וְהִנֵּה מוּדַעַת זֹאת מַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל, שֶׁתַּכְלִית בְּרִיאַת עוֹלָם הַזֶּה הוּא שֶׁנִּתְאַוָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִהְיוֹת לוֹ דִּירָה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים.

There is a well-known statement of our Rabbis that the purpose of the creation of this world is because the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have an abode in the lower worlds. It is told that the author of the Tanya was once asked about the purpose of the creation of this world. He answered with this statement regarding God desiring a dwelling in the lower realms, and then added, "But one does not question the existence of a desire!" Though given humorously, this answer is quite true. It penetrates the essence of the answers given by the greatest philosophers, who didn't elaborate about the purpose of the creation of the world.

וְהִנֵּה לֹא שַׁיָּיךְ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּחִינַת מַעְלָה וּמַטָּה,

Now, the concepts of "higher" and "lower" are not applicable to God, In order to understand the concept of a "dwelling place in the lower worlds," it is necessary to first explain the concepts of higher and lower relative to God, so as to avoid the impression that God exists in some upper level versus a lower one. In relation to God, it is clearly impossible that concepts of up and down are meant to be understood spatially or geographically. To do so is absurd, as His existence is utterly beyond the constraints of time and space.

כִּי הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ מְמַלֵּא כָּל עָלְמִין בְּשָׁוֶה.

because He permeates all worlds equally. Relative to God, it is impossible to use concepts of higher and lower, not only in a spatial sense, but even on a more abstract level. The higher, spiritual worlds are distinct from the lower, physical worlds not in the physical sense, as they are not physical, but rather in terms of spiritual levels. The higher worlds are suffused with a greater divine illumination, since, in contrast to the lower worlds, there are fewer interposing "garments" and veils, as explained in chapter 46 below. Therefore, the author of the Tanya states that God permeates all the worlds equally, unfettered by distinctions of spiritual levels. Accordingly, the statement of our Sages regarding "a dwelling place in the lower worlds" perforce must bear a different meaning, as will be explained.

אֶלָּא בֵּיאוּר הָעִנְיָן, כִּי קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם הָיָה הוּא לְבַדּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ יָחִיד וּמְיוּחָד, וּמְמַלֵּא כָּל הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה, שֶׁבָּרָא בּוֹ הָעוֹלָם,

Rather, the explanation of the matter is that before the world was created God was alone, completely one, permeating this entire space in which He created the world. Prior to the creation of the world there was no other existence besides God. He was completely one in the sense that there was nothing added to His own essential being. The expression "permeating this entire space" is to be understood in its broadest sense, as "the space of the world" that God carved out within the constriction in which He created the world. The creation of the world took place within a space that is ostensibly void of God's presence. From this perspective, before the world was created, God alone existed, with no limits or constraints. No other entity was present outside of God; not even the most infinitesimal speck of otherness existed beyond His being. It is thus impossible to speak of space existing as a geographic location or even an abstract dimension before the creation of the world. It is only possible to speak of the Source from which space and the world were subsequently created. In this sense, before there was a world, God was the "place of the world."

וְגַם עַתָּה כֵּן הוּא לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ,

Now too, after the creation of the world, it is the same from God's perspective, The truth of the matter is that the existence or non-existence of the world effects no change in God, as we say in the morning prayers, "You are as You were before the world was created, and You are as You were after it was created." From God's perspective, He alone is present throughout all existence, both before and after the creation of the world. Relating to the world and God as distinct entities, or the very notion of the existence of the world, its being created, and the way it operates, is a perspective not shared by God, as will be explained.

רַק שֶׁהַשִּׁינּוּי הוּא אֶל הַמְקַבְּלִים חַיּוּתוֹ וְאוֹרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ,

the change is only in relation to those who receive God's life force and light, While the creation of the world effects no change in God, as mentioned, with respect to created beings the creation of the world is the most significant change, as it is the absolute inception of their existence. The relationship between the Creator and created beings is not at all mutual. That which is true for one side is not true for the other, and that which appears to be the bedrock of existence for created beings is not at all existence from God's vantage point. The veil interposing between the Creator and creations, between God and those receiving His life force and light, is regarded as an obstruction and concealment for only one side, while for the other side it does not exist at all. Consider, for example, a one-way mirror. One side is reflective while the other is transparent. One peering into the reflective side sees himself and the entire world around him reflected in the glass, whereas one who looks through the other side sees nothing. From the latter's standpoint there is no obstruction, only transparent glass that conceals nothing and that constitutes no existence vis-à-vis the person looking.

שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִים עַל יְדֵי לְבוּשִׁים רַבִּים הַמְּכַסִּים וּמַסְתִּירִים אוֹרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ,

which they receive by means of many garments that cover and conceal God's light, Created beings do not receive God's light and life force directly, but only when the latter are enclothed in many spiritual garments, layer upon layer. Like physical clothing, these garments conceal the utterly profound divine influence while simultaneously allowing it to be transmitted beyond the divine existence, as it were, into our lower worlds. Were the divine illumination to shine directly upon the created beings without any garment or concealment, these beings would cease to exist as created beings.

כְּדִכְתִיב: "כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי" (שמות לג, כ), וְכִדְפֵירְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל: שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ מַלְאָכִים הַנִּקְרָאִים חַיּוֹת אֵין רוֹאִין כו'.

as it is written: "For no man shall see Me and live [ vaḥay ]" (Ex. 33:20), and as our Rabbis explained, that even angels that are called ḥayot do not see, and so forth. This verse is commonly understood as expressing that a person cannot see the Divine and remain alive. But our Sages explain it differently: No man and no living being (ḥai ) shall see Me. Included within "living being" are the seraphim, ophanim, and ḥayot hakodesh angels. This verse teaches that God's true essence cannot be perceived, not only by man, who is a soul in a corporeal body, covered by and concealed within a physical makeup, but even the angels, who possess no physical body that obstructs the spiritual, and who stand in the higher worlds where the existence of God's presence is clear, are unable to perceive His essence.

וְזֶהוּ עִנְיַן הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת וִירִידָתָם מִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה עַל יְדֵי רִיבּוּי הַלְּבוּשִׁים הַמַּסְתִּירִים הָאוֹר וְהַחַיּוּת שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ יִתְבָּרַךְ,

This is the concept of the unfolding succession of the worlds and their descent, level by level, by means of the many garments that conceal the light and life force that emanate from God, The "unfolding succession of the worlds" refers to the descent of God's light through the worlds and the manner in which one influences the next, level after level. What is this process of descending levels, of a lower world emanating from an upper world? A lower world, existing on a lower level, means greater concealment of the Creator from the created beings. In this sense, the distinction between the worlds, like the distinction between levels or people, lies in the number of veils that separate them from God. What defines a particular world's level is the extent to which God's existence is apprehended therein. The more obscure God is, the lower the world. Consequently, the progressive descent of the worlds does not come about through the penetration of divine light into each respective level of existence. To the contrary, it is a concealment of divine light, concealment upon concealment, level after level, world after world.

עַד שֶׁנִּבְרָא עוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַגַּשְׁמִי וְהַחוֹמְרִי מַמָּשׁ.

until the actual physical, material world was created. A careful reading yields three distinct terms the author of the Tanya uses in describing this world: "physical," "material," and "actual." These depict three specific levels, each below the one preceding it. "Physical" refers to a quantifiable world, with all elements therein being subject to some degree of measurement. Yet it is possible for something quantifiable to not be material, such as in mathematics, for example, and so the author adds that our world is also "material." However, materiality can also be perceived in a manner not directly physical, e.g., visually, auditorily, and cognitively. The author therefore emphasizes that this world is "actual" (in Hebrew, mamash ). The most basic denotation of the term mamash is something which can be touched. Our world is so low, so physical and material, that the determining factor as to its existence is ultimately confirmed through the sense of touch. The nuanced definitions regarding this world and the emphasis placed on them have important ramifications for us, since we are part of this "actual physical, material world." We are complex creatures, possessing lofty and spiritual elements that exceed the bounds of this world. Yet the awareness we attain on each rung on the spiritual ladder we scale necessarily receives its input and makeup through the lens of the material aspects within us. Man's core struggle to elevate his being is therefore also the struggle to extricate himself from these constraints. He struggles to rid himself of the material perceptions of existence, of physical images, and dependence on his sense of touch. For man, the above-mentioned definitions are more than a mere description of the world; they are meant to illuminate his path by which to push beyond this-worldly limitations and attach himself to the Divine.

וְהוּא הַתַּחְתּוֹן בְּמַדְרֵגָה שֶׁאֵין תַּחְתּוֹן לְמַטָּה מִמֶּנּוּ בְּעִנְיַן הֶסְתֵּר אוֹרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְחֹשֶׁךְ כָּפוּל וּמְכוּפָּל,

This world is the bottommost level, beneath which there is none lower vis-à-vis the concealment of God's light and a doubly reinforced darkness, Our world is considered the lowest world, because it is the realm in which the Divine is concealed to the greatest degree. It is the place in which the darkness is doubly powerful and the divine light is not at all revealed. (More accurately, our world broadly speaking is the lowest world vis-à-vis the concealment of the divine light, though it can still be revealed. It is the lowest world that can yet be elevated.)

