English translation — מאמר ואשה אחת תשמ"ו

With the help of Heaven.

On the eve of Monday, Parshat Chayei Sarah,

the 20th of MarCheshvan, 5746

"And a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, etc."

It is known from the discourse of the Alter Rebbe on the verse,

that "woman" refers to the soul,

and it is called "one woman" because it is one with Havayah,

"of the wives of the sons of the prophets,"

for "prophets" is from the term "utterance of the lips,"

meaning they receive from the aspect of "the word of Havayah," and the soul is a vessel to receive perceptions and revelations of G-dliness.

And "Elisha" is the letters of "Eli Sha," which is the Holy One, blessed be He.

And this is: "And a certain woman... cried out to Elisha,"

that the soul cries out to the Holy One, blessed be He,

"Your servant, my husband, is dead."

"My husband" is "Eish" (fire) and Yud,

for the love that was like "flames of fire" that I had, to be included and nullified in the aspect of the Yud of Supernal Chochmah—is dead,

meaning that now I do not have this love.

"And the creditor has come to take my two children for himself as slaves."

"And the creditor," from the term "for G-d has made me forget,"

refers to the animal soul, which causes me to forget G-dliness,

and "my two children" are love and fear.

[As explained in Tanya,

that the emotions are called "offspring,"

and the primary emotions are love and fear],

and this is: "And the creditor has come to take my two children for himself as slaves,"

to [become] foreign loves and foreign fears.

[For in addition to the animal soul causing me to forget G-dliness and wanting, G-d forbid, to nullify the love and fear of G-dliness,

it wants to take the love and fear of the G-dly soul to be slaves to the animal soul].

"And Elisha said to her, 'What do you have in the house?'"

What powers remain with you over which the animal soul has no control?

"And she said, 'Your maidservant has nothing... except a flask of oil.'"

That nothing remained with her except the essential point of the soul.

[It can be said,

that "oil" is Chochmah,

and "a flask of oil" is the aspect of Chochmah within the soul,

over which the animal soul has no control].

"And he said, 'Go, borrow vessels for yourself from outside... empty vessels, do not make few.'"

That you should engage in Torah and mitzvos,

which are vessels for the light of Havayah,

and even though the Torah and mitzvos you are now engaged in are empty vessels

(without love and fear),

nevertheless, "do not make few" of them,

"and you shall pour [oil] upon all these vessels,"

to draw into them the revelation of the essence of the soul.

[In the manner explained in Tanya,

that the fulfillment of the Torah and its mitzvos depends on this, that one always remember the matter of self-sacrifice to G-d,

for self-sacrifice is from the aspect of the essence of the soul].

"And when you do this, then you and your sons shall live on the remainder,"

like the advantage of the light that comes from the darkness.

And there is another interpretation of "empty vessels, do not make few,"

that one should contemplate greatly

how he is an empty vessel, without knowledge in the brain and without awe and love,

and he should become very bitter over his distance,

and through this, the light of the soul will shine within him.

And as the saying of the Head of the Academy in the Garden of Eden:

"Wood in which no light shines, they strike it... a body in which the light of the soul does not shine, they strike it and light shines in it."

And moreover, this light

(that shines through the bitterness of being an empty vessel)

has an advantage over the light as it is in itself,

specifically like the advantage of the light that comes from the darkness.

And this is: "And you and your sons shall live on the remainder,"

"you" is the essence of the soul, and "your sons" are the awe and love within each soul—"shall live on the remainder,"

like the advantage of the light that comes from the darkness.

2)

It can be said,

that the advantage of the light that comes from the darkness

("and you and your sons shall live on the remainder")

according to the interpretation of "empty vessels, do not make few" that one should contemplate greatly how he is an empty vessel,

is more elevated than the advantage of the light

("remainder")

according to the interpretation of "empty vessels, do not make few" that one should engage in Torah and mitzvos even though they are without love and fear.

For behold, regarding the advantage of light from darkness,

there are two matters.

[First,] the advantage of the light in order to illuminate the darkness.

That in order to illuminate a very distant and dark place,

a very great light is needed.

