for the light is like its source, the luminary, i.e., the very core and Essence of the blessed Emanator,

שֶׁהָאוֹר הוּא כְּעֵין הַמָּאוֹר, הוּא מַהוּתוֹ וְעַצְמוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַמַּאֲצִיל בָּרוּךְ־הוּא,

Whose Being is of His Essence—His is an essential form of being; He is not, heaven forfend, brought into being by some other ilah (cause) preceding Himself.

שֶׁמְּצִיאוּתוֹ הוּא מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ עָלוּל מֵאֵיזֶה עִילָּה שֶׁקָּדְמָה לוֹ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם,

An antecedent state of nonexistence could not possibly apply to G‑d’s existence, which is an essential form of existence.

It is therefore in His power and ability alone to create something (yesh) out of absolute naught (ayin) and nothingness,

וְלָכֵן הוּא לְבַדּוֹ בְּכֹחוֹ וִיכָלְתּוֹ לִבְרוֹא יֵשׁ מֵאַיִן וָאֶפֶס הַמּוּחְלָט מַמָּשׁ,

G‑d is able to create substance (yesh) not only from the degree of ayin that merely lacks existence but from “absolute naught and nothingness”—from an ayin that is the very antithesis of yesh, of substantial existence.

without this yesh having any other cause and reason preceding it.

בְּלִי שׁוּם עִילָּה וְסִיבָּה אַחֶרֶת קוֹדֶמֶת לַיֵּשׁ הַזֶּה.

The G‑dly life-force, the ayin, that creates the yesh is the exact opposite of the yesh that it creates. As such, it is not a cause or reason that relates to or serves as a precursor of the yesh that is created by it; as ayin, it is the very antithesis of yesh.

This is why creation can only result from the kelim of the sefirot of Atzilut within which is vested the [infinite] Ein Sof-light, for they are actual Divinity. However, as pointed out above, angels and souls of Atzilut that have already emerged and become separated from the kelim cannot possibly act as conduits for the creation of yesh from ayin, inasmuch as they themselves are not actual Divinity.

The Alter Rebbe now anticipates the following question:

Since only the Ein Sof can create yesh from ayin, what need is there for the kelim of the sefirot?

He goes on to answer that the kelim “enable” the Ein Sof to create a finite yesh: since the Ein Sof is infinite, the beings that result from it would also be limitless—if not for the kelim of the ten sefirot of Atzilut.

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FOOTNOTES

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35.  Bachaye, Vayeshev 38:30, et al.; Shaar Hayichud VehaEmunah, ch. 7.