{“God did as He planned, beetza emrato (He executed His word) that He commanded long ago” (Lamentations 2:17) .} “B eetza emrato”—He tore His royal robe (Eikhah Rabbah 1:1). For the Holy Temple is certainly unable to bear the glory and majesty of the Holy One, as it is written (1 Kings 8:27), “Why, neither the heavens nor the highest heavens can contain You, how much less this building….” Nevertheless, out of His love for the Jewish people, He constricted and clothed His majesty in order to cause His Divine Presence to dwell in the Holy Temple, thereby revealing His Kingship.
And this is the aspect of “God is King; He donned majesty” (Psalms 93:1). In order to reveal His Kingship, He clothed and constricted His majesty, as it were, so that we should be able to take upon ourselves the yoke of His Kingship. However, when the Jews sinned before Him, then God showed and revealed His majesty and grandeur, as it were, not wanting to cover or constrict it any more. Thus, inevitably, the Holy Temple was destroyed, because it could not withstand [His majesty], as explained above.
This is the explanation of beetza emrato: He tore His royal robe. He tore His garment—i.e., he tore off the aforementioned garment and contraction, the aspect of “He donned majesty.” Thus, inevitably, the Holy Temple was destroyed; for once He had torn and nullified the constriction and garment, the Holy Temple was no longer able to withstand His majesty and grandeur, for “neither the heavens nor the highest heavens can contain You,” as explained above.
2. I heard more in [Rebbe Nachman’s] name on this subject, that [God] covered and constricted His majesty in order to reveal His Kingship. [The Rebbe] then mentioned what he had said the previous day. The point is that fear, the aspect of kingship, is the aspect of submissiveness. This is what is written, “What does God your Lord ask of you? Only that you fear [Him]” (Deuteronomy 10:12). The Holy One lessens Himself, as it were, and asks from them fear. For “ask of you” is the aspect of submissiveness and humility, like one who asks and requests from a friend.
For fear is the aspect of malkhut (kingship), as it is written (Avot 3:2), “Were it not for the fear of the malkhut (government),” {as has been brought a number of times}. And malkhut is the aspect of poverty and submissiveness, for there can be no king unless there are subjects. This is the aspect of poverty—it has nothing of its own (Zohar I, 238a), {as has been brought elsewhere}. That is, the attribute of malkhut has nothing whatsoever of its own. It is only by means of the world that the attribute of malkhut is revealed, for there can be no king unless there are subjects. Thus it is that the attribute of malkhut, which is the aspect of fear, is the aspect of poverty and submissiveness.
Therefore, at the Giving of the Torah, when the Holy One wanted to reveal His Malkhut and the fear of Him, God submitted Himself to the Jewish people, as it were, and requested of them that they accept His Kingship. He gave them a number of assurances, as it is written (Exodus 19:6), “You will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation….” All these assurances are the aspect of submissiveness. This was all in order to reveal His Malkhut and the fear of Him, as it is written (Exodus 20:17), “in order that the fear of Him be on your faces.” For all this was for the sake of fear, which is the aspect of malkhut, as explained above. God lessened Himself in order to reveal His Kingship, as explained above.
This is the explanation of “God is King; He donned majesty.” “God is King”—that is, when the Holy One wanted to reveal his Kingship, then “He donned majesty”—He clothed and contracted His majesty, and lessened Himself, as it were, as explained above.
3. I also heard that to a certain preacher, who was at his table at that time, he quipped: “BeeTZA EMRato”—he OMeR (says) Torah for BeTZA (profit) and money.
4. In addition I heard something in his name, similar to what is mentioned above, which he said concerning the verse, “Can a man hide in a hidden place, and I not see him?” (Jeremiah 23:24). For when a person lessens himself, then God, too, lessens Himself. But when a person is haughty and inflated, then God, too, shows His majesty and greatness.
