English translation — רשימה באתי לגני תשי"ג

[B’S”D.

10 Shevat,

5713*]

Above

(holiness)

or below

(to the other side)

is called foolishness1

and heresy.2

How is it possible?3

And as the Zohar says on the verse “And when a soul will sin,”

that the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Torah wonder: how is it possible that “it will sin”?

Even though it refers to Nefesh,

which is the lowest level of the five names of the soul,

and as the Zohar there specifically emphasizes “Nefesh,” and nevertheless it is wondrous.

And known is the saying of the Alter Rebbe: “A Jew—whether he wants to or not—cannot be a separate entity from G‑dliness.”

And only because he does not feel that through a transgression he becomes separate,

and it seems to him that he is still within Judaism,

for in truth,

the 365 negative commandments and all Rabbinic prohibitions,

since4

(Tanya ch. 24-25)

they do not rebel,

[against] the G‑d of gods,

that there is another existence.5

And behold, at first glance there is a difficulty,

that ultimately what is the practical difference,

for this too

is the opposite of [His] will.

And it can be explained according to the distinction that only Israel were commanded regarding partnership,

for their root is from Sovev Kol Almin (that which encompasses all worlds),

and there there is no existence,

in contrast to Memaleh Kol Almin (that which fills all worlds),

where there is an existence that is nullified,

and consequently it gives place to the God of gods,

but regarding Israel, even this matter is the opposite of their nature,

since they are from Sovev Kol Almin,

and therefore also [the concept of] partnership with the Holy One, blessed be He,

as is explained at length in the Discourse of Chanukah, chapter 8 — because in this it is impossible to err.

Through

the intensity of desire etc.,

for the intensity of the body,

which means the animal soul,

for the body,

on the contrary,

must be healthy,

and as the Rambam wrote that the body being healthy is among the ways of G-d,

and the Baal Shem Tov's explanation of the verse "When you see the donkey..." is known,

with him

specifically,

rather the intention is for the animal soul that is clothed in the body

(Vayomer Moshe 5709)

and covers the G-dly soul.

And even though the spark

is from the vessels of the Sefiros,

but it is from the interior of the vessels,

in which specifically

from the essence of the light,

which is not revealed at all in the exterior of the vessel,

and from this specifically can come into something similar to it

(Ki Ereh 5660).

And this also corresponds to what is explained elsewhere, that the Yechidah is from the exterior of Adam Kadmon,

but it is a garment for the interior of Adam Kadmon.

And from this there is in every single Jew,

as explained in Likkutei Torah, which the Tzemach Tzedek brings

(Lamnatzeach Al HaShminit, chapter 2,

discourse beginning "Ve'atah Im Na" 5678,

to study the matter of circumcision in Sefer HaMitzvos).

And consequently it is understood that by nature it does not change.

The animal soul

[is called] "behemah" (beast),

(and likewise the divine soul)

because it is foolishness to turn and exchange for physical pleasure,

since it is drawn only from the waste of the higher realms,

which is the matter of the angels called "keruvim,"

and especially when this destroys the spiritual pleasure, their source.

(Addition from Sefer HaToldot)

that they have no daat (intellective awareness),

even though they understand,

but this is not with recognition and feeling

(in brief in Kuntres HaTefillah,

and at length in the continuation of the discourse of the Tzemach Tzedek),

the opposite of kavanah (intention).

But through the holy foolishness,

"make a Mishkan of shittim wood,"

and then "I will dwell within them."

Just as in the Mishkan the actual indwelling of the Shechinah came through Moshe and Aharon,

through the union of the letters of the Name and the union of the letters of the Name and the Name,

through the love of Israel,

so too the manifestation of Moshe and Aharon comes through the love of Israel.