Nefesh HaChayim, Gate III

And for that reason research into and contemplation of the true nature of the matter of the Constraint was forbidden—as the Ariza”l stated, as I wrote above—that we are not permitted to contemplate it at all, to know and to grasp the true nature of the matter of the universe’s place, how everything is completely permeated with His (blessed be He) simple unity only, and from His (blessed be He) perspective there is absolutely nothing other than Him. And the truth is that this question is included in the context of “what came before” that they (OBM) deduced (Cha-gee-ga, beginning of the chapter Ein Dore-shin) from an explicit verse (D’varim 4:32): “For inquire now regarding the early days that preceded you, from the day when God created man …”, “and you may not inquire…”.

And the Ariza”l, who was permitted and amazingly revealed deep and lofty secrets, he (OBM) has already explained that the inner aspect of the intention of the verse “the early days that preceded you, from the day when God created man…”, is about the world of Primeval Adam821Heb.: oh-lahm ah-dahm kahd-ma-ah. The world called Primeval Adam (Heb.: ah-dahm kahd-mone), is the world from which the four worlds ABY”A were created. Only a very limited amount of information is available to us about this world and the process by which the lower four worlds were created. And about what is known there is some ambiguity.. And also, in the matter of Primeval Adam he wrote that we are not permitted to discuss and research the matter of the essence of its inner aspect, but only the energies822Heb.: o-rote, literally “lights” that it emits; and of those, only from the energies of S”G823In Hebrew, the two letters sa-mehkh (S) and gimmel (G), taken together, have the numerical value of 63 (sahmekh is 60 and gimmel is 3). Pronounced sahg, S”G refers to the sum of the numerical values of the letters of the Tetragrammaton when the four individual letters are spelled out as: yud-vav-daled (20), heh-yud (15), vav-aleph-vav (13), heh-yud (15). This is referred to as mee-lui yood-een v’ahl-feen, and generally refers to the s’feera of Beena. Above S”G is A”B (pronounced ahb, with a numerical value of 72). Below it are M”H (pronounced ma, with a numerical value of 45) and B”N (pronounced bahn, with a numerical value of 52). within it and below, but not the energies of A”B within it824A”B is above and also within S”G.. And also this: that we are not permitted to contemplate— absolutely not!—the nature of the matter of the Constraint as it is from His (blessed be He) perspective, but only the matter of the Channel, namely in the extension/ unfolding of the worlds according to our ability to grasp. Regarding that he deeply expounded expansively, but regarding the matter of the Constraint, he addressed it in the manner of “running and returning”825“Running and returning” implies just touching upon the matter and then retreating from it., and he did not discuss the nature of the matter in detail. And refer to the beginning of the O-tz’rote Chayyim, page 2, top of ahmood 3 [for more detail on this matter].826Due to the length of this complex sentence, I broke it up into numbered sections. And he did not reveal it, revealing only the facts in a general way to a wise person who could understand on his own, because it is definitely worthwhile for the righteous person who is of wise heart, who devotes all of his time to learning Torah and mitzvote, and whose soul-Ruakh is faithful to God-Ei”l, to:1. Know the facts of this awesome matter in a general way, that the Sole Master (blessed be His name) permeates everything and there is nothing other than He (blessed be He),2. To ignite from this the clarity of his thoughts’ holiness toward the service of prayer827Since he already spends all of his time learning Torah and doing mitzvote, the purpose of exposing him to this rarified knowledge is to provide him with a next step: a true understanding and practice of prayer.,3. To direct his heart/mind into dread and awe and trembling towards the Ma-kome, He being the universe’s place, (and being the place of the universe is [emphatic] the point of the matter of the Constraint, this having been explained above).

This is as the sages (OBM) stated (Avot 2:18) that one who prays must intend his heart/mind toward the Ma-kome. And so too they stated (Avot 2:18) “And when you pray, don’t make…; rather make it [an expression of] compassion and grace before the Ma-kome (blessed is He).” And it’s per the context when Rabbee Eliezer said to his students (Berakhot 28b): “Know before Whom you [plural] are praying.”

And so too with the unification of the first verse of the Kree-aht Sh’ma in the word “one”, the sincere worshipper should intend, with purity of thought, that He (blessed be His name), from His perspective, is one (just as it sounds), and also in all of the creations a simple unity alone, just as before creation, and as we’ll discuss (with God’s help) later.

And he will also be very fearful and apprehensive about trespassing (heaven forefend) one of His (blessed be He) commandments, for the universe is permeated with His glory, as the verse states (Yirmiyahu 23:24): “Can a man hide in concealed places and I will not see him... do I not fill the heaven and the earth?” And as King Dovid (OBM) stated (Tehillim 16:8): “I have set God-YHV”H before me at all times.”

And this is the context of [the phrase] “hollowing out God-YHV”H”828Heb.: chee-lool ha-shem, literally “hollowing out God”. The phrase is usually translated as “desecrating God’s name” or “profaning God’s name”. that’s mentioned in many places. For example as the Zohar explained on the verse “one who desecrates…” that it is a term for hollowing and vacating a space, vacant of Him (blessed be He). This is the situation here, that he displays behavior as if (heaven forefend) the place where he stands is hollow, vacant of Him (blessed be He), and he doesn’t hesitate from transgressing His (blessed be He) commandments. And also for example their statement (OBM, end of the first chapter of Kiddushin): “Anyone who transgresses an offense while in concealment is as if he crushes the Sh’kheena’s feet.”

(And this settles the excellent question that puzzles everyone having a wise heart/mind: how did the Ariza”l permit himself to even discuss and mention the matter of the Constraint, since contemplation of it is prohibited? And how we described the matter of the Constraint, truthfully, that’s the way it is treated in every place and time, and also in this world, for those remaining whom God calls upon to know the reality of this awesome matter for the reasons mentioned above829That is by just touching upon the matter, using hints that might aid one who is able and ready to proceed, and then leaving it.. And so too in the Raa-ya M’hemna and Tikkoonim, and the holy-one-of-God Rabbeinu Sh’muel, author of the Poem of Unification mentioned above, and the Ro-kei-ahkh (OBM), who mentioned the matter in hints to one who could understand, all of them for the reasons we mentioned, and as is explained to one who understands in the Ro-kei-ahkh, there in the Shoresh K’doo-shaht Ha-yee-khood, refer there [for more detail].)

However, be exceedingly careful of your soul-Neffesh. Remember and don’t forget what was explained above, that this topic is not mentioned except to understand the matter in your heart/mind in a general way, as a lesson for the heart/mind alone, but not to research deeply and contemplate (heaven forefend) the true nature of the matter. And also, be exceedingly careful that the tendencies of the heart/mind do not determine any of your practical behavior based on this awesome matter, for it would be so easy for it to result in many things that would oppose the statutes and the foundations of our holy Torah, and it states “and do not transgress”. And as scripture states (D’varim 4:39): “And you shall know this day and take to your hearts/ minds that God-YHV”H…, in the heavens above…, there is nothing else.” It specifically states “to your hearts/minds”, namely, only in the understanding of the hearts/minds. And, for example, what they stated with regard to prayer: “He should direct his heart/mind to the Ma-kome.”