190 —זהות ספר מערכת האלקות וגבולות שמות אלוקיים

B"H, Monday, the 20th of Menachem Av, 5705.

Harav Hachassid Vechulu Hatamim Harav Hagaon Reb Eliezer Hecht

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In response to your question: The book Maarechet HaElokut is by Rabbi Peretz HaKohen ben Rabbi Yitzchak, one of the great kabbalists in the time of the Ramban. The tzt"z in Drush Gimel Shitot (printed at the end of Derech Mitzvosecha vol. II) mentions him several times and tries to reconcile several teachings of Rabbeinu HaZaken according to his view. His greatness is also evident from the fact that several generations later, the kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Chaim—praised by the Arizal as written in Torah Or on "Vayomer... Hen HaAdam"—wrote a commentary on Sefer Maarechet HaElokut.

What is quoted in his name—"for the Ein Sof which we mentioned is not alluded to in Torah etc."—the meaning is clear, as explained in several discourses in Chassidus. Among them is at the beginning of Shoresh Mitzvas HaTefillah: What the kabbalists attribute Divine names to specific attributes (like Kel for Chesed etc.), it does not refer to the essence of the Sefirah itself... for Scripture never departs from its simple meaning; when we read in Torah one of the known names by which He is called, our intent—and this is truly its meaning—is on the very Essence of G-d Himself, whose existence comes from His essence... Indeed, our intent with this is to the Creator of the world as He radiates through His attribute of Chesed etc. Thus, even though there are ten names etc., the Ein Sof that extends within them is one etc., and it is to Him that we direct our calling etc. But He Himself in His very Essence has no name that indicates Him, for He cannot be grasped by any letter or attribute, G-d forbid—as all kabbalists have written. See also Zohar II (42b): "Before creating anything... it is forbidden to make for Him any form or likeness at all—not with letter Hei nor with letter Yud nor even with a holy name nor with any letter or point at all. But after making this likeness of Adam Ila'ah's chariot, He descended there and was called by that likeness Havayah so that He could be known etc.; but when He departs from it there remains no attribute nor likeness nor form etc." See there at length. And in Tikkunei Zohar's introduction (in Maamar Eliyahu): "And You have no known name," and elsewhere.

This is also logically necessary even at first glance: since every name limits and gives some positive or negative form at least; but His very Essence has no form applicable to it. See Shelah at its beginning on this idea.

As for your request for a hint in Nigleh: This matter is explicit in Shemot Rabbah (3:6; cited at Shoresh Mitzvas HaTefillah): The Holy One said to Moshe: 'You seek to know My name? I am called according to My deeds... When I show mercy upon My world I am called Havayah...' See there. Also see Hemshech Resamach-Vav on "Kol Hashoneh Halachot," regarding Havayah as applied to Essence which has no letters.

With blessings for immediate teshuvah and immediate redemption,
Rabbi Menachem Schneerson

Summary

The Rebbe clarifies that while Divine names relate to G-d's manifestations through attributes, His true Essence transcends all names and forms—no term can define Him. This concept appears both in Kabbalah and revealed Torah sources.