From: murray.bbs@cybernet.cse.fau.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Tanya, Epistle 6, 2 of 3
Date: 23 Aug 92 01:48:53 GMT
Organization: Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

Tanya Epistle 6    2/3
 
 >>> Continued from previous message
 
     [Unlike the single  letter of  thought or speech  that bears  some
degree of comparison to the soul, albeit an infinitesimal one, creation
stands in no  proportion whatever  to the Creator.]  This is  explained
elsewhere ( (7) in Likkutei Amarim, Part II, ch. 9); see there.
 
This underlies what we say [in the Sabbath prayers:] (10) "The King Who
is exalted, alone from  aforetime." This means that just  as aforetime,
before the creation, He was alone, and apart from Him  nothing existed,
so  now, too,  He is  exalted....and elevated beyond  "the days  of the
world."
 
This  means that He is exalted and elevated, transcending the dimension
of time, which is known as "the days of the world."
 
This is so because the life-force of all "the days of the  world," [the
life-force of the dimension of time,] derives solely from the spiritual
level known as "the King," [i.e., from the Sefirah of Malchut;
 
[The axis of past,  present and future - the element  of time - relates
only   to  the  Sefirah  of  Malchut;  concerning  this  level  we  may
differentiate between  the phrases, "He reigned," "He  reigns," and "He
shall  reign."  However,  the Sefirot  and  attributes  that  are above
Malchut transcend the element of time,] as is explained elsewhere. (11)
 
[Since  G-d utterly  transcends  creation, which  is  absolutely of  no
consequence  in  relation to  His Essence:]  It  follows that  there is
extremely great cause to  feel compassion for the spark, [which is (12)
"a part of G-d Above,"]  that dwells in the dark and gloomy  body - the
(13) "hide of the snake."
 
For  [the body]  is  liable  to  contract  impurity  [by  indulging  in
prohibited things that  derive from the three  utterly impure kelipot,]
and to become defiled by various lusts (May the Merciful  One spare us)
[involving things  which, though permitted, derive  from kelipat nogah,
if not for G-d's serving  the man as a shield, and  giving him strength
and might  to wage war  with the body  and its passions  and to triumph
over them.
 
[Even  when the body does  not actually lust  after physical pleasures,
the very fact that it is so inclined points to its lowly state - and it
is  within such a  body that the  Divine spark is  obliged to spend its
days.]
 
And  this is  the meaning  of [the  continuation of  the prayer],  (14)
"Master of our strength...., Shield of our salvation...."
 
[After   extolling  G-d  as  "the  King  who  is  exalted,  alone  from
aforetime,"  and  beseeching  Him  in  His  "abundant  mercies  to have
compassion on  us," we  continue with  the  above-quoted phrases.  With
these words we  affirm that G-d provides us with  an encompassing light
and power, far transcending man's  own puny powers, that enables us  to
triumph over the body and its passions.]
 
Now it is well known (15) that there are  two types of awe [of G-d] and
[two  types]  of  love  [of  G-d].  The  first  ones  are  born  of  an
understanding  and  cognition of  the greatness  of  G-d, and  of those
matters that lead to the  love of G-d and to the fear of  Him, [such as
G-d's closeness to  the Jewish people.] The latter  ones are those that
come afterwards,  from Above, as a gift; [After one has acquired a love
and  fear of  G-d as  a result  of his  own  contemplation, he  is then
granted from Above a heightened measure of love and fear.] As explained
elsewhere (16) in comment on the verse, (17) "I shall  grant [you] your
priestly service as a gift."
 
This [priesthood] refers  to the attribute of love, and  it is likewise
with regard to awe.  [I.e., there is  a degree of fear  of G-d that  is
likewise granted as a gift from Above.]
 
Now there  is surely no comparison  between the first  ones, [the lower
levels  of  love  and fear,]  which  are  the products  of  the created
intellect, and  the latter ones, which  are [a gift] from  the Creator,
blessed  be His Name.  [Just as there  can be  absolutely no comparison
between Creator and created, so too can there be no  comparison between
the love and fear generated by each of these two levels.]
 
