Kabbalah Ulangan 31:18: The Beginning & Sha'arei Orah

53. The function of Malchut is to reveal HaShem’s-יהו"ה kingdom and presence in the world. When this is fulfilled throughout Creation, Malchut is considered to be a complete stature – Partzuf. However, when man's transgressions cause the concealment of HaShem’s-יהו"ה kingdom from this world, as stated,⁵¹Deuteronomy 31:18 “I shall surely conceal My countenance on that day,” Malchut cannot be considered to be complete, but is, rather, a lesser aspect. This is comparable to the waxing and waning of the moon.⁵²Etz Chaim, Shaar Miut HaYareach; Also see Kinat HaShem Tzvaot, Part One.

112. Another aspect of the Sefirot is that of “Enclothing” (Heetlabshoot-התלבשות), whereby one conduct is concealed in and acts through a second conduct, which is the external expression of the inner, motivating one. The revealed conduct is considered to be the garment of the conduct concealed within it. Scripture thus states,¹³⁴Proverbs 27:5 “Good is a revealed rebuke coming from a hidden love,”¹³⁵See #23 for example