תשרי ה' — אגרת הקודש פרק כ

The Alter Rebbe begins by addressing the nature of the created existence, the יש הנברא—the created being. Even though we call it a new creation, something that did not exist before, in truth, it is also considered כלא חשיב קמיה—as nothing before Him. This means that the physical matter, the yesh, is completely nullified in its existence relative to the power and the light that flows into it from the הכלים די"ס דאבי"ע—the vessels of the ten Sefiros of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah.

The Alter Rebbe explains that the קו אור א"ס ב"ה—the Kav, the ray of the Infinite Light, shines within these vessels. He uses the analogy of כזיו השמש בשמש—like the ray of the sun within the sun itself. Just as the ray within the sun is completely nullified and has no independent existence, so too the physical world, even though it appears as a separate entity, is in truth completely nullified before the Divine power that creates it.

This is not a process of gradual development, like a chain of cause and effect (hishtalshelus), but rather a true creation—yesh me'ayin, something from nothing. The physical is brought into being by a Divine power that is utterly beyond it, and therefore, in its true state, it is as if it does not exist at all before Hashem.

However, this state of nullification—בטל במציאות—is only from the perspective of קמיה דוקא, meaning, as it is before Hashem Himself. This is the way things are in ידיעתו ית'—His knowledge, which is מלמעלה למטה—from above to below.

In other words, from Hashem's perspective, everything is seen in its true state, as completely dependent and nullified to its source. The creation is not a separate entity at all, but rather, it is totally encompassed within the Divine knowledge and power that brings it into being.

But when we look at things from our perspective, בידיעה שממטה למעלה—knowledge from below to above, the situation appears very different. The יש הנברא—the created being—seems to be דבר נפרד לגמרי—a completely separate entity.

In our understanding and perception, which is limited and comes from below, we see the world and ourselves as independent existences, not as something that is constantly being brought into being by a higher power. We do not sense the Divine energy that is creating us at every moment, and therefore, we feel ourselves to be separate and distinct.

The reason for this is that the כח השופע בו—the power that flows into the created being—is אינו מושג כלל וכלל—not understood at all. We have no grasp whatsoever of the Divine energy that is creating us.

Furthermore, אין ערוך זה לזה כלל וכלל—there is absolutely no comparison or relationship between the created being and the Divine power that creates it. Not only is it not from it, but not even a part of it—לא מיניה ולא מקצתיה. This is very different from the relationship between an alul (effect) and its ila (cause) in the chain of hishtalshelus, where there is some connection and understanding between the two.

In the case of ila v'alul—cause and effect—the עלול (the effect) יודע ומשיג איזה השגה בעילתו—knows and grasps something of its cause. Because of this understanding, the effect is בטל אצלו ע"י ידיעה והשגה זו—it is nullified to its cause through this knowledge and comprehension.

So, in the chain of spiritual worlds, each lower level is aware of and feels its source, and this awareness brings about a sense of nullification and connection to the higher level. There is a relationship and a sense of dependence that is felt and understood.

Additionally, when it comes to their very essence and being—מהותם ועצמותם—there is not such a great difference between the ila and the alul. The only distinction is that one is the cause and the other is the effect—רק שזה עילה וזה עלול.

This means that in the process of hishtalshelus, the lower level is not fundamentally different in essence from the higher level; it is just a matter of degree or position in the chain. The connection between them is real and can be sensed and understood.

But when it comes to yesh me'ayin—creation of something from nothing—there is לא מיניה ולא מקצתיה—not from it and not even a part of it. There is an absolute gap between מהות היש הנברא—the essence of the created being—and מהות הכח והאור השופע בו—the essence of the power and the light that flows into it to bring it from nothing into something.

This is a much greater separation than in the case of ila v'alul. The created being cannot comprehend or relate to the Divine power that creates it, not even in the slightest way. The difference is not just in degree, but in kind—there is no comparison at all between the two.

Therefore, this process is called יש מאין—something from nothing—specifically. The term emphasizes that the created being is not a development or extension of what came before, but a true creation, brought into existence by a power that is utterly beyond it and with which it has no inherent connection.

This is the unique quality of creation as described in Chassidus: the yesh, the created existence, is brought forth from ayin, from nothingness, in a way that is completely different from any other form of cause and effect or spiritual descent.