תשרי ז' — אגרת הקודש פרק כ

The nishomos of the malochim—the souls of the angels—which emerge from the זיווג הנשיקין—the union known as the "kissing" zivug, are on a different level than the guf, the bodies, of the malochim. Similarly, the nishoma of man, which comes from the זיווג דזו"נ דאצי'—the union of Ze'er Anpin and Nukva in Atzilus, before it descends into the worlds of Briah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, is also on this higher plane.

These nishomos are not considered a yesh—an independent entity or something separate in its own right. Rather, they are still in a state that is similar to godliness, albeit in a form of צמצום עצום—a powerful contraction. In other words, while they are not the infinite light itself, they are not a separate existence either; they are godly, but in a contracted, diminished form.

The state of these nishomos is comparable to the keilim of the ten sefiros of Atzilus. The keilim—the vessels—are themselves in a state of גבול—limitation or boundary, but this comes about through the tzimtzum of the oir ein sof, the contraction of the infinite light.

Specifically, it is the קו—the "kav," the line of divine light that emerges after the tzimtzum—which becomes enclothed within their nefesh, ruach, and neshoma. This is similar to the צמצום הראשון—the first tzimtzum, which created the חלל—the "vacated space"—in which the worlds could come into being. Just as the first tzimtzum made room for creation by limiting the infinite light, so too the nishomos, while godly, are in a state of limitation due to this process.

The Alter Rebbe now adds, in parentheses, that even after the nefesh, ruach, and neshoma of Atzilus descend into this world—specifically in the case of the early tzaddikim—it is possible that their essential nature does not change. That is, they may not become a separate entity from godliness even after descending into a physical body.

This means that, for these special souls, their connection to godliness remains so strong that their descent into the physical world does not sever or fundamentally alter their essential state of bitul, their nullification to G‑dliness.

Because of this unique quality, these nishomos would depart from the body if the person was about to sin, even before the sin was actually committed. Their inherent connection to G‑dliness was so absolute that they could not remain in a body that was about to engage in wrongdoing.

This explains the phenomenon described regarding the early tzaddikim: their souls were so refined and attached to their source that any possibility of sin would cause the soul to leave, unable to tolerate separation from G‑dliness even for a moment.

The Alter Rebbe continues and says it is likely that even the thousands and tens of thousands of worlds that are described as being "seated in the skull" of Arich Anpin and Ze'er Anpin—as discussed in Kabbalah—are not truly "worlds" in the sense of being independent entities, like the היכלות דאצי'—the chambers of Atzilus, which are considered a yesh, a separate existence.

Rather, these "worlds" are more like the nishomos of the malochim that come from the זיווג הנשיקין. They are called "worlds" only in relation to the level of גולגלתא ודיקנא—the "skull" and "beard" (spiritual levels) of Arich Anpin. In other words, their "separateness" is only relative; in essence, they are not truly separate or independent, but remain in a state of bitul, nullified to their source.

However, these nishomos are not actual godliness to the extent that they can create yesh me'ayin—something from nothing. This is because they have already emerged and separated from the keilim of the ten sefiros, in which the קו—the kav, the divine line of light from the infinite—is enclothed.

In other words, only the keilim of Atzilus, where the kav is still present, have the power to create something from nothing. Once the nishomos have left that state and become distinct from the keilim, they no longer possess this creative power.

The reason for this is that the oir—the divine light—is similar to the moir—the luminary itself. In other words, it is the very essence and being of the Maatzil, the Emanator, blessed be He. His existence comes from Himself; He is not the result of any prior cause, G‑d forbid.

Therefore, only He alone, with His power and ability, can create yesh me'ayin—something from absolute nothingness, without any prior cause or reason for the existence of this yesh. Everything else is only a revelation or an extension of what came before, but to create something truly new, with no precedent, is the exclusive power of the Eibershter, whose existence is completely independent.

And in order for this yesh—this created being, which is brought into existence by the power of the Ein Sof—to be limited and defined, it is necessary that the אור אין סוף—the infinite light—be enclothed within the keilim of the ten sefiros of Atzilus. There, it unites with them in the most complete unity, to the extent that איהו וגרמוהי חד—He and His vessels are one.

Through these keilim, which are themselves defined and limited, creations with boundaries and limitations are brought into being. This is especially true when the keilim become enclothed within the worlds of Briah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, where the physicality and limitation of existence is most pronounced, and the creation becomes a true yesh, a separate and independent entity.