Igrot Kodesh · Letter 393 — Kelim of Atzilut — Creatures Within Divinity

By the grace of Hashem*,

10 Elul 5708,

To the distinguished Chassid* who fears Hashem ...

I greet you and bless you,

I reply to the question you posed[1] concerning the Chassidic* discourse entitled 'In the beginning Hashem created the heaven and the earth,' of 5702[2]. It is stated that the vessels (Kelim*) of the ten Sefirot* of the spiritual world of Atzilut* are creatures. Even so, these vessels are in no way comparable to the creatures of the spiritual worlds of Beriah*, Yetzirah*, and Asiyah*[3], Heaven forbid. In fact, they are defined as creatures solely in relation to the Lights of that same world of Atzilut*. For the attachment of these vessels to their source does not nullify their own existence, and one can therefore speak of creation with regard to them.

Now, you question this assertion, since, according to various texts, the attachment of these vessels to their source does indeed nullify their own existence.

This Chassidic* discourse explains that the lights and the vessels of the spiritual world of Atzilut* are not merely attached, but are even unified with their source. Nevertheless, one can rightly say that the vessels are created, for their unification is indeed perceptible. One can plainly see that two elements, originally separate, have been reunited. No such thing can be said of the lights. The same distinction is found regarding the various levels of understanding, as indicated by the Chassidic* discourse Yigdal of 5700[4] and that of Shavuot* 5701[5].

It is indeed explained elsewhere that the attachment to their source of the vessels of Atzilut* is not evident to observation. This means that they do not bear the mark of that attachment, for by their very nature, vessels are designed to conceal.

With my blessing to be inscribed and sealed for a good year,

M. Schneerson