053 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ג - ש"פ בהעלותך, כ"א סיון ה'תשכ"ט

B"H, Shabbos Parshas BeHa'aloscha, 21 Sivan 5729.

BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros.

It is stated in Likkutei Torah^[2] that the neiros (candles) represent souls, as it is written^[3] "Ner Hashem Nishmas Adam" (the candle of Hashem is the soul of man). The seven candles of the Menorah correspond to the seven types of Jews in their service of Hashem: some serve with a love that flows like water (chesed), others with a fiery love (gevurah), and so on. The Rebbe Maharash, in his maamar on "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros" delivered a hundred years ago^[4], explains that souls are called candles as the Sages say^[5]: "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to man: My candle is in your hand and your candle is in Mine. My candle in your hand is Torah, as it is written^[6] 'For a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light.' Your candle in My hand is the soul, as it is written^[3] 'Ner Hashem Nishmas Adam.' If you guard My candle, I will guard your candle; if you extinguish My candle, I will extinguish your candle." We need to understand: the idea that souls are called candles is explicit in the verse, so why does the maamar bring the Midrash? Also, the verse says "Ner Hashem Nishmas Adam"—the soul is Hashem's candle—while the Midrash says the soul is your candle (man's), and Torah is My candle (Hashem's).

2) This can be explained by first introducing what is explained elsewhere^[7]: the idea of "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros" is that Aharon arouses the souls to have a desire to ascend upward, to be absorbed in the Essence of the Infinite. Although this desire is the soul's nature, as explained in Tanya^[8], that the reason souls are called candles is because, just as a flame naturally rises upward to connect to its source (the general fire beneath the lunar sphere^[9]), so too the soul naturally yearns to ascend and be absorbed in its source. Nevertheless, Aharon must elevate the candles (souls), because when the soul descends into a body, its natural yearning is concealed. As explained at length in the discourses^[7], one reason why souls of Atzilus are called "seed of man" and souls of Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah (BY"A) are called "seed of animal"^[10] is that souls of Atzilus, even when they descend, retain their revealed yearning to ascend, and are thus called "man"—"the spirit of man ascends upward"^[11]. Souls of BY"A (which are most souls^[12]), when they descend and clothe in a body, are drawn after the body and worldly matters, and are called "animal"—"the spirit of the animal descends downward"^[11]. Aharon's task is to arouse and reveal the yearning to ascend even in souls of BY"A, so that their nature to ascend is revealed.

It is explained in the discourses^[13] that the reason the elevation of the candles—the revelation of the soul's yearning—is specifically through Aharon is because regarding Aharon it is written^[14]: "Like the good oil on the head, running down upon the beard, the beard of Aharon, running down upon his garments." The beard of Aharon refers to the laws of Torah^[15], and through Torah, which is "Torah Or" (Torah is light), the soul's nature to ascend is revealed, even when it is clothed in a body. Based on this, we can explain the connection between the Sages' statement (quoted in the maamar) "If you guard My candle, I will guard your candle" and "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros": guarding the soul's candle (that it not be extinguished) means that the soul's yearning is revealed, and this is achieved by guarding the candle of Torah, just as the elevation of the candles is through Aharon—Torah.

3) The maamar continues: we need to understand, in "If you guard My candle, I will guard your candle," what is the connection between the two, and why are they dependent on each other? This is explained based on the Midrash^[16]: "In whose merit were the heavens and earth created and sustained? In the merit of 'these are the names of the children of Israel'^[18], and in whose merit do they stand? In the merit of 'these are the testimonies, statutes, and laws'^[19]." The purpose of creation is for Israel, and the perfection of Israel is through Torah. By fulfilling the 613 mitzvos, Jews are elevated to a higher level than their inherent state. This is why the soul descends into a body—to fulfill Torah and mitzvos, for through this the soul is elevated even higher than before its descent. Thus, "If you guard My candle, I will guard your candle"—the guarding of the soul's candle is through guarding the candle of Torah.

According to what is written in the maamar, that "If you guard My candle, I will guard your candle" means that through Torah and mitzvos the soul is elevated higher than before its descent, we can say that this is why this is connected to "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros"—because the elevation of the souls is to a level even higher than before their descent^[20].

