תשרי ח' — אגרת הקודש פרק כ

The Alter Rebbe begins by stating that it is well known that the main source for the creation of a yesh—a separate, independent entity, something that feels itself to be apart from G‑dliness—is from מל' דאצילות—Malchus of Atzilus. This is the level that becomes the Atik of Beriah, meaning it serves as the most transcendent source for the next world, Beriah.

He brings the phrase אין מלך בלא עם—there is no king without a people. This means that the very concept of kingship, of Malchus, is only realized when there is an 'am', a nation, which refers to the created beings who are separate and distinct from their source. The king needs subjects who are outside of himself, and so too, Malchus is the source for all created existence that perceives itself as separate from G‑d.

The Alter Rebbe continues by explaining that not only does מלכות—Malchus—bring about the existence of separate beings, but it is also the source for the multitude and diversity among all created things. All the many different creations, and their distinctions from one another, are brought into being through the power of the אין סוף—the Infinite One—Who is utterly unique and singular.

This multitude comes about through the ריבוי האותיות היוצאין ממלכות—the many letters that emerge from Malchus. The Alter Rebbe refers to the phrase פי ה'—the mouth of Hashem, and וברוח פיו כל צבאם—and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts were made. This is the idea that creation happens through speech, which is the function of Malchus.

He further explains that the ה' מוצאות הפה—the five articulations of the mouth—correspond to the ה' גבורות דנוקבא—the five gevurot (severities) in the feminine aspect, which is Malchus. Just as in a person there are five ways to articulate speech, so too in the spiritual realms, these five gevurot in Malchus divide and differentiate the letters, allowing for the creation of many distinct beings.

Because of this, Malchus is called עלמא דאתגליא—the revealed world. In Malchus, the power of the אור אין סוף—the Infinite Light—is revealed in a way that it can create yesh me'ayin—something from nothing.

This creation is not through the process of ilah ve'olul—cause and effect, where one thing evolves from another. Rather, it is a direct creation of something from nothing, which is only possible through the revelation of the Ein Sof in Malchus. This is what makes Malchus unique among the Sefiros.

However, the first nine Sefiros—before Malchus—came into being through a process of hishtalshelus, a chain-like evolution of ilah ve'olul—cause and effect. Each one is brought forth from the previous, in a logical progression.

In these Sefiros, the אור אין סוף—the Infinite Light—is only enclothed in חכמה—Chochmah, wisdom—alone. It is not revealed in the same way as it is in Malchus, and therefore, the creation that comes from the first nine Sefiros is not in the manner of yesh me'ayin, but rather a development from one level to the next.

The Alter Rebbe now brings the statement from Sefer Yetzirah: נעוץ תחלתן בסופן—the beginning is wedged in the end. This means that the highest level is most manifest in the lowest, and the end point contains within it the very beginning.

In the context of the Sefiros, this means that the essence of the Ein Sof, which is first revealed in Chochmah, ultimately finds its fullest expression in Malchus, the final Sefirah, which is the source of creation ex nihilo.

The reason for this is that כתר—Kesser, the crown—is an intermediary between the מאציל—the Emanator, the Ein Sof—and the נאצלים—the emanated beings, the Sefiros. Kesser contains within it the בחינה האחרונה של הא"ס—the final aspect of the Ein Sof, which is the point of transition from the Infinite to the finite.

Kesser thus serves as the bridge, holding both the last level of the Infinite and the first level of the created, making it possible for the Infinite to be drawn down into the finite worlds.

Therefore, Kesser is called כתר מלכות—the crown of kingship. As the Alter Rebbe notes, there is no crown except for a king; the crown is what distinguishes and elevates the king above his subjects.

In the spiritual sense, this means that the level of Kesser is specifically for the purpose of bringing down the Infinite Light into Malchus, so that Malchus can serve as the source for creation. The crown is not an end in itself, but exists to enable the function of kingship, which is the creation of a separate existence.

Additionally, the בחינה אחרונה דא"ס—the final aspect of the Ein Sof—is itself called מלכות דאין סוף—Malchus of Ein Sof. For this reason, המלכות דאצילות—the Malchus of Atzilus—is also referred to as כתר—crown—when we count from below to above.

In other words, while Malchus is the last of the Sefiros when counting from above downward, when we look from the perspective of the lower worlds upward, Malchus becomes the crown for the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. This is because it is the source from which all lower existence emerges, and thus, from below, it is regarded as a Kesser, a crown.

The Alter Rebbe now explains that the creation of souls—בריאת הנשמות—from Malchus is not just a matter of bringing something into being, but specifically about creating a yesh, an entity that is a separate being—יש ודבר נפרד בפ"ע—in the world of Beriah. This is a profound idea: from the level of Malchus of Atzilus, the souls are brought into existence as independent entities, each with its own sense of self and separateness.

