תשרי כ"ח - אגרת הקודש פרק כה

The Alter Rebbe explains that when it comes to the lands of the idol worshipers—meaning outside of Eretz Yisroel—the flow of vitality is different from what happens in the higher worlds. In those higher worlds, the מלכות—Malchus—of Atzilus or Asiyah can directly create souls or angels. But in this physical world, and especially in the lands outside Eretz Yisroel, there is an additional intermediary involved in the process of creation and sustenance.

Specifically, the החיות—the vitality—does not come straight from Malchus, but rather, it is first clothed in the external forces, the שרים החיצוני'—the external officers—who are appointed over the seventy nations of the world. These שרים—officers—are spiritual entities that serve as the conduits for the Divine energy to reach the nations.

What happens is that a ניצוץ מדבר ה'—a spark from the word of Hashem, which is called Malchus of Asiyah—descends and shines upon these officers. However, it does so only in a manner of מקיף—surrounding light, not in an internal way. The Shekhinah does not actually become invested within these officers; rather, it radiates upon them from above, and from this radiance, they receive their vitality. The energy is not internalized, but rather, it is a distant, external influence.

From these שרים—officers—the vitality then flows downward to the nations of the world, the non-Jews, and also to the animals, wild beasts, and birds that are found in their lands. This includes not only living creatures but also the physical land itself and the physical heavens above them.

The Alter Rebbe adds that the שמים הגשמיים—the physical heavens—refer to the הגלגלים, the celestial spheres, as described in the Rambam. These are the spiritual structures that surround and influence the world, and they too receive their life-force through this chain of intermediaries, beginning with the officers and extending down to all aspects of creation in those lands.

However, there is a distinction in how this vitality is distributed. The שמים וארץ—the heavens and the earth—as well as the animals, wild beasts, and birds that are pure (that is, kosher species), all receive their flow of energy from קליפת נוגה—the Klippas Noyga. Klippas Noyga is a spiritual shell that contains some light; it is not entirely negative, and therefore, the things that derive from it have the potential for elevation.

On the other hand, the impure animals and the souls of the non-Jews receive their vitality from the other, completely impure קליפות—the other klippas. These are entirely separated from holiness and do not have the redeeming quality that Klippas Noyga possesses. Nevertheless, all of these forms of life ultimately receive their energy from the same general process: a distant, external radiance from the Divine, channeled through the officers.

The Alter Rebbe points out that the שמים וארץ וכל אשר בהם—the heavens, the earth, and everything in them—in the lands of the idol worshipers, are considered as nothing, as insignificant, in relation to the שרים—the officers—who provide them with their vitality and existence.

This means that even though these physical entities receive their life-force from the officers, their own status is so diminished that, compared to the spiritual officers, they are regarded as being of no importance at all. The officers are the true source of their existence, and the physical world is only a distant recipient of this Divine energy.

But even these שרים—officers—are themselves considered as nothing, as insignificant, when compared to the Divine vitality that is drawn down to them from the spark of the דבר ה'—the word of Hashem—that shines upon them from above.

In other words, there is a hierarchy of diminishing importance and spiritual stature: the physical world is as nothing compared to the officers, and the officers themselves are as nothing compared to the Divine spark that gives them life. This emphasizes just how distant and concealed the Divine energy is as it descends into the lower worlds, especially outside of Eretz Yisroel.

Nevertheless, the vitality that is drawn into them from this radiance is in a state of גלות—exile—within them. This is why these forces are referred to as אלקי' אחרים—other gods. The Divine spark is present, but it is hidden and trapped in a state of exile.

They even refer to Hashem as אלהא דאלהיא—the God of gods—acknowledging that their own source of life is ultimately a form of godliness, albeit in a very concealed and degraded state. The spark of holiness is there, but it is not revealed; it is in exile within the forces that sustain the nations and their lands.

Because of this, the nations of the world, who receive their vitality from these officers, are actually engaged in עבודה זרה—idol worship. They are influenced by the Divine spark that is present within the officers, but since it is in a state of exile and concealment, they do not recognize its true source and instead worship the intermediaries themselves.

This situation will continue until the end of days, when, as the verse says, "death will be swallowed up forever" and the sitra achra—the other side—will be nullified. At that time, Hashem will "turn to all the nations" and "all will call upon the name of Hashem," recognizing the true source of their vitality and worshipping only Hashem.

This entire process is also referred to as the גלות השכינה—the exile of the Shekhinah. The reason is that the vitality which is in a state of exile within them comes from the radiance that is drawn to them from the spark of the דבר ה'—the word of Hashem—which is called the Shekhinah.

So, even though the Divine presence is hidden and trapped within these forces, it is still the Shekhinah that is providing them with life. The Shekhinah itself is in exile, so to speak, within the realms of impurity and concealment, sustaining even those who are far from holiness.

The exile of the Shekhinah into the realms of impurity, into the klippas, did not always exist in its current form. Rather, וגלות זה נמשך מחטא עה"ד ואילך—this exile began from the sin of the Tree of Knowledge and onwards. That was the point when the klippas first received an additional vitality, a flow of Divine energy that was not present before.

However, even then, the energy that the klippas received was only בחי' אחוריים לבד דקדושה—from the hind part, the back side, of holiness. In other words, the Divine flow that reached the forces of impurity was not the inner, essential light, but rather a distant, external aspect. It was as if the Divine turned its back, so to speak, and only a minimal, indirect ray of holiness reached the klippas.

This means that even after the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, the Shekhinah was not fully invested within the klippas. The energy that reached them was only a mere trace, a residue from the outermost aspect of holiness, not the true inner vitality. The full descent of the Shekhinah into exile had not yet occurred at that stage.

But what changed? אך כשגלו ישראל לבין האומות—when the Jewish people themselves were exiled among the nations, a new and deeper level of exile took place. The Jewish people, whose root and source is in the פנים העליונים—the innermost, highest Divine face, the inner aspect of G‑dliness—became entangled with the nations.

This is a much more severe form of exile. Jews are connected to the Pnimius, the inner will and desire of Hashem, not just the external aspect. When a Jew is exiled among the nations, or when a Jew does an aveira, G‑d forbid, he brings down not only the external, but the very Pnimius—the inner essence of the Shekhinah—into the realm of the klippas and the sorim (the spiritual officers of the nations).

This is what the Alter Rebbe calls גלות שלימה—a complete exile. The Shekhinah itself, in its innermost aspect, is drawn down into the lowest places, into the hands of the klippas, when a Jew, who is rooted in the highest levels, is exiled or acts in a way that disconnects him from Hashem. This is a much deeper descent than what happened after the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, because now the very core of holiness is in exile.

This is the meaning of the teaching of our sages: "גלו לאדום, שכינה עמהם"—when the Jewish people were exiled to Edom, the Shekhinah went with them. The Shekhinah accompanies the Jewish people into exile, descending with them into the lowest places.

In other words, when a Jew is exiled, or when a Jew does an aveira and is spiritually distant from Hashem, the Shekhinah itself is drawn down into exile along with him. The Divine presence does not abandon the Jewish people, but rather, so to speak, suffers exile together with them. This is the ultimate expression of the Shekhinah's connection to the Jewish people: wherever they go, even into the depths of exile, the Shekhinah is with them.

This also explains why the Shekhinah is said to be in exile—because the inner Divine light, which is meant to be revealed and connected to holiness, is instead trapped and concealed within the realms of impurity, together with the Jewish people in their exile. This is a profound descent, and it is why the sages emphasize that the Shekhinah is with us even in the darkest times.