The Alter Rebbe now returns to the theme of the Divine spark in exile:

ונקרא גם כן בשם גלות השכינה

This [sustenance of idolaters through the Divine spark] is also called “the exile of the Shechinah.”

מאחר שחיות זה, אשר בבחינת גלות בתוכם

For this life-force, which is in a state of exile within them, as previously explained,

הוא מהארה הנמשכת להם מהניצוץ מדבר ה׳, הנקרא בשם שכינה

stems from the radiation issuing to them from the spark of the “word of G‑d,” which is called Shechinah in the terminology of the Sages, as mentioned above.

According to the above, however, it would seem that this state of exile has existed since the creation of the world, with all its impure animals, etc. What do we mean, then, when we say that “the Shechinah was exiled”? This question is answered in the following parenthetical passage.

(וגלות זה נמשך מחטא עץ הדעת ואילך

(37And this exile, brought about by the fact that the kelipot derive their life-force from a spark of G‑d’s creative speech, stems from the sin of the Tree of Knowledge and onwards, for from that time kelipot were able to receive a degree of vitality that they did not have until that point.

והוא בחינת אחוריים לבד דקדושה

However, [they receive their vitality] only from the hindmost (i.e., from the lowest and most external) dimension of holiness.

אך כשגלו ישראל לבין האומות, ואחיזת ישראל ושרשם הוא בבחינת פנים העליונים

But when the Jewish people were exiled among the nations — and the Jewish people are attached and rooted in the Supernal Countenance (the panim, or pnimiyus, i.e., the innermost aspect of Divinity) —

הנה זו היא גלות שלימה

this became a total exile. For then the innermost aspect of Divinity was also drawn down to the patron-angels and the nations, as explained at length in Iggeret HaTeshuvah, ch. 6; see there.

ועל זה אמרו רז״ל: גלו לאדום, שכינה עמהם))

Of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said,38 “When [the Jewish people] were exiled to Edom, the Shechinah accompanied them.”))

* * *

והנה, אף כי ה׳ אחד ושמו אחד

Now, though39 “G‑d is one and His Name is one,”

דהיינו: דבורו ורוח פיו, המכונה בזהר הקדוש בשם שמו, הוא יחיד ומיוחד

i.e., [though] His speech and the “breath of His mouth,” which in the sacred Zohar40 is referred to as His Name, is singularly and uniquely one,

אף על פי כן ההארה והמשכת החיות הנמשכת מרוח פיו יתברך, מתחלקת לארבע מדרגות שונות, שהן ארבעה עולמות: אצילות, בריאה, יצירה, עשיה

nevertheless, the radiation and efflux of life-force which issues forth from His mouth, divides into four different levels. These are the Four Worlds — Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.41

והשינוי הוא מחמת צמצומים ומסכים רבים

The difference is due to (42many) contractions and screens

לצמצם האור והחיות ולהסתירו, שלא יהא מאיר כל כך בעולם הבריאה כמו בעולם האצילות

that veil and obscure the light and the life-force, so that it will not radiate in the World of Beriah as much as in the World of Atzilut;

ובעולם היצירה הוא על ידי צמצומים ומסכים יותר וכו׳

and in the World of Yetzirah [the opaqueness is thickened] by means of further contractions and screens; and so on, i.e., how much more so in the World of Asiyah.

אבל אין שום שינוי, חס ושלום, בעצמות השכינה, שהיא דבר ה׳ ורוח פיו

Nevertheless, there is no change whatever, heaven forfend, in the essence of the Shechinah, which is the “word of G‑d” and the “breath of His mouth.”

וגם בבחינת ההארה והמשכת החיות

Also, as regards the radiation and efflux of life-force that issues from the “word of G‑d,”

הנה ההארה שבאצילות בוקעת המסך, ומתלבשת בבריאה, וכן מבריאה ליצירה, ומיצירה לעשיה

the radiation which is in [the World of] Atzilut pierces the screen and vests itself in [the World of] Beriah. Likewise from [the World of] Beriah to [the World of] Yetzirah, and from [the World of] Yetzirah to [the World of] Asiyah.

ולכן אור אין סוף ברוך הוא שבאצילות, הוא גם כן בעשיה, ובעולם הזה החומרי

Hence the [infinite] Ein Sof-light which is in [the World of] Atzilut is also present in [the World of] Asiyah, and [even] in this material world,

על ידי התלבשותו במלכות דבריאה, יצירה, עשיה, כמבואר הכל בכתבי האריז״ל

by being invested in the [Sefirah of] Malchut of [the Worlds of] Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, as fully explained in the writings of R. Isaac Luria, of blessed memory.43

* * *

והנה נפש האדם, ידוע לכל שהיא כלולה מיו״ד ספירות: חכמה, בינה, דעת וכו׳

Now, it is known to all that the soul of man — the soul of the Jew — is compounded of the Ten Sefirot: Chochmah, Binah, Daat, and so on, as explained in Tanya, ch. 3.

ואף שכולן מרוח פיו יתברך, כדכתיב: ויפח באפיו כו׳

Though these [corresponding faculties of the soul] all derive from the breath of [G‑d’s] mouth, as it is written,44 “And He blew into his nostrils [the soul of life],”

The term “He blew” indicates that the divine soul derives from the innermost spirit and vitality of its Creator, as explained in Tanya, ch. 2, and Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, ch. 5.

מכל מקום

nevertheless, each of these ten faculties of the soul is particularly connected with one of the ten Supernal Sefirot, as follows:

דרך פרט, חב״ד שבנפשו הן דוגמא לחב״ד שביו״ד ספירות

more specifically, the ChaBaD in one’s soul, one’s intellective faculties of Chochmah, Binah and Daat, are analogous to the [Divine intellective emanations of] ChaBaD in the Ten Sefirot.

המכונות בשם אבא ואמא

These are referred to as Abba and Imma.

In the Zohar, [the Sefirah of] Chochmah of [the World of] Atzilut is termed Abba (“father”), and [the Sefirah of] Binah of [the World of] Atzilut is termed Imma (“mother”), while [the Sefirah of] Daat is a combination of the two, as explained in the teachings of Chassidut.

ומדות אהבה ויראה וכו׳ שבנפשו, הן דוגמא למדות שביו״ד ספירות, הנקראות בשם זעיר אנפין

The [emotive] attributes in one’s soul of [the] love and fear [of G‑d], and so on, are analogous to the [first six] middot (or Divine emotive attributes) in the Ten Sefirot, which are [collectively] known as Z’eir Anpin (lit., “the Minor Visage”).

וכח הדבור שבנפשו, דוגמא לדבור העליון, הנקרא בשם מלכות ושכינה

And the faculty of speech in one’s soul is analogous to the Supernal Speech, which is known as [the Sefirah of] Malchut, or the Shechinah.

ולכן, כשמדבר דברי תורה, מעורר דבור העליון, ליחד השכינה

Hence, since a Jew’s speech is analogous to Supernal Speech, the Shechinah, when speaking words of Torah one arouses the Supernal Speech, the Sefirah of Malchut, thereby unifying the Shechinah, i.e., linking it to the preceding stages of emanation.

ומשום הכי קיימא לן, בקריאת שמע וברכת המזון ודברי תורה, דלא יצא בהרהור, בלא דבור

That is why it is established45 that for the Reading of Shema, for the Grace after Meals, and for [the study of] words of Torah, one has not discharged his duty by meditation without speech.

* * *

והנה זה לעומת זה

Now,46 “[G‑d created] this opposite that”:

Since the entire dynamic of the holy “side” of the universe has its counterpart in the “other side,” the sitra achra, the above-mentioned Ten Sefirot of holiness (and likewise the ten corresponding faculties of the G‑dly soul) each have their unholy counterpart:

יש עשרה כתרי דמסאבותא

there are47 “ten crowns of impurity.”

ומהן נמשכות נפשות האומות, גם כן כלולות מעשר בחינות אלו ממש

From these issue the souls of the nations, which are also comprised of the very same ten levels.

ומודעת זאת בארץ מה שכתוב בספר הגלגולים על פסוק: אשר שלט האדם באדם, לרע לו

The exposition of Sefer HaGilgulim48 on the verse,49 “That man rules over man, to his detriment,” is common knowledge:

שהוא סוד גלות השכינה בתוך הקליפות, להחיותם ולהשליטם עתה בזמן הגלות

it refers to the mystery of the exile of the Shechinah in the midst of the kelipot, in order to animate them and to empower them to rule in the present time of exile.

“Man rules over man” thus means that the “evil man” (of kelipah) rules over the “sacred man” (i.e., the holy “side” of the universe).

