Daily Tanya Monday 13th Sivan Shaar Hayichud Viemuna Chapter 4 Part 2: Hashem’s Gevura is not comprehensible

 13^th Sivan

1.       The Attribute of Chesed (“Hagadol”)

• The term “Hagadol” signifies G-d’s infinite kindness, which spreads life-force universally to all worlds and beings, regardless of merit.
• Chesed embodies the ability to create ex nihilo (creation out of nothing), a capacity unique to G-d. No created being can replicate this act of creation.

2.       Greatness of G-d in incomprehensible

• G-d’s unlimited greatness and kindness transcend human understanding.
• The unity between G-d and His attributes ensures the continuous act of creation and sustains existence itself and just as no man can not comprehend God himself so too man cannot comprehend His attribute of kindness.

3.       The Attribute of Gevura – Tzitzum

• Just as the attribute of Chesed of Hashem is incomprehensible, so too is His attribute of Gevura, which represents Tzitzum.
• Tzimtzum refers to the Divine act of contraction or concealment, restraining the spreading of life-force from G-d’s attribute of Chesed.
• Through tzimtzum, the activating force of creation becomes concealed, enabling created beings to perceive themselves as independent entities.

4.       Maintaining the Illusion of Independence

• The appearance of independent existence is possible due to the concealed nature of the life-force within created beings.
• Despite their apparent independence, all beings are fundamentally extensions of G-d’s activating force.

5.       Incomprehensibility of Tzimtzum

• Just as the essence of G-d is incomprehensible, so too the nature of Tzimtzum and its ability to allow beings to remain created while concealing their nullification is beyond the scope of human intellect.
• The simultaneous concealment and creation out of nothing demonstrate the omnipotence of G-d and is beyond human comprehension.