034 —מאמרים מלוקט חלק ד - ש"פ תבוא, ח"י אלול ה'תשל"ג

B"H, Shabbos Parshas Tavo, 18 Elul 5733.

Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech etc. ("Arise, shine, for your light has come, etc.").

Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech means that "your light has come" is the reason for "arise, shine." G‑d tells the Jewish people: since your light has already arrived, you must rise and shine. We must understand the meaning of these two lights—the light of the Jewish people themselves and the light they are to illuminate. This can be understood through the Yalkut, which says: The Jews said to G‑d, "We made a Menorah for You in the days of Moshe and it was extinguished, in the days of Shlomo and it was extinguished; from now on, we await only Your light, as it says, 'For with You is the source of life, in Your light we see light.'" Thus, G‑d says, "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech." Since the verse compares "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech" to "BaOrech Nir'eh Or," it is clear that the two concepts in "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech" parallel those in "BaOrech Nir'eh Or."^[1][2][3][4]

2) This can be explained by first introducing what the Previous Rebbe explains in his maamar on "Ki Imcha Mekor Chayim BaOrech Nir'eh Or," that this verse contains four concepts: life, source of life, Your light, and light. These four are in ascending order. "Life" refers to the Divine vitality that is invested in the worlds—memale kol almin (filling all worlds). [It is called "life" in the plural because the vitality that is invested in the worlds and creations is divided in many ways, each creation according to its nature.] "Source of life" is the light that surrounds all worlds—sovev kol almin. "Your light" is Torah, for Torah is light,^[5] which is higher even than sovev. The light that is seen through "Your light" is even higher than "Your light," to the extent that "Your light" is only a preparation for the light that is seen through it.

3) To explain the elevation of "Your light," which will help us understand the greatness of the light seen through "Your light" (which is even higher), we must first explain the concept of "source of life," which has two interpretations. One is that "source of life" means that even the surrounding light, being only a radiance, is at least a source for the vitality that is invested in the worlds. The other is that "source of life" refers to the light that is higher than being a source for the vitality of memale kol almin; it is called "source of life" because life emanates from it [as explained in Likkutei Torah about G‑d being called "Tzur Chayeinu" (Rock of our life), where "Tzur" means the source and root of all existence—not that He is merely a source, G‑d forbid, but that all roots of existence are found within Him]. This is the meaning of "Ki Imcha Mekor Chayim"—the word "Imcha" (with You) has two interpretations: one, that it is only "with You" and not You Yourself, something secondary and nullified to You; and two, that it is not a separate entity but united with You. As the Midrash says on the verse "If you lend money to My people," just as I am so should you be. These two interpretations correspond to the two explanations of "source of life." According to the first, "source of life" is only "with You" and not You Yourself, secondary and nullified to You. According to the second, "source of life" means that life is drawn only from "with You," from the light that is united with Him.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]}

4) Even according to the interpretation that "source of life" means that life is found from it (and not that it is a source for life), nevertheless, since it is called "source of life" (the vitality of the worlds), it must have some connection to the worlds. Therefore, after saying "Ki Imcha Mekor Chayim," the verse adds "BaOrech etc." (the order of the verse is from lower to higher, as above), for "Your light" is above any connection to the worlds. That is why it is called "light" (Orech), for the concept of light is that it is attached to and resembles its source, the luminary.^[15] That is, it is not a separate entity, and thus it cannot be a source for anything; its entire function is to reveal the luminary. The verse specifies "Your light"—in addition to the fact that light in general (even as it extends outside the luminary) is all about spreading and revealing the luminary, here it is specifically "Your light," your own light, the light included within His essence. In general, this is the infinite light before the tzimtzum (as explained elsewhere, that the general light before the tzimtzum is the light included within His essence). This light is above any connection to the worlds, and therefore, for the worlds to be created, the light must be withdrawn. The Sages said, "Before the world was created, there was only He and His Name alone"—the light before the tzimtzum (since creation begins with tzimtzum, and before the world was created is before tzimtzum) is called "His Name." Just as a person's name is not an entity at all (not even like light), and its entire function is that the person turns to those who call him by name, so too with the light before the tzimtzum—it is not an entity, and its entire function is only that it is His Name, "He and His Name alone."^{[16][17][18][19][20][21]}

5) It is known that in the infinite light before the tzimtzum, there are (in general) two levels: the essence of the light and the extension of the light. Within the extension itself, there are two general levels: revelation to Himself, which is the root of the surrounding light, and revelation that relates to the worlds (for even though the general light before the tzimtzum is included within His essence, within His essence itself there is a revelation that relates to the worlds), which is the root of the filling light. According to what is known, the drawing down of light above is not by necessity, G‑d forbid, and even the drawing down of the light before the tzimtzum (even the revelation to Himself, which is above the revelation that relates to the worlds) is for some purpose related to the worlds. Thus, the two levels of sovev and memale after the tzimtzum are drawn from the two revelations (revelation to Himself and revelation that relates to the worlds) before the tzimtzum, in such a way that the revelations before the tzimtzum are related to the levels after the tzimtzum. From this it is understood that even the light before the tzimtzum is included in "source of life," and "Your light" (which is above "source of life") is even higher than the light before the tzimtzum. It can be said that this is why the maamar explains that "Your light" refers to Torah (Torah is light), for Torah is not for the sake of the worlds; on the contrary, the creation of all the worlds (including even the revelations before the tzimtzum, which are for the sake of the worlds) is for the sake of Torah.^{[22][23][24][25][26][27][28]}