עַד שֶׁהוּא מָלֵא קְלִיפּוֹת וְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, שֶׁהֵן נֶגֶד ה' מַמָּשׁ לוֹמַר: "אֲנִי וְאַפְסִי עוֹד" (צפניה ב, טו).

to the extent that it is rife with kelippot and the sitra aḥara , which are literally antithetical to God, declaring: "I and nothing but me" (Zeph. 2:15). The sitra aḥara, the other side, can exist and operate only when God is concealed. In our world, that concealment is so dense that the kelippot not only exist as an additional reality, ancillary to God's existence, but they are utterly antithetical to Him, proclaiming their exclusive existence. The darkness enshrouding our world, the lowest of all realms, is so powerful that it professes to be light. It is a world in which the created beings, mere shadows and shadows of shadows, claim to exist as independent beings, even going so far as to repudiate the existence of all else, including God. Thus far, the author of the Tanya has explained, to a certain degree, the concepts of "higher" and "lower" relative to God. When it is said of God that He is not present in the lower realms, it means He is not readily exposed within them. The author will now proceed to explain the purpose of the progressive descent of creation, from the most sublime realms to the lower worlds.

וְהִנֵּה תַּכְלִית הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת וִירִידָתָם מִמַּדְרֵגָה לְמַדְרֵגָה אֵינוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל עוֹלָמוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, הוֹאִיל וְלָהֶם יְרִידָה מֵאוֹר פָּנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ.

The purpose of the progressive descent of the worlds, and their descent from level to level, is not for the sake of the higher worlds, since for them it is in actuality a descent from the light of God's countenance. The progressive descent of worlds, which constitutes the mammoth process of Creation, is not for the sake of the higher realms, as for them such a descent is a distancing from God's light. The higher worlds, as lofty as they are, are still worlds. The concept of "world" (olam ) stems from the Hebrew root and concept of "hiddenness" (ha'alama ). In this sense, a world means a place wherein the divine existence is hidden, imperceptible in its totality. Even the higher worlds are referred to as worlds, connoting hiddenness, in the sense that the light of God's countenance is not completely manifest. As such, even the higher worlds bear no intrinsic justification for their existence, as they cannot be characterized as a perfect reality. Every world represents a degree of remoteness from the absolute perfection of the divine reality. Each point along the vast configuration of the progressive descent of the worlds is necessarily inferior relative to its point of inception – the light of God's countenance – and so it cannot possibly constitute the ultimate intent and purpose of Creation. It is impossible to say that God created such an immensely complex system in order to gain less than He invested. Therefore, as will be explained, the purpose of this descent must be to ultimately generate some type of amplification of the initial state of things. The intention is to effectuate a rectification reaching the Essence that transcends even the very point propelling the progressive descent of creation.

אֶלָּא הַתַּכְלִית הוּא עוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַתַּחְתּוֹן,

Rather, the purpose is for this lower world, When we consider the progressive descent of worlds as a totality, as a purposeful system spanning from the "light of God's countenance" to this lowest of all worlds, we note how each point between these two extremes acts only as an intermediary, a means of channeling from above to below and vice versa. It follows that the ultimate purpose of the highest point is to be sought specifically in the lowest point, "in this lower world," the lowest of all worlds. The author of the Tanya will soon demonstrate that it is precisely within this lowest, most remote point that the point of greatness is hidden.

שֶׁכָּךְ עָלָה בִּרְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, לִהְיוֹת נַחַת רוּחַ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּד אִתְכַּפְיָא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא וְאִתְהַפֵּךְ חֲשׁוֹכָא לִנְהוֹרָא,

as this is what arose in God's will, namely, that He would have gratification when the sitra aḥara is subdued and darkness is transformed into light, The phrase "This is what arose in God's will" is an alternate form of the expression "The Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have an abode in the lower worlds." Both convey the same idea, that we are incapable of grasping why God derives satisfaction specifically when we subdue the sitra aḥara and why the emergence of light from darkness affords Him particular satisfaction. The notion that "God desired" – the primal divine desire – is fundamentally inexplicable. Because the world was created by virtue of this desire, it by definition is not a part of this world's reality. Anything not lying within the bounds of our reality is utterly beyond our comprehension. Yet, although we are unable to broach the subject of this divine desire in its pristine state, we can attempt to understand it vis-à-vis its manifestation within the worlds. We can appreciate God's desire in the sense that it serves as the foundation and purpose of the worlds in which we dwell and to which we can relate.

שֶׁיָּאִיר אוֹר ה' אֵין סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּמְקוֹם הַחֹשֶׁךְ וְהַסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא שֶׁל כָּל עוֹלָם הַזֶּה כּוּלּוֹ, בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וְיֶתֶר עָז וְיִתְרוֹן אוֹר מִן הַחֹשֶׁךְ מֵהֶאָרָתוֹ בְּעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים, שֶׁמֵּאִיר שָׁם עַל יְדֵי לְבוּשִׁים וְהֶסְתֵּר פָּנִים הַמַּסְתִּירִים וּמַעֲלִימִים אוֹר אֵין סוֹף בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁלֹּא יִבָּטְלוּ בִּמְצִיאוּת.

so that the light of God, Ein Sof , blessed be He, will shine in the place of darkness and sitra aḥara of this entire world with a greater magnitude and intensity – being that light is brighter when emerging from darkness – more than its illumination in the higher worlds, where it shines through garments and through a concealed countenance both concealing and hiding the light of Ein Sof , blessed be He, so that they not be nullified from existence. God's light is perceived and revealed to a much greater extent when contrasted with the darkness of this world. In fact, it shines brighter in this earthly realm than it does in the higher worlds. The brilliant rays of God's light are obfuscated by "garments" and a "concealed countenance" in the higher worlds so as not to nullify them from existence. As was noted above, even in the higher worlds, the divine light is not completely revealed. Each world, by virtue of its being so, is unable to tolerate light beyond a particular degree of exposure. The inner light and its corresponding vessel must be in perpetual consonance with one another. Should there be a lack of harmony, if the illumination exceeds the capacity of the vessel to receive, the vessel will shatter, akin to electrical wiring catching fire if the current running through it exceeds its capacity. The world and God are in a state of perpetual paradox. There is a qualitative contradiction between them making it impossible for them to coexist. The world can exist only inasmuch as it is unaware of and numb to the divine essence, only when the Divine is hidden, as it were. To express this differently, the existence of each world is fictitious, and so any given world can continue to exist only as long as it is under the illusion that it is real. Yet the very moment it becomes aware of its fictitious nature, it ceases to exist. The necessity to conceal the divine light in order to perpetuate existence so that the worlds not be nullified from existence is in fact an existential requirement pertaining to all the worlds, higher and lower, yet is more apparent in the higher worlds. The Talmud recounts an incident where a child was studying in his rabbi's house from the book of Ezekiel. The child was able to comprehend the esoteric mystery of the ḥashmal, whereupon a fire emerged from the ḥashmal and consumed him. When the Sages saw this, they wished to hide away the book of Ezekiel. Ḥananya ben Ḥizkiya replied in wonderment: "If this one is wise, does that mean they all are wise?" (Ḥagiga 13a). In other words, the fear that a person studying the book of Ezekiel would be incinerated due to his ecstatic experience with the holy ḥayot angels is not something to be considered in our normal lives. In fact, for this reason the book of Ezekiel was ultimately not hidden away. True, there were people throughout history, and even recently, who were known to have literally died while experiencing euphoric closeness to the Divine. Yet the likelihood of this occurring in our world is far less than it is in the higher worlds, and so it poses no concern. In the higher worlds, the relationship between the light and the vessels is more subtle, the barrier more delicate and sensitive. The slightest variation in that relationship, any increase in light, will cause that world to completely dissolve, disappearing forever in the divine illumination. Consequently, since the higher worlds are incapable of tolerating even the most negligible of changes and increases in the divine revelation, the purpose of our world, the lowest of all the worlds, is, paradoxically, to contain that revelation. Moreover, the purpose of this world is not merely to reach a state of equilibrium with the higher worlds, but to serve as a means for the exponential increase of the divine illumination, exceeding that in the higher worlds. This is possible precisely in our world, as a result of the paradox of the transformation of darkness into light. When the concealment itself will become light, it may have a divine illumination that is without any barriers or parameters at all.

וְלָזֶה נָתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת 'עוֹז' וְ'כֹחַ'. וּכְמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (סנהדרין קי, ב), שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן כֹּחַ בַּצַּדִּיקִים לְקַבֵּל שְׂכָרָם לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְבַּטְּלוּ בִּמְצִיאוּת מַמָּשׁ בְּאוֹר ה', הַנִּגְלֶה לֶעָתִיד בְּלִי שׁוּם לְבוּשׁ,

For this reason the Holy One, blessed be He, gave Israel the Torah, which is called "might" and "strength." This accords with our Rabbis' statement (Sanhedrin 100b) that the Holy One, blessed be He, grants the righteous the strength to receive their reward in the World to Come, so that they should not be literally nullified from existence in the light of God, which will be revealed in the future without any garment, God's people are designated to effectuate a powerful divine illumination in this lowest of all worlds. To this end, God gave them His Torah, which is referred to as "might" and "strength." What is the purpose behind this God-given strength granted the righteous cited here? The author of the Tanya explains that it is to shield them from becoming obliterated in God's light, which will be revealed in the World to Come (that is, when God will dwell in this world) without any obstructing garment. The light that will shine in this world in the future will in a sense be a revelation of the divine essence itself, in its pristine and unalloyed intensity. As was explained, the perpetuated existence of all created beings hinges on the concealment of the divine essence, a space seemingly void of God, within which existence can thrive. The point being presented here is that the Torah, referred to as "might," is a unique strength God bestows upon the righteous, enabling them to maintain their presence in this world and avoid becoming nullified from existence. In this context, all Jews are regarded as righteous, as the verse states, "Your nation, they are all righteous." God desires that they remain cognizant and sentient beings, even when the divine light will manifest itself in the world in all its intensity, incinerating all other existence.

