Or Chozer (Reflected Light)
Or Chozer is divine light - reflected from below to above - from the lower levels to the higher worlds. It is divine light that transcends the order of Hishtalshelut (chain of worlds) that descends below - to the lowest levels of creation, and dwells there with greater intensity than in the higher worlds. And from these lower levels, it returns and illuminates even the higher worlds. As our Sages said: "Their beginning is wedged in their end, and their end in their beginning." Or Chozer is an aspect of judgment (dinim).
Its Nature edit
The reason for the drawing down of the supernal light specifically into the lower levels is because they are the main purpose of creation, as the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower worlds. Therefore, the chain of higher worlds exists for the sake of the lower world, so that it might be transformed from darkness to light, and reveal G-d's kingship. Since there is no king without a nation, these are the lower levels - called "am" (nation). "Am" - from the word "omemot" (dimness) and darkness. They are separate entities, foreign and distant from the king's stature, and only over them is royal exaltation possible, unlike with those who are close, such as sons or even ministers alone. Even if they were many, the term "kingdom" would not apply to them, for "the glory of the king is in the multitude of people" - specifically. This is the purpose of the chain of worlds and creation - for His name to be called upon them as King. Therefore, the revelation of His blessed will - the Infinite Light - is revealed specifically in the lower worlds, and from there is reflected and illuminates even the higher worlds - for G-d's will in sustaining the higher worlds stems from His desire for the lower worlds. That is, the higher worlds exist for the sake of the lower ones and because of them.
An example of this exists in the physical mirror that shows a person what is behind him. That is, the glass is coated with a silver coating that covers and conceals the glass and prevents light rays from passing through the glass - because of this prevention, light is reflected with great intensity, and one can even see what is behind him. But all this is only when the covering coating is "thin and sparse" (delicate and pure) like silver, but not thick and dark, for then nothing would be seen in it.
The spiritual analogue is that the name Havayah is in the aspect of drawing light from above to below. While the aspect of His blessed kingship, which is called by the name Elokim, is in the aspect of contraction and concealment, in which the illumination is hidden and concealed, so that it does not spread and reveal itself further. Because of this contraction and concealment, the light returns and ascends higher and higher, beyond the measure of the source of the expanding illumination of the name Havayah. And if the sefirah of Malchut descends and clothes itself in kelipat nogah (translucent shell) in order to extract and elevate sparks, and turns darkness to light, then the light returns with even greater intensity, and "the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, is elevated in all worlds."
But all this is only if the covering - the concealment and hiding - is the sefirah of Malchut, which is a "thin and sparse" covering and not thick, coarse, and dark. Even kelipat nogah is in the aspect of permissibility - not bound and tied in the hands of the external forces, and can exit and ascend from there. Therefore, it can return light in the aspect of the Infinite that transcends the chain of worlds. This is not the case with completely impure kelipot (shells) where the light is "absorbed" - as it were, within them because they are completely dark and do not reflect light.
The Baal Teshuvah edit
Regarding the level of the baal teshuvah in the aspect of Or Chozer, the Mitteler Rebbe writes:
The love of "with all your might" is unlimited love, in the aspect of the very essence of the soul, which is called the master of will, which is entirely beyond the aspect of will. That is, the entire essence of the soul yearns and longs to depart and cleave, and not merely in the aspect of will alone. Therefore it is called "your might" without limit, for such great love does not come from the limited powers of the soul in will and the like, but from its entire essence, which is formless and completely unlimited.
Although this arousal of the entire essence of the soul completely is possible only in the aspect of "reflected light" to the Essence, which is when the vessels of the soul cannot contain the arousal, since it is too great for the contraction of the vessels of the soul's powers of intellect and heart. Therefore, such arousal must necessarily remain in an encompassing manner around the intellect, and the will remains in the essence of the soul, the master of will, etc.
This level is specifically achieved by baalei teshuvah, because the baal teshuvah was very, very distant from the light and pleasure of closeness to G-d, called "the light of the King's countenance is life." For through his many sins, the transgressor becomes very greatly distanced, and this distance causes in his soul a very great bitterness over the magnitude of the distance, until his return to G-d comes from the depths of the heart, like the well-known story of Rabbi Elazar ben Durdaya whose soul departed in weeping, etc. That is, the measure of the intensification of the longing to cleave to G-d intensified in him in the entire point of the heart, in a way that the vessels of the mind and heart cannot grasp at all.
This longing is called the aspect of Or Chozer, and it is from the aspect of distance that causes arousal in the point of the heart, unlike completely righteous individuals whose arousal is only from their comprehension and pleasure in G-d through Torah and prayer. Even the arousal of "with all your soul" in the Shema is not with the entire essence of the soul, but only the aspect of light drawn from the essence of the soul, which is will. But the longing of baalei teshuvah is in the aspect of the soul's expiration - "my soul expires," like Rabbi Elazar ben Durdaya.
In the Zohar it is stated that the Messiah comes in order to bring the righteous to teshuvah, that is, to arouse that elevated level and vitality in the righteous as well, from the inner aspect of the soul.