6) The verse continues, "Nir'eh Or" (we see light), which is even higher than "Your light," to the extent that "Your light" is only a preparation for the light seen through it (as explained in the maamar). This can be explained based on the well-known idea regarding Torah and the Jewish people, that the root of Israel is higher than the root of Torah, as it says in Tanna D'vei Eliyahu: Two things preceded the world—Torah and Israel. I do not know which came first, but since it says, "Command the children of Israel, speak to the children of Israel," I say Israel came first. However, the souls descended and became separate entities, like a son ("You are children to the L‑rd your G‑d"), who, though he comes from his father's essence, is a distinct entity. Torah, even as it descends below, remains united with Him—"Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one." Therefore, the greatness of Israel (who preceded Torah) is revealed through Torah (for in Torah it says, "Command the children of Israel, speak to the children of Israel"), because the souls, as they are in themselves, being separate entities, their root is hidden; whereas Torah, which is one with G‑d, is revealed (and Torah is light), and through Torah the root of Israel is also revealed. Based on this, the two concepts of "BaOrech Nir'eh Or" are Torah and Israel. "Your light" is Torah (as above), and the light seen through "Your light" is the root of Israel that is revealed through Torah.^{[29][30][31][32][33][34][35]}

7) This is the meaning of "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech"—these two concepts (Ori and Orech) are similar to the two concepts in "BaOrech Nir'eh Or" (as explained at the beginning of the maamar). "Orech," the light of the Jewish people themselves, is like "BaOrech" (your light), and "Kumi Ori," the light that Jews shine forth, is like the light seen through "Your light" (which is higher than "Your light"). This can be understood based on what is explained elsewhere about the soul and the body: regarding souls it says, "You are children to the L‑rd your G‑d," and therefore, the love and connection of G‑d to Israel because of their souls is like a natural love (like a father's love for his son). That is, the root of this love is from a level where the beloved has some presence, and it is not from His very essence. However, the love and connection of G‑d to Israel because of their bodies is (not because of the greatness of the body, nor the greatness of being a "son"—an essential quality—but) because G‑d chose the body of Israel, with His free choice, and this choice is from His very essence. However, the greatness of the soul (being a child of G‑d) is revealed, while the greatness of the body (where the essence chooses) is hidden. When the soul works with the body, its greatness is revealed—the choice of the essence.^[36][37][38]

Based on this, we can say that "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech" means that "Orech" is the light of the soul, and "Kumi Ori" is that through the light of the soul ("Ki Va Orech"), one must work with the body and illuminate it, thereby revealing something even higher than the light of the soul (Orech), as explained above (section 2) regarding "BaOrech Nir'eh Or," that the light seen through "Your light" is higher than "Your light."

8) The Previous Rebbe explains in his maamar on "Ki Imcha Mekor Chayim" that the verse "Ki Imcha Mekor Chayim etc." is the statement of Knesses Yisrael to G‑d during exile. In exile, the thirst for G‑dliness is greater than during the time of the Temple, as the Baal Shem Tov (whose birthday is on 18 Elul) taught on the verse "My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You in a dry and weary land without water; so have I seen You in the Sanctuary"—"My soul thirsts for You" is during exile (in a dry and weary land), and "so have I seen You in the Sanctuary"—if only I could see You in the Sanctuary. In exile, Knesses Yisrael says to G‑d: "Master of the universe, for with You is the source of life, in Your light we see light"—with You, Master of the universe, is the source of life; with Your light we see light. Based on what was explained above (section 1, according to the Yalkut) that "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech" is similar to "BaOrech Nir'eh Or," we can say that G‑d's statement to Knesses Yisrael, "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech" [even though the simple meaning of "Ki Va Orech" (that your light has already come) implies it refers to the time of redemption], also applies during exile. That is, even during exile, especially in the final days of exile, it is possible and necessary to have "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech," both regarding the light of the soul (Orech) and regarding the soul illuminating the body (Kumi Ori).^[39][40]

And through our actions and service during exile,^[41] especially in the matter of "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech," we bring and hasten the future redemption, when "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech" will be fulfilled in its literal sense (that the light has already come), and in a manner of alacrity, as the conclusion and seal of the haftorah says—"I will hasten it."^[42][43]

Summary

The Rebbe teaches that "Kumi Ori Ki Va Orech" refers to both the soul's inner light and the higher light revealed through Torah and mitzvos. Even in exile, Jews can access these lights, and by doing so, they hasten the coming of the ultimate redemption.