כְּדִכְתִיב: "וְלֹא יִכָּנֵף עוֹד מוֹרֶיךָ" (ישעיה ל, כ) [פֵּירוּשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְכַּסֶּה מִמְּךָ בְּכָנָף וּלְבוּשׁ] "וְהָיוּ עֵינֶיךָ רוֹאוֹת אֶת מוֹרֶיךָ" (שם),

as it is written: "But your Teacher will no longer be concealed ( yikkanef )" (Isa. 30:20) (meaning, He will not be concealed from you with the corner of a robe [ kanaf ] and a garment), "but your eyes shall see your Teacher" (Isa. 30:20), "Teacher" in this verse refers to God. The verse therefore means that in the World to Come, God will no longer be hidden by "the corner of a garment," alluding to the fact that He will not hide His face from His children. The continuation of the verse reads, "But your eyes shall see your Teacher"; that is, at that time there will be a revelation of the divine essence itself, unobstructed by any form of concealment or garment.

וּכְתִיב: "כִּי עַיִן בְּעַיִן יִרְאוּ" וגו' (ישעיה נב, ח),

and it is written: "For they shall see eye to eye…" (Isa. 52:8), This verse refers to the crystal-clear perception of the divine reality. Unlike our present perception of God, which is indirect and muddled, in the World to Come we will see God's light "eye to eye," in a tangible, unhampered, and unveiled manner.

וּכְתִיב: "לֹא יִהְיֶה לָּךְ עוֹד הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לְאוֹר יוֹמָם וגו' כִּי ה' יִהְיֶה לָּךְ לְאוֹר עוֹלָם" וגו' (ישעיה ס, יט-כ).

and it is written: "The sun will no longer be for light for you by day…as the Lord will be for you an eternal light" (Isa. 60:19–20). These verses describe the end of days, when all barriers interposing between the world and God will be broken, allowing for the full revelation of the Divine. Typically, the mechanics of creation are such that when the barriers between God and a particular world are removed, that world ceases to exist. The exception is our physical world, which is capable of maintaining its independent existence together with, and without being obliterated by, the divine revelation. This concept recalls the opening concept of our chapter: "The Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have an abode in the lower worlds." This is precisely the same concept articulated here, albeit in different words. God desired a world wherein His light would be able to shine unimpeded. To this end, God "needed" to create the lowest and most material of all worlds – our world.

וְנוֹדַע שֶׁיְּמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ, וּבִפְרָט כְּשֶׁיִּחְיוּ הַמֵּתִים – הֵם תַּכְלִית וּשְׁלֵימוּת בְּרִיאוֹת עוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁלְּכָךְ נִבְרָא מִתְּחִילָּתוֹ.

It is well known that the messianic era, and especially the time when the dead will be resurrected, is the ultimate purpose and culmination of the creation of this world, for which reason it was originally created. This world was originally created for the ultimate purpose of what it will become after the days of the Messiah, when the dead will live again. As will be explained below, this purpose is in a sense the endpoint of this world. Despite this, the new state of the world at the time of the resurrection of the dead will still remain within the framework of this world, as it ultimately emanates from the existence of the world as we know it. As was mentioned at the beginning of the chapter, the purpose of this world was to create an abode in the lower worlds. God Himself, unimpeded by any sort of casing or concealment, can be found and manifest in the space of this lower world.

הַגָּהָה: (וְקַבָּלַת שָׂכָר עִיקָּרוֹ בָּאֶלֶף הַשְּׁבִיעִי כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּלִיקּוּטֵי תוֹרָה מֵהָאֲרִ"י ז"ל).

Gloss: The receiving of reward is primarily in the seventh millennium, as it is written in Likkutei Torah, Parashat Bereshit, p. 8, of the Arizal. In line with his general approach throughout the book, the author of the Tanya inserts a gloss to address an issue that diverges from the overall flow of this chapter. The author noted earlier that the messianic era and the resurrection of the dead are the culmination of man's service in creating an abode for God in the lower worlds. The emphasis is therefore not on the revelation of the light of Ein Sof, but on man's divine service of creating that abode. The revelation of God's light that will result in the future, when "your Teacher will no longer be concealed," and when "they shall see eye to eye," is not the key reward for this service, but is instead a natural consequence of it. Regarding this point, the author of the Tanya adds that the primary, true reward God will grant man for his service of creating for Him an abode in the lower worlds will be in the seventh millennium, which is destined to be, in a sense, even loftier than the life of the World to Come.

וְגַם כְּבָר הָיָה לְעוֹלָמִים מֵעֵין זֶה בִּשְׁעַת מַתַּן תּוֹרָה,

A semblance of this degree of revelation has already occurred in this world at the time of the giving of the Torah, A taste of what will transpire in the future at the resurrection of the dead, when the abode for God in this world will have been completed, was already experienced at the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The divine revelation at Mount Sinai was on the level of "I am the Lord your God" (Ex. 20:2). It was a degree of revelation where the divine essence transcended all the interposing garments and barriers, all the while sustaining and permeating this corporeal world.

כְּדִכְתִיב: "אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת כִּי ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, אֵין עוֹד מִלְּבַדּוֹ" (דברים ד, לה). "הָרְאֵתָ" – מַמָּשׁ, בִּרְאִיָּה חוּשִׁיִּית,

as it is written in reference to the giving of the Torah, "You have been shown in order to know that the Lord, He is God; there is nothing besides Him" (Deut. 4:35). The expression "have been shown" is to be taken literally, that is, with physical sight, This verse describes God as having been "shown" to His people. One could argue that this is meant to be understood figuratively, in the sense that God's existence was demonstrated to them. But the author of the Tanya interprets the verse quite literally: The divine revelation in this world was so palpable, it could be physically sensed. The verse does not mean that God's existence was demonstrated through methods of philosophical proofs, nor was it proven by supernatural phenomena. Rather, it was literally seen with everyone's own eyes, as will be the case in the future, when "they shall see eye to eye."

כְּדִכְתִיב: "וְכָל הָעָם רוֹאִים אֶת הַקּוֹלוֹת" (שמות כ, טו), רוֹאִים אֶת הַנִּשְׁמָע,

as it is written: "All the people were seeing the thunder" (Ex. 20:15), a description of the fact that they saw that which is heard, Noting the unusual phenomenon described in this verse, the commentaries explain that at the giving of the Torah, the people saw that which is typically heard. The divine revelation at Mount Sinai was in some way more direct than a regular sensory experience, whereby one merely sees the visible and hears the audible. It was a revelatory experience untainted by even the slightest shade of concealment, a sensation of such a pristine caliber that the people saw the audible and heard the visible. It was an unfiltered, tangible experience of the divine essence that breached the normal boundaries of the senses.

וּפֵירְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (שמות רבה פרשה ה, ט): מִסְתַּכְּלִים לַמִּזְרָח וְשׁוֹמְעִין אֶת הַדִּבּוּר יוֹצֵא "אָנֹכִי" כו', וְכֵן לְאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת וּלְמַעְלָה וּלְמַטָּה. וְכִדְפֵירֵשׁ בַּתִּיקּוּנִים (תיקוני זהר תיקון כב [סד, ב]): דְּלֵית אֲתָר דְּלָא מַלֵּיל מִינֵּיהּ עִמְּהוֹן כו'.

and our Rabbis explained (see Shemot Rabba 5:9): "They looked eastward and heard the divine speech emerging, saying:'I am,'" and so forth. So did they look toward the four directions, as well as above and below, as is explained in the Tikkunei Zohar (64b), that there was no place from which He was not speaking to them, and so forth. The divine speech heard at Mount Sinai was not experienced as emanating from a single direction. No matter the direction a person faced, he could hear God's voice originating from that point. It did not come specifically from Mount Sinai, nor from any hidden locus; it issued forth with equal intensity from the four directions, from above and below, from within and from without. It was a direct revelation shattering the boundaries of space, transcending both the normal parameters of human perception and sensation, rendering meaningless even time and space. The revelation at Mount Sinai was a semblance of the revelation that will transpire in the World to Come, when "your Teacher will no longer be concealed" and the garments of this lower, material world will have become things of the past. It was a revelation essentially undefined by any material form. All physical sensations (e.g., auditory and visual) associated with it were products of man's finite perception of that divine phenomenon. As a result, the divine speech emanated from every direction a person faced and assumed the finite delineations of whatever physical form that person was prepared to receive. A revelation of this kind, as it occurred at the giving of the Torah and as it will be in the World to Come, is the revelation of God's abode in the lower worlds. When this occurs, God is revealed in the lower worlds, a physical space apprehended by physical senses. Yet since it is the revelation of Ein Sof, it simultaneously obliterates these finite sensory and spatial limitations.

