Examine Etz Chaim, Shaar Hanekudot 8:6, the statement that there can be no “turning of face to face”1In Likkutei Torah, Re’eh, 32b, Rabbi Schneur Zalman interprets the term “face to face” (panim b’fanim) as “internal”: the internal aspect of G–d’s will shall illuminate the source of the souls of Israel, when man’s inner will is directed to G–d. Panim, face, also implies “inner.” except through mitzvot requiring action2I.e., donning tefillin, giving charity, etc., as differentiated from mitzvot performed through speech and thought. exclusively. The reason is that good deeds cause the supernal union….
The understanding of why mitzvot which require action specifically have this effect lies in the statement in Shaar Man Umad, that the first step must be elevation of mayin nukvin3See Addendum, Glossary to Likkutei Amarim, Part I. Nukva (pl. nukvin), “feminine,” describes the recipient, who must in this context take the initiative to arouse the “donor,” the “masculine,” or G–d. Mayin nukvin (feminine waters) in transliterated abbreviation is man. Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 8, notes that “arousal from below” is identical with haaloat man, “elevation of the feminine waters,” the term employed by the Arizal. (On the Arizal, see Introduction to Likkutei Amarim, Part I.) of nukva of the Minor Visage,4See below, Essay 3, note 8. and the mayin nukvin of nukva is the state of action,5See above, Essay 1, note 3. Only in the lower worlds, apparently from their Creator, is the labor of purification necessary. as explained there, ch. 1.
Good deeds are described as trimming and hacking off the thistles that attach themselves to the hinderpart, the state of deed, as written in (Etz Chaim) Shaar 47:5. This pruning is effected through elevating the element of good concealed in them that is enclothed in mitzvot of action, elevating it to its source, to the sanctity of Atzilut that has already been purified.
The statement there that Adam made rectification through prayer as well means through the utterances of speech, for the movement of the lips is also deemed a deed.6Cf. Sanhedrin 45a. Utterances are from the vivifying soul7Cf. Addendum, Glossary, Nefesh ha-bahamit. in the body and his blood, whose source is in nogah.8Ibid., Kelipat nogah.
The purifications of Asiyah5 ascend to Yetzirah5 through the name of ב“ן,9See Likkutei Amarim, Part II, ch. 7, note 48. and from Yetzirah to Beriah and Atzilut, as noted in Shaar Man, Drush 11:7.
Thus we can understand why mere thought accomplishes nothing,10See above, Essay 1. for without elevating mayin nukvin3 from the “kings of nogah,” it is impossible to draw forth drops from above to effect the union of zun,11See below, Essay 6, note 7. for its desire is to seek nurture from its “mother” rather than giving forth for the lower realms, as written in Shaar Man, Drush 2. See also Zohar, Parashat Pekudei, 244b, that there is an order…to gaze upon…. These are the intentions in prayer, and the supernal unions, for those who know and understand how to “gaze upon….” For their very own nefesh-ruach-neshamah12Addendum, Glossary; see above, Essay 1, note 15. are man, with selfless devotion for the Torah, and during the Tachanun prayer, as is known.
עַיֵּין עֵץ חַיִּים שַׁעַר הַנְּקוּדּוֹת שַׁעַר ח׳ פֶּרֶק ו׳, שֶׁאֵין הַחֲזָרַת פָּנִים בְּפָנִים כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי מִצְוֹת מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת דַּוְקָא. וְטַעַם הַדָּבָר, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים גּוֹרֵם זִיוּוּג הָעֶלְיוֹן וְכוּ׳.
Examine Etz Chaim, Shaar Hanekudot 8:6, the statement that there can be no “turning of face to face”1In Likkutei Torah, Re’eh, 32b, Rabbi Schneur Zalman interprets the term “face to face” (panim b’fanim) as “internal”: the internal aspect of G–d’s will shall illuminate the source of the souls of Israel, when man’s inner will is directed to G–d. Panim, face, also implies “inner.” except through mitzvot requiring action2I.e., donning tefillin, giving charity, etc., as differentiated from mitzvot performed through speech and thought. exclusively. The reason is that good deeds cause the supernal union….
וּלְהָבִין, אַמַּאי ״מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת״ דַּוְקָא? יוּבַן מִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּשַׁעַר מַ״ן וּמ״ד, כִּי צָרִיךְ תְּחִלָּה לְהַעֲלוֹת ״מַיִּין נוּקְבִין דְּנוּקְבָא דִזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין״, וּ״מַיִּין נוּקְבִין דְּנוּקְבָא״ הֵן בְּחִינַת עֲשִׂיָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב שָׁם פֶּרֶק א׳.
The understanding of why mitzvot which require action specifically have this effect lies in the statement in Shaar Man Umad, that the first step must be elevation of mayin nukvin3See Addendum, Glossary to Likkutei Amarim, Part I. Nukva (pl. nukvin), “feminine,” describes the recipient, who must in this context take the initiative to arouse the “donor,” the “masculine,” or G–d. Mayin nukvin (feminine waters) in transliterated abbreviation is man. Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 8, notes that “arousal from below” is identical with haaloat man, “elevation of the feminine waters,” the term employed by the Arizal. (On the Arizal, see Introduction to Likkutei Amarim, Part I.) of nukva of the Minor Visage,4See below, Essay 3, note 8. and the mayin nukvin of nukva is the state of action,5See above, Essay 1, note 3. Only in the lower worlds, apparently from their Creator, is the labor of purification necessary. as explained there, ch. 1.