That is  why it is  these [latter degrees  of love  and fear] that  are
referred to as "truth", for "the seal  of the Holy One, blessed be  He,
is truth,"  (18) for He is the  true Truth, and in  relation to Him all
truth among created beings is considered as nothing.
 
[Since G-d is  absolute truth, the love and fear  that emanate from Him
are deemed "truth" as well.]
 
But which is the way whereby a man can merit [the loftier love and fear
that are termed] "the truth of G-d"? It is by arousing great compassion
in G-d's eyes for the spark in his soul.
 
This  [attribute of  compassion] is  the attribute  of Jacob,  who (19)
"bolts from one end through to the other,"  that is, from the uppermost
of all levels to the nether-most, causing the "truth of G-d" to flow to
this lowly, dark world; as it is written, (20) "When I sit in darkness,
G-d is a light unto me."
 
And  this is  the meaning  of the  phrase, (21)  "For His  kindness has
prevailed  over us...."  [I.e., G-d-s kindness  has prevailed  over the
darkness of this world,  illuminating even that aspect of  a man's soul
that is clothed within his body.
 
In answer to the question asked  above, then, it is now clear that  the
way by which  one can  arrive at  "G-d's truth"  is by  the arousal  of
Divine compassion.]
 
However, [this] arousal of G-d's great compassion also needs to be done
in truth. But even when  it is true in mortal terms, how -  by means of
relative truth - can one  arouse Supernal compassion from the truth  of
G-d? The solution recommended for this is to practice the  attribute of
charity, which is the  attribute of compassion for him  who has nothing
of his own, to (22) "revive the spirit of the lowly...."
 
And the arousal  from below  elicits an  arousal from  Above: G-d  (23)
"rouses  those  who sleep  and awakens  those  who slumber";  [i.e., He
rouses  His] great compassion  and the Supernal  attributes of kindness
which are concealed, [As with a sleeping person's dormant  soul-powers,
"sleep"  and (more  deeply)  "slumber"  here  signify  two  degrees  of
dormancy in the  essentially concealed states of  Divine compassion and
kindness.] so that they emerge from  concealment into manifestation and
into a great  illumination, so that  [a man is] (24)  "illuminated with
the light of life" -with (25) the "truth of G-d unto the world."
 
This, then, is the meaning of the idiom of "sowing" related to charity,
[as  in  the  verse  with  which  this epistle  opened,  "He  who  sows
charity...."  or  as  in  the  verse,  (26)  "Sow  for  yourselves  for
charity...." one [thereby] causes the Supernal truth, the truth of G-d,
to  sprout, [just  as  a  plant that  sprouts  reveals that  which  was
previously sown.]
 
[This is achieved] especially through acts of charity and true kindness
that are  done for the benefit  of the Holy  Land (May it be  built and
established  speedily in our days, Amen!), thereby realizing the verse,
(27)  "Truth shall sprout forth  from the land,"  [where "land" alludes
both to  the Land of  Israel here below and  to the Sefirah  of Malchut
Above,] by sowing charity in it.
 
And  the kindness  and great compassion  that are gathered  into it and
gleaned  in it,  correspondingly  arouse the  Supreme  graces that  are
hidden  and concealed (28), as it is  written, (29) "[How great is Your
kindness] which You have hidden....," so that [the land] is established
and set up firmly.
 
[Both Eretz  Yisrael and  the Sefirah  of Malchut  of  Atzilut must  be
buttressed; the latter, because of  its descent in order to serve  as a
source of created beings that are lower than the World of Atzilut.]
 
And of this it is  written, (30) "Through tzedakah shall you  be firmly
established," [referring  to the establishment of  the "Congregation of
Israel" here below, as well as to its spiritual counterpart Above - the
Sefirah of Malchut of Atzilut, which is also known by the same name.
 
Footnotes >>> 
 
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