‫שובה ישדאל‬

‫תדנ״ט‬

THE POWER
OFRETURN
YOM TOY SHEL ROSH HASHANAH 5659
-DISCOURSETHREE-

a chasidic discourse by
The Lubavitcher Rebbe
Rabbi Menachem M . Schneerson
‫זצוקללה״ה נבג״ט זי״ע‬

translation and annotation by

Rabbi Y. Eliezer Danzinger

additional annotation by
Rabbi Ari SoUisb
Rabbi Avraham D. Vaisfiche

‫חועומן ותוכנס לאינטרנט‬

www.hebrewbooks.org
‫ע״י חיים תשס״ז‬

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770 Eastern Parkway / Brooklyn, N ew York 11213
 T he P ower of R eturn
YOM TOY SHEL ROSH HASHANAH 5659
DISCOURSE THREE

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 CONTENTS

preface
7

portrait o f Rabbi Shalom DovBer

9

manuscript o f Rabbi Shalom DovBer

10

introduction
13

translation and commentary

18

appendices
109

bibliography
113
 The publication of the series

Yom Tov S hel R osh H ash an ah 5659

has been made possible

through a grant from

T h e B en ‫״‬O n i F ou n d ation
 ‫ב״ה‬
PREFACE

e hereby present the third discourse of the series Yom

W Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah 5659, entitled The Power o f
Return. These discourses were authored by the fifth Rebbe of
Chabad-Lubavitch, Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneersohn.
The current discourse, delivered on Shabbat Shuvah 5659
(1898), opens with the verse from the Haftara of that Shabbat
in which the prophet Hosea exhorts the Jewish people to
teshuvah, repentance: Return, O Israel, to the L-rdyour G-d, for
you have stumbled in your iniquity (Hosea 14:2).
Thus begins Rabbi Shalom DovBer’s examination of the
inner workings of teshuvah. Here, he explains at length how it
is precisely through making a detailed and honest
examination of one’s character and spiritual standing—which
inevitably leads one to a contrite and broken heart— that may
allow one to realize his or her essential connection with G-d.
The Power o f Return, like the other volumes of the
Chasidic Heritage Series, features a clear, lucid translation of
the original Hebrew text of the discourse, along with copious
reference and explanatory notes. The facing Hebrew text has
been completely reset, vocalized and broken into chapters,
and has been edited against Rabbi Shalom DovBer’s original
manuscript. Two Appendices, as well as a full Bibliography,
appear at the end of this volume.
The discourse was translated and annotated by Rabbi Y.
Eliezer Danzinger. Additional annotation was provided by
Rabbis Avraham D. Vaisfiche and Ari Sollish. Thanks are due
to Heichal Menachem, whose publication of this discourse in
the Chasidut Mevoeret series aided in its translation and
annotation. Special thanks to Rabbis Dovid Olidort and
Yosef B. Friedman for their editorial guidance.
Kehot Publication Society
18 Elul 5765
 .‫ ^>־‬e ,‫ ו^ג‬3>‫י‬y p -‫ ״‬d f *‫>״‬y-i 3
y •‫י‬-‫*יי‬1‫*־»«י»י«ט‬-^“ ‫׳‬
'M . T
•■*pj .•**tent. ■■>ntf <‫»*) גזנ*נ‬,
►
J«y> ., v/1 ■
><ynV<j^>wc
f ^ y ‫*״‬,.‫ך‬,
‘H9|«tMh15.>1m11»M)^ttn11 ______
‫*׳‬A0«t.ot»:)9a1>1»>^j^«»»3<‫ ׳‬c4<Km>‫׳‬

^‫^ל׳׳ני;׳‬ __

)tl• .' .-'OtTf >nrfi ,-»»^j,vj>;4}yI T

Facsimile of original maunscript of Shuvah Yisrael 5659

by Rabbi Shalom DovBer
INTRODUCTION
 13

IN TRO D U CTIO N

A t first, G-d thought to create the world with the

attribute offudgm ent (Inicldat hading.. But He saw
that the world would not endure, so He combined the
attribute o f Mercy (iniddat harachamimi with it....

Said the Holy One Blessed be He: “I f I create the world

with the attribute o f Mercy, sins (or sinners) will
abound. But i f I create the world with the attribute o f
fudgment, how w ill the world endure? Rather, I will
create it with both the attribute o f fudgm ent and the
attribute o f Mercy, and may it endure!”
— Midrash Rabbah, 12:15

S trict justice or compassion?

When G-d created this world, our Sages tell us, He had
considered interacting with it solely with His un­
compromising justice. Only because He foresaw that the
world could not endure the exacting demands of Divine judg­
ment did He decide to moderate strict justice with mercy.‘
But when making our world, why was a loving, be­
nevolent G-d inclined to use “vinegar” instead of “honey”?
Does a compassionate father not guide his child with a tender
hand rather than with a firm one?
This is the principal question, introduced earlier (but not
answered) in the first discourse “ Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah
5 6 5 9 ” that the present discourse addresses. As with most

1. A lthough our S ^ e s em ploy an­
thropom orphic term inology here,
speaking o f G -d as “considering” and
“deciding,” one must remember that
their statement is not to be under­
stood in a literal, physical sense, G-d
forbid; for G -d does not “change H is
m ind” as a mortal m ight. Rather, as
the present discourse w ill explain, our
Sages wished to impress upon us both
the benefit that w ould have been gar­
nered had G -d (theoretically) created
the world using only H is attribute o f
justice (without H is attribute o f mer­
cy), and the w orld’s ultimate need for
a synthesis o f both attributes.
14 THE POWER OF RETURN

Chasidic discourses, this discourse builds both the questions

and their answers around the resolution of some textual dif­
ficulties with a given scriptural or Midrashic verse. Once the
central, theological questions are resolved, the textual dif­
ficulties melt away.
After posing several questions on the verse. Return, O Is­
rael, to the L-rdyour G-d, for you have stumbled over your sin^
the author. Rabbi Shalom DovBer of Lubavitch, eases into
the primary discussion of the discourse. He first explains the
practical need for the fear of Divine retribution; without it,
crime would run rampant. But beyond serving as a deterrent
to sin, the attribute of judgment— the “left vector”^— has oth­
er advantages over the attribute of kindness. The main ad­
vantage is that it ultimately leads a person to higher spiritual
heights than otherwise attainable.
To explain how this is so, the author devotes much of the
discourse to elucidating a different but related subject: the
love o f G-d. Broadly speaking, our love for G-d falls into one
of two categories. Either our love of G-d is predicated on
some tangible or perceivable benefits— after all. He gives us
life and sustains us— or our love is an inescapable expression
of our intrinsic connection with Him. If the former, then the
love is necessarily limited to our finite recognition and per­
ception; if the latter, however, then the love has no con-
straints— it is totally unbounded.
But due to the realities o f our physical lives, we may not
necessarily consciously sense our intrinsic connection with G-
d. How, then, are we to “uncover” this essential bond and ac­
cess the unrestrained G-dly love it yields? In short. Rabbi Sha-
lorn DovBer answers that the only way is through the “left
vector.” In our service of G-d, this entails humility, self-
effacement— letting the air out of our over-inflated egos—
and simplicity. Crying to G-d, simply. Reaching out to G-d,
simply. Simply, but with urgency. And the urgency, the rush,
is generated by our perceived distance from Him. Just as the

2. H osea 14:2. 3. See below, footnote 50 to m ain text.

INTRODUCTION 15

obstructions in a river create its most powerful tor­

rents, similarly, G-d’s concealment stirs within us the
potent, unyielding desire to return to Him.
The propitious time to begin revealing our in­
trinsic connection with G-d is during the High Hoi-
idays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. For then
G-d reveals the supernal “left hand,” the attribute of
judgment. This in turn awakens our own capacity for
critical self-examination, leading us to a sobering re­
alization of where we stand, and to a resolute de­
termination to bridge that gulf separating us from our
Creator.
Strict justice or compassion? In light of the au­
thor’s elucidation, the ideal is strict justice, for it leads
to, and is the hallmark of, the most intimate bond
with G-d. But the ideal is not always sustainable.^
Therefore, G-d tempered the attribute of judgment
with the attribute of mercy.
Through this Divine compromise, our world en­
dures.

N O T E O N TH E HEBREW TEXT; In vocalizing the Hebrew

words in this edition we have followed the grammatical rules
of the Holy Tongue, which occasionally differ from the
traditional or colloquial pronunciation.

4. Interestingly, in this discourse the lim ited and constrained, than he does
author devotes m ore tim e to discuss to discuss the second, loftier, and un­
the first type o f love, the one that is bounded type.
TRANSLATION
AND
COMMENTARY
18

With the Help O f Heaven,

Shabbat Sbuvab 5659 (1898)

Return, O Israel, to Havaya Elokecha (the L-rd your G-d), for

you have stumbled in your iniquity)

The mention of these two Divine names, Havaya and

Elokim,^ in the context of teshuvah (repentance),^ needs clar­
ification. Similarly, the verse. A nd return to Havaya Elokecha^
also cites both Divine names. Thus, we need to understand
their relationship to teshuvah.
In addition, why does Scripture give a reason to re-
pent—for you have stumbled in your iniquity'^ By definition,
repentance is prescribed for sin and iniquity. If so, why does
the verse need to explain, for you have stumbled in your in-
iquity^.
MIDRASH CLARIFIED
To understand this, we first must clarify what is stated in
Midrash Rabbah^:
At first, G-d thought to create the world with the attrib­
ute of judgment. He saw, however, that the world would
not endure, so He combined it [the attribute o f judg­
ment] with the attribute of mercy.
Earlier,® we asked the question: Since G-d is the source of
goodness and kindness, why did He initially think to create
the world with the attribute of judgment? On the contrary:
Since the nature of the benevolent is to bestow goodness,^

1. Hosea 14:2. ton, Y-H-V-H. The letters are rearranged

2. HAVAYA/ELOEGM. Havaya and Elokim
are two o f the seven primary Divine
names mentioned in Scripture. Havaya is
the colloquial form— in Kabbalah and
Cbakirah (Torah philosophy)— o f the In­
effable Divine Name, or Tetragramma-
so as not to pronounce the sacred Name.
Each Divine name expresses a differ-
cnt aspect or attribute o f the Divinity.
Havaya refers to G-d in His attribute of
mercy, while Elokim refers to G-d in His
attribute o f justice (see Rashi to Genesis
1: 1) .
 19

‫ שג ת שוג ה רנ ״ ט‬,‫ג ס ״ ד‬

.‫שו ב ה י ש ר א ל ע ד ה׳ אליקןיף כי כ ש ל ת בזגוניף‬

‫ו צ רי ך ל ה בין מ ה שנ א מ ר ג בי ת שו ב ה ב׳ ה ש מו ת ד הוי׳‬
‫ ו כן ע תי ב ו ש ע ת ע ד הוי׳ אל?ןיך שן א מ ר ג ם כן ב׳‬,‫ו א ל קי ם‬
‫ ו צ רי ך ל ה בין מ ה שןי כי ם הב׳ ש מו ת ד הוי׳ ו א ל קי ם‬,‫ש מו ת‬
.‫ל עגון ה ת שו ב ה‬

‫ ח ל א‬,‫וג ם צ רי ך ל ה בין ה ג תי נ ת ט ע ם ד כי כ ש ל ת ב עוני ך‬

‫ז ה מו בן מ ע צ מו ך מ ה ש מן הי רי ם ע ל ת שו ב ה הו א מ צ ד הח?זא‬
.‫ ו א ם כן מ ה צ רי ך לו מ ר ה ט ע ם ך כי כ ש ל ת כר‬,‫ן עון‬

‫ו ל ה בין ז ה צ רי ך ל ה ביו מ ת חי ל ה מ ה ך אי ת א כ מ ך ר ש‬
:‫רבה‬T “

‫ב ת ח ל ה ע ל ה ב מ ח ש ב ה ל ב רו א א ת ה עו ל ם ב מ ד ת ה דין‬
‫י‬ ‫־‬ ‫־‬ : T T V : • T T : T T T • : •

,‫ר א ה ש אין ה עו ל ם מ ת קוי ם שי ת ף בו מ ד ת ה ר ח מי ם‬

‫ ד ח ל א הו א י ת ב ר ך מ קו ר ה טו ב‬,‫ו ג ת ב א ר ל עי ל ה קו שן א‬
‫ו ה ח ס ד ו א ם כן ל מ ה ע ל ה מ מ ח ש ב ה ל ? רו א כ מ ד ת ה דין׳ ו ח ל א‬

Chasidus explains the difference be­
tween Havaya and Ehkim thus: Havaya
refers to G-d the Infinite, transcending
creation and nature, time and space
completely— the level o f Divinity that
brings everything into existence ex ni-
hilo. The name Elokim represents the
level o f G-d which conceals the Infinite
Light and life-force, as this Infinite
force is too intense for finite creatures to
endure. Elokim is the power o f G-d that
makes the world appear as though it ex­
ists naturally and independently by it­
self. Elokim therefore has the same nu­
merical value as the Hebrew word for
“nature”— hateva.
3. The literal translation o f the word te-
shuvah is “return,” and refers to the pro­
cess of repentance.
4. Deuteronomy 4:30, 30:2.
5. Bereshit Rahbah 12:15. See also Rashi
ibid.
6. In the first discourse in this series.
See Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah 5659,
Discourse One (Kehot, 2000), p. 24.
7. Pardes Rimonim, Shaar 2 ch. 6;
Shelah, Toldot Adam— Beit Habechirah,
ch. 13; Sefer Hachinuch, mitzvah 452;
Meor Einayim, Vayeshev.
20 THE POWER OF RETURN

should He have not originally considered creating the world

through the attribute of kindness and mercy?
To answer, the M idrasff presents a parable of “a king who
owned delicate cups....” As explained earlier,'’ “cups” symbol­
ize the souls of Israel, who are like vessels, receiving within
them the light of Torah. Moreover, just as the owner of the
cup drinks from his cup, likewise, because of the superiority
of the souls of Israel [being rooted] within the Essence of Ein
Sof,'° they confer light to the Torah." For this reason, the
souls of Israel are termed “cup.”"
At this point, we must understand the Midrash’s con­
tinuation:
[The king said:] “If I fill them with hot liquid, they will
crack. But if I fill them with cold liquid, they will con­
geal.” W hat did the king do? He mixed the cold liquid
with the hot liquid, poured it into the cups, and they re­
mained intact.
W hat is [the deeper significance of| the parable of hot and
cold liquid?
PRACTICAL LESSONS
The intention of the parable is to illustrate the Supernal
methodology, [which, in turn, teaches] how Israel is to or­
ganize and approach their divine service."
Hence, I f I fill them with hot liquid‫׳‬. H ot [liquid] {chamin)
alludes to the attribute of gevurah (severity) and judgment.
This idea is known from Noach’s three sons, Shem, Cham
and Yafet," as Cham alludes to gevurah.^'' All heat results from

8. Bereshit Rabbah ibid. pletely beyond any boundaries— the Es­

9. Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah 5659,
Discourse One, pp. 25-6.
10. The Kahbalists use the term Ein Sof
to refer to the most absolute Infinite
force o f G-d, totally beyond description,
knowledge, and comprehension, com­
sence o f G-d Himself.
11. I.e., both ideas are true: Israel re­
ceives light from Torah, and conveys
light to Torah. The term “cup” is there­
fore appropriately used to refer to the
souls o f Israel, as it conveys hoth points:
a cup receives liquid, and gives o f its liq-
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 21

‫מ צ ד ט ב ע ה טו ב ל ה טי ב הי ה צ רי ך ל חיו ת וז חי ל ת ע ליי ת‬
.‫ה מ ח ש ב ה ל ס רו א ע מ ד ת ה ח ס ד ו ה ר ח מי ם כר‬

‫ו ב מ ד ר ש א מ ר מ ש ל ע ל זה ל מ ל ך ש הי ה לו כו סו ת ד קי ם‬
‫•י‬ - T T V ‫ י‬V V : V ‫־‬ T T ‫־‬ T T : • :

‫ ל פי ש ה ם‬,‫ לנ ח ב א ר ל עי ל ך כו סו ת הם נ ש מו ת י ש ר א ל‬.‫כר‬
‫ דבעזם ש כו ס ח רי ב ע ל‬,‫ לעוד‬.‫כ לי ם ל ק ב ל ב תו כן או ר ה תו ך ה‬
‫ מ צ ד מ ע ל ת‬,‫ ב מו כן נ ש מו ת יקוראל‬,‫הכו ם שו ת ה ע ל לדו‬
,‫ ה רי ה ם מ קז פי עי ם ב תו ר ה‬,‫נ קז מ תן ב ב חי נ ת ע צ מיו ת אין סו ף‬
.‫לעל ש ם ז ה נ ק ר אי ם כו ס כר‬

:‫ו מ ע ת ה צ רי ך ל ה בין מ ה ש א מ ר ב מ ד ר ש‬
T : ‫־‬ : “ T V “ ‫י‬ • T : ‫י‬ • T X “

‫אם אני נו תן ל תו כן ח מיו ח רי הן מ ת ב ק עין צונן ה רי הן‬

,‫מ ק רי סין עי ר ב צונן ב ח מין לנ תן ב ה ם לע מדו‬

.‫לצריך ל ה בין מ הו ה מ ש ל ר ח מין לצונן‬

‫א מנ ם כ ל לו ת ע נין ה מ ש ל הז ה הו א ל הו רו ת ע ל ה הנ ה ג ה‬
T T : • * ‫־‬ ‫־‬ : V - T T - ‫״‬ ‫־‬ ; • T : T : T

‫מ ל מ ע ל ה אי ך עזי חי ה ס ך ר לאופן ה ע בו ד ה ךנ עז מו ת י ש ר א ל‬
,‫ל מ ט ה‬

‫ פי רו עז ח מי ם הו א‬,‫לעל ז ה א מ ר א ם אני נו תן ל תו כן ח מין‬

‫ ך ע מ ע גין ג׳ בני נ ח ש ם ח ם‬13‫ לכ‬,‫ב חי נ ת מ ד ת ה ^ בו ך ה להדין‬
‫ עזכל חלם ב א ע ל י די‬,‫ ד ח ם הו א ב חי נ ת ה ג בו ר ה כר‬,‫וי פ ת‬
‫־‬ T T V T : ‫־‬ - ' : T : V VT

uid to “the owner o f the cup”— see fol­ the source o f the souls is much loftier
lowing footnote. than that o f Torah.

12. See Forces in Creation {Yom Tov Shel 13. Since man is made in the image o f
Rosh Hashanah, Discourse Two), p. 82 G -d (Genesis 1:27), understanding the
ff., and footnotes 210 and 219: “...th e methodology G-d employed in creating
cup also contains the power o f ‘trans­ the world sheds insight into how we are
mission’.... Israel becomes the ‘giver’ in to approach our spiritual service.
its relationship with the Torah, eliciting
the Essence o f G -d__ ” I.e., just as one 14. Genesis 5:32.
who drinks from a cup gains from the
cup, similarly, the Torah receives a 15. The Hebrew word cham literally
greater level o f G-dly light from the means “hot.” Kabbalah explains that the
souls o f Israel. And this is possible since three sons o f Noach correspond to the
22 THE POWER OF RETURN

fire; similarly the warmth and flaming fire of the soul stems
specifically from the attribute oigevurah within the soul.“^
Now we can appreciate the Midrash— I f I fill them with
hot liquid [they w ill crack]•. If G-d were to create the world
with only the attribute of judgment, the world would “shat­
ter” and break. The world could not bear intense judgment
and gevurah, because there is no person so righteous on the face
o f the earth, that he does [only] good and never sins.'^ Con­
sequentially, [had the world been created with only judg­
ment] people would surely bring upon themselves judgment
and punishment.‘®This is especially true given that from the
perspective of strict judgment. Even the heavens are not pure in
His sight]'^ and also. He attributes senselessness to His angehE
And if G-d were to create the world with only the attrib­
ute of mercy, with no judgment, to this is the metaphor [in
the Midrash]— I f I fill them with cold liquid [they w ill congeal]-.
Cold [liquid] corresponds to the attribute of mercy, as the
verse says. Like a cooling snow on a harvest day... Ramaz on
[Zohar] Shelach, p. 157a, explains that snow is the aspect of
His garment was white as snowE the source of kindness,^® [a
level concerning which is stated] “there is no ‘left side’ in
atik.”^*

three primary emotive attributes— produced by fire, similarly, spiritual

chesed (kindness), gevurah (severity) and
tiferet (compassion)— with Cham,
Noach’s middle son, being repre­
sentative o f the attribute o f gevurah and
judgment. (See the Arizal’s Likkutei To­
rah, Noach: Torah Or, Vayeshev 26c;
Torat Chaim, Lech Lecha 90c.) W e there­
fore see a correlation between “heat” and
the attribute o{gevurah and judgment.
{Gevurah and “judgment” {dirt) are
synonymous— see Zohar 11:175b: 51b;
Tikkunei Zohar, Intro., 17b; Iggeret Hak-
odesh, 7 and 8.)
16. The physical and spiritual planes
run parallel. Just as physical heat is
heat— the flaming yearning o f the heart
for G-d— stems from the attribute o f
gevurah within the soul.
To explain the connection between
fire and gevurah: The nature o f fire is to
ascend {Tanya, ch. 19). Likewise, the
function o f gevurah (both supernally
and within man) is to withhold influx
from descending to a lower level, caus­
ing it instead to “ascend” and “depart”
from the recipient. (For more about ge-
vurah, see Schochet, Mystical Concepts
in Chassidism, ch. 3 (Sefirot), section 5
[Kehot, 1988].)
17. Ecclesiastes 7:20.
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24 THE POWER OF RETURN

Therefore, His garment was as white as snow, since it \atii^

abates the judgment issuing from Tx’eyr anpin^'^ as stated in
Idra Rabbah, 129a. This is like snow that cools the heat of hot
liquid, referring to emotional excitement and burning pas­
sion; it is snow that cools them. Accordingly, Michael, who is
[the angel of] kindness, is also termed— in Midrash Rabbah,
Shir H ashirim ^ on the verse. Go forth and behold'^''— “Angel
of Snow.”^*
Hence the metaphor. I f I fill them with cold liquid: If G-d
were to create the world only with the attribute of mercy,
though they would endure and not break, still, they w ill con-
geal—i.e., the cups would not be clean.^’ In the referent, this
signifies that man would invariably sin, for there would be no
apprehension of requital. As the verse explicitly states (Ec­
clesiastes 8:11); Because sentence against an evil deed is not ex­
ecuted swiftly, therefore the heart o f men is fully set to do evil. In
other words, failure to execute judgment quickly g ain st wick­
edness spurs the practice of evil, G-d forbid. Conversely,
when criminals are punished for their crimes, the fear of pun­
ishment deters others from wrongdoing.
We therefore find verses [in the Prophets] that warn us by
appealing to our fear o f punishment, as it is written (Jeremiah
5:22-25): W ill you not fear M e?... For I have set sand as boun­
dary against the sea^ ... Who supplies rain— early rain and late

His garment was white as snow.... In
Daniel’s vision, G-d— ^Who is referred
to as the One o f Ancient Days— is sitting
in judgment, and wearing garments that
are as white as snow (to “whiten” the
sins o f His people— Rasht).
According to Kabbalah, the term
atik yomin refers to an extremely lofty
level o f G-dliness, a level spoken o f as
being a manifestation o f G-d Himself.
Hence the phrase atik yomin■. G-d Him ­
self is “Ancient,” “Primordial,” “Ever­
lasting,” having neither a beginning nor
an end (G-d forbid).
The Zohar therefore says, “there is
no ‘left side’ in atik.” In Atik, a level
where G-d Him self is manifest, there is
no concept o f a “left side”—-“left” being
indicative o f the attribute o f gevurah
and judgment— for from G-d Him self
there emanates only pure goodness and
kindness. Indeed, as the discourse stated
earlier, “G-d is the source o f goodness
and kindness,” and “the nature o f the
benevolent is to bestow goodness.”
(For more on atik, see below, foot­
notes 48 and 240; for more on why ge-
vurah is associated with the “left,” see
footnotes 50, 57 and 223 below. See
also Appendix 1.)
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 25

‫ ש?; שכך ה דיני ם ה נ ו ש כי ם‬,‫ו ע ל כן ל בו שי ה כ ה ל ג חירור‬

‫ ע מו ש כ תו ב ? א ך ד א ר ב א ד ף ק כ״ ט סו ף‬,[‫מז״ א ]ז עי ר אנפין‬
‫ ה ש ל ג ש?;צנן חו ם ש ל ה ח מין׳ ש הו א ענ!ן‬1‫ ו ? מ‬/‫ע מו ד א‬
‫ ו ל כן ג ם‬.‫ ה רי ה ש ל ג ?;צנן או ת ם כר‬,‫ה ה ת פ ע לו ת ו ה ל ה ב‬
‫מי כ א ל ש הו א ח ס ד נ ק ר א ב מ ד ר ש ר ב ה ב שי ר ה שי רי ם ע ל‬
- . . - . . ‫ך‬. - ‫ך‬. . . . t •: ‫־‬ V V V •• T •

.‫פ סי ק צ אינ ה ו ך אינ ה מ ל א ך ש ל ש ל ג כר‬

‫וז הו ה מ ש ל אם י תן ל תו כן צו נן היינו שי ה ר א א ת ה עו ל ם‬
‫ א ב ל‬,‫ ש אזי א ף ע ל פי שי ת קיי מו ו ל א י ש ר רו‬,‫? מ ד ת ה ר ח מי ם‬
‫ ו ב נ ? ש ל הו א שיו כ ל‬.‫ פי רו ש ש ל א י היו נ קיי ם‬,‫י היו מ ק רי סין‬
‫ ו מ ק ר א מ ל א הו א‬,‫ש ל א י פ ח דו מן ה עונ ש‬ ‫ל היו ת שן ח ט א‬
T
‫) ק ה ל ת ח׳ י״א( א ש ר אין נ ע ש ה פ תג ם מ ע ש ה ה ר ע ה מ ה ר ה‬
: T T T - T : ■ y _ I .. V *: V V ‫י‬

‫ ד מ פני ש ל א‬J ,‫בני ]ה[אד ם ב ה ם ל ע שו ת ר ע‬

... . . . . . - ... ‫ן‬. .p L J ... ‫ע ל כן מ ל א ל ב‬
.. .. ‫ך‬
. I .. _

‫נ ע ש ה פ תג ם מ ע ש ה ה ר ע ה כ ר הו א סי ב ה ל ע שיי ת ה ר ע ח ס‬
‫־‬ T T - y . T T T - T : ‫־‬ T ‫ ־‬: “

‫ ו ל הי פ ך כ ש מ ש ל מי ם ל עו שי ר ע כ ר ע ת ם הו א סי ב ה‬,‫ו ש לו ם‬
T ■ T T T : T ■‫־‬ : ■ : ‫־‬ : V : ‫ • • ד י‬: T :

.‫ל ש מי ר ה מ ה ח ר א מ פ ח ד ה עונ ש כר‬

‫ ו כ מו‬,‫ו ל כן מ צי נו כ תו בי ם ה מז הי רי ם ע ל י ר א ת ה עונ ש‬
: V T ‫־‬ : • ‫־‬ . . . _ - . . . y I .. y .

‫ש כ תו ב )יך?;ןה ה׳( ה או תי ל א תי ר או כ ר א ש ר ש ר תי חו ל‬
‫ג בו ל לן ם כר הנו תן ג ש ם יו ר ה ו מ ל קו ש ? ע ת ם כ ר עונו תי כ ם‬

25. ZE’EYR ANPIN. Lit., “small face.” 28. I.e., Michael is referred to as “Angel
Z e ’eyr anpin is the Kabbalistic collective o f Snow” since, as the angel o f kindness,
term for the six supernal middot of he cools off the severity and judgment
chesed through yesod (in the world o f that issues forth from the attribute o f ge-
Atzilui), and is often referred to by the vurah.
abbreviation “zd.”
29. In the metaphor this means that the
Now, za contains a “left” element, the
cold fluid would congeal around the
attribute o f gevurah and judgment. It is
sides o f the cups, and consequently, the
this element o f judgment that is abated
cups would not be clean.
by a revelation from atik yomin, which
consists entirely o f mercy and kind- 30. Even the sea, which is not liable for
ness— His garment was as white as snow. punishment, follows G-d’s will and dose
not overstep the boundaries G-d has set;
26. 3:24. how much more so, then, should Israel
— who is liable for punishment— listen
27. Song o f Songs 3:11. to G-d {Rasht).
26 THE POWER OF RETURN

rain— in its proper time ... Your sins have overturned these, and
your transgressions have kept goodness away from you?'
The Torah also’^ employs the fear of punishment to en­
courage and promote our fulfillment of mitzvot, as it is writ­
ten: I f you will follow my statutes... then I will provide your
rains in their tim e... But i f you w ill not listen to M e. ..
S E L F -S E R V IN G FEAR
Although, in general, the idea of worship predicated on fear
of punishment is self-serving, since the person [desists from
sinning because he] is afraid of losing his own “existence,”
nevertheless, this self-serving fear is not a wholly bad motive,
for we are thus admonished: W ill you not fear Me? Likewise,
various verses exhort us to observe the Torah and m itzvot by
brandishing the threat of punishment. It is necessary to say,
then, that such motivation is not altogether bad. Rather, fear
of punishment stems from kelipat nogah?‘' which is partially
good and partially bad. Inasmuch as it deters a person from
evil, the fear is beneficial.
At times, a person must awaken within himself a fear of
punishment—when one sees that his inclination to practice
evil is getting the better of him, G-d forbid. To refrain from
transgressing— needless to say a Biblical prohibition, but even

31. G-d commands the prophet
Jeremiah to admonish Israel for not
fearing Him, and to warn o f the
punishments that will befall them if
they sin; Hear this, O nation that is
foolish and without a heart. They have
eyes but cannot see; they have ears, hut
cannot hear! Will you not fear Me?— the
word o f G-d— W ill you not tremble before
me? For I have set sand as boundary
against the sea, as a permanent law that
cannot be broken. Its waves rage forth but
cannot succeed, they roar hut cannot cross
it. But this people has a wayward and
rebellious heart; they have turned astray
and left, and they d id not say in their
hearts, 'Let usfear the Lord our G-d, Who
supplies rain-—early rain and late rain—
in its proper time, and Who preserves for
us the weeks appointed for the harvest.
Your sins have overturned these, and your
transgressions have kept goodness away
from you__
32. Though both sets o f verses appeal to
Israel’s fear o f punishment, the verses
from Jeremiah also emphasize that fear
o f punishment is but one aspect o f a
larger commandment to fear G-d {W ill
you not fear Me?). This is perhaps why
the discourse cites these verses before
those from Leviticus, though normally
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 27

‫ ך ה מן הי די ם‬1‫ ו כן ב ת‬/ ‫ה טו א ל ה ו ח ט א תי כ ם מ ן עו ה טו ב כ ו‬
‫ו?;זךזים ב קיו ם ה מ ^ו ת ע ל י די פ ח ד ה עונ שי ם רכמו ש כ תו ב‬
‫ ע ת ם כר ו א ם ל א תקזקער‬5 ‫אם ? ח קו תי ת ל כי ו נ ת תי גקז מיכ ם‬
.‫כר‬

‫ שי ר א‬,‫הג ם ד כ ל לו ת ע נין י ר א ת ה עונ ש הו א לג ר מי ה‬

T V ‫ • ־‬: ‫ • ־‬: V T ‫־‬ : • * ‫־‬ : • T : • ‫ ־ ־־‬:

‫ מ כ ל מ קו ם לג ך מי ה זו ךי ך א ת‬,‫מ פני אי בו ד הי שו ת ש לו‬

‫ ד ה ל א מז הי רי ם ע ל זה ה או תי ל א‬.‫ה עונ עז אינ ה ר ע ג מו ר‬
. - V - ■ • : ‫־‬ ‫־‬: ‫־‬ T ‫־‬ T •• V T

‫ ו כן מז רזי ם ע ל קיו ם ה תו ר ה רמאות ע ל י די פ ח ד‬,‫תי ר או כר‬

‫ כי אם‬.‫ א ם כן ה רי ? ה פ ר ח לו מ ר ש אינ ה ר ע ג מו ר‬,‫ה עונ קזי ם‬
‫ד ע גין י ר א ת ה עונ ש הו א מ ק לי פ ת נו ג ה ש ח צן ה טו ב ו ח אן ה‬
.‫י ע ׳ ו היי נו ד ב סו ר מ ר ע הו א טוב‬

,‫ה עונ ש‬ T
‫ל פ ע מי ם י ר א ת‬
‫־‬ : ‫־‬ • T : •
‫ב ע צ מו‬ : ‫־‬ ;
‫ל עו ר ר‬•• :
‫האדם‬
T T T
‫ו צ רי ך‬
‫י‬ • T :

‫ לא‬,‫?’ יו ח ס ו ש לו ם ל ע שו ת אי סו ר‬V ‫כ ש רו א ה שי צ רו מ ח ג ב ר‬
,‫רי סו פ רי ם‬. ‫ב‬. ‫ד‬. . ‫ל‬. .‫ א ל א א פי לו אי סו ר ק ל ש‬,‫מ ב עי אי סו ר תו ר ה‬
. . 1-. . . _ _ . .. T •

Torah verses would have precedence. BCabbalah to denote evil and the source
o f sensual desires in human nature.
33. Leviticus 26:3-4; 14. The Torah Kelipat nogah, the “translucent shell,”
then proceeds to detail the punishments contains some good and, unlike the
that will be meted out should Israel fail three impure kelipot, which are entirely
to fulfdl the mitzvot. evil, is “neutral” and can be utilized for
The discourse has thus explained holiness (see Eitz Chaim, Shaar 49).
why neither the attributes o f judgment Man’s animal soul (see below, footnote
nor mercy could be used exclusively in 62) stems from kelipat nogah, and as
the creation o f the world. A world creat­ such, can be harnessed for holy matters.
ed solely with the attribute o f judgment The three impure kelipot, however, can
would crumble and destroy itself, as no only be elevated by man’s total rejection
one would escape its exacting pun­ o f them (see Tanya, chapter 7).
ishment. On the other hand, a world Fear o f punishment, as the discourse
created solely with the attribute o f mer­ explains, stems from kelipat nogah. On
cy would be filled with sin and evil, as its own, this type o f fear is self-serving,
no one would fear punishment. as the person thinks only about himself
But it can also be utilized for a positive
34. KELIPAT NOGAH. Kelipah, or “shell,” end, deterring the person from the prac­
is the symbol frequently used in tice o f evil.
28 THE POWER OF RETURN

a “light” Rabbinical prohibition^’— one must rouse within

oneself the fear of punishment. For every Jew believes in the
torments of Gehinom,^‘" may the Merciful One protect us. A
person must dread this, since he is even frightened of physical
pain. How much more so, then, [must he fear] the agonies of
Gehinom, which, as known, are incomparably harsher than
suffering in the terrestrial world!’^
This is what our Sages of blessed memory had in mind
when they counseled, “bring to mind the day of death.”’* Ul­
timately there will be a judgment and an accounting for
everything, when punishment will be meted out to the
wicked according to their wickedness.’’ Although evildoers
may not be punished in the terrestrial world, because [of the
reason alluded to in the verse] He repays those who hate Him,
to their face,‘‘^ nonetheless, there will ultimately be a reck­
oning, and the wicked will be punished severely, may the
Merciful One protect us. And through this [meditation upon
“the day of death,” i.e., the punishment of Gehinom], one will
be deterred from sin.
Therefore, although divine service predicated upon fear of
punishment stems from kelipat nogah, it stems from the
“good” [part] of nogah. And though the “good” of nogah is by
no means [equal to] the “good” of holiness, it is still far super­
ior to the complete evil of sin, may the Merciful One protect
us.’

