Awakening from Below, Gates Of Emunah, Terumah 5779

Awakening from Below

By Rabbi Nissan David Kivak shlita.

In the writings of the Arizal is described the

concept of the wondrous tzimzumim

(constrictions) that took place before the

creation in a form of “running and returning”,

“reaching and not reaching”; how originally

Hashem constricted the light and then

began to draw forth a certain degree of light,

the light then returned to its original place

and left behind only a slight impression, for it

[was so powerful that] it was still impossible

to bear this light. Afterwards, He again drew

forth a degree of light in a wondrous new

constriction and then concealed it so that

there should not be too much light. This happened

many times until the concept of the

“vacant space” was formed. After this He

drew forth the light of “the kings” and they

were unable to receive this light and they

“shattered” and “died” until the “world of

rectification” began. The whole reason for

this shattering was because there was no

“arousal from below”.

The main arousal from below takes place

though man specifically because he possesses

the ability for free will, and all this takes

place in every generation and with every

person, at all times. All this is for the purpose

of free will because free will is formed

through the concealment and revelation

which are an aspect of all the spiritual highs

and lows that a person endures. For this reason,

anyone who wants to go on the path of

Hashem must be proficient in “walking” – an

expert in “ascending and descending”, in

“running and returning”, strengthening himself

in Hashem in all that he endures and

knowing that the concealment and constric

tion are for the purpose of revelation.

However, owing to the fact that the constric

tions are the source of the harsh judgments

and evil inclinations which are the

cause of all the bad thoughts that attack a

person, one must be very cautious to flee

from them and to draw into one’s heart holy

thoughts of how to serve Hashem. Through

all this one merits to serve Hashem progressively

and in the right measure until through

this, His Godliness and Kingship will be revealed

to the entire world and the world will

be completely rectified through man’s arousal

from below, specifically because he possesses

free will.

This process also happens to the Tzaddikim

on each and every level [that they achieve]

for they too endure ups and downs, however

it is in a very subtle form, an aspect of the

darkening and illumination on the mochin

(mentalities/state of mind) and even this is

extremely subtle and with great holiness.

However, more than anything, these rectifications

are needed for those who have already

transgressed the Torah’s commandments,

G-d forbid and need to do teshuva.

This is all achieved through the power of the

great Tzaddikim who draw down Hashem’s

mercy upon them too and illuminate their

hearts each time with deep advice and wondrous

encouragement in a way that they

should merit to returning from wherever

they may be every time. However, it is impera

tive that there be some arousal form

below for without this it is impossible and

this is the aspect of all the thousands upon

thousands of ascents and descents that each

person experiences, even those who are

extremely far from Hashem; they too have

aspects of ups and downs for even by them

no day is similar to the next and even in a

single day everyone experiences infinite

changes.

This is especially true regarding the very

weak who are aroused to return to Hashem

and to draw near to the true Tzaddikim, the

forces of evil strengthen themselves against

them and seek to overthrow them. These

souls struggle and exert themselves to overcome

this and endure countless changes in

the aspect of ascents and descents. This requires

very great and tremendous encouragement,

the main form of which is through

the power of the Tzaddikim who already

stood strong in the battle of this world appropriately

and with utter perfection; they

make known to us that no arousal for Hashem

is ever lost, even from the depths of

hell and below. On the contrary, through this

is created tremendous tikkunim

(rectifications) by the greatest Tzaddikim

who gather all the good points of these

arousals and generate wondrous rectifica-

tions with them. The main thing is at that

they [who wish to return to Hashem] at least

not oppose these Tzaddikim but on the contrary,

heed their words and constantly

arouse themselves to Hashem anew. Then,

they will eventually merit to a good ending

and they will have a great part in the arousal

from below through which all the worlds are

rectified. (Likutey Halachos, The laws of the

mincha prayer, law 7, section 23).

After these wondrous words of Reb Nosson

we must contemplate whether we indeed

have some perception of just how great every

arousal from below is – what it means to exert

oneself to learn and pray with strength

specifically when we don’t feel like it or to

strengthen oneself not to sin during a downfall

when one’s fear of heaven is diminished.

Here we have some revelation of just how

great this truly is, for these are not just arbitrary

words of encouragement. On the contrary,

we must understand that this is the very

secret of creation which was created only for

this purpose – that there should be an arousal

from below, this is why there must be times

of difficulty. Yet ironically a person sees these

situations as if they are only second best and

doesn’t seek to understand that all the

“changes” that he experiences , the lack of

enthusiasm that he feels and all that seems to

him as if he is being distanced from above, are

only in order to build the proper vessels of

arousal from below. It is this misconception

that causes us to take so long to merit

attainting any level of holiness.

This is what Reb Nosson reveals to us – that

our main avodah in this world is to complete

the arousal from below and this is attainted

through one’s heart’s enthusiasm being constricted

until he enters into the service of

Hashem progressively and in the correct

measure. Without the constrictions and concealment

it would be impossible to complete

the arousal from below and merit serving

Hashem truthfully from level to level.

However since the avodah of perfecting the

arousal from below from within the constric

tions is difficult and many get stuck there,

it is necessary to draw close to Tzaddikim who

perfected this avodah, for they too endured

many ups and downs, but they nevertheless

encouraged and aroused themselves to Hashem

from amidst all they went though. Even

after they attained what they merited, they

continue to toil in completing the arousal

from below through gathering all the strands

of our minuscule arousals and uplifting them

to Hashem, thereby completing the original

intention of the creation of rectifying the light

through arousal from below.

These Tzaddikim, who are involved in this,

reveal to us and illuminate our minds with the

knowledge of just how precious every arousal

that ascends from the lowest of worlds is.

Through this we receive strength to truly exert

ourselves more and more with many beginnings

of arousal from below until Hashem’s

magnificent light shines throughout the

world.

This Publication is a project of the Gates of Emunah Institute for the dissemination of the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov in English.

Published by: Gates Of Emunah
Authorized to publish this article in Jornal Mitsvá
Translation by: Gilson Sasson

Website: http://www.gatesofemunah.org