## Tanya, Part II; Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah

###### Tanya, Part II; Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah 5:1
[Tanya, Part II; Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah 5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20II%3B%20Shaar%20HaYichud%20VehaEmunah/r/5:1)

**וְהִנֵּה,** עַל זֶה אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״בִּתְחִלָּה עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה לִבְרוֹא אֶת הָעוֹלָם בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין, רָאָה שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּים – שִׁתֵּף בּוֹ מִדַּת רַחֲמִים״, דְּהַיְינוּ, הִתְגַּלּוּת אֱלֹהוּת עַל יְדֵי צַדִּיקִים וְאוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
Concerning this our Sages of blessed memory said, “Originally it arose in [G–d’s] thought to create the world with the attribute of stern judgement;¹, complete concealment of the Divine light. Judgment signifies an act of negation and an imposition of limits. Therefore, in Kabbalah it is a synonym for *tzimtzum* and *gevurah*. He saw, however, that the world could not endure, [so] He combined with it the attribute of mercy,”², Genesis 1:1. See *Bereishit Rabbah* 12:15; *Pesikta Rabbati* 40:2. that is, the revelation of G–dliness through the *tzaddikim* and the signs and miracles recorded in the Torah.³

footnotes:
¹ I.e., with the attribute of tzimtzum
² Rashi
³ Miracles are evidence of G–d’s “hand” in nature and demonstrate that He is the Master of all; all cosmic and natural powers are subservient to Him.


###### Tanya, Part II; Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah 5:2
[Tanya, Part II; Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah 5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20II%3B%20Shaar%20HaYichud%20VehaEmunah/r/5:2)

וְהִנֵּה עַל זֶה אָמְרוּ בַּזֹּהַר, דִּ״לְעֵילָּא, בְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה עִילָּאָה, אִית יְמִינָא וְאִית שְׂמָאלָא״, דְּהַיְינוּ, חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה, פֵּירוּשׁ, דִּשְׁתֵּיהֶן הֵן מִדּוֹת אֱלֹהוּת לְמַעְלָה מִשֵּׂכֶל הַנִּבְרָאִים וְהַשָּׂגָתָם, ״דְּאִיהוּ וְגַרְמוֹהִי חַד״ בְּעוֹלַם הָאֲצִילוּת. וְאַף הַשָּׂגַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ עָלָיו־הַשָּׁלוֹם בִּנְבוּאָתוֹ, לֹא הָיְתָה בְּעוֹלַם הָאֲצִילוּת, אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי הִתְלַבְּשׁוּתוֹ בְּעוֹלַם הַבְּרִיאָה. וְאַף גַּם זֹאת, לֹא בִּשְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ – חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה, אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי הִתְלַבְּשׁוּתָן בַּמִּדּוֹת שֶׁלְּמַטָּה מֵהֶן בְּמַדְרֵגָה, שֶׁהֵן מִדּוֹת נֶצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד [כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּשַׁעַר הַנְּבוּאָה].

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
And regarding this, it was stated in the *Zohar*, “Above, in the ‘side of supernal holiness,’ there is right and left,” namely, *chesed* and *gevurah*. This means that both are attributes of G–dliness, above the intellect and comprehension of the creatures, for “He and His attributes are One in the world of *Atzilut*.”⁴, Introduction. Even the comprehension of Moses, our teacher, peace unto him, in his prophetic vision, was not in the world *of Atzilut* [itself], but only as it [*Atzilut*] becomes clothed in the world of *Beriah*,⁵ and even then, was not of these two attributes, *chesed* and *gevurah*, but only as they become clothed in attributes which are of lower levels than they, viz., the attributes of *netzach* (victory, eternity), *hod* (majesty), *yesod* (foundation)⁶, Epistle 15. [as is explained in *Shaar Hanevuah*].⁷

footnotes:
⁴ Tikkunei Zohar
⁵ See above, ch. 2, note 16.
⁶ See Iggeret Hakodesh
⁷ Brackets are the author’s.


