Yitzchak (יצחק) — The Patriarch

Core definition

Yitzchak, the second of the three patriarchs, is the middah of Gevurah — the left line, as Yackov is Chesed, the right line: "'His left hand is under my head' is the middah of Yitzchak, and 'his right hand embraces me' is the middah of Yackov" [58844/maamar_004 :: Summary]. "'Shaddai' — this is Yitzchak" [31685/maamar_011_kol_hamerachem :: עמוד 7]. His avodah is from below to above (milmatah l'ma'alah) — raising the below — in contrast to Yackov's from above to below (milma'alah l'matah) [31659/maamar_004 :: Summary].

How the Rebbeim develop it

Yitzchak's avodah is the digging of the wells: digging seems like drawing down (revealing the hidden spring), but it is really ascent — refining physicality so that the "below" becomes a vessel for Divinity [31659/maamar_004 :: Summary (pp. ל–לג)]. Yackov's work was the mitzvos — Yackov in gematria 248, the 248 positive mitzvos — which refine brain and heart "a thousand times" (Scripture/Mishnah/Talmud/hora'ah, the ascent through Asiyah/Yetzirah/Beriah/Atzilus), but this is hasagah, hence limitation; "although he does the mitzvah — nevertheless it can be that it does not touch himself at all, and his body is not refined" [58844/maamar_004 :: Summary]. Yitzchak's akeidah, by contrast, was actual mesirus nefesh — bitul in every limb, even hands and feet, without hasagah — limitless, beyond even "b'chol me'odecha," matching "b'chol midah u'midah... bi'me'od me'od," going out of the vessel's limitation entirely [31659/maamar_004 :: Summary (pp. ל–לג); 58844/maamar_004 :: Summary].

The cosmic frame: Matan Torah is shiluv Havayah in Adnus — revelation descends, but the below stays below, so man can do bitul hayesh l'ayin; the future is shiluv Adnus in Havayah — ha'ala'ah milmatah l'ma'alah: the below becomes a vessel for Divinity, the body nourished by spirituality. Yackov is Matan Torah; Yitzchak is like the future [31659/maamar_004 :: Summary (pp. ל–לג)]. Hence in the future they will say "ki atah avinu" to Yitzchak: Yitzchak is "tz'chok asah li Elokim" (Bereishis 21:6) — the laughter, the delight from bottom-up birurim revealing pnimiyus hata'anug, "Eden — no eye has seen" [31659/maamar_004 :: Summary (pp. לד–לה); 58844/maamar_004 :: Summary].

Yackov's wells were stopped up by the Plishtim — chesed d'le'umas zeh can oppose holy chesed; Yitzchak's wells were never stopped — "nothing opposes holy yirah" [31659/maamar_004 :: Summary (pp. ל–לג)]. Yackov loved Yitzchak because nature loves its opposite — "cold water upon a weary soul": the chesed of drawing-down loves the gevurah of ascent, whose bitul — "Pachad Yitzchak," the high yirah ("is yir'ah v'is yir'ah") — is higher and harder than love [31659/maamar_004 :: Summary (pp. לד–לה); 58844/maamar_004 :: Summary].

Minchah is Yitzchak's prayer — the afternoon tamid: "simchah b'tzafra" (revelation) vs. "rinna b'ramsha" (the bitter melody of refinement) — "bo'u l'fanav birnanah: d'u ki Havayah hu ha'Elokim" (the yichud of Sovev and Memaleh); hence Eliyahu was answered at Minchah [31659/maamar_004 :: Summary (pp. לד–לה)]. Yitzchak's Gevurah-birur needs a second, "Mah"-birur — Torah and chesed's drawing — lest the gevuros nourish the chitzonim; so avodah (gevurah) needs Torah and gemilus chasadim before and after [31659/maamar_004 :: Summary].

Key distinctions

Related concepts

Gevurah, the akeidah, mesirus nefesh, the wells (Esek, Sitnah, Rechovos), Minchah, "Pachad Yitzchak," shiluv Havayah-Adnus, tz'chok.

Sources