The Gate of Oneness and Faith

A Flood of Knowledge: Well Springs of Spiritual Insight

Selections from "THE GATE OF ONENESS AND FAITH,"
by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812)
(Kehot Publication Society, Brooklyn, NY)

(Also see "Nothing Besides Him" by Rabbi Manis Friedman - set of 7 CD's of recorded class lessons)
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To understand at least in a small way the "higher level Unity" and the "lower level Unity" of G-d.

Chapter 1:
"Know this day and take unto your heart that Hava'ye [rearranged spoken form of the 4-letter unspoken Name] is Elokim (G-d is the L-rd) in the heavens above and upon the earth below; there is no other." [Deut. 4:39]

This requires explanation. For would it occur to you, that there is a god dwelling in the waters beneath the earth, so that it is necessary to negate it so strongly, [as to say] "Take unto your heart?"

It is written, "Forever, O G-d, Your word stands firm in the heavens." [Ps. 119:89].

The Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory, has explained, that "Your word" which You uttered, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters..." [Gen. 1:6]; these very words and letters stand firmly forever, within the firmament of heaven.

And are forever clothed within all the heavens, to give them life, as it is written,"The word of our G-d shall stand firm forever" [Isa. 40.8] ...

For if the letters were to depart even for an instant, G-d forbid, and return to their source, all the heavens would become naught and absolute nothingness; and it would be as though, they had never existed at all; exactly as they were before the utterance, "Let there be a firmament."

And soo too, with all created things in all the upper and lower worlds; and even this physical earth, which is the "Kingdom of the silent" (inanimate).

If the letters of the Ten Utterances [see Ethics of the Fathers 5:1], through which the earth was created, during the Six Days Of Creation; were to depart from it, but for an instant, G-d forbid, the creation would revert to naught and nothingness, exactly as before the Six Days of Creation.

This thought was expressed by the AriZal [Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi, 1514-1572], of blessed memory, when he said that, even in completely inanimate matter, such as stones or earth or water, there is a soul and spiritual life-force -

It is, the enclothing of the "Letters of speech" of the Ten Utterances, which give life and existence, to inanimate matter, so that it would arise out of the naught and nothingness, which preceded the Six Days of Creation.
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Chapter 2:
... Indeed, this is an even greater miracle than, for example, the splitting of the Red Sea. For then, G-d drove back the sea by a strong east wind all the night; and the waters were divided, and stood upright as a wall. [Ex. 14:21-22]

If G-d had stopped the wind, the waters would have instantly flowed downward, as is their way and nature, and undoubtedly they would not have stood upright as a wall...

How much more so, in the creation of the physical world, out of nothing; which transcends nature, and is far more miraculous that the splitting of the Red Sea.

The withdrawal of the power of the Creator, from the thing created, G-d forbid, would cause the creation, to revert to naught and complete non-existence as before.

Rather, the Activating Force of the Creator must continuously be in the thing created, to give it life and existence.

[These forces] are the "letters of speech" of the Ten Utterances, through which [beings] were created...
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Chapter 3:
Every intelligent person will understand clearly, that each creature and being, is considered absolutly nothing, in relation to the Activating Force, which is in the created thing.

This force continuously calls it into existence, and brings it, from absolute non-being, into being. Hence, there is truly nothing besides Him.
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An illustration of this, is the light of the sun, which illuminates the earth. It is self-evident, that this light is also present in the very body and matter of the sun-globe itself.

However, there this radiance is considered naught and complete nothingness; for it is absolutely non-existent in relation to the body of the sun-globe, which is the source of this light and radiance.

Inasmuch as this radiance and light, is merely an illumination which shines forth from the body of the sun.

It is only in the space of the universe, under the heavens and on the earth, where the body of the sun is not present, that this light appears to the eye, as to have an actual independent existence.

And here the term "existence," can truly be applied to it; whereas when it is in its source, in the body of the sun, the term "existence" cannot be applied to it at all.
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The exact parallel to this illustration, is the relationship between all created things, and the Divine flow [of the life force], from the "Breath of His mouth;" which flows to them, and brings them into existence.

G-d is their source, and they themselves are merely like a diffusing light and effulgence, from the flow and spirit of G-d. Which issues forth, and becomes clothed in them, and brings them from naught into being.

The term "existence" can be applied to all created things, only [as they appear] to our corporeal eyes. For we do not see nor comprehend at all, our source; being the spirit of G-d, that brings them into existence.
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But the illustration is not completely identical, with the object of comparison.

For in the illustration, the source [the sun] is not present at all, in the space of the universe, and upon the face of the earth, where its light is seen as actually existing.

Whereas, all created things, are always within their source; it is only that the source is not visible, to our physical eyes.

[If so], why are they not nullified in their source? ...
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Chapter 4:
It is written, "For a sun and a shield, is Hava'ye Elokim." [Ps. 84:12]. The explanation of this verse is: A "Shield" is a covering for the sun, that protects the creatures, so that they should be able to bear [its heat].

As our Sages of blessed memory said, "In Time to Come [the Messianic Era], the Holy One blessed be He, will take out the sun from it sheath; and the wicked shall be punished by it..." [Talmud, Nedarim 8b].

Now, just as the covering shields [i.e. conceals] the sun, so does the name Elokim shield [i.e. conceal] the name Hava'ye, blessed be He.

The meaning of the name Hava'ye is, "That which brings everything in to existence from nothing;" indicating that the action is present and continuous.

For the fact that they were created during the Six Days of Creation, is not sufficient for their continued existence, as explained above.
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In the enumeration of the praises of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written, "the Great, the Mighty" [Deut.10:17], etc.

"The Great" refers to the attribute of Kindness, and the spreading force of the life-force, into all the worlds and created things, without end or limit; so that they shall be created from nothing, and exist through Gratuitous Kindness.

The attribute of Kindness is called Greatness, for it comes from the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, in his Glory and Essence. For "G-d is great and His greatness is unsearchable" [see Ps. 145:3].

And therefore, He also causes the life-force, and existence from nothing, to issue forth, for an unlimited number of worlds and creatures; for "It is the nature of the beneficient (good), to do good."
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And just as it is impossible, for any creature's mind to apprehend His attribute of Geatness, which is the ability to create a being, out of nothing, and give it life; as it is written, "The world is built by kindness" [Ps. 89:3],

exactly so, it is not possible for him to apprehend the Divine attribute of Might (Restraint), which is the quality of Tzimtzum (contraction) and restraint, of the spreading forth of the life-force in a revealed way; but rather, with His Countenance concealed.

For the life-force, conceals itself in the body of the created being, and [it appears] as though the body has an independent existence.

The concealing of the life-force, is called "Vessels;" and the life-force itself, is called "Light."

[The "Vessels" and "Light" in combination, are the revealed ten Divine Attributes (of Kindness, Might/Judgement, Mercy/Beauty, etc.)]
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Chapter 5:

Concerning this the Sages of blessed memory said, "Originally it arose in [G-d's] thought, to create the world with the attribute of stern judgement [i.e., complete concealment].

He saw, however, that the world could not endure, [so] He combined with it the attribute of mercy." That is, the revelation of G-dliness, through the Righteous [such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, etc.], and the signs and miracles recorded in the Torah."

[Before the Messianic Era], it is only the Righteous in Gan Eden, who are granted the reward, of comprehending the spreading forth of the life-force, and light which issues from these two Divine Attributes, Kindness and Might.

But soon everyone will see this.