For so it is also regarding the advantage

("shall live on the remainder")

that comes through engaging in Torah and mitzvos without love and fear,

for this—that he engages in Torah and mitzvos even though he has no love and fear—

is because of the intensity of his connection to G-dliness from the aspect of the essence of the soul,

which is above the revealed faculties.

And there is another matter regarding the advantage of light from darkness,

that through the bitterness over the darkness that conceals His infinite light,

there is drawn forth from the aspect of "He made darkness His hiding place,"

a darkness that is above light

(above even a great light that illuminates even in the darkest place).

And this is the advantage

("shall live on the remainder")

that comes through contemplating how he is an empty vessel,

for through the bitterness over being an empty vessel

(darkness),

he reaches the aspect of darkness that is above light.

3)

And the explanation of the matter in more detail

will be understood according to what is stated in Likkutei Torah22

that the matter of "you and your sons shall live on the leftover" is in the manner of what our sages said23

on the verse24

"for the remnant of His inheritance,"

for one who makes himself like remnants.

And it is explained there25,

that "remnants" are the encompassing lights that are above the chain of descent.

For the light that is drawn down into the worlds

(in the internal aspect)

is only an illumination,

while the essence of the light

(the encompassing lights)

remains above,

as remnants.

And in order to draw down the encompassing lights,

it is through self-nullification.

And this is "for one who makes himself like remnants,"

for by making himself like remnants literally,

self-nullification,

specifically through this he draws down the encompassing lights,

the remnants.

For when his service is in the category of existence,

even when the service is at the ultimate level of elevation,

the drawing down that comes through it is light that belongs to the chain of descent

(existence),

and in order to draw down the remnants from above

(which are above the category of existence)

it is specifically through self-nullification.

[And as is also explained in Torah Or26

on the verse27

"The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool; which house... and to this one I will look: to the poor and broken-spirited,"

that the drawing down that comes through heaven and earth, which are Torah

(heaven)

and mitzvos

(earth)

is internal light,

and in order to draw down the encompassing lights,

"which house,"

for "house" is an encompassing light

(and within the encompassing lights themselves, the distant encompassing light),

it is through self-nullification,

"poor and broken-spirited."]

And it is explained in Likkutei Torah there,

that this is what our sages said28

on the verse "and you and your sons shall live on the leftover until the dead are revived,"

that "leftover" is what remains above in the category of encompassing light,

and within the encompassing lights themselves it is the distant encompassing light,

Atik

(for Arich is the near encompassing light and Atik is the distant encompassing light29),

and this is "you shall live on the leftover until the dead are revived,"

for the revival of the dead is through the dew that drips from Atik30.

And this is the superiority of the matter of "you shall live on the leftover" that comes through the bitterness of being an empty vessel

(the second interpretation of "do not diminish from empty vessels")

over the matter of "you shall live on the leftover" that comes through engaging in Torah and mitzvos even though he has no love and fear

(the first interpretation of "do not diminish from empty vessels"),

for the advantage

(leftover)

in this—that he engages in Torah and mitzvos even when he has no love and fear—is that then his fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos is connected with the power of self-sacrifice,

for the matter of self-sacrifice stems from the essence of the soul, which is above the revealed faculties

(love and fear).

But nevertheless,

since through the engagement in Torah and mitzvos

(even when the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos is through remembering the matter of his self-sacrifice to G-d)

he is not nullified from his existence

[for the fact that he fulfills Torah and mitzvos depends on his will,

the will

(existence)

of the person31],

the revelation of the essence of the soul in this is only as it relates to the revealed faculties

[for by remembering the matter of his self-sacrifice to G-d, which stems from the essence of the soul,

his will in Torah and mitzvos is with great force].

Therefore,

also the drawing down that is drawn from above through this

is the light that is above the chain of descent as it relates to the chain of descent,

which in general is the near encompassing light,

Arich.

And the advantage that is made through the feeling and bitterness of being an empty vessel,

since through this he is nullified from his existence,

through this is drawn the revelation of the essence of the soul as it is above relation to the revealed faculties.

