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For only the lowest levels can descend and become revealed to [the prophets], namely, the levels of netzach-hod-yesod-malchut,
כִּי לֹא יוּכְלוּ לֵירֵד וּלְהִתְגַּלּוֹת אֲלֵיהֶם, רַק מַדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת, שֶׁהֵן: נֶצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד־מַלְכוּת,
for it is they that always descend and become revealed from the Emanator to the recipient in the form of intellectual perception and [creative] life-force.
שֶׁהֵן הֵן הַיּוֹרְדוֹת תָּמִיד וּמִתְגַּלּוֹת מֵהַמַּשְׁפִּיעַ לְהַמְקַבֵּל בִּבְחִינַת מוֹחִין וְחַיּוּת,
Thus, it is known to the students of Kabbalah20 that the netzach-hod-yesod-malchut (i.e., the lowest levels) of the higher [realm] vest themselves in the lower [realm] in order to animate it.
כַּיָּדוּעַ לְיוֹדְעֵי חֵן, שֶׁהַנֶּצַח־הוֹד־יְסוֹד־מַלְכוּת שֶׁל הָעֶלְיוֹן מִתְלַבְּשִׁים בַּתַּחְתּוֹן לְהַחֲיוֹתוֹ,
For they are the conduits of the beneficent flow that bring down the life-force from the higher level to the lower, with respect to all the worlds and levels.
שֶׁהֵן הֵן כְּלֵי הַהַשְׁפָּעָה וְהוֹרָדַת הַחַיּוּת מֵהָעֶלְיוֹן לַתַּחְתּוֹן בְּכָל הָעוֹלָמוֹת וְהַמַּדְרֵגוֹת,
Hence, they also become revealed to the prophets as an actual revelation, i.e., as prophecy.
וְלָכֵן גַּם כֵּן – הֵן הֵן הַמִּתְגַּלּוֹת לַנְּבִיאִים בִּבְחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת מַמָּשׁ,
Within these [four sefirot] is vested the light of binah, the attribute which relates to understanding the G‑dliness [that emanates] from21 the light of the blessed Ein Sof.
וּבְתוֹכָן מְלוּבָּשׁ אוֹר הַבִּינָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הֲבָנַת הָאֱלֹהוּת מֵאוֹר אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא,
And within [binah] are vested the external aspects of chochmah, which are a level that transcends the conception and comprehension of Divinity,
וּבְתוֹכָהּ מְלוּבָּשִׁים אֲחוֹרַיִים דְּחָכְמָה, שֶׁהִיא מַדְרֵגָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהֲבָנָה בֵּאלֹהוּת בָּרוּךְ־הוּא,
for the term chochmah denotes the source of conception and comprehension.
כִּי שֵׁם “חָכְמָה” מוֹרֶה עַל מְקוֹר הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהֲבָנָה.
As explained in the Tanya, Part I, ch. 18, the word chochmah comprises two words: כֹּחַ מַה—“the faculty of the unknown,”22 for it is a faculty that cannot be grasped intellectually.
This is why it is stated in the Zohar that “The Torah derives from chochmah,”23
וְלָכֵן אָמְרוּ בַּזֹּהַר דְּ”אוֹרַיְיתָא – מֵחָכְמָה נָפְקַת”,
for the reasons for the commandments have not been revealed24 in rational terms; they transcend conception and comprehension, i.e., chochmah.
כִּי טַעֲמֵי מִצְוֹת לֹא נִתְגַּלּוּ, וְהֵם לְמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַהֲבָנָה.
FOOTNOTES
18. Bava Batra 12a.
19. Note by the Rebbe: “This is not the case with their comprehension, as [in footnote 11] above.”
20. Lit., “to those versed in the Hidden Wisdom.” In the original text, the three Heb. words are abbreviated to לי“ח, which is an abbreviation for ליודעי חן (the letter chet being read as if vocalized with a tzeirei). The letters ח“ן in turn are an abbreviation for חכמה נסתרת.
21. According to the variant parenthetical text, “…understanding the G‑dliness and the light of the blessed Ein Sof”; i.e., the [infinite] Ein Sof-light too can filter down to the level of mortal understanding.
22. Zohar III, 28a.
23. Parashat Beshalach, 62a; cf. Parashat Chukat, 182a; and Parashat Va’etchanan, 261a, et al.
24. Cf. Sanhedrin 21a.
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