Kabbalah and Chassidus - Why did G-d create the world?
Maamar –Reasons for Creation – by Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the Baal HaTanya. (First printed from a manuscript, which belonged to the son-in-law of the Baal HaTanya, in Lehaskilcha Binah, Kfar Chabad, Israel, 1976, page 3; reprinted in Maamarei Admur Hazakain, Inyanim, Kehot,1983, page 95.) (Translated and elucidated from the Hebrew by Noah Shavrick) (Questions or comments to AZKF@comcast.net)
Behold! All of the reasons, which are explained about the intent of the creation (of the world), which are: “it is from the nature of the Good One to do good,” and also “to convert the darkness to light, since the superiority of the light (comes from the contrast with darkness) etc.,” (these reasons) do not apply except after the death of the (primordial) Kings, which is when “Mah” and “Ban” mixed, and from this was the root of the darkness.
(The Sefiros of the world of Tohu-Chaos, called the Primordial Kings, were emanated out in a manner that they would be unable to retain their Light, so their vessels would break, called the death of the Kings, in order to cause a descent of the worlds to create darkness and evil. The name Havaya can be spelled out with different letter combinations. The primary Names are numerically 72 Av, 63 Sag, 45 Mah and 52 Ban. The breaking took place at the level of Sag, causing a mixture of Mah (the masculine) and Ban (the feminine). The Tikkun repair comes through the new Mah, a source of the soul, and the process of refinement is required.)
But before this (breaking of the vessels), it is not applicable to say, “to convert the darkness,” (since darkness had not yet been created). And also, the reason of “that it is the nature of the Good One,” is not applicable, since, before the creation, it is not possible to say upon Him, may He be blessed, the Good One, (who has a particular nature), as it is written, “And He is not from any of these Middos-attributes at all.”
The main reason (for the creation of the world) is (simply) “because it arose in His Will”, in a will that is incomprehensible, since there is one kind of will and there is another kind of will, (the first) is a will which is enclothed in reason and understanding, and (the second) is a will which is not enclothed in reason and understanding.
Likewise, in Torah and Mitzvos, there is a comprehensible will, for example, Sukkos, (to build a Sukkah) because of the surrounding clouds of glory (for Israel in the desert), and also Pesach (to commemorate the Exodus) and the like. But, in truth, this is what arose in His (incomprehensible) Will. And this is what they say (in the Mishnah), that one who says about the (Mitzvah of sending away the mother bird from the) bird’s nest, “You showed compassion etc., (such a person should be silenced,” since they explain Hashem’s will in logical terms, rather than simply accepting the Mitzvos as incomprehensible decrees); (In reality, the Mitzvos) are only decrees, (without a knowable reason). And this is sufficient for those who understand.
And what they say that the descent of the soul is a descent for the purpose of an ascent, (this reason applies only) like (the soul) is now, (in the lower worlds). Since, how is an ascent applicable to them, the souls, since (the souls of) Israel arose in the literal, essential G-dly thought, (which means the souls existed prior to creation, within Hashem)?
And it is also difficult to understand that the superiority of the light comes from the darkness; what superiority can there be, since everything was literally His Essence (and there was only light)?
But, the truth is that all of the reasons (for creation) were not said except after the mixture, when Mah and Ban were mixed, at the level of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. And (now) we need to refine the good from the evil, to elevate everything to its root, “to the place where its tent was at the beginning,” (i.e. its origin).
And this is the main descent of the soul, to refine the refinements of Nogah, which is the level of “the flame of the turning sword.” (Kelipas Nogah (the Glowing Shell) is the level between Holiness and the three unclean Kelipos of complete evil. Nogah is a mixture of good and evil and must be refined by separating the good from the evil.) And the meaning is that one is able to elevate (matter of this world), as it is, (to the level which it was, i.e. its origin). For example, the Esrog-citron, which is just a fruit in this world, and it becomes a Esrog of Mitzvah.
And what is written that the three Kelipos (have no refinement, they) only have nullification and removal, this means that they do not have an ascent, like it is with the Kelipos of Nogah. (The Avodah on the three Unclean Kelipos is) only the aspect of (the Kelipos’) death and entire removal from their first nature. And this is sufficient for those who understand.
And behold, the refinement from the three Kelipos, mentioned above, cannot be except through the level of the Baal Teshuvah (the one who “returns” to Hashem) to arouse a Will, which is not enclothed in reason and knowledge.
