Awtsmoos (עצמות) — Essence

Core definition

Awtsmoos is the Divine Essence — the Divine "self" before and beyond every light, name, and revelation. Even the Ohr Ein Sof as it is before the tzimtzum is in "ein aroch" (utterly incomparable) toward the Awtsmoos, as the nivra (created) is toward the borei (Creator) [58837/maamar_049 :: עמוד תלט]. The ohr that comes from the Awtsmoos is only in the aspect of a ma'or (a luminary), "for we cannot limit the Awtsmoos, Elokim forbid, and say it is only a ma'or aspect" [58837/maamar_049 :: עמוד תלט]. The essence of Divinity — that is, the Awtsmoos — is "that the worlds are formed from it and receive chiyus from it," yet it would be wrong to say "this is the essence of the Awtsmoos — that the ohr is found from it" [58837/maamar_049 :: עמוד תלט]. The Ohr Ein Sof, by contrast, is in a sheichus (relation) to the worlds, and is therefore called "shemo" (His name) — a ha'arah (illumination) outward [58837/maamar_049 :: עמוד תלט].

How the Rebbeim develop it

The purpose of creation — dirah b'tachtonim, a dwelling in the lower realms — is precisely that there be the revelation of Awtsmoos Ein Sof [31682/maamar_030 :: עמוד קלג]. "Es hashamayim v'es ha'aretz Ani malei" (Yirmeyahu 23:24) points to the Awtsmoos ("Ani" indicates His Awtsmoos), yet this is still in the hidden; sovev kol almin is only the level of chitzoniyus (externality) — dirah is the Awtsmoos's revelation below [31682/maamar_030 :: עמוד קלג]. As a physical dwelling is where a man's etzmiyus, his essential self, dwells, so above: the dwelling is the revelation of Awtsmoos Ein Sof [31682/maamar_030 :: עמוד קלג].

Both the Torah and the neshamas are from the Awtsmoos — "the Torah is from the Ein Sof's Awtsmoos aspect," and the neshamas, "banim atem laHavayah Elokeichem," are from the Ein Sof's Awtsmoos aspect — but with a difference: in the neshamas the Awtsmoos is in he'elam (concealment), hence the neshama reaches the highest levels only through avodah, "as the son from the father's atzmiyus can draw higher revelations, but specifically through yegiah (toil)" [58837/maamar_049 :: עמוד תלח]. The Torah, an atzmi hamshachah, comes in gilui (revelation) — and precisely because it comes in gilui, it must be renewed always from the Awtsmoos; "the Torah is renewed each day" [58837/maamar_049 :: עמוד תלח]. At Matan Torah — "vayeired Hashem al Har Sinai" — the Awtsmoos was revealed; and so each Jew in his Torah occupation draws the Awtsmoos, since "Torah is an essential hamshachah" [58841/maamar_051 :: עמוד תסה]. "VeTorah ohr" — the Torah comes as giluy from the Awtsmoos, and coming as gilui it must constantly renew from the Awtsmoos [58841/maamar_051 :: עמוד תסה].

The maamar on the neshamah's descent teaches that through the "dripping" that joins the neshamah's ha'arah with its essence, added power is drawn "that it be able to do its avodah in the uttermost of its descent below: to draw the revelation of Awtsmoos Ein Sof in the world — which is through avodah of mesirus nefesh" [31682/maamar_030 :: עמוד קלג].

Key distinctions

Related concepts

Ohr Ein Sof, tzimtzum, dirah b'tachtonim, Torah, neshama, sovev kol almin / memale kol almin, mesirus nefesh, Matan Torah, gilui/he'elam.

Sources