לקוטי שיחות חלק ט - עקב א

It is specifically through the bittul experienced during exile—whose quality of bittul is complete—that the Essence is drawn down. Although “He will keep the covenant and the kindness that He swore” comes through man’s service, the resulting revelation is beyond the light that corresponds to human service. It is a revelation of the Essence.

“And it shall be, because you will listen” refers to the mitzvos that a person may tread upon with his heels. An additional interpretation is that it refers to the generation of the “heels of Mashiach,” when the Jewish people will listen to the voice of Hashem.

This requires explanation. The covenant and the oath are not dependent upon man’s service. Why, then, does the verse make the fulfillment of the oath dependent upon “because you will listen”—the service of man?

The explanation is that there is a unique advantage in the service of Hashem during exile. During the time of the Beis Hamikdash, holiness shone openly. Therefore, there was the bittul expressed through bowing down, which is a complete nullification of one’s existence.

Nevertheless, because this bittul was produced through a person’s revealed faculties, it remained connected with his own existence. Consequently, something was lacking in the quality of the bittul.

During exile, by contrast, bittul does not result from a person’s inner, revealed faculties. Therefore, the bittul is only bittul hayesh—the subordination of an existing self—and this represents a deficiency in the quantity of the bittul. Nevertheless, the quality of this bittul is complete.

Therefore, it is specifically through the bittul experienced during exile that the Essence is drawn down.

This explains the matter stated above. Although “He will keep the covenant that He swore” comes through man’s service, the revelation drawn down is higher than the light that is proportionate to human service. It is a revelation of the Essence.

This is also reflected in the order of the Torah portions. First comes Va’eschanan—“a term denoting a free gift”—representing a revelation from Above. “Please, let me cross over” represents the level of sight, and the haftarah is “Comfort, comfort My people,” a revelation drawn down from Above.

However, as explained above, the bittul produced by such a revelation remains connected with the person’s own existence. It is specifically through “Eikev tishme’un,” representing the level of hearing, and through the condition expressed by the words, “Zion said, ‘Hashem has forsaken me,’” that one reaches the level of “See, I”—and because she is “afflicted, storm-tossed, and not comforted,” Hashem declares, “I, indeed I, am the One Who comforts you.”