Yesh Me'ayin - Something from Nothing: Difference between revisions

Yesh Me'Ayin is a concept describing the creation of something from nothing - the formation of "something" from "no thing." The ability to create Yesh Me'Ayin is called creation, and it is unique to the Creator ("in the Creator's domain"), unlike the emergence of effect from cause or creating something from something else. Solomon ibn Gabirol was the first to use this concept. Not many years later, Ibn Ezra began using it to describe the method of creation, and all the Mekubalim followed after him.

In Tanya, it is explained that true tangible existence (meaning, created beings that are not Elokus) begins in the world of Beriah, but certain aspects that serve as intermediaries between Elokus and created beings exist even higher, with two general levels. From bottom to top:

# The souls of humans and angels, which despite being Elokus on one hand (though in tremendous tzimtzum), on the other hand have separated from the Kav's light and therefore lack the power to create Yesh Me'Ayin (which does exist in the Keilim of Atzilus - because the Kav's Ein Sof light shines in them, and they are nullified to it like the sun's rays in the sun).

The main beginning of existence is in the world of Beriah, created from Malchus (of Atzilus), as the two characteristics of "existence" are: 1. It does not feel that it was created from Elokus. 2. It contains multiplicity and division. These two aspects come from two aspects in Malchus of Atzilus: The name Elokim conceals Elokus from the creations, and the name Adni is the root of the parameters of division of particular time and space.

In Chassidus there are two explanations why creation is called Yesh Me'Ayin:

These two explanations don't contradict but complement each other, each emphasizing a different aspect of creation.

What was stated above (that Yesh Me'Ayin creation begins in the world of Beriah) is in detail. But generally, the term "Yesh Me'Ayin" applies to anything that does not evolve in a cause-and-effect manner (and is an innovation relative to what's above it). There are several levels:

# Plants Growing from Earth - It's clear the plant's matter doesn't come from the seed. The seed's weight is negligible compared to the plant's weight, and physical things cannot change their weight, certainly not grow tens of times larger (sometimes thousands of thousands times their original weight). Also the plant is superior to the seed in quality: the plant has stem, leaves, flowers and fruits - none of which exist in the seed. Rather, the entire development of the plant's size, weight, properties and components all come from the spiritual growing force in the earth - and the formation of physicality from spirituality is Yesh Me'Ayin (because physical cannot emerge from spiritual through regular cause-and-effect tzimtzum. For example a logical concept: no matter how much you lower it, simplify it and explain it at a lower level - it will never become physical reality).

# Particular power and light (Memaleh) - Like any action requiring the investment of the doer's power in what is done.

# Encompassing power (Sovev) - Creation of something from nothing requires transmitting power to create something incomparably different, requiring an unlimited power that can express itself in a world incomparably different from it.

# Power of Atzmus - To create existence with a feeling that its existence is from itself requires power from Atzmus which alone has existence from itself.

Yesh Me'Ayin creation happens both through the name Havaye and through the name Elokim. When creation is through Havaye it happens "automatically" while through Elokim it happens through "investment."

In creation through "investment," the created is nullified to its creator only in a way of self-nullification (not complete nullification), illustrated by the example of power and action.

Yesh Me'Ayin comes from Havaye but through Elokim. Meaning, while only Ein Sof's power revealed through Havaye can create Yesh Me'Ayin, the actual creation happens through Elokim, in three ways: