Tanya/ Iggeres Ha’Kodesh – The Holy Epistle, Epistle 20, Class 12
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The same is the case (not only with the ray of the kav that is vested within the kelim of Atzilut, but) also with the kav itself, which is vested in the conclusion and end of the netzach, hod, and yesod of adam kadmon,
וְכֵן, גַּם הַ”קַּו” בְּעַצְמוֹ הַמְלוּבָּשׁ בְּסִיּוּם וְסוֹף נֶצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד דְּ”אָדָם קַדְמוֹן”,
i.e., the end of [the kav’s] “feet of yosher” which conclude in malchut of Asiyah:
שֶׁהוּא סוֹף רַגְלֵי הַיּוֹשֶׁר שֶׁלּוֹ הַמִּסְתַּיְּימִים בְּמַלְכוּת דַּעֲשִׂיָּה,
A radiance from the kav radiates from there—from netzach, hod, and yesod of adam kadmon—and vests itself in the light of the neshamah of the ten sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, which is Divinity.
הִנֵּה הֶאָרַת הַ”קַּו” מְאִירָה מִשָּׁם וּמִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בְּאוֹר הַנְּשָׁמָה דְּי’ סְפִירוֹת דִּבְרִיאָה־יְצִירָה־עֲשִׂיָּה שֶׁהוּא אֱלֹקוּת.
Adam kadmon (lit., “Primordial Man”), “Who observes and looks to the end of all generations,” represents the first Divine thought concerning and encompassing all of creation. The particulars that are found within this thought serve as the basis of life for all of creation.
Within this level are to be found two modes of emanation called Iggulim (lit., “circles”) and yosher (lit., “straightness”). The former (transcendent) mode of emanation encompasses all of creation equally while the latter (immanent) mode of emanation animates the various levels of creation by permeating each according to its particular rank.
The concluding level of yosher (the “feet” of yosher) of adam kadmon comes to an end in the very last level of the lowest World (which is Asiyah), i.e., at the sefirah of malchut of Asiyah. It is with regard to this level that the Alter Rebbe states above that the radiation from the kav that illuminates even as far as malchut of Asiyah “vests itself in the light of the neshamah of the ten sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, which is Divinity.”
(The fact that it does so is not due to its vestiture in the kelim of Atzilut but is because of the kav that radiates within adam kadmon and as such is to be found within all levels of creation, even as far as the last level of malchut of Asiyah. For malchut of Asiyah too derives from the primordial thought of adam kadmon.)
And a radiance of [this] radiance [of the kav] vests itself (not only in the light of the neshamah of the ten sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, but also) in the nefesh-ruach of the ten sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah,
וְהֶאָרָה דְהֶאָרָה, מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בְּנֶפֶשׁ־רוּחַ דְּי’ סְפִירוֹת דִּבְרִיאָה־יְצִירָה־עֲשִׂיָּה,
and also in all their kelim (i.e., in the kelim of the sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah),
וְאַף גַּם בְּכָל הַכֵּלִים שֶׁלָּהֶם.
Though these kelim are not actual Divinity, they are nevertheless irradiated by a glimmer of a glimmer of the kav. It is not the investment of the kav within the kelim of Atzilut that brings this about, for Atzilut only illuminates and is vested within that which may be called Divinity. Rather, the Primordial Thought of adam kadmon causes the kav itself (which transcends Atzilut) to irradiate a glimmer of a glimmer of its light even within the kelim of the sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah.
while a radiance of [that] radiance of the [original] radiance is immanent in all the beings that were created in the World of Beriah, formed in the World of Yetzirah, and made in the World of Asiyah,
וְהֶאָרָה דְהֶאָרָה דְהֶאָרָה, הוּא בְּכָל הַנִּבְרָאִים וְנוֹצָרִים וְנַעֲשִׂים,
This enables all created beings to be imbued with the Divine purpose of their creation, a purpose which is to be fulfilled by them. This intent, which originates in the Primordial Thought of adam kadmon, is the animating force of all created beings.