And likewise is it regarding the drawing down that is drawn from above through this,

for by feeling in himself that he is an empty vessel with no virtue and is like remnants in his eyes

(a superfluous thing,

leftover),

the matter of "you shall live on the leftover" is that through this there is a drawing down of the distant encompassing light,

Atik32.

4)

And we need to understand what is stated: "you and your sons shall live on the leftover,"

that also the love and fear of the soul

(your sons)

shall live on the leftover,

for seemingly,

since "leftover" is an encompassing light,

and especially according to the interpretation that "leftover" is the distant encompassing light,

how can vitality from it be drawn down to the internal faculties

(love and fear)?

And this can be explained according to what the Rebbe

(the Rebbe Rashab)

of blessed memory, the birthday owner, said in his maamar beginning with "Ki"33

"For this commandment which I command you today, it is not wondrous for you nor is it distant from you"34

(in his book of maamarim that is now being prepared for print35),

that the two terms "wondrous" and "distant" correspond to Atik and Arich.

For "wondrous"

[which is a term of separation and distinction]

is in Atik,

which is removed and separated from the chain of descent,

and "distant" is in Arich,

for the term "distant" indicates that it has a relation to the thing from which it is distant,

as in "I said, 'I will become wise,' but it was distant from me"36,

for this that "I said, 'I will become wise'" is because wisdom relates to him,

only that it is distant from him37.

And it is explained there,

that what is written "for this commandment... it is not wondrous for you...,"

specifically "for you,"

is

because since the mitzvos are the Supernal Will,

a will that is above reason,

they are in the category of wondrous and distant38.

And all the more so the mitzvah of teshuvah

(for "this commandment" refers to the mitzvah of teshuvah,

as the Ramban and several commentators say39)

which is above the will of the mitzvos

[and as is explained in many places40,

that this—that through teshuvah all blemishes are filled—is because teshuvah reaches the Ein Sof, the Master of Will

(which is above the will of the mitzvos),

to the extent that it reaches the very Essence41,

and this is what is written "for this commandment which I command you,"

"I am that I am"42]

which is certainly in the category of wondrous and distant.

For lower teshuvah is in the category of distant, and higher teshuvah is in the category of wondrous.

Because lower teshuvah is in the encompassing light of Chayah,

the near encompassing light.

And also the drawing down from above that is drawn through lower teshuvah is the encompassing light of direct light that has a relation to the internal,

which in general is Arich.

And higher teshuvah is in the encompassing light of Yechidah,

the distant encompassing light.

And also the drawing down from above that is drawn through this is the encompassing light of returning light that is above relation to the internal,

which in general is Atik.

And what is written "it is not wondrous for you nor is it distant from you"

is specifically "for you,"

for the souls of Israel.

For the souls of Israel contain everything,

and also from above they are given everything,

and therefore this is not wondrous or distant from them.

5)

And it needs to be understood,

what does the verse innovate in this, that this mitzvah

(teshuvah)

is not wondrous for you nor distant from you,

for seemingly,

since also in man,

the service of teshuvah is in the makifim of Chayah and Yechidah,

which are analogous to the makifim above

(Arich and Atik),

what is the innovation

(so much)

in this, that through service in the makifim of the soul, the makifim above are drawn down?

And it may be said,

that "from you" refers to Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah, which are the essence of man43.

For although teshuvah is in the makifim of the soul,

nevertheless,

in order to arouse the makifim, there must be contemplation,

and the contemplation

(which is in NRN)

must be in a manner that through this the makifim that are above intellect will be aroused.

And this is the innovation in "it is not wondrous for you etc.," that "from you" refers to NRN

(as above),

for although the makifim of Chayah and Yechidah are wondrous and distant from NRN,

nevertheless,

it is within the power of NRN to arouse

(through appropriate contemplation)

the makifim of Chayah and Yechidah44,

and through them also the makifim above,

Arich and Atik.

And the reason for this is

(as brought above

(end of section 4)

from the maamar)

because the souls of Yisrael

(that is, also the NRN)

have everything,

and also from above they are given everything.

6)

And this will be understood by prefacing that the precise explanation of the verse's wording "it is not wondrous from you"

(specifically "from you"),

is also according to the interpretation45

that "this mitzvah" refers to all the mitzvos in general.

