The Four Elements: Difference between revisions

The four elements can be arranged in several different ways, besides the order appearing at the beginning of the Tanya (AMRE):

The simplest order for the four elements is - Fire (Aish), Wind (Ruach), Water (Mayim), Earth (Afar). This is the order of their appearance in nature, with fire being the lightest and earth being the heaviest. This order represents the elements from the perspective of vessels (keilim).

This order - Water, Fire, Wind, Earth - corresponds to their relationship with the Sefiros. This order represents the elements according to their light (ohr) and vitality.

Torah is compared to water which descends from a high place to a low place, corresponding to the right line - the line of Chassadim. Fire corresponds to the movement of Ratzo and desire to separate from the wick. Therefore, fire represents the line of Gevuros - the left line. Wind sometimes rises and sometimes descends, corresponding to the middle line - the inclusion of Chassadim and Gevuros. The element of earth corresponds to the Sefira of Malchus which comes after the completion of the three lines.

This order is intermediate between the lights and vessels, and it corresponds to the relationship between the simple elements and the Domem-Tzomeach-Chai-Medaber (inanimate-vegetative-animate-speaking).

In another letter, the Rebbe hints at a scientific parallel of the 4 elements in: matter and antimatter, positive and negative.