English translation — לך לך א

Sicha 1<pg>39</pg>

A.

Our Sages taught<sup>1</sup>

: Five<sup>2</sup>

acquisitions the Holy One, blessed be He, acquired in His world, and these are they,

Torah is one acquisition,

heaven and earth are one acquisition,

Avraham is one acquisition,

Yisrael is one acquisition,

the Holy Temple is one acquisition.

And we need to understand: from the statement of the baraitha "Five acquisitions the Holy One, blessed be He, acquired in His world" it is understood,

that the entire world is not an acquisition of the Holy One, blessed be He.

And it is not understood: since He, may He be blessed, created everything, behold everything is His and in His domain,

and as it is written<sup>3</sup>

"The earth is the Lord's and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it, for He founded it"

(and likewise in other places),

and as Rashi explains on the verse<sup>4</sup>

"Who acquires heaven and earth"

[which is brought later in the baraitha as proof for "Abraham one acquisition",

"as it is written<sup>4</sup>

And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram to God Most High, Who acquires heaven and earth"]

— "through making them He acquired them to be His".

Also it needs to be understood

(and as the commentators raised the question)

:

a)

Since heaven and earth,

which are the entirety of the world,

are the acquisition of the Holy One, blessed be He — is any thing "in His world" not included in this acquisition?

b)

Why were heaven and earth not considered as two acquisitions?

3)

As proof that heaven and earth are one acquisition — the verse was brought⁵

"The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool, etc."

(And afterwards an additional proof was brought⁶

from the verse⁷

"How numerous are etc. the earth is full of Your acquisitions,"

in which "heavens" are not mentioned)

— and seemingly it should have brought an explicit proof from the verse "Who acquires heaven and earth"⁸?

4)

Why is Abraham counted as an "acquisition" by himself,

and is not included in the "acquisition" of "Israel"

(And behold the beginning of the people of Israel is Abraham our father,

the first of the three Patriarchs)?

ה)

In the verse that he brought as proof about Avraham,

"And he blessed him and said, 'Blessed be Avram to God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth',"

it is not mentioned that Avraham is called a "possession"

(Rather, that Avraham⁹

is "Possessor of heaven and earth").

ו)

What is the precision of saying "one possession" regarding each of the possessions — "Torah etc. heaven and earth one possession, Avraham one possession etc." — and he did not say "a second possession,

third etc."

Moreover — why does the Tanna add in the general statement these words "one possession",

and not state concisely: "Five possessions etc. in His world,

and they are,

Torah,

heaven and earth,

Avraham,

Yisrael and the Beis HaMikdash".

<pg>40</pg>

B.

The commentators explained¹⁰,

that the intention of the Tanna in the language "acquisition" here is not for this that the things are in His ownership and in His domain of the Holy One, blessed be He — because this matter is in all the creations, all of them — but rather for a deeper matter in the category of "acquisition".

That is: these things are not only like the property of a person, which is a thing in itself that is in his ownership,

and he can do with it as he wishes,

but rather the very existence of them is the "domain" of the Holy One, blessed be He,

because the entire essence of these things is that they "serve¹¹

His Godliness, blessed be He".

And with this is also resolved the precise language of the baraisa "Five acquisitions the Holy One, blessed be He, acquired in His world" — for superficially the word "in His world" is superfluous.

And furthermore — that it is precise "in His world",

for superficially it should have said "in the world".

But in this the Tanna emphasizes,

that his intention here is for a deeper level in the category of "acquisition",

that even though the entirety of the world is "His world",

the acquisition and property of the Holy One, blessed be He,

(because He, may He be blessed, created everything),

nevertheless, these five things are not comparable, for they are acquired to Him, may He be blessed, in a special manner,

more than His acquisition of the entire world.

