002 —ביאור

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Biur al Shuvah Yisrael

It is stated in the Mishnas Chassidim (Maseches Yoma) regarding the seven times we say "Hashem Hu HaElokim" during the Ne'ilah prayer on Yom Kippur, as follows: "Hashem" refers to Ze'er Anpin, "Elokim" to Nukvah, etc. "Hashem"—Ze'er Anpin—returns to being Elokim when it ascends to Atik, for relative to Atik, even Elokim is considered as nothing, end quote.

The idea is that there are two forms of combination: the combination of Havayah within Adnus, and the combination of Adnus within Havayah. These correspond to the higher and lower unifications, as explained in Pri Etz Chaim. The general rule in Pri Etz Chaim is that the first letter of the Divine name dominates. Thus, the combination of Adnus within Havayah, where the yud is the first letter, represents the higher unification, where Havayah dominates over Adnus and Adnus is subsumed within Havayah. The combination of Havayah within Adnus is the lower unification, where the alef is the first letter and Adnus dominates over Havayah. (See also the discourse beginning "VeHikrivtem Olah Isheh.")

The point is that the name Adnus is the same as Elokim, both representing the concept of oneness. As mentioned in the above Mishnas Chassidim, Elokim refers to Nukvah, etc.

Nukvah represents speech, which is separate and the external garment of the soul, unlike thought. Although thought is also a garment for the soul (but an internal one), it is like the shell of a locust, which is part of itself—the thought is united with the soul. This is the way and order of the intellectual soul, which is always thinking and contemplating. Speech, however, is only occasional and depends on the will of the soul; when it desires, it expresses itself, etc.

Similarly, Nukvah, the source of separateness, is the supernal speech, the letters and combinations that create the division of countless worlds: thousands upon thousands, etc.—so that the separated beings are exceedingly numerous. Many angels and souls, and so on, and no two creations are alike, etc.

From my own flesh I perceive—just as a person has two hands, one right and one left, and they are not alike. Even the flesh that covers the entire body, though it is one flesh, has different places—some higher, some lower, etc. There are mystical reasons for this, and philosophers have also investigated and found it so, etc.

Similarly, there are many divisions among angels, such as the camp of Michael with love and the camp of Gavriel with awe, etc. Among souls—Avraham represents love, Yitzchak awe, etc. None are identical to another, etc.

The root and source of the vitality of created beings, to allow for all these divisions, is the supernal speech. This is because it only draws down vitality to them in the aspect of "King." As is known regarding "There is no king without a people"—meaning a multitude, separate entities, etc.

This is the meaning of the names Adnus and Elokim, to be "Master" and "Mighty," etc. This is their life-force and existence, that they should have independent being, and therefore they are distinct from one another.

Nevertheless, they also receive from above an aspect of bittul (self-nullification), so that even though they are separate, they are still nullified. As it is written, "And the host of heaven bow to You"—this drawing down comes from the aspect of Havayah.

As in the verse, "HaMoshel u'Fachad Imo Oseh Shalom Bimromav"^[3] ("Dominion and awe are with Him; He makes peace in His heights"), the idea of peace is that water does not extinguish, etc.—because both are nullified in their source, since the aspect of dominion and awe is drawn down. This is the concept of the combination of Havayah within Adnus.

For in order to unite the two aspects, higher and lower, one of two things must occur: either the lower ascends to the higher, or the higher descends and lowers itself to the lower. The combination of Havayah within Adnus is the idea of the higher aspect descending and being drawn down from above to below, which is the aspect of bittul drawn into created beings so that, though they are separate, they are also nullified, etc. As it will be in the future: "For eye to eye they will see," and "all flesh will see," etc.—that in physicality, in this world, the supernal light will be drawn down.

And regarding this it is said, "Naflah Lo Tosif Kum"^[4] ("She has fallen, she shall rise no more"), meaning "Kum" (rise) in the sense of elevation and ascent from below to above, as in the elevation of worlds on Shabbos and Yom Tov, which is the combination of Adnus within Havayah. In this aspect of "Kum," there will be no more, but rather the drawing down from above to below, and in the place of darkness, the infinite light of the Blessed Ein Sof will dwell.

This is as our Sages said about the World to Come, which is the world of resurrection: there will be no eating, etc., but the righteous will sit and delight, etc. Certainly, this does not mean that the physical limbs will be nullified, for if so, what is the novelty that there is no eating? The soul before entering the body also did not eat and had no connection to worldly matters. Rather, there will be a body and physical limbs (for the World to Come is not the Garden of Eden, the world of souls, but the world of resurrection). If so, we must understand: since there is no eating, is the creation of the body and limbs for nothing, G‑d forbid?

Rather, the idea is that even the physical body and limbs will be nourished from spirituality. The enjoyment of the radiance of the Shechinah will become nourishment for the physical body and its organs, the stomach and intestines, etc. This was the case with Moshe on the mountain for forty days—his body and limbs were completely physical, yet they were sustained by spirituality. However, after Moshe descended from the mountain, his bodily vessels required physical food, because the world had not yet been refined, etc. In the future, when the materiality of the world will be refined—"all flesh will see," etc.—then supernal nourishment will be drawn down even to the place of darkness, into the physical limbs, as above.

This is what we request on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur: "VeTimloch Atah Hu Hashem Elokeinu," that the aspect of "Hu" and the aspect of "Hashem Elokeinu"—which are lofty levels of the infinite light of the Blessed Ein Sof—should be in a state of sovereignty and revelation, so that the world will be conducted through them. That is, spiritual nourishment will be bestowed to the physical vessels and limbs.

This is the first explanation of "Hashem Hu HaElokim" (meaning both combinations above, all still within the first explanation that "Hashem Hu HaElokim" refers to the higher and lower unifications):

2) However, the second explanation is as follows. It is written, "Ani Hashem Hu Shemi" ("I am Hashem, that is My name")—meaning, even though the aspect of Havayah is the level of Atzilus, which is G‑dliness, for "He and His life-force are one in them, and He and His vessels are one," nevertheless, it is incomparable to the essence and being of the infinite light of the Blessed Ein Sof. All of Atzilus is only in the aspect of a name—like the name of a person, Avraham, which is not of his essence at all, etc. Similarly, the radiance of the sun, etc.

And so it is stated in the Mishnas Chassidim regarding Atik, that is, Malchus of Ein Sof, etc. The drawing down of the infinite light to become the ten sefiros—Chochmah, Chesed, etc.—is only through contraction and enclothement, even in the lights themselves, not only in the vessels: "Ant Chachim"—meaning, "You" (the infinite light) lower Yourself into the aspect of "wise," for "in the place of His greatness, there you find His humility," etc.

This is the meaning of "HaGadol HaGibor"—Hashem is great, Hashem is mighty; to be great and mighty, He contracted through the name Hashem, and to be awesome requires two contractions—vav and hei are "veHanora," etc.

This is the meaning of Yaakov's prayer: "If Elokim will be with me"—this refers to drawing down from above to below. "And He will guard me on this way"—to refine the sparks, etc. For he went to Charan, from the word "charon af" (anger), a place of kelipos and the other side, etc. Afterwards, when "I return in peace to my father's house, and Hashem will be for me Elokim"—meaning that the aspect of Havayah will be for me as Elokim, a contraction relative to the essence of the infinite light. For the quality of Yaakov is to ascend ever higher, spanning from one end to the other. The quality of Yaakov is an inheritance without boundaries, infinite.

For the quality of Avraham is chesed, which has a limit to how far it can extend, because there is something that holds back and prevents its extension. Chesed is given out of love and generosity, and there is a measure and limit to how far love reaches and how much generosity is appropriate, depending on the recipient's worthiness, etc. The quality of Yaakov, however, is compassion, which has no limit—even if one is not worthy, still, there is compassion for him, etc.

This is the meaning of "Shuvah Yisrael ad Havayah Elokecha"—that the level of Yisrael should reach until Havayah becomes Elokim, etc., as above.

This is the meaning of "VaTispalel Chanah al Havayah"—"al" (upon/above) specifically. "U'Vachoh Sivkeh"—this is the aspect of compassion. For although crying can also come from joy, it is not pure joy alone—for at a wedding, for example, there is no crying. Rather, it is joy that comes from pain, like the advantage of light that comes from darkness. Like someone who was distant from his father and then sees him, etc. Thus, crying comes from the combination of both qualities, as compassion is a blend of two aspects.

Through this, the thirteen attributes of mercy are drawn down: "Vayikra Havayah Havayah"—the first Havayah calls and draws down the second Havayah. The first Havayah is in Arich Anpin, the name "Chanun v'Rachum Hashem"—to become Havayah, it is preceded by "Chanun v'Rachum." The second Havayah is in Ze'er Anpin, as in "Hashem, G‑d, compassionate and gracious," etc.

As it is written, "Ki Imcha HaSlicha L'ma'an Tiva'rei"—when forgiveness is drawn down, a revelation of will, the aspect of Arich Anpin—then "L'ma'an Tiva'rei"—the revelation of the yud that rests on the head, which is the source of awe, the light of Abba, for Abba draws from the eighth mazal, and Abba is the root of Atzilus.

Through this, the aspect of Havayah is drawn down, which is the generality of all of Atzilus. The rectification of all of Atzilus is restored after the blemish in the yud, etc. This is accomplished through "Ki Shuvah Yisrael ad Havayah Elokecha," etc.

Summary

This maamar explains the mystical dynamics of the unification of the Divine names Havayah and Elokim, revealing how these processes reflect the interplay between higher and lower spiritual realms. The Rebbe teaches that the ultimate goal is the refinement of the physical world, where even the body is nourished by spirituality.