Daily Tanya Friday 9th Shevat: Chapter 22 Part 1 – The creation of Kelipa and definition of idolatry

Chapter 22: The creation of Kelipa and definition of idolatry

1.      Why the term speech is used regarding creation:

• The Torah refers to the speech of G-d in the human language in order to describe how He created the world being that in truth in the eyes of man, His speech is exactly similar to the speech of man, being that it goes through various descents and a multitude of powerful contractions of different qualities and quantities in order to create the many creations, each in accordance to their species. [Now, these creations feel themselves as separate entities from G-d, which is similar to the speech of man which is a separate entity from man.]

2. How the Kelipos come into existence:

• Intense concealment and contractions: The intensity of the contractions and concealment of G-d’s countenance are so great that even impure entities and the side of evil were able to be created from the drastically contracted and concealed form of Divine energy. The evil forces receive their energy and existence from the word of G-d and the spirit of His mouth in a completely concealed manner and after downward gradations.

3. The Kelipos are despised by G-d and enlivened against His true will:

• Being called “Other G-ds”: It is for this reason that the side of evil and its evil forces are referred to as a foreign G-d, this is due to that their nurture of Divine energy is not from the inner countenance of G-d but rather from the external parts of holiness, which are distanced and foreign from G-d’s inner countenance. This is known as the aspect of “Achurayim” and comes from the term “Elokim Acheirim.”
• A “coerced” giving of Divine energy like one who gifts his enemy: The term “Achurayim” hints to the idea that the Divine energy given to the forces of evil, the foreign G-ds, is given to them unwillingly and is coerced to be given simply so they exist. This is similar to one who is coerced to give his enemy a gift against his will, and thus when he does so he throws the gift to the recipient from behind his back, in a way that he does not show his face to the individual, being that he hates him.
• Holiness is G-d’s friend which receives from the inner countenance of G-d: Just as below in this world there exists a friend who one has a desire to give a gift to, and an enemy who one may be coerced to give a gift to, so too it is above in heaven. G-d’s “friend” whom He desires to gift to is the side of holiness. G-d desires to give His Divine energy to all those who are close to the side of holiness, and He gives to them from His inner countenance, from His inner sublime will and true desire.
• The side of evil is G-d’s enemy which receives from G-d’s external light: The side of evil and impurity is an abomination in the eyes of G-d and is hated by Him. Accordingly, G-d does not give it Divine energy from His inner will and with a true desire, in which He actually desires its existence, G-d forbid. Rather he gives it to them unwillingly, like one who throws an item to his enemy from behind his back being that he can’t face to look at him due to his disgust.
• Why then did G-d create evil? Why then did G-d create the side of evil if he hates it so much? This is in order to give punishment to the Reshaim and give good reward to the righteous who subjugate the side of evil and overcome it. This is why its creation is considered to come from the external part of G-d’s supernal will, as He does not truly desire their existence and so to say is coerced to create them in order to create the function that they provide. [Meaning, the side of evil has two functions: 1) To give out punishment which is something that G-d Himself cannot so to say personally do being that He is the ultimate of kindness, although even this creation of evil to give out punishment is in truth a kindness of G-d to help refine the creation and bring them to repentance. 2) To create freedom of choice between good and evil, and hence create the possibility for the righteous to be rewarded.]