054 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ג - יום ד' פ' בהעלותך, ט"ו סיון ה'תשל"ד

B"H, Wednesday, Parshas BeHa'aloscha, 15 Sivan 5734.

BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros El Mul Pnei HaMenorah Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros.

The Rebbe Rayatz, in his maamar on this verse^[1][2], points out that first it says, "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros" (when you kindle the lamps), without specifying a number, and only afterward does it say, "Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros" (the seven lamps shall shine). We also need to understand^[3] the phrase "El Mul Pnei HaMenorah Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros"—since the "face of the Menorah" refers to the central lamp^[4], it should have said, "Ya'iru Sheshet HaNeiros" (the six lamps shall shine)^[5]. The explanation^[6] is that the lamps mentioned in "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros" and those in "Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros" are two different concepts. "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros"—plain lamps—refers to souls, as it says^[7] "Ner Hashem Nishmas Adam" (the soul of man is the lamp of Hashem). Just as a flame naturally rises upward and seeks to reunite with its source (the general fire beneath the moon's sphere^[8][9]), so too the soul has an innate drive to ascend and be absorbed in its source. However, in the souls of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, this drive is concealed, and Aharon's task is to awaken and reveal this nature, so that their drive to ascend is manifest. "Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros" refers to the luminaries in the heavens, as the Midrash says^[10] that the Mishkan parallels the world, and all aspects of creation had their counterpart in the Mishkan. The Menorah corresponds to "Yehi Me'oros"^[11] (let there be lights) in the heavens. Although the verse in creation says^[12] "And G-d made the two great lights," the sun and moon are the main luminaries, but in detail there are seven. Thus, through Aharon's work to elevate the souls, there is an increase of light in the luminaries, similar to how Sarah added to the lights^[13][14].

2) From the fact that "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros" in its simple meaning refers to the Menorah's lamps, it is understood that, in the inner dimension, it refers to souls because the soul-lamps are the inner aspect of the Menorah's lamps. [Besides the fact that souls are called lamps in general, they are specifically the Menorah's lamps.] The reason there were seven lamps in the Menorah is that the soul-lamps are divided into seven types. Based on this, we need to understand why the Torah changes its language: regarding the luminaries it says "Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros," but regarding the souls it says "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros"—just "lamps."

This can be understood according to Likkutei Torah^[15], which explains that the seven lamps of the Menorah correspond to seven types of Jews in their service of Hashem: one serves with a love that flows like water (chesed), another with a fiery love (gevurah), and so on. The fact that these seven types (even though their difference is only in the manner of their service) are called seven lamps (since the soul is called a lamp^[16], implying seven types of souls), is because "I was created to serve my Maker"^[17] (especially according to the version^[18] "I was created only to serve my Maker"). Therefore, the difference in their service affects their very being. As explained elsewhere^[19], the phrase "I was created to serve my Maker" refers to the soul's descent into creation, but the soul itself, as it is in the state of "pure,"^[20] being a literal part of G-d above^[21], is not a means to any other purpose (not even to serve its Maker); its purpose is in itself. Thus, the division of souls according to their service applies only to the level of "You created it," not to their essence. Therefore, "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros"—just "lamps"—hints that the elevation of souls is also in the level of "pure," above division. The earlier point, that "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros" refers to souls of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, is because their drive to ascend is concealed due to their descent, so it must be awakened. But through this, they ultimately ascend even higher than before their descent.

3) This can also be understood according to the Maggid's teaching^[22] on "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros," that the lamps are mitzvos, as it says^[23] "Ki Ner Mitzvah" (a mitzvah is a lamp). Just as a lamp holds light, so too the inner aspect (the light) of a mitzvah is love and awe. The meaning of "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros" (where "es" can mean "with") is that you elevate yourself with the mitzvos, and the elevation is "El Mul Pnei HaMenorah"—to the innermost dimension. Similarly, it says^[24] "And G-d spoke all these words, saying: I am..."—the intent is that all mitzvos (all these words) are "saying," that a person should think and say "I am" and "You shall have no other gods," meaning "Ahavah" (love) and "Yirah" (awe), which are the initials of "Anochi V'Lo Yihiyeh" (I am and you shall not have), and also "Ahavah V'Yirah". "Pnei" (face) means the inner aspect, which is Hashem. This is "El Mul Pnei HaMenorah." "Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros" are the seven days of building, love, awe, tiferes, etc.

Apparently, the inner aspect of mitzvos has two dimensions. Through fulfilling mitzvos (the lamp, the vessel), one attains love and awe^[25] (the light). This is the meaning of "Anochi V'Lo Yihiyeh" (the sum of all mitzvos^[26]), the initials of "Ahavah V'Yirah," the inner aspect, like the light of the lamp, where the light and lamp are commensurate. Through this, a higher inner aspect is drawn—"Al Pnei"^[27], the true inner aspect, which is Hashem. Based on this, we can also understand the connection between the two explanations of "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros"—whether the lamps are souls or mitzvos: the revelation of the soul's drive to ascend in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, which leads to their elevation even above their state in Atzilus before their descent. When the soul is aroused with a great love beyond reason^[28], even though this ascent is "El Mul Pnei HaMenorah" (the inner aspect), it is the first level of innerness (like the love and awe drawn through mitzvos), and through this, the soul is elevated even higher, the second level of innerness, "Al Pnei."