For also according to this interpretation,

"this mitzvah" is in the category of wonder,

and as brought above

(section 4)

from the maamar,

that also all the mitzvos,

being the Supernal Will that is above reason,

are in the category of wonder and distance

(except that nevertheless it is not wondrous from you,

from Yisrael).

And it may be said,

that this which it says two terms,

"wondrous" and "distant,"

is,

because in mitzvos there are two matters.

This, that the mitzvos are His will,

a will that is above reason.

And this, that after the will becomes clothed in Chochmah

(of Torah),

a reason is also added for each mitzvah46.

And these are the two terms of wonder and distance,

for the will in the mitzvos,

being above reason,

is wonder.

And the reasons for the mitzvos as they are from the aspect of the Chochmah of Torah as it is above,

are in the category of distance.

For although also the reasons for the mitzvos

(as they are in His Chochmah)

are above the comprehension of human intellect47,

nevertheless,

the Chochmah above is the source for the Chochmah and intellect of created beings48,

and therefore it is not wondrous from the intellect of created beings, only distant from them49.

7)

And it may be added,

that the mitzvos and Torah

(the reasons for the mitzvos)

as they are in their own essence,

it is not applicable to say of them even the description of wonder and distance.

For the term wonder

(and certainly the term distance)

indicates that the wondrous thing has some connection to the thing from which it is wondrous.

But regarding two matters that have no connection between them,

the term wonder does not apply.

Just as it is not applicable to say of a logical concept that it is wondrous from the sense of touch50.

And that the Torah and mitzvos are distant and wondrous is after they have descended to have some connection to the world.

For the beginning of the descent is that the Torah preceded the world.

For the Torah as it is in its own essence,

is not in the category of worlds at all, and it is not applicable to say of it that it preceded the world.

And that which our sages said51

"Two thousand years the Torah preceded the world,"

is in the level of Torah as it descended52

to be in the category of worlds.

For in this level it is applicable to say that it preceded the world,

and moreover,

there is a measure to its precedence,

two thousand years.

And after this it descended yet many more descents53,

until it was drawn down below.

And in this level of Torah,

as it is after its descent

[which is a general level,

including many particular levels,

from the level of Torah that preceded the world until the level of Torah that was drawn down below]

it is applicable to say that it is in the category of wonder and distance.

And it can be said,

that this which it says "it is not wondrous for you nor is it distant,"

the intention in this is regarding the Torah and commandments as they are in the aspect of wonder and distance,

and also regarding the Torah and commandments as they are from their own essence

(before their descent,

when it is not applicable to say of them even the description of wonder and distance),

that even this level of Torah and commandments is not wondrous for you nor is it distant.

For at the giving of the Torah, all levels of Torah were given to Israel,

even the level of Torah as it is from its own essence

(before its descent to be relevant to the worlds),

and even to [the level of] "the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one."

8)

And likewise, according to the interpretation that this commandment refers to the matter of repentance,

that this [quality of] repentance being in the aspect of wonder and distance

is as it descended to be drawn downward,

but as it is from its own essence,

the descriptions of wonder and distance do not apply to it.

And although the wonder and distance of repentance are in a manner more elevated than the wonder and distance in all the commandments

[for the wonder and distance in all the commandments are the matter of Will and Wisdom

(as above in section 6),

and since repentance is in the Master of Will

(as above in section 4),

it is understood

that the wonder and distance of repentance are in a more elevated manner],

nevertheless,

since the description of wonder

(and certainly the description of distance),

even as it is in the ultimate elevation,

indicates that the wondrous thing has some connection to that which is wondrous relative to it,

therefore,

in the level of repentance as it is from its own essence

(the Master of Will),

it is not applicable to use the language of wonder and distance.

And that which is said that this commandment

(repentance)

is wondrous and distant,

it is

after its descent to be drawn downward.

And it can be said,

that which is said "it is not wondrous for you nor is it distant,"

the intention in this is regarding repentance as it is in the aspect of wonder and distance, and also regarding repentance as it is from its root in the Master of Will

(which is above the description of wonder and distance),

that even this level of repentance is not wondrous for you nor is it distant.

