טז מנחם אב - אגרת הקודש פרק ה

The Alter Rebbe opens this section with a fundamental question: אך ביאור הענין, למה אמרו רז"ל שעוה"ז דוקא נברא בה'?—But to explain the matter, why did our sages say that this world specifically was created with the letter Hei?

He points out that, based on what we've learned, it would seem that everything comes from Malchus, and Malchus is always represented by the Hei. So why do Chazal single out Olam Hazeh—this physical world—as being created with the Hei? Shouldn't all the worlds, even the spiritual ones, be included in this?

This is the question the Alter Rebbe is going to address: what is unique about Olam Hazeh that it is associated with the Hei in a way that the higher worlds are not?

The Alter Rebbe begins his explanation by stating: הנה ידוע לכל חכמי לב—It is known to all those who are wise of heart. He uses this term, חכמי לב, which is interesting because earlier he used the phrase בינה ליבא, but here he emphasizes the wisdom of the heart, those who have a deep, inner understanding.

He explains that there is a multitude of worlds and chambers—ריבוי העולמות וההיכלות אשר אין להם מספר—an uncountable number of spiritual realms and chambers. This is not just a poetic description; it means that the spiritual reality is made up of countless levels and divisions, each with its own unique qualities and functions.

The point here is to highlight the vastness and complexity of the spiritual worlds, far beyond anything we can count or fully grasp. This sets the stage for understanding the source and nature of all these worlds and their differences.

The Alter Rebbe brings a proof from scripture: היש מספר לגדודיו—Is there a number to His legions? This phrase emphasizes that the hosts of angels and spiritual beings are truly without number.

He elaborates that in every chamber and every battalion, there are thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads of angels. The Gemara explains that each battalion contains a thousand thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand angels. This is meant to convey the idea of endless multiplicity in the spiritual realms.

Furthermore, within the souls themselves, there are endless levels: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, Chayah, Yechidah. Each of these levels contains countless gradations. And in every world and every chamber, from the many chambers in Atzilus, Beriah, and Yetzirah, the same pattern of endless multiplicity repeats itself.

Now the Alter Rebbe explains the source of all this multiplicity. He says that all these countless worlds, chambers, angels, and souls—all this endless variety—comes from the many combinations of the 22 letters of the word of G‑d: ריבוי צירופי כ"ב אותיות דבר ה'.

These 22 letters are not just static; they can be combined and recombined in an infinite number of ways. The letters themselves split into countless combinations, צירופים רבים עד אין קץ ותכלית ממש—combinations without end or limit.

This means that the entire diversity of creation, from the highest angels to the lowest creatures, is rooted in the different ways the divine letters are arranged and expressed. The letters of the Shem Havayah are the building blocks of all existence, and their endless permutations are what give rise to the endless variety in creation.

To illustrate this, the Alter Rebbe quotes from Sefer Yetzirah: שבעה אבנים, בונות חמשת אלפים וארבעים בתים—Seven stones build five thousand and forty houses.

This means that if you take just seven letters, you can combine them in 5,040 different ways, each combination forming a different 'house,' or structure. The implication is that with more letters, the number of possible combinations increases exponentially.

The Alter Rebbe then says, "From here and onward, go and calculate—what the mouth cannot even speak." In other words, the number of possible combinations is so vast that it's beyond human comprehension or articulation. This demonstrates how the infinite variety in creation is rooted in the infinite potential of the divine letters.

The Alter Rebbe now addresses a possible question: Even though there are so many different levels and types among the angels and souls—countless distinctions and gradations—how is it possible that all of this comes from just the combinations of the letters?

He emphasizes that within the ranks of angels and souls, there are endless differences in their spiritual stature, qualities, and functions. There are levels upon levels, higher and higher, with no end to the distinctions between them.

This raises the question: How can such infinite diversity be traced back to the seemingly limited set of 22 letters?

The answer, the Alter Rebbe explains, is that everything is drawn down according to the exchanges and permutations of the letters: הכל נמשך לפי חילופי הצירופים והתמורות.

He mentions the system of א"ת ב"ש—the method of letter substitution, where Aleph is exchanged for Tof, Beis for Shin, and so on. Through these exchanges and permutations, the letters can form an endless variety of combinations, as discussed earlier in Perek Yud-Beis.

So, even though the letters themselves are limited in number, their potential for combination and transformation is limitless, and this is what allows for the infinite diversity found in creation.

However, in a general sense, the Alter Rebbe says, all these angels and souls are possessors of wisdom and knowledge: כולם בעלי חכמה ודעת. They all know their Creator, because their vitality comes from the inner aspect of the letters: מפנימיות האותיות.

This inner vitality is drawn from the level of Chochmah Ila'ah—the supernal wisdom, as explained earlier. Because their life-force comes from this inner, spiritual dimension of the divine letters, they are able to perceive and recognize G‑dliness.

This is in contrast to the physical world, as the Alter Rebbe will soon explain, where the vitality comes only from the external aspect of the letters, and therefore the awareness of G‑dliness is hidden.

The Alter Rebbe now turns to explain why עולם הזה השפל—this lowly world—and the life-force within it, is fundamentally different from the higher worlds. He says that this world is קטן מהכיל ולסבול אור וחיות מבחינת צורת האותיות ופנימיותן—too limited to contain and tolerate the light and vitality that comes from the צורת האותיות—the form or inner dimension of the Divine letters—and their inner meaning.

