Mitzvos (מצוות) — the commandments

Core definition

The mitzvos are the 613 Divine commandments — 248 positive commands and 365 negative ones — given to be fulfilled "below, in practical mitzvos specifically." Their function is cosmic: "This done through the mitzvos's fulfillment below — in practical mitzvos specifically": the drawing of the Ohr Ein Sof's limitless revelation and the making of the lower things into vessels for Divinity [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 367–378]. The whole design of creation — the tzimtzum, the void, the kav — exists "for Torah and mitzvos": "the beginning of the simple will's arousal in His essence, to be a will for the worlds' coming-into-being, is for the sake of Torah and mitzvos" [31690/maamar_001 :: Summary (p. קסד)].

How the Rebbeim develop it

Sowing and fruit. The mitzvos are called by the name zeri'ah (sowing) and by the name peri (fruit): "HaKadosh Baruch Hu sowed the Torah and mitzvos." As with physical sowing — a seed is planted in the earth, the seed itself having "no taste and smell at all," yet "through it specifically done the growth in abundance without value at all" — so with the mitzvos' sowing: "Though physical mitzvos — through them specifically drawn the Or Ein Sof the without-limit's revelation," when the deed is done in bitul [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 368–379].

Making vessels for Divinity. "Also through the mitzvos the lower things done keilim to Divinity": the physical esrog, when made for a mitzvah, becomes a vessel to Divinity; likewise tzitzis in the physical wool and tefillin in the physical parchment. "All the Torah equated to tefillin" — for in tefillin it is seen tangibly: when "Havayah echad" is written in physical ink on parchment — "echad hu," not in count — and the tefillin are laid as required, "v'ra'u kol amei ha'aretz ki shem Havayah nikra alecha" is fulfilled in revelation. The 248 positive commands are "the King's 248 limbs": as the limb is a vessel to the nefesh's life's light, "so the mitzvos — keilim to the Divinity's hamshachah" [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 380–400].

The two labors. The 365 negatives burn the evil — "uvi'arta ha'ra mikirbecha" — the main being that man himself become a vessel: "v'asu li mikdash v'shachanti b'socham" — not "b'socho" but "b'socham": in each and every one. Two labors: the negatives are the house-cleaning — removing the dirt and refuse, "an avodah of disgust and pain," the removal of bad middos (hatred, jealousy, falsehood, ta'avah); the positives build the beautiful vessels — "though this avodah also hard — yet he has delight from this," and in the positives there is also the bittul's matter, the Nefesh HaBehamis's purification to the vessel's level [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 410–440].

Elevation and drawing. "The main intent in Torah and mitzvos is the aspect of elevation and drawing — which is running and returning." Positive mitzvos are chasadim — drawing Divinity down; negative mitzvos are elevation up. Every mitzvah holds both: it is clothed in the physical (tzitzis-wool, shofar-horn), and "making it a mitzvah raises the physical from kelipas nogah into a vessel for the Supernal Will" — elevation, "revelation included in concealment" — "and draws the Supernal Will into the physical thing beyond all hishtalshelus order — His essential concealment drawn revealed in the mitzvah" — drawing, "concealment included in revelation" [31690/maamar_001 :: Summary (p. קסד)].

Kavanah. "To draw the Or Ein Sof's revelation through the mitzvos — the mitzvos's kavanah needed." The mitzvos' main is the vessels' making; the kavanah draws the light — though "through the mitzvos done of itself the light's hamshachah" [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 485–490]. Through the mitzvos "done Ze'ir Anpin's keilim's building" — the vessels' enlargement [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 492–498].

The servant's service. "The main revelation of the aspect of kingship is specifically through fulfilling Torah and mitzvos" — and "the main doing of the mitzvos must be in the manner of a servant's service": nullifying one's will. "Havayah is King, He donned grandeur" — the garments of the mitzvos' doing; "He donned strength" — Torah. Through these two garments "Havayah is King" is drawn — "even the kelipos subdued by Atzilus's light" [31690/maamar_001 :: Summary (p. קנו)].

The dwelling in the lower. The purpose of the worlds' creation is the dirah ba'tachtonim — the Ohr Ein Sof's Awtsmoos shining in revelation below — and this is accomplished through practical mitzvos: "to be the dirah batachtonim — two things: drawing the Or Ein Sof the without-limit's revelation; the lower things be worthy keilim to receive the light's revelation — through the mitzvos's fulfillment below in practical mitzvos specifically" [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 367–368]. Mere hishtalshelus only gives "m'lo chol ha'aretz k'vodo" — "ziv y'karei," the splendor's level alone; the mitzvos draw the Awtsmoos itself [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 355–366].

Key distinctions

Positive vs. negative. The 248 positives build vessels to Divinity (the King's limbs); the 365 negatives burn the evil, making man himself a clean vessel [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 410–440]. In another formulation: positives are chasadim, drawing down; negatives are elevation up [31690/maamar_001 :: Summary (p. קסד)].

Elevation vs. drawing. Elevation raises the physical from kelipas nogah into a vessel; drawing brings the Supernal Will into the physical beyond all hishtalshelus order [31690/maamar_001 :: Summary (p. קסד)].

Vessels vs. light. The mitzvos' main is the vessels' making; kavanah draws the light [15966/maamar_025 :: עב׳ 485–490].

Related concepts

Sources