From: murray.bbs@cybernet.cse.fau.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Tanya, Epistle 7, 2 of 3
Date: 23 Aug 92 01:53:51 GMT
Organization: Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

Tanya Epistle 7   2/3 
 
>>> Continued from previous message
 
[Thus, G-d's Being is indeed utterly uncompounded, so  that there
cannot possibly be any  division into "parts". Nevertheless, with
regard to the  radiation that descends below, (whose main purpose
is that it permeate the Jewish soul,) the concept of "parts" does
apply.
 
The above-mentioned rays are the 613 basic "parts" into which the
radiance is diffused.  More specifically, as the  Alter Rebbe now
goes on to say, each of these general "parts" sub-divides into an
infinite number of smaller "parts".]
 
Now  this  number  - [i.e.,  the  above  division  of the  Divine
radiance into 613 "parts", corresponding to the 613 commandments]
-  is the  primary, basic  division. More  specifically, however,
every single commandment subdivides into infinite details.
 
These  are  the  essentials  of the  detailed  rulings  of  every
commandment, which are  without number,  as it  is written,  (11)
"Sixty are the queens," which [as our Sages (12) comment] alludes
to the sixty tractates....
 
[The  same  verse continues:]  "...and  maidens  without number,"
which [as our Sages comment]  alludes to the innumerable  rulings
of the individual  laws, for they  are a downward  flow from  the
Supreme Will..., [which is infinite.]
 
[The Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that just as the soul is made
up of  248 "organs" and  365 "sinews" so  that it may  absorb the
luminosity  of the  613 general  radiations,  so, too,  are souls
further  divisible, so that they  may absorb the infinite degrees
of the more differentiated radiations.]
 
It  is precisely  so with  man's soul,  [which has  the means  to
absorb  the innumerable  details of  the downward flow  of Divine
radiance.]
 
For all  the souls  in the  world were  comprised  in Adam.  (13)
Basically, his  soul was divisible into  613 elements, consisting
of 248 "organs" and 365 "sinews".
 
More  specifically,   however,  his   soul  was   divisible  into
innumerable sparks, which are the souls of all of Israel from the
days of the Patriarchs  and the [founders of the  Twelve] Tribes,
up to and including the time of the coming of Mashiach, when [the
promise of] Scripture will  be fulfilled: "And the number  of the
Children of Israel will be like  the sand of the sea, that cannot
be measured nor  counted," (14) "because of its  great quantity."
(15)
 
[We understand  from the above that Adam's  soul (which comprised
the  innumerable  sparks  of  individual souls)  was  capable  of
receiving the  infinitely numerous  detailed emanations  from the
radiance of the  Supreme Will, which  ultimately animates all  of
the individual Jewish souls.]
 
[At this point the Alter Rebbe resumes the thought begun earlier,
where it was pointed out that  Jacob referred to G-d as "E-l, G-d
of Israel," for the soul of Jacob (otherwise known as Israel) was
illumined  with all the aspects  of the Divine  radiance, just as
was the soul of Adam.]
 
Now  "The consummate  beauty  of Jacob  resembles the  consummate
beauty of Adam," (16) for he rectified the sin of Adam. (17)
His soul, too, comprised all the souls of  Israel, "from world to
world," [i.e., both those of the "Revealed World" as well  as the
"Concealed World."] Moreover, he  was a vehicle for the  Torah in
its  heavenly state, which is  referred to as  Adam, [This phrase
reflects the wording of a verse  which begins with the words, Zot
HaTorah Adam... - "This is the law:  A man..." Interpreted on the
level of derush, these  words have been taken literally  to mean:
"This  is the Torah - Adam."  as it is written,  (19) "And on the
likeness of  the throne there was a likeness as the appearance of
Adam"   [lit., "of a man"], and  the latter term, as is explained
in the Kabbalah, (20) refers to the Torah.
 
