Taharah (טהרה) — Purity

Core definition

Taharah is purity as distinct from kedushah (holiness): "kadosh" is utterly separate — the ayin aspect, utterly separate from yesh; but taharah is not utterly separate — "only pure of yeshus and murkiness; nevertheless it is in existence" (metzius) [58837/maamar_043 :: עמוד שפח]. This is the kelim's aspect: "metzius davar," a thing's existence — pure metzius, clean of any yeshus and murkiness touch [58837/maamar_043 :: עמוד שפח; 58841/maamar_032 :: ג]. "Kelim are taharah aspect"; "the neshamah's hamshachah shoresh through the kelim in taharah aspect" [58841/maamar_032 :: ג].

How the Rebbeim develop it

Since the kelim are in existence — though pure existence — zikuch (refinement) applies to them: "the kelim's ascent: ascending to receive a higher ohr, which is necessarily through zikuch" [58837/maamar_043 :: עמוד שפח]. Through the zikuch of teshuvah's avodah comes the neshamah's aliyah from "garmohi" (taharah aspect) to "chayohi" (kedushah aspect) — the ohr above the kelim's measure [58841/maamar_032 :: ד]. Above, neshamas are tzaddikim — zakai b'etzem, never having sinned — "Elokai neshamah... tehorah hi": unlike malachim, who are from the kelim's chitzoniyus, neshamas are higher — penimiyus hachochmah, rooted in the Awtsmoos — drawn through penimiyus hakelim, which are taharah [58841/maamar_032 :: ג].

"Ish Elokim kadosh hu oveir aleinu tamid" is explained as the ruach taharah (spirit of purity) in each and every one of Yisroel — "for always there is the influence from Above in a ruach taharah" [58849/maamar_017 :: עמוד רד]. The avodah is that "the ruach taharah that is in each and every one of Yisroel be in the level of settledness and revelation" — through tefillah's contemplation and the prayers' avodah, and through actual deed — love of Yisroel, hospitality with bodily toil, for Heaven's sake — completing creation's intent: His dwelling in the lower realms, "a pure vessel for the supernal blessing in children, life, sustenance" [58849/maamar_017 :: עמוד ריב]. The ruach taharah is "passing over us always" (Tanna d'Bei Eliyahu); ruach hakodesh rests according to deeds — Devorah merited prophecy through the wicks she made, for Israel illuminate the world with Torah's light [58839/maamar_037 :: עמוד 328].

Key distinctions

• Taharah vs. kedushah. Kedushah is utter separation (ayin from yesh); taharah is pure existence — clean of yeshus and murkiness yet still metzius [58837/maamar_043 :: עמוד שפח].
• Taharah vs. tumah. Taharah is the vessel's refinement from murkiness; tumah is its opposite. (On the difference between the taharah of the tamei meis and techiyas hameisim, see the maamarim there.)
• Garmohi vs. chayohi. Taharah is the body's aspect ("garmohi" — the bones, the keilim); the aliyah from taharah to kedushah — "chayohi," the living ones, the lights uniting with the keilim — is the ohr above the kelim's measure, reached through teshuvah's zikuch and the descent's purification [58841/maamar_032 :: ד; 31608/maamar_008 :: pp. 236–238].
• Zikuch's condition. Only what is in metzius can undergo zikuch — hence the kelim, being pure metzius, ascend to receive higher ohr [58837/maamar_043 :: עמוד שפח].
• Living waters. "Regarding taharah, living waters have virtue over the sea's waters": the salty sea's waters, split through the earth's dust, become sweet living waters — so the neshamah through the body's descent rises higher [31608/maamar_008 :: pp. 236–238].

Related concepts

Kedushah, tumah, zikuch (refinement), kelim, teshuvah, the ruach taharah, "Elokai neshamah... tehorah hi."

Sources

• [58837/maamar_043 :: עמוד שפח] — Taharah vs. kedushah; pure of yeshus and murkiness, yet in metzius; zikuch and the kelim's ascent.
• [58841/maamar_032 :: ג] — Kelim as taharah aspect; "metzius tehorah"; neshamas drawn through penimiyus hakelim.
• [58841/maamar_032 :: ד] — Aliyah from taharah to kedushah, "garmohi" to "chayohi," through teshuvah's zikuch.
• [58849/maamar_017 :: עמוד רד] — The ruach taharah in every Jew.
• [58849/maamar_017 :: עמוד ריב] — Settling the ruach taharah in revelation; a pure vessel for the supernal blessing.