Daily Tanya 27th Adar 2: Chapter 39-The reward and spiritual elevation effected by the quality of the kavana

Chapter 39: The reward and spiritual elevation effected by the quality of the kavana

(LY) 27th Adar 2

1.     The difference between the service of man versus that of angels:

• Angels are like animals: The angels are referred to as animals, both wild [Chayos] and domestic, as the verse states “Upnei Aryeh El Hayamin, Upnei Shur Mihasmol.” The reason for this is because the angles do not have freedom of choice, and their love and fear are naturally born within them as written in the Raya Mehemna Parshas Pinchas.
• Tzadikim are in Beriyah while angels Yetzirah: It is for this reason that the Tzadikim reach higher levels than the angels, as is seen from the fact that the abode of the Tzadikim in the upper world is in the world of Beriya, while the angels dwell in the world of Yetzirah.
• Gloss-Some angels live in Beriyah: This, however, only refers to the regular angels called Chayos Tiviyim. However, there do exist angles called Chayos Sichliyim which reside in the world of Beriya, as their Avoda is to serve Hashem with intellectual love and fear.
• [To properly understand why the Tzadikim dwell in Beriya while the angels in Yetzirah, we must first introduce the difference between the two worlds.]

2. The difference between the world of Beriya and Yetzirah:

• Middos are revealed in Yetzirah: The difference between the worlds of Beriya and Yetzirah is the level of G-dly revelation they contain. In the world of Yetzirah, the Middos and emotional attributes of Ein Sof shine, as it states in the Tikkunim and Eitz Chaim that the six Sefiros dwell in Yetzirah.
• Angels in Yetzirah serve Hashem with emotions: This revelation of the Middos in Yetzirah is expressed in the creations and angels of that world through their service of love, fear, and trepidation. This is the service of the angel’s, day and night without break.
• The Avoda of the camp of Gavriel and Michael: The entire camp of Gavriel stands by the left with constant fear and trepidation. The entire camp of Michael stands by the right and serves with love.
• Chabad is revealed in Beriyah: However, in the world of Beriya shines the Chabad/intellect of the Ein Sof, as it states in Tikkunim that the supernal mother hovers over the three Sefiros in the world of Beriya.
• This intellect is the source of the Middos and is the mother and root of them. Based on the above, it is understood why the world of Beriya is the abode for Tzadikkim, as explained next.

3. Beriyah-The world of residence of Tzadikim who serve G-d with intellectual love:

• The world of Beriya is the abode for Tzadikkim who serve Hashem with intellectual love and fear that is born due to contemplation of the greatness of the infinite G-d. This love is called Reusa Deliba.
• Their love is their garments: The fiery love of the heart that they arouse becomes garments for their Neshama/soul in the world of Beriya.
• Gan Eden Haelyon: This abode of the Tzadikim is known as Gan Eden Haelyon as it states in the Zohar.

4. Yetzirah-The world of residence of all other souls:

• Only the Neshama dwells in Beriyah while their Ruach dwell in Yetzirah: It is only the aspect of the soul known as the Neshamah of the above mentioned Tzadikim which reside in the world of Beriyah, however, their level of soul known as Ruach resides in the spiritual world of Yetzirah even by Tzadikim.
• Only the Neshama intellectually comprehends G-dliness: The reason for this is because it is only the aspect of the soul known as the Neshamah which experiences the intellectual perception of the infinite light of G-d [and hence deserves to reside in the world of Beriyah which contains revelation of G-d’s intellect].
• The Neshamos of all other Jews dwell in Yetzirah: Likewise, the aspect of Neshama of the rest of Israel who served G-d with natural love and fear [as opposed to the intellectual love and fear experienced by the Tzadikim], dwell in the world of Yetzirah.
• Gan Eden Hatachton: The world of Yetzirah in which these souls reside is known as Gan Eden Hatachton.
• The souls are elevated to Beriyah on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh: The above abode in the world of Yetzirah by the Ruach of the Tzadikim and the Neshamos of the rest of Israel, is only during the regular weekdays. However, on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh the souls of Yetzirah are elevated to the world of Beirya through a pillar, and delight and receive pleasure from G-d and His Divine Ray
• The elevating pillar: There is a pillar between the world of Yetzirah, which is known as Gan Eden Hatachton, and Beriyah which is known as Gan Eden Haelyon, which serves as an elevator for the souls to go up on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh [and go back down after its leave].

5. Pleasure in G-d derives from intellectual comprehension of Him:

• Intellectual beings can only derive pleasure from matters that they comprehend and understand. Thus, the pleasure that they have in Gan Eden Haelyon derives from their understanding and comprehension of the infinite light of G-d as it is invested within His wisdom of the world of Beriyah.

6. Why the souls are elevated to Beriyah on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh

• The reason the souls receive an elevation on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh, unlike angels [which always remain in the world of Yetzirah], is because although they only serve G-d in this world with their natural emotions of love and fear similar to angels, nonetheless, this itself was a result of their Iskafya and battle with the side of evil which is invested in their body.
• The choice of love versus lust: The love and fear were only achieved due to their abstaining from evil and crushing and subjugating their physical lusts [i.e. Sur Meira], and through doing positive actions [i.e. Asei Tov]. These souls had freedom of choice to choose to follow evil and give in to their lusts, heaven forbid. However, they chose to do good and subjugate the side of evil and cause the greatness of G-d to be elevated in all worlds, as light shines within the darkness [therefore, they merit to be elevated to the world of Beriyah on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh].

7. The Torah and Mitzvos of all souls are elevated and united with the ten Sefiros:

• All the above discussion of the place of residence of souls is only with regards to the soul itself. However, it’s Divine service and study of Torah are actually united with the ten Sefiros which are G-dliness, and with which G-d’s infinite light unites with in the greatest unity.
• Intellectual love elevates Torah and Mitzvahs to the Sefiros of Beriyah: Those souls which served G-d with intellectual love and fear, have their Torah and service of G-d elevated to the Sefiros of the world of Beriyah.
• Natural love elevates Torah and Mitzvos to the Sefiros of Yetzirah: The Torah and Avoda of the souls who served Hashem with natural hidden love are united with the ten Sefiros of Yetzirah.
• The unity of the Ten Sefiros with Atzilus and Or Ein Sof: Either way, whether the Divine service is elevated to the ten Sefiros of Beriyah or Yetzirah, these ten Sefiros contain within them the ten Sefiros of Atzilus and are united with them in a complete unity. In turn, the ten Sefiros of the world of Atzilus are united with their emanator which is the infinite G-d.
• The souls are not elevated to the Sefiros: It is only the Divine service of the souls that becomes elevated and united with the Sefiros however, the souls themselves do not get elevated to the Sefiros of their world, and rather reside in the chambers of that world, of Beriyah or Yetzirah, so they can receive pleasure from the ray of the Divine presence. This ray of the Divine presence is itself a ray of the infinite light of G-d as it is united within the 10 Sefiros of the world of Beriyah or Yetzirah.
• The souls receive pleasure from a ray of their Divine service: The ray of G-dliness that the souls benefit from in Gan Eden is the ray of their actual Torah and Avoda, as the reward of a Mitzvah is the Mitzvah itself.