BASI L’GANI – 5718 –

Beis Moshiach presents the maamer the Rebbe MH”M delivered on Yud-Alef Shvat 5718, in accordance with the custom established by the Rebbe to review each year a section of the Rebbe Rayatz’s hemshech “Basi L’Gani” of 5710. • This year we focus on the eighth section of the profound and foundational Chassidic discourse. * Section 2 of 8

Translated by Boruch Merkur

FACE-TO-FACE: A COMPLETE UNION

2. Following the distinction made in the maamer between the letters Daled and Reish, the Rebbe applies the same distinction to Hei and Kuf. Although Hei and Kuf share a likeness, there is an important difference between them: Hei is associated with holiness whereas Kuf pertains to the unholy.

This distinction is apparent in their shapes, as follows. Hei is composed of a Daled with a leg before it, on the left side. [Hebrew letters are said to face to the left, as it is a language that is read right to left.] Daled has a Yud at the rear, alluding to a back-to-back union [which is an incomplete union]. However, the letter Hei also has a Yud in front [i.e., its left leg), symbolic of a face-to-face unity, which is a complete union.

The Rebbe also explains that the letter Daled (which has a Yud at the rear, indicating that it) receives from Gimmel [the preceding letter in the Hebrew alphabet], as our Sages say: “[the alphabetic sequence of] Gimmel-Daled alludes to g’mol dalim, giving to the poor.”

Hebrew letters represent G-dly manifestations (hamshachos), suggested by the fact that the Hebrew word for “letters” is “osiyos,” which is linguistically related to “asa,” as in, “asa voker – morning has come” (Yeshayahu 21:12). The shape of the letters indicates the unique manner by which they shine and draw down G-dliness.

The Alter Rebbe teaches that the shape of the letter Gimmel is composed of a line – a Vav – with a point beneath it, a Yud. Vav signifies drawing G-dliness down into the world (hamshacha). Vav begins with the letter Yud, because all hamshachos are preceded by tzimtzum, a contraction of G-dliness.

To illustrate: In order for a rav, a great rabbi and mashpia, to be able to teach in a way that his disciple can fathom, he must first constrict his own knowledge on the matter until it is focused into a mere point, something he feels will be comprehensible to the student. This tzimtzum is the first stage of the hamshacha, represented by the Yud at the top, the head of the Vav.

Next, after the mashpia has focused the general concept into terms suitable for the mind of the mekabel, his student, the teaching must then be communicated; there must be the actual hamshacha. The more the original teaching must be focused and reinterpreted for the sake of teaching the student, the more it is subject to tzimtzum. The shape of the letter Vav embodies this part of the process of hashpaa in the sense that the further it extends, the more it tapers and narrows.

This entire process of tzimtzum and hamshacha described thus far constitutes the role of the mashpia. At the next stage, however, when the concept enters the mind of the mekabel, and he attempts to assimilate the information, processing it with his own mental faculties, the hashpaa is further constrained. This second tzimtzum is signified in the letter Gimmel by the Yud that stems out from the lower part of its Vav. The Yud symbolizes the tzimtzum engendered by the mind of the mekabel, namely, that it receives only a point of the general hashpaa. In terms of the four worlds – Atzilus, Bria, Yetzira, Asiya – the mekabel only receives the aspect of Asiya, the fourth portion of all hamshachos and hashpaos. It is for this reason that in the letter Gimmel, the Yud stems from the bottom quarter of the Vav’s height.

Thus, the sequence Gimmel-Daled – g’mol dalim – alludes to the dynamic whereby Gimmel provides hashpaa to the letter Daled.

“THE ONE WHO SQUANDERS IS GIVEN MORE”

In this dynamic, the recipient, Daled, symbolizes “one who has nothing of his own.” However, by accepting and receiving the hashpaa from Gimmel, the letter Daled becomes a Hei. That is, the hashpaa brings about an increase in [G-dly] light (a concept discussed above regarding the advantage Hei has over Daled – that Hei pertains to a face-to-face union). This increase or benefit is a result of tz’daka, charity. The word “tz’daka” is spelled Tzaddik-Daled-Kuf then Hei, “tzedek Hei” (Zohar III 72a, among other sources), for through charity Daled becomes a Hei.

This increase is better understood in light of the verse, “Yeish mefazeir v’nosaf od – there is one who squanders yet is given more” (Mishlei 11:24). Our Sages teach on this verse that if you see a man who widely distributes his money to charity, you should know that he actually gains by doing so. One might conceive that his squandering would result in a lack or decrease in money. The verse therefore teaches, “Yeish mefazeir v’nosaf od” – not only will there be no deficiency, rather, “v’nosaf od,” he “is given more.”

The Arizal explains in his writings on Gabai Tz’daka L’Maala that it is Yesod Bina within Ze’er Anpin, or Ze’er Anpin itself through which all Chassadim are channeled and from which S’firas HaMalchus receives hashpaa. Not only does this hashpaa not result in a lack, but specifically in this manner the greatness and expansiveness of Ze’er Anpin is attained.

Thus, tz’daka is “tzedek Hei”: “Tzedek” refers to S’firas HaMalchus, the lowest of the Ten S’firos, and the letters that spell “tzedek” – Tzaddik, Daled, Kuf – signify the light as it exists at a low level. That is, the shape of the letter Tzaddik is composed of a Yud and a Nun, which face away from each other and they stand back-to-back. Similarly, the letter Daled signifies a back-to-back union, as above (Section 2). And the elongated leg of the letter Kuf illustrates how it extends and descends into klipos (as will be explained). The negativity here is on account of the back-to-back union. Indeed, this manner of union is a lesser unity, for which reason it enables a possible achiza (a “grasp” in the clutches of the unholy realm). Although the letter Kuf in this sense remains within the realm of holiness, since it enables a possible achiza, it is clear that even from the outset it participates in a lesser union.

All this concerns the letters that spell “tzedek” – Tzaddik-Daled-Kuf – unto themselves. However, the hashpaa resulting from giving tz’daka gives rise to the letter Hei, face-to-face unity. Moreover, by giving tz’daka, the aspect of “tzedek” itself – a lesser union – produces the letter Hei, face-to-face unity, which is a complete union.

Although in general the letter Kuf resembles the letter Hei, there is still a great difference between them, for the left leg of the letter Kuf descends, as in, “her legs descend to death” (Mishlei 5:5). The latter concept finds expression in the teaching of our Sages (Shabbos 56b, Sanhedrin 21B): “Gavriel came down and embedded a rod into [the bottom of] the sea. A sandbank formed around the rod, upon which was built the great city of Rome,” the Romans being oppressors of the Jewish people. “Sea” here refers to S’firas HaMalchus of Atzilus. “Embedded a rod into the sea” is the concept of “her legs descend to death,” from which Sitra Achara, the realm of unholiness, nourishes, to the extent that it “built the great city of Rome,” oppressors of the Jewish people. That is, the Divine service of the Jewish people entails, “Make for Me a Sanctuary and I shall dwell among them,” and the “great city of Rome” prevents and deters the Sh’china from residing upon the Jewish people. This spiritual obstacle derives from the leg of the Kuf, the rod that descends to the netherworld. This then illustrates the difference between Kuf and Hei – that Kuf pertains to the side of unholiness whereas Hei is holy.

(To be continued)