אות - רכה

A man had been told that it was impossible to understand the Kabbalah without fasting and frequent immersion in the mikvah . He saw the Rebbe in Uman and asked him about this.

The Rebbe answered, “It is possible to know the wisdom of Kabbalah without this. For it is wisdom ….

He explained,“The reason why the main Kabbalistic work, Etz Chaim (see note 306, p. XX) and other such works are so difficult to understand is because they are not written in order.

“Where science and philosophy end, that is where true wisdom, that is Kabbalah, begins” (cf. Likutey Halakhot , Netilat Yadayim 6:79) .

Scientists and philosophers can only speculate within the bounds of the physical world. They can reach up to the stars and galaxies, but beyond that, they know absolutely nothing. Even their understanding of the physical world is very incomplete, as they themselves admit.

The wisdom of Kabbalah begins where their wisdom ends, beyond the physical world. The Kabbalah includes the entire physical world as part of the World of Action. Its teachings then go beyond the World of Action to the Worlds of Formation, Creation and Emanation. 331 The Kabbalah speaks of four transcendental worlds: Atzilut (Emanation), Beri'ah (Creation), Yetzirah (Formation) and Asiyah (Action or Completion), alluded to in Isaiah 43:7. See Pardes Rimonim 16; Etz Chaim , Sha'ar Kelalot ABYA . The World of Action also has a spiritual level beyond the realm of science and philosophy.

The Kabbalah speaks only of the spiritual roots of the World of Action and above. Therefore, the Kabbalah begins where scientific knowledge ends.

Speaking of awesome degrees of perception, the Rebbe once said, “The knowledge of scientists ends with the physical universe. It seems to them that beyond that is only God’s essence. In fact, the entire study of Kabbalah deals with the many levels and worlds beyond this world.

One who knows the truth of Kabbalah understands that it is unfathomable. For there is level above level (Ecclesiastes 5:7) ….”

The Rebbe once saw a book containing some writings of the Ari which were not widespread. This work speaks of the levels of emanation before the World of Emanation contained in the World of the Garment. 332 In Hebrew, Olam HaMalbush . Worlds above Atzilut are discussed in Pardes Rimonim 11; Etz Chaim , Drush Egolim VeYosher 4; Shaar HaHakdamot 1. See note 142. This is also discussed in the work, VaYakhel Moshe . 333 "And Moses Assembled,” a Kabbalistic work by Rabbi Moshe ben Menachem, a disciple of Rabbi David Oppenheim of Prague (1664-1737) ( Shem HaGedolim ). First published in Dessau in 1699.

I was very surprised when the Rebbe told me this. I had thought that there was nothing higher than the World of Emanation and was astonished to discover Kabbalistic teachings speaking of higher levels.

I expressed my surprise to the Rebbe and he laughed. He said, “Don’t you realize it is the philosophers think thatl knowledge ends with the planets?”

This is also the case with true Knowledge. Even in the transcendental worlds, there are levels above levels, high above high, without limit or bounds.

Thus, it is written, “There is no fathoming His greatness” (Psalms 145:3) . But words cannot express this.