אבל הוא לרע לו וכו׳

However, this [temporary dominion of evil] is “to his [ultimate] detriment…,” for its underlying intent is that the sparks of holiness that are found within evil, be extracted and elevated.

ולכן האומות שולטין עתה על ישראל

This is why the nations presently dominate the Jewish people.50

להיות נפשות האומות מהקליפות, אשר השכינה מתלבשת בבחינת גלות בתוכם

For the souls of the nations [derive] from the kelipot, in which the Shechinah is vested in a state of exile, empowering them to rule.

והנה, אף שזה צריך ביאור רחב, איך ומה, מכל מקום האמת כן הוא

Though extensive exposition is required, as to how and what is the manner in which the Shechinah is invested in the exile of the kelipot, nevertheless, it is truly so.

אלא שאף על פי כן, אין הקליפות והאומות יונקים ומקבלים חיות אלא מהארה הנמשכת להם מבחינת אחוריים דקדושה

Despite this, the kelipot and the nations receive their nurture and life-force only from a reflection extended to them from the hindmost dimension of holiness,

כמאן דשדי בתר כתפיה

“in the manner of one who [unwillingly] throws [something] over his shoulder [to his enemy],” as explained in Tanya, ch. 22.

ואף גם זאת, על ידי צמצומים ומסכים רבים ועצומים, עד שנתלבשה הארה זו בחומריות עולם הזה

And even that is by way of numerous and intense contractions and screens, until this radiation becomes vested in the materiality of this world,

ומשפעת לאומות עושר וכבוד וכל תענוגים גשמיים

dispensing wealth and honor and all physical pleasures unto the nations.

מה שאין כן ישראל יונקים מבחינת פנים העליונים, כמו שכתוב: יאר ה׳ פניו אליך

Jews, however, elicit [their sustenance] from the Supernal Countenance (the panim, or pnimiyus, i.e., the innermost aspect of Divinity); as it is written,51 “May G‑d make His Countenance shine upon you,”

כל אחד ואחד לפי שרש נשמתו, עד רום המעלות

each according to the source of his soul, up to the most elevated of levels.

* * *

ואחר הדברים והאמת האלה, הגלוים וידועים לכל, נחזור לענין ראשון בענין הכעס, שהוא כעובד עבודה זרה

After these words and this truth, which are manifest and known to all, let us return to the original subject, concerning anger — where a person [who is angry] is likened to an idolater.52

והיינו במילי דעלמא, כי הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים

This is so only with regard to mundane matters, for53 “everything is in the hands of heaven except for the fear of heaven.”

Since everything is in G‑d’s hands there is no reason to become angry. However, with regard to matters involving the “fear of heaven,” anger does have a place.

ולכן במילי דשמיא, לאפרושי מאיסורא, לא שייך האי טעמא דאמרן

Hence with respect to heavenly matters, to54 “ward [a fellow Jew] from [transgressing] a prohibition,” the reason stated does not apply, for these matters are not in G‑d’s hands but in man’s.

וכמו שכתוב: ויקצוף משה

As it is written,55 “And Moses was angry.”

והיינו, משום כי ה׳ הקרה לפניו מצוה זו, לאפרושי מאיסורא, כדי לזכותו

This was because G‑d caused him to encounter this mitzvah of “warding [a fellow Jew] from [transgressing] a prohibition,” in order to make him meritorious.

Thus, this situation is obviously quite different from being angry at someone because of harm or offense.

* * *

אך זהו כשיש בידו למחות בקצפו וכעסו על חבירו

But this applies only when one is able to prevent [transgression] by his wrath and anger against his fellow-man; in such a case he is permitted to become angry, as did Moses.

אבל כשאין בידו למחות, כגון נכרי המדבר ומבלבלו בתפלתו

However, when he is unable to change the situation, as in the case of the gentile who talks and disturbs him while he is praying,

אם כן, מה זאת עשה ה׳ לו

[the question] then [arises]: What is this that G‑d has done to him, that a gentile should disrupt his prayers?

אין זאת כי אם שיתגבר, ויתאמץ יותר בתפלתו, בעומק הלב ובכוונה גדולה כל כך

This is so only in order that he prevail and strengthen himself ever more in his prayers, from the depths of his heart, and with such intense concentration

עד שלא ישמע דבורי הנכרי

that he will not hear the gentile’s talk.