This is in contrast to the higher worlds, where everything feels its source and is completely nullified to it. In Beriah, however, the souls experience themselves as distinct, and this is only possible because of the unique power of Malchus to create something from nothing—yesh me'ayin. The Alter Rebbe emphasizes that this is the main function of Malchus: to bring about true creation, where the created being feels itself as a separate existence.

This process of creating souls as separate entities is referred to as birth—לידה. The Alter Rebbe draws a parallel to the splitting of the sea, כקריעת י"ס—like the splitting of the Yam Suf. Just as the splitting of the sea was a miraculous event that revealed hidden realities, so too is the birth of souls from Malchus a profound revelation.

He brings from the Zohar that the splitting of the sea is dependent on Atik—בעתיקא תליא—meaning it is rooted in the highest, most transcendent level of Kesser, called Atik. This teaches us that the ability to create something truly new, to bring about a separate existence, requires drawing from the deepest, most hidden levels of G‑dliness. The act of birth, both physically and spiritually, is thus connected to the loftiest source.

The Alter Rebbe continues by discussing not only the birth, but also the growth and development of the souls—וגם כל גידול הנשמות. He explains that the entire process of the souls' development during the seven months—from the union on Shemini Atzeres until the seventh day of Pesach—mirrors the growth of Ze'er Anpin and Nukvah (Zon) within the womb of the Supreme Mother—אימא עילאה.

This gestation occurs through the influence of supernal lights—אורות עליונים—emanating from the Supreme Mother, and ultimately, from higher and higher, all the way up to the Ein Sof—אין סוף—which becomes invested within her. This process can last either nine or seven months, corresponding to the different ways we count the months of gestation in the spiritual realms.

The point is that the entire period of development, from conception to birth, is animated and sustained by the light of the Ein Sof as it is drawn down through Bina, the Supreme Mother. This is a spiritual parallel to the physical process of pregnancy and birth, emphasizing that every stage is infused with G‑dly vitality from the highest source.

In the same way, the creation of souls and angels—נשמות ומלאכים—for the world of Beriah also follows this pattern. Their existence is brought about through these great supernal lights—the powerful divine energies that descend from the Ein Sof.

This means that not only the souls, but also the angels and all the spiritual chambers (heichalos) in Beriah, come into being through a process that involves the highest levels of G‑dliness being drawn down and invested in the lower worlds. The entire spiritual structure of Beriah is thus rooted in the Ein Sof, even though it manifests as distinct and separate beings.

The Alter Rebbe now addresses the very root and essence of the drop—עיקר ושרש הטיפה—from which souls are conceived. He explains that when Malchus receives and becomes pregnant from Ze'er Anpin, the source of that drop is actually from the intellectual faculties of Abba and Imma—מוחין דאו"א—which are Chochmah and Binah.

This means that even before the process of pregnancy and birth, the initial spark, the potential for new souls, originates in the highest intellectual levels of Atzilus. The drop that Malchus receives is not just a physical or lower-level phenomenon; it is rooted in the deepest spiritual intellect, which then descends and becomes the source for the creation of souls.

Furthermore, with every union—בכל זיווג—there is a drawing down to Abba and Imma from Arich Anpin—מא"א—and even higher, all the way up to the Ein Sof—עד אין סוף. This means that the process of creating new souls is not limited to the levels of Chochmah and Binah, but is continuously nourished from the highest, most infinite source.

Each time there is a spiritual union to create new souls, it is only possible because there is a flow from the Ein Sof, through all the intermediary levels, down to Abba and Imma, and from there to Ze'er Anpin and Malchus. This underscores that the entire process is permeated with the infinite light of G‑d, ensuring that the souls created are truly new and independent beings.

However, the Alter Rebbe points out that all of this remains concealed—הכל בהעלם—within the intellectual faculties, until the actual birth of the Nukvah (Malchus), the souls, the angels, and the spiritual chambers into the world of Beriah.

In other words, although the potential for creation and the divine energy is present at every stage, it is hidden and not yet revealed. Only when the birth takes place—when the souls, angels, and chambers emerge into existence in Beriah—does this concealed energy become manifest. The process moves from hidden potential to revealed actuality, mirroring the way a child develops unseen in the womb before being born into the world.

From all of this, we see that the revelation of the light of the Ein Sof—גילוי אור א"ס—takes place specifically through the processes of conception and birth—עיבור והלידה.

This means that the ultimate manifestation of G‑d's infinite light in the lower worlds is achieved through the entire sequence: from the initial drop, through gestation, to the actual birth of souls and angels. The power of the Ein Sof is revealed most fully in the act of creating something new—yesh me'ayin—where a separate existence comes into being from absolute nothingness. This is the unique role of Malchus, and it is through this process that the infinite becomes present and revealed in the finite world.