It is likewise  written: (21) "And  this (Zot) was the  custom in
former  time in Israel...," [That, at least, is the plain meaning
of  the phrase  quoted. On  the interpretative  level of  derush,
however,  each of  the three  Hebrew words  is here  construed as
follows:  Zot (as taught in the Zohar) connotes "Torah"; Lifnim -
"within";  Be-Yisrael - "in Israel the Patriarch." At this level,
the  quoted  phrase thus  means  that "the  Torah  is [implanted]
within, in Israel  the Patriarch."]  and Zot refers  only to  the
Torah. (22)
 
For the Torah was contained and vested within the soul of "Israel
the  Patriarch,"  which compounded  all  the  souls. [The  quoted
phrase  refers both  to  Jacob in  the  mortal world  and  to his
Supernal  source, which  is  also known  by  this name.]  Now  in
addition,  Jacob, or "Israel the Patriarch," was a vessel capable
of  receiving  the radiance  of the  Torah.  Hence:] This  is the
meaning [of the above-quoted phrase], "And he called Him E-l, G-d
of Israel":
 
[Since the Name E-l denotes the Divine attribute of Chesed, which
finds expression in G-d's desire to communicate His hidden light,
Jacob's  use of] the Name E-l signifies [man's] calling forth the
radiation from the [infinite] Ein Sof-light, [which is clothed in
the  Torah, from concealment to manifestation,] so that it should
illumine manifestly in man's soul.
 
Thus, too, it is written: (23) "E-l is the L-rd, and He has given
us light," [indicating likewise that the Divine Name E-l connotes
illumination. Thus, when we  say that Jacob called G-d  "E-l," we
imply  that he  called  forth  and drew  down  into  his soul  an
all-encompassing  revelation of the [infinite] Ein Sof-light that
comprises all  the  particular  details  of  the  Torah  and  its
mitzvot.] and after [Jacob], the [infinite] Ein Sof- light shines
openly into the  souls of all the upright of  heart who engage in
the Torah and the mitzvot.
 
["The upright  of heart" (24) alludes to those individuals within
whom the  G-dly illumination found  in the intellect  descends to
the heart, where it inspires them with a love and an awe  of G-d.
These spiritual emotions in  turn add vitality to their  study of
Torah and their performance of the mitzvot.
 
The Divine  radiation felt  by these  individuals is  termed "our
portion"  Chelkenu, as in  the quotation with  which this epistle
opened).  This  is   the  particular  G-dly  illumination   which
permeates  a Jew's soul through his performance of each and every
commandment,   and  which   is  a   portion  and   part  of   the
all-encompassing illumination comprising 613 "parts".]
 
The most elevating  and most powerful (25) manifestation  of this
[Divine]  radiance in their mind and heart  occurs at the time of
prayer, as  is explained elsewhere. (26)  [It is by means  of the
ladder  of prayer that  all of a man's  mitzvot ascend; this same
ladder  also serves  as the conduit  through which  the resultant
Divine radiance and revelation descend to this world.
 
Until now the Alter  Rebbe has explained the term  "our portion."
He now goes on to explain the term "our lot" (in the above-quoted
verse,  Uma  Na-im Goralenu  - "and  how  pleasant is  our lot"),
signifying something  bestowed exclusively,  and merited only  by
lot.]
 
Though  this   manifestation  [of  light]   through  a   person's
involvement  in the  Torah  and the  commandments is,  generally,
equal in every  individual Jew, for  we all have (27)  "one Torah
and  one law," [All Jews  are equally obliged  to study the Torah
and  to observe  its mitzvot;  generally speaking,  the resultant
illumination  from Above is  likewise drawn down  equally to them
all.] nevertheless, in  a more  specific way, in  regard to  this
[manifestation of light that radiates  through the study of Torah
and the performance of the  commandments,] not every nefesh  [the
lowest level  of the soul] and ruach ["spirit", a higher level of
the soul] and neshamah [a yet higher level of the soul] is equal,
for  this depends on the  period and time  of their reincarnation
and their coming into this world.
 
[Most souls of present generations are incarnations of souls that
had descended into  this world in  earlier times; they  descended
once  again in  order to  rectify some  aspect of  their previous
incarnation. The degree of radiation the soul receives from Above
through the performance of a particular mitzvah depends upon  the
era in which the soul finds itself in this world.]
 
Our Sages, of blessed memory, quote the question: (28) "With what
[commandment] was your father most careful?" To which  the answer
was, "With [the commandment of] tzitzit."
 
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