In regard to the Holy One, blessed is He, however, the quality of wisdom—which [in all created beings] is the beginning of thought and its genesis—is to Him the completion of action; i.e., in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He, it [wisdom] is considered as if it were the quality and level of action, as it is written, “You have made them all with wisdom.”1Psalms 104:24.
That is to say, [wisdom relative to Him is] as the quality of the life-force in physical and material action is in relation to the quality of the life-force in wisdom, the beginning and source of the life-force in man and all the physical creatures. [The life-force in physical action] is as nothing in comparison with the life-force in the letters of speech, which [in turn] is of no account in comparison with the life-force in the letters of thought, which [in turn] is as nothing compared to the life-force and level of the emotion attributes from which this thought is derived, which [again] is as nothing relative to the life-force and level and degree of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, the source of the attributes. Exactly so is the quality and level of wisdom, the beginning and source of the life-force in all the worlds, in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He, in His Glory and Essence, Who is sublimated and exalted many myriads of degrees of elevations more than the elevation of the quality of wisdom over the quality of the life-force in action which is only an elevation of five degrees, namely, the qualities of action, speech, thought, emotion attributes, and intellect. The Holy One, blessed is He, however, is “High and exalted” above the level of wisdom myriads of degrees like these ad infinitum.
But inasmuch as it is within the power of created beings to comprehend only the descent from the level of wisdom, which is their beginning, to the level of action which is the lowermost [of levels], therefore, we say that in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He, the level of wisdom is considered exactly as the level of action.
That is to say, He is “high and exalted” and very greatly elevated above the level of wisdom, and it is not at all proper to ascribe to Him anything that is appurtenant to wisdom even in a very lofty and sublime form, as to say of Him that it is beyond the capacity of any higher or lower creature to comprehend His wisdom or His Essence. For comprehension pertains and applies to a matter of knowledge and wisdom [about which one can] say that it can or cannot be understood because of the profundity of the concept. But it is not at all proper to say concerning the Holy One, blessed is He, Who transcends intellect and wisdom, that it is impossible to apprehend Him because of the depth of the concept, for He is not within the realm of comprehension at all. And one who states that it is not possible to apprehend Him is as one who says concerning some lofty and profound wisdom that it cannot be touched with the hands because of the depth of the concept, for whoever hears it will mock him because the sense of touch refers and applies only to physical objects which may be grasped by the hands. Exactly so, the quality of intellect and comprehension in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He, is considered as actual physical action. Even the comprehension of the Intelligences2See above, ch. 7, note 34. in the upper worlds, and even the quality of supernal wisdom3I.e., the sefirah of chochmah in the world of Atzilut. which gives life to them all [is considered so in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He], as it is written, “You have made them all in wisdom.”4Psalms 104:24.
As for the Holy One, blessed is He, being called “Wise” in Scripture,5Isaiah 31:2. Jeremiah 10:12 et al. and our Sages, of blessed memory, also designating to Him the quality and level of wisdom,6Berachot 58a; Sanhedrin 104b et al. the reason is that He is the source of wisdom, for from Him, blessed be He, issues and emanates the essence of the quality of chochmah ilaah (supernal wisdom) which is in the world of Atzilut. And likewise [is He called] Merciful and Kind because He is the source of mercy and kindness; and likewise, the other attributes, for they all proceeded and emanated from Him, blessed be He. The manner and nature of the flow and emanation—how and what—is known to the intellectuals [versed in the teachings of Kabbalah].
NOTE: (The7Here follows a brief description of the emanation of the attributes from the Infinite. mystical principle of the tzimtzum of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, and the tzimtzum of AK,8Acronym for Adam Kadmon, the first aid highest state of existence in which the Infinite manifests Himself after the tzimtzum. It is the source of all subsequent emanations and creations. and the esoteric doctrine of the diknah.9The realm following AK and preceding Atzilut is called keter (crown). The powerfully contracted light which issues from it into Atzilut to bring forth the sefirot or attributes is denoted in Kabbalistic works as diknah. For a fuller elaboration of this concept see Likkutei Torah, Massei 93a. For the underlying purpose of all contractions is to condense the light in order that it become clothed within the vessels of the ten sefirot.10I.e., the ten Divine qualities or attributes which are the channels through which the Light of the En Sof issues forth and becomes contracted to create and act in the universe. The ten sefirot are: chochmah (wisdom), binah (understanding), daat (knowledge), chesed (kindness), gevurah (might), tiferet (beauty; mercy), netzach (eternity; victory), hod (majesty), yesod (foundation), malchut (sovereignty). See Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 15. It is only after the light of En Sof was clothed within the vessels of chabad11Acronym formed from the initial letters of the words chochmah, binah, daat, the first three of the ten sefirot. that it can be stated [concerning the Holy One, blessed is He] what Maimonides said: “He is the Knower, and He is the Knowledge, and He is the Known, and by knowing Himself…,”12Loc. cit. for the vessels of Atzilut become the soul and life-force of Beriah,13See above, ch. 2, note 16.Yetzirah,14Lit., “formation,” the third of the four worlds, the chief domain of the angels.Asiyah,15See above, ch. 2, note 14. and of all that is therein. Without the aforesaid tzimtzum and investiture, however, it is not at all proper to say that “He is the Knower and He is the Knowledge…,” for He is not within the realm and limitation of knowing and knowledge at all, G–d forbid, but infinitely elevated above even the quality and limitation of wisdom to the extent that the quality of wisdom is considered in relation to Him, blessed be He, as the quality of physical action.)
