s body and blood, whose root (and life-force) is in [kelipat] nogah.

 

As the Alter Rebbe explains in ch. 37 of Tanya, one’s G‑dly soul is incapable of uttering the words of Torah or prayer (which have to be sounded with the physical mouth, tongue and teeth), except through the agency of the vivifying soul that is invested in the body.

 

We see from the above that uttering the words of prayer can also elevate Ma’n from the nukva of Asiyah, just as is done by the practical mitzvot.