And this the explanation of “Can a man hide in a hidden place.” When a person lessens and hides himself “in a hidden place”—i.e., he hides, conceals and lessens himself in humbleness and humility—then “and I not see him?”—I in turn show Myself to him in the aspect of “not,” which is the aspect of Nothingness and Naught, the aspect of humbleness and humility, as explained above.
בִּצַּע אֶמְרָתוֹ (איכה ב׳:י״ז) – בִּזַּע פּוֹרְפִירָא דִּילֵהּ, (מדרש שם). כִּי בְּוַדַּאי אֵין הַבֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְגַאֲוָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלכים־א ח): הִנֵּה הַשָּׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לֹא יְכַלְכְּלוּךָ, אַף כִּי הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה וְכוּ'. רַק מֵחֲמַת אַהֲבַת יִשְׂרָאֵל צִמְצֵם וְהִלְבִּישׁ אֶת גַּאֲוָתוֹ כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁרוֹת שְׁכִינָתוֹ בְּבֵית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ כְּדֵי לְגַלּוֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ.
{“God did as He planned, beetza emrato (He executed His word) that He commanded long ago” (Lamentations 2:17) .} “B eetza emrato”—He tore His royal robe (Eikhah Rabbah 1:1). For the Holy Temple is certainly unable to bear the glory and majesty of the Holy One, as it is written (1 Kings 8:27), “Why, neither the heavens nor the highest heavens can contain You, how much less this building….” Nevertheless, out of His love for the Jewish people, He constricted and clothed His majesty in order to cause His Divine Presence to dwell in the Holy Temple, thereby revealing His Kingship.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהילים צ״ג:א׳): ה' מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ – שֶׁכִּבְיָכוֹל בִּשְׁבִיל לְגַלּוֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ, הִלְבִּישׁ וְצִמְצֵם אֶת גֵּאוּת שֶׁלּוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁנּוּכַל לִסְבֹּל קַבָּלַת עֹל מַלְכוּתוֹ עָלֵינוּ, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל חָטְאוּ לְפָנָיו, אֲזַי כִּבְיָכוֹל הֶרְאָה וְגִלָּה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אֶת גַּאֲוָתוֹ וּגְאוֹנוֹ, וְלֹא רָצָה לְהַלְבִּישׁוֹ וּלְצַמְצְמוֹ עוֹד, וּמִמֵּילָא נֶחֱרַב הַבֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, כִּי לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְסָבְלוֹ כַּנַּ"ל.
And this is the aspect of “God is King; He donned majesty” (Psalms 93:1). In order to reveal His Kingship, He clothed and constricted His majesty, as it were, so that we should be able to take upon ourselves the yoke of His Kingship. However, when the Jews sinned before Him, then God showed and revealed His majesty and grandeur, as it were, not wanting to cover or constrict it any more. Thus, inevitably, the Holy Temple was destroyed, because it could not withstand [His majesty], as explained above.
וְזֶה: בִּצַּע אֶמְרָתוֹ – בִּזַּע פּוֹרְפִירָא דִּילֵהּ, שֶׁקָּרַע אֶת הַלְּבוּשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁקָּרַע אֶת הַלְּבוּשׁ וְהַצִּמְצוּם הַנַּ"ל בְּחִינַת גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ הַנַּ"ל, וּמִמֵּילָא נֶחֱרַב הַבֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁקָּרַע וּבִטֵּל אֶת הַצִּמְצוּם וְהַלְּבוּשׁ, שׁוּב אֵין הַבֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל גַּאֲוָתוֹ וּגְאוֹנוֹ, כִּי הֵן הַשָּׁמַיִם וּשְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לֹא יְכַלְכְּלוּךָ כַּנַּ"ל:
This is the explanation of beetza emrato: He tore His royal robe. He tore His garment—i.e., he tore off the aforementioned garment and contraction, the aspect of “He donned majesty.” Thus, inevitably, the Holy Temple was destroyed; for once He had torn and nullified the constriction and garment, the Holy Temple was no longer able to withstand His majesty and grandeur, for “neither the heavens nor the highest heavens can contain You,” as explained above.