4) The idea is that even as the soul is above, it is like a son who is drawn from the father's mind, but the essence of the soul as it is rooted in the Divine Essence is like the son as he is in the father's mind itself (before being drawn forth), not in a state of extension or revelation^[29]. Through the soul's work in its descent below, awakening and revealing its drive to ascend—like a son's longing for his father^[30]—the essence of the soul as rooted in the Essence is revealed. For regarding the level of the soul that is like a son drawn from the father's mind, the descent into Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah (and certainly into this physical world) conceals and obscures this [and as is known^[31] only souls of Atzilus are called sons]. That even in its descent below, the soul is openly a son, with its drive to ascend revealed like a son longing for his father, is through the revelation of the soul's essence as it is in the father's mind (before being drawn forth), for at that level, Atzilus and Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah are equal.

Based on this, we can explain what Likkutei Torah^[32] says on the verse^[33] "I saw, and behold, a golden Menorah... This is the word of Hashem to Zerubavel," that the connection between the Menorah and the word of Hashem to Zerubavel is that the word of Hashem is the source of the Jewish people, and "the word of Hashem to Zerubavel" is because at that time, the Jews were called Zerubavel, from the phrase "I have planted"^[34] (Zerubavel meaning planted in Bavel). The connection between the golden Menorah and the word of Hashem to Zerubavel is that the Jewish people as a whole are called a Menorah.

It is not immediately clear what the connection is between the Menorah and the fact that the Jews were planted in Bavel. The explanation is based on the well-known idea^[35] that exile is called planting because its purpose is for ascent, like planting seeds in the ground is for the sake of abundant growth (one plants a small measure to reap many measures^[36]). This is the connection between the golden Menorah and Zerubavel: the concept of "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros," the revelation of the soul's essence (as explained above in section 2), is primarily achieved through the work during exile [the earlier point, that the revelation of the soul's essence is through its descent below, is general, but the main revelation is through the work of Jews specifically in exile]. Therefore, the Jews are called Zerubavel here, to hint that not only are they a Menorah even in exile [even when "I am asleep^[38] in exile^[39], my heart is awake"], but even more so: the descent of exile is a planting that leads to much greater growth, "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros"^[40].

5) Just as, according to the explanation that "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros" refers to souls, their main elevation is the revelation of their root as it is in the Essence, so too according to the explanation that it refers to mitzvos, their elevation is that they draw from the Essence. By Jews fulfilling mitzvos, whose root is in the Essence, this is drawn into the mitzvos as well. The earlier point, that through mitzvah observance one attains love and awe, means that mitzvos are above the person and influence him to attain love and awe beyond reason, which cannot be reached through one's own effort but is drawn from above through mitzvos—this is the beginning of the work. But after reaching this level, the first level of "Pnei" (innerness) of the Menorah, the root of the soul as it is in the Essence is revealed, the second level of "Pnei HaMenorah," "Al Pnei," Hashem Himself, and this is drawn into the mitzvos^[41], as our Sages say^[42] on the verse^[43] "He tells His words to Yaakov, His statutes and judgments to Israel," that what He does, He tells Israel to do, and it is explained^[44] that by Jews doing mitzvos, they cause Hashem to do these mitzvos^[45]. [Similarly^[46] regarding Torah: after Jews connect to Torah and through it to Hashem, the root of Jews above the root of Torah is revealed, and after this is revealed, they draw this into Torah, as David would connect the higher Torah to Hashem^[47].] This is the meaning of the Maggid's teaching (mentioned above) that "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros" means with the lamps, elevating yourself with the mitzvos—the intent is that one elevates the mitzvos to the place where he himself is elevated, the second level of "Pnei HaMenorah," "Al Pnei."

6) Additionally, just as in the simple meaning of the verse, "El Mul Pnei HaMenorah" continues into "Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros," so too in the inner dimension: "El Mul Pnei HaMenorah," which refers to "Al Pnei," comes as an additional continuation to "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros," which refers to souls, and also to "Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros." The increase of light in the luminaries (as Sarah added to the lights) is not only to fill the deficiency caused by the diminishing of the moon, but also to elevate them even higher than their original state as the two great lights. Although the world was created in its fullness^[48], nevertheless, through man's service, the world is elevated even higher than at its creation [and certainly more than the elevation of mitzvos or even souls], so that the world becomes a dwelling for Him^[49], for His Essence^[50].

7) Through the work of "BeHa'aloscha Es HaNeiros... Ya'iru Shivas HaNeiros" in all the above aspects, we bring closer and hasten the fulfillment of the promise^[51] that "night will shine like day," in the true and complete redemption through Moshiach. Even before that, in the final days of exile's darkness, all the Jewish people will have light in their dwellings^[52], as each person adds light and vitality to his service, which will hasten even more the fulfillment of "night will shine like day," with the coming of Moshiach, who will redeem us and lead us upright to our land, when the elevation (BeHa'aloscha) in all matters will be complete, both inwardly and outwardly.

Summary

This maamar teaches that the Menorah's lamps represent both the souls of Israel and the mitzvos, each with unique qualities yet all rooted in the Divine Essence. Through our spiritual efforts, especially in exile, we reveal deeper G-dliness in ourselves, our mitzvos, and the world, hastening the ultimate redemption.