4) To explain this more specifically: the maamar's question—why are the guarding of the soul's candle and the guarding of the Torah's candle dependent on each other?—is because "guarding My candle" is not only refraining from transgressing, but actively fulfilling the mitzvos of Torah^[21]. Thus, the question is mainly about the souls of Atzilus: since their soul is already revealed, why do they need the candle of Torah? For souls of BY"A, since the body and animal soul conceal the G-dly soul, their soul's candle is guarded through Torah and mitzvos (as explained above in section 2), but for souls of Atzilus, why is this necessary?

Based on this, we need to understand what the maamar says: that the guarding of the soul's candle is through the guarding of the Torah's candle, because "these are the names of the children of Israel" stand in the merit of "these are the testimonies, statutes, and laws." Seemingly, Israel's existence depends on Torah and mitzvos because through them they are elevated to a higher level^[23], but their inherent level does not depend on Torah. The explanation is based on the Zohar^[25] quoted in Tanya^[26]: just as a flame cannot burn on a wick without oil, so too the Shechinah does not rest on a person's body (the wick) except through good deeds (the oil). Tanya explains^[27] that even a soul, though a part of G-d above, is not completely nullified; only mitzvos, which are the inner will of Hashem, are totally united with Him. Therefore, the Shechinah rests on a person only through mitzvos, because true nullification is achieved only then. Thus, the soul's candle is its bitul (self-nullification)^[28], and its complete bitul is through mitzvos. This is why the soul's candle is called "your candle" (man's), and the mitzvos are "My candle" (Hashem's): the soul's bitul is not absolute, but the mitzvos are Hashem's inner will. By fulfilling mitzvos, this higher bitul is drawn into the soul—"I will guard your candle"^[29].

5) Note that this maamar is connected to Shavuos. Besides the fact that Parshas BeHa'aloscha (the beginning of the maamar) is read after Shavuos^[30], it is noted at the start of the maamar that it is connected to the discourse "VaYedaber Anochi"^[31]. Thus, the elevation of the soul through Torah and mitzvos is similar to the elevation of Israel at Matan Torah. The natural love in every Jew to cleave to Hashem, even to the point of self-sacrifice, existed even before Matan Torah, as this love is inherited from the Avos. Tanya explains^[32] that this inheritance is because the Avos were the Merkavah^[33] (chariot), meaning they were totally nullified to the Rider. In this inherited natural love, there is also hidden the love of bitul^[34], where one desires only the revelation of G-dliness in the world^[35] and the fulfillment of the purpose of creation^[36].

It is known^[37] that love is the desire of the person (the lover), so even when the desire is for the fulfillment of the Divine will, it is still a form of selfhood. True bitul is in the service of kabbolas ol (accepting the yoke), like a servant who has no will of his own and acts only because of the master's command. Since the bitul of the Merkavah is not from its own will but from the Rider, the inheritance from the Avos includes, in a concealed way, the bitul of kabbolas ol. The Sages say^[38] that when Israel said "Na'aseh v'Nishma," they revealed this secret, and Chassidus explains^[39] that this highest bitul is achieved through the revelation of the hidden love. Thus, the bitul drawn to Israel at Matan Torah (after "Na'aseh v'Nishma") is even higher than the bitul of the Merkavah.

6) The Gemara^[40] says of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai that he left nothing unstudied, from the greatest to the smallest: the greatest being Ma'aseh Merkavah (the mystical chariot), the smallest being the discussions of Abaye and Rava. The maamar explains^[41] that Ma'aseh Merkavah is called "great" because, through the chariot^[42], the rider reaches a place he could not reach on his own. Similarly, in the supernal chariot, the chayos (living beings) carry the throne^[43] and the man upon it^[44] to the level of "not man"^[45]. The main elevation to "not man" is through the chariot of the Avos, the chariot of Atzilus. The elevation from "man" to "not man" through the chariot of BY"A is only relative, but through the Avos, it is to a level above Atzilus. Thus, Ma'aseh Merkavah is called "great," for "Zeir Anpin" (the small face) is limitation, and through the chariot, one is elevated to "Arich" (the long face), greatness.