עוֹד שָׁמַעְתִּי בִּשְׁמוֹ לָעִנְיָן הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהִלְבִּישׁ וְצִמְצֵם אֶת גַּאֲוָתוֹ כְּדֵי לְגַלּוֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ, שֶׁהִזְכִּיר אָז מַה שֶּׁאָמַר בַּיּוֹם שֶׁלְּפָנָיו. וְהָעִנְיָן, שֶׁיִּרְאָה בְּחִינַת מַלְכוּת הוּא בְּחִינַת הַכְנָעָה, וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים י׳:י״ב): מָה ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ שׁוֹאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ, כִּי אִם לְיִרְאָה – שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַקְטִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ כִּבְיָכוֹל וְשׁוֹאֵל מֵהֶם יִרְאָה, כִּי "שׁוֹאֵל מֵעִמָּךְ" הוּא בְּחִינַת הַכְנָעָה וְשִׁפְלוּת, כְּמוֹ הַשּׁוֹאֵל וּמְבַקֵּשׁ מֵחֲבֵרוֹ.
2. I heard more in [Rebbe Nachman’s] name on this subject, that [God] covered and constricted His majesty in order to reveal His Kingship. [The Rebbe] then mentioned what he had said the previous day. The point is that fear, the aspect of kingship, is the aspect of submissiveness. This is what is written, “What does God your Lord ask of you? Only that you fear [Him]” (Deuteronomy 10:12). The Holy One lessens Himself, as it were, and asks from them fear. For “ask of you” is the aspect of submissiveness and humility, like one who asks and requests from a friend.
כִּי יִרְאָה הוּא בְּחִינַת מַלְכוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (אבות פ"ג): אִלְמָלֵא מוֹרָאָהּ שֶׁל מַלְכוּת (כַּמּוּבָא כְּבָר כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים). וּמַלְכוּת הוּא בְּחִינַת עֹנִי וְהַכְנָעָה, כִּי אֵין מֶלֶךְ בְּלֹא עָם, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת עֲנִיּוּת דְּלֵית לָהּ מִגַּרְמַהּ כְּלוּם (כַּמּוּבָא בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר), הַיְנוּ שֶׁמִּדַּת הַמַּלְכוּת אֵין לָהּ מִצַּד עַצְמָהּ כְּלוּם, כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי הָעוֹלָם נִתְגַּלֶּה מִדַּת הַמַּלְכוּת, כִּי אֵין מֶלֶךְ בְּלֹא עָם, נִמְצָא שֶׁמִּדַּת הַמַּלְכוּת, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת יִרְאָה, הִיא בְּחִינַת עֹנִי וְהַכְנָעָה.
For fear is the aspect of malkhut (kingship), as it is written (Avot 3:2), “Were it not for the fear of the malkhut (government),” {as has been brought a number of times}. And malkhut is the aspect of poverty and submissiveness, for there can be no king unless there are subjects. This is the aspect of poverty—it has nothing of its own (Zohar I, 238a), {as has been brought elsewhere}. That is, the attribute of malkhut has nothing whatsoever of its own. It is only by means of the world that the attribute of malkhut is revealed, for there can be no king unless there are subjects. Thus it is that the attribute of malkhut, which is the aspect of fear, is the aspect of poverty and submissiveness.
וְעַל־כֵּן בִּשְׁעַת מַתַּן תּוֹרָה שֶׁרָצָה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְגַלּוֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ וְיִרְאָתוֹ, הִכְנִיעַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כִּבְיָכוֹל, וּבִקֵּשׁ מֵהֶם שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ מַלְכוּתוֹ, וְהִבְטִיחַ לָהֶם כַּמָּה הַבְטָחוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות י״ט:ו׳): וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ וְכוּ', שֶׁכָּל אֵלּוּ הַהַבְטָחוֹת הֵם בְּחִינַת הַכְנָעָה, וְכָל זֶה הָיָה בִּשְׁבִיל לְגַלּוֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ וְיִרְאָתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם כ): וּבַעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם וְכוּ', כִּי כָּל זֶה הָיָה בִּשְׁבִיל הַיִּרְאָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת מַלְכוּת כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַקְטִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל לְגַלּוֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ כַּנַּ"ל,
Therefore, at the Giving of the Torah, when the Holy One wanted to reveal His Malkhut and the fear of Him, God submitted Himself to the Jewish people, as it were, and requested of them that they accept His Kingship. He gave them a number of assurances, as it is written (Exodus 19:6), “You will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation….” All these assurances are the aspect of submissiveness. This was all in order to reveal His Malkhut and the fear of Him, as it is written (Exodus 20:17), “in order that the fear of Him be on your faces.” For all this was for the sake of fear, which is the aspect of malkhut, as explained above. God lessened Himself in order to reveal His Kingship, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: ה' מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ. ה' מָלָךְ, הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁרָצָה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְגַלּוֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ, אֲזַי: גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ, שֶׁהִלְבִּישׁ וְצִמְצֵם אֶת גַּאֲוָתוֹ וְהִקְטִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ כִּבְיָכוֹל כַּנַּ"ל:
This is the explanation of “God is King; He donned majesty.” “God is King”—that is, when the Holy One wanted to reveal his Kingship, then “He donned majesty”—He clothed and contracted His majesty, and lessened Himself, as it were, as explained above.
גַּם שָׁמַעְתִּי, שֶׁאָמַר אָז דִּבְרֵי צַחוּת לְדַרְשָׁן אֶחָד שֶׁיָּשַׁב עַל שֻׁלְחָנוֹ אָז: בִּצַּע אֶמְרָתוֹ – שֶׁאוֹמֵר תּוֹרָה בִּשְׁבִיל בֶּצַע וּמָמוֹן:
3. I also heard that to a certain preacher, who was at his table at that time, he quipped: “BeeTZA EMRato”—he OMeR (says) Torah for BeTZA (profit) and money.
עוֹד מֵעֵין הַנַּ"ל, שָׁמַעְתִּי בִּשְׁמוֹ, שֶׁאָמַר עַל פָּסוּק (ירמיהו כ״ג:כ״ד): אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בְּמִסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ, כִּי כְּשֶׁאָדָם מַקְטִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ, אָז הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ גַּם כֵּן מַקְטִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהָאָדָם מִתְגָּאֶה וּמִתְגַּדֵּל, אֲזַי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ גַּם־כֵּן מַרְאֶה גַּאֲוָתוֹ וְגָדְלוֹ,
4. In addition I heard something in his name, similar to what is mentioned above, which he said concerning the verse, “Can a man hide in a hidden place, and I not see him?” (Jeremiah 23:24). For when a person lessens himself, then God, too, lessens Himself. But when a person is haughty and inflated, then God, too, shows His majesty and greatness.
וְזֶהוּ: אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בְּמִסְתָּרִים – שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָאָדָם מַקְטִין וּמַסְתִּיר אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּמִסְתָּרִים, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמַּסְתִּיר וּמַעֲלִים וּמַקְטִין אֶת עַצְמוֹ בַּעֲנָוָה וְשִׁפְלוּת, אֲזַי: וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ – שֶׁאֲנִי גַּם־כֵּן מַרְאֶה עַצְמִי אֵלָיו בִּבְחִינַת לֹא, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אַיִן וָאֶפֶס, בְּחִינַת עֲנָוָה וְשִׁפְלוּת, וְכַנַּ"ל:
And this the explanation of “Can a man hide in a hidden place.” When a person lessens and hides himself “in a hidden place”—i.e., he hides, conceals and lessens himself in humbleness and humility—then “and I not see him?”—I in turn show Myself to him in the aspect of “not,” which is the aspect of Nothingness and Naught, the aspect of humbleness and humility, as explained above.