Part 2 Chapter 2 You think that's Great?

Nevertheless, there is a hidden and deep intention in this matter...that the Ten Sephirot are the vessels and the Infinite Light affects the world through them, to build and destroy and plant, etc. And without the Sephirot the worlds cannot contain and receive the illumination from the Infinite Light... But even Wisdom which is the primary of all the Sephirot is like a corporeal entity compared to the essential Infinite Light of Hashem. So for the Infinite Light to garment itself in them to act through them is a great descent...


The Sephirot are not Hashem but they belong to a Divine Identity. Most creatures have some level of self-identity, or ego, that makes them separate from G-d. They can be used by G-d for some purpose but at all times they maintain the feeling of being separate entities. The Ten Sephirot are distinct in that they don't have any identity beyond carrying out G-d's will.

Nevertheless, even the Ten Sephirot, including Wisdom, the first of the Sephirot, that none can grasp even the holiest man or angel, is before G-d like a table or a chair. In G-d's eyes, creating a constellation of stars and a row of snails is an equal act before His Infinitude. Similarly, the Sephirot are as naught before Him. What I see as G-d's awesome power to create and enliven endless worlds is actually a demonstration of His humility.

Like we say in the Hallel Prayer (Psalms 113:5) "Who is enthroned on high - yet deigns to look upon the heavens..." To look upon the heavens is for Him a great descent. While from the point of view of the nations (Psalms 113:4) High above all nations is Hashem, above the heavens is his glory," in truth, even the fact that He is above the heavens is a demonstration of his "deigning" to look down to a lowly relatively finite place.

The kabbalistic explanation of our praises to G-d and our intentionality in prayer is not about our need to recognize G-d's kindness with us. But rather it is about helping G-d to lower Himself to a position where He is interested in worldly matters. It's important to note that when we speak about the Infinite Light, we are not referring to G-d Himself, but rather to the emanation of His will, as has been described at length elsewhere.

(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz. Pictures courtesy of Moshe Schlass.)