אבל גילוי ההארה שבתחיית המתים יהיה מבחינת סובב כל עלמין
The radiation of light at the time of the Resurrection, however, will become manifest from the level of Sovev Kol Almin,
שאינה בבחינת צמצום ושיעור וגבול, אלא בלי גבול ותכלית
which is not in a state of contraction, measure and limit, but is limitless and endless.
כמו שכתוב בלקוטי אמרים, פרק מ״ח, ביאור ענין סובב כל עלמין
The concept of Sovev Kol Almin, as has been explained in Likkutei Amarim, ch. 48,
שאינו כמשמעו, כמו עיגול, חס ושלום
is not to be understood literally, as resembling a sphere, heaven forfend; i.e., this superior order of light does not “encompass all worlds” spatially, so that it surrounds creation and remains exterior to it.
אלא שאינו בבחינת התלבשות וכו׳
Rather, [it means that] it is not invested (implying adaptation) [within it]; instead of contracting itself to match the receptive capacity of the particular created being that it animates, it affects it — even from within — while remaining on its own level.
ועיין שם היטב
Note there carefully.
וזהו שאמרו רז״ל: ועטרותיהם בראשיהם, ונהנין כו׳
And this is the meaning of the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory:20 “[In the World to Come — here meaning Gan Eden — there is no eating and drinking…, but the righteous sit] with their crowns on their heads, and they take delight [in the radiance of the Divine Presence].”21
עטרה היא בחינת מקיף וסובב
A crown (atarah) is something that encompasses and encircles,
This refers to an illumination that neither contracts nor adapts itself so that it can be vested in varying degrees within created beings; rather, it descends to the worlds22 and encompasses them all equally.
ונקרא כתר, מלשון כותרת
and is called keter, as related to koteret, the capital which crowns a column,23 as in the Beit HaMikdash built by King Solomon (I Kings, ch. 7).
Atarah is thus a crown worn on the head,24 while keter means (as well) the crown atop a column.
Since the illumination of light from the Sefirah of Keter that will be revealed in the World to Come results from the performance of the mitzvot that are likened to 620 תר״ך columns of light (corresponding to the 613 Torah commandments and seven Rabbinic commandments, numerically equal to the word כתר),25 the Alter Rebbe also explains the term “crown” as it applies to a column.
והוא בחינת ממוצע המחבר הארת המאציל, אין סוף ברוך הוא, להנאצלים
[The Sefirah of Keter] is an intermediary which joins the radiation and revelation of the Emanator, the blessed Ein Sof, to the emanated beings in the World of Atzilut,
The Emanator is infinite, while the emanated beings — which are within a world, and even the loftiest of worlds is bound by limitation — are finite. There must therefore be an intermediary between the two. It is the Sefirah of Keter that serves as this intermediary, for its internal dimension is related to the Emanator and its external dimension is related to the emanated beings. It is thus through the Sefirah of Keter that the [infinite] Ein Sof-light is drawn into the World of Atzilut and to the emanated beings which populate it.
ולעתיד יאיר ויתגלה בעולם הזה, לכל הצדיקים שיקומו בתחייה
and in the future it will radiate and become revealed in this world to all the righteous who will rise with the Resurrection,
ועמך כולם צדיקים כו׳
(26“And Your people are all righteous27…”).28
This transcendent degree of Divine light will thus be revealed to the entire Jewish people.
Accordingly, the illumination that presently is received only by those beings that inhabit the World of Atzilut will radiate in the World to Come to this physical world as well. For unlike the indwelling illumination of Gan Eden that is dependent upon the level and comprehension of each recipient, this revelation is an encompassing light from the Sefirah of Keter, which does not undergo contraction, but radiates to all equally.
This results in a state of total revelation, whereby the very Essence of Divinity is visually perceived (re’iyat hamahut), as it is written,29 “The glory of G‑d shall be revealed, and together all flesh shall see…”
וזהו שאמרו רז״ל: עתידים צדיקים שיאמרו לפניהם קדוש
And this is the meaning of the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory:30 “In the future the righteous will be lauded as holy,” as G‑d is praised now.
כי קדוש הוא בחינת מובדל
For “holy” signifies [lofty] separation;
שאינו בגדר השגה ודעת
it is not subject to apprehension and knowledge,
כי הוא למעלה מעלה מבחינת החכמה ודעת שבגן עדן
because it transcends by far the wisdom and knowledge which are attainable in Gan Eden.
כי החכמה מאין תמצא, כתיב
For Scripture states,31 “Chochmah shall be found from ayin (‘naught’).”
הוא בחינת כתר עליון, הנקרא אין בזוהר הקדוש
This refers to the Supreme Keter which, in the sacred Zohar,32 is called ayin;
והשפעתו והארתו בבחינת גילוי, הוא דוקא כשהנשמה תתלבש בגוף זך וצח אחר התחיה
and the bestowal of its radiance is manifest, i.e., its essence is apprehended, only when, after the Resurrection, the soul is vested in a pure and clear body.