וְהַיְינוּ מִפְּנֵי גִּילּוּי רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בַּעֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, שֶׁהֵן כְּלָלוּת הַתּוֹרָה,

This was because of the manifestation of God's will within the Ten Commandments, which constitute the totality of the Torah, The concept that the Ten Commandments comprise the totality of the Torah appears in particular in the liturgical poems of Rav Se'adya Gaon, where he traces the source of each mitzva in the Torah to the Ten Commandments. Rashi also comments (Ex. 24:12) that "all 613 mitzvot are included within the Ten Commandments."

שֶׁהִיא פְּנִימִית רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְחָכְמָתוֹ, וְאֵין שָׁם הֶסְתֵּר פָּנִים כְּלָל,

which is God's innermost will and wisdom, and where there is no concealment of countenance whatsoever, The concealment of God's countenance exists within creation, in the physical world. Yet, within the Torah – God's innermost will – there is no such concealment, as the Torah itself is a revelation of the countenance of God; it is the revelation of the innermost divine will. Granted, the Torah as we have it is clothed in comprehensible words and concepts and can be apprehended by finite beings confined to the human body and corporeal world. Nevertheless, this does not constitute a concealment of countenance; it is merely a translation from one language to another. Although we do not detect the inner divine essence within the Torah revealed to us, nevertheless, the Torah neither distorts nor conceals; it functions solely as a direct translation of God's innermost will and wisdom themselves.

כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "כִּי בְאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ נָתַתָּ לָנוּ תּוֹרַת חַיִּים".

as it is stated in the Amida prayer, "For by the light of Your countenance You gave us a Torah of life." The Torah was given with the light of God's countenance, that is, in a state of complete revelation, with no concealment or "darkness" of His countenance. It was given in a manner in which one could experience a direct encounter with God, face-to-face, as it were.

וְלָכֵן הָיוּ בְּטֵלִים בִּמְצִיאוּת מַמָּשׁ. כְּמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (שבת פח, ב), שֶׁעַל כָּל דִּיבּוּר פָּרְחָה נִשְׁמָתָן כו',

Therefore, they were literally nullified from existence. This accords with our Rabbis' statement (Shabbat 88b) that at each and every utterance of the Ten Commandments their souls flew out of their bodies, and so forth, At the giving of the Torah, the divine revelation was so complete, permeating all of existence, that no place was concealed from it. It was so intense that the Israelites' souls could no longer be contained within their bodily encasements. When He about whom the verse states, "Man shall not see Me and live," reveals Himself, it is impossible for a human being to continue living. When the divine existence is manifest, not only does man cease to exist, but existence as a whole is utterly effaced. The removal of the concealments and barriers effectuates the immediate nullification of all existences that endured prior within the shadows of creation, leaving only the divine reality to remain.

אֶלָּא שֶׁהֶחֱזִירָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָהֶן בַּטַּל שֶׁעָתִיד לְהַחֲיוֹת בּוֹ אֶת הַמֵּתִים (שבת שם), וְהוּא טַל תּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרָא עוֹז. כְּמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל: כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה טַל תּוֹרָה מְחַיֵּיהוּ כו'.

but the Holy One, blessed be He, restored their souls to them with the dew with which He will ultimately revive the dead (Shabbat 88b). This is the dew of the Torah, which is called "might," as our Rabbis said, "Anyone who engages in Torah study, the dew of Torah will revive him," and so forth. The concept of dew serving as a vivifying agent in the future is based on the verse in Isaiah (26:19), "Your dead will live…for the dew of light is Your dew." The giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai was like a momentary penetration of the World to Come into this world. A glimmer of the phenomenon that will take place in the end of days – at the time of the resurrection – was felt at the giving of the Torah: the paradoxical nature of an abode for God in the lower worlds. On the one hand, all concealments and darkness were removed, so that God's light alone shone unimpeded throughout all of existence. Yet in order for existence to continue to endure, in order for human beings to maintain their identities to whatever extent possible, there needed to be a perpetuation of existent reality, of a soul within a body, of the Divine within the physical. At the giving of the Torah, there occurred a process not unlike that which will transpire at the resurrection of the dead, as our Sages expounded the verse describing the Tablets of the Covenant: "Do not read'ḥarut (engraved) on the tablets' (Ex. 32:16), but rather ḥerut (free), that is, free from the angel of death (Shemot Rabba 41:7). This is how it will be at the end of days. It will be a time when "death will be swallowed up forever" (Isa. 25:8). The giving of the Torah was a divine revelation whereby "at each and every utterance their souls flew [out of their bodies]." Yet at the same time, the Torah fortified existence with the might necessary to perpetually endure this revelation. The Torah we received and which we are engaged in at all times is itself the revelation and has the power to tolerate that revelation. It itself constitutes the substance that makes it possible to perceive God without dying. It imbues the body with a resilience in the face of the divine revelation without disintegrating or being obliterated from existence.

רַק שֶׁאַחַר כָּךְ גָּרַם הַחֵטְא, וְנִתְגַּשְּׁמוּ הֵם וְהָעוֹלָם,

Yet subsequently, the sin of the golden calf caused a change in their spiritual state, whereupon they and the world became physical again, At the giving of the Torah, the entire world was exposed to the divine illumination to the extent that the physical constraints of the world – space, time, and experience – were nullified. All of existence recognized the divine essence face-to-face. But after the sin of the golden calf, when the bedrock of the world, the people of Israel, disintegrated, the world reverted back to its physical state, in the sense that the parameters of the physical world were reinstated, thus impeding and concealing the divine illumination.

עַד עֵת קֵץ הַיָּמִין, שֶׁאָז יִזְדַּכֵּךְ גַּשְׁמִיּוּת הַגּוּף וְהָעוֹלָם וְיוּכְלוּ לְקַבֵּל גִּילּוּי אוֹר ה'

until the end of days, at which point the physicality of the body and the world will be refined, and they will be able to receive the revelation of God's light, The vision of the World to Come is not that materiality will be nullified, but rather that it will be purified. Purification of materiality refers to the transformation of the physical into something transparent. At present, the material reality constitutes the most intense opacity in the face of the divine illumination. The vision of the future is not one wherein physical reality is negated but rather where materiality will be converted from a vessel that obstructs to one that enables the transmission of the divine light, and through which the divine essence, as it were, is manifest.

שֶׁיָּאִיר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵי הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת עוֹז.

which will shine forth upon the people of Israel by means of the Torah, which is called "might." The power ("might") of the Torah will imbue the Jewish people with the ability to absorb the divine illumination while concurrently containing it without losing their own existence.

וּמִיִּתְרוֹן הַהֶאָרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יַגִּיהַּ חֹשֶׁךְ הָאוּמּוֹת גַּם כֵּן. כְּדִכְתִיב: "וְהָלְכוּ גוֹיִים לְאוֹרֵךְ" וגו' (ישעיה ס, ג).

From the overflow of illumination upon the people of Israel by means of the Torah, called "might," the darkness of the gentile nations will be illuminated as well, as it is written, "Nations shall walk by your light and kings by the glow of your shining" (Isa. 60:3),

וּכְתִיב: "בֵּית יַעֲקֹב לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה בְּאוֹר ה'" (שם ב, ה),

and it is written, "House of Jacob, go and let us walk by the light of the Lord" (Isa. 2:5), When God's light shines upon the nations of the world, they will say to the people of Israel, "Go and let us walk…." They will tell the Jews, "You walk ahead, and we will follow after you by the light of God."

וּכְתִיב: "וְנִגְלָה כְּבוֹד ה' וְרָאוּ כָל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּיו" וגו' (שם מ, ה),

and it is written: "The glory of the Lord will be revealed and all flesh will see together that the mouth of the Lord has spoken" (Isa. 40:5), "All flesh," that is, even the gentile nations of the world, will see "that the mouth of the Lord has spoken." Hasidism teaches that the nations will perceive the divine speech of the ten utterances God used to create the world. These utterances constitute the divine energies that operate within the world, animating it and maintaining its existence.

וּכְתִיב: "לָבוֹא בְּנִקְרֹת הַצּוּרִים וּבִסְעִיפֵי הַסְּלָעִים מִפְּנֵי פַּחַד ה' וַהֲדַר גְּאוֹנוֹ" וגו' (שם ב, כא),

and it is written, "To come into the crevices of the rocks and into the cracks of the crags, out of fear of the Lord and the glory of His majesty…" (Isa. 2:21), This verse refers to the nations, who will be unable to bear the intensity of the divine revelation, and so will need to shield themselves by hiding in "the crevices of the rocks," in contradistinction to the people of Israel, who are wrapped in the might of the Torah.

וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וְהוֹפַע בַּהֲדַר גְּאוֹן עוּזֶּךָ עַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל אַרְצֶךָ" וגו'.

and as we say in the Rosh HaShana liturgy, "Appear, in the splendor of Your great might, before all those who live in this world, Your land," and so forth. This divine appearance is the ultimate and complete purpose of the existence of the world. Within the intensely dense darkness of this world, alluded to in the verse "Those who dwell in this world, Your land," God's kingship will be revealed "in the splendor of Your great might," referring to Torah, which is called "might." This phenomenon will transpire in a manner such that all will recognize that "the mouth of the Lord has spoken."