Daily Tanya Chapter 33 Part 1: Rejoicing in G-ds Unity and his Dirah Betachtonim (Shabbos, 11th Adar)

Chapter 33: Rejoicing in G-ds Unity and his Dirah Betachtonim

11^th Adar/(LY) 29^th  Adar 1

1.      Contemplating G-d’s unity to increase in one’s joy:

• There is another manner in which one can rejoice one’s soul with a true joy. This especially applies on those occasions that one sees that one’s soul needs to be refined and shined with a joy of the heart. This is accomplished through deeply contemplating and imagining within one’s mind G-d’s true oneness and unity. The following is the contemplation:
• All is naught before G-d: One is to contemplate that G-d fills all the worlds, the upper and lower worlds, including this physical world, and everything is considered nullified in His presence.
• G-d is alone just like He was before creation: G-d is alone in both the upper and lower worlds just like he was alone before the six days of creation. Prior to the creation of the physical world, G-d filled all the space in which this world, including the heavens and earth and all its legions, was created, and the same applies now as well that He fills all this space without any difference at all, being that the existence of all the creations are nullified to Him.
• Like the nullification of letters of speech in their root: The nullification of all creations in the presence of G-d is like the nullification of the letters of speech and thought in their root and source in the essence of the soul. In their root and source, which are the 10 faculties of the soul, letters of speech and thought do not yet exist prior to entering into the garment of thought, and only their potential exists and hence they are nullified to their source, as explained in length in chapters 20-21, and as explained elsewhere a physical parable for this regarding the sun and its light as brought next. The same applies regarding all creations, even after their creation by G-d.
• Like the nullification of a ray within the sun: The nullification of all creations in the presence of G-d is also like the nullification of the ray of the sun within its source which is the actual body of the sun which is found in the sky. Although certainly the ray of the sun shines within the body of the sun, and even more so than it does outside the sun within the space of the world, nonetheless, within the sun the ray is completely nullified to the sun itself, and it is as if it does not exist at all. Similarly, the entire world with all its creations is nullified in their existence within their source which is the infinite light of G-d, as explained there in length.

3.      How contemplating G-d’s unity brings one to joy:

• Realizing that one is very close and unified with G-d: When one contemplates the above matter in depth and at length then he will come to a great rejoicing of the heart and delight of the soul, with his entire heart and soul. This faith and belief are very great, as through it one accomplishes an actual closeness to G-d Himself. [The belief and faith that G-d fills even this world and that everything is nullified to Him should cause one to rejoice in the realization that in truth he is unified with G-d at this very moment. This belief shows the Jew that he in truth is very close to G-d, and he should therefore rejoice tremendously due to this realization of his closeness and unity with G-d.]

4.      This is the entire purpose of man:

• The above realization that G-d is found everywhere, including here in this world, and that everything is nullified to Him, is the entire purpose of man’s creation, and the entire purpose of the creation of all the upper and lower worlds, to begin with. The purpose of the world’s creation is so G-d have a dwelling place below in this world as will be explained in length in the later chapters [and this dwelling is realized and actualized when one recognizes the fact that at this very moment G-d already dwells here below.]

5.      Rejoicing in that even as a lowly person one can be united with the King:

• How great is the joy of a simpleton and lowly person when he becomes close with a king of flesh and blood and lives with him together in his palace, and certainly how infinitely greater must the joy be when one comes to the recognition that he is living with the King of all Kings, Hashem.