The meaning of “a radiance of a radiance of the radiance” is as follows: While a radiance of something is not the same as the object itself, nevertheless, it is of the same nature. For example, the radiance of the kav is still basically Divinity; it is of the same mahut (“essential nature”). By contrast, “a radiance of a radiance” (such as “a radiance of a radiance of the kav”) differs from the kav in essence, though still resembling it in the manner of its external manifestation; its metziut is the same.
This is why the “radiance of the radiance” vests itself in the nefesh-ruach of the sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. For they are not of the same mahut as their antecedent sefirot in Atzilut, inasmuch as the sefirot in Atzilut are actual Divinity while they are not. However, the sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah are similar to the sefirot in Atzilut, for they have in common the spiritual manifestation (the metziut) of kelim and sefirot. True, they are not actual Divinity, but neither are they a manifestation (a metziut) of created beings.
Proceeding one step further, “a radiance of a radiance of the radiance” does not even share the metziut, the outward manifestation, of the original radiation. Thus, “a radiance of a radiance of the radiance” of the kav vests itself within all created beings—within all entities that are yesh—which were “created, formed, and made.”
as it is written, “The seas, and all that they contain [were made by You], and You give life to them all.”44
כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: “הַיַּמִּים וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם, וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כּוּלָּם”,
I.e., life-force is drawn down from “You”—from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light—into all of creation, by way of “a radiance of a radiance of the radiance” of the kav.
Now all this is by way of an extension of the vital force to animate them.
וְכָל זֹאת בִּבְחִינַת הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת הַחַיּוּת לְהַחֲיוֹתָם.
With regard to this indirect mode of illumination, there is a difference in the manner of vestiture—in Atzilut; in the light of the neshamah of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah; in the nefesh-ruach and the kelim of the ten sefirot of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah; and ultimately, in all created beings.
However, the essence and nature of the [infinite] Ein Sof-light is in no way subject to space; hence, it cannot be said that this light is to be found in Atzilut in one manner and in another manner in the lower three worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah and all their ramifications:
אָמְנָם, מְצִיאוּתוֹ וּמַהוּתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹר הָאֵין־סוֹף – אֵינוֹ בְּגֶדֶר מָקוֹם כְּלָל,
rather, it encompasses all worlds equally.
וְסוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין בְּשָׁוֶה,
[Thus, G‑d says,] “I fill the heavens and earth”45—uniformly.
וְ”אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲנִי מָלֵא” בְּהַשְׁוָואָה אַחַת,
Likewise, “There is no place—or spiritual level—devoid of Him,”46 even in this physical world.
וְ”לֵית אֲתַר פָּנוּי מִינֵּיהּ” אַף בָּאָרֶץ הַלֵּזוּ הַגַּשְׁמִית,
[The Divine light is present,] however, [only] in an “encompassing” and “encircling” manner—not in a palpable indwelling, but in a concealed transcendence,
רַק, שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת מַקִּיף וְסוֹבֵב,
as this concept (i.e., makif, or sovev kol almin) is explained in Likkutei Amarim.47
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר הַפֵּירוּשׁ בְּלִקּוּטֵי אֲמָרִים,
As to the presence in the worlds of the very essence and nature of the [infinite] Ein Sof-light, this is not by way of an extension and investment of the life-force, thereby animating them and bringing them into being from ayin to yesh.
וְלֹא הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת וְהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת הַחַיּוּת לְהַחֲיוֹתָם וּלְהַוּוֹתָם מֵאַיִן לְיֵשׁ,
For even creation ex nihilo, though it involves a concealed power of the Ein Sof-light, is by definition an act of revelation and expansion that takes place by means of the sefirot and spiritual levels that draw down and reveal this concealed power. This cannot result directly from the essence of the Ein Sof-light that is utterly concealed within creation.
Rather, [this extension of life-force and creative power emanates] only by means of a radiance from a radiance of the radiance, etc., from the kav, as discussed above.
כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי הֶאָרָה דְהֶאָרָה דְהֶאָרָה וְכוּ’ מֵהַ”קַּו”, כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל.
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FOOTNOTES
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44. Nehemiah 9:6.
45. Jeremiah 23:24.
46. Tikkunei Zohar 57 (91b).
47. Tanya, ch. 48.
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