And the refinement, from (the study of) Torah and (the performance of) Mitzvos, is the refinement of Nogah, and it is called the refinement of the Tzelem-image. (The Tzelem represents the Nefesh Hasichlis (the intellectual soul, the human mind) which is the intermediary between the Divine Soul and the Animal Soul.)This is the matter of the descent of the soul to refine the refinements of the Tzelem as it is written, “Man will walk just in the Tzelem.” This means, the soul, which is called man, descended for the sake of the Tzelem, since the soul comes from the new name “Mah”, from which comes the repair. And after the refinements, it is thereby elevated.
(There are four general levels of matter in our world: 1) inanimate, 2) vegetative, 3) animal, and 4) human.) Likewise, for example, with food, which, at the beginning, is at the level of vegetation, and afterwards, when (eaten by man), it ascends and becomes the flesh of man, even man ascends through it, as we see that (the food) becomes a new intellect (the food provides energy for the mind to create ideas), and also with (the consumption of) every animal (it is elevated into man, and the man thereby ascends higher).
In this manner, since essentially (the food) is from a root (and source called Tohu-Chaos) which is higher than man (from Tikkun-Repair), just (the food) fell (to lower levels below man) at the time of the “breaking of the vessels,” and this is what is written, “By everything that comes out from the mouth of God, man will live.” And the meaning is “on everything that comes out” from Above, (it) comes out from His mouth, etc. (The speech of Hashem, in the Act of Creation, in creating each matter, continuously sustains that matter and is the life force within the food, which gives energy to the man consuming the food.) And this is sufficient for those who understand.
And also, in every place, the refined is higher than the refiner. (Here, the food is refined by man, the refiner.) And this is like what our rabbis explain, “There is no drop that descends from above, that does not have two (corresponding) drops (which ascend from below) etc..” As it is written, “And I will lead you (doubly) standing etc..” (The Tikkun and refinement cause a greater accomplishment and elevation.) And (the refined item) becomes as it was, prior to the breaking (of the vessels).
And that the soul gets pleasure “from” the ray of the Shechinah-Divine Presence is only because it is from the nature of the Good One to do good, since there is a (G-dly) pleasure above, (when the Mitzvos are performed) that “I have spoken and My Will was done.” And likewise, for example, where one experiences pleasure from food, (the reason is because) in the food is (found) the root of his soul, and (upon consumption) when (the food) returns and it becomes one entity with him, he feels pleasure from this (return and refinement). And so too above, that the soul gets pleasure “from” the ray of the Shechinah, this means that (the reason) the soul gets pleasure is because (its root) is “from” the ray of the Shechinah, since it has in it a ray in the Shechinah. And the main union is afterwards, like with food, after one stops feeling any pleasure from it, then they literally become one, (the refiner and the refined).
And also in this world, at the time of Torah and Avodah work, as our Rabbis teach, “One moment (of such Avodah is a great pleasure) etc.,” (yet), at the time that (the person) perceives pleasure from the ray (of the Shechinah), (it) is not yet a perfect union, since (they are) feeling the pleasure. (The active experiencing of pleasure shows the two entities are not yet one.) And this is sufficient for those who understand.
And that (the soul) needs to have pleasure is because it is the nature of the Good One to do good. (Hashem’s desire to give pleasure to the souls, created within the souls the desire to receive such pleasure.) And this is sufficient for those who understand.
The meaning (of this) is like, for example, two people who make a covenant, and they literally become one. Each one is (emotionally) moved (and impacted) by the other, even if (at a time) he is far away from the (other), as it says, “A brother is born (to help in a time) of trouble,” and likewise for good (times). But, at the time when a true union is made, no emotional movement (and experience of feelings) is applicable, just like the (seminal) drop, when it is still in the (father’s) brain, it is not applicable to (say upon it) emotional movement and love (from the father to the son). But, after the birth (of the son, where the father and son have become distanced one from another, then it is applicable for love, since they are not yet in a state of completeness. And this is sufficient for those understand.
And this is the matter of the making (literally cutting) of a covenant, where they cut one thing, for the two (people), to show that they are like one thing, which has been cut. And this is the concept of the Reshimu-imprint, since there is 1) a Reshimu-imprint (in the World of Atzilus-Emanation), 2) a Chakikah-engraving (in the world of Beriyah-Creation), 3) a Chatzivah-hewing (in the world of Yetsirah-Formation), and 4) an Asiyah-Action making (in the world of Asiyah-Action), as is known, which correspond to the four levels, (through) which the soul descends. As the verse says, “Then 1) she saw, and 2) she told, 3) she prepared, and 4) she also investigated, and said to man.” And is written, “My Lord, the soul which You placed in me is 1) pure etc., 2) You created it, 3) You formed it, 4) You blew it etc., from the four worlds, 1) Atzilus, 2) Beriyah, 3) Yetsirah, 4) Asiyah . But, after the refinements (there are) five ascents (for the soul), and this is as it is written, “My servant 1) will become wise, 2) he will be lifted, and 3) exalted, 4) high, 5) very much.” And this is the matter of, “Teshuvah, which preceded the world.”