And this is that which is said "for this commandment which I command you today,"

that even repentance as it is from the aspect of "Anochi,"

"I am that I am,"

is not wondrous for you nor is it distant.

9)

And the reason for this,

is that at the giving of the Torah,

through the speech

"Anochi Havayah Elokecha,"

it was thus brought about in each and every Jew,

that "Anochi"

(through being drawn into Havayah)

is "Elokecha,"

your strength and your life-force.

And although this that "Anochi" becomes "Elokecha" is like it is drawn into Havayah,

and as explained in the maamar

[regarding] the distinction between the mitzvah of teshuvah and all the mitzvot,

that regarding teshuvah it is written "asher Anochi metzavecha,"

"Anochi" without qualification,

and regarding all the mitzvot it is written "Anochi Havayah,"

"Anochi" as it is drawn into Havayah,

nevertheless,

based on what is known

that in the utterance "Anochi" all the mitzvot are included,

also the mitzvah of teshuvah,

it can be said,

that in "Anochi Havayah"

(which was at the giving of the Torah)

is also included the aspect of "Anochi" as it is in His very Essence,

above the drawing down into Havayah,

except that the revelation of this aspect is in the mitzvah of teshuvah.

And from this it is understood,

that this which at the giving of the Torah it was brought about in each and every Jew that "Anochi" is "Elokecha,"

your strength and your life-force,

is also the aspect of "Anochi" that is above the drawing down into Havayah.

And when a person wishes to awaken in teshuvah

(even before he actually does teshuvah),

through this there is revealed to him that "Anochi"

(also the "Anochi" that is above the drawing down into Havayah)

is your strength and your life-force,

meaning that this also pertains to his Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah,

and through this,

this mitzvah

(teshuvah)

"which Anochi commands you,"

"is not wondrous from you nor is it distant,"

and on the contrary,

"the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart to do it,"

for it is very near to each Jew to attain teshuvah,

and not only the level of teshuvah that has descended to be in the category of wonder and distance, but also the level of teshuvah of "which Anochi commands you."

10)

And 4)

And this is "and you and your sons shall live on the leftover,"

that also the inner powers of the soul live on the leftover,

for although the leftover is a makif (encompassing light),

and moreover it is the distant makif,

nevertheless,

life-force is drawn from it also to the inner powers of the soul,

because through teshuvah it is revealed that "Anochi" is "Elokecha," your strength and your life-force.

And in the manner explained above

(section 9)

regarding the matter of "it is not wondrous from you."

Except that the matter of "it is not wondrous from you" is that the inner powers of the soul

(through the desire to do teshuvah)

are in a manner that through them one can reach the encompassing lights,

and the matter of "and you and your sons shall live on the leftover" is that the inner powers live

(with inner vitality)

in the leftover that is drawn through teshuvah,

in the leftover of the close encompassing light and also in the leftover of the distant encompassing light

[and it can be said,

that in the leftover is also included the very Essence that is above the definition of encompassing and inner].

And one can connect this also with the explanation of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, on the verse "and you and your sons shall live on the leftover,"

until the dead will live,

for in the resurrection of the dead the life of the body will be from the Sovev (the Surrounding Light)

(leftover).

And through the matter of "and you and your sons shall live on the leftover,"

that the life-force of the inner powers

(of the soul)

is in the leftover,

in the future there will also be life of the body from the Sovev.

[And moreover, the life of the body will be more elevated,

therefore,

the soul will be nourished from the body].

And it can be said,

that this is also the connection of teshuvah to the future redemption,

for Israel are only redeemed through teshuvah

and Mashiach comes to bring the righteous back in teshuvah,

for the drawing down that comes through teshuvah is in a manner that from it life-force is drawn also to the inner powers,

"and you and your sons shall live on the leftover,"

and the perfection of the future redemption is in the resurrection of the dead,

that the life of the body will be from the Sovev.

Therefore,

through Israel doing teshuvah they are immediately redeemed,

with the true and complete redemption through our righteous Mashiach,

may he come and redeem us and lead us upright to our land,

speedily in our actual time.