The reason the discussions of Abaye and Rava are called "small" (even though they are the essence of the Oral Torah) is because the laws of Torah are clothed in small, physical matters. Each mitzvah has many details, and this division is limitation—smallness. The difference between Ma'aseh Merkavah and the discussions of Abaye and Rava is thus from one extreme to the other: the chariot is transcendence of limitation—greatness; the discussions are the enclothing of the infinite will in limited matters—smallness. The maamar adds another reason: the Torah now is small compared to the inner Torah that will be revealed in the future, and because Torah is a parable and garment for the Infinite. Therefore, Torah is called "the parable of the Ancient One," a parable and garment for the Primordial One. A parable, compared to its subject, is small.

We can say that, according to the reason that the discussions are called "small" because Torah is clothed in small matters, the smallness is due to the garments of Torah. Therefore, the maamar adds that Torah itself is small compared to its inner dimension and the Infinite within it. The first reason emphasizes the contrast between the discussions and Ma'aseh Merkavah; the second, that even Torah itself is relatively small.

7) The maamar further explains that Torah is called "small" because of the utter bitul (nullification) of halacha to the Infinite within it. Just as a person's Torah study must be with bitul—"Let my tongue answer Your word"^[50], like one who repeats after the reader^[51]—so too the laws themselves are nullified to the Infinite within them. According to the simple meaning, "small" is relative to other things; according to the bitul explanation, the smallness is intrinsic. But if so, why is the chariot, which is also bitul, called "great"?

The explanation is that the bitul called "small" (as in "I am small") is when one is completely nullified and has no advantage. As explained in Iggeres HaKodesh, one makes oneself like leftovers, with no value. Since the chariot is a reality, and even has an advantage for the rider (as through it he can reach higher), it is not "small." On the contrary, its advantage is that it enables elevation to "greatness." The laws of Torah, clothed in physical things, have no comparison to the Divine wisdom within them, so they are utterly nullified—"small." Through the bitul in the laws themselves, this bitul is drawn into the person learning Torah, so his study is with bitul, like one who repeats after the reader.

8) This is the meaning of "Vayedaber Elokim es kol ha-devarim ha-eileh leimor"^[55]—Hashem spoke all these words, saying. Chassidus explains that at Matan Torah, the power was given for a person's Torah study to be in the mode of "leimor"—to repeat what Hashem says, "Let my tongue answer Your word." Seemingly, even before Matan Torah, Israel said "Na'aseh v'Nishma," which is the bitul of the subject to the will of the Master. What is the novelty of the bitul of "leimor"? The bitul of "Na'aseh v'Nishma" is accepting the yoke of Heaven, and by accepting the yoke, Hashem becomes King—just as the chariot's bitul enables the rider to ascend. The bitul of "leimor" is absolute bitul.

Similarly, in mitzvah observance, at Matan Torah the power was given that a person's fulfillment of mitzvos be with absolute bitul—not because he accepted the yoke, but because Hashem's command compels him to act accordingly. As explained in Likkutei Torah^[57] regarding the Ten Commandments, and similarly with all Torah commands, they are phrased as commands and also in the future tense, because the speech itself decrees upon the person and the world (and compels them^[58]) to be so.

We can say that the advantage of this bitul in mitzvah observance over the bitul of accepting the yoke is twofold: the latter is because the person accepted upon himself to be a servant of the King of kings^[59], and even more, the bitul of a servant—even one born a servant—is still tied to his own existence, as his identity is that of a servant^[60]. But the bitul described above is not from the person's own identity, but because it is impossible for there to be anything in the world contrary to Hashem's command^[61].

9) Although this bitul in Torah study and mitzvah observance is absolute, since "Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, are one"^[62], this bitul does not negate their existence; on the contrary, it is their very existence. This is "If you guard My candle, I will guard your candle": although "I will guard your candle" means the person reaches total bitul (even higher than the bitul of the chariot), this does not negate his existence, but rather "guards" it. This is also the meaning of Rashi's comment on "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros"—that the flame should rise on its own: although the elevation of the souls is to total bitul, it is in a way that relates to the souls themselves—the flame rises on its own. Thus, Torah study and mitzvah observance are with bitul, but also with vitality and joy. And since joy breaks all boundaries^[63], through the joy of Torah and mitzvos, all spiritual and physical blessings are drawn down without limitation.

Summary

This maamar teaches that the soul’s yearning to ascend to G-d is innate, but its full revelation comes through Torah and mitzvos, which bring about a higher state of self-nullification. The ultimate goal is to serve with both humility and joy, drawing unlimited Divine blessings into the world.