And behold, all of Torah and good deeds, and all thoughts of Teshuvah, all come from above, as it is written, “Until it is awakened upon us, a spirit from the Heights,” from the Reshimu-imprint which remains above. And this is the matter of “(Ain Mazal) there is no Mazel (source of influence) for Israel. This means that Ayin-nothingness is the Mazel, what cannot be comprehended, which is the level of the Kesser-crown. Mazel is (grammatically expressed as) a causative term (to cause influence), (while) Nozel flowing is a term which (connotes) having been caused and influenced.
And this is the oath (“To be a Tzaddik a not a Rasha-evildoer”), which they make (each soul) swear (prior to entering this world). Seemingly, this is hard to understand, since “free will” is given (to man), (to choose how to behave), so why do they make him swear? But the meaning is that (the oath) connotes a Hiskashrus-connection (with Hashem), to give him the power and strength to ascend. Therefore, we request (from Hashem, in the morning blessing before the Shema), “And (from Above,) place in our hearts ‘Binah-understanding.’” This is difficult to understand, since our Rabbis teach, “Everything is in the hands of heaven (except for man’s choice on how to behave).” But, the meaning is, as we have written, that, at first, the awakening comes from Above, as mentioned above, even though the “free will” is in his hand (to choose how to behave).
And this is the matter of, “(Eliezer), Please place your hand under my thigh, and I (Avraham) will have you swear by the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the earth that you should not take a wife for my son (Yitzchak) from the daughters of Canaan, since the union of Yitzchak and Rivkah is the union of Mah and Ban, (Mah is masculine and Ban is feminine) while the daughters of Canaan are the Tzerufim-combinations (of letters which form) the physical (worlds).
The explanation of the matter is that man is divided into two levels, 1) the inner, and 2) the outer (i.e. the external), which are the aspects of 1) the Tzelem-image, and 2) the Demus-form. The level of the Tzelem is from the combinations of (the letters of the Name) Elokim, and the level of the Demus is from the level of Havaya. And behold there are 120 combinations of (transposing the 5 letters of) Elokim, and from (the lower) 48 of the (combinations), comes the mixture of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, which fell at the “breaking of the vessels,” and this is “the wonders and miracles in the land of the children of Cham (Ches Mem =48).” The main refinement is to refine the combinations which fell.
The meaning of combinations is, for example, like we see in the Middos-attributes within man, that the Middos within themselves are the level of spirituality (and abstractness), and they do not have an (expressed and manifested) feeling in the body, except the lowest level in (each of the) Middos, which is the aspect of Malchus in the Middah, which reveals the Middah, and is called the aspect of letters, just like the letters of the intellect, which reveal the intellect, so too, the revelation of the Middos is called by the name “letters”.
And behold, according to the value of the vessel, is likewise (determined the value of) the light. This means, according to the value of the combinations within the revelation of the Middos, so too is the revelation for love or hatred, etc. But the Middos themselves do not have within them any change, they are only sources and spiritual roots for this; a hylic (potential state of) matter for them. And behold, the Middos are double, and so too in Malchus of the attributes, there are two aspects, 1) the aspect of Maamaros-statements, and 2) the aspect of Dibros-speeches, (which correspond to) 1) the aspect of Chomer-matter and 2) the Tzurah-form. The meaning is that the intellect within the speech is the aspect of the Tzurah, and the physical speech is the aspect of the Chomer. And due to the multitude of combinations, it is possible to change the Middah from good to evil, to the point where there is a grasp by the evil Middos of the vital animal soul. However, regarding the Middos themselves, it is written, “And My glory, I will not give to another.”
And behold, just like in physical “speech”, (i.e Elokim, “Ban”, and the feminine), which comes out from the five sources of the mouth, (the throat, palette, tongue, teeth, and lips,) (it originates from) the “voice” (i.e Havaya, “Mah” and the masculine), which comes from the five lobes of the lungs, (three on the right and two on the left), and so too in spiritual speech, which comes from the five Tzimtzum-restrictions from the Partzuf-form of Malchus-kingship in the Middos, (which are) the aspect of the five letters of Elokim. And this is sufficient for those who understand.
And when (the spiritual voice and speech) (become one, it is the union of Havaya and Elokim etc.. And this is sufficient for those understand.