Chashmal

Chashmal is a divine level in the order of hishtalshelus (spiritual worlds), which serves as the parsa and partition that separates between the world of Atzilus and the worlds below it. Its function is like a "reverse" filter, where only the waste passes through it while the refined part remains above.

Essence and Origin of the Name

Already in the book of Yechezkel, when he prophesies in his prophetic vision about the Maaseh Merkavah (Divine Chariot), it states:

"And I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a brightness around it, and from its midst something like the Chashmal from the midst of the fire." — Yechezkel 1:4

The Chashmal is also mentioned in dozens of places in the Zohar, and in the book of Rabbi Chaim Vital, the close student of the Arizal, an entire "gate" was dedicated to this topic.

According to what is explained in Chazal, the garments of skin that Hashem clothed Adam and Chava with were also in the aspect of the Chashmal garment. In Chassidus it is explained that just as in the human body there are pores in the skin through which sweat, which is the waste of the body, exits, so too from the 'pores' in the Chashmal garment between the world of Atzilus and the world of Beriah, the 'waste' goes out to the worlds below it. It separates between the divine light above and the divine light below, and it performs an action similar to the action of sifting, but in a reverse manner - the waste passes through it and descends downward, while the refined part remains above.

In other places in Chassidus, it is explained based on the words of the Gemara that the word 'Chashmal' is like the expression 'times of chash (silence), times of malel (speaking)' which hints at two aspects: 'Chash' (silence) indicates its root in the external aspect of Binah of the world of Atzilus, which is illuminated by the revelation of bitul (nullification) of the sefirah of Chochmah, whose essence is humility and nullification. The aspect of 'Malel' (speaking) hints at the level as it descends and becomes a garment for the lower levels of the world of Atzilus. For the same reason, the angels and holy chayos that receive vitality from this level, when the revelation is apparent in them, they are in complete bitul and in a state of 'silence', and when the divine revelation in them is concealed - they are in a state of 'speaking' and then they roar and say 'Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh'.

In several places in Chassidus, the gematria (numerical value) of the word 'Chashmal' also indicates its essence - malbush (garment).

Its Level

Generally, when speaking of the 'Chashmal' or 'Levush HaChashmal' (Garment of Chashmal), the intention is to this level as it is connected with the world of Atzilus, meaning how it serves as a garment and parsa that filters out the waste and allows only it to descend to the worlds below it.

In detail, there is a similar level in other worlds as well; between the world of Beriah and the world of Yetzirah, and between the world of Yetzirah and the world of Asiyah, and in Chassidus it is explained that this is similar to the difference between a tallis gadol and a tallis katan.

In the Service of Man

In a parallel to this level's essence within the order of spiritual descent, humans also have something similar when they want to teach a child deep intellectual concepts. They must "clothe" the intellect in simple terms. The concept of "levush hachashmal" (garment of chashmal) for a person is to ensure that the intellect doesn't get lost within the metaphors and explanations, and that the student doesn't misunderstand the concept.

Regarding the fulfillment of mitzvot, Chassidus explains that through the power of "levush hachashmal," a person can engage in refining the physical sparks in the world. When a person performs practical mitzvot connected with the physical world, such as giving tzedakah and wearing tzitzit, which deal with kelipat nogah that has been refined through the performance of the mitzvah - they create for themselves a "levush hachashmal" whose roots are from the realm of Tohu which preceded the world of Tikkun, and this gives the person the power to ascend higher and higher without limit.

The reason for this is that chashmal and kelipat nogah are one, except that one is in holiness and one is in impurity, and nogah is the external aspect of chashmal. Nogah is a kelipah that conceals Godliness while chashmal is a garment that reveals Godliness, except that this revelation comes in the form of a garment and screen that conceals the revelation from the eyes of the external forces. The chashmal is a garment in Atzilut, Beriah, and Yetzirah, as a connecting intermediary, while nogah is a screen between Asiyah and the kelipos, as a separating intermediary. The Torah, however, is the levush hachashmal that is above Atzilut.

In the Book of Yechezkel

The Gemara relates: There was an incident involving a child who was reading from the Book of Yechezkel in his teacher's house, and he was contemplating the chashmal, and fire came forth from the chashmal and burned him. They sought to hide away the Book of Yechezkel, but Chananya ben Chizkiya said to them, "If this one is 'wise' (if this child is wise enough to engage with this before his time), are all wise? (this doesn't mean that all children are wise enough to come and engage with this before the proper time)?" But regarding adults, there is no prohibition to engage with it.

Further Reading

• Sefer HaLikutim Da"ch Tzemach Tzedek - entry on 'Chashmal'
• Torah Or Lech Lecha, discourse "V'hivdilah Haparochet", 13b and onward
• Derech Mitzvotecha Mitzvat Milah, Chapter 4

See Also

• Olam HaMalbush (World of the Garment)