וְהִנֵּה, הַמַּעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים נִקְרָאִים ״כִּסּוּחַ וְקִיצּוּץ הַקּוֹצִים״, הַנֶּאֱחָזִים בַּאֲחוֹרַיִים, שֶׁהֵן בְּחִינַת עֲשִׂיָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּשַׁעַר מ״ז פֶּרֶק ה׳, וְהַיְינוּ עַל־יְדֵי הַעֲלָאַת הַטּוֹב הַגָּנוּז בָּהֶם הַמְלוּבָּשׁ בְּמִצְוֹת מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת לִמְקוֹרוֹ, לִקְדוּשַּׁת הָאֲצִילוּת שֶׁכְּבָר הוּבְרְרָה.
Good deeds are described as trimming and hacking off the thistles that attach themselves to the hinderpart, the state of deed, as written in (Etz Chaim) Shaar 47:5. This pruning is effected through elevating the element of good concealed in them that is enclothed in mitzvot of action, elevating it to its source, to the sanctity of Atzilut that has already been purified.
וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב שָׁם שֶׁאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן תִּיקֵּן גַּם כֵּן עַל־יְדֵי תְּפִלָּה, הַיְינוּ עַל־יְדֵי אוֹתִיּוֹת הַדִּבּוּר, דַּ״עֲקִימַת שְׂפָתָיו הַוֵי מַעֲשֶׂה״, כִּי הֵן מִנֶּפֶשׁ הַחִיּוּנִית שֶׁבַּגּוּף וְדָמוֹ אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְשָׁן מִנּוֹגַהּ.
The statement there that Adam made rectification through prayer as well means through the utterances of speech, for the movement of the lips is also deemed a deed.6Cf. Sanhedrin 45a. Utterances are from the vivifying soul7Cf. Addendum, Glossary, Nefesh ha-bahamit. in the body and his blood, whose source is in nogah.8Ibid., Kelipat nogah.
וְהִנֵּה, הַבֵּירוּרִים דַּעֲשִׂיָּה עוֹלִין לִיצִירָה עַל יְדֵי שֵׁם בַּ״ן, וּמִיצִירָה לִבְרִיאָה וְלַאֲצִילוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּשַׁעַר מַ״ן דְּרוּשׁ י״א סִימָן ז׳.
The purifications of Asiyah5 ascend to Yetzirah5 through the name of ב“ן,9See Likkutei Amarim, Part II, ch. 7, note 48. and from Yetzirah to Beriah and Atzilut, as noted in Shaar Man, Drush 11:7.
וּבָזֶה יוּבַן דְּהִרְהוּר לָא עָבִיד מִידֵי, כִּי בְּלִי הַעֲלָאַת ״מַיִּין נוּקְבִין״ מֵהַ״מְּלָכִים״ שֶׁבְּ״נוֹגַהּ״, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַמְשִׁיךְ טִיפִּין מִלְמַעְלָה לְזִוּוּג זְעֵיר אַנְפִּין וְנוּקְבָא, כִּי רוֹצֶה לִינַק מֵאִמּוֹ וְלֹא לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ לְמַטָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּשַׁעַר מַ״ן דְּרוּשׁ ב׳. וְעַיֵּין זֹהַר פָּרָשַׁת פְּקוּדֵי דַּף רמ״ד עַמּוּד ב׳: דְּאִית סִדּוּרָא כוּ׳ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא כוּ׳, וְהֵן כַּוָּונוֹת הַתְּפִלָּה וְיִחוּדִים עֶלְיוֹנִים לַיּוֹדְעִים וּמַשִּׂיגִים לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא כוּ׳, כִּי נֶפֶשׁ־רוּחַ־נְשָׁמָה שֶׁלָּהֶם עַצְמָן הֵן ״מַיִּין נוּקְבִין״, בִּמְסִירַת נַפְשָׁם עַל הַתּוֹרָה, וּבִנְפִילַת אַפַּיִם, כַּנּוֹדָע:
Thus we can understand why mere thought accomplishes nothing,10See above, Essay 1. for without elevating mayin nukvin3 from the “kings of nogah,” it is impossible to draw forth drops from above to effect the union of zun,11See below, Essay 6, note 7. for its desire is to seek nurture from its “mother” rather than giving forth for the lower realms, as written in Shaar Man, Drush 2. See also Zohar, Parashat Pekudei, 244b, that there is an order…to gaze upon…. These are the intentions in prayer, and the supernal unions, for those who know and understand how to “gaze upon….” For their very own nefesh-ruach-neshamah12Addendum, Glossary; see above, Essay 1, note 15. are man, with selfless devotion for the Torah, and during the Tachanun prayer, as is known.