###### Tanya, Part II; Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah 5:3
[Tanya, Part II; Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah 5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tanya/s/Part%20II%3B%20Shaar%20HaYichud%20VehaEmunah/r/5:3)

רַק שֶׁמַּתַּן שְׂכָרָם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים בְּגַן עֵדֶן, הוּא הַשָּׂגַת הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת הַחַיּוּת וְאוֹר הַנִּמְשָׁךְ מִשְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה, וְהוּא – מְזוֹן נִשְׁמוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁעָסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה לִשְׁמָהּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. כִּי מֵהִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת שְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ, נִמְתָּח רָקִיעַ עַל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁבְּגַן עֵדֶן, וְרָקִיעַ זֶה נִקְרָא ״רָזָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא״, וּבוֹ סוֹד כ״ב אוֹתִיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, הַנְּתוּנָה מִשְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת אֵלּוּ, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ״, וּמֵרָקִיעַ זֶה, נוֹטֵף טַל לִמְזוֹן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת, דְּהַיְינוּ, יְדִיעַת סוֹד כ״ב אוֹתִיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי הָרָקִיעַ הַזֶּה – הוּא סוֹד הַדַּעַת, וְהַתּוֹרָה – הִיא מְזוֹן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת בְּגַן עֵדֶן, וְהַמִּצְוֹת – הֵן לְבוּשִׁים, כִּמְבוֹאָר כָּל זֶה [בַּזֹּהַר וַיַּקְהֵל דַּף ר״ט וְר״י, וּבְעֵץ חַיִּים שַׁעַר מ״ד פֶּרֶק ג׳]:

**Kehot Publication Society (English Translation):**
It is only the *tzaddikim* in *Gan Eden* who are granted the reward of comprehending the spreading forth of the life-force and light which issues from these two attributes, *chesed* and *gevurah*. And this [comprehension] is the “food”⁸ comprehended and absorbed by the soul and united with it. This Divine light is the “food” or inner life of the soul. Cf. *Likkutei Amarim*, Part I, ch. 5. of the souls of the *tzaddikim* who, in this world, occupied themselves with the study of Torah for its own sake.⁹, Part I, ibid., it is interpreted as “study with the intent to attach one’s soul to G–d through the comprehension of the Torah, each one according to his intellect.” For from the spreading forth of these two attributes, a firmament¹⁰, the Hebrew word for heaven, is a combination of *esh* (fire) and *mayim* (water) which symbolize *gevurah* and c*hesed* respectively. is spread over the souls in *Gan Eden*, and this firmament is called *razah d’oraytah* (“the secret of the Torah”). In it is the secret of the twenty-two letters of the Torah which was given from these two attributes, as it is written, “From His right hand He gave them a fiery Law.”¹¹, “fiery” indicates *gevurah*. It was necessary for the Torah, whose source is *chesed*—i.e., the issuing forth of the infinite light—to descend and become condensed through *tzimtzum* and *gevurah* until it could become clothed in the corporeal, material things of this world and could be comprehended and fulfilled by created beings. Cf. *Iggeret Hakodesh*, Epistle 10. And from this firmament drops dew¹² as “food” for the souls, i.e., the knowledge of the secret of the twenty-two letters of the Torah. For this firmament is the “secret of knowledge,” and the Torah is the “food” of the souls in *Gan Eden*; and the precepts are “garments” [of the souls], ¹³, which is infinite and beyond comprehension. The precepts serve as “garments” of the soul and veil and screen the infinite light so that it can be comprehended and absorbed by the soul, as, for example, one looks at a brilliant light through a veil. Cf. *Iggeret Hakodesh*, Epistle 29. as all this is explained [in *Zohar Vayakhel*, pp. 209-210 and in *Etz Chaim*, *Shaar* 44, ch. 3].¹⁴

footnotes:
⁸ Just as food is absorbed by the body and transformed into flesh and blood, so is the light of Atzilut
⁹ From pure and disinterested motives—to fulfill G–d’s command—and not for the purpose of reward or self-aggrandisement. In Likkutei Amarim
¹⁰ Shamayim
¹¹ Deuteronomy 33:2. “Right hand” indicates chesed
¹² The Torah is likened to dew (See Deuteronomy 32:2), which symbolizes the esoteric aspect of the Torah.
¹³ The soul, being finite and limited, could not comprehend the light of Atzilut
¹⁴ Brackets are the author’s.