Yom Tov of Rosh Hashanah 5666 - Samach Vov: Difference between revisions

The ultimate purpose of the creation of the world is to draw down the revelation of Ohr Ein Sof (Infinite Light) that existed before the Tzimtzum (contraction) into the worlds of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah in a way that created beings can contain this revelation, and this is achieved through the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos by the Jewish people. Additionally, through the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos, an even higher divine revelation will be drawn down than what existed before creation. This ideal exists because Hashem "desired to have a dwelling place in the lower realms," meaning that the revelation of G-dliness should permeate physical reality.

In Kabbalistic texts, various explanations are given for the reason of creation: (a) to reveal Hashem's power, (b) so that created beings would know Him (this doesn't refer to the mitzvah of knowing Hashem, which is simply knowing that Hashem exists, but rather knowing the nature of His powers). But the Rebbe Rashab innovates that neither of these point to the true purpose, because (a) Hashem's supreme power is not lacking in action, and immediately upon His will something is accomplished, so He is complete even without the creation of the physical world, (b) the concept of knowledge is only relevant in the higher worlds, and if so, it's not understood why He created this physical world.

Therefore, he concludes that creation is due to Hashem's desire to create it, and there cannot be a logical-human explanation for this desire, "it is beyond reason and understanding (and as the Rebbe [Alter Rebbe] said about this, 'Oif a taavah iz kein kasha' (in Yiddish: one doesn't ask questions about a desire), but He desired that there should be an existence of lower realms, and that the essence of Ohr Ein Sof should be drawn down below, which is possible to draw down specifically in the lower world."

The early Kabbalists (the Ramak, the Rama, and the Arizal) discussed the explanation of the name Ohr Ein Sof, which is called "Ein Sof" (without end) and not "Ein Techilah" (without beginning). The Ramak's view is that this level is the essence of the Creator, the Rama's view is that it is the will, and the Arizal's view is that it is higher than will, but not the essence of the Creator. According to the Ramak, this is because we cannot attribute preexistence to anything other than His essence. But the Rebbe does not accept this, because if Hashem Himself is in the category of being a source for the worlds, it is impossible to say "I have not changed," both from the perspective of the creation itself and from the perspective of the will to create. Therefore, according to the Rebbe, the creation of something from nothing comes from the Light, which is nothing and naught compared to the essence of the Creator, and nevertheless has infinite power within it (similar to the metaphor of light which is of the same nature as its source).