In the higher worlds, the Divine energy shines and is drawn down without any concealment or garment. The souls and angels are able to receive this light directly from the inner aspect of the Divine speech, from the spiritual form of the letters. But our world is not capable of handling such a direct revelation. If the inner light of the Divine letters would shine here without any concealment, the world simply could not exist—it would be overwhelmed and nullified.

This is a crucial point: the very nature of עולם הזה is that it cannot handle the same level of Divine revelation that the higher worlds can. The energy here must be filtered, concealed, and diminished, so that creation can exist as something separate and not be completely nullified within the Divine.

So how does the Divine energy reach our world? The Alter Rebbe explains that ההארה וההשפעה באה ונשפע לעוה"ז מבחינת חומר וגוף האותיות וחיצוניותם—the radiance and flow that comes into this world is only from the חומר וגוף האותיות—the material and body of the letters—and their external aspect.

In other words, what we receive here is not the inner, spiritual form of the Divine speech, but rather its most external, physical manifestation. The Divine letters, which are the building blocks of creation, have both an inner soul and an outer body. Our world only receives from the outer body, the most superficial level. This is what allows the world to exist as a separate entity, because the inner light is concealed and only the external aspect is revealed.

This distinction between the inner and outer aspects of the Divine letters is what makes our world unique. It is specifically the externality, the "body" of the letters, that is able to create and sustain a physical, finite world.

The Alter Rebbe further clarifies what this "body" of the letters means. He says that it is בחינת ההבל המתחלק לז' הבלים שבקהלת—the level of the breath, or vapor, which divides into the seven "hevels" mentioned in Koheles.

He explains that the Divine speech that creates this world is compared to הבל—breath or vapor. This breath is not a substantial, inner energy, but rather something external and insubstantial. In Koheles, it is said that "all is vanity"—הבל הבלים—and the Zohar teaches that the world stands upon these seven "hevels." Each "hevel" represents a different aspect or layer of the Divine concealment that allows the world to exist.

This means that the Divine energy that sustains our world is not only external, but also divided and diminished into many layers, further concealing its source. The world stands upon these layers of Divine breath, which are the external aspect of the Divine speech.

The Alter Rebbe now identifies this breath as מוצא פי ה'—the utterance of the mouth of Hashem. This is the Divine speech that is מתלבש בעולם הזה וכל צבאיו להחיותם—enclothed within this world and all its hosts, to give them life.

In other words, the Divine energy that animates our world comes through the "mouth" of Hashem, meaning the most external level of Divine expression. This speech is not revealed in its pure form, but is dressed up and concealed so that it can be received by the physical world and its creations.

This is the mechanism by which G‑d's energy is able to create and sustain a world that is separate and independent, at least in appearance. The Divine speech is enclothed and hidden within the world, providing it with life while allowing it to maintain its own existence.

But even within this external Divine speech, the Alter Rebbe points out that ובתוכו מלובשת בחינת צורת אותיות הדבור והמחשבה ממדותיו הקדושות ורצונו וחכמתו וכו' המיוחדות בא"ס ב"ה בתכלית—within it is enclothed the inner form of the letters of speech and thought, which originate from G‑d's holy attributes, His will, His wisdom, and so on, all of which are completely united with the Infinite One, blessed be He.

This means that although our world only receives the external aspect of the Divine letters, within that externality is hidden the inner soul—the Divine will, wisdom, and attributes that are absolutely one with G‑d Himself. The "body" of the letters is what is revealed, but the "soul" of the letters remains hidden within, connecting everything back to the Infinite.

This is a profound idea: even the most external, physical aspects of creation are ultimately rooted in the deepest Divine unity. The inner form of the letters, which is united with the Ein Sof, is present within the external speech that creates our world, even if it is not revealed to us.

The Alter Rebbe now brings a teaching from the Arizal to support this idea. He says, וז"ש האר"י ז"ל: שבחינת חיצוניות הכלים דמלכות דאצילות, המרומזות בה' של שם הוי' ב"ה, הם ירדו ונעשו נשמה לעולם העשיה—this is what the Arizal means when he says that the external aspect of the vessels of Malchus of Atzilus, which are alluded to by the letter ה' of Hashem's name, descended and became the soul for the world of Asiyah.

In other words, the "body" of the Divine letters, represented by the lower ה' of the Shem Havayah, is what animates and gives life to the world of action, our physical world. The inner aspect remains above, but the external aspect descends and becomes the life-force of Asiyah.

This teaching from the Arizal reinforces the idea that our world is animated by the most external level of Divine revelation, while the inner essence remains hidden within.

The Alter Rebbe concludes this section by quoting from the Tikkunei Zohar: וכן כתוב בתקונים, שהיו"ד הוא באצי' כו', וה' תתאה מקננת בעשיה—it is also written in the Tikkunim that the י' remains in Atzilus, while the lower ה' dwells in Asiyah.

This means that the highest level, represented by the י' of Hashem's name, stays in the world of Atzilus, the world of Divine unity. The lower ה', which is the external aspect of Malchus, descends and "nests" in the world of Asiyah, our physical world. This further emphasizes that the Divine energy in our world comes from the most external level of G‑dliness, while the inner essence remains above.

Through this, the Alter Rebbe explains the unique relationship between the letters of Hashem's name and the different worlds, and why our world is specifically animated by the external aspect of the Divine speech.