For the entire world,

even as it is apparent in it that it is "His world",

the acquisition of the Holy One, blessed be He,

this is in a manner that it is an existence for itself that is in the domain and ownership of the Holy One, blessed be He,

(and therefore the title "world" applies to it,

from the language of concealment¹²,

for since it is an existence in itself,

this is a concealment and hiding of Divinity)

; but these five "acquisitions" are not a matter of a separate "existence",

but rather their existence and essence is the revelation of Divinity, and from the outset they are entirely one with the Holy One, blessed be He: the Torah is His wisdom and will of the Holy One, blessed be He; the souls of Israel

(and of Abraham first)

are "a part of God from above literally"¹³

; and the Holy Temple is the place of His rest, may He be blessed,

"And they shall make¹⁴

for Me a Sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst."

And based on this it is understood that he did not bring a proof for "heaven and earth one acquisition" the verse "Acquirer of heaven and earth" but rather "Thus says G-d, the heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool,"

for "Acquirer of heaven and earth" means

(as above)

that "by His making them He acquired them to be His,"

and it is not related to the definition of "acquisition" explained here; therefore he brings that "the heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool,"

which does not refer to the entirety of the matter of heaven and earth,

but rather to this particular aspect within them,

that through them there is revelation of Divinity in the world,

that the heavens are the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He,

and the earth — His footstool.

[And therefore they are considered "one acquisition,"

for in this matter,

that they are a means for the revelation of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the world,

indeed both of them together are one matter,

like a throne and a footstool literally,

that through both of them together a person sits in his place in rest etc.¹⁵].

And one must say,

that this is also what the Tanna hints by adding "one acquisition" after each acquisition,

to indicate,

that the definition of these acquisitions is to reveal the "One",

the Oneness of the Holy One, blessed be He¹⁶

[in the manner of the explanation of his honor, my father-in-law, the Rebbe¹⁷

in the language of the Haggadah "one wise and one wicked etc.",

that in each of the four sons there is the "One"].

3.

But this is not a sufficient explanation,

because m-<pg>41</pg>

Language of the Tanna "Five acquisitions acquired the Holy One, blessed be He"

(not "Five acquisitions there are to the Holy One, blessed be He"),

it implies,

that this that five things these are the acquisition of the Holy One, blessed be He comes through action and renewal,

as if they are initially

(like)

in another domain and the Holy One, blessed be He acquires them — and according to the above,

behold on the contrary,

specifically five things these are from the outset all one with the Holy One, blessed be He?

And it seems to me,

with the preface of the precise language of the baraisa "Five acquisitions acquired the Holy One, blessed be He in His world",

that in this is emphasized,

that it refers here as these five things are found in the world.

And that is,

that this that they are "His acquisition" of the Holy One, blessed be He is not only as they are above the world

[as Chazal¹⁸

that Torah Israel and the Beis HaMikdash are from the things that preceded the world,

and also this that heaven and earth are "My throne..

and the footstool of My feet" is as they are above the rest of the creations],

but that also as they descended and were clothed in the physicality of the world,

they remained in their essential level,

that they are "His acquisition" of the Holy One, blessed be He.

And based on this, one will understand the greatness of the elevation of these five things relative to the rest of the creations — that because of this only they are called by the name "acquisition":

"Acquisition" indicates the transfer of the object as it is from domain to domain.

That is,

that no change is made in the body of the object,

but only that it goes out from the domain of the seller to the domain of the buyer,

"that initially the merchandise was lying in a box by the seller and through the acquisition it comes..

to the buyer"¹⁹.

And as explained²⁰

also regarding the matter of the four expressions²¹

"Blessed is He who makes you..

your Creator..

your Maker..

your Possessor",

that the three expressions "He who makes you", "your Creator", and "your Maker" indicate the coming into being of the created being and its creation ex nihilo,

and they refer to the worlds that are an existence of something and a "bringing into being of a new thing"²²,

but not so the expression "your Possessor" indicates a thing that comes from concealment into revelation

(like a change of domain),

but not a "bringing into being of a new thing".

And in our matter:

Even though the entire world is the acquisition of the Holy One, blessed be He, since He is the Creator of the world,

nevertheless, this matter is not apparent in the world from its own perspective; and in order for it to be apparent in the world that it is "His world" of the Holy One, blessed be He, there must be a change in the object itself of the world,

for only through nullification of the world's selfhood,

refinement of its materiality and its elevation upward,

is it possible to recognize in the matters of the world that their existence is "the truth of His existence"

(that they do not exist except from the truth of His existence²³).

For just as their existence is in the category of creation, formation, and making,

the bringing into being of something new,

so too on the other hand,

their unification with the Holy One, blessed be He, is through the change and the innovation in their existence,

to make them from "something" into "nothing" — and therefore the category and description of "acquisition" does not apply to them.

But these five things are called "acquisition",

because the manner of their unification with the Holy One, blessed be He, is only in the category of "acquisition"²⁴,

transfer from domain to domain without change

(and certainly not innovation)

in their object itself,

for these things as they are, they are already in His domain of the Holy One, blessed be He,

because their entire content and category is revelation of Divinity.

And this is that the Tanna innovates "Five acquisitions the Holy One, blessed be He, acquired in His world" — that these things are "acquisition"

(that there is no change of the object,

but only a transfer from domain to domain),

it is

(also)

as they descended and were clothed in the world.

For the other creations that are innovated from nothing to something,

behold their elevation&lt;pg&gt;42&lt;/pg&gt;

to holiness so that it be noticeable in them that they are acquired for Hashem is through a change of the object

(as above),

breaking and nullification of materiality and refinement of physicality etc.; but not so these five things,

behold even as they are clothed in the physicality of the world they are only "acquisition"&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;,

that their unification with the Holy One, blessed be He, does not need a change of the object.

And based on this is resolved the precision of the language of the Tanna "Five acquisitions acquired the Holy One, blessed be He, in His world"

(and not "He has to the Holy One, blessed be He"),

for this matter,

that the clothing in the physicality of the world does not effect a change in the essence and quality of these things as Divine things,

is not in a spontaneous manner

(for on the contrary,

according to the nature of things such clothing should effect a change),

but rather this is a special action from Above&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;

"to acquire" these things.

D.

The explanation of the matter in detail:

"Torah is one acquisition": Even though the Torah "descended..

from level to level..

until it was clothed in physical matters and worldly affairs"&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;,

and also that the Torah was clothed in arguments of falsehood etc.&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;,

nevertheless this descent and clothing does not detract, heaven forbid, from its essential superiority&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;

which is the wisdom and will of the Holy One, blessed be He,

and there is no need for a change in the object itself

(nullification of the "physicality",

in which the Torah is clothed)

for the sake of its unification with the Holy One, blessed be He.

And likewise regarding the other "acquisitions":

"Israel is a single acquisition": also as the soul of Israel descended into this world and was clothed in the body of man,

by which it became materialized

(somewhat)

relative to its level and spirituality before its clothing in the body

(for otherwise it would not be relevant to the clothing and to the enlivening of the human body),

nevertheless even in this state it is "literally a part of G-d above"³⁰.

And with this is simply resolved the reason that by Israel the Tanna was not satisfied with bringing the verse³¹

"Until the people pass over, etc., this people You have acquired"

(in which it is explicit that Israel are an "acquisition")

but adds "and it says³²

To the holy ones who are in the land, etc." — because the verse "Until the people pass over, etc." refers to the time when Israel were in the desert,

where they did not engage

(so much)

in material things,

but not so in the verse "To the holy ones who are in the land, etc.",

in which is hinted the service of Israel specifically in the Land,

that even when they are occupied with earthly matters — "holy ones...

they are".

And so in the Holy Temple: this that it is a physical house,

built from physical things etc.,

does not detract from the matter of the indwelling of the Shechinah that is in the Temple,

and the Holy One, blessed be He, is found and revealed there in all His essence.

And further one can say,

that not only the holiness of the Temple itself is not diminished by its being clothed in a physical house,

but also the holiness that spreads from it throughout the entire world — as Chazal³³

<pg>43</pg>

"Not for light do I need, etc. It is a testimony to all who come into the world that the Shechinah rests upon Israel" — it is in the category of "acquisition",

that it was not changed from its essence and its excellence by its spreading outward.

And this is that he also brings regarding the Second Temple two verses: "A place for Your dwelling, You have made, Lord, etc.³⁴

And it says³⁵

And He brought them to the border of His holiness, this mountain His right hand acquired": the first verse,

"A place for Your dwelling, etc.",

speaks of the holiness of the Temple itself,

and the second verse,

"And He brought them to the border of His holiness,

this mountain His right hand acquired",

refers to the spreading of the holiness of the Temple outward,

the entire Temple Mount

("this mountain"),

and even to the entire Land of Israel,

which is called "the border of His holiness"³⁶

(because of the holiness of the Temple that is in it).

And so too regarding "heavens and earth, one acquisition": the concept of the "acquisition" of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not only in the spiritual heavens and earth

(because they are "My throne..

and the footstool of My feet"),

but this extends also to the physical heavens and earth,

for in them there are matters of revelation of G‑dliness

(above nature),

like the matter of the host of heaven being "strong as on the day of their creation"³⁷,

that this eternality is a revelation of the power of the Infinite One³⁸,

and likewise the power of growth in the earth,

which is a revelation of the power of the Infinite One³⁹

that only by His power and ability can something be brought into being from nothing.

And therefore here too the Tanna was not satisfied with bringing the verse "The heavens are My throne and the earth is the footstool of My feet",

but adds a second proof,

"And it says, 'How numerous are Your works... the earth is full of Your acquisition'",

that also in this lowly earth⁴⁰

the "acquisition" of heavens and earth is drawn down⁴¹.

5.

Based on the above, one can also explain the reason that Abraham is counted here as a "acquisition" by himself,

and is not included in the general "acquisition" of "Israel",

and brings a proof from the verse "And he blessed him, etc., who acquires heaven and earth":

It is explained in the Midrash⁴²,

that this that Abraham is called "who acquires heaven and earth" is because Abraham recognized the Holy One, blessed be He, among the creatures,

by which he "acquired for the Holy One, blessed be He, heaven and earth"⁴³,

and therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him "I consider it as if you are a partner with Me in the creation of the world"⁴²

(as if Abraham is "who acquires heaven and earth").

That is to say,

that the essence of Abraham is,

to reveal the oneness of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the physical world itself,

that the creatures will recognize the Name.

And therefore Avraham is considered a "possession" in his own right,

that this that "Yisrael is one possession" refers to the soul of each and every one of Yisrael,

that also in its descent into this world and its clothing in a physical body it is the "possession" of the Holy One Blessed be He as above at length; but this that "Avraham is one possession" is from the aspect of his activity in the world,

as the emphasis of the verse that he brought as proof,

that Avraham is called "possessor of heaven and earth".

That this that Avraham was able to effect recognition of G-dliness among the creatures even before the giving of the Torah,

indicates the greatness of the wonder of Avraham and the manner of his unification with his Creator,

"G-d Most High"⁴⁴,

so that not only this<pg>44</pg>

that he was not affected by the entire world,

"the entire world on one side and he on one side"⁴⁵,

but furthermore,

"Avraham was one"⁴⁶,

that he drew down "Hashem is One"⁴⁷

also in the land⁴⁸,

by means of that he effected recognition of G-dliness also in the creatures themselves,

"possessor of heaven and earth".

(From the talks of Shabbos Parshas Balak and Shabbos Parshas Re'eh 5737; Discourse "Five Acquisitions" 5712)