Now, we are not concerned with esoteric matters, but it is incumbent upon us to believe with complete faith matters that are revealed to us—that He and His attributes are One, i.e., the attributes of the Holy One, blessed is He, and His will and wisdom and understanding and knowledge [are One] with His Essence and Being, Who alone is exalted, infinite elevations above the quality of wisdom and intellect and comprehension. Hence, His unity with the attributes which He emanated from Himself, blessed be He, is also beyond the realm of comprehension, [i.e., it is not possible] to understand how He unites with them. And therefore, the attributes of the Holy One, blessed is He, which are the sefirot, are called in the Holy Zohar “the secret of faith,” which is the faith that transcends intellect.
אֲבָל לְגַבֵּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, מַדְרֵגַת הַחָכְמָה, שֶׁהִיא תְּחִלַּת מַחֲשָׁבָה וְרֵאשִׁיתָהּ – הִיא סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה אֶצְלוֹ, דְּהַיְינוּ, שֶׁנֶּחְשֶׁבֶת כְּאִילּוּ הִיא בְּחִינַת וּמַדְרֵגַת עֲשִׂיָּיה לְגַבֵּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״כּוּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ״.
In regard to the Holy One, blessed is He, however, the quality of wisdom—which [in all created beings] is the beginning of thought and its genesis—is to Him the completion of action; i.e., in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He, it [wisdom] is considered as if it were the quality and level of action, as it is written, “You have made them all with wisdom.”1Psalms 104:24.
וְהַיְינוּ לוֹמַר, שֶׁכְּעֵרֶךְ הַחַיּוּת שֶׁבַּעֲשִׂיָּה גוּפָנִית וְגַשְׁמִיִּית לְעֵרֶךְ חַיּוּת הַחָכְמָה, שֶׁהִיא רֵאשִׁית וּמְקוֹר הַחַיּוּת בָּאָדָם וְכָל הַבְּרוּאִים גַּשְׁמִיִּים, שֶׁהוּא כְּאַיִן לְגַבֵּי חַיּוּת שֶׁבְּאוֹתִיּוֹת הַדִּבּוּר, שֶׁהוּא כְּאַיִן לְגַבֵּי הַחַיּוּת שֶׁבְּאוֹתִיּוֹת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה, שֶׁהוּא כְּאַיִן לְגַבֵּי חַיּוּת וּמַעֲלַת הַמִּדּוֹת שֶׁמֵּהֶן נִמְשְׁכָה מַחֲשָׁבָה זוֹ, שֶׁהוּא כְּאַיִן לְגַבֵּי חַיּוּת וּמַעֲלַת וּמַדְרֵגַת הַחָכְמָה בִּינָה וָדַעַת מְקוֹר הַמִּדּוֹת, כֵּן מַמָּשׁ, עֵרֶךְ מַדְרֵגַת וּמַעֲלַת הַחָכְמָה, שֶׁהִיא רֵאשִׁית וּמְקוֹר הַחַיּוּת שֶׁבְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת – לְגַבֵּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בִּכְבוֹדוֹ וּבְעַצְמוֹ, הַמְרוֹמָם וְהַמִּתְנַשֵּׂא רִיבּוֹא רִבְבוֹת מַדְרֵגוֹת רוֹמְמוּת, יוֹתֵר מֵרוֹמְמוּת מַדְרֵגַת הַחָכְמָה עַל בְּחִינַת חַיּוּת שֶׁבָּעֲשִׂיָּיה, שֶׁהִיא רוֹמְמוּת חָמֵשׁ מַדְרֵגוֹת לְבַד, שֶׁהֵן מַדְרֵגוֹת בְחִינוֹת עֲשִׂיָּיה וְדִבּוּר וּמַחֲשָׁבָה וּמִדּוֹת וְשֵׂכֶל. אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, רָם וּמִתְנַשֵּׂא מִמַּדְרֵגַת הַחָכְמָה – רִבְבוֹת מַדְרֵגוֹת כָּאֵלּוּ עַד אֵין קֵץ.