35. In truth, there is no such thing as a
“light” or “severe” prohibition. As our
Sages tell us (Avot 2:1), “Be as careful in
[the performance o f a seemingly] minor
mitzvah as o f a major one, for you do
not know the reward given for a mitz-
vah.” This is because every mitzvah is a
manifestation o f Divine will, and in
“will” there are no distinctions. Ap­
plying the terms “light” and “severe” to
m itzvot is merely the result o f our mor­
tal perception— one that is subjective
and flawed.
36. GEHINOM. Purgatory, where a soul
may be sent after death to become pur­
ified from the sins committed during its
lifetime on earth. It is usually tern-
porary, and does not last more than
twelve months (see Shabbat 33b, and
Rashi s.v. Mishpat Resha’inr, Rosh Ha-
shanah 17a; Reshit Chochmah, Shaar
Hayirah, 13:13 IF.).
37. See Ramban on Job, Introduction,
cited in Iggeret Hateshuvah, Chapter 12:
“Even the sufferings o f Job for seventy
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suk 45LUU tai^k k M 0«LC^• i.c<:j :Sul 101‫ א‬GtiuSd

6Z A'aVXNHWWOD QNV NOIIVISNVXII

30 THE POWER OF RETURN

To shield oneself from unqualified evil, one must take all

possible precautions— including making use of this self­
serving fear of punishment. Furthermore, “from the forest it­
self is taken the axe wherewith to fell it.”'*^ Consequendy, to
overcome evil originating in kelipah and sitra achara,'^^ one
must utilize the fear of punishment, which itself derives from
kelipat nogah.
In any event, fear of punishment that stems from [the di­
vine attribute of] gevurah‘^ protects a person from sin.
GEVURAH-BASED DIVINE SERVICE
Now, aside from the fact that through gevurah one is pro­
tected from sin, furthermore, in terms of one’s spiritual ser­
vice, one is able to attain [through gevurah] a level of spiritual
service that far surpasses the level of spiritual service attainable
through the attribute of kindness and mercy.
O n the words. The Levite himselfshall perform,''^ the Zohar
comments:.47
H im self (hu) alludes to atikZ Were judgmend^ not es­
tablished in the world, people would not know of a high-

42. Sanhedrin 39b. See Tanya, chapter
31, for further elucidation o f this con­
cept. In our context it means that the
fear o f punishment itself, which derives
from kelipat nogah, is the most ap­
propriate tool to overcome evil (which
originates in kelipah and sitra achara).
43. SITRA ACHARA. Lit., “the other
side,” i.e., that which is “opposite” the
side o f holiness; usually referring to the
source o f evil and impurity.
44. As explained above, divine pun­
ishment stems from the attribute o f ge-
vurah, severity. Fearing this punishment
helps deter a person from sin.
45. The discourse has heretofore ex­
plained that the benefit o f gevurah is in
protecting a person from sin; med­
itating upon the supernal attribute o f ge-
vurah, or more specifically, the divine
punishment that stems from gevurah,
helps one avoid the temptation o f sin.
N ow the discourse explains that uti­
lizing the attribute o f gevurah within
one’s soul helps a person attain a much
loftier level o f divine service. For it is
one’s attribute o f gevurah that allows
for— indeed, calls for— a true and com-
piece introspection into one’s soul, an
examination o f one’s spiritual integrity.
And when one finds he is lacking— for
who can be deemed perfect in G-d’s
eyes?— the brokenness he feels spurs
him to reach deeper into himself, into
the infiniteness o f the soul’s essence, un­
leashing a commitment to G-d that is
likewise unbounded, infinite, in nature.
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 31

‫ו ב מ ה שי כו ל ל ה צי ל א ת ע צ מו מ ה ר ע ג מו ר צ רי ך ל ה צי ל‬
‫־‬ - ; ‫י‬ « T T ‫ ־‬T •‫־‬ : “ V • - : TV - :

,‫ ו היי נו ג ם ? ה ל ג ך מי ה ךי ך א ת ה עונ ש כי• ו עו ד‬,‫א ת ע צ מו‬

‫הרע‬ T T
‫ ־ת •ג •ב ר ע ל‬:‫ל •ה‬: ‫ו ב כ די‬
‫־‬ •
.‫ד א בי ה נ רג א‬T ‫ש‬: ‫בי ה ־לי‬
T : ‫•־‬ ••
‫•־‬
‫מיני ה ו‬
••
‫ד‬
• :

‫ ע ל י די י ר א ת‬- ‫ צ רייך ל היו ת‬,‫ש מ צ ד ה ק לי פ ה ו ה ס ט ר א א ח ר א‬

- : . ... . . • T T T: T T : ‫־‬ ‫ ־־‬: T • ‫י‬: ‫־‬ “ • V

.‫ה עונ ש ש מ ק לי פ ת נוג ה כר‬

‫ ה רי י ך א ת ה עונ ש ש מ צ ד ה ג בו ר ה שו מ ר מן‬,‫ו אי ך שי הו ה‬
,‫ה ח מ א כר‬

,‫ עו ד ז א ת‬,‫ו ל ב ד ז א ת ש ע ל י די ה ג בו ר ה ש מו ר מן ה ח מ א‬
‫ש ב ע בו ד ה גו פ א ב אי ם ע ל י די ז ה ל ע בו ד ה נ ע ל ה ה ר ב ה יו ת ר‬
.. T ‫ ־‬: ‫־־‬ T ‫־‬: ‫־‬ V •‫ ־‬: ‫־‬ • T T T ‫־‬: T V

.‫מן ה ע בו ד ה ש ע ל י די ? חי נ ת מ ד ת ה ח ס ד ו ה ר ס מי ם כר‬

:‫ו כ מו ש כ תו ב בז ה ר ע ל פ סו ק ו ע ב ד ה לוי הוא‬

... - _ ‫ך‬
. . I ‫ן‬. - - ‫־‬ TV :

‫ א ל מ ל א די נ א א ש ת כ ח ב ע ל מ א ל א‬,‫תי ב ת הו א ד א ע תי ק א‬
T : T T: ‫־‬ ‫־‬ : • T ‫־‬ • • T : • ‫׳‬T • ‫־‬ T

‫הוי י ד עי בני נ ש א מ הי מנו ת א עי ל א ה ו ל א א ש ת ד לין בני נ ש א‬

T T : ‫י‬ • : ‫־‬ • T : T T • T : ; T T : T ” ‫־‬:

46. Numbers 18:23. The verse reads: a method o f divine service that utilizes
The Levite himself shall perform the ser­ the attribute o f gevurah. And it is specif­
vice in the Tent o f Meeting, and they [the ically through the divine service o f ge-
Levites] shall bear their iniquity [o f those vurah (“the service o f the Levites”) that
Israelites who trespass on the Tent o f one can attain revelation o f G-d’s Es­
Meeting!, an eternal decree for your gen­ sence (“H im self’).
erations... This verse speaks o f the Le- ATIK (or ATIKA KADISHA). Lit., the
vites exclusive service in the Tabernacle, “Ancient O ne,” or the “Holy Ancient
and their responsibility in ensuring that O ne.” The origin o f this term is Daniel
no Israelites trespass on the Tabernacle 7:9, 13 and 22 (cf. Chagigah 14a), and
(see Kashi’s commentary on verse). it abounds in Sifra Detzeniyuta and the
Idrot. Atik is essentially a term applied
A7. Zohar III: 178b. to Ein Sof, the Essence o f G-d Himself,
in the sense o f being the First Gause, or
48. In this verse, the word himself the Most Ancient Being; also called Ati-
superfluous (see footnote 46). The Zohar ka dechol Atikin— the “Most Ancient of
solves this by explaining that the service all Ancients,” or A tik Yomin— the “One
o f the Levites elicits a revelation o f G-d o f Ancient Days” (see, e.g., Zohar
“Himself,” or, in !Cabbalistic terminolo­ III:288a ff.).
gy, the lofty realm o f atik (see below).
Now, as the discourse will explain, 49. Synonymous with the service o f the
the service o f the Levites corresponds to Levites.
32 THE POWER OF RETURN

er belief; people would not toil in Torah.... Who in this

world serves the Holy King with a consummate service?
The Levites.
It is specifically through the “Levites,” who correspond to
the “left vector”—gevurah, the attribute of judgment— that
people can achieve true divine service, ultimately eliciting
through their service a revelation of atik, which is alluded to
by the word himselp"
By contrast, were there to be just kindness and mercy
without judgment, people could never reach this lofty level of
service that is achieved through the attribute of judgment.’’
Moreover, they could not elicit a spiritual light”’ as lofty as
that which is elicited by the attribute of judgment.”
THREE ADVANTAGES OF GEVURAH
Thus, we find an advantage and superiority in the attribute of
judgment over the attribute of kindness and mercy in three
respects:
Firstly, [had the world been established] through [just] the
attribute of kindness and mercy, sin would be widespread, for
people would not be involved in Totah study and the per­
formance of -“turning away from evil and doing
good.”” Thus the Zohar [cited above] states, “Were judgment
not established... people would not toil in Torah.” However,
because of their fear of punishment, which [such punishment]
stems from the attribute of judgment, people are careful to ob­
serve mitzvot, in both turning away from evil and doing good.

50. Whereas the Kohen is the “man of
chesed,” the Levite symbolizes gevurah,
as explained in many sources in Kab­
balah and Chasidus. Cf., for example,
Likkutei Torah, Nasso 22b: “In most
sources it is evident that the Levites are
from gevurah, as stated in Pardes, Shaar
Erkei Hakinuyim s.v. Levi, and in Me-
orei Or, Lamed:lA.” See also Likkutei
Torah, Korach 54a ff.; Va’etchanan, 8b.
The discourse thus explains the Zo-
har to mean that it is divine service pred­
icated on the attribute o f gevurah (the
“Levites”) that is the truest form o f di­
vine service, and elicits a revelation o f
Himself, atik.
LEFT VECTOR. Kabbalah conceives
the attribute o f chesed as being part o f
the “right side,” or “vector,” o f the su­
pernal composition (partzuf o f the sef-
irot, and the attribute o f gevurah as be­
ing part o f the “left side,” or “vector,” o f
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 33

‫ פרל חנ א ש לי מ ר ת א ד א ש ת כ ח ב ע ל מ א ל ג בי‬,‫ב או ריי ת א כר‬

‫ ־ ■ ־‬: :T : T -------------------------------------- T ‫ ״‬: T T : T : - :

‫ ע ד כ אן‬,‫ הוי או מ ר ד א ליוו א ה‬,‫מ ל כ א ק די ש א מ אן ע בי ד לי ה‬

.‫ל שונו‬

,‫ כ חי נ ת ג בו ר ה‬,‫ד דו ק א ע ל י די ה לוי ם ש ה ם קו הקזמאל‬

‫ ע ד‬,‫ ע ל י די ן ה דו ק א ןבואף ל ע בו ד ה ה א מי תי ת‬,‫מ ד ת ה דין‬
.‫שן?; שיכו בץגבודתם גי לוי ? חי נ ת ע תי ק א הנ ק ר א ת הו א‬

‫מ ה ש אין כן אם הן ה ר ק כ כ חי נ ת ח ס ד ו ר ס מי ם כ לי דין‬
‫לא היו ב אי ם כ ל ל ב ע בו ד ת ם ל מ ע ל ה ו מ ד רי ג ה זו כ מו ע ל י די‬
‫■ ־‬: ‫־‬ : T • ‫ ־‬: ‫־‬ T ‫ ־‬: ‫ ־‬: T T ‫־‬:‫־־‬ T : • T T

‫ ו ל א היו מ מ שי כי ם או ר ע ליון כז ה כ מו ב ע בו ד ה‬,‫מ ד ת ה דין‬

.‫ש ע ל י די מ ד ת ה דין כר‬

‫ונ מ צ א שי ש י ר רון מ ע ל ה כ מ ד ת ה דין ע ל מ ד ת ה ח ס ד‬

:‫ו ר ה מי ם בג׳ ד ב רי ם‬

,‫ ש ע ל י די מ ד ת ה ח מ ד ו ה ר ס מי ם היו ח ט אין סגי אין‬,‫הא׳‬

‫ש ל א היי מ קז ת ד לין כ ע ס ק ה תו ר ה ו קיו ם ה מ צו ת כ סו ר מ ר ע‬
‫ ח הו ש כ תו ב כז ה ר א ל מ ל א דינ א כר ל א הוי‬,‫ו ע ש ה טו ב‬
‫ ו ע ל י די י ר א ת ה עונ ש ו מ ד ת‬,‫מ עז ת ד לין כ ני נ ש א ב או ריי ת א‬
.‫ה דין נץהרין ב קיו ם ה תו ר ה י מ עו ת כ סו ר מ ר ע ו ע ש ה טו ב‬

this composition. (See Mystical Concepts number of reasons. Among them: light
in Chassidism, ch. 3 {Sefirot), section 8; must remain attached to its source in or­
ch. 8 {Partzufim)) der to exist; light is not affected by its sur­
roundings; the effusion o f light causes no
51. Had G-d created the world utilizing
depletion in the luminary. See Mystical
just chesed, the divine attribute o f kind­
Concepts in Chassidism, ch. 1 (Anthropo­
ness, man, too, would just have the ca­
morphism and Metaphor^, section 3.)
pacity to serve G-d with the soul-power
o f chesed, and would never be able to ex­
53. The idea that divine service pred­
perience the lofty sort o f spiritual service
icated on gevurah and judgment is the
that stems from gevurah and judgment.
loftiest, truest form o f divine service and
52. LIGHT. Obviously, this does not refer elicits the greatest spiritual light will be
to physical light. In the langut^e of the expounded upon below, in chapters 4
mystics, light refers to the effusion of and 5.
G-dly “energy.” (The mystics prefer light
as the metaphor for G-d’s “energy” for a 54. Cf. Psalms 34:15 and 37:27.
34 THE POWER OF RETURN

Secondly, also with [regards to] the service itself, spiritual

service performed through the attribute of judgment possesses
an advantage and superiority over the service performed
through the attribute of kindness and mercy— as the Zohar
[cited above] states that the “consummate service” found in
this world is accomplished by the Levites, who are of the left
vector.’’
Thirdly, it elicits an extremely lofty spiritual light—the
level of atik. Hence the statement, “[Were judgment not es­
tablished in the worlds, people] would not know of a higher
belief,” [for this awareness can] only [emanate] through [ser­
vice rooted in] the left vector.
THE LEFT FORCE
The concept is as follows: It is written. His left arm is under
my head, and His right arm embraces m eZ I.e., through the
“left arm [that] rebuffs”’^ a person can reach a level [where his
spiritual service reflects a consciousness] of the “head” and es­
sence of the soul, which is a spiritual service far superior to
one that is based on the “right arm [that] draws close.”’®
This is because through the “left arm [that] rebufis” his
heart breaks within him, revealing the innermost core of his
soul, as “the president of the Heavenly academy declared: ‘A
wooden beam that does not catch fire should be splintered; a
body into which the light of the soul does not penetrate
should be crushed....’”’®It is specifically through this [crush­
ing] that the light of the soul penetrates [the body]

55. Gevurah-based divine service elicits
the lofty light o f atik, granting man the
awareness o f a “higher belief,” a realm o f
divinity that is otherwise unknown to
man.
56. Song o f Songs 2:6; 8:3.
57. Sotah 47a; Sanhedrin 107b; Zohar
II: 119b ff.
SMOL DOCHAH, in the Hebrew. See
Sotah, Sanhedrin ibid.: “One should al­
ways rebuff (a student) with the left hand
and embrace with the right.” The in­
tention is not to completely reject the
student, but rather, since he is o f a lowly
stature, it is necessary that he be rebuffed
so that he will be able to receive a higher
knowledge. The very act o f rebuffing ul­
timately brings the student closer to his
master, and elevates him from his low­
liness {Sefer Halikkutim, Yemin uSmol, p.
776 ff.).
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 35

‫ ד ה ש ע ל י די‬1‫ ן מ ע ל ה ב ע ב‬1‫ שג ם ב ע בו ד ה י ש י ת ר‬/‫ה ב‬

1‫ ? מ‬,‫ ם ד ו ה ר ה מי ם‬1‫מ ד ת ה דין ע ל ה ע בו ד ה ש ע ל י די מ ד ת הך‬
‫ש כ תו ב בזיהר פו ל חנ א ש לי מו ת א ד א ש ת כ ח ב ע ל מ א הו א ע ל‬
‫־‬ T : T : T T T : - ‫ ־‬- T V

.‫ ש הן מקןו העזמאל‬,‫ןא‬7‫י די ה לוי ם דו‬

‫ ? חי נ ת‬,‫ ש ע ל י די ז ה מ מ שי כין גי לוי או ר ע ליון יו ת ר‬,‫הג׳‬

‫ דז הו ש כ תו ב ד ל א הוי י ד עי מ הי מנו ת א עי ל א ה כי‬,‫ע תי ק א כר‬
• : T T T • T : •‫ז ־ ־‬ T : T V V : •t * ‫־‬

.‫אם ע ל י די ? חי נ ת הקןו העזמאל‬

‫ ך הנ ה ? תי ב קז מ אלו ת ח ת לראעזי וי מינו‬,‫ו ה ע ד ן הו א‬

‫תח??ןני• ו היי נו ש ע ל י די קז מאל דו ח ה ן ב א ל ע חינ ת ר א ש‬
‫ עזהוא ע בו ד ה נ ע ל ה ה ר ב ה ב עי לוי יו ת ר‬,‫ו ע צ מו ת הנ ש מ ה‬
.. . . ‫■־‬ : - T -: ‫־‬ T ‫־‬: V ‫׳‬ T T : ‫־‬ : ‫־‬ :

.‫מ ע מו ש ע ל י די ן מיז מ?ןךבת‬

‫ ו אז‬,‫ש מ א ל דו ח ה נקזבר ל בו ב ק ך בו‬ ‫ש ע ל י די‬ ‫לפי‬

‫מ תג ל ה ה עני מיו ת ש ל הנ פ ש׳ ו כ מ א מ ר ך ר ב מ תי ע ת א א ע א‬
‫ גו פ א ך ל א ס לי ק בי ה‬,‫ד ל א ס לי ק בי ה נ הו ך א מ ב מ שין לי ה‬
‫ ו ע ל י די ז ה דוקןא ס לי ק ג הו ר א‬,‫ג הו ר א ךנ קז מ ת א מ ב מ שין לי ה‬
.‫כר‬

In our context, this concept can be spiritual service, predicated on the soul-
used to interpret the verse. His left arm power o f chesed, whereby one draws
is under my head‫׳‬, through intense intro­ close to G-d through studying Torah
spection, in which one recognizes one’s and performing mitzvot, as will be ex­
distance from G-d and therefore rebuffs plained further (see chapters 3 and 4).
oneself i^'left arm"), one experiences the This type o f service is not as lofty as
revelation o f the ''head," or essence, o f that which is spurred by the “left arm
one’s soul. One is spurned to go beyond [that] rebuffs.”
the rational limits o f his divine service,
59. Zohar III:168a.
and feels a boundless yearning for G-d.
This spiritual service is related to te- 60. See Tanya, chapter 29. This declara­
shuvah, as will be explained further (see tion is an example o f smol dochah■. re­
p. 82 fif.). buffing the body to the point where it
becomes “broken” and “crushed,”
5 8 . YEMIN MEKAREVET, in the Hebrew. which allows the light o f the soul to
This phrase connotes a rational, orderly penetrate the body.
36 THE POWER OF RETURN

Just as the shell must be broken to reveal the fruit of a

nut, the same is true [in man]: the “fruit” is the “hidden
love”‘'' [of G-d] that lies within the soul, and the body and an­
imal soul“ [are the “shells” that] cover and conceal this
[love]
Therefore, it is written, / went down to the nut grove,'"'* sug­
gesting that after its decent into a body and animal soul, the
[G-dly] soul is comparable to a nut that is encased and con­
cealed in a hard shell.“
But through [the idea of] You diminish man until he is
crushed,'"^ through a contrite and broken heart,^^ the “fruit” and
the innermost core'’* [of man] is revealed, which is the aspect
of re'uta deliba!"'^ As the Midrash Rabbah, Tetzaveh,^'^ states on

61. AHAVAH MESUTERET, in the He­
brew. The essential qualities o f the soul,
which is “truly a part o f G-d above”
{Tanya, ch. 2), are love and fear o f G-d.
In its pure and pristine state, the soul is
bound up with its root and source in the
Creator in a most conscious manner,
and is permeated with the highest degree
o f love and awe natural to it. When it
descends into this world and is in­
corporated in a physical body with ma­
terial thoughts and desires, the tre­
mendous, glowing love and fear o f G-d
becomes obscured by the physical sur­
roundings in which the soul finds itself.
Consequently, these essential qualities o f
the soul remain concealed in the heart
and mind, in the form o f “hidden” love
and awe.
G-d through constant awareness o f Him
and fulfillment o f His will.
The two souls struggle for dominion
over the body, and it is man’s task to
grant reign to the G-dly soul, and fur­
thermore, to have the G-dly soul trans­
form the animal soul and harness its en­
ergy for holiness. See Tanya, chapters 1,
2, 9, and 12.
63. In Sefer Hamaamarim 5 6 5 9 p. 220,
Rabbi Menachem M . Schneerson, the
Lubavitcher Rebbe, notes the following
for the example o f the nut: See Zohar
1:19b; II:233b; Likkutei Torah, Shir
Hashirim 4a-b; Sefer Hachakirah p. 94b
ff
64. Song o f Songs 6:11; I:19b.

62. ANIMAL SOUL. Nefesh habahamit, in
the Hebrew. In Tanya, Rabbi Schneur
Zalman o f Liadi speaks o f man as having
two levels o f consciousness, which derive
from the G-dly soul and the animal soul.
The animal soul stems from kelipat no-
gah and seeks only self-gratification. The
G-dly soul, which is “literally a part o f
G-d” {Tanya, ch. 2), seeks to cleave to
65. Song o f Songs, as the commentators
explain, employs the passionate dialog
between a man and woman who have
been separated and now long to be re­
united as a metaphor for the loving re­
lationship between G-d and the Jewish
people during exile.
The verse cited in our discourse— /
went down to the nut grove— is under-
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 37

‫י די‬ ‫ועל‬ ,‫ה? רי‬ ‫על‬ ‫המכסה‬ ‫ה א גוז‬ ‫ק לי פ ת‬ ‫ו?מ של‬

‫ כ ך ה ? רי הי א ה א ה ב ה‬,‫מ ת ג ל ה ה ? ףי‬ ‫ש עזו כ דין ה ק לי פ ה‬
‫מ ע לי מי ם‬ ‫ה ב ה מי ת‬ ‫ ש‬5 ‫ןנ‬ ‫ו ה גו ף‬ ‫ש בנ פ ש׳‬ ‫ה ס סו ת ך ת‬
.‫ו מ ס תי רי ם ע לי ה‬
T V T • • :

‫ו ל כן נ א מ ר א ל ג י נ ת אגוז ו י ד ת י׳ ו י ר י ד ת הן ש מ ה ב גו ף‬
‫ת פ ש ה ב ה מי ת הי א כ מו ? רי ה א גוז ה מו ס ת ר ונ ע ל ם ב ק לי פ ה‬
.‫ק ש ה כר‬

‫ לב נקזבר ונ ך כ ה׳ מ ת ג ל ה‬,‫ו ע ל י די ת ש ב אנועז ע ד ד כ א‬

‫ ו ק מו‬.‫ר עו ת א ד ל ב א כר‬ ‫ש הו א ב חי נ ת‬ ,‫ה ק רי ו ה פני מיו ת‬
‫קזכ תוב ב מ ך ר ש ר ב ה פ ך עז ת ת צו ה ע ל פ סו ק זי ת ר ענן י פ ה‬

stood by the commentators to be speak­ greatness o f G-d (see Tanya, chapters 17

ing o f G-d “descending” from on High and 44). When one is “broken,” one’s
to examine the collective Jewish spirit innermost “desire o f the heart” for G-d
(see Rashi, Metzudot). Thus, nut grove — a desire that could otherwise remain
refers to the Jewish people. Our dis­ hidden within the heart— is revealed.
course, based on the teachings o f the [Chasidic teachings explain that
Zohar, explains the allegory: Every Jew there are two terms used to describe a
has a G-dly soul, which is “encased" in aperson’s “desire” for G-d. Ratzon refers
physical body and animal soul that can to a desire for G-d that is purely in­
conceal and obscure its G-dly desires, tellectual. A person meditates upon the
much like the fruit o f a nut that is greatness o f G-d, which invariably pro­
trapped within its shell. duces a desire for G-d, but this desire is
one that is understood and accepted in
66. Psalms 90:3. Rashi comments, his mind, but not felt in his heart.
“You bring sufferings upon man until The second term, re’utah deliba, re­
You reduce him to a weakened state, fers to when a person’s meditation is so
near death, and You tell him with these powerful that it produces a desire for
agonies, ‘Return, O sons o f men from G-d that is felt in his heart— a desire
your evil ways.’” that is “closer” to the person (Likkutei
Torah, Shir Hashirim 13d). Nonetheless,
67. Psalms 51:19. re ’u ta deliba can be stagnant; see Tanya,
ch. 17, and Sefer H a ’arachim, Ahavat
6 8 . 1.e., the G-dly soul. Hashem— Re’uta Deliba, p. 609 ff.]

69. RE’UTA DELIBA. Lit., “desire o f the 70. Shemot Rabbah 36:1. Cf. Menachot
heart.” This refers to a yearning for G-d 53b: “Just as an olive only produces its
that lies in one’s heart, stemming from oil when it is crushed, the same is true
the understanding and knowledge o f the o f Israel__ ”
38 THE POWER OF RETURN

the verse, A leafy olive tree, beautiful with shapely fruipA “Why
is Israel compared to an olive? Just as an olive yields oil when
crushed, the same is true of Israel..
This is the ultimate intent of the “left arm [that] rebuffs”:
In itself, it is not a true end, G-d forbid. Rather its purpose is
to enable a person to attain the aspect of beautiful with shapely
fru it—the revelation of the [soul’s] hidden love [of G-d], and
the aspect of re’uta deliba.
The crushing does not necessarily need to come from on
High, G-d forbid; it suffices that a person demeans and hum-
hies himself Regarding this the Sages remarked, “Only with a
sense of earnestness may one begin to pray,”^^ referring to the
quality of surrender and humility.^'* It is precisely in this way
that a person will reach a more transcendent, sublime level
through his prayer.

71. Jeremiah 11:16. The verse in full
reads: G -d has called your name, “A leafy
olive tree, beautiful with shapely fruit. ”
72. Simply understood, the Midrash is
saying that there have been periods o f
terrible persecution for the Jewish peo-
pie; times when the nations have wished
to “crush” the Jewish spirit, G-d forbid.
Yet, this persecution itself, far from hav­
ing its intended effect, actually embold­
ened the resolve o f the Jewish people,
and inspired the people to a commit­
ment to Torah and m itzvot that defied
logic— a commitment to stand strong in
their faith even though it would en­
danger their lives. This fierce devotion
to G-d, to the point o f self-sacrifice,
stems from the essence o f one’s soul, the
dimension o f man that cannot, under
any circumstances, be “separated” from
G-d. And this essence— the “oil” o f
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 39

‫פ רי ת ל א ה ל מ ה נ מ ש לו י ש ר א ל לזי ת א ל א מ ה הזי ת הז ה ע ל‬
- V - ‫־‬ T V ‫־ ־‬ : •‫־‬ : : • T T T : • ‫־‬ • :

.‫י די ש ט ל סנין אלתל מלצי א שקנל כ ך יקזר אל כר‬

‫ ש אינל א מי תי‬,‫וז הו ת כ לי ת ה כוונ ה עזל ה ש מ א ל דלחה‬

‫־‬ • ‫־‬: • ‫ ־‬V T : ‫־‬ V T T ------ • : ‫־‬ V :

‫ כי אם ה כוונ ה ש ע ל י די ז ה ב א‬,‫מ צ ד ע צ מו ח ס ושללם‬

‫ ש הו א ? חי נ ת גי לוי ה א ח ב ה ?;סותרת‬,‫ל ב חינ ת י פ ה פ רי תלאר‬
.‫ו ב חינ ת ר עו ת א ד ל ב א כר‬
T ‫־‬ : T ‫נ‬ *‫־‬ • :

‫ כי‬,‫לאין צ רי ך להיל ת ה בי טו ש מ ל מ ע ל ה מלו א ח ס ו שללם‬

‫ ש ע ל ז ה א?;רו‬,‫די ב מ ה עז ה אד ם ?;בטש ו מ ה פי ל א ת עעמל‬
‫ר ב ל תינו זערלנם ל ע ר כ ה אין על?;דין ל הונ פ ל ל א ל א מתלך‬
‫ ש ע ל י די ז ה דל?|א‬,‫ ש הו א ב חי נ ת ה ענ ע ה ו ש פ לו ת‬,‫כלבד ר א ש‬
.‫יבלא ב ת פ ל ה ל מ ע ל ה ו מ ד רי ג ה ע לי לנ ה ילתר כר‬

man— comes to the fore precisely when
one is “crushed” (see Nurturing Faith
(Kehot, 2005)).
Our discourse employs this concept
in a more universal sense, applying it to
every person in every situation: When
one “crushes” oneself—meditating
deeply upon one’s spiritual short­
comings, to the point that one feels
broken—-one breaks down the barrier of
one’s body and animal soul, allowing
the inspiration o f the soul to come to
the fore and permeate one’s very being
with its spiritual impulses.
73. Mishnah, Berachot 5:1.
74. See Rashi to Berachot 30b, s.v. koved
rosh. I.e., before a person begins praying
to G'd he must surrender his ego, and
be humbled before W hom he stands.
40 THE POWER OF RETURN

2.
THREE DEGREES OF LOVE
To explain the superiority of spiritual service that is ac­
companied by surrender and humility— it is known that there
are three degrees of [G-dly] love; With all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your mightP
The first two types of love— wth all your heart, and with
all your soul—correspond to the instruction to love the L-rd
your G -d... for He is your lifeP Regarding this it is stated, See,
I have placed before you today the life and the good, and the
death and the evil.... A nd you shall choose lifeP
For everything in this world is comprised of a “physical”
element and a “spiritual” element. The “spiritual” element is
the G-dly vitality that enlivens and creates the physical be-

BODYAND SOUL
Take, for example, animals and people: it is the soul within
the animal or person that enlivens the body and makes it an
“animal” or “person.”^’ For once the soul departs, the body
leaves the realm of the “living” and loses its life force. More­
over, the body decomposes and becomes dust. This is because
the body’s very existence is also dependent upon the life force
that enlivens it.*‫״‬
[The body decomposes] even though the life force of the
body—i.e., the energy that enlivens the actual [physical mat­
ter of the] body and keeps it in existence— is not from the

75. Bechol levavcha, bechol nafihecha,
u ’vechot me’odecha in the Hebrew. These
three terms, from the Shema (Deu­
teronomy 6:5), describe three types o f
G-dly love, one deeper than the next,
that are to be incorporated into one’s
divine service. In our discourse, Rabbi
Shalom DovBer groups the first two lev­
els o f love into one general category,
and then demonstrates the superiority
o f the third level.
76. Ibid. 30:20. This is a natural, ra­
tional love: meditating upon the fact
that G-d is the true source o f life will in­
evitably awaken within the person a
love for G-d.
77. Ibid. 30:15, 19.
78. Life and death thus correspond re­
spectively to the “spiritual” and the
“physical” elements o f creation.

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42 THE POWER OF RETURN

soul of “animal” or “man” that is vested within it as an inner

light.®' For it is known that the body has its own [unique]
source, from where it derives its [most basic] existence.®^ The
body’s movement, faculties and senses [however], are derived
from the soul that enlivens the body by vesting in it.
Therefore, the body does not decompose immediately af­
ter the soul departs, since its [basic, physical] existence is not
derived from the soul vested in it.®" Rather, its existence de­
rives from the life that comes from the body’s own root and
source, which is distinct from the root and source of the soul,
as explained elsewhere.®''
Nevertheless, with the passage of time, the body does
finally decompose; for, in any event, its existence does not
originate from itself, but from a G-dly life force sustaining
it.®® When this life force departs, the body decomposes and
rots.
And the issuance of this life force, which enlivens the
body itself and keeps it in existence, is also elicited specifically
through the soul.®" Consequently, once the soul departs the
life force that was extended to the body also ceases, and there­
fore the body decomposes.
(According to this explanation, however, it is still not un­
derstood why, after the soul departs, does the body not de­
compose immediately?®^ The answer is because even after the

8 1 . OR PENIMl, in the Hebrew. The
term “inner light” refers to any manner
o f influence that becomes p a rt o f the re­
cipient; an influence that transforms the
recipient. The enlivening soul that is
vested within the body is thus termed
an “inner light,” as it becomes one with
the body and infuses it with “life,”
transforming a dead corpse into a live
being. Nonetheless, the actual physical
matter o f the body has an independent
source o f life— see following footnote.
82. The discourse now qualifies its pre­
vious point. Although the body begins
to decompose with the departure o f the
soul, indicating that there is a re­
lationship between them (see previous
two footnotes), that is not to say that
the actual physical matter o f the body
derives its existence directly from the en­
livening soul. Rather, the body has its
own, distinct life force that keeps it in
existence. As Rabbi Schneur Zalman o f
Liadi writes {Tanya, Shaar Hayichud
Veha’emunah, ch. 6): “The soul and the
body are actually separate from each
other in their very sources. The source
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 43

‫ ו כי דו ע שי ש ל ה גו ף מ קו ר ב ?ני‬,‫? תו כו ב כ חי נ ת או ר ?ני מי‬

‫ ו מ הנ פ ש ה מ סו ה א ת ה גו ף ? ד ר ך‬,‫ע ע מו ש מ ש ם הו א קידמו‬
.‫ה ת ל ב שו ת ב א ה ה נו ע ה ה חיו ני ת ו ה כ סו ת ו ה חו שי ם כר‬

‫ו ל כן אינו נ ? ם ד ה גו ף מ^ד ? ה ק ת ל ק הנ פ ש מ מני׳ ש קיו מו‬

‫אינו מ הנ פ עז ה מ ה ל ב ש ב תו כו כי אם מ חיו ת ה ב א מ ש ך שו‬
‫כו דו ע‬ ‫הנ פ ש כר‬ ‫ש הו א מיו ח ד ]ב[ ש ך ש ו מ קו ר‬ ,‫ו מ קו רו‬
.‫ו מ ?ו א ר ? מ קו ם א ח ר‬

‫ ו א י ך שי הו ה ה רי‬,‫מ כ ל מ קו ם ? ה מ ש ך ץמן ה רי הו א נ ? ם ד‬
,‫אין קיו מו מ צ ד ע ע מו ?י אם מכ ח א ל קי ה מ קיי ם או תו‬
.‫ו ? ה ? ת ל ק ה כ ח נ ? ם ד ןנ ך ק ב הגו ף‬

‫ע ע מו‬ ‫ה גו ף‬ ‫של‬ ‫ה חיו ת‬ ‫ש הו א‬ ‫הז ה‬ ‫ה?ח‬ ‫והמ שכת‬

‫ש ל צו ר ך קיו מו נ מ ש ך ג ם כן ע ל י די הנ פ ש דו ק א׳ ו לז א ת‬
‫כ ש מ ק ת ל ק הנ פ ש מ מי ל א אינו נ מ ש ך חיו ת ה גו ף ג ם כן ו ל כן‬
.‫הו א נ פ ס ד כר‬
T : •

‫ע ה ג ם ד ל פי זה ג ם כן אינו מו בן ל מ ה אינו נ ? ס ד תי כ ף‬
‫? ש מ ס ת ל ק הנ פ ש׳ י ש ל ו מ ה מ שו ם שג ם ל א ח ר ה ה ס ת ל קו ת‬

o f the body and its essence does not
come into being from the soul__ ”
Nonetheless, as the discourse will ex­
plain, when the enlivening soul departs,
the body begins to decompose, for its
life force also begins to depart.
83. Only the body’s movement, anima­
tion, etc., is derived from the enlivening
soul— but not its most elementary ex­
istence. That is derived from the body’s
own unique life force.
G-dly life force that causes it to exist.
86. The discourse now explains why if
the body has its own distinct life force,
does it begin to decompose after the
soul departs from the body— for since
even its own life force is ultimately elic­
ited by the soul, the soul’s departure
causes the body’s life force to begin to
depart. (For more on this topic see Lik-
kutei Sichot, vol. 18, p. 409, footnote
71.)

84. See Torah Or, Megillat Esther 90b;
Vekacha 5637, chapter 89.
85. The body does not exist on its own;
its basic, physical existence is due to a
87. If the life force o f the body that
keeps it in existence is elicited through
the soul, then when the soul departs,
the body should also immediately lose
its existence and revert to nothingness.
44 THE POWER OF RETURN

soul departs, the “spirit" the soul remains upon the body, to
varying degrees: for three days, seven days, thirty days, twelve
months, etc., as mentioned in Jewish literature.'*'* See Jerusalem
Talmud, Moed Katan 3:5; Bereishit Rabbah 100, on the verse
His soul mourns for him?'^ Thus, for these periods of time the
body continues to exist."“ The luz bone,"* however, endures
forever, because its life force never leaves, as is known).
Plants, likewise, possess germinating souls that vitalize
them."^ Minerals also contain a life force that vitalizes them
and keeps them in existence, ensuring that they do not lose
their being, returning to nothingness, as they were before crea­
tion."**
THE SPIRITUAL AND THE PHYSICAL
Accordingly, the spiritual element and the G-dly life force is
termed life and goodl’^ since it is the aspect of life that remains
alive and existent forever."’ (Concerning this, see Uveyom Sim-

Why, then, does the body retain its exist, and the soul ascends and de­
physical properties for some time after scends. After twelve months, the body
death, and only decompose in a slow, disintegrates completely and the soul as­
protracted process? cends and does not descend further.”

88. he., the “spirit” o f the soul remains

upon the body even after death, but di­
minishes over time. See Zohar II: 199b,
and the Arizal’s Shaar Hamitzvot, Vay-
echi.
89. Jerusalem Talmud, ibid.: “R. Yeho-
shua o f Sichnin said in the name o f R.
Yehoshua ben Levi: For three days the
soul hovers above the body, thinking
that it can reenter it. However, once it
sees that the appearance o f the face has
changed, the soul abandons the body
and goes on its way.”
See also Shabbat 153a: “R. Chisda
said: A person’s soul mourns over him
for seven days, as it is written (Job
14:22), A n d his soul mourns for him."
Shabbat 153b: “For the entire twelve
months [after death] the body’s remains
90. Since the soul remains associated
with the body (to varying degrees) even
after death, the body, too, remains (to
varying degrees) in existence.
91. LUZ BONE. According to Jewish tra-
dion, this bone, located at the back o f the
neck, is completely different from the
rest o f the body, as it never decomposes.
Kohelet Rabbah 12:5 states: “'The aT
mond tree blossoms— Rabbi Levi said, this
is the luz o f the spine.” Yfeh To’a r ex­
plains why this bone is called luz, which
in Hebrew means “almond”: The luz o f
the spine is a small vertebra at the end o f
the vertebrae. All the vertebrae shrivel
and are stooped with old age, but this
one protrudes like an almond, for it is
stronger than all the rest. Amch too,
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY
‫ וי ש בז ה חי לו קי ם ד ש ל ש ה‬.‫ע דיין רו ח הן פ ש נ ק צ א ע ל הגו ף‬
.‫ כ מו ש כ תו ב ב ס פ רי ם‬,‫י מי ם ו ש ב ע ה ו ש ל שי ם וי״ ב ח ד שי ם כר‬
• T : • T V : • T T:
‫ו עין מ ה ש כ תו ב בי רו ש ל מי מו ע ד ק טן פ ר ק ג׳ חל ב ה ה׳‬
‫ו ב מד ר עז ר ב ה ב ר א שי ת פ ר ש ה ק׳ ע ל פ סו ק ונ פ שו ע ליו‬
T T : ‫־‬ : ‫י‬ T ‫־‬ ‫י‬ T : -
‫ ו ל כן ן מן הז ה ג ם כן ה גו ף קןי ם כי• ו ע צ ם לוז‬.‫ת א ב ל כר‬
‫ הו א מ עני ש מ מנו אינו מ ס ת ל ק ה חיו ת‬,‫שנ עז א ר קןי ם ל עו ל ם‬
‫ ו כן ב דו מ ם‬.‫יש בו נ פ ש ה צו מ ח ת ה מ חן ה או תו‬. ‫ו כן ב צו מ ח‬
‫י ש בו חיו ת ה ת חן ה ו ת קיי ם או תו ש ל א י ת ב ט ל י שו תו ו ל א‬
.‫ו תזו ר ל היו ת אין ו א פ ס ב מו קו ד ם ה ב רי א ה כר‬
‫ ל היו ת‬,‫ו ל כן ה רו ח ניו ת ו ה חיו ת ה א ל קי נ ק ך א חיי ם ו טו ב‬
‫ש הו א ב חי נ ת ה חי א ש ר נ ש א ר חי ו קןי ם ל עו ל ם )ו עין מ ה‬
identifies luz as being “similar to an al­
mond.”
Regarding the luz enduring forever,
Bereshit Rabbah 28:3 states: “Hadrian
asked R. Yehoshua ben Chananya,
‘From where will G-d reconstruct man
in the Future [Resurrection]?’ H e re­
plied, ‘From the luz o f the spine.’ ‘How
do you know?’ retorted Hadrian. ‘Bring
me one, and I’ll show you.’ H e ground it
in a mill, but it did not grind. H e burned
it in a fire, but it did not burn. He sub­
merged it in water, but it did not dis­
solve. He placed it on a sheet and began
banging it with a hammer. The sheet
split, the hammer cracked, but the bone
remained intact.” See also 11:28b.
92. This “soul” enlivens them and fa­
cilitates their growth.
93. The life force o f the mineral king­
dom differs from that o f the vegetable
kingdom in that it does not spur growth
or movement o f any kind. Rather, the
45
: • : T : • : • T
• •‫;־‬ T - T : • :
.(‫כר כי דו ע‬
‫־־‬ T ‫־‬
function o f this force is to ensure the
basic existence o f these minerals, so that
they retain their quality o f “being.” See
Tanya, Shaar Hayichud Veha’emunah,
ch. 1, citing Arizal.
94. I.e., in the aforementioned verse
(Deuteronomy 30:15), See, I have placed
before you today the life and the good, and
the death and the evil....
95. The discourse has already es­
tablished that it is the spiritual, G-dly
life force that creates and enlivens the
physical matter, and that ■without this
life force, the physical matter dies and
ceases to exist. It follows, then, that the
physical element o f creation can be clas-
sifted as temporal, existing only so long
as the spiritual allows it to. The spiritual
soul, however, is eternal‫׳‬, its energy does
not dissipate, G-d forbid, after it has
finished giving the body life, but returns
to its source on High, to be hound up in
the bond o f life, with G -d (I Samuel
46 THE POWER OF RETURN

chatchem Uvemo ’adechem 5657.’’®) The physical element, how­

ever, is referred to as death and evil, since it decays and de­
composes after the soul departs, having no intrinsic existence.
From my flesh, I perceive G-dlinessF A person intuitively
senses that there is a life force within him that enlivens him,
and that the principal [aspect of his existence] is this life force,
and that after the soul’s departure the body is left like an inert
stone, eventually decomposing, as mentioned above.
Similarly, a person can understand regarding all the
worlds.”®A G-dly life force energizes them, and the entire life
and existence of the worlds derives solely from the G-dly light
and life force within them. If this life force were to disappear,
G-d forbid, they would turn into veritable naught and noth­
ingness.
PREDOMINANCE OF SPIRIT
All created beings and all the worlds, therefore, are completely
subordinated to the G-dly light and life force that enlivens
and creates them, since their reality, existence and life comes
from the G-dly light and life force. As such, they are sub­
servient to the G-dly light.””
Take, for example, the body’s subordination to the soul.
The movement of the body’s limbs mirrors the movement of
the soul’s vitality. And all the more so do the limbs obey the
soul’s will, which rules and controls the faculties of the
soul— since it is their source, and all the faculties are sub­
ordinated to it.'‫“״‬

25:29). This is because the soul is a per-
feet reflection o f its G-dly source, which
is Absolute, Immutable, Eternal (see dis­
course cited in following footnote).
Thus, when the verse employs the
term life it refers to the spiritual life
force, which is true, eternal life.
96. This appears to be a reference to
Uveyom Simchatchem Uvemo ’adechem
5656, which elaborates upon this topic
{SeferHamaamarim 5656, pp. 254-261).
97. Job 19:26. By examining the man-
net in which one’s own soul enlivens
one’s body, one can gain an appreciation
o f how the G-dly life force enlivens all o f
creation. See also On the Essence ofChas-
idus (Kehot, 2003), p. 24, footnote 10.
98. I.e., all o f creation, which is com­
prised, in general, o f four worlds. See
Mystical Concepts in Chassidism, ch. 4
{Worlds}■, The Four Worlds (Kehot,
2003). See also Appendix 2.
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 47

‫ ;נ דיכ ם‬1‫ ם ש?;חה? ם ו ? מ‬1‫ י‬5 ‫ש כ תו ב מז ה ב ד רו ש ה מוז חי ל ו‬

‫ ו ה ג ש מיו ת נ ק ר א מו ת ו ר ע ל פי עזהוא כ ל ה ונ פ ס ד‬,(‫רנ״ז‬
T : ‫ ־‬: V T V ‫־‬ : T TT V T >: • • : :

.‫ ו אין לו קיו ם מ צ ד ע ? מו ס ל ל כר‬,‫? ה ס ת ל ק הנ פ ש מ מנו‬

‫ ? ש ם ש ה א ד ם מ ר גי ש ?נ ? שו שי ש‬.‫ו מ ? ש רי א חז ה א לו ק ה‬
‫ ו ? ה ס ת ל ק הנ פ ש‬,‫ ו ה עי ק ר הו א ה חיו ת‬,‫בו חיו ת ה מ חן ה או תו‬
‫מן ה גו ף נקז א ר ? א ?ן דו מ ם׳ וג ם ה גו ף כ ל ה ךנ? םד כנן כ ר‬
‫ל עי ל׳‬
‫ שן ש ב ה ם חיו ת א ל קי‬,‫כ מו כן יו בן ? ? ל לו ת ה עו ל מו ת‬
‫ רק מ צ ד ה או ר‬,‫ ו מז ה כ ל חיו ת ו קיו ם ה עו ל מו ת‬,‫ה מ חן ה או ת ם‬
‫ ו א ם הי ה מ ס ת ל ק ה חיו ת ח ס ו ש לו ם‬,‫ו ה חיו ת ה א ל קי ש ב ה ם‬
T : ‫־‬ ‫ך‬. ‫ך‬. . . V T V ‫•י‬ V: T ‫־־‬ ‫ •־‬:

.‫הי ה נ ע ש ה מ ה ם אין ו א פ ס מ מ ש כר‬

T - V V : ‫— י‬ V •• V - T T

‫ו ל כן כ ל הנ ב ר אי ם ו ה עו ל מו ת ב ט לי ם ל ה או ר ו ה חיו ת‬
T ; • • • : T T : • T : • ‫־‬ T * - T :

‫ה א ל קי ה מ חן ה ו מ הו ה או ת ם׳ ל היו ת ו כ ל מ צי או ת ם ו קיו מ ם‬
‫ ל כן ה ם ב ט לי ם ל ה או ר‬,‫ו חיו ת ם הו א מ ה או ר ו ה חיו ת ה א ל קי‬
T : • •• : •• ‫ •• י‬T ‫•י‬ ‫־‬.*: T “ ‫־‬ : T ‫•־‬ T ‫־‬ :

.‫ה א ל קי כר‬ ‫•י‬ V: T

‫ א ש ר ? פי או פן ת נו ע ת חיו ת‬,‫ו ? מו ה גו ף ש ב ט ל א ל הן פ ש‬
‫ ו מ כ ל ש כן שנ קז מ עי ם‬.‫הנ פ ש כן הי א ת נו ע ת א ? רי הגו ף‬
‫ ש מי ש ל ו שו ל ט ע ל כ ל כ חו ת הנ פ ש ל פי‬,‫ל ה ר צון ש בג פ ש‬
.‫ש הי א מ קו רן ו כ ל ה כ חו ת ? ט לי ם אליו‬

99. The discourse has thus far described pan or function o f the body (as are the
how the physical element o f creation ten particular faculties o f the soul). It is
has no inherent existence, and how it is the first state o f movement from the
completely void o f life and vitality with­ pure soul, a perfect reflection o f the
out the G-dly life force. This being said, soul’s essence. W hen a person wants
it is understood that even as the physical something, it means that his soul— his
matter “exists,” i.e., even as it is being essential soul, his entire soul— is drawn
enlivened by the G-dly life force, it is to that thing. Therefore, since the pow­
entirely subordinate to that force, as will er o f will is so united with the pure soul,
be demonstrated on both the human it supersedes the particular faculties and
and cosmic levels. “controls” them: they automatically fol­
low the soul’s will and do whatever is in
100. Will (ratzori) is a general soul- their capacity to fulfill this will.
power, not limited to any particular
48 THE POWER OF RETURN

Thus, the limbs of the body are also subservient to [the

soul’s will]: should a person wish to place his foot into hot
water, there is no resistance whatsoever. This is due to the
foot’s total subservience to the soul, since the soul is the
body’s entire life force and raison d ’etre, as explained above.'‫'״‬
And it is precisely because it is subservient to the soul that the
foot is able to receive its vitality from the soul.'‫^״‬
Similarly, all of the creations are subservient to the G-dly
light and life force [within them]. This [subservience] is es­
pecially apparent with the celestial bodies, as the verse says.
A nd the hosts o f the heavens bow down to You'^^: the sun sets in
the west because the Shechinah (Divine Presence) is in the
west.'‫ *י״‬The sun’s orbit from east to west, until it sets, is its
form of prostration."’"
Likewise, all the celestial bodies orbit from east to west
with the ninth sphere.'‫ ״״‬Though their own nature is to orbit
from west to east,'‫ ''״‬they nonetheless orbit from east to west
because the Shechinah, malchut of Atzilut,^°^ is found in the
west.'‫ ״״‬For in the configuration of the supernal six direc-

101. Just as a person’s will dominates
the particular faculties o f his soul (his
intellect and emotions), it also dom­
inates his physical body as well. The
foot “listens” to what the soul wishes,
even if it is to do something that is
against its own nature (like being sub­
merged in hot water). This is because
the physical body is completely sub­
servient to the soul and its desires.
102. The discourse now connects the
two ideas mentioned here— that the
physical body exists only because o f a
spiritual life force that vivifies it; and
that the physical body is completely
subservient to the soul— by saying that
the hody receives its vitality from the
soul only through its subservience to it.
103. Nehemiah 9:6.
104. See Bava Batra 25a.
105. See Tanya, gloss on chapter 42; Or
Hatorah, Massei, p. 1398 ff.
106. Rambam {Hilchot Yesodei Hatorah
3:1) describes the heavens as consisting
o f nine galgalim, or “spheres.” For a de­
tailed description o f the ninth sphere,
see ihid., laws 6-7.
107. Rambam ibid, explains that the ce­
lestial bodies (stars, planets, etc.) are
found within the first eight spheres o f
the heavens. Above these spheres is a
ninth sphere. The ninth sphere en­
compasses all o f the other eight spheres,
and controls their orbit. N ow , some o f
the celestial bodies naturally orbit to­
ward the east within their own par­
ticular sphere. However, since the ninth
sphere orbits toward the west and con-
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 49

‫יעלה‬. ‫ ע ד שג ם אם‬,‫ו ? מו כן א ? רי ה גו ף ב ט לי ם אליו‬

‫ני ש ב ט ל‬$ ‫ מ‬,‫ ? ח מין אין מני ע ה ? ל ל כר‬1‫ב ך צו נו לי תן ר ג ל‬
‫ ל פי שז הו כ ל חיו תו ו סי ב ת קיו מו כר‬,‫ל ג ? ךי א ל הנ פ ש‬
‫ ו ע ל י די ז ה דו ק א הו א ? ק ב ל חיו ת מ הנ פ ש מ פני‬.‫כנז כ ר ל עי ל‬
.‫ש הו א ב ט ל אליו‬
T •• •• T V

.‫ו כ מו כן כ ל הנ ב ר אי ם ב ט לי ם ל ה או ר ו ה חיו ת ה א ל קי כר‬

I. ..J T - - : T : • •• : • T ; • ‫־‬ T • ;

‫ ו כ מו ש כ תו ב ו צ ב א ה ש מי ם‬,‫ו ביו ת ר נ ר א ה ז ה ב צ ב א ה ש מי ם‬
. - T - T : T V : • ‫־‬ T ‫־‬ T : ‫־‬ V V : • •‫־‬ :

‫ש קז כינ ה‬ ‫מ ?ני‬ ‫ב מזגרב‬ ‫שו ק ע ת‬ ‫שהחמה‬ ,‫מקז תסוי ם‬ ‫לף‬

‫ ו מ ה ש סו ב ב ת ן הו ל כ ת מ מז ר ח ל מ ע ר ב ע ד ש שו ק ע ת‬/‫ב מ ע ר ב‬
.‫ז הו ה עז ת חוו א ה ש ל ה‬
T V T T ‫־‬: ‫־‬ : • V

,‫וכן כ ל ה כו כ בי ם סו ב בי ם ב ה ג ל ג ל ה ט׳ מ מז ר ח ל מ ע ר ב‬
T - : - ‫־‬ T : • • ‫־‬ - ‫ ־‬: : • : • T ‫־‬ t •**:

,‫ע ם חיו ת ש הי לו ך ע צ מן מ צ ד ט ? ע ם הו א מ מ ע ר ב ל מז ר ח‬
‫מ כ ל מ קו ם הרי ח ם מ ס ? בי ם מ מן ך ח ל מערב• ו חיינו מ ?ני‬
‫ כי דו ע ב ח ר‬.‫ש ש כינ ה הו א ב חי נ ת מ ל כו ת ד א צי לו ת ב מ ע ר ב‬

trols the orbit o f the other eight spheres, sidered to be a created world, but rather
all o f the celestial bodies ultimately or­ an emanated world.
bit likewise from east to west. Now, it is in A tzilu t that G-d’s at-
Take, for example, a person walking tributes— known as the ten sefirot— are
eastward while on board a ship traveling first manifest. The lowest o f these sefirot
westward. Although his own movement is malchut (usually translated as sov­
is taking him toward the east, he is ereignty or kingship). Malchut serves as
nonetheless in reality traveling toward a bridge between A tzilu t and the lower
the west at that very moment {Sefer worlds o f Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah,
Hachakirah, p. 9a, quoting Nechmad transmitting to them the G-dly life
Vena’im 1:13). force that enlivens and animates them.
In a sense then, malchut is considered to
1 08. MALCHUT = SHECHINAH. In Kab­ be the “source o f life” for all the created
balah and Chasidus, malchut o f Atzilut beings o f the lower worlds, and, to crea­
is associated with the Shechinah, Divine tion, is representative o f the Shechinah.
Presence.
To explain: O f the four supernal 109. Since the Shechinah— malchut of
worlds, A tzilu t is the loftiest. It is a G-dly Atzilut— is found in the west (Bava Batra
world. In Atzilut, there is no feeling o f ibid.), all o f the celestial bodies therefore
self or being, just an awareness o f some­ orbit to the west, expressing their com­
thing higher, something beyond— plete subservience to the G-dly life force
G-dliness. A tzilut is therefore not con­ {Shechinah, malchut) that enlivens them.
50 THE POWER OF RETURN

tions,"“ the west corresponds to malchut''^ the source from

which all the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiya are brought
into existence and vivified. This is why [the celestial bodies]
orbit westward, for this is their prostration and surrender to
the source of their vitality and existence.
The same is true of all earthly creatures. They are all sub­
servient to the G-dly life force— it is just that the subservience
of terrestrial creation is not readily apparent. In truth, how­
ever, this is the reality. Just as one sees in himself, that his
body is [completely] subservient to the light and life force of
his soul, similarly it can be understood that all creatures of the
mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms"^ are subservient to
the G-dly light within them.
This [subservience] is the primary cause of their viv-
ification, as is written. The fear o f G-d brings life^^^— i.e., they
live and exist because of their subservience to G-d and fear of
H im ."‘‘ Thus, angels live longer than people, since they pos­
sess a greater degree of subservience."’ Indeed, death was visit­
ed upon humanity only because of the sin involving the Tree
of Knowledge."'’ Had man retained his initial degree of sub­
servience as prior to the sin,"^ he would have continued to
live for the entire span o f the six thousand years."®

110. VAV KETZAVOT, in the Hebrew.
Everything physical has its roots in the
spiritual realm. The same is true o f the
six directions that define physical space
(up, down, front, back, right, left)—
they are rooted in the six supernal direc­
tions. The kabbalists explain that each o f
these six supernal directions is associated
with one o f the sefirot o f Atzilut. U p is
associated with netzach, down with hod,
front— i.e. east— ^with tiferet, back— i.e.
west— ^with malchut, right with chesed,
and left with gevurah (cf. Tikkunei Zo-
har, intro). Hence, west is associated
with malchut, the place o f the Shechinah.
See Imrei Binah, Id ff.; Maamarei Ad-
mur Hazaken 5562, pp. 142-3.
11. R. Moshe Cordovero, Pardes, Shaar
Erkei Hakinuyim, Maariv. See Or Ha-
torah, Massei, p. 1396 fF., which dis­
cuses this issue at length.
112. Creation is divided into four pri­
mary elements, or kingdoms; mineral
{domem), vegetable (tzomeacH), animal
(chat), and human (medaber). Just as
man’s body is completely subservient to
the life force o f his soul, so too every
creature— regardless o f which kingdom
it may belong to— is subservient to the
G-dly life force within it. So even
though the subservience o f earthly crea­
tures to their source o f life is not as vis­
ually apparent as that o f their heavenly
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 51

‫ ר‬1‫ ש הו א מק‬,‫ ו מ ע ר ב הו א ? חי נ ת מ ל כו ת‬,‫ק צוו ת ה ע ליונו ת‬

‫ וז הו‬.‫ה מ הוו ה ו מ חי ה א ת כ ל ה עו ל מו ת ב רי א ה ־י צי ר ה ־ ע שי ה‬
V : T • T • : T ’ : T T T V V “ :

‫ ש הו א ה ש ת חוו א ת ם ו בי טו ל ם ל מ קו ר חיו ת ם‬,‫סי בו ב ם ל מ ע ר ב‬

T - ‫י‬ ; • T • T T T —. ‫־‬ * V T •t ‫־‬ ‫־־‬ T •

.‫ו ה ת הוו ת ם כר‬ T “ : • :

,‫רכן הו א ג ם ב צ ב א ה א ך ץ ש כו ל ם ? ט לי ם ל ה חיו ת ה א ל קי‬

,‫ א ב ל ב א מ ת כן הו א‬,‫א ל א ש ב צ ב א ה א ר ץ אין זה נ ך א ה ונג ל ה‬
,‫כ א ש ר רו א ה ? ע צ מו ש ה גו ף ב ט ל ל ה או ר ו חיו ת הן פ ש ש בו‬
‫? מו כן יו בן ? כ ל הנ ? ך אי ם ך דו מ ם־ צו מ ח ־ חי ש ה ם ? ט לי ם‬
.‫ל ה או ר ה א ל קי ש ב ה ם‬
V T V ‫•י‬ V: T T :

‫ ? מו ש כ תו ב י ך א ת ה׳‬,‫ו ע ל י די ן ה הו א דו ק א עי ק ר חיו ת ם‬
‫ ש ע ל י די הי ך א ה ן ה ?י טו ל דו ק א ע ל י די ז ה ה ם‬,‫ל חיי ם כר‬
‫ מ ?ני‬,‫ ו ל כן ה מ ל א כי ם חיי ם יו ת ר מ בני אד ם‬.‫חיי ם ו קןי מי ם‬
‫ ו ל א נ קנ ס ה מי ת ה כי אם ע ל‬.‫שי ש ב ה ם ? חי נ ת ה ?י טו ל יו ת ר‬
‫ א ב ל אם הי ה ה א ד ם ב ב חי נ ת בי טו ל‬,‫י די ח ט א ע ץ ה ד ע ת‬
• “ • : • T T T T T ‫־‬ T ‫־‬: •‫■־‬ ‫י‬ ‫■־‬ : :

.‫מ ? מו ש הן ה ]קודם[ ה ח ? א הן ה חי כ ל ה שי ת א ל פין קזנין כר‬

counterparts, it can be just as strongly “Four died with the bite o f the
sensed and felt. snake...”— i.e., they died not o f their
own sins, but because death was decreed
113. Proverbs 19:23. See also ibid. on mankind when the snake persuaded
10:27: The fear o f G -d will increase Chava to eat o f the Tree o f Knowledge.
days....
117. As created by G-d, primordial man
114. Subservience to G-d— bittul— is (Adam) was in perfect harmony with his
the channel through which the creations Creator, and expressed a complete sub­
receive the G-dly life force; without this servience to G-d’s will. Adam’s sin in
subservience, they cannot receive G-dly eating o f the Tree o f Knowledge— an
vitality (see Likkutei Torah, Shelach, act that was expressly forbidden to him
45c). See also above, footnote 102. by G-d— signaled an end to this per­
fection, and marked the first time a per­
115. This statement is cited in the name son had willingly disregarded the will o f
o f R. DovBer, the Maggid o f Mezritch, G-d.
in Seder Tefillot M ikol Hashanah, 82c,
and Derech Mitzvotecha, 16b. 118. It was explained before that the
G-dly life force that enlivens creation is
116. See Genesis 2:17, and com­ eternal (see footnote 95, above). Had
mentaries there. See also Shabhat 55b: Adam not sinned, his body would have
52 THE POWER OF RETURN

The subservience of the creatures is the cause of their viv-

ification and existence; for since their existence and viv-
ification stems from G-dliness, v^^hen they subordinate them­
selves to G-dliness they become vessels for the G-dly light and
life force. It is precisely in this manner that they live and exist.
Regarding this, the verse says, See, I have placed before
you... the life’‫ —’־‬i.e., this can be perceived empirically
[“seen”], for from my flesh, I perceive G-dliness. A person can
feel it in his soul."^ He can therefore readily understand that
the same is true of the world [at large], as explained above.
LOVING G-D “FOR HE IS YOUR LIFE”
Now, when a person contemplates all of this— how within
every entity there is the G-dly light and life force, the G-dly
light being its primary component; and that created beings
are truly subordinated to the G-dly light within them, and to
their Source that animates them— he will become awakened
with a desire, a yearning and an immense love for G-dliness
to the point where his desires and aspirations will be focused
exclusively on G-dliness. The peripheral and physical ele­
ments of this world will hold no interest for him, since they
are inherently death,'‘^‘^ temporal and deteriorative. The G-dly
life force will be his only desire, as it is the primary [element
of existence].
Certainly, [upon pondering the above] a person [will re­
alize that he] is not to separate material objects [from the

remained in perfect harmony with reshit, 5 c If. and Sefer Hamaamarim

G-dliness and would have likewise lived
“eternally” (for the six thousand years
allotted for the world’s existence— see
below). The sin involving the Tree o f
Knowledge demonstrated Adam’s lack
o f subservience to G-d, and highlighted
a rift, so to speak, between his physical
existence and the G-dly life force enliv­
ening him. So although his soul would
experience eternal life, his body was des­
tined for mortality. (For a somewhat re­
lated explanation, see Torah Or, Be-
Melukat, vol. 2, p. 277.)
SIX THOUSAND YEARS. This is the
time period allotted for the physical du­
ration o f the world’s existence, as Sein-
hedrin 97a states; “For six millennia the
world will exist, and for one millennium
it will lie fallow.”
Chasidus interprets it thus: In the sev­
enth millennium, the Messianic Era,
there will be such a profound revelation
o f G-dliness that the world will be up­
lifted to a completely different state. The
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 53

‫ ד א ח ר‬,‫ה בי טו ל קז ב הנ ב ר אי ם ז הו סי ב ת חיו ת ם ו קיו מ ם‬

‫־‬ ‫־‬ : ‫׳‬ T ‫•י‬ : T ‫־‬ “ • V • T : • - ; V • :

‫? ט לי ם‬ ‫ק שהם‬ ‫ו ל כן‬ ‫מ א ל קו ת‬ ‫הו א‬ ‫ו חיו ת ם‬ ‫ש כ ל קיו מ ם‬

‫ל א ל קו ת ה די ה ם כ לי ם ל ה או ר ו ה חיו ת ה א ל קי ו אז ה ם חיי ם‬
.‫ו קןי מי ם כר‬

‫ שז ה ן כו ל‬,‫ו ע ל ז ה או מ ר ך א ה ב ת תי לפביף א ת ה חיי ם כר‬

‫ מעזום ד מ ב ש רי א חז ה‬,‫ל היו ת ב א ד ם ב ב חי נ ת ר אי ה חו עזיי ת‬
.. ...... . ‫ן‬. . . . . . . T • : ‫־‬ • T T T : •

‫ ו מ מי ל א י בין כ מו כן‬,‫ עזה אד ם מ ר גי ש ז א ת בנ פ שו‬,‫א ל ק ה‬

I .. . I . ‫ן‬. ‫ך‬, .. . . _ . • : - T T T V ‫י‬- V:

.‫ב עו ל ם כר כנז כ ר ל עי ל‬
‫•־‬ : T : ■ “ T T

‫יש או ר‬. ‫ו הנ ה כ שי ה בו נן ה א ד ם ? כ ל זה אי ך ש ? כ ל ד ב ר‬
‫ ו הנ ? ך אי ם‬,‫ו חיו ת ה א ל קי ו ה עי ק ר הו א ה או ר ה א ל קי ש בו‬
‫ו ל מ קו ר ם‬
T ‫י‬ : • :
‫ה א ל קי עזבהם ול ש רעז ם‬
T : T : V T V ‫•י‬ V: T
‫ל ה או ר‬ T :
‫ב א מ ת ב ט לי ם‬
‫•־ ־‬ : V Vt %•

‫ ן ע ל י די זה י ה עו ר ר ? ר צון י ה שו ק ה ו א ה ב ה‬,‫ה מ הוו ם כר‬

‫ רק ב א ל קו ת‬1‫ שז ה י הו ה כ ל ח ? צו ו ? ג מ ת‬,‫? דו ל ה ל א ל קו ת‬
‫ ש ה ם מו ת מ צ ד‬,‫ ו ל א י ך צ ה ? חי צו ני ת וג קז מיו ת ה עו ל ם‬.‫ל בד‬
‫ רק י ך צ ה ? ה חיו ת ה א ל קי ש הו א‬,‫ע צ מ ם הווי ם ונ ? ם ךי ם כר‬
.‫ה עי ק ר כר‬

‫ ד ה רי‬,‫ו מ כ ל ש כן ש אין צ רי ך ל ה כ רי ד א ת ה ד ב ר הג קז מי‬

world will no longer be physical and cor­ a time o f “rest,” over which nothing
poreal, but rather completely subsumed transcends {Torah Or, 96a).
in G-dliness. Thus, the purely physical
elements o f creation will “lie fallow,” and 119. A person cannot see his soul with
the world as we know it now will be no his eyes. Yet, as explained earlier, one
more {Likkutei Torah, Bamidhar, 4c; Be- can tangibly sense that he possesses a soul
shaah Shehikdimu 5672, vol. 2, p. 685). that enlivens his body, and that his hody
Alternatively, “lie fallow” means that is subservient to the light and vitality o f
the world then will be in a state o f his soul. This is sensed so strongly by a
“rest.” Throughout the course o f the six person that it is as , / 11 c would see it with
millennia, the Jewish nation has had his eyes. Similarly, a person can sense
ups and downs, peaceful times and dis­ just as strongly that there is a G‫־‬dly life
turbed times. Each descent was for the force that enlivens the world and all o f
purpose o f a subsequent higher ascent. the created beings, and that everything is
However, the seventh millennium is the subservient to this G-dly force.
climax o f all ascents; it is an era so ex­
alted that there is none higher. It is thus 120. See above, and footnote 95.
54 THE POWER OF RETURN

G-dly life force that animates them]; for as explained above,

the physical is really subordinated to the G-dly light and life
fo rc e .S h o u ld he attribute significance to the material facet
of an object, however, by desiring to enjoy the physical ele­
ment of the material object, he thus debases the object and
separates it [from its G-dly life force].
[A person has this power] since [G-d] ako instilled the
world in m an’s h e a r t The sin involving the Tree of Knowl­
edge therefore precipitated an all-encompassing macrocosmic
dichotomy.
Similarly, on a microcosmic level, by desiring to derive
pleasure from the physical element itself, a person separates
the object [from its G-dly life force]. By contrast, when one
seeks the G-dliness of a physical object, one elevates the ob­
ject, rendering its [essential] subservience clearly visible.
Hence, the verse, to love the L-rd your G -d... for He is
your life. This is like a person who loves the life of his soul
because he senses within himself that the primary [element
of his existence] is the vitality of the soul; it is for this reason
that he loves his soul. For in reality, a person’s self-love is
not [an expression of the fact] that he loves his own flesh
and blood, but rather [an expression of the fact] that he loves
his soul, and wants the soul’s vitality to be extended and re-
vealed.‘^’
The same is true [of G-dliness], to love the L-rd your G-d
... for He is your life. When one contemplates how G-dliness is

121. Physicality p er se is subordinated to 122. A person has the power to elevate

G-dliness; that is how it is able to re­
ceive the G-dly energy that allows it to
exist (see above, footnote 114). But this
subordination is not immediately appar­
ent to the physical eye (though it can be
understood and perceived, as explained
above). A person can, therefore,
through his actions, (visibly) separate
material objects from their G-dly life
force— see following footnote.
or debase, G-d forbid, the physical
world. If he recognizes the G-dly spark
within everything, and works to dem­
onstrate how physicality is really sub­
ordinated to the G-dly reality by uti­
lizing the physical toward a G-dly
purpose, then he elevates the physical
world, rendering the physical’s essential
subordination to G-dliness clearly vis­
ible. If, however, he does not recognize
physical matter’s inherent subservience
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 55

,‫נ ח ב א ר ל עי ל ך הג קז מי ב ט ל ב א מ ת א ל ה או ר ו ה חיו ת אל קי‬

’,‫א מנ ם ע ל י די ש ה א ד ם מ ח שי ב א ת ה ג ש מי ל ד ב ר ב פני ע צ מו‬
: - ‫ •־‬: • : • ; T T -------V • ‫־‬: ‫׳־‬ T T T V : - T : T

‫ ע ל י די ז ה‬,‫ד היי נו ? מ ה ש רו צ ה ל הנו ת מ גו ף ה ד ב ר הג קזמי‬

.‫מו רי ד ו מ ? ףי ד או תו‬

‫ ו ל כן חקזא ע ץ‬,‫דג ם א ת ה עו ל ם נ תן ? ל בו ^ ל א ד ם כר‬

.‫ה ד ע ת ג ר ם פי רו ד ב כ ל לו ת ה עו ל ם‬
T T T : ■ •• “ T ------------

‫ ע ל י די ^ ר ו צ ה לי ה נו ת מ ה ד ב ר‬,‫? מו כן כ ל א ח ד ו א ח ד‬
‫ ו ל הי פ ך ? עז רו צ ה‬,‫הג קזמי מ צ ד ע ? מו ח רי הו א מ פ רי ד או תו‬
‫ ו חיינו‬,‫ב ה א ל קו ת ש ל ה ד ב ר הג קז מי ח רי הו א מ ע ל ה או תו‬
.‫ ו ל ה בו אי ך עזהוא ב ט ל כר‬1‫יה נ ר א ה ונ‬.‫שיח‬

‫ ד כ מו ש ה א ד ם‬,‫ח הי ל א ה ב ה א ת ה׳ אלקןיך כי הו א חוי ף‬

‫הו א‬ ‫שהעיקןר‬ ‫? ע צ מו‬ ‫עז מ ךגי ש‬ ‫מ ?ני‬ ‫נ ? שו‬ ‫חיי‬ ‫או ה ב‬
‫ה חיו ת הנ פ ש ו לז א ת הו א או ה ב א ת הנ פ ש׳ ד מ ה ש ה א ד ם‬
‫ ?י אם‬,‫ אין זה ש או ה ב א ת ? ש רו ו ך מו כר‬,‫או ה ב א ת ע צ מו‬
‫ש או ה ב א ת נפשי"׳ ו רו צ ה ? ה ח פ ^ז טו ת ו ה ח ג לו ת חיו ת נ מ שו‬
,‫כר‬

‫ כ ש מ ח בונן‬,‫ו ? מו כן ל א ה ב ה א ת ה׳ אלקןיך ?י הו א חיי ך‬

to G-dliness, and as such, utilizes phys­
ical entities for no higher purpose, then
he is debasing the physical world, “separ­
ating” (at least on an external, visible
level) material existence from its bond
with its Creator (see Zohar 1:195b; Lik-
kutei Torah, Bamidbar, 5b).
123. Cf. Ecclesiastes 3:11. Chasidus in­
terprets this verse to mean that the pow­
er o f elevating or debasing the world has
been instilled in man’s heart (see pre­
vious footnote).
124. By eating o f the Tree o f Knowl­
edge, Adam and Eve essentially shunned
the G-dliness within the tree, as man­
ifested in G-d’s desire that it not be eat­
en from. They thus visibly separated the
physical tree from its G-dly purpose/life
force. And since man’s actions have uni­
versal ramifications, as [G -d] also in­
stilled the world in man s heart, it caused
an all-encompassing dichotomy
through-out creation, so that when one
looks at a physical entity one does not
immediately recognize the G-dliness
within it.
125. I.e., he wants the soul’s vitality to
extend into and enliven his body.
56 THE POWER OF RETURN

the Source of all life, since the vitality of the world and all of
the creations stems from G-dliness, and it is the primary [ele­
ment of existence], one will yearn for G-d and love Him.*“
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
This means that while engaged in all worldly activities, such
as eating and drinking, doing business, and the like, a person
will not want the physical element [of the object or action]
but the G-dliness therein.
In other words, one’s intent [in engaging in physical af­
fairs] should be solely to energize his Torah study and prayer,
as the saying, “wine and aroma stimulate the intellect, and
“until I partook of some ox’s meat, my mind was not clear.”'**^
One’s motive for eating and drinking should be to enable him
to study and pray. Automatically, then, he will be careful to
abstain from anything superfluous to him,‘“ anything that
serves only to gratify his cravings. And since one desires only
G-dliness— to engage in physical pursuits simply for sake of
Heaven, as explained above— he is therefore satisfied with
what is absolutely necessary.‘^‫״‬
The same applies to business affairs. O ne’s intentions
should be to earn a living so that his mind and heart are free
to be involved in Torah study and prayer, and so that he can
perform mitzvot, such as charity. Consequently, he will con­
duct his business affairs in a manner that neither distracts
from, nor interferes with, his Torah study and prayer.
All the above is attained through contemplation, pon­
dering well until it becomes true to him how G-dliness is the
primary [element of existence], while the physical element, in
and of itself, is veritable naught and nothingness. Then the
aforementioned love is awakened,“” in accordance with what
was explained above.

126. Truly contemplating and realizing
that G-dliness is the vitalizing “soul” o f
creation will awaken within the person
an immense yearning and love for G-d.
127. Yoma 76b, according to the ver­
sion quoted in Tanya, chapter 7, and
elsewhere in Chasidus. (These refer­
ences were provided by Rabbi Men-
achem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher
Rebbe, in Bati Legani 5712.)
‫‪TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY‬‬ ‫‪57‬‬

‫אי ך ש ה א ל קו ת חיי ה חיי ם‪ ,‬ד כ ל חיו ת ה עו ל ם ו הנ ב ר אי ם‬

‫•‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫־ •‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫־‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪. -‬‬ ‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪ -‬״‬ ‫‪I‬‬ ‫‪V: T‬‬ ‫‪V‬‬ ‫י‬

‫הו א מ א ל קו ת ו הו א העיקןר‪ ,‬ה רי י ך צ ה וי א ה ב א ת ה ‪/‬‬

‫ד היי נו ש ב כ ל ע שיו תיו ב חי צו ניו ת ה עו ל ם כ מו ב א כי ל ה‬

‫‪T‬‬ ‫■‬ ‫־‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫•‬ ‫•‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫י‬ ‫‪:‬־‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪V‬‬ ‫־ ‪:‬‬ ‫‪t‬‬

‫ו שת^ה ו ה ע ס ק מ ש א ו מ תן ו כ דו מ ה ל א י ך צ ה א ת ה ד ב ר‬
‫הג קז מי מ צ ד ע ע מו כי אם א ת ה א ל קו ת ש בו כר‪.‬‬

‫ו היינו שז א ת יה‪.‬יה כוו נ תו רק שי תו ס ף לו כיח ע ל י די ז ה‬

‫ב תו ר ה ו ע בו ד ה‪ ,‬ו כ מ א מ ר ח מ ר א ו רי ח א פ ק חין‪ ,‬ו ע ד ו ל א‬
‫א כי לנ א ב ש ר א ד תו ר א ל א צ לינ א ד ע ת אי כר‪ ,‬וי הי ה כ וו נ ת‬
‫“‬ ‫■־ ‪T‬‬ ‫‪V : • :‬‬ ‫•‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫־ ■ ‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪- :‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫• ‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫*‬ ‫‪T‬‬

‫ה א כי ל ה ו קז תי ה ב כ די שיו כ ל ל ל מו ד ולהךנפלל כר‪ .‬ו מ מי ל א‬

‫הי ה ז הי ר מ ד ב רי ם ה מו ת רי ם א ליו ש ה ם ר ק ל מ ל או ת ת אוו ת‪,‬‬
‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫»‬ ‫‪-‬‬ ‫’י ‪V‬‬ ‫‪. ..‬ן‬ ‫‪.‬ן‪.‬‬ ‫_‬ ‫ך ‪.‬‬
‫‪. . .‬‬ ‫‪.‬ן‪.‬‬

‫ו מ א ח ר ש רו צ ה ר ק ה א ל קו ת היינו ל ש ם ש מי ם כנן כ ר ל עי ל‪,‬‬

‫מ מי ל א ! מ פי ק רק כ מ ה ש ה כ ר ח לו כר‪.‬‬

‫ו ק מו כן ב ע ס ק מ ש א ו מ תן ע רי כ ה ל היו ת ה כוונ ה ש ע ל‬
‫י די ש! ךוי ח י היו מו חו ו ל בו ?נוי ם ל ע סו ק ב תו ר ה ו ע בו ד ה‬
‫ויו כ ל ל ק!י ם מ עו ת כ מו מ עו ת ע ד ק ה ו ב מי לו ת ה ס די ם כר‪,‬‬
‫ו מ מי ל א ! ע סו ק כ ע מ ק מ ש א ו מ תן כ או פן ש ל א ! מ רי ד וי ב ל ב ל‬
‫או תו מ תו ר ה ו ע בו ד ה כר‪.‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫־־ ‪ :‬־‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫•‬

‫הי ט ב‬ ‫ש מ ת בונן‬ ‫ה ה ת בוננו ת‪,‬‬ ‫ע ל י די‬ ‫וכל זה נע ש ה‬

‫ו מ ת א מ ת א ע לו אי ך ש ה עי ק ר הו א ה א ל קו ת‪ ,‬ו ה ג ש מיו ת מ צ ד‬
‫ע ע מו הו א אין ו א פ ס מ מ ש‪ ,‬ע ל י די ז ה מ ה עו ר ר כ א ה ב ה‬
‫הנז כ ר ל עי ל ל היו ת כ או מן הנז כ ר ל עי ל‪.‬‬

‫‪128. Although this exact phrase does‬‬ ‫‪suits, since the physical is only to he‬‬
‫­‪not appear in the Talmud, it is a par‬‬ ‫‪used “for the sake o f Heaven”— toward‬‬
‫‪aphrase o f Bava Kama 72a (according to‬‬ ‫‪a spiritual, G-dly end.‬‬
‫‪Tosfat) and Eruvin 64a.‬‬
‫‪131. I.e., the love o f G-d far He is your‬‬
‫‪129. I.e., anything beyond his niost ha-‬‬ ‫‪life.‬‬
‫‪sic needs.‬‬
‫‪132. I.e., he will not indulge in material‬‬
‫‪130. When one approaches his physical‬‬ ‫­‪pursuits, but rather will conduct his af‬‬
‫‪affairs with this attitude, he will not feel‬‬ ‫‪fairs in a manner consistent with his‬‬
‫­‪the desire to indulge in material pur‬‬ ‫‪love o f G-d.‬‬
58 THE POWER OF RETURN

And through this [contemplation and the resultant love of

G-d], a person’s evil inclination and natural character traits,
which otherwise desire and long for material things in their es­
sential material s t a t e will abate. The above-mentioned con­
templation and love subordinates one’s natural character
traits, so that they no longer desire the physical, but only the
spiritual.
WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL
In truth, the animal soul and evil inclination also understand
that one ought not to want the physical elements, since they
are essentially death, a s the primary [element of existence] is
the G-dly life force. It is therefore logical to desire the pri-
maty— not the secondary. In truth, it is not even possible to
call the physical “secondary," for in essence, it is “naught” and
“nothingness.”'^’
In other words, through this [contemplation] the animal
soul’s natural traits are also weakened, to the point where they
are also come to love G-d, to desire the G-dliness within
everything, and not the [physical] thing its e lf’"
And since one desires the G-dliness in material objects, he
will not be drawn after things that are superfluous to him,
things that serve only to satiate the desires of his [animal]
soul. Rather, he will seek only those things that are com­
pulsory for his existence, to enable him to serve G-d.
At times, one must enjoy physical pleasures— i.e., when
there is a mitzvah to do so, like on Shabbat and festivals,
when there is a mitzvah to derive pleasure by eating and
drinking. [And even then] one should obtain enjoyment from
the mitzvah, not from the object of pleasure itself.

133. O ne’s natural character traits are
not inherently evil—that is the realm of
the evil inclination. Nonetheless, they
are inherently physical, trained toward
the material in and o f itself.
134. See above, p. 44 ff., and footnote
95.
135. As explained above, the physical
element has no life or existence o f its
own— it exists solely due to the G-dly
life force that enlivens it. It can there­
fore not even be termed “secondary” to
the G-dly life force, since “secondary”
means that it too has some value (just
that it is not “primary”), whereas the
‫‪TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY‬‬ ‫‪59‬‬

‫ו ע ל י די ז ה י ב ט ל ג ם כן א ת הי צ ר ה ר ע ו מ דו ת ה ט ל עי ם‬
‫שלו‪ ,‬ש רו צ ה י מ מ או ה ?יהדברים הג קז מיי ם ? מו ש הן מ צ ד‬
‫ע ^ מ ם כר‪ ,‬הנ ה ע ל י די ח ה ה בו ג נו ת ו ה א ה ב ה הנז כ ר ל עי ל‬
‫אם‬ ‫כי‬ ‫ה ט ב עיי ם‪ ,‬שליא י ר צ ה ב הג קז מי‬ ‫ה מ דו ת‬ ‫יהבטלר‬
‫ב ה רו חני כר‪.‬‬
‫‪• T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬

‫ו ב א מ ת ג ם הנ פ ש ה ב ה מי ת ו הי צ ר ה ר ע ו בין ז א ת ש אינו‬
‫צ י י ד ל ר צו ת ? הג קז מיו ת‪ ,‬א ס רי ש ה ם מו ת מ צ ד ע צ מ ם‬
‫ןהעיקןר הו א ה חיו ת ה א ל קי‪ ,‬אם כן צ רי ך ל ך צו ת א ת העיקןר‬
‫ו ל א ה ט פ ל כר‪ .‬ו אינו שןי ך ל ק רו א א ת ה ג ש מיו ת ב ש ם ט פ ל‬
‫ג ם בן מ א ח ר ש הו א אין ו א פ ס מ צ ד ע צ מו כר‪.‬‬

‫ו היינו ש ע ל י די ז ה נ חל עזי ם ג ם ח מ דו ת ט ב עיי ם ד נ פ ש‬

‫ל ר צו ת‬ ‫הוי׳‪,‬‬ ‫את‬ ‫לאהבה‬ ‫כן‬ ‫גם‬ ‫ש ב אי ם‬ ‫עד‬ ‫ה ב ה מי ת‪,‬‬
‫בהאל־קות ש ב כ ל ד ב ר ו ל א ב ה ד ב ר מ צ ד ע צ מו כר‪.‬‬

‫ו מ א ח ר ש רו צ ה ב ה א ל קו ת ש ב ה ך ב רי ם הג קז מי ם מ מי ל א‬
‫ל א יו מ ש ך א ס רי ה ד ב רי ם ה מו ת רי ם לו ש ה ם רק ל מ ל או ת‬
‫ת אוו ת נ פ שו כר‪ ,‬כי אם מ ה עז מוכ ר ח לו ל צו ר ך קיו מו ב ב די‬
‫שיו כ ל ל ע בו ד א ת ה׳ כר‪.‬‬

‫ו ל פ ע מי ם צ רי ך ל ה ת ע נ ג ב ד ב רי ת ענו גי ם‪ ,‬היינו כ שי ש‬
‫בז ה מ צו ה‪ ,‬ו כ מו ש ב ת ויו ם טו ב ש מ צו ה ל ע נ גו ב א כי ל ה‬
‫‪T‬‬ ‫•‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪T :‬‬ ‫•‬ ‫‪V‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫־‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪V T‬‬ ‫‪T :‬‬ ‫•‬

‫ו ? ת ן ה כר‪ ,‬שי ת ע נ ג מ צ ד ה מ עו ה ל א מ צ ד ה ך ב ר ת ע נו ג‬
‫ב ע צ ם כר‪.‬‬

‫‪physical element has no intrinsic value.‬‬
‫‪And since this is something so logical‬‬
‫­‪that even the animal soul and evil in‬‬
‫‪clination can understand, the effects o f‬‬
‫‪this meditation— i.e., the love o f G-d‬‬
‫‪for He is your life— can be felt by them‬‬
‫‪as well, as will be explained further.‬‬
‫‪previous Hebrew editions o f the dis-‬‬
‫­‪136. At this point in the original manu‬‬
‫‪script Rabbi Shalom DovBet adds a‬‬
‫­‪gloss in the margin that seems to in‬‬
‫­‪dicate to the transcriber that the fol‬‬
‫‪lowing two par^raphs (until the words‬‬
‫‪“Similarly, due to the aforementioned‬‬
‫­‪lo v e ...”) should be omitted. N one‬‬
‫­‪theless, we have included these par‬‬
‫‪agraphs here, as they have appeared in‬‬
60 THE POWER OF RETURN

Similarly, due to the aforementioned love,‘^^ one will

want G-dliness to be diffused and revealed throughout the
world, just as— on account of one’s love for one’s soul— one
wants his own life force to extend [throughout his body].
When a person contemplates that G-dliness is the source of
all life, he will likewise be awakened with a kind of love that
desires the revelation of G-dliness.‘^®
This explains [the verse], A nd you shall love [the L-rdyour
G-d] with all your hearf^'^•. this refers to a love and yearning
{ratzo^‘^^) for G-dliness, and a desire for G-dly revelation. [And
this love is felt] also “with all your heart—^with both in-
clinations”''“; one’s evil inclination is also awakened to this
love, as explained a b o v e .T h is is followed by “with all your
soul” the aspect of shov''"'-, for after the aforementioned ratzo
there is a shov—the revelation of G-dliness [in the person and
in the world] through [fulfilling] Torah and mitzvot.

137. I.e., the love o f G-d for He is your
life.
138. In other words, since the person’s
love o f G-d is predicated on his recogni­
tion that G-dliness is the true source o f
all life, he naturally desires that this life
force be manifest.
139. Deuteronomy 6:5; see above, foot­
note 75.
140. RATZO and SHOV. In his vision o f
the Divine Chariot (the manifestation
o f Divine life force in the world o f Yet-
zirah), the Prophet Ezekiel describes the
actions o f the holy Chayot (angels) as ve-
hachayot ratzo v'shov— “and the Chayot
run and return” (Ezekiel 1:14).
Kabhalah and Chasidus explain that
the Chayot are in constant flux, in ratzo
(running) and shov (returning). Ratzo re­
fers to their yearning to “run” from their
current standing, to rise up and draw near
to their G-dly source, the higher world o f
Beriah, shov refers to their “return” to
their place in the lower world o f Yetzirah,
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19 A>IV1N3WIM03 QNV NOI1V3SNV3X

62 THE POWER OF RETURN

3.

LIMITED LOVE
Now, this divine service with the aforementioned love em­
braces only the revealed faculties*^^ of the soul, those of in­
tellect and emotions. Since this love is spawned by com­
prehension and contemplation, the love is an “emotion that
is based on intellect”— a limited type of love that is bound
to the particular form of intellect that spawned it.‘‘*'‘
In general, this love does not lend itself to the idea of
“boundlessness,” i.e., to [lead a person to] a state of kelot
hanefesh,''^^ as it is a love defined by the verse as, to love [the
L-rd your G-d] for He is your life—and kebt hanefesh is the
antithesis of life.’'*'^ Thus, this love in general is limited.
Likewise, the specifics of this love are also limited, since the
love always reflects the intellect [that gives rise to it].
Now, all the above is a result of contemplating the G-dly
light that relates to the worlds and is vested within the worlds

143. KOCHOT HAGELUYIM, in the H e­ fort in refining oneself may become

brew. The revealed faculties o f the soul completely manifest.]
are the soul-powers that are vested with­
144. Love that is based purely on in­
in and function via the body— e.g., the
tellectual perception will be inherently
intellectual faculties that function via
limited to the “strength” o f that per­
the brain, and the emotional faculties
ception. In other words, the power o f
that operate via the heart. They are
the love will be limited to the power o f
termed “revealed faculties” since they are
the understanding that spawned the
openly sensed within the person.
love. For example, a person that loves
[This stands in stark contrast to the
someone because he perceives their vir-
“hidden faculties” o f the soul, the soul-
rues or because he feels that he ‫־‬will ben­
powers that are beyond being limited to
efit from the relationship will ex­
the body’s constraints, and whose ef­
perience a love only as powerful as his
fects cannot (usually) be sensed within
perception o f their virtues or o f the ben­
the body. Indeed, as will be explained
efit o f the relationship.
further, only a small parr (a “mere glim­
Likewise, a person’s love o f G-d that
mer”) o f the soul is vested within the
is based on his understanding o f how
body, while the majority o f the soul re­
G-d is his life is necessarily limited to
mains beyond the body. Nonetheless,
the how strongly he perceives that truth.
the hidden faculties o f the soul may also
influence the person, and with much ef­ 145. KELOT HANEFESH. Lit., “expiration
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 63

.‫ג‬

‫ו הנ ה כ ל לו ת ה ע בו ד ה ב ב חי נ ת א ה ב ה הנז כ ר ל עי ל הו א‬
: T : • ‫־‬ T ‫־‬: ‫־‬ ‫־‬ • T ‫־‬: T T : •• • :

‫ ש ה רי‬.‫ ב ? חי נ ת ש כ ל ו מ דו ת ל ב ד‬,‫ ש‬5 ‫ב כ חו ת ה ^לוי ם עז בן‬

,‫ ג ה ו ה ת בוננו ת‬t‫ה א ה ב ה הנז כ ר ל עי ל הי א ה ב א ה ע ל י די ה ע‬
. T T - ‫ ״‬: ‫־‬ T T - • T : • “ T ‫ ־‬: ‫ ־‬T

‫ ש הי א‬,‫ו מ מי ל א ה אןז ב ה הי א ב ב חי נ ת ה מ דו ת ש ע ל פי ה ש ?ל‬

.‫ ל ת ל פי או פן ה ש כ ל ה מו לי ך ה כר‬5 ?‫? חי נ ת א ה ב ה מו‬

‫ ך היי נו‬,‫ין ה ? לי ; בו ל‬.‫ך ב ? ל לו ת ה א ה ב ה אינו שןי ך ענ‬

‫ש כ תו ב‬ ‫מה‬ ‫ש הו א‬ ‫מאחר‬ ,‫הנ פ ש‬ ‫? לו ת‬ ‫ב ב חי נ ת‬ ‫ל היו ת‬
‫ ו כ לו ת הנ ? ש הו א הי פ ך ה חיו ת‬,‫ל א ה ב ה כ ר כי הו א חיי ף‬
‫ ו ? מו כן‬.‫ אם כן ? ל לו ת ה א ה ב ה הי א ב ? חי נ ת ; בו ל‬,‫כר‬
‫ ד ל פי או ?ן ה ש כ ל כן‬,[‫ה ? ך טי ם ש ב ה ה ם ב ה חי נ ת ];בול‬
.‫הו א ה א ה ב ה כר‬
T ‫־‬: ‫־‬ T

‫ה א ל קי‬ ‫ה או ר‬ ‫ה ה ת בו נ נו ת ב ב חי נ ת‬ ‫מצד‬ ‫וכל זה ב א‬

o f the soul.” This term refers to an in­
tense, otherworldly passion— a passion
so powerful that “the soul almost expires
from its great yearning” {Ibn Ezra on
Psalms 84:3). In the context o f one’s love
o f G-d, kelot hanefesh means that the per­
son thirsts so strongly for G-dliness that
he desires that his soul actually be com­
pletely consumed within its G-dly
source, even though that would spell the
end o f its (independent) existence. [I.e.,
if in fact his soul were to be completely
consumed within G-dliness, not only
would his body cease to live, but even his
soul (as an independent soul) would cease
to exist— see Tanya, beg. o f ch. 19.] This
love is thus a “boundless” love, a love
that has no rational limits; indeed, he is
willing to sacrifice his most basic identity
for this love.
Obviously, then, as the discourse ex­
plains, a love like this cannot be
spawned by contemplating how G-d is
your life— see following footnote.
146. As explained above, love that is
based on intellectual perception will be
necessarily limited to the strengths and
weaknesses o f that perception. In our
context, the love o f G-d engendered by
contemplating how G‫־‬dliness is the true
life force o f all o f creation will extend
only as far as the perception itself,
spawning within the person a love and
desire to be close to his source o f life.
This contemplation will not, however,
spawn a love o f kelot hanefesh, where
one desires to be completely subsumed
within G-dliness, to the point o f ceasing
to exist, as this is in direct contrast with
what he is contemplating— namely, that
G-dliness is his life.
64 THE POWER OF RETURN

to enliven them. It is this G-dly light that one can perceive in

the manner oifrom my flesh, I perceive G-dliness.
Nonetheless, all of this''*^ is but a glimmer [of G‫־‬dliness],
which bears no comparison whatsoever to His Essence and Be­
ing.‘‘‘®For, as is known, any aspect of [G-dly light that func­
tions as] a root and source for the worlds is only an aspect of ra­
diance and glimmer [of G -dliness].E ven the primordial root
and source [of the worlds] is regarded as a single thought, as the
saying, “with a single thought were, the worlds created.””” Con­
cerning this we say, “Blessed is He who spoke, and the world
came into being,”” ' which refers to but a single utterance
Just as a single thought is completely insignificant in re­
lation to the [true] essence and being of the person— since [a
single thought] is completely null even in relation to the fa­
culty of cognition in the person, which is capable of thinking

147. I.e., the G-dly light that is vested
within the worlds and enlivens them.
148. The G-dly light that enlivens crea­
tion is merely a glimmer o f G-dliness.
G-d Him self—His very Essence and Be-
ing— however, is completely beyond
creation, and cannot be spoken o f as be­
ing the “life” o f the worlds, as the dis­
course will proceed to explain.
149. The G-dly light and life force that
emanates from G-d to create and enliven
the worlds is but a glimmer o f G-dliness,
and is likened (in Chasidic doctrine) to
the rays o f the sun. The sun’s rays are
representative o f certain qualities o f the
sun (e.g., light and heat), but are not the
sun itself. The light we see on earth is
merely a reflection o f the sun’s essential
luminescence, etc. This is why the rays
do not affect the sun in any way (as we
see that clouds blocking the sun’s rays do
not diminish the power o f the sun);
since the rays are just a reflection, they
cannot affect the sun itself. The same is
true o f the G-dly energy that creates and
enlivens, termed “light.” It is only a re­
flection o f G-d, and has no hearing
whatsoever on His Essence (see Torah
Or, 56b; Likkutei Torah, Shir Hashirim,
8a).
150. Zohar II:20a; 276b {Supplements).
See also Likkutei Torah, Teitzei, 35a.
Scripture (Genesis 1) describes the
process o f creation as occurring through
G-d’s “speech”: G -d said, “Let there be
light, ” and there was light... G -d said,
“Let there be a firmament in the midst o f
the w a t e r s . a n d it was so__ Indeed,
our Sages taught {Avot 5:1), “The world
was created by means o f ten (Divine) ut­
terances” (a reference to the ten times
Scripture employs the phrase G -d said in
its account o f creation). Thus, the G-dly
life force that creates and enlivens the
worlds is termed “G-d’s speech.”* Now,
* [In Tanya (ch. 21), Rabbi Schneur
Zalman of Liadi explains why creation is
described as occurring through G-d’s
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 65

,‫?'ההיויתן‬ ‫ה עו ל מו ת‬ ‫ב תו ך‬ ‫ומתלב ש‬ ‫ל עו ל מו ת‬ ‫ה שיי ך‬

.‫ש ב ב חינ ה זו שיי ך ה שג ה ד מ ב ש רי א חז ה כר‬
V V: V • T : • : T T ‫־‬ ‫י‬ T ‫־‬ T ■ : • V

‫א ב ל כ ל ז ה הו א ? חי נ ת ה א ר ה ל ב ה ש אין ע רו ך כ ל ל‬
‫לג בי מ הו תו ו ע צ מו תו י ^ ב י ה ו כן דו ע ך כ ל ? חינ ת ש ר ש‬
‫ שג ם‬.‫ו?;קור ה עו ל מו ת הו א רק ? חי ב ת זיו ו ה א ך ה ל בד‬
‫? ש ר ש ו מ קו ר ה ך א שון הו א ? חי נ ת מ ח ש ב ה א ח ת׳ ו כ מ א מ ר‬
‫ ש ע ל ז ה או מ ר ב רו ך‬,‫ב מ ח ש ב ה א ח ת נ ב ר או כ ל ה עו ל מו ת‬
‫י‬ T •• V ‫־‬ V ‫׳‬ T T T : ; ‫־‬ ‫־‬ - T T :

.‫ ש הו א ב חי נ ת א מי ר ה א ח ת ל ב ד כר‬,‫ש א מ ר ו הי ה ה עו ל ם‬
T : ‫־‬ ‫־־‬ T • -r * • : V T T TT : “ T V

‫ו כ ש ם ש מ ח ש ב ה א ח ת ב א ד ם אינ ה נ ח עז ב ת כ ל ל לג בי‬
- : T . T •• T T T “ ‫־‬ T T ‫־‬: “ V •‫־‬ ;

‫ קזחרי ? ט ל ה לג מ רי ג ם לג בי כ ח‬,‫מ הו ת ל ע ? מו ת ה א ד ם‬
‫ שי כו ל ל ח שו ב בו מ ח ש בו ת ה ר ב ה ע ד אין‬,‫ה מ ח ש ב ה עזבאד ם‬
‫י‬ •‫׳‬ ‫־‬ . . . . . T ‫־‬: ‫־‬ : - TV T T T V T T ‫־‬: ‫־‬ ‫־‬

just as a mortal’s speech stems from his a great many time” {Iggeret Hakodesh,
thought, as “a person can speak only 19, end), similarly, G -d’s speech stems
such words that he has already spoken from his supernal “thought.”
previously and that were in his thought Hence, the statement, “With a
single thought were the worlds created”:
the primordial source o f the worlds—
speech: “In the case o f the Holy One, which were created with G -d’s speech— is
blessed be he. His speech is not, heaven merely one supernal thought, and this sin­
forfend, separated from His blessed Self, gle thought “bears no comparison what­
for there is nothing outside of Him, and soever to His Essence and Being.”
there is no place devoid o f Him. There­
fore, His blessed speech is not like our 151. Liturgy, Baruch She’amar.
speech, G-d forbid... His blessed speech is
called ‘speech’ only by way of an anthro­ 152. As cited above (footnote 150), the
pomorphic illustration, in the sense that, world was created with “ten utterances.”
as in the case o f man below, whose speech Why, then, do we say, “Blessed is H e who
reveals to his audience what was hidden spoke, and the world came into being,”
and concealed in his thoughts, so, too, it is which implies that the world was created
with the blessed Ein Sof, Whose emitted with but one utterance? Rabbi Shalom
light and life-force— as it emerges from DovBer therefore explains that this one
Him, from concealment into revelation, utterance refers to the “single thought’'
to create worlds and to sustain them— is with which the world was created. (This
called ‘speech.’ These emanations are, in­ “single thought” is described in the lit­
deed, the ‘ten utterances’ by which the urgy in terms o f speech— “Blessed is He
world was created.” See also Shaar Hay- who spoke. . . ”— since it is the source o f
ichud Veha’emurtah, ch. 11 and 12.] G-d’s speech, the “ten utterances.”
66 THE POWER OF RETURN

endlessly, and how much more so [is a single thought in­

significant] in relation to the essence of the souf^^— similarly,
and even more so, is this “single thought” [of creation] com­
pletely insignificant in relation to the Essence and Being of
the Ein ^o/'light.'^^ For, “You were [the same] before the
world was created; You are [the same] since the world was
created,”'” and “I, G-d, have not changed”'^® whatsoever,
since G‫־‬d is completely beyond comparison [with creation,
and with the “single thought” of creation].
And through the aforementioned divine service [that en­
genders a love of G-d] with all your heart and with all your
soul—^which arises from contemplating the [G-dly] radiance
and glimmer that relates to the worlds— a person elicits only a
revelation that corresponds to this level.‘’''
WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT
However, the divine service amid love [of G-d] with all your
might is one that involves the soul’s very essence and being,
which transcends the revealed faculties of the soul. As is
known, the intellectual and emotive faculties that are vested
and radiate openly within a person are only a glimmer of the
soul. The primary element of the soul, however, remains on
High; it is not even in an “encompassing” state over the soul
residing in the body.‘”

153. There is no limit to the amount o f
thoughts a person can think. Therefore,
a single thought relative to one’s general
faculty o f cognition is like the number
one relative to infinity— there is no
quantitative comparison between the
two. The difference between a single
thought and the essence o f the soul, how­
ever, is not merely quantitative, but
qualitative, as the essence o f the soul is
not limited to the realm o f thought. A
single thought is completely insignificant,
both quantitatively and qualitatively, in
relation to the essence o f the soul.
The same is true o f the primordial
source o f the worlds, the “single
thought” with which the worlds were
created: it is completely insignificant in
relation to G-d’s Essence and Being.
154. OR EIN SOF, in the Hebtew. The
Kabbalists term G-d’s infinite expression
and revelation— the Infinite Light—as Or
Ein Sof. See above, footnote 10.
155. Liturgy, morning service.
156. Malachi 3:6.
157. There is a principle in Kabbalah
and Chasidus that “accotding to the
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 67

‫ כ ך ע ל א ח ת‬,‫ ו מ כ ל ש כן לג בי מ הו ת ו ע ע מו ת הנ פ ש כר‬,‫קץ‬
‫כ מ ה ו כ מ ה ש איו מ ח ש ב ה א ח ת זו נ ח ש ב ת כ ל ל לג בי מ הו ת‬
‫ כי א ת ה הו א קו ד ם שנ ב ר א ה עו ל ם‬.‫ו ע ע מו ת או ר אין סו ף‬
,‫ ו אני הוי׳ ל א שני תי כלל‬,‫ו א ת ה הו א ל א ח ר עזנ ב ר א ה עו ל ם‬
T : • • T • ‫ ־‬: - T T T : ‫־‬ V ‫; ־ ־‬ T - :

.‫לפי ש אינו ב ע ר ך כ ל ל כר‬

‫ו ע ל י די ה ע בו ד ה הנז כ ר ת ל עי ל ב כ חי נ ת כ כ ל ל ב כ ך ו כ כ ל‬
‫ ה ב א ה מ צ ד ה ה ח בו ג נו ת ב כ חי נ ת הזיו ו ה א ר ה ה שןי כ ה‬,‫נ?קזך‬
.‫ ה רי הו א מ מ שי ך ר ק גילרי ? חינ ה זו ל ב ד כר‬,‫ל עו ל מו ת‬

‫ע בו ד ה ד א ה ב ה ד ב כ ל מ א ד ך הו א ב ב חינ ת מ הו ת‬-IT
‫־‬ • ‫ י‬V
‫אבל ה‬
: T : • T : T T -

‫הג לוי ם‬ ‫ה כ תו ת‬ ‫מ ב חינ ת‬ ‫מעלה‬ ‫שלמעלה‬ ‫הנ פ ש‬ ‫ו ע צ מו ת‬

‫שלה• ו כן די ע ו ה כ ת ו ת עזכל ו מ דו ת ש הן ה מ ה ל כ קזי ם‬
,‫ו מ אי רי ם ב גי לוי ב א ד ם הו א ב תינ ת ה א ר ה ל ב ד מ הנ ש מ ה‬
T T : - • • T : T T V ‫־‬ ‫־‬ : T T T ‫ ־‬:

‫ו אינו ג ם‬ :
,‫ל מ ע ל ה‬
T T :
‫נ שאר‬
- : : ‫־‬
‫הו א‬ ‫הנ ש מ ה ה רי‬
•• ‫ ־‬: T T : ‫־‬
‫א ב ל עי ק ר‬
r- . T

.‫ב כ חי נ ת מ קי ף ע ל הן ש מ ה ה מ לו ב ש ת ב גו ף‬

awakening from below is the awakening faculties o f his soul, as it is a love born of
from above.” In other words, a person’s intellectual contemplation and limited to
divine service elicits a G-dly revelation that perception; the contemplation that
that directly corresponds to his manner sparks this love relates only to a mere
o f divine service. So when a person awak­ “glimmer” o f G-dliness— the G-dly light
ens within himself a love o f G-d by con­ that creates and enlivens the worlds— and
templating how G-dliness is the true life not to G-d Himself; and the G-dly revela­
force and energy o f the worlds, he sub- tion that is elicited by this love is likewise
sequendy elicits a revelation o f this very limited to this G-dly light.
level— namely, the G-dly light that is as­
sociated with the worlds (which, as ex­ 158. There are three levels or parts o f the
plained above, is but a “glimmer” o f soul: 1) The lowest part o f the soul that
G-dliness). In order to elicit a revelation is vested within and becomes one with
o f G-d’s Essence, however, one must the body (as an “inner light”— see above,
perform a much deeper type o f divine footnote 81), and infuses it with life; 2)
service, as the discourse will proceed to The higher part o f the soul that remains
explain. removed from the body and only “en­
In summary, the first level o f G-dly compasses” it from above, as it is too
love {with all your heart and with all your pure to be vested within a coarse, phys­
soul) is inherendy limited in all respects: ical body. Nonetheless, that fact that this
in man, the love only affects the revealed part o f the soul (at least) encompasses the
68 THE POWER OF RETURN

Regarding this [level of the soul] it is said, “clings and

cleaves to You,”'’’ alluding to the essence of the soul that is
bound to and united with the Essence of Ein Sof, its root and
source. [The essence o f the soul] is the level of Yechidah,^^
which cleaves to Yachid,^^' the One-and-Only G-d.
When this level of the soul shines forth and is revealed,
one’s divine service reaches a state of literal kelot hanefesh. The
soul expires with a consuming and outpouring of its whole es­
sence to the Essence and Being of the blessed Ein Sof. I.e., the
totality of its essential being and existence is nullified.'®" This,
then, is [the deeper meaning of loving G-d] with all your
might {bechol me’odechd)-. the term me’od'^^ indicates [that this
love of G-d is] not at all in the realm of limitation, and con­
sequently, one’s entire being is completely nullified.
This [love o f G-d] in not like the love with all your heart.,
mentioned above, which is restricted by the intellectual and
emotive faculties of the soul; for during this love‘®^ and yearn­
ing one is [still] a definable “something.” Although he is in a
state of yearning and longing for G-dliness, nevertheless his
entire being is not nullified by it.’®’ And these points are inter­
dependent; Since the love is a limited one, he is not in a state
where his entire being is completely nullified [to G-d]; rather,
he is “something” that exists.'®®

body indicates that it does have some­
what a relationship with the body; 3)
The deepest part o f the soul— the soul’s
essence— that is so pure that it is com­
pletely removed from the body, and does
not even “encompass” it from above.
159. Liturgy, Hoshaanot for Sukkot.
160. The soul has been given five names:
Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yechi-
dah (see Bereshit Rahhah 14:9; Devarim
Rabbah 2:37). Although these names ap­
pear in some editions o f the Midrash
and liturgical hymns in a different order,
this is the specific order as stated in the
writings o f the Arizal and in Chasidic lit­
erature. See.Zohar\:8\x, 206a.
These five names refer to the five lev­
els o f the soul. In rough translation: Ne-
fesh (“Vitality”) is the lowest grade and
life force o f the body, the natural soul
and simple life o f man. Rttach (“Spirit”),
the next grade, is the spiritual faculty
vivifying man’s emotional attributes. Ne-
shamah (“Soul”) is the divine force viv­
ifying the intellect. Chaya (“Living”) is
an even more refined G-dly level. Yechi-
dah is the G-dly spark itself clothed in
the most refined spark o f the soul. Yechi-
dah is the innermost point o f the soul,
“united” and one with G-d, Yachid (lit.
“Single,” or “One-and-Only”). It repre­
sents total bittul, self-nullification, noth­
ingness. Since every one o f Israel possess-
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 69

‫ הו א ? חי נ ת ע ? מו ת‬,‫ש ע ל ז ה או מ ר סבוקןה וךבו?!ה בך‬

‫ עזךבו?ןה ו?ויו חך ת ? ע ע מו ת אין סו ף ש ך ש ה ו ק קו ר ה‬,‫ה? שמה‬
.‫ שךבו?ןה ב ל חי נ ת י חי ד כר‬,‫ ו הי א ? חי נ ת י חי ד ה‬.‫כר‬

‫ ה ע בו ד ה הי א ב ס חי ב ת ? לו ת‬,‫ו ס ש מ אי ר ו מ ו ג ל ה ס חי ב ה זו‬
‫ס ס חי ב ת כ ליון ו ש פי כ ת כ ל‬ ‫ש הן ? ש בסלה‬ ,‫הן פ ש מ מ ש‬
‫ שנ ת ב ט ל כ ל‬,‫ה ע ע מו ת ס מ הו ת ו ע ע מו ת אין סו ף ב רו ך הו א‬
‫ ל שון סאיד‬,‫ע ע ם מ הו ת ה ו ס צי או ת ה ממ ש• וז הו ס כ ל ס א ך ך‬
‫ ו מ מי ל א הו א ב ב חי נ ת בי טו ל כ ל‬,‫ש אינו ב ג ד ר ה ג ב ל ה כ ל ל‬
T • - . . . .‫ץ‬
• .. . ‫ך‬
. . y ^ _ V V : ••V

.‫ס צי או תו לג ס רי‬

‫ ה מו ג ב ל ת‬,‫ו אינו כ מו ה א ה ב ה ד ב כ ל ל ב ב ך הנז כ ר ת ל עי ל‬

: _ . . . . . . . . . . . ‫ י‬: T : T : • T ‫־‬: ‫ ־־‬T : :

‫ ד ס א ה ב ה ו ך צו א זו ס רי הו א‬,‫ס כ חו ת הנ פ ש ש כ ל ו מ דו ת‬
‫ ך ע ם היו תו‬,‫ס ס חי ב ת ציו ר מ הו ת ו ס ר מ ה ע ל כ ל פבים כר‬
‫ס ס חי ב ת כו ס ף ו ת שו ק ה ל א ל קו ת כ ר מ כ ל מ קו ם ל א בךנבטל‬
‫ ד מ א ח ר ש ה א ה ב ה הי א‬,‫ ו ה א ב ה א ת לי א‬.‫כ ל מ צי או תו בז ה כר‬
• T ‫־‬: - T V - - . T : T ; T : V T * : T

,‫ס ס חי ב ת ה ס בל ה מ מי ל א אין כ אן ס חי ב ת סי טו ל ה מ הו ת לג ס רי‬

.‫כי אם הו א ב ב חי נ ת מ צי או ת ד ב ר מה כר‬

es each o f these five soul-levels— four ob­ which is beyond borders, beyond limita­
scure and one predominant— Yechidah tion. So the love o f G-d that is hechol
in this sense is expressed in mesirat ne- m e’odecha is a love that is completely
fesh, literal self-sacrifice, martyrdom if unlimited {Torah Or 39c; 86b), a love
need be. See also On the Essence o f Chas- o f kelot hanefesh.
idus, p. 40 If. (Kehot, 2003).
164. I.e., the love o f G-d with all your
161. See E itz Chaim, Shaar 42 {Shaar heart.
Derushei ABYA), ch. 1, quoted in Lik-
kutei Torah, Re’eh, 27a.. See also ibid., 165. In other words, in this love there
25a. still exists (in his perception) two in­
dependent “beings”: him and G-d. He
162. When the essence o f the soul that
has a great love for G-d, but he is con­
is bound with the Essence o f G-d sur­ scious o f the fact that it is he that feels
faces to man’s consciousness, his love o f
this love— he still exists. See Tanya, ch,
G-d is o f the level o f kelot hanefesh— he
35; Likkutei Torah, Balak, 74a.
completely loses all awareness o f his
own existence and ego, and feels only 166. Any love o f G-d that is not o f the
the G-dliness that shines in his soul. level o f kelot hanefesh— \.e., any love that
is “limited”— is based on what the per­
163. The word m e’o d refers to that son feels or perceives he will gain for hav-
70 THE POWER OF RETURN

However, the love [of G-d] with all your might is un­
restricted— one completely departs from the boundaries and
faculties [of his soul]."^^ One is then in a state of “nullification
of essence”; his entire existence is utterly nullified. This is par­
ticularly so since the yearning generated by this type of true
love is not that one desires the revelation of G-dliness within
his soul.'®* In truth, this yearning is of a state of complete lack
o f awareness o f sel^—he does not at all sense that he is ex­
periencing some form of yearning.'®' Just as a spark is drawn
involuntarily to a torch, likewise, in this state of yearning, it is
as if one is drawn involuntarily [to G-d] without any choice
or will whatsoever.
This is the divine service in the realm of the very essence
and being of the soul, as it exists far beyond having any as­
sociation with the body— not even in an “encompassing”
state"'”—^which is utterly subjugated to the blessed Ein Sof.
And this yearning is directed towards the Essence and Be­
ing of the blessed Ein S of Who is far beyond having any as­
sociation with the worlds. [Indeed,] even the “single thought”
[of creation] bears absolutely no relationship to Him, as men-
tinned earlier.‫' ״‬
For, as explained above, the soul’s root and source is in
the Essence and Being of Ein S of It therefore has this capacity
of yearning, to pour itself out into the lap of its Father,‫ ^ ״‬to­
tally nullifying its entire being, to be absorbed into the Es­
sence and Being of G-d."‫יי‬

ing this love (see footnote 144 above). personal enhancement, i.e., G-dly rev­
Since the love is predicated on his benefit, elation, but rather to be completely con­
it is obviously not one in which his very sumed within G-dliness, to fully sur­
being is nullified3.nd surrendered. render one’s existence to G-d.

167. As the discourse will clarify below,
the faculties o f the soul are referred to as
its “boundaries,” since they restrict the
soul in a certain form o f expres­
sion— see below, footnote 177.
168. W ith this love one yearns not for
169. W hen a person truly experiences
the rapturous love o f kelot hanefesh, he
loses all feelings o f “self.” H e is so utter­
ly consumed with the yearning for G-d
that he does not even feel that there is a
“he”— a distinct individual— that is
having this yearning.
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 71

‫ שיו צ א‬,‫כל ק א ך ף הי א ב ל תי מו ג ב ל ת‬:?! ‫א ב ל ה אוז ב ה‬

‫ ו אז הו א ב ב חי נ ת בי טו ל‬,‫מג ך ר ה כ לי ם ו ה כ חו ת ל ג ס די כר‬
‫ ו ב פ ר ט ש ה ר צו א‬.‫ ש נ ת ב ט ל כ ל ם צי או תו ל ג ^ רי כר‬,‫ה מ הו ת‬
‫ב ב חי נ ת א ה ב ה זו ה א מי תי ת הו א אינו מ ה ש ח פ ץ ב ה גי לוי‬
• - : ‫י‬ •• T V ‫־‬ ‫•־‬ • • ‫־‬: T T ‫־‬: ‫־‬ ‫■־‬ • : *

‫ כי ב א מ ת ה ר צו א הו א ב ? חי נ ת ח ע ד ר ה ה ך ג ש‬,‫א ל קו ת ?נ ? שו‬
‫ ו ם מו‬.‫ ש אי נו מ ד גי ש ? ל ל ש הו א ב ? חי נ ת איז ה ר צו א‬,‫? ע ? מו‬
‫ כ מו כן ? חי נ ת ך צו א‬,‫הני צו ץ הנ מ ש ף מ א ליו א ל האבוקןה כר‬
.‫זו הו א ? מו קזנ מ שך מ א ליו מ לי שו ם ? חי ר ה ו ר צון כ ל ל כר‬

‫וזו הי א ה ע בו ד ה ב ב חי נ ת מ הו ת ו ע צ מו ת הנ עז מ ה כ מו‬
: T T : ‫־‬ : * ‫ ־‬: ‫־‬ ‫־‬ ‫־‬ : • T ‫ ־‬: T • :

‫ ג ם לא ב מ חינ ת‬,‫עזהי א ל מ ע ל ה מ ע ל ה מ ג ך ר עזןי כו ת א ל ה גו ף‬

.‫ ש הי א מ ט ל ה מ מ ש ל אין סו ף ב רו ך הו א‬,‫מ קי ף כר‬

‫ו ה ר צו א הו א ל ב חינ ת מ הו ת ו ע ע מו ת אין סו ף ב רו ך הו א‬
‫ שג ם ב חי נ ת‬,‫ש ל מ ע ל ה מ ע ל ה מ ג ך ר שןי כו ת א ל ה עו ל מו ת‬
.‫ כ ר ל עי ל‬J‫כנז‬
. . . - ‫ה מ ח עזב ה א ח ת אין ע רו ך א ליו כ ל ל כר‬
‫־‬. . ‫ך‬. . ‫ך‬. ‫״‬ I _. I ‫״‬ - - T T ‫־‬ “

‫ ד הנ עז מ ה שרעז ה ו מ קו ר ה הו א‬,‫ו ה ענין הו א כנז כ ר ל עי ל‬

T ‫ ׳‬: T : T T T : ‫־‬ : T : • ‫־‬ ' T ; ‫־‬ T :

‫ ל כן יעז ב ה ב חי נ ת ה ר צו א‬,‫מ מ חינ ת מ הו ת ר ע ע מו ת אין סו ף‬

‫ ב מ חינ ת מי טו ל כ ל ע ע מו ת ה‬,‫להקז תפך נ מ ש ה א ל חי ק א מי ה‬
.‫ל ה כ ל ל מ מ תינ ת ע ע מו תו ו מ הו תו י ת ב ר ך כר‬

170. See above, footnote 158. yearning is not for the limited G-dly
light that is o f the level that relates to
171. In contrast with the first level o f the worlds (a mere “glimmer” o f
G-dly love, which is limited in all re­ G-dliness), but rather for G-d Him-
spects (see above, footnote 157), the self— "His Essence and Being."
love o f G-d with all your might is com­
172. I.e., G-d. Cf. Lamentations 2:12.
pletely unlimited. Within man, this love
See Tanya, chapter 50.
involves the very essence o f his soul,
which is beyond the natural, human 173. The soul can experience such an
limitations o f intellect and emotion. His immense love o f G-d (a love o f kelot
love o f G-d is therefore unbounded in hanefesh) since it is rooted in the very
its scope; he yearns to be completely Essence o f G-d. The nature o f the soul,
and utterly consumed within G-dliness, then, is to teturn unyieldingly to its
to the point o f kelot hanefesh. And his source, G-d H im self
72 THE POWER OF RETURN

4.

FROM GEVURAH
However, in order for the light of the soul’s essence to be re­
vealed, so that one m a y experience the aforementioned in­
tense love and yearning of with all your might, this is specif­
ically through the medium of the body and the animal soul,
which cover and conceal the light of the [G-dly] soul. For
when a person is sorely distressed by this (he is terribly trou­
bled by the manifold concealments and obfuscations'^'*),
then— specifically— the light o f the innermost core and es­
sence of the soul is revealed, to place him in a state of intense
emotional yearning for G-dliness. This is analogous, as is
known,'‫ ’’׳‬to a stream whose waters flow ever so slowly. Once
their movement is blocked, however, the waters become
forceful, surging forth thunderously. Similarly, it is specif­
ically through the concealments and obfuscations caused by
the physical body, which cover the light of the soul [that the
essence of the soul becomes revealed].
For its part, the soul continually loves and yearns for
G-dliness; but the body and animal soul cover and conceal
the soul. Nonetheless, when a person contemplates (when he
actually realizes'^^) the powerful concealment and obfuscation
that distances him completely from G-d, becoming deeply
disturbed about this, then— specifically— the soul is awak­
ened to a state of intense emotional excitement, breaking be­
yond confining boundaries (not only beyond the boundaries
imposed by the physical body, but also beyond the boun­
daries and “limbs” of the soul,'’^ i.e., its faculties), and is
drawn to G-d with absolute kelot hanefesh.

174. These parenthetical remarks ap­ pear in the original in Yiddish.

pear in the original partly in Yiddish.
175. See Likkutei Torah, Massei 91c;
Shir Hashirim 49a; Sefer Hamaamarim
5697, p. 244 ff.
176. These parenthetical remarks ap-
177. LIMBS OF THE SOUL. Eivarei hane-
fesh, in the Hebrew. Just as the limbs of
a body form the body’s shape and die-
tate the body’s expression and appear­
ance, so do the faculties o f the soul
“shape” the soul and determine its ex-
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74 THE POWER OF RETURN

FULFILLING THE DIVINE PLAN

This is the purpose of the soul’s descent into the body to
reach this degree of yearning, with all your might.
For regarding the soul while still on Fiigh, the verse says,
As G-d before Whom I have stood lives.™ Standing {amidah), as
it applies on Ffigh, refers to the concept of nullification;'^’ i.e.,
the nullification expressed by the [soul’s] love and fear of G‫־‬d.
The love and fear of G-d [that the soul experiences] on High
are incomparably greater than the love and fear one can ex­
perience below,’®‫ ״‬since the manner in which G-d is com­
prehended [on High] is altogether different. O n High, the
soul comprehends G-dliness in a far loftier manner— similar to
the comprehension of [the souls in] Gan Eden. As such, the
love and fear [generated by this comprehension] are far lofti­
er.
Yet, the verse says, before Whom I have stood. They are
but stationary. Although there are ascents, they are nonetheless
orderly and graduated— all well within predefined limits.
This is comparable to the relationship between “cause”
and “effect”'*®: Even though a cause is higher than its effect—
and the higher-cause for this cause is yet higher than it, for

178. II Kings 5:16. The verse cited ap­
pears in a passage describing a miracle
performed by tbe prophet Elisha. Once,
an Aramean army commander named
Naaman who was afflicted with tzaraat
came to Elisha to be cured. Elisha told
Naaman to bathe seven times in the Jor­
dan River, whereupon he was cured
completely. When Naaman wished to
repay Elisha’s kindness with gold and
silver, Elisha refused, uttering these
words: As G -d before Whom I have stood
lives, [I swear that] I will not accept [your
tribute].
Focusing on the phrase before Whom
I have stood, the mystics explain that the
soul, prior to its descent to be garbed
within a physical body, is considered to
be “standing” before G-d. Like a servant
who stands in the king’s presence, the
soul “stands” with complete sub­
servience in the presence o f G-d.
(There are other verses in the book o f
Kings that use the same phrase, before
Whom I have stood. These are: I Kings
17:1 and 18:15, and II Bvings 3:14. See
Zohar I:233b and III:68b. See also Lik-
kutei Sichot, vol. 25, p. 147, footnote 53.)
179. See Sotah 39a: Amidah— “stand-
ing,” connotes shetikah— “silence,” as in
the verse fiob 32:16): / waited and d id
not speak; they stood still and d id not re­
spond anymore. The Talmud translates
amdu— “they stood still,” as shatku—
“they were silent” (see Rashi there).
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 75

‫ ב כ די ל ב א‬,‫וז הו ת כ לי ת ה כוונ ה בי רי ד ת הנ ש מ ה ב גו ף‬
.‫ל ב חינ ת ר צו א הנן כ ר ל עי ל ד ? כ ל ^איךף‬

‫ד הנ ש מ ה כ מו קזהיא ל מ ע ל ה כ תי ב חי הוי׳ א ש ר ע מ ך תי‬

‫ ו היינו‬.‫הו א עג!ן ה בי טו ל‬ ‫ה ע מי ד ה ל מ ^ ל ה‬ ‫ין‬.5‫ ן ע‬,‫ל פניו‬
‫ א ש ר ש ם הי א ה א ה ב ה וי ר א ה ב אין‬,‫ה בי טו ל ד א ה ב ה וי ר א ה‬
‫י‬ : T : • : T ‫־‬: ‫־‬ T • T V ‫;־‬ T : • : T *: ‫־‬ : • ‫־‬

‫ מ ?ני ש ה ש ג ה הי א ? או פן‬,‫;נרוך ל ג בי ה א ה ב ה וי ך א ה ש ל מ ט ה‬
‫ ש הג ש מ ה מ ש ג ת א ת ה א ל קו ת ל מ ע ל ה ב כ חי נ ת‬,‫א ח ר לג ח רי‬
‫ ו מ מי ל א ה א ה ב ה וי ך א ה‬,‫ ה ש ג ת ד גן ע דן כר‬1‫ ? מ‬,‫נ ע ל ה ?יו ת ר‬
.‫? או פן נ ע ל ה ה ך ? ה יו ת ר כר‬

‫ ? ? חי נ ת ע מי ד ה‬,‫ו מ כ ל מ קו ם או מ ר ע ל ז ה אעור ע מ ך תי‬

‫ א ב ל הו א ב ס ד ר ו ה ד ר ג ה‬,‫ הג ם עזי ש בז ה ג ם כן ע ליו ת‬,‫ל בד‬
T T : ‫־‬ : V : T I .. - ... ‫ ך‬. ..... ------ - ‫ז‬ .J. .

.‫ב ל חי נ ת ג בו ל‬

‫ ש ע ם היו ת ש ה עי ל ה ל מ ע ל ה‬,‫ין ל חי נ ת ע ל ה ו ע לו ל‬.‫ו?עג‬

‫ ו כן ה עי ל ה ה ע ליונ ה הי א ל מ ע ל ה מ ה עי ל ה הזו‬,‫מ ה ע לו ל‬
‫־‬ T • T •• T : ‫־‬ : • T : V T T • T ‫ ־* י‬: T V *•

In Chasidic terms, “silence” is in­ G-dliness in a far loftier manner than

dicative o f one’s complete nullification the soul that is vested within a physical
o f self H e desires nothing for himself; body can, it also experiences a far loftier
he desires only the One G-d. level o f G-dly love and fear.
Before one embarks on his spiritual
journey, in which he will ascend higher 182. I.e., the souls on High, in Gan
and higher in his love o f G-d, one must Eden.
first possess the trait o f amidah\ One
must stand still and silent with regards 183. CLAUSE AND EFFECT. Ilah ve’alul, in
to those things that oppose G-dliness, the Hebrew. In Chasidic philosophy,
holding himself back from indulging his this phrase is used in reference to some­
natural, physical cravings. Amidah thus thing that emerges from something else,
signifies the nullification o f one’s will yet remains “close” to it, within the
(see Likkutei Torah, Nasso, 20c). same realm.
For example, thought and speech are
180. Where rhe soul is garbed in a phys­ ilah ve’alul, “cause” and “effect.”
ical body, in a terrestrial world. Thought is the ilah (cause) that pro­
duces a certain alul (effect)— speech.
181. As explained above, emotions are Yet, the speech that emerges from one’s
spawned by intellectual comprehension. thoughts can be considered to be
Since the soul on High comprehends “close” to those thoughts. If a person is
76 THE POWER OF RETURN

every cause is but an effect relative to its own cause—

nonetheless, they are still qualitatively related to each other.
For this reason, the cumulative ascent from one effect to its
cause, and so on, all the way up, cannot be said to be bound­
less; rather, all the ascents are within predefined limits. There­
fore, as they exist on High, souls are called “stationary.”'®'*
Now this applies only to memalei kol which is
the [G-dly] light that radiates in proportion to the worlds’
ability to receive it, and devolves from one level to the next by
means of “cause” and “effect,” [where each level is] pro­
portionate to each other.'®'’
However, in order for the soul to become “ambulant,” as­
cending higher and higher in an unbounded manner, which is
the underlying idea of love with all your might—the ascent is
neither ordered nor graduated but truly unbounded, as­
cending with a yearning for the light of the Ein Sof, His Es­
sence and Being, Who is beyond having any association with
the worlds, as explained earlier— this is accomplished, specif­
ically, through the soul’s descent into a body. The body and
animal soul cover and conceal the G-dly soul’s love [of G-d],
which causes the person to reflect on how extremely distant

thinking about a certain intellectual the­
ory or an emotional feeling, it is not sur­
prising that his speech will reflect those
particular thoughts or feelings. (And
not only are speech and thought similar
in their specific content— i.e., one nor­
mally speaks o f the particular subject
matter he was thinking about— they are
also similar in their general “substance”:
both thought and speech consist o f “let­
ters,” concepts and ideas.) The same is
true o f every form o f ilah and alul.
Furthermore, the relationship be­
tween ilah and alul is such that the alul
is contained within the ilah— albeit in
an undefined state— even before the
alul emerges into being. The ilah pro­
duces the alul\ it does not create it. Thus,
the alul’s emergence is not a creation o f
a new being, since it is merely a revela­
tion from within the ilah where it was
“hidden,” i.e., undefined.
The concept o f ilah ve’a lul also exists
in the supernal realms. The G-dly light
and life force that enlivens all o f the
worlds descends in progressive “steps”
until it reaches our physical world. Each
o f these steps progresses in the manner
o f cause and effect. And although one
“step” is lower than the one above it,
they all ultimately exists within the
same (spiritual) realm.
184. Souls are constantly ascending
from one spiritual level to another.
Nonetheless, their ascent is progressive,
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 77

‫ ו מ כ ל מקוים ה רי ה ם ? ע ר ך ז ה א ה ׳‬,‫שנ ק ר א ע לו ל לג ב ה כר‬

,‫ זה ל מ ע ל ה מז ה‬,‫ע לו ל ל עי ל ה בז ה א ח ר זה‬J ‫מ‬.. ‫ואם כן ה ע לי ה‬
.... ‫ן‬. . _ . ‫״‬ .. _ _ ..‫ן‬. ‫ן‬. . . ‫ך‬
.. ‫ך‬
. I‫״‬ . .

.‫אין זה ב ב חי נ ת ב לי ג בו ל כי אם ה כ ל הו א ב ב חינ ת ג בו ל‬
.‫ו ל כן נ ק ר אי ם ב חי נ ת עו מ די ם כר‬

‫ עזהי א ב חי נ ת‬,‫ה ה שןי ד רק ב ב חי נ ת ב מ ל א כ ל ע ל מין‬

‫ ו ב א מ מ ד רי ג ה ל מ ד רי ג ה‬,‫ה או ר ה ב א ל פי ע ר ך ה עו ל מו ת‬
T : T ‫•־‬ : ‫־‬ • T T T ‫י‬ V V ■ : T *‫׳‬ T

.‫ ב ע ר ך ז ה לז ה כר‬,‫ב ח חינ ת ע ל ה ו ע לו ל‬

‫ עזהוא ה ע לי ה‬,‫אך ב ה די ל היו ת הנ ש מ ה ב ב חי נ ת מ הל ך‬

‫ שז הו ע גון א ה ב ה‬,‫ב ע לוי א ח ר עי לוי ב ה חי נ ת ב לי ג בו ל‬
‫ ש ה ע לי ה אינו ב ס ך ר ו ה ך ר ג ה כי אם ב ה חינ ת‬,‫ד ב כ ל מ א ד ך‬
‫ב לי ג בו ל מ מ ש׳ ו עו ל ה בז ה ב ה חינ ת ר צו א ב או ר אין סו ף‬
‫ ש ל מ ע ל ה מ ג ד ר שיי כו ת א ל ה עו ל מו ת כר‬,‫ע צ מו ת ו מ הו ת‬
T T V T ‫־‬ VV • T : - : V - : -

‫ ש ע ל‬,‫ ז ה נ ע ש ה ע ל י די י רי ד ת ה ב גו ף דו ק א‬,‫כנז כ ר ל עי ל‬
‫או ר‬ ‫ו מ ס תי רי ם‬ ‫מ ע לי מי ם‬ ‫ה ב ה מי ת‬ ‫ו הנ פ ש‬ ‫ש ה גו ף‬ ‫י די‬
‫ב עו צ ם‬ ‫בז ה‬ ‫? ש מ ח בונן‬ ,‫ה א ל קי ת‬ ‫הנ פ ש‬ ‫של‬ ‫האהבה‬

as each subsequent level is somewhat within the worlds to create and enliven
connected with the previous level. In a them (see footnotes 148 and 149).
certain sense, then, the soul has never
left its original “place,” since even the 186. The souls on High are “stationary”
higher level is connected with the lower — i.e., they only ascend in a progressive,
level. That is why the souls on High are limited fashion— since their spiritual set-
called “stationary.” vice is limited. The spiritual service o f
Only when the soul ascends to a level these souls consists o f contemplating
that is completely beyond its previous level G-dliness, or more specifically, the G-dly
is it deemed to have truly “moved.” light and life force that creates and enliv­
ens the worlds (and can therefore be, on
185. MEMALEI KOL ALMIN. Memalei kol some level, “understood”). This life force
almin is “immanent” G-dly energy. It is is the G-dly energy o f memalei kol almin,
the G-dly light and life force that per­ which descends from level to level in an
meates all o f creation and is mutually in­ orderly fashion, in a manner o f “cause”
teractive and inter-responsive with the and “effect.” And since the spiritual ser­
subject that it enlivens. But the G-dly vice o f these souls involves only the
light o f memalei kol almin is limited; as ex­ limited G-dly light that is emanated
plained above, it is only a mere “glimmer” downward in an orderly fashion, their as­
o f G-dliness that is invested internally cent is likewise limited and orderly.
78 THE POWER OF RETURN

he is [from G-dliness]. This brings him to the intense love de­

scribed above.
TAKING PERSONAL INVENTORY
Similarly, [the soul is awakened to an unbounded yearning
for G-d] when a person crushes himself with subjugation and
extreme self-lowliness, [considering] how he stands on the
lowest of levels, [persisting in such meditation] until he be­
comes lowly and contemptible in his own eyes.
This is especially true if one is a “master of accounts”'*®of
the details of his thoughts, speech and deeds. He reflects upon
the multitude of negative thoughts and musings that inundate
him the entire day, and on the inappropriate thoughts that
forever invade his mind. Similarly, concerning his speech, [he
contemplates] his idle chatter, his words of frivolity and scoff­
ing. And especially, [he ponders] his deeds. Even if he has not
committed outright transgressions, G-d forbid, the repeated
indulgence in permissible pleasures causes one to become
coarse and carnal. Ultimately, his mind and heart become oc-
eluded, and he is no longer receptive to the revelation of
G-dliness in his soul.
O ur Sages relate that when R. Elazar ben Arach at­
tempted to read the verse hachodesh hazeh lachem {“this month
will be for y o u ...”) , he mistakenly read hacheresh haya libam
fh a ve their hearts become deafi!”).'‘^° Through repeated in-

187. In the analogy o f the river men-
tinned above, it is the obstacles that ul­
timately unleash the most powerful cur­
rents. Likewise, when a person reflects
upon the various obstacles that impede
the soul’s will and cause him to be “dis­
tant” from G-d, this itself unleashes the
hill force o f one’s soul.
From all o f this it is understood that
it is specifically through the divine set-
vice amidst the love o f G-d with all your
might that the soul begins to truly
“move.” The lower form o f G-dly love
discussed above, with all your heart and
with all your soul, is not as powerful,
and thus the soul remains “stationary.”
188. MAREI DECHUSHBENA, in the H e­
brew. Tikkunei Zohar (Intro., lb , quot­
ed in Tanya, chapter 14) states that
there are numerous distinctions among
the souls o f Israel. There are tzadikkim,
strong men who gain mastery over their
nature, marei Torah (“masters o f T o­
rah”), marei uvdin tavin (“masters o f
good deeds”), and marei chushbena
(“masters o f accounts”). Tanya, chapter
29, explains that a “master o f accounts”
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 79

‫הנז כ ר‬ ‫האהבה‬ ‫תו ק ף‬ ‫ל ב חינ ת‬ ‫בא‬ ‫זה‬ ‫ע ל י די‬ ,‫רי חו קו‬

‫ע ע מו‬ ‫את‬ ‫שמבט ש‬ ,‫ה בי טו ש‬ ‫ע ל י די‬ ‫הו א‬ ‫ו כ מו כן‬

‫ אי ך ש הו א עו מ ד ל מ ט ה מ ט ה‬,‫ב ה כנ ע ה ו עו צ ם עז פ לו ת ע צ מו‬
T - T “ : •• ... I ‫״‬ . - . . ... . ‫ך‬. ‫ ן‬. . _ .

.‫ ע ד עונ ע ש ה ש פ ל ונ בז ה ? עיני ע ע מו כר‬,‫? א ד ? מ ך די ג ה‬

‫ ב פ ר טי מ ח ש ב ה ד בו ר‬,‫ו ב פ ר ט כ ש הו א מ מ א רי ד חו ש בנ א‬
. ‫ך‬. ‫ך‬. . .. ‫ך‬. . . T ; : : T • V : T : ■

,‫ אי ך ש הי א ? רי בוי מ ס ש בו ת ו ה ך הו רי ם ר עי ם‬,‫ו מ ע ש ה ש לו‬

‫א ש ר הו א מ שו ק ע ב ה ם ת מי ד כ ל היו ם ונו פ לי ם לו ת מי ד‬
• T * : : ‫־‬ T • T V T ‫׳‬: V T ‫־‬:

‫מ ה ש בו ת ז רו ת׳ ו כן ? די בו ר ? רי בוי ך ב רי ם ? ט לי ם ו ד ? רי‬
‫ א ף ג ם ל א ? ע שיי ת‬,‫ ו ? ? ך ט ? מ ע ש ה‬.‫הו ל לו ת ו לי צ נו ת כר‬
‫ ש ע ל י די ז ה‬,‫אי סו ר ח ס ו ש לו ם ?י א ם ? רי בוי ת אוו ת הי ת ר‬
‫ ע ד שנ ט ? ט ם מו חו ו ל בו ו אינו ?לי‬,‫נ ? ע ? ה ו נ ה ג ש ם ? א ד‬
.‫לגי לוי א ל קו ת ?נ?עזו‬

‫רונ ם ל ב ר כ ה ג בי ר בי א ל עז ר בן‬
» ... ‫ן‬. ‫ן‬. . j ‫ כ‬.‫ ז‬. ‫תי נו‬
... .. ‫ו כ מ א מ ר ר בו‬
. _ .. _ ‫ך‬. ‫ך‬. . . _ : ‫־‬ :

‫ע ר ך ך ב עי ל ? ק ר א ? ס ? ך א ה ח ד ש הז ה לכ ם ו ק ר א ה ח ר ש‬
‫ ש ע ל י די רי בוי ה ת אוו ת הי ת ר ד ח מ ר א ד פ רו גי ת א‬,‫הי ה לבם‬

is one who keeps “a reckoning with his itual connotation, one who is truly a
soul regarding all the thoughts, utter­ “master o f accounts” not only knows
ances and actions that have come and about his shortcomings, but is deeply af­
gone, since the day he came into being fected by them, so much so that his
until the present day, as to whether they “heart is contrite and broken.”
all came from the direction o f holiness,
189. Exodus 12:2.
or from the direction o f impurity (may
the Merciful One deliver us)— these be­ 190. Shabhat l47b . The Talmud relates
ing all the thoughts, utterances and ac­ that after leaving his colleagues, R. El-
tions that are not [dedicated] to G-d, azar ben Arach visited a place called
and His will and service.” Prugita and bathed in the River Diom -
In its literal meaning, the term “mas­ set. Indulging in the extraordinary local
ter o f accounts” refers to the proprietor, fine wine and the soothing salty waters
to whom each set o f figures represents o f the river, he found upon his return
either a profit or a loss that directly af­ that he had forgotten much o f his T o­
fects him— as opposed to a hired ac­ rah knowledge. As a result, he read the
countant, who can view whatever bot­ Hebrew verse incorrectly. His colleagues
tom line eventuates with academic prayed for him, and his Torah knowl­
detachment. Similarly, in its more spir­ edge was restored. {Maharal, however.
80 THE POWER OF RETURN

dulgence in permissible pleasures, such as [drinking] the wine

of Prugita,”' and [bathing in] the waters of the Diomset Riv-
er'^^ the heart becomes deaf and obstructed, until one is com­
pletely unreceptive to the revelation of G-dliness. As a result,
he falls to extremely low [spiritual] depths.
[His fall] can be so drastic that he reaches a point where
he does not even possess a “general”'^^ feeling for G-dliness.
I.e., not only does the G-dly light not illuminate him inter­
nally during Torah study or prayer, it is not even felt gener-
ally—he has absolutely no desire to study Torah, to serve
G-d, or to sense G-dliness.'‘‫‘‘י‬
Now, by making a detailed and honest accounting of his
soul, his heart becomes broken and crushed; his extreme dis­
tance [from G-dliness] breaks his heart. And this in turn
awakens his soul with an unbounded yearning [for G-d], to
escape the darkness of the physical body and the animal soul
and to be absorbed within the light of the blessed Ein Sof.
This is the meaning of, “Only with a sense of earnestness
may one begin to pray,”'‘’^ referring to the quality of surrender
and humility, which is the idea of the Tikkun Chatzot ser-
vice‘’*’— to humble oneself, and to be a “master of accounts.”
Through this one reaches in prayer the love [of G-d] with all
your might, escaping the darkness of the physical body, and
being drawn to G-dliness to the extent that the very essence of
the soul is moved.'‫״‬

avers that his misreading was un­
intentional. Even so, his colleagues in­
terpreted the resulting phrase as an
oblique sign that R. Elazar had for­
gotten much o f his Torah knowledge.)
In a deeper sense, R. Elazar’s reading
the verse as hacheresh haya libam {"'have
their hearts become deaf i!”) alludes to the
fact that his heart had become “deaf and
obstructed” because o f his indulgence in
physical delights, leaving him unable to
perceive and be sensitive to G-dliness.
See also Kohelet R abbah l•J.
191. A country which produced choice
wine— Rashi, ad loc.
192. The name o f a salty river— Rashi,
ibid.
193. Makif, in Hebrew.
194. This person has sunken to such a
low spiritual level that it is not just that
his Torah study and prayer does not in­
spire him— he does not even want to be
inspired. H e has become so spiritually
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 81

‫ ע ד‬,‫רמיא ד ךיו מ סו ם ע ל י די ן ה נ ^ ח ך ש ונ ^ ט מ ט ם הלב‬

‫ ויו ר ד ע ל י די ז ה מ ט ה מ ט ה‬,‫ש אינו עלי ע ל ל ל גי לוי א ל קו ת‬
.‫מ אד‬

‫א ת א ל קו ת‬ ‫מ ר גי ש‬ ‫ש אינו‬ ‫עד‬ ‫ו כ ל כך ן כו ל ל היו ת‬

‫ היי נו ד ל א זו ב ל ב ד ש אינו מ אי ר בו‬.‫ב כ חי נ ת מ קי ף ג ם כן‬
‫ א ל א שג ם‬,‫ה או ר ה א ל קי ב ב חי נ ת פ ני מיו ת ב תו ר ה ו ת פ ל ה‬
‫־‬ ‫ד‬ T V T • : T ‫־‬ • ‫־‬ : ‫־‬ • ‫•י‬ V: T T

‫ ו היי נו ש אין לו ר צון כ ל ל ל תו ר ה ו ע בו ד ה‬,‫אינו נ ך ג ש‬ ‫כמקיף‬

.‫ו ל ה ך גי ש א ל קו ת כר‬

‫ ע ל י די ז ה‬,‫ש עו ש ה כנ כ שו‬ ‫ו ב ? ך טיו ת הדןקזבון צ ד ק‬

‫ שנ קז ב ר ל בו ב ק ך בו ע ל‬,‫נ ע ש ה כ כ חי נ ת ל ב נקזבר ונ ך כ ה‬
‫ ע ל י די ז ה מ ה עו ך ר ג ם כן הנ פ ש כ כ חי נ ת‬,‫עו צ ם רי חו קו כר‬
‫ ל צ א ת מ ח ש ך ה גו ף ו הנ פ ש ה ב ה מי ת ו ל ה כ ל ל‬,‫ר צו א כ לי ג בו ל‬
.‫כ או ר אין סו ף ב רו ך הו א כר‬

,‫ח הו ע?!ן אין ע ו כ דין ל ה ת פ ל ל א ל א מ תו ך כו ב ד ר א ש‬

‫ שז הו עו ון ה ע בו ך ה ך תי קון‬,‫ש הו א ב חי נ ת ה כנ ע ה ו ה ש כ לו ת‬
‫ ו ע ל‬.‫ס צו ת׳ ל ה ש פי ל א ת ע ע מו ו ל היו ת מ מ א רי ךחו קזבנ א‬
‫ ש הו א ב חי נ ת‬,‫י די זה ב א ב ת פ ל ה ל ה א ה ב ה ד ב כ ל מ א ד ך‬
- . : ... I ... . T : • T ‫־‬: ‫־‬ T : T • : • T ‫־‬.■ •‫ ־‬:

‫הי צי א ה מ ח ש ך ה גו ף׳ ו ה ה מ ש כ ה ל א ל קו ת ב חי נ ת הזז ת ע צ ם‬
.‫נ פ שו כר‬

insensitive that he does not even possess pray” is now explained in a new light: In
this most basic, general feeling for order for one to truly “pray”— i.e., to
G-dliness. attain the highest level o f divine service
in his prayer, the love o f G-d with all
195. Berachot 30b; see Rashi s.v. koved your might— one must first possess “ear­
rosh. nestness,” the qualities o f surrender and
humility. During the Tikkun Chatzot
196. The midnight lament for the exile service which precedes the morning
o f the Shechinah, Divine Presence. See prayer, one must fully contemplate his
Tanya, chapter 26; Iggeret Hateshuvah, distance from G-d, so that he may feel
chapter 10. brokenhearted and completely humble.
This allows him to develop an un­
197. The Sages’ dictum “only with a bounded yearning for G-d in his sub­
sense o f earnestness may one begin to sequent prayer.
82 THE POWER OF RETURN

TESHUVAH
This is also the motif of teshuvah (repentance). Teshuvah [in
its most profound sense] involves an excitation of the soul’s
essence that transcends all reason and understanding, as it is
written, Out o f the depths I call to You, O L-rd^‘’^— [i.e., this
call stems] from the depths of the heart’s innermost core.'^^
Thus, “In the place where baalei teshuvah (penitents)
stand, perfect tzaddikim (righteous individuals) cannot
stand.”“‫ ״‬The difference, explained earlier, between the soul’s
service when on High and its service below after being vested
in a body, is the same general difference between the divine
service o f tzaddikim and that of baalei teshuvah. The service of
tzaddikim is orderly and measured, employing the intellectual
and emotional faculties.“ ' However, the service of baalei te-
shuvah is to leap over barriers“ ''— he completely leaves the
realm of boundaries, his entire being is moved with the very
essence of his soul.“ '
Hence, O ut o f the depths I call to You— from the depths of
the soul’s innermost core. And through this, / call to You— to
the innermost core and Essence of the blessed Ein Sofi°'^
All of this is brought about specifically by the distress that
comes from the opposite [of holiness]. For previously, his soul
was bound with the impurity of kelipat nogah, [and even lower,]

198. Psalms 130:1. of G-d with all your might (discussed

199. The Zohar (1:129b) states that the
superiority o f baalei teshuvah over tzad-
dikim lies in the fact that they are drawn
to G-d with “much greater strength”
than tzaddikim. When one who is com­
ing from a place o f spiritual darkness is
awakened with feelings o f repentance,
his entire being (from his soul’s in­
nermost core) is completely swept up in
his desire to be close to G-d. Hence,
O ut o f the depths I call to You, O
L~rd— teshuvah comes from the depths
o f the soul, the heart’s innermost core.
Teshuvah, then, is similar to the love
above): It too is an unbounded yearning
for G-d, touching the essence o f one’s
soul, that comes about specifically
through one’s distress about his sins and
his distance from G-d.
200. Berachot 34b. See Zohar II: 106b;
Rambarn, Hilchot Teshuvah, 7:4.
TZADDIKIM and BAALEI TESHUVAH.
The sinner who has repented excels over
the perfectly righteous man who has
never sinned, because the baal teshuvah
has tasted temptation and is therefore
more vulnerable to further temptation.
H e must therefore exert greater re-
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 83

‫ כי דו ע ש ה ח שו ב ה הי א ? חי נ ת‬,‫ין ה ח שו ב ה‬.?‫וז הו ג ם כן ע‬
‫ ו כ מו‬,‫ו ד ע ת‬ ‫מהטעם‬ ‫הנ פ ש שיןימ^לה‬ ‫ע ? מו ת‬ ‫ה ה פ ע לו ת‬
‫ מ כ חינ ת עו מ ק פני מיו ת‬,‫ש כ תו ב מ מ ע מ קי ם ק ר א תי ך הוי׳‬
.‫ג קו ד ת הלב‬

‫ו ל כ ן כ מ קו ם ש ב ע לי ת שו ב ה עו ה די ם אין צ די קי ם ג מו רי ם‬
‫ ו כ מ ו ה ה כ ר ש ב ע בו ד ת הן ש מ ה כ מו ש הי א‬,‫י כו לי ם ל ע מו ד‬
,‫ל מ ע ל ה ל ע בו ד ת ה ל מ ט ה ב ה ת ל ב שו ת ה ב גו ף שנ ת ב א ר ל עי ל‬
: •• T ; • V ‫י‬ “ T : * : • ; T “ : T T “: ‫־‬ T : ‫־‬ :

‫כן הו א ה ה ? ר ש ? ד ר ך כ ל ל בין ע בו ד ת ה צ די קי ם ל ע בו ד ת‬
‫סךר‬ ‫? כ חי נ ת‬ ‫הי א‬ ‫ה צ די קי ם‬ ‫ד ע בו ד ת‬ .‫ה שו ב ה‬ ‫ה ב ע לי‬
‫ה ב ע לי‬ ‫אבל ע בו ד ת‬ ,‫ש כ ל ו מ דו ת כ ד‬ ‫ב כ חי נ ת‬ ,‫ו ה ך רג ה‬
‫ ב ב חי נ ת‬,‫ שיו צ א מ ג ד ר ה ? לי לג?!ךי‬,‫ה שו ב ה הו א ל ד ל ג שו ר‬
,‫הזז ת כ ל ע צ מו תו ? ע צ ם נ ? שו מ מ ש כד‬

‫ ? ? חי נ ת עו מ ק עני מיו ת נ ? שו‬,‫שז הו מ מ ע מ קי ם ק ך א הי ך‬

‫ ו ע ל י די ז ה ק ך א הי ך ל כ חי נ ת עני מיו ת ו ע צ מו ת אין סו ף‬,‫כד‬
.‫ב רו ך הו א כר‬

‫ ש ה רי‬,‫ו כ ל ז ה נ ע ש ה דו ק א ע ל י די ה מי צ ר ש מן ה הי פ ך‬
‫ כ ח ש ך‬,‫מ קו ך ם הי ת ה נ ? שו ק שו ר ה כ טו מ א ה ד ק ל פ ת נוג ה‬

sistance to sin than the person who has
never sinned, and his reward is pro­
portionate to his effort {Rambam, Hil-
chot Teshuvah 7:4).
201. Although tzaddikim employ their
intellectual and emotional faculties for
wholly spiritual endeavors, these fa­
culties are nonetheless inherently limit­
ed, as explained above. Consequently,
their divine service is also limited.
202. Lit., to “leap over a wall.” Cf. II
Samuel 22:30; Psalms 18:30.
ing is moved with feelings o f repentance.
To explain; One who transgresses
the will o f G-d severs himself, to a cer­
tain degree, from G-d (see Tanya, ch.
24). This damage is such that it cannot
be “repaired” with orderly, rational di­
vine service. Rather, the penitent must
make an unbounded spiritual “leap,” by
digging deep within himself until he
awakens the essence o f his soul, which is
bound with G-d’s Essence (see Likkutei
Torah, Derushim LeShahbat Shuvah, 65a
ff.; Derushim LeYom Hakippurim, 69d).

203. The divine service o f the baal te- 204. As explained above, only the di­
shuvah involves not his (limited) in­ vine service that stems from the soul’s
tellectual and emotional faculties, but essence has the power to reach G-d’s Es­
the very essence o f his soul. His entire be­ sence (see footnote 171).
84 THE POWER OF RETURN

with darkness, the shadow of death, and complete evil.^°^ But

when the bitterness of his spirit stirs him to leave the darkness,
the evil and death— that is, when a person is greatly pained by
the enormity of the sins and transgressions that literally afflict
his soul— this then moves him to wailing and loud, bitter cries,
amid weeping and fasting. As in [the verses], They cried out to the
L-rdin their distress, and Their hearts cried out [to theL-rd].™
Similarly it is written. From out o f distress I called to G-dT^
I.e., from the distress one feels over his sins— precisely because
of this—/ called to G-d, with a simple cry, a cry that emanates
from the very recesses of the heart. [This cry is so powerful
that] it can culminate in actual kelot hanefesh, as what hap­
pened to R. Elazar ben Durdaya, whose soul departed because
of his intense weeping.^"‘'
THE CRY OF THE SHOFAR
This is the concept of the tekiaF^'^— a simple sound, an inner
cry from the depths of the heart, which is produced by the
above-mentioned distress. Then come shevarim-teruah, the
groaning and weeping sounds,^“ when the distress reaches even
deeper into a person’s soul, giving him no respite at all, to the
point where he is unable to catch his breath even to utter a sim-
pie cry; he can only groan and weep, in short, broken sobs.^'^

205. These last three descriptions appar­
ently correspond to the three impure
kelipot, which are entirely evil— see
above, footnote 34.
206. Psalms 107:6, 28.
207. Lamentations 2:18.
208. Psalms 118:5.
209. Avoda Zara 17a: “It was said o f R.
Elazar ben Durdaya that there was not
one harlot in the world that he did not
cohabit with. Once, he heard that there
was a certain harlot in a city overseas
who would take a purse o f coins for pay­
ment. H e took a purse o f coins and trav­
eled there, crossing seven rivers during
the journey. While preparing to cohabit,
she blew a breath out o f her mouth, and
declared: ‘Just as this wind will never re­
turn to its place, likewise, R. Elazar ben
Durdaya’s repentance will never be ac­
cepted.’ H e left, and traveled until he sat
between two mountains. There, he
called out: ‘O mountains, beg [G-d to
have] mercy upon me!’ The mountains
replied rhat they were not even able to
ask G-d to have mercy upon themselves.
H e proceeded to ask the same o f the
heavens and the earth, the sun and the
moon, and the stars and constellations,
but be received the same reply each time.
Finally, he realized, ‘It is only dependant
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 85

‫ו צ ל מו ת ו ר ע ג מו ר׳ ו כ א ש ר יוז עו ר ר ? מ ר נ ? שו ל צ א ת מן‬
‫ ? א ד מ עו צ ם ה ס ט אי ם‬1‫ה ח ש ך ו ה ר ע ו מו ת׳ ו היי נו ב צ ר ל‬
‫ו ה עו נו ת ^ נ ג ע בנ ? שו מ מ ש׳ הנ ה ן ב א ל כ ל ל צעקןה וןעק!ה‬
‫ ו כ מו וי צ ע קו א ל ה׳ ב צ ר ל ה ם‬.‫ג דו ל ה ו מ ר ה ב ב כי ה ו צו ם כר‬
• T ‫ ־־‬- V ‫י‬ - : : T • : • T T T :

,‫ צ ע ק לב ם כר‬,‫כר‬
‫ו כ מו ש כ תו ב מן ה מי צ ר ק ר א תי ן״ ה כר׳ ו ה י י נ ו מן‬
‫ה מי צ ר ש צ ר לו מ א ד מ ה ס ט אי ם כר ע ל י די זה דו ק א ק ר א תי‬
‫ ש ה ע ע ק ה יו צ א ת מ קו ר ת ה ל ב‬,‫ן״ ה ? ? חי נ ת צ ע ק ה ? שו ט ה‬
‫ ו כ מו ר בי‬,‫ ע ד שיו כ ל ל היו ת ב כ לו ת הנ פ ש מ מ ש‬,‫מ מ ש כר‬
.‫א ל עז ר בן דו ר די א שי צ א ה נ ש מ תו ב ב כי ה כר‬
T ‫־‬ : • T : ‫־‬ T : T V T • : ‫ י‬V T T : V

‫ ב ב חינ ת‬,‫ ש הו א ב חי נ ת קו ל פ שו ט‬,‫ין ה ת קי ע ה‬.‫וז הו עג‬

‫ שנ ע ש ה מן ה מי צ ר הנז כ ר‬,‫צ ע ק ה ?ני מי ת מ עו ? ק א ך לי ב א‬
,‫ הו א גנו חי ג ני ח וי לו לי י לי ל‬,‫לעיל• ו א ח ר כך קזבךים ת רו ע ה‬
‫ו היינו כ א ש ר ה מי צ ר מ גי ע לו עו ד ? פ ני מיו ת נ ? שו ביו ת ר‬
‫ ע ד קז אינו ן כו ל‬,‫ש אין לו ע ל זה עזום י שו ב ב ל ל ?נ ? שו‬
‫ בי אם ר ק גונ ח‬,‫ל ה שי ב רו חו כ ל ל ו ל צ עו ק ב קו ל פ שו ט‬
.‫ו מוי ל ל ב ת נו עו ת ק צ רו ת כר‬

upon me!’ Placing his head between bis
knees, he wailed and cried until his soul
departed. A Heavenly voice then rang
out: ‘R. Elazar ben Durdaya is destined
to receive a portion in the World to
Come!’ [Upon hearing the story o f this
man,] Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi wept and
said: ‘There are those who acquire their
[portion in the] World [to Come]
through many years’ toil, and there are
those who acquire their [portion in the]
World [to Come] in a single moment.’”
210. One o f the reasons that the shofar
is sounded in a manner that mimics the
human cry (see following footnote) is in
order to awaken a person to cry out to
G-d for repentance. More specifically.
Rabbi Shalom DovBer now explains
how the diflferent “cries” o f the shofar
(tekiah, a long, resounding blast; shev-
arim, three shorter blasts; teruah, nine
very short sounds) correspond to the
different types o f cries o f the penitent.
211. Rosh Hashanah 33b-34a discusses
two opinions as to how the teruah should
be sounded. One opinion is “genucheigan-
ach ” (as one who groans from his heart in
the manner o f the sick, who prolong their
groan— Rasht). The other is “yelulei ya lil”
(as one who weeps and laments with short,
close sounds— Rasht). To accommodate
both opinions, the shevarim-teruah is
sounded, consisting o f three medium-
length sounds (“groaning”) followed by
nine shorter sounds (“weeping”).
212. For more on this topic see Likkutei
86 THE POWER OF RETURN

For example: When a person suffers some terrible pain,

may the Merciful One protect us, which touches him to his
core, he emits a simple cry that cannot be expressed in words.
Were it to affect only his external faculties—his intellect and
[the faculties] beneath it— he would be able to verbalize his
pain. But since the anguish impinges upon the innermost
core of his soul, it can be vented only with a plain cry, with a
simple sound that cannot be expressed in words.
This is true, however, only if one’s heart can get a grip on
the matter. Then he can emit a simple cry, which indicates his
heart’s dilation and expansion. This is possible for as long as
his heart can bear the distress, as long as the matter is some­
what grasped and settled in his heart. But when the pain pen­
etrates the innermost core of his soul to the point that he can­
not bear it at all, then his heart becomes so constricted that he
is incapable of crying, except in broken sobs.
Similarly, when the anguish over one’s sins and trans-
gressions—which have plunged him into the depths of the
kelipot—^penetrates deep into the innermost core of his soul,
to the point where he simply cannot bear the realization that
he has sunken so far into impurity and sitra achara, and that
he is so extremely distant from G-dliness, he is then unable to
utter even a simple cry, due to the profound pain and distress
that touches the innermost core of his soul. He rather only
groans and weeps, in short gasps, as he cannot calm himself at
all on account of his terrible anguish and constriction. This
corresponds to shevarim-teruah.
The cry of tekiah-shevarim-teruah represents the flight
from [spiritual] distress, and the pull of the essence of one’s
soul to the Essence of Ein Sof. Then the tekiah is elicited from
on High, as the verse says. The L-rd G-d shall sound the sho-
far?'^ This [response from on High] is [the same idea ex­
pressed by] the continuation of the [aforementioned] verse:
G-d answered me with abounding relief?'^

Torah, Demshim LeRosh Hashanah, 213. Zechariah 9:14. See Likkutei Torah
58d. ibid., 59a.
‫‪TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY‬‬ ‫‪87‬‬

‫ו ? מו ע ל ד ר ך מ ש ל מי שי ש לו צ ע ר ג ד ו ל ר ח מנ א ל ? לן‬
‫ה נו ג ע לו ב ? ני מיו ת נ ? שו‪ ,‬ח רי הו א צו ע ק צ קו ל פ שו ט ש אי‬
‫א פ ש ר ל ה ח ל ב ש ב די בו ר‪ .‬ד כ א ש ר ה ע ?ין נו ג ע ר ק ? חי צו ניו ת‬
‫הכיחות‪ ,‬מ ה ש כ ל ו ל מ ט ה‪ ,‬אז י כו ל ל ד ב ר בז ה‪ ,‬א ב ל כ א ש ר‬
‫נו ג ע לו ב ? ני מיו ת נ ? שו ח רי ז ה ב א ב צ ע ק ה ? שו ט ה כ קו ל‬
‫פ שו ט ש אי א ? ש ר ל ה ח ל ב ש כ די בו ר‪.‬‬

‫ו מ כ ל מ קו ם‪ ,‬כ ל ז ה הו א כ א ש ר ה ע ?ין י ש לו ק צ ת א חיז ה‬

‫ב כ לי ה ל ב‪ ,‬אז י כו ל ל צ עו ק ב קו ל פ שו ט‪ ,‬ד ה קו ל פ שו ט הו א‬
‫‪T‬‬ ‫י‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫'‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫י‬ ‫• ‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫־• •‬ ‫• ‪ :‬־‬

‫ה ת פ ש טו ת ו ה ה ר ח בו ת ה ל ב‪ ,‬ו היי נו כ ש ה ל ב הו א ב ד ר ך כלי‪,‬‬

‫שי ש ל ה ענוו א חיז ה כ ה ל ב ע דייו כ איז ה הח‪.‬ייקזבות ק צ ת‪ .‬א ב ל‬
‫כ א ש ר ה צ ע ר מ גי ע כ ל כ ך כ פ ני מיו ת נ ? שו ע ד ש אין לו שו ם‬
‫ה ת‪.‬יי ש בו ת ע ל זה כ ל ל‪ ,‬אז מ ה כוו ץ ה ל ב ביו ת ר ע ד ש אינו‬
‫ן כו ל ל ע עו ק ה קו ל כ ל ל‪ ,‬כי אם ב ח נ ו ע ו ת ק צ רו ת ל ב ד כר‪.‬‬

‫ו כ מו כן יו בן כ א ש ר ה מי צ ר מ ה ח ט אי ם ו ה עו נו ת שנ קז ק ע‬
‫כ ע מ קי ה ק לי פו ת ר ח מנ א ל צ לן מ גי ע לו כ פ ני מיו ת ו ק ו ד ת‬
‫נ פ שו כיו ת ר‪ ,‬ש אין לו שו ם י שו ב כ ל ל אי ך שנ קז ק ע כ ל כך‬
‫כ ה טו מ א ה ו ס ט ר א א ח ר א ר ס ?׳| א ל??'ו׳ ו ר חו ק כ א ד כ א ד‬
‫כ א ל קו ת כ ת כ לי ת כר‪ ,‬אזי אינו ן כו ל ל צ עו ק ג ם כ קו ל פעזוט‬
‫כ עו צ ם ה צ ע ר ו ה מי צ ר ש נ ג ע כ פ נ י כ יו ת נ פ שו‪ .‬כי א ם גונ ח‬
‫ומ‪.‬יילל‪ ,‬כ ח נ ו ע ו ת ק צ רו ת ל ב ד׳ כ פני ש אינו ן כו ל ל ה שי ב‬
‫רו חו א ליו ? ל ל כ צ ד ה צ ע ר ו ה כיוו ץ כיו ת ר כ י ׳ וז הו עו!ן‬
‫ש ב רי ם ת רו ע ה כר‪.‬‬
‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪• T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬

‫ו ה צ ע ק ה ד ת קי ע ה ש ב רי ם ת רו ע ה הי א כ חי נ ת י צי א ה כן‬
‫ה מי צ ר‪ ,‬ו כ ה ש נ כ ש ך כ כ ל ע צ ם נ ? שו ל ע צ מו ת אין סו ף כר‪.‬‬
‫ו אז נ כ ש ך ב חי נ ת ה ח קי ע ה כ ל מ ע ל ה‪ ,‬כ מו ש כ תו ב ו א ד׳ הוי׳‬
‫כ שו פ ר י ח ק ע‪ ,‬שז הו ענ‪.‬ין כ ה ש כ תו ב א ח ר כ ך ע נ ני כ מ ך ח ב‬
‫י ״ה כר‪.‬‬

‫‪214. Psalms 118:5. The full verse reads, answered me with abounding reli^. Our‬‬
‫‪From out o f distress I called to G-d; G -d discourse has interpreted it thus: When‬‬
88 THE POWER OF RETURN

5.
THE LEFT FORCE REVISITED
In light of the above, we can understand the words, His left
arm is under my head^^^— for only through his left arm is it
possible for a person to reach his soul’s essence, its head}'^
As explained earlier, in order for the innermost core and
essence of the soul to be revealed amid an awakening of the
yearning [for G-d] with all your might, this is specifically
through [the process of] “humbling”— one humbles oneself
[for the fact] that he is distant from G-dliness. Likewise, [this
yearning is awakened] through a person’s distress over the nu­
merous concealments and obfuscations,^'^ and especially
[through his distress] over his sins and transgressions.
All of this is an expression of the “left arm [that] re-
buffs”'’‫'׳‬: one humbling oneself is the idea of the “left arm,”
and likewise the distress and anger [over one’s spiritual plight]
is an expression of the “left arm.”
Now, the source [of this quality within man] is the Super­
nal “left arm.”^'“ In other words, the divine service of the “left
arm [that] rebuffs” is awakened by a revelation of the Super­
nal “left arm.”
To illustrate: During Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,
our [divine] service is in the mode of the “left arm [that] re­
buffs.” This is why on Rosh Hashanah the Jewish people act
as beggars and paupers,^‘‘^ humbling themselves thoroughly.
The same is true o f the confession during the Ten Days of
Repentance and Yom Kippur, when one declares, “I have
sinned; I have betrayed__And through this [self-
humbling], the Jewish people attain a genuine teshuvah that
emanates from the innermost core of their souls, returning^^’

a person, spurred by his realization o f lief, as it is the true boundless relief.

his distance from G-d, draws himself to­
wards G-d with his entire essence and
being (man’s “tekiah”), this elicits in
turn a revelation o f G-d’s Essence and
Being (G-d’s “tekiah”). The revelation
o f G-d’s Essence is termed abounding re­
215. The discourse now resumes its in­
terpretation o f the verse in Song o f
Songs (2:6; 8:3) that was cited earlier:
His left arm is under my head, and His
right arm embraces me.
‫‪TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY‬‬ ‫‪89‬‬

‫ה‪.‬‬

‫ו ע ל פי כ ל הנז כ ר ל עי ל יו בן מ ה ש כ תו ב ש מ א ל‪ 1‬ת ח ת‬
‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T V‬‬ ‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪ -‬י‬ ‫;‬ ‫־ ־ ‪T :‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫•‬ ‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬

‫ל ר א שי‪ ,‬ך ב כ די ל בו א ל כ חי נ ת ר א ש ו ע י מ ו ת הנ ש מ ה ז הו ע ל‬
‫י די קז מ אלו מ ?ן א‪.‬‬
‫כ חי נ ת‬ ‫הוז ג לו ת‬ ‫שיח‪.‬יה‬ ‫ו ב כ די‬ ‫ל עי ל‪,‬‬ ‫נחבאר‬ ‫ו ה רי‬
‫פ ני מיו ת ו ע צ מו ת הנ ש מ ה ב ב חי נ ת ה ת עו ר רו ת ה ר צו א ד ב כ ל‬
‫• ‪T :‬‬ ‫‪T T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫• ‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪: -‬‬ ‫‪ :‬־ ‪:‬‬

‫מאדןז‪ ,‬ז הו דו?ןא ע ל י די ה ש כ לו ת‪ ,‬ש מ ש פי ל א ת ע ^ מו ש הו א‬

‫ה ה ע ל מו ת‬ ‫מ רי בוי‬ ‫ה מי צ ר‬ ‫ע ל י די‬ ‫ו כן‬ ‫מ א ל קו ת‪,‬‬ ‫ר חו ק‬
‫ן ה ה ס ת רי ם‪ ,‬ו ב כ ר ט מ ח ט אי ם ו עו ו נו ת כר‪.‬‬
‫לכל ז ה ח רי הו א כ חי נ ת ש מ א ל דו ח ה‪ ,‬שז הו עו ון ה ש מ א ל‬
‫מה ש מ ש כי ל א ת ע צ מו‪ ,‬ו כן ה מי צ ר ו ה רו גז הו א מ ה ש מ א ל‬
‫כר‪.‬‬
‫ו עי ק רו הו א כ חי נ ת ש מ א ל ה ע ליון׳ ו היינו‪ ,‬ד ה ה ח עו ך רו ת‬
‫ל כ חי נ ת ע בו ד ה זו ב כ חי נ ת ש מ א ל דו ח ה הו א ע ל י די ה ח ג לו ת‬
‫כ חי נ ת ש מ א ל ה ע ליון כר‪.‬‬
‫ו כ מו ב ר א ש ה שנ ה ויו ם ה כ פו רי ם ש אז ה ע בו ד ה ב ב חינ ת‬
‫־‬ ‫■‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪: T‬־‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪V‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪,‬ך‬ ‫_‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬

‫ש מ א ל דו ח ה‪ ,‬שז הו עו !ן מה שי ש ר א ל עו שי ם א ת ע ע מ ם‬
‫כ ך שי ם ו ד לי ם ב ר א ש ה שנ ה‪ ,‬ב כ חי נ ת ש פ לו ת ע ע מו תן לג מ רי‬
‫ח שו ב ה ויו ם‬ ‫מ כ ל ו כ ל כר‪ ,‬ו כן ב הווי דוי ם ד ע ש ר ת י מי‬
‫ב ג ך נו כר‪ ,‬ו ע ל י די ז ה ב אי ם‬ ‫א ש מנו‬ ‫ש או מ ר‬ ‫ה כ פו רי ם‬
‫ל ב חינ ת ת שו ב ה א מי תי ת ב פ ני מיו ת נ פ ש ם‪ ,‬ל שו ב א ל ה׳‬

‫‪216. This idea was mentioned earlier in‬‬ ‫­‪219. Cf. daily Selichot liturgy recited be‬‬
‫‪the discourse. See above, pp. 34-35, and‬‬ ‫‪fore Rosh Hashanah: “W e knock at‬‬
‫‪footnote 57.‬‬ ‫‪Your doors like paupers and like beg-‬‬
‫”‪gets.‬‬
‫‪217. I.e., the “manifold concealments‬‬
‫‪and obfuscations” o f the G-dly soul,‬‬ ‫­‪220. O ne’s confesses his sins and there‬‬
‫‪caused by the body and animal soul.‬‬ ‫‪by feels distress over them.‬‬

‫‪218. I.e., G-d’s “left arm,” which refers‬‬ ‫‪221. As mentioned above (footnote 3),‬‬
‫‪to the divine attribute o f gevurah (sever-‬‬ ‫‪the literal meaning o f the word teshuvah‬‬
‫‪ity).‬‬ ‫”‪is “return.‬‬
90 THE POWER OF RETURN

to G-d from the depths of the souls’ innermost core— as was

explained earlier concerning the shofar blowing on Rosh Ha-
shanah.^“
[Now, Israel’s divine service is such] because the Supernal
“left arm”“^ is revealed then, as the verse states, G-d has re­
vealed His holy armP‘' Zohar, Pinchas (214b), interprets this
verse to be referring to Rosh Hashanah, a time when G-d re­
veals His holy arm, i.e., the divine attribute of gevurah (as in
the verse, [G-d has sworn] by his right hand and by His pow­
erful arrrH"‘\, this [attribute of gevurah\ is revealed at that
time. Therefore, our divine service then is in the mode of the
“left arm [that] rebuffs.”“‫’׳‬
Hence, His left arm is under my head•. It is specifically
through the quality of the “left arm” that one attains a lofiy
level, a level far more elevated than what is reached through
the quality of the “right arm [that] draws close.”“‫*׳׳‬
For the “right arm [that] draws close” refers to [a divine
service that elicits only] the revelation of G-dliness that il­
luminates the worlds—^which is but a mere glimmer [of
G-dliness].“^ The divine service in this case is one that em­
ploys the intellectual and emotional faculties, contemplating
and meditating upon the intellectually based attributes of love
and fear [of G-d]. Tdl of this is the idea of the “right arm
[that] draws close,” i.e., only the aspect of love with all your
heart and with allyour soulP^

222. I.e., that it is one’s immense dis­
tress over his spiritual plight that touch­
es the depths o f his being, and enables
him to attain a teshuvah that involves
the very essence o f his soul. See above,
end o f ch. 4, and footnote 214.
223. See Tikkunei Zohar, Intro. (Patach
Eliyahu)•. “You have made for them a
number o f bodies which are called ‘bod­
ies’ in comparison with the garments
which cover them, and they are de­
scribed [anthropomorphically] in tbe
following manner: chesed— the right
arm; gevurah— the left arm..."
224. Isaiah 52:10. The Hebrew word
used to refer to '"arm" in this verse is ze-
roa. As the discourse will now dem­
onstrate, zeroa refers more specifically to
the "left arm,” which alludes to the at­
tribute o f gevurah.
225. Isaiah 62:8. The fact that the verse
mentions the phrase powerful arm after
the phrase right hand indicates that the
puB ‘s u 0 I 0 ‫נ‬UI^ puB ‫ כנ‬3‫ןן‬3‫ נ‬0 ‫ ז‬siq j o su o n 3J3UI E 3nq 3JOJ3J3qj si IJ ■3jnpu3 ‫נס‬
-B‫זנ‬uIt ‫נ^ ן‬Buu‫^ ז‬q ‫ נס נ‬p u n o q si ‫נ‬Bq3 ‫ נ‬aoj 53331 ‫ «נתנ‬3‫ כנ‬u1j lo j asuaaut ‫ נסס‬si 30u3s
B S30u3u3dx3 uos13d 3q1— ^p3qu1q^^ -sg 3jnd s p - ^ ‘3A0qE p3ure]dx3 sy '1x1
SI ‫נ‬Bq3 ‫נ‬A0| B SI ]nos xno£ ‫ סןן‬cfjtm puv
UV9cf moiC]]V cfiim p - g j o 3a0 | 3qj^ ‫■״‬sjfjnqs■' uijE y3j,, 3qa
JO 3pou1 3qa ui ‘p3SEq-^*u«/jaS’ 3sia«>j1]
^•3S0p SMBjp SI 301AJ3S 3UIA1p E 03 ‫|ג‬d03d qSIA\3[
pBip] UIJB IqS3 ,,‫ נז‬q1 JO 33IAJ3S 3UIA1p 3qa SU33}EA\E Siql ‘qBUEqSBJ-J q so jj uo
‘(/.61 3 0 ‫נ‬u 0 0 ‫ נ‬J ‘3A0qB 33s) s^‫ןנז‬n ‫כ‬EJ assjiuEiu SI— ‫ ״‬tuJE 1J3}‫ ״‬s p -r) — {jvxna
^ 0 0 0 0 1 3 ‫ נז‬puB ‫ ק‬1‫ כנו‬3‫ןן‬3‫ נ‬0 ‫ ז‬p^‫זנ‬uII‫ ן‬s 3uo -3S JO 3anq1J1aB p u jsd n s 3qa 33uy5 '^)ZZ
S1(0]du13 iBqi 331AJ3S suiAip B qSnojqi
p^‫ נ‬I‫כ‬q3 SI ‫ נ‬1‫ן‬3 ‫| ^ ןז‬p - 0 jo J3u1u11|§ siqj^ •cjvxnaaSjo sinqiniB 3q1 ‘ 3 ‫׳‬1 ‫‘ ״‬bujb
’( 6 f l P “ ® 8 p l S3I0ra00J ‘3A0qE 33s) s3u1 ‫ ןנ‬3‫^ ן‬, Siq SJB3A3J p - g ‘qBUBqSBJJ qso’g
-3q p3IB3J3 JO SJ3I3UIEJEd p3IIUII| 3ql UI UQ \UUV lC]OCf SfU ■pa'lVSOijL SVOf p-f) ‘3SJ3A
-qilAS p3UTOU03 3q UED IBql iqSt] ■‫ ) ^׳‬P 0 ‫ ־‬3q3 ‫ ״ — גס‬uiJB 3qa SB— [P0U3Z)
JO |3A3| B ‘SppOM 31p JO | p SU3AI|U3 JO uoiaiugsp siqi ssijddB avou 3sjno3
pUE S3IB3JD lEqi SS3UI|p-0 JO ^^J3UIUJljS^^ -Sip 3qj^ •UIJB 3qa ‫ נס‬SJ3J3J J3IUJOJ

tU fcC U U N U C U i-tC (:! 4 c t l i 4 c t CL/

ULXU 51. U 4c<:1‫ ׳‬i c • : ! ill ULK 6U..CLT t c a d j^ tC L :'
ULN L iisC L L u LCiLLLX‫ ׳‬E U i t U iu U E L tC L U tC iL U S C C U
E ^ L ^ K L U ‫ ^ ׳‬E (:, lu. ^ t ‫ א‬tU iC L T liX L U iL iS E L tu E i l ‫׳‬
UK<.l (iSuEU ULX EUfcCU Llti-cIiLfc

Qai^ l u i:u<.cu iK a di^LEU‘

fclfc lli E X l i j K l U ’CU 1 0 !1 ‫י‬ U lE U
U U L 4 k .X(:,L l i u u 4 ‫ י‬- . ‫׳ ‘ ^ א‬ itU tfL J

liLU U C L /
^Li-L CL/) X I CL/‫ ׳‬l ^ c l L litC L tu X I E tU < .fU
^ l ^ L iU L X E U iC U a tC L L U ((tC L ^CLXLC E^Ci^CL L tiU L ^
U //L « « L 1 . E / k X ^ k i c u ‫ ׳‬i x i m i l U/ iLlR
JICLTLE U A la Li/ XLJ {l i A ^ l ^ L ‫׳‬ E iU L S tU Q k U
l a ‫ ״‬CL SU1.CU 4 ‫^ א מ‬ L(tEL

U x ^ u A f u CL/•
c!/^LC(ci 6 tfcK tL U UEG|(n CL/‫ ׳‬c c i c u tA tll a1i<i!<.«LLr

16 ASVXN3WWOD QNV N O IX V lSN V ai

92 THE POWER OF RETURN

However, through the idea of His left arm, one attains the
level of love with all your might, which is a divine service that
engages the essence and being of the soul— my head—while in
a state of intense yearning for the Essence and Being of Ein

This [service] elicits an even higher realm and level of and

His right arm embraces meE^ For as explained above, through
the yearning of [the love of G-d] with all your might one elic­
its a revelation of the Essence of the blessed Ein Soft. This is
the idea of the verse. Out o f the depths I call to You‫׳‬, one calls
[i.e., elicits]^” G‫־‬d’s Essence into revelation. For it is after
From out o f distress I called to G-d that G-d answered me with
abounding r e l i e f This [revelation of G‫־‬d’s Essence] is the
idea of The L-rd G-d shall sound the shofarT^ which follows
the tekiah-shevarim-teruah emitted from below.^’^
This is the idea of and His right arm embraces me: After
[our divine service of] His left arm is under my head during
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the aspect of and His right
arm embraces me is manifest during the festival of Sukkot, in
an “encompassing” manner, and on Shemini Atzeret it is
manifest “internally.”“ ^
ESSENTIAL TORAH
Seemingly, this manifestation of the Essence corresponds to

elicits through this love a G-dly revela­
tion that is likewise limited. This form
o f G-dly love is synonymous with the
divine service in the mode o f the “right
arm [that] draws close.”
229. See above, footnote 171.
230. This is the continuation o f the
verse in Song o f Songs: His left arm is
under my head, an d His right arm em­
braces me. The discourse now explains
that the divine service that stems from
the “left arm [that] rebuffs,” which
reaches the essence {head) o f one’s soul,
elicits a revelation o f G-d’s very Es-
sence— His right arm embraces me.
{His right arm embraces me refers to
the lofty revelation o f G-d’s Essence
{G -d’s “right arm”) that follows one’s un­
bounded divine service, and should not
be confused with the form o f divine ser­
vice o f the “right arm [that] draws close”
detailed above. The latter is a limited
form o f divine service, marked by the
love o f G-d with all your heart and with
all your soul, and elicits the revelation of
but a mere glimmer o f G-dliness.)
231. Cf Tanya, end of ch. 37:
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 93

‫ ע ל י די ז ה ב א ל ב חינ ת א ה ב ה ד ב כ ל‬,‫א ב ל ע ל י די ש מ א לו‬

T : . T ‫־‬: - ‫׳‬ T V : ‫־־‬ T ‫־‬:

‫ ש הו א‬,‫ ש הו א ה ע בו ד ה ד ב חי נ ת ע ע מו ת ו מ הו ת הנ פ ש‬,‫?;אדף‬
‫ב חי נ ת ריאעזי ב מו ש הי א ב ב חי נ ת ר צו א ב מ הו ת ו ע צ מו ת אין‬
.‫סו ף כר‬
‫ב ? חינ ה‬ ‫ת ח ב קני‬ ‫ב חי נ ת וי מינו‬ ‫מ ס שי ך‬ ‫ו ע ל י די ז ה‬
‫ ש ע ל‬,‫ ו ע מו שנ ת ב א ר ל עי ל‬,‫ו מ ך ריג ה ע ליונ ה ה ך ב ה יו ת ר כר‬
‫י די ב חי נ ת ה ר צו א ד ב כ ל ס א ד ף מ?!שיך גי לוי ב חי נ ת ע ע מו ת‬
‫ין מה ש כ תו ב מ מ ע מ קי ם‬.‫ שן הו א ענ‬.‫אין סו ף ב רו ך הו א‬
‫ ד א ח ר‬,‫ ש קו ר א ע ל י די ז ה ל ב חי נ ת ה ע ע מו ת בגי לוי‬,‫ק ר א תי ך‬
‫ שז הו‬.‫ך מן ה מי צ ר ק ל א תי ך׳ ה א ח ר כ ך ע נ ני ב מ ך ח ב ן״ה‬
‫ענ!ו ב חי נ ת ה ת קי ע ה ד א ד׳ הוי׳ ב שו פ ר י ת ק ע ש ב א א ח ר‬
.‫ה ת קי ע ה־ ש ב רי ם־ ת רו ע ה ש ל מ ט ה כר‬
T -‫־‬ : V T : • T : T ‫•י‬ : ‫־‬

‫ ש א ח ר ב חי נ ת ש מ א לו ת ח ת‬,‫מ הי ב חי נ ת וי מינו ת ח ב קני‬

‫לראקזי ש ב ר א ש ה שנ ה ויו ם ה כ פו די ם נ?!שך א ח ר כ ך ב חינ ת‬
‫ ב חי נ ת מ קי ף׳ ו ב ש מיני ע צ ך ת‬,‫וי מינו ת ח ב קני ב ח ג ה ס כו ת‬
.‫נ ק ש ך ב גי לוי ב ב ני מיו ת כר‬
‫ב חי נ ת‬ ‫הו א‬ ‫ה ע צ מו ת‬ ‫ב חי נ ת‬ ‫ד גי לוי‬ ,‫לו מ ר‬ ‫ונ ר א ה‬

“Through one’s Torah study one ‘calls’
to the Holy One, blessed be He, to come
to him, to use an anthropomorphism,
like a person calling to his companion to
come to him, or like a child calling his
father to com and join h im ....”
Here, too, through one’s yearning for
G-d from the essence o f his soul he
“calls” to G-d’s Essence “to come to
him. ”
232. As explained above, abounding re­
lie f refers to the revelation o f G-d’s Es­
sence.
233. See above, footnote 214.
234. The effects o f our divine service
throughout Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur are realized during the festivals
o f Sukkot and Shemini Atzeret, when
G-d’s Essence is manifest. This man­
ifestation o f the G-dly Essence takes on
two forms: 1) A manifestation that
remains somewhat transcendent and re­
moved from the person, and can there­
fore be spoken o f as “encompassing”
him from above; 2) A manifestation
that becomes one with the person, part
o f his very “being”— one that has en­
tered him “internally.” The first manner
o f manifestation occurs during the fes­
tival o f Sukkot; the second, during She-
mini Atzeret. See Forces in Creation
( Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah, Discourse
Two), p. 70 ff., and footnote 176 there.
94 THE POWER OF RETURN

the level of Torah as it exists within G-d’s Essence, as Only

G-d understands her way...
This [manifestation] follows [our service of] His left arm is
under my head, which involves the head and essence of the
soul as it “clings and cleaves to You,”^^'^ the Essence of Ein Sof.
It is then that there is a manifestation of and His right arm
embraces me, the level of Torah as it exists within His Essence,
which is manifest “internally” on Shemini Atzeret and Sim-
chat Torah.^^^
ZOHAR REVISITED
Hence the [aforementioned] statement of the Zohar,^^^ that
the principal consummate spiritual service and the elicitation
of G-d’s blessed Essence is specifically through the “left
arm”— for it is specifically through this [manner of spiritual
service] that one attains the level of my head, and then sub­
sequently [elicits the G-dly response of] and His right arm em­
braces me.
This is the idea of the revelation of “H im self alludes to
atik,"^^‘* a revelation of atik, which is a revelation of Essence,
[or more specifically] the “lowest aspect of the Emanator.”^'*‫״‬
(Concerning atik, see the discourse entided U ’Moshe nigash el
ha’arafel 5E58.^^^) And, in its highest source, atik is the level

235. Job 28:23. Rashi explains that the understood by G-d Him self (see Forces
verse is referring to Torah; i.e., only in Creation, p. 72 ff.).
G-d understands the way o f Torah. Here, however, Rabbi Shalom Dov-
Gf. M albim, ad 10c; Maharal, Tiferet Ber explains that even this higher level
Yisrael, ch. 23. o f Torah can be revealed, when G-d’s
In the previous discourse it was ex­ Essence is manifest through the spiritual
plained that there are two dimensions o f service o f His left arm is under my head,
Torah: 1) G -d’s Torah”— the lowet lev­ the love o f G-d with all your might.
el o f Torah that is revealed to (and
learned by) man; 2) “His Torah”— the 236. Liturgy, Hoshaanot for Sukkot.
higher level o f Torah that lies within
His Essence, completely beyond any 237. This is the deeper reason why we
form o f revelation. Chasidus thus ex‫ ־‬celebrate Simchat Torah (lit., “the re­
plains that is specifically regarding this joicing o f the Torah”) on the festival o f
higher level o f Torah that the verse says. Shemini Atzeret, since it is then that
Only G -d understands her way. Torah as G‫־‬d’s Essence is manifest “internally”
it exists in G‫־‬d’s Essence can only be and there is a revelation o f the highest
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 95

‫ ד א ל קי ם ?יבדו ה בין‬,‫ב ע י מ ו ת ו מ מ ש‬ ‫ש הי א‬ ‫ה תו ר ה ? מו‬

.‫ד ר כ ה כר‬T : ‫־‬

‫ ? חי נ ת ר א ש ו ע י מ ו ת‬,‫ונ מ ש ך א ח ר קז מ אלו ת ח ת קיראשי‬

‫ך? ש מ ה כ מו ש הי א חבו?ןה וךבוקןה ב ך ב ב חי נ ת ע צ מו ת אין‬
‫ ש הו א ב חי נ ת ה תו ר ה‬,‫ אז נ מ ש ך ב חי נ ת וי מינו ח ח ב קני‬,‫סו ף‬
‫ שנ מ ש ך ב כ ני מיו ת ב ש מיני ?נ?ךת‬,‫כ מו ש הי א ב ע צ מו תו‬
.‫ו ש מ ח ת תו ר ה כר‬
T ‫־‬ :

‫ת הו ש כ תו ב בז ה ר ךעיקןר שקיימות ה ע בו ד ה וקיהמ שיך‬

‫ ש ע ל י די ז ה‬,‫מ חינ ת ע ע מו תו י מ ב ר ך ז הו ע ל י די ש מ א ל דו?ןא‬
.‫דן?ןא ב אי ם ל ב חי נ ת ר א שי ו א ח ר כ ך וי מינו ח ח ב קני כר‬

,‫ גי לוי ? חי נ ת ע תי ק‬,‫ה ה ו ע גין ה מ ג לו ת הו א ד א ע תי ק א‬

‫ש הו א גי לוי ה ע צ מו ת ב חינ ה ת ח תונ ה ש ב מ א צי ל כ ר )ו עין מ ה‬
- ‫י‬ ‫ן‬. . _ ‫ך‬. . . : - T ■ V

‫ין ע תי ק ב ך רו ש ה מ ת חי ל ו מ ש ה נ ג ש א ל ה ע ר פ ל‬.‫ש כ תו ב מענ‬

‫ ו ב ש ר ש ש ר שו הי א ב חי נ ת הו א ך ע ד ש ל א נ ב ר א‬.(‫רנ״ח‬

level o f Torah— Torah as it exists with­
in G-d’s Essence.
238. Ill: 178b; see above, p. 30ff.
239. In interpreting the verse (Numbers
18:23), The Levite himself shall perform,
the Zohar states that through the con­
summate service o f the Levites, who
serve G-d with the “left arm,” the level
o f H im self is elicited, which refers to
atik. See above, pp. 30-31, and footnote
48.
240. A tik is the deeper dimension o f
keter, and is therefore termed the “low­
est aspect o f the Emanator.”
To explain: The first and highest se-
firah is called keter (lit., “crown”),
which is the intermediary, so to speak,
between the Infinite Or Ein S of and the
finite worlds. It is the sefirah that bridg­
es the gap between Creator and crea­
tion, between the Emanator and the
emanations. In order to fuse these two
“opposites,” keter is comprised o f two
distinct dimensions, each o f which rep­
resents one o f the two realities it joins.
Keter’s deeper dimension is termed atik
(or atikyomin), and represents the “low­
est aspect o f the Emanator.” Arich (or
arich anpiri) is the “external” dimension
o f keter, and represents the “highest as­
pect o f the emanations” (see Likkutei
Torah, Berachah, 99a; Shir Hashirim, 7d
ff.; Derech Mitzvotecha, 38b-39a).
241. Sefer Hamaamarim 5658, p. 184
ff. There, Rabbi Shalom DovBer ex­
plains that the term atik signifies G-d
Himself, in the sense o f being “An­
cient,” “Primordial” and “Everlasting”
— see above, footnotes 24 and 48.
96 THE POWER OF RETURN

of “Himself,” as in the saying “before the creation of the

world, there was only 'H im self' and ‘His Name.’”^'‘^ This is
the true root of the souls of Israel, which transcends Torah.^'*’
It corresponds to the level of Torah as it exists within the Es­
sence of Ein Sof, as explained earlier in the discourse entitled
Yechayenu Miyomayim?‘^

242. Pirkei d ’R abbi Eliezer, chapter 3.
In the previous discourse. Rabbi Sha-
lorn DovBer explains that “H im self’ and
“His Name” refer to two distinct dimen­
sions. “His Nam e” refers to G-dly revela­
tion, or to the capacity o f G-dly revela­
tion that exists within G-d’s Essence
(i.e., ‘“G-d’s Name’ as it is contained
within His Essence”), whereas “Him-
seif’ refers to G-d’s pure Essence, which
is completely beyond the concept o f rev­
elation (see Forces in Creation, p. 56 ff.).
And it is this lofty dimension of
“H im self’— G-d’s pure Essence— that
the Zohar says is elicited through the
spiritual service o f the Levites, a service
that is marked by the “left: arm [that] re­
buffs.”
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 97

‫ ת‬1‫ שז הו ש ר ש ה א מי תי דנ ש מ‬.‫ה עו ל ם הי ה הו א ו ש מו ל בד‬

: ‫־‬ T V V V T : : T T T T

‫ ו הו א ן ח י נ ת ה תו ר ה ? מו ש הי א‬,‫י קז ך א ל ^ ל מ ^ ל ה מ ה תו ך ה‬
‫ ו ל מו שנו־נבאר ל עי ל ב ך רו ש ה מ ב חי ל‬,‫? ע ^ מו ת אין סו ף כר‬
.‫י חיי בו מיו מי ם‬

243. It was explained in the previous
discourse that the souls o f Israel possess
a far loftier source than Torah— for T o­
rah is rooted in “His Name,” while the
souls o f Israel are rooted in “HimselP
(see Forces in Creation, ibid.). (This
statement refers specifically to the level
o f Torah that is in the realm o f “revela-
tion”— see following footnote.)
244. I.e., this is a level o f Torah far be­
yond the Torah that we know, a level of
Torah that is beyond revelation. N one­
theless, through this “consummate” di­
vine service, even this level o f Torah can
be elicited. See above, footnote 235,
and Forces in Creation, p. 72 ff.
98 THE POWER OF RETURN

6.
CREATING WITH JUDGMENT
Now the statement of Midrash Rabbah will be understood:
“At first, G-d thought to create the world with the attribute
of j u d g m e n t . A l t h o u g h He is the source of mercy, He
nonetheless thought to create the world specifically with the
attribute o f judgment.
To explain: As is known, the ultimate purpose in creating
the world was because the Holy One, blessed be He, desired
to have an abode in the lower realms^^^; i.e., [He desired] that
the Essence of Ein 50/be elicited [and manifest] b e l o w . T h i s
is achieved through the decent of the G-dly soul into a body
and an animal soul, and through the subsequent service [of
G-d] with all your might—a yearning [for G ‫־‬d] that tran­
scends all reason and understanding, and the service of te-
shuvah—^which elicits the revelation of His blessed Essence
into the Torah and mitzvot that follow, as explained above.
Now, as was already elucidated above, such [exalted] di­
vine service can only be attained through the “left arm.”
Therefore, G-d at first thought to create the world [solely]
with the attribute of judgment, as divine service would then
have been carried out in this mode, engaging the very essence
and being of the soul.^‘*'’ Accordingly, this is the epitome of
goodness, since the intent is to bring one to a much greater
level of spiritual service. For spiritual service that is based on
the “right arm [that] draws close” involves only the external
facet and glimmer of the soul, and, in turn, elicits from on
High a revelation of a mere glimmer [of G-dliness]. This is
but a “stationary” mode o f divine service.”‫ ״‬Spiritual service

245. Bereshit Rabbah 12:15, cited at the
beginning o f our discourse. This M id­
rash was also cited in the first discourse
in this series. See Yom Tov Shel Rosh Ha-
shanah 5659, Discourse One, pp. 24-5.
246. This was questioned earlier, and in
Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah 5659, Dis­
course One, ibid.
247. Tanchuma, Naso 16; Shelah, Yoma,
Hilchot Teshuvah, chapter 8; cf. Avodat
Hakodesh, section 4, chapter 34; Tanya,
chapter 36.
‫‪TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY‬‬ ‫‪99‬‬

‫ו‪.‬‬

‫ש כ תו ב ב מ ד ר ש ר ב ה ב ת ח ל ה ע ל ה‬
‫‪T T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫•‬ ‫;‬ ‫•‬ ‫‪T -‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪: • :‬‬ ‫‪T V‬‬
‫ו מ ע ת ה יו בן מ ה‬
‫־־־‬ ‫־־י‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫"‬

‫? מזז ש ב ה ל ? רו א א ת ה עו ל ם ? מ ד ת ה דיו‪ ,‬ו ע ם היו תו ?וקור‬

‫ה דין‬ ‫ל ? רו א ? מ ד ת‬ ‫מ כ ל מ קו ם ע^יה ? מ ח ש ב ה‬ ‫ה ר ח מי ם‬
‫דוקא•‬
‫ן ה ע‪ 3‬ןן הו א‪ ,‬ך הנ ה ת ? לי ת ה ם כוון ? ? רי א ת העודים ן דו ע‬
‫ש הו א ל פי ^ נ ח א ו ו ה ה ק דו ש ב רו ך הי א ל חיו ת לו די ר ה‬
‫? ת ח תוני ם‪ ,‬היי נו ל ח ם שי ך ? חי נ ת ע ? מו ת אין סו ף ל מ ט ה כר‪.‬‬
‫וז הי ע ל י די י רי ד ת הן ש מ ה ? גו ף ת פ ש ה ? ח מי ת‪ ,‬ו ע ל י די‬
‫ה ע בו ד ה ב ב חי נ ת ו ב כ ל מ א ד ך‪ ,‬ש הו א ב חי נ ת ה ר צו א ש ל מ ע ל ה‬
‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫־‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T T‬‬ ‫‪V‬‬ ‫־־‬ ‫•‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪V‬‬ ‫‪ V‬י‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫־‬ ‫•‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪! T‬־‬

‫מ ט ע ם ו ד ע ת ו ע בו ד ה ד ת עזו ב ה‪ ,‬ש ע ל י די זה מק!שיך גי לוי‬

‫? חי נ ת ע צ מ ו תו י ת ב ר ך ? תו ר ה ו מ צו ת ש א ח ר כ ף כ ר כנז כ ר‬

‫ו ? ב ר נ ת ב א ר ל עי ל׳ ך ? ? די ל בו א ל ע בו ד ה הו א ע ל י די‬
‫? חי נ ת ^ מ א ל דו ק א כר‪ ,‬ו ע ל כן ע ל ה ? מ ח ש ב ה ל ? רו א א ת‬
‫ה עו ל ם ? מ ד ת ה דין‪ ,‬ש אז הן ה ה ע בו ד ה ? או פן כז ה ? ? חי נ ת‬
‫שן הי פ חי נ ת ת כ לי ת‬ ‫מ הו ת ו ע ע מו ת הן ש מ ה כר‪ .‬ןנ?ןצא‬
‫ה טו ב‪ ,‬ש ה כוונ ה הו א כ כ די ל בו א ל ע בו ד ה ע ליונ ה יו ת ר‪ .‬ד ע ל‬
‫י די ? חי נ ת ן מין ? ק ך ב ת ה ע בו ד ה הי א ר ק ? ? חי נ ת חי צו ני ו ת‬
‫ו ה א ר ת הן ‪ 5‬ש‪ ,‬ו מ ת שי ך מ ל מ ע ל ה גי לוי כ חי נ ת ה א ר ה ל ב ד‬
‫כר‪ ,‬שז הו ? חי נ ת עו ת די ם ל ב ד‪ .‬א ב ל ע ל י די ? חי נ ת קזמאל‪,‬‬

‫‪248. See Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah‬‬ ‫‪with the attribute o f judgment, this‬‬
‫‪5666, p. 3 (new ed., 2005, p. 5): “Just‬‬ ‫­‪would be the only attribute in man’s ex‬‬
‫‪as in the example o f a physical house,‬‬ ‫‪perience. Consequently, one’s divine‬‬
‫‪where a person’s entire essence dwells in‬‬ ‫‪service would invariably be in the mode‬‬
‫‪his house, similarly G -d’s intent in‬‬ ‫‪o f the “left arm [that] rebufft,” and‬‬
‫‪creating the world is that the Essence o f‬‬ ‫­‪would thus be o f an exalted level, en‬‬
‫­‪the Ein St^light be openly manifest be‬‬ ‫‪gaging the essence o f the soul.‬‬
‫”‪low.‬‬
‫‪250. See above, p. 74 ff., and footnotes‬‬
‫‪249. Had the world been created solely‬‬ ‫‪184 and 187.‬‬
100 THE POWER OF RETURN

that is based on “left arm,” however, engages the soul’s es­

sence, and thereby elicits the very Essence of Ein Sof.
This fulfills the divine intention of why the souls of Israel
are called “cup.”^’* It is through the cup that the owner of the
cup drinks.^” [In our context, this refers to the fact that] the
souls of Israel elicit additional light into Torah, due to the
eminence of their souls, as explained earlier.^’^ This is ac­
complished by the spiritual service that involves the head and
essence of the soul, through which the Essence of the blessed
Ein S o f is elicited. And attaining this level of service, which
involves the soul’s essence, requires the attribute of gevurah, as
explained above.
So had the world been created [solely] with the attribute
of judgment,”^ then the “conventional” divine service would
have been a yearning [for G-d] that transcends reason and un­
derstanding, characterized by a nullification of one’s entire es­
sence, like the sort of teshuvah discussed earlier—^which is a
very exalted level— and would have elicited the Essence of the
blessed Ein Sof.
ATTRIBUTE OF MERCY ESSENTIAL
[The Midrash continues:] “He saw, however, that the world
would not endure, so He combined...”
Teshuvah preceded the creation of the world, for in truth,
it is of a level that is beyond the w o r l d , [ m a r k e d by] space
and time. Such service requires a person to despise temporal
existence altogether, and attain a state of utter self­
nullification. The world, however, could not bear such in­
tensity.
Furthermore, judgment implies exactitude (for which rea­
son, the world is instilled with immense fear of G-d, as men-
tinned above^’*^), so teshuvah would be of no avail for sins and

251. This concept is mentioned at the
beginning o f this discourse. See also
Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah 5659, Dis­
course One, pp. 25-6; Forces in Creation,
p. 76 ff.
252. I.e., not only is a cup a vessel that
receives, it is also a transmitter, giving o f
its drink to the owner o f the cup.
253. As explained in the previous dis­
course, not only are the souls o f Israel
‫‪TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY‬‬ ‫‪101‬‬

‫ה ע ב‪ 1‬ך ה הי א ב ‪ 5‬ח י נ ת ע ע מו ת הנ ש מ ה; רמ?ןשיך ע ל י די ז ה‬

‫ע חי נ ת מ הו ת ה ע צ מו ת אין סו ף כר‪.‬‬

‫ו בז ה נ ש ל ם ה כוונ ה מ ה ש נ ש מו ת י ש ר א ל נ ק ר אי ם כו ס‪,‬‬
‫‪.‬‬ ‫; ‪TI‬‬ ‫•‬ ‫••‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫■‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪• V‬‬ ‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫;‬ ‫•‬ ‫‪V T‬‬

‫או רו ת‬ ‫תו ס פ ת‬ ‫ש מ ק שי כי ס‬ ‫ע ל ן דו‪,‬‬ ‫שו ת ה‬ ‫ש ב ע ל ה כו ם‬

‫ב תו ר ה מ צ ד מ ע ל ת נ ^ מ ת ם; ? מו שנ ת ב א ר ל עיל‪ .‬שן־הו ע ל‬
‫י די ה ע בו ד ה ב ב חי נ ת ראעז ו ע צ מו ת הנ ש מ ה‪ ,‬ש ע ל י די ז ה‬
‫‪V‬‬ ‫‪“ :‬‬ ‫“‬ ‫‪V‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫• ;‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫“‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫“‬ ‫■‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫־‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪: T‬־‬ ‫‪:‬‬

‫מ?;שיכים ב חי נ ת ע ע מו ת אין סו ף ב רו ך הו א כר‪ .‬ו ל בו א‬

‫ב חי נ ת‬ ‫ע ל י די‬ ‫ה? ש מ ה זהר‬ ‫ל ה ע בו ד ה ב ב חי נ ת ע ע מו ת‬
‫ה ג בו ר ה כ ר כנז כ ר ל עי ל‪.‬‬
‫־־‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫־ • ‪:‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪:‬‬ ‫־‬

‫ה ע בו ד ה‬
‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪ : T‬־‬
‫הי ה‬ ‫‪T T‬‬
‫ה דין‬
‫ן‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪-‬‬
‫במדת‬ ‫ה עו ל ם‬
‫‪T‬‬ ‫‪T‬‬
‫נברא‬ ‫• ‪T :‬‬
‫הי ה‬ ‫‪TT‬‬
‫ואם‬ ‫‪• :‬‬

‫ה ח מי די ת ב ב חי נ ת ך צו א ש ל מ ע ל ה מ ט ע ם ו ד ע ת‪ ,‬ב ב חינ ת‬
‫בי טו ל כ ל ע ע מו תו‪ ,‬ו ק מו ע^ין ה ח שו ב ה הנן כ ר ל עי ל‪ ,‬עזזהו‬
‫ב חינ ה ו מ ד רי ג ה ע ליונ ה מאיד כר‪ ,‬ו היו מ מ שי כי ם ב חי נ ת‬
‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪-‬‬ ‫‪. .‬ן‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬ך‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫‪.‬ך‬ ‫_‬ ‫‪T‬‬ ‫*‬ ‫‪t‬‬

‫ה עו ל ם‬ ‫ש אין‬ ‫ראה‬ ‫הו א כר‪.‬‬ ‫ב רו ך‬ ‫סו ף‬ ‫ך אין‬ ‫ה ע ע מו ת‬

‫ש הי א‬ ‫מ ה קוי ם קזי תוף כר‪ .‬ך הנ ה וא שובה ק ך מ ה ל עו ל ם‪,‬‬
‫ב א מ ת מ ך ר ע ה ש ל מ ע ל ה מ עו ל ם מ קו ם ון מן‪ ,‬ד ב ע בו ד ה זו‬
‫ל ג ב רי ו ל חיו ת ב ב חינ ת בי טו ל‬ ‫הז מן‬ ‫צ רי ך ל ט או ם ב חיי‬
‫ב ק צי או ת ל ג ב רי כר‪ ,‬ו אין ה עו ל ם ן כו ל ל ק ב ל ב חינ ה זו‬
‫כר‪.‬‬

‫וג ם‪ /‬ד ב ד ת ה דין הו א ל ד ק ד ק ביו ת ר )ךל כן מז ה ד חי לו‬

‫מו עי ל כ ל ל‬ ‫י תי ר נ ע ש ה ב עו ל ם בנז כ ר לעיל(‪ ,‬ו ל א הי ה‬

‫‪compared to “cups” in the sense that‬‬ ‫‪ed only through intense divine service,‬‬
‫‪they receive G-dly light from the Torah,‬‬ ‫)‪as our discourse now states.‬‬
‫‪they are also compared to “cups” in the‬‬
‫‪sense that they give to Torah, i.e., they‬‬ ‫‪254. As mentioned at the beginning o f‬‬
‫‪elicit a revelation o f G-d’s Essence and‬‬ ‫­‪the discourse (footnote 15), the attrib‬‬
‫­‪the dimension o f Torah that exists with‬‬ ‫‪ute o f judgment is associated with ge-‬‬
‫‪in His Essence. And they possess this‬‬ ‫‪vurah.‬‬
‫‪power precisely because they are rooted‬‬
‫‪255. Pesachim 54a.‬‬
‫‪in G-d’s Essence. See Forces in Creation,‬‬
‫‪p. 82 ff.‬‬ ‫‪256. See Zohar {Pinchas) 214b, cited‬‬
‫­‪(Nonetheless, this revelation is elicit‬‬ ‫‪above.‬‬
102 THE POWER OF RETURN

transgressions, G-d forbid.^^^ For the “conventional” divine

service of people would be like the service of [present-day] te-
shuvah, but for sins and transgressions, teshuvah would be of
no avail.” *
“So He combined it [the attribute of judgment] with the
attribute of mercy.” The benefit of “combining... the attrib­
ute of mercy” is that one’s spiritual service need not constant­
ly be specifically in the manner of with all your mightP^
(In the previous discourse, Yechayeinu, it was explained
that by practicing Torah and mitzvot with kabbalat 01^^ one
elicits G-d’s Essence.” ' It can be said that this is also because
of G-d “combining... the attribute of mercy”— for this fa­
cilitates that even divine service that is [merely] related to the
essence of the soul elicits G-d’s Essence.” ^
In addition, [the attribute of mercy is necessary] in order
to find a plausible plea and a justifying merit [on behalf of a
transgressor]. For example: I w ill not again [curse the ground
any more on account o f man], for the impulse [o f m an’s heart is
evilfrom his y o u t h ] G-d thus finds justification to acquit a
person when he repents.
Teshuvah is therefore termed pesher, “reconciliation,” as
stated in Midrash Rabbah, end of chapter 22: “I repented, and
was reconciled [with G-d].”^*^ Etymologically, the word pesher
is related to mayim poshrim, “lukewarm water,” where cold

257. Since the attribute o f judgment is in its exactitude.

exceedingly meticulous and exacting,
any level o f teshuvah would remain
wanting in the eyes o f G-d.
258. I.e., had the world been created
only with the attribute o f judgment, the
“conventional” divine service would be
marked by a yearning for G-d as intense
as the yearning o f present-day teshuvah.
This would be the standard, “normal”
mode o f divine service. But were one to
sin, no form o f teshuvah would be ef­
fective in attaining repentance for him,
as the attribute o f judgment is relendess
259. A program o f divine service that
combines various levels o f in-
tensity— sometimes experiencing the
love o f G-d with all your heart and with
all your soul, sometimes experiencing
the love o f G-d with all your might— is
something the world can bear.
260. Lit., “accepting upon oneself the
yoke [of Heaven].” This refers to a spir­
itual service in which one fulfills G-d’s
will in a completely submissive manner,
like a servant who is totally surrendered
TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY 103

‫ ד ה ע בו ד ה ה ת מי די ת הי ה‬.‫ ם‬1‫ת שו ב ה ע ל ח ט א ועוין ח ס ו ש ל‬

TT T “: T : T : ‫־‬ ‫״‬ T : ‫־‬ T :

‫ א ב ל ע ל ח ט א ו עוןי ל א הי ה מו עי ל‬,‫כ מו ע בו ד ת ה ת שו ב ה‬
‫־‬ T T T : : “ T ‫־‬: T : : :‫־‬ •“ ‫־‬

‫ ת שו ב ה כ ר‬. T :

‫ ש שי תו ף מ ד ת ה ר ס מי ם‬,‫)ילכן שי ת ף ע מו מ ד ת ה ר ח מי ם‬
‫מו עי ל ש ל א 'ב ת ימי דו ת צ רי כ ה ל היו ת ה ע בו ד ה ב מ ד רי ג ה זו‬
T : ‫ך‬. ‫ך‬. . . ‫ך‬. . . V *

•‫ד ל כ ל ח א ד ף דר?!א‬

‫ ך מ ה שנ ת ב א ר ל עי ל ב ך רו עז ה מ ת חי ל י חיי בו‬,‫)ולש לו מ ר‬
‫ש ע ל י די קיו ם תו ר ה ו מ ^ו ת ב ? חי נ ת ק ב ל ת עו ל מ ל כו ת‬
‫ ז הו ג ם כן ע ל י די ש שי ת ף‬, ‫ש מי ם מ מ שי כי ם ? חי ב ת ה ע י מ ו ת‬
‫ שז ה מו עי ל ל ה מקזיך ? חי ב ת ה ע ע מו ת ג ם‬,‫מ ד ת ה ר ח מי ם‬
.(‫ב ע בו ד ה ה עזייכ ה ל ע צ ם הנ ש מ ה כר‬
T T : ‫־‬ ‫־‬.‫ ־‬V : T T ‫־‬ ‫־‬ T ‫־‬: T

‫ו עו ד ז א ת ל מ צו א לו ט ענ ה ון כו ת ? מו ל א או סי ף כ ר כי‬
.‫ ו מ צ א א מ ת ל א לז כו תו כ עזי ע ש ה ת שו ב ה‬,‫י צ ר כר‬
T : V ‫־‬: ‫ ־‬V : ‫־‬ : T : ‫־‬ ‫־‬ T T V ••

‫ כ ך אי ת א מ מ ך ר ש ר ב ה סו ף‬,‫ו ל כן ה ת שו ב ה נ ק ר א פ ש ר‬
‫ פ ש ר הו א מ ל שון מי ם‬,‫פ ר ש ה כ״ ב ע שי תי ת שו ב ה ונ ת פ ש ר תי‬

to his master’s wishes. kabbalat 01 can elicit G-d’s Essence is

because o f G-d “com bining... the at­
261. See Forces in Creation, pp. 68-69. tribute o f mercy”— for the “exacting”
attribute o f judgment would dictate
262. It was explained in the previous that only teshuvah, which literally touch­
discourse that there are two types o f di­ es the very essence o f the soul, possesses
vine service that elicit a revelation o f G- the ability to elicit G-d’s Essence, and
d’s Essence: 1) The service o f teshuvah, not kabbalat 01, which is merely “re­
which touches the very core o f the soul; lated’ to the service that involves the es­
2) The service o f fiilfiUing Torah and sence o f the soul. It is only due to the
m itzvot with pure kabbalat 01, since kab- attribute o f mercy that even kabbalat 01
balat 01 is also “related to the suprara- has the ability to elicit G-d’s Essence.
tional service that involves the essence
o f the soul” (see Forces in Creation, p. 263. Genesis 8:21.
66 ff.).
Here, Rabhi Shalom DovBer adds 264. Bereshit Rabbah, 22:13.
that the only reason why the service o f
104 THE POWER OF RETURN

water is mixed with hot water. This is the same idea as com-
billing the attribute of mercy with the attribute judgment.
And it is through this that the world endures.“ ’
HAVAYA ELOKECHA: MERCY WITH JUDGMENT
Hence, Return, O Israel, to Havaya Elokecha.^®* The verse
mentions both Divine names, Havaya Elokecha, for the reason
why teshuvah is effective is because G-d combined the attrib­
ute of mercy with the attribute of judgment.^'’^ This is [why
the verse continues], for you have stumbled in your iniquity•!^^
Since there is sin, it is necessary to combine the attribute of
mercy.“ ■’
For teshuvah, per se, comes about through gevurah, [a
quality associated with] the name Elokim. Nevertheless,
through gemirah [alone], teshuvah would be powerless against
sin and transgression.^“ Accordingly, since you have stumbled
in your iniquity, and teshuvah is to make restitution for sin,
the teshuvah must come about through the two Divine names
of Havaya and Elokim— the attribute of mercy combined
with the attribute of judgment. By combining these two at­
tributes, teshuvah becomes effective in securing forgiveness for
transgressions. And it is through this that the world endures.

265. This is the meaning o f the last
phrase o f the Midrash’s parable, cited at
the beginning o f our discourse: “He
mixed the cold liquid with the hot liq­
uid, poured it into the cups, and they
remained intact.” See also Yom Tov Shel
Rosh Hashanah 5659, Discourse One, p.
24.
266. Hosea 14:2. This is the verse with
which our discourse opens.
267. As explained above, footnote 2, the
Divine name Havaya connotes the at­
tribute o f mercy, while Elokim connotes
the attribute o f judgment. The fact that
the verse mentions both names together
 '2 ^Z a jo in o o j puB ‘3A0qB 335 oZZ •uis jo j psqiJDssjd
53 ‫ז‬DUBju3d3J jBqi sno u .q o su133s 3 ‫ זג‬duis
puB v iv a v u ‘asjnoDsip ^q‫ ג‬j o SuiuuiSbq 3 tp v 1 pauoia
‘S31UBU 3uia| q q jo q S3A|0AUJ 33UBJU3d -s3nb SBM. asnBp SIq‫ ג‬j o j p39u siqj^ '89Z
-3j XqM JOJ U0SB3J B j3qjBj jn q ‘ju 3 d
-3J OJ p33u pjnOAV 3UO Xq/A JOJ UOSB3J •sgjnqjjj
B SuipjAOjd JOU SI 3SJ3A 3qj ‘ ' 3 ‫־‬j ‫־‬g q j -x e OMx 3s3qj JO uojjEuiquioD z sajcoipui

QUe!‫<«־‬.Q CU
li^tcu tiiA k di,.utu isttctu• U<:, lu
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iui^^kCU UM NU iUk lU C U4iGkU iUU/
li^kcu udx UU* (ijliiku L t M < J EiS1.Ctk‫׳‬
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ZttU Ul^^tCU mu Ait fcl(. tUfcCU UtCkLU' 4lUb‫א‬

1‫ ג‬6 ‫ א‬UU suc^a ^(.ubU gl.lt lIuDg*.□'

GL.lt Ui.UG<.G !:GL.U UL.<,1^ LUuCb C£LC<.1±^
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Uub ^LCU «4^ .1:>‫ א‬A l U. CL/ ti^GU £ 1 ‫ א‬C 4^GLU

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sk ^ u l M a i .i t SLcl t m d ' LUb‫ א‬TttU tob U gL.u ul.QG(.q

SOI AW1N3WWOD QNV NOIXVlSN\Til

 APPENDICES

N O LEFT SIDE IN ATIK

TH E FOUR W ORLDS
 109

APPENDIX 1
N O LEFT SIDE IN A T IK

hen G-dly energy descends from keter into chochmah, it

W divides into two; the entire structure of the sefirot is
divided in three, placing chochmah, chesed, netzach on the
right side, and binah, gevurah, hod on the left. (The unifying
force of each level or “pair”— daat, tiferet, yesod—is in the
center. See also Tikkunei Zohar, Intro.) “There is no ‘left side’
in atik” means that the essence of the light of keter is
undivided and is completely of the qualities of the “right
side”— chesed, i.e., “good,” “kind,” etc. In the inner part of
keter, atik, there is only one channel through which the G‫־‬dly
light descends. In truth, there is no “right side” either in atik,
for atik transcends the division into right and left. It is a place
from where the G-dly light flows, and in a surging manner.
Yet no severity results from this powerful force— only good.
Thus, to overcome the attribute of judgment and gevurah
there has to be an elevation to the inner part of keter (i.e.,
atik) which transcends the divisions of chesed and gevurah, for
the flow from there (i.e., from atik) is with the vigor of
A tzm ut— G-d’s Essence {Perush Hamilot, 80b; Or Hatorah,
Balak p. 953; Sefer Hamaamarim 5689, p. 33).
Since the left is associated with gevurah, severity, it also
denotes “severance” or “separation.” In atik however, where
there is no ‘left side,’ there are no individual levels or
differences {Torah Or, 72c).
110

APPENDIX 2
TH E FOUR W ORLDS

K abbalah and Chasidus explain the phenomenon of the

creation of a finite physical universe by an Infinite Crea­
tor with the concept of tzimtzum, contraction and conceal­
ment. G-d effected a series of concealments of His presence
and infinitude, resulting ultimately, in the creation of our
physical universe, through a virtually total concealment of
G-d. The non-corporeal intermediate steps between the Crea­
tor and this material world are called “worlds,” referring to
the basic levels of spiritual existence in the creative process.
The differentiation reflects their level of concealment of the
Divine Light, the higher worlds receiving in a more revealed
form.
In general, there are four worlds: A tzilut (World of Em­
anation - a state of proximity and relative unity with G-d);
Beriah (World of Creation); Yetzirah (World of Formation);
Asiyah (World of Action or Making—the final stage in the
creative process). The four worlds have been compared to the
elements inherent to building a house. Four stages are nec­
essary: 1) A general idea, as yet undefined; 2) A definite idea
of the house in one’s mind, 3) The architectural plan or de­
sign; 4) The actual building of the house {Tanya, Bi-Lingual
Edition, (Kehot, 1998), p. 343 footnote 3; p. 844).
“Higher” (or “supernal”) and “lower” refer to stages closer
or more distant from the Creator, with a greater or lesser
awareness of Him (not, of course, implying physical distance).
Lower worlds appear to be independent entities apart from
the Creator.
Through the performance of mitzvot and subordination
of the physical world to the Divine purpose, all Worlds are el­
evated, and experience a clearer apprehension of G-d. See
Mystical Concepts in Chassidism, ch. 2 {Tzimtzum) and ch. 4
{Worlds)■, The Four Worlds (Kehot, 2003).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 113

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aruch: Famous Talmudic dictionary, authored by Rabbi Nat-

tan, Head of an Academy in Rome (d. 1106).
Avoda Zara: Talmudic tractate discussing the subject of idol­
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Avodat Hakodesh: The author of this work. Rabbi Meir ibn
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Bava Batra: Talmudic tractate discussing Talmudic tractate
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Bava Kama: Talmudic tractate discussing the laws of damages
to property and belongings.
Berachot: Talmudic tractate discussing the laws of blessings.
Bereshit Rabbah: See Midrash Rabbah.
Beshaah Shehikdimu 5672: Series of discourses delivered by
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opening words.
114 THE POWER OF RETURN

Chagigah: Talmudic tractate discussing festival sacrifices in

the Beit Hamikdash.
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Forces in Creation: English translation of Yechayenu Miy-

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Ibn Ezra: Commentary on Scripture by R. Avraham Ibn Ezra
(1080-1164) of Spain, expert grammarian, philosopher,
astronomer, mathematician, doctor and poet.
Idra Rabbah; Idra Zutta (pi. Idrot): At times, when R. Shim­
on bar Yochai would teach his disciples, they would sit in a
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these sittings, ten of R. Shimon’s students would attend;
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BIBLIOGRAPHY 115

taught at these sessions are termed Idra Rabbah {Zohar

III:127b‫־‬l45a) 3x16. IdraZutta {Zohar \W\2S7h-296h).
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Kohelet Rabbah: See Midrash Rabbah.
Likkutei Sichot: Edited talks by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rab­
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Likkutei Torah: Kabbalistic work on Scripture by R. Isaac
Luria, known as the Arizal.
Likkutei Torah: A collection of discourses elucidating major
themes of the weekly Torah portion and festivals ac­
cording to Chasidic philosophy, by R. Schneur Zalman of
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Maamarei Admur Hazaken 5562: Discourses delivered by
Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi during the year 5562
(1801-2).
Maharal: Acronym for Morenu Harav Rabbi [Yehudah]
Loew, “O ur Teacher Rabbi Loew” (1512-1609), im­
portant Talmudic scholar, Jewish mystic and philosopher
who served as chief rabbi of Prague for most of his life.
Malbim: Acronym for Meir Leib ben Yechiel Michel (1809­
1879), chief rabbi of Romania, author of a commentary
on Scripture named Hatorah VeHamitzvah.
116 THE POWER OF RETURN

Menachot: Talmudic tractate discussing the meal-oflFerings in

the Beit Hamikdash.
Meor Einayim: Chasidic discourses on the Torah by R. Men-
achem Nachum of Chernobyl (1730-1797).
Meorei Or; Kabbalistic work on the Names of G-d by R.
Meir Popporos (1624-1662), one of the important Kab-
balists in the circle of the Arizal. He is best known for ar­
ranging and publishing R. Chaim Vital’s manuscripts of
the Arizal’s teachings.
Metzudot: Commentary on the Prophets and the Writings
begun by R. David Altschuler and completed by his son
R. Yechiel Hillel (18th Century), based in general on the
commentaries of Rashi, Radak and Ibn Ezra.
Midrash Rabbah: A major collection of homilies and com­
mentaries on the Torah, attributed to R. Oshaya Rabbah
(circa. 3rd century); some place it as a work of the early
Gaonic period (circa. 7th-10th century).
Mishnah; The Oral Law, divided into six Sedarim {Shas),
compiled by R. Yehudah Hanassi (c. 150 c.e.).
Moed Katan: Talmudic tractate discussing the laws of Choi
Hamoed, the intermediary days of Pesach and Sukkot.
Moshe Cordovero, R.: Known by the acrostic Ramak, 1522­
1570. Leader of a prominent Kabbalistic school in Safed;
author of Pardes Rimonim, Elima Rabbati, Shtur Komah,
Or N e’erav, and many other works. Ramak is regarded as
one of the most important and lucid expositors and sys-
tematists of Jewish Mysticism.
Mystical Concepts in Chasidism: Guide to the intricate con­
cepts of Jewish mysticism found in Chabad Chasidic
philosophy. Authored by Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet
(Kehot, 1988).
Nechmad Vena’im: Astronomical work by R. David Ganz
(1541-1613), celebrated astronomer, geometrician and
historian, disciple of Maharal of Prague (Yasnitz, 1743).
BIBLIOGRAPHY 117

N urturing Faith: English translation of the maamar Ve’atah

Tetzaveh 5741, the last discourse distributed by R. Men-
achem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published
in Hebrew as Kuntres Purim Katmn 5752 (Kehot, 2005).
O r Hatorah: Chasidic discourses and commentary on the To­
rah. Prophets, Writings,. Talmud, Prayer and mis­
cellaneous topics by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneer-
sohn, third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the “Tzemach Tzedek”;
forty-one volumes (Kehot).
Pardes (Pardes Rimonim): Kabbalistic work by R. Moshe
Cordovero (Ramak) of Safed (1522-1570), leader of a
prominent Kabbalistic school in Safed. See Moshe Cor-
dovero, R.
Patach Eliyahu: Opening discourse of Tikkunei Zohar. See
Tikkunei Zohar.
Perush Hamilot: Chasidic elucidations by R. DovBer, the
second Lubavitcher Rebbe, on Seder Tefillot M ikol Ha-
shanah, a work authored by his father, R. Schneur Zal­
man of Liadi, containing explanations on portions of the
Shabbat and weekday prayers. Warsaw, 1867; Shanghai,
1946; Brooklyn, NY, 1993.
Pesachim: Talmudic tractate discussing the festival of Pass­
over.
Pirkei d’Rahbi Eliezer: Midrash authored by the second cen­
tury Mishnaic S ^ e, R. Eliezer ben Horkenus, also known
as R. Eliezer Hagadol (“the great”). “The earliest of all
Tannaic treatises, revealed and famous in the era of our au­
thoritative rabbis and mystical Kabbalists, the Rishonim,
who used and benefited from its light” (— from the title
page).
Ramaz: Acronym for R. Moshe Zacuto (Amsterdam, 1625-
Venice, 1697). A famous rabbi and Kabbalist, he au­
thored many works, including a commentary on the Zo-
har, printed in most editions.
118 THE POWER OF RETURN

Rambam: Acronym for Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1135­

1204), also known as Maimonides. Author of the Mishneh
Torah, a phenomenal redaction of the entire Talmud, he is
regarded as one of Judaism’s foremost Torah authorities.
Ramban: Acronym for R. Moshe ben Nachman (Nach-
manides), Kabbalist and author (1194-1270). He com­
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Talmud, Milchamot Hashem, Sefer Hagemul, Sefer Ha-
geulah and Sefer Havikuach.
Rashi: Acronym for R. Shlomo Yitzchaki (“son of Yitzchak”)
of Troyes, France and Worms, Germany (1040-1105).
Foremost commentator on the Torah and Talmud, his
commentary is printed in practically all editions of the
Torah and Talmud, and is the subject of some two hun­
dred commentators.
Reshit Chochmah; Classic ethical work by R. Eliyahu de Vi­
das, disciple of R. Moshe Cordovero; completed in 1575.
Rosh Hashanah: Talmudic tractate discussing the laws of the
Rosh Hashanah festival and the Jewish calendar.
Sanhedrin: Talmudic tractate discussing court justice and/or
the Supreme Court in ancient Israel, consisting o f 71
members.
Seder Tefillot Mikol Hashanah: Lit., “The Order of the
Prayers of the Entire Year.” Also known as Siddur Im
Dach (Siddur with Chasidus). Prayer book containing ml-
ings and Chasidic discourses pertaining to the prayers by
Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi.
Sefer H a’arachim: Encyclopedia of a number of topics dis­
cussed in Chasidus, gathered from the writings of seven
generations of Chabad Rebbes (Kehot).
Sefer Hachakirah: Also known as Derech Emunah, this work
is a discussion on the creation of the world according to
philosophy. Kabbalah and Chasidus, by R. Menachem
Mendel of Lubavitch, the “Tzemach Tzedek.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY 119

Sefer Hachinuch: Anonymous work on the 613 mitzvot, fol­

lowing their order in the Torah, believed to be authored
by R. Aharon of Barcelona. Venice, 1523.
Sefer Halikkutim: Collection of concepts explained in Cha-
sidic teachings, culled from the works by R. Menachem
Mendel of Lubavitch, the “Tzemach Tzedek.” Arranged
in alef-beit form, it also contains references to the works
of the other Chabad Rebbes for the respective topics.
Twenty-two volumes.
Sefer Hamaamarim Melukat: Chasidic discourses delivered
and edited by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem
M. Schneerson, from 5711 to 5752 (1951-1992). Sixvol-
umes (Kehot, 1987-1992).
Sefer Hamaamarim 5656: Chasidic discourses delivered by
Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneersohn, fifth Lubavitcher
Rebbe, during the year 5656 (18956‫)־‬.
Sefer Hamaamarim 5658: Chasidic discourses delivered by
Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneersohn, fifidh Lubavitcher
Rebbe, during the year 5658 (1897-8).
Sefer Hamaamarim 5659: Chasidic discourses delivered by
Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneersohn, fifth Lubavitcher
Rebbe, during the year 5659 (1898-9).
Sefer Hamaamarim 5689: Chasidic discourses delivered by
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, sixth Lubavitcher
Rebbe, during the year 5689 (1928-9).
Sefer Hamaamarim 5697: Chasidic discourses delivered by
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, sixth Lubavitcher
Rebbe, during the year 5697 (1936-7).
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of the eight She’arim (“Gates”) collectively known as Eitz
Chaim by R. Chaim Vital. See E itz Chaim.
Shaar Hayichud Veha’emunah: Second part of Tanya‫׳‬, ex­
plores the doctrines of Divine Unity, Providence and
faith. Twelve chapters.
120 THE POWER OF RETURN

Shabbat: Talmudic tractate discussing the laws of Shabbat.

Sbelab: A monumental work by Rabbi Yeshayab Horowitz,
(1558-1628), chief rabbi of Prague. Also known by its ac­
ronym, Shekh, it contains explanations and commentaries
on the profound aspects of the Torah, mitzvot, the fes-
rivals, Jewish customs and the fundamental beliefs of Ju­
daism, including basic instruction in Kabbalah. First pub­
lished in Amsterdam, 1648.
Shemot Rabbah: See Midrash Rabbah.
Sifira Detzeniyuta: Lit., “Book of Concealed Matters.” Classic
Kabbalistic work, found in Zohar II:176b-179a.
Sotah: Talmudic tractate discussing the Sotah (woman who is
suspected of being unfaithful to her husband).
Talmud: The embodiment of the Oral Law. Following the
codification of the Mishnah by R. Yehudah Hanassi, c.
150 c.e., later discussions, known as the Talmud, were re­
dacted in two parts. The more popular Babylonian Tal­
mud was compiled by Rav Ashi and Ravina (about the
end of the 5th century, c.e.). The Jerusalem Talmud was
compiled by R. Yochanan bar Nappacha (about the end
of the 3rd century, c.e.).
Tanchuma: Early Midrash on the Torah, attributed to R.
Tanchuma bar Abba. Constantinople, 1522.
Tanya: Famous philosophical work by R. Schneur Zalman of
Liadi, in which the principles of Chabad are expounded.
Also called Likuttei Amarim.
Tikkunei Zohar: Seventy chapters on the first word of the
Torah, by the school of R. Shimon bar Yochai (circa. 120
c.e.). First printed in Mantua in 1558, Tikkunei Zohar
contains some of the most important discussions in Kab­
balah, and is essential for understanding the Zohar.
Tiferet Yisrael: Discourses discussing the value of Torah and
mitzvot, by R. Yehudah Loew (Maharal) of Prague. See
Maharal.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 121

Torah Or: A collection of discourses elucidating major

themes of the weekly Torah portion and festivals ac­
cording to Chasidic philosophy, by R. Schneur Zalman of
Liadi. Kopust, 1837; Brooklyn, NY, 1955; 1991.
Torat Chaim: A collection of discourses elucidating, at great
length, major themes of the weekly Torah portions of
Genesis and Exodus, as well as the festivals during this pe­
riod, according to Chasidic philosophy, by R. DovBer,
second Lubavitcher Rebbe. Kopust, 1826; Shanghai,
1946; Brooklyn, NY, 1993; 2003.
Tosfot: A dialectic commentary on the Talmud, generally
printed opposite the commentary of Rashi, largely the
product of Rashi’s students and grandsons (circa. 1100­
1171).
Vekacha 5637: Series of discourses delivered by Rabbi
Shmuel Schneersohn, fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe, during
the year 5637 (1877), named for its opening word.
Y’feh T o’ar: Commentary on Midrash Rabbah by R. Shmuel
Yaffe Ashkenazi (c. 1525-1595), rabbi in Istanbul.
Yechayenu Miyomayim (5659): Discourse delivered by Rab­
bi Shalom DovBer Schneersohn, fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe,
on Rosh Hashanah 5659 (1898).
Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah 5659: Discourse delivered by
Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneersohn, fifth Lubavitcher
Rebbe, on Rosh Hashanah 5659 (1898).
Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah 5666: Series of discourses de­
livered by Rabbi Shalom DovBer Schneersohn, fifth Lu-
bavitcher Rebbe, during the years 5666-7 (1905-7),
named for its opening words.
Yoma: Talmudic tractate primarily discussing the laws of
Yom Kippur.
Zohar: Basic work of Kabbalah; compiled by R. Shimon Bar
Yochai (2nd century Mishnaic sage); written in Hebrew
and Aramaic as a commentary on the Torah.
 O THER TITLES IN
TH E CHASIDIC HERITAGE SERIES
THE ETERNAL BOND from Torah Or
By Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi
Translated by Rabbi Ari Sollish
This discourse explores the spiritual significance of brit milah, ana­
lyzing two dimensions in which our connection with G‫־‬d may be
realized. For in truth, there are two forms of spiritual circumcision:
Initially, man must “circumcise his heart,” freeing himself to the
best of his ability from his negative, physical drives; ultimately,
though, it is G-d who truly liberates man from his material attach­
ment.

JOURNEY OF THE SOUL from Torah Or

By Rabbi Schneur 2^man of Liadi
Translated by Rabbi Ari Sollish
Drawing upon the parallel between Queen Esther’s impassioned
plea to King Ahasuerus for salvation and the soul’s entreaty to G-d
for help in its spiritual struggle, this discourse examines the root of
the soul’s exile, and the dynamics by which it lifts itself from the
grip of materiality and ultimately finds a voice with which to
express its G-dly yearnings. Includes a brief biography of the
author.

TRANSFORMING THE INNER SELF fromukkutei Torah

By Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi
Translated by Rabbi Chaim Zev Citron
This discourse presents a modern-day perspective on the Biblical
command to offer animal sacrifices. Rabbi Schneur Zalman teach­
es that each of us possesses certain character traits that can be seen
as “animalistic,” or materialistic, in nature, which can lead a person
toward a life of material indulgence. Our charge, then, is to “sacri­
fice” and transform the animal within, to refine our animal traits
and utilize them in our pursuit of spiritual perfection.
FLAMES from Gates o f Radiance
By Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch
Translated by Dr. Naftoli LoewenthaJ
This discourse focuses on the multiple images of the lamp, the oil,
the wick and the different hues of the flame in order to express pro­
found guidance in the divine service of every individual. Although
Flames is a Chanukah discourse, at the same time, it presents con­
cepts that are of perennial significance. Includes the first English
biography of the author ever published.

THE MITZVAH TO LOVE YOUR FELLOW AS YOUR­

SELF from Derech Mitzvotecha
By Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, the Tzemach Tzedek
Translated by Rabbis Nissan Mangel and Zalman Posner
The discourse discusses the Kabbalistic principle of the “collective
soul of the world of Tikkun and explores the essential unity of all
souls. The discourse develops the idea that when we connect on a
soul level, we can love our fellow as we love ourselves; for in truth,
we are all one soul. Includes a brief biography of the author.

TRUE EXISTENCE M i Chamocha 5629

By Rabbi Shmuel of Lubavitch
Translated by Rabbis Yosef Marcus and Avraham D. Vaisfiche
This discourse revolutionizes the age-old notion of Monotheism,
i.e., that there is no other god besides Him. Culling from Talmudic
and Midrashic sources, the discourse makes the case that not only
is there no other god besides Him, there is nothing besides Him-—
literally. The only thing that truly exists is G-d. Includes a brief
biography of the author.
TRUE EXISTENCE The Chasidic View o f Reality
A Video-CD with Rabbi Manis Friedman
Venture beyond science and Kabbalah and discover the world of
Chasidism. This Video-CD takes the viewer step-by-step through
the basic chasidic and kabbalistic view of creation and existence. In
clear, lucid langus^e. Rabbi Manis Friedman deciphers these eso­
teric concepts and demonstrates their modern-day applications.

YOM TOV SHEL ROSH HASHANAH 5659

Discourse One
By Rabbi Shalom DovBcr of Lubavitch
Translated by Rabbis Yosef Marcus and Moshe Miller
The discourse explores the attribute of malchut and the power of
speech while introducing some of the basic concepts of Chasidism
and Kabbalah in a relatively easy to follow format. Despite its title
and date of inception, the discourse is germane throughout the
year. Includes a brief biography of the author.

FORCES IN CREATION
Yom Tov Shel Rosh Hashanah 5659 Discourse Two
By Rabbi Shalom DovBer of Lubavitch
Translated by Rabbis Moshe Miller and Shmuel Marcus
This is a fascinating journey beyond the terrestrial, into the myriad
spiritual realms that shape our existence. In this discourse. Rabbi
Shalom DovBer systematically traces the origins of earth, Torah and
souls, drawing the reader higher and higher into the mystical, cos­
mic dimensions that lie beyond the here and now, and granting a
deeper awareness of who we are at our core.
THE PRINCIPLES OF
EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE
Klalei Hachinuch Vehahadrachah
By Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch
Translated by Rabbi Y. Eliezer Danzinger
The Principles of Education and Guidance is a compelling treatise
that examines the art of educating. In this thought provoking analy­
sis, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak teaches how to assess the potential of any
pupil, how to objectively evaluate one’s own strengths, and how to
successfully use reward and punishment—methods that will help
one become a more effective educator.

THE FOUR WORLDS

By Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch
Translated by Rabbis Yosef Marcus and Avraham D. Vaisfiche
Overview by Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet
At the core of our identity is the desire to be one with our source,
and to know the spiritual realities that give our physical life the
transcendental importance of the Torah’s imperatives. In this letter
to a yearning Chasid, the Rebbe explains the mystical worlds of
Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzira, and Asiya.

ONENESS IN CREATION
By Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch
Translated by Rabbi Y. Eliezer Danzinger
Said by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak at the close of his 1930 visit to
Chicago, this discourse explores the concept of Divine Unity as
expressed in the first verse of the Shema. The discourse maintains
that it is a G-dly force that perpetually sustains all of creation. As
such, G-d is one with creation. And it is our study ofTorah and per­
formance of the mitzvot that reveals this essential oneness.
GARMENTS OF THE SOUL Vayishlach Yehoshua 5736
By Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Translated by Rabbi Yosef Marcus
Often what is perceived in this world as secondary is in reality most
sublime. "What appears to be mundane and inconsequential is often
most sacred and crucial. Thus at their source, the garments of the
human, both physical and spiritual, transcend the individual.

THE UNBREAKABLE SOUL Mayim Rabbim 5738

By Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Translated by Rabbi Ari Sollish
The discourse begins with an unequivocal declaration: No matter
how much one may be inundated with materialism, the flame of
the soul burns forever. This discourse speaks to one who finds pleas­
ure in the material world, yet struggles to find spirituality in his or
her life.

ON THE ESSENCE OF CHASIDUS

Kunteres Inyana Shel Toros Hachasidus
By Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe
In this landmark discourse, the Lubavitcher Rebhe, Rahbi
Menachem M. Schneerson, explores the contribution of Chasidus
to a far deeper and expanded understanding of Torah. The Rebhe
analyzes the relationship Chasidus has with Kabhalah, the various
dimensions of the soul, the concept of Moshiach and the Divine
attributes—all in this slim volume.
NURTURING FAITH
By Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Translated by Rabbi Yosef Marcus
At its core, this discourse discusses the function of a nassi, a Jewish
leader, who awakens within every single person the deepest part of
the soul. Similar to Moses, the nassi inspires the person so that ones
most basic faith in G‫־‬d leaves the realm of the abstract and becomes
real. Nurturing Faith will cultivate your bond with the Rebbe's role
as the Moses of our generation.
 T h e r e a r e m a n y im p o r t a n t m a n u s c r ip t s
THAT ARE READY TO GO TO PRESS, BUT ARE
WAITING FOR A SPONSOR LIKE YOU.

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 C O M IN G SO O N !

KUNTRES UMAYAN
By Rabbi Shalom DovBcr o f Lubavitch
Translated by Rabbi Zalman I. Posner

MITZVAT NER CHANUKAH 5738

By Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Translated by Rabbi Yosef Marcus

HACHODESH 5700
By Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch
Translated by Rabbi Yosef Marcus
‫‪TH E C H A SID IC HERITAGE SERIES‬‬

‫‪Yom T ov Shel R osh H ashanah‬‬

‫‪- 5659 -‬‬

‫‪DEDICATED BY‬‬

‫‪T h e B eN'O n i Family‬‬

‫נדפס לזכות‬

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‫יוכבד לאה בת ברכה ליפשה‬
‫יונתן אהרן בן יוכבד לאה‬
‫איתמר ישראל בן יוכבד לאה‬
 ‫לעילוי נשמת‬
‫הוו״ח אי״א נו״נ עוסק בצ״צ כו׳‬
‫ר׳ רפאל שמואל תנחום‬
‫ז״ל‬ ‫בן מו״ה ר׳ משה‬
‫שוחאט‬

‫נפטר כ״ג מנחם אב ה׳תשס״ה‬

‫ת‪ .‬נ‪ .‬צ‪ .‬ב‪ .‬ה‪.‬‬

‫ולזכות יוצאי חלציו ומשפחתו שיחיו‬