That is to say, [wisdom relative to Him is] as the quality of the life-force in physical and material action is in relation to the quality of the life-force in wisdom, the beginning and source of the life-force in man and all the physical creatures. [The life-force in physical action] is as nothing in comparison with the life-force in the letters of speech, which [in turn] is of no account in comparison with the life-force in the letters of thought, which [in turn] is as nothing compared to the life-force and level of the emotion attributes from which this thought is derived, which [again] is as nothing relative to the life-force and level and degree of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, the source of the attributes. Exactly so is the quality and level of wisdom, the beginning and source of the life-force in all the worlds, in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He, in His Glory and Essence, Who is sublimated and exalted many myriads of degrees of elevations more than the elevation of the quality of wisdom over the quality of the life-force in action which is only an elevation of five degrees, namely, the qualities of action, speech, thought, emotion attributes, and intellect. The Holy One, blessed is He, however, is “High and exalted” above the level of wisdom myriads of degrees like these ad infinitum.
רַק מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין בַּנִּבְרָאִים כֹּחַ לְהַשִּׂיג רַק הַהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת מִמַּדְרֵגַת חָכְמָה, שֶׁהִיא רֵאשִׁיתָם, לְמַדְרֵגַת עֲשִׂיָּה הַשְּׁפֵלָה, לְכָךְ אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים, שֶׁלְּגַבֵּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, נֶחְשֶׁבֶת מַדְרֵגַת הַחָכְמָה כְּמַדְרֵגַת עֲשִׂיָּה מַמָּשׁ.
But inasmuch as it is within the power of created beings to comprehend only the descent from the level of wisdom, which is their beginning, to the level of action which is the lowermost [of levels], therefore, we say that in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He, the level of wisdom is considered exactly as the level of action.
דְּהַיְינוּ לוֹמַר, שֶׁהוּא רָם וְנִשָּׂא וְנַעֲלֶה עִילּוּי רַב מְאֹד מְאֹד מִמַּדְרֵגַת הַחָכְמָה, וְלֹא שַׁיָּיךְ כְּלָל לְיַיחֵס אֶצְלוֹ שׁוּם עִנְיָן הַמִּתְיַיחֵס לְחָכְמָה, אֲפִילוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ מַעֲלָה וְעִילּוּי רַב, כְּגוֹן לוֹמַר עָלָיו שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְשׁוּם נִבְרָא עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים לְהַשִּׂיג חָכְמָתוֹ אוֹ מַהוּתוֹ, כִּי עִנְיַן הַהַשָּׂגָה מִתְיַיחֵס וְנוֹפֵל עַל דְּבַר חָכְמָה וָשֵׂכֶל, לוֹמַר שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ, אוֹ אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ מִפְּנֵי עוֹמֶק הַמּוּשָּׂג; אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא שֶׁהוּא לְמַעְלָה מִן הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַחָכְמָה – לֹא שַׁיָּיךְ כְּלָל לוֹמַר בּוֹ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ מִפְּנֵי עוֹמֶק הַמּוּשָּׂג, כִּי אֵינוֹ בִּבְחִינַת הַשָּׂגָה כְּלָל, וְהָאוֹמֵר עָלָיו שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַשִּׂיגוֹ – הוּא כְּאוֹמֵר עַל אֵיזוֹ חָכְמָה רָמָה וַעֲמוּקָּה, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְמַשְּׁשָׁהּ בְּיָדַיִם מִפְּנֵי עוֹמֶק הַמּוּשָּׂג, שֶׁכָּל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ יִצְחַק לוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁחוּשׁ הַמִּישּׁוּשׁ אֵינוֹ מִתְיַיחֵס וְנוֹפֵל אֶלָּא עַל עֲשִׂיָּיה גַשְׁמִית הַנִּתְפֶּסֶת בְּיָדַיִם, וְכָכָה מַמָּשׁ, נֶחְשֶׁבֶת לְגַבֵּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מַדְרֵגַת הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהַשָּׂגָה כַּעֲשִׂיָּיה גַשְׁמִית מַמָּשׁ, וַאֲפִילוּ הַשָּׂגַת שְׂכָלִים שֶׁבְּעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים, וַאֲפִילוּ מַדְרֵגַת חָכְמָה עִילָּאָה הַמְחַיָּה אֶת כּוּלָּם, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״כּוּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ״.
That is to say, He is “high and exalted” and very greatly elevated above the level of wisdom, and it is not at all proper to ascribe to Him anything that is appurtenant to wisdom even in a very lofty and sublime form, as to say of Him that it is beyond the capacity of any higher or lower creature to comprehend His wisdom or His Essence. For comprehension pertains and applies to a matter of knowledge and wisdom [about which one can] say that it can or cannot be understood because of the profundity of the concept. But it is not at all proper to say concerning the Holy One, blessed is He, Who transcends intellect and wisdom, that it is impossible to apprehend Him because of the depth of the concept, for He is not within the realm of comprehension at all. And one who states that it is not possible to apprehend Him is as one who says concerning some lofty and profound wisdom that it cannot be touched with the hands because of the depth of the concept, for whoever hears it will mock him because the sense of touch refers and applies only to physical objects which may be grasped by the hands. Exactly so, the quality of intellect and comprehension in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He, is considered as actual physical action. Even the comprehension of the Intelligences2See above, ch. 7, note 34. in the upper worlds, and even the quality of supernal wisdom3I.e., the sefirah of chochmah in the world of Atzilut. which gives life to them all [is considered so in relation to the Holy One, blessed is He], as it is written, “You have made them all in wisdom.”4Psalms 104:24.
וּמַה שֶּׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא נִקְרָא ״חָכָם״ בַּכָּתוּב, וְגַם חֲכָמֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה כִּינּוּ לוֹ מַדְרֵגַת וּמַעֲלַת הַחָכְמָה, הַיְינוּ, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹר הַחָכְמָה, שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ יִתְבָּרֵךְ נִמְשָׁךְ וְנֶאֱצָל מַהוּת מַדְרֵגַת חָכְמָה עִילָּאָה שֶׁבְּעוֹלַם הָאֲצִילוּת. וְכֵן ״רַחוּם״ וְ״חָסִיד״, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹר הָרַחֲמִים וְהַחֲסָדִים. וְכֵן שְׁאָר הַמִּדּוֹת, שֶׁכּוּלָּן נִמְשְׁכוּ וְנֶאֶצְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ יִתְבָּרֵךְ. וְדֶרֶךְ וְעִנְיַן הַהַמְשָׁכָה וְהָאֲצִילוּת אֵיךְ וּמָה, יָדוּעַ לַמַּשְׂכִּילִים
As for the Holy One, blessed is He, being called “Wise” in Scripture,5Isaiah 31:2. Jeremiah 10:12 et al. and our Sages, of blessed memory, also designating to Him the quality and level of wisdom,6Berachot 58a; Sanhedrin 104b et al. the reason is that He is the source of wisdom, for from Him, blessed be He, issues and emanates the essence of the quality of chochmah ilaah (supernal wisdom) which is in the world of Atzilut. And likewise [is He called] Merciful and Kind because He is the source of mercy and kindness; and likewise, the other attributes, for they all proceeded and emanated from Him, blessed be He. The manner and nature of the flow and emanation—how and what—is known to the intellectuals [versed in the teachings of Kabbalah].
הגהה
סוֹד הַצִּמְצוּם בְּאוֹר־אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, וְצִמְצוּם אָדָם קַדְמוֹן, וְסוֹד הַדִּיקְנָא, שֶׁסּוֹד כָּל הַצִּמְצוּמִים לְצַמְצֵם הָאוֹר שֶׁיִּתְלַבֵּשׁ בִּבְחִינוֹת כֵּלִים דְּי׳ סְפִירוֹת. וְהִנֵּה, אַחַר שֶׁנִּתְלַבֵּשׁ אוֹר־אֵין־סוֹף בִּבְחִינוֹת כֵּלִים דְּחָכְמָה־בִּינָה־דַּעַת, אָז שַׁיָּיךְ לוֹמַר מַה שֶּׁכָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ״ם: ״הוּא הַיּוֹדֵעַ, וְהוּא הַמַּדָּע, וְהוּא הַיָּדוּעַ, וּבִידִיעַת עַצְמוֹ וְכוּ׳״, לְפִי שֶׁבְּחִינוֹת כֵּלִים דַּאֲצִילוּת נַﬠֲשִׂים נְשָׁמָה וְחַיּוּת לִבְרִיאָה־יְצִירָה־ﬠֲשִׂיָּה וּלְכָל אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם. אֲבָל בְּלִי צִמְצוּם וְהַלְבָּשָׁה הַנִּזְכָּר לְﬠֵיל לֹא שַׁיָּיךְ כְּלָל לוֹמַר ״הוּא הַיּוֹדֵﬠַ, וְהוּא הַמַּדָּע וְכוּ׳״, כִּי אֵינוֹ בִּבְחִינַת וְגֶדֶר דַּﬠַת וּמַדָּע כְּלָל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֶלָּא לְמַﬠְלָה מַּﬠְלָה ﬠִילּוּי רַב ﬠַד אֵין קֵץ אֲפִילוּ מִבְּחִינַת וְגֶדֶר חָכְמָה, ﬠַד שֶׁבְּחִינַת חָכְמָה נֶחְשֶׁבֶת אֶצְלוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ כִּבְחִינַת ﬠֲשִׂיָּה גַשְׁמִית:
NOTE: (The7Here follows a brief description of the emanation of the attributes from the Infinite. mystical principle of the tzimtzum of the light of the En Sof, blessed is He, and the tzimtzum of AK,8Acronym for Adam Kadmon, the first aid highest state of existence in which the Infinite manifests Himself after the tzimtzum. It is the source of all subsequent emanations and creations. and the esoteric doctrine of the diknah.9The realm following AK and preceding Atzilut is called keter (crown). The powerfully contracted light which issues from it into Atzilut to bring forth the sefirot or attributes is denoted in Kabbalistic works as diknah. For a fuller elaboration of this concept see Likkutei Torah, Massei 93a. For the underlying purpose of all contractions is to condense the light in order that it become clothed within the vessels of the ten sefirot.10I.e., the ten Divine qualities or attributes which are the channels through which the Light of the En Sof issues forth and becomes contracted to create and act in the universe. The ten sefirot are: chochmah (wisdom), binah (understanding), daat (knowledge), chesed (kindness), gevurah (might), tiferet (beauty; mercy), netzach (eternity; victory), hod (majesty), yesod (foundation), malchut (sovereignty). See Iggeret Hakodesh, Epistle 15. It is only after the light of En Sof was clothed within the vessels of chabad 11Acronym formed from the initial letters of the words chochmah, binah, daat, the first three of the ten sefirot. that it can be stated [concerning the Holy One, blessed is He] what Maimonides said: “He is the Knower, and He is the Knowledge, and He is the Known, and by knowing Himself…,”12Loc. cit. for the vessels of Atzilut become the soul and life-force of Beriah,13See above, ch. 2, note 16. Yetzirah,14Lit., “formation,” the third of the four worlds, the chief domain of the angels. Asiyah,15See above, ch. 2, note 14. and of all that is therein. Without the aforesaid tzimtzum and investiture, however, it is not at all proper to say that “He is the Knower and He is the Knowledge…,” for He is not within the realm and limitation of knowing and knowledge at all, G–d forbid, but infinitely elevated above even the quality and limitation of wisdom to the extent that the quality of wisdom is considered in relation to Him, blessed be He, as the quality of physical action.)
וְהִנֵּה, אֵין לָנוּ עֵסֶק בַּנִּסְתָּרוֹת, אַךְ ״הַנִּגְלוֹת לָנוּ״, לְהַאֲמִין אֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵימָה דְּ״אִיהוּ וְגַרְמוֹהִי חַד״, דְּהַיְינוּ, מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא וּרְצוֹנוֹ וְחָכְמָתוֹ וּבִינָתוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ עִם מַהוּתוֹ וְעַצְמוּתוֹ, הַמְרוֹמָם לְבַדּוֹ רוֹמְמוּת אֵין קֵץ מִבְּחִינַת חָכְמָה וְשֵׂכֶל וְהַשָּׂגָה. וְלָכֵן, גַּם יִחוּדוֹ שֶׁמִּתְיַיחֵד עִם מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁהֶאֱצִיל מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, גַּם כֵּן אֵינוֹ בִּבְחִינַת הַשָּׂגָה לְהַשִּׂיג אֵיךְ מִתְיַיחֵד בָּהֶן. וְלָכֵן נִקְרְאוּ מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא – שֶׁהֵן הַסְּפִירוֹת – בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ: ״רָזָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא״, שֶׁהִיא הָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִן הַשֵּׂכֶל:
Now, we are not concerned with esoteric matters, but it is incumbent upon us to believe with complete faith matters that are revealed to us—that He and His attributes are One, i.e., the attributes of the Holy One, blessed is He, and His will and wisdom and understanding and knowledge [are One] with His Essence and Being, Who alone is exalted, infinite elevations above the quality of wisdom and intellect and comprehension. Hence, His unity with the attributes which He emanated from Himself, blessed be He, is also beyond the realm of comprehension, [i.e., it is not possible] to understand how He unites with them. And therefore, the attributes of the Holy One, blessed is He, which are the sefirot, are called in the Holy Zohar “the secret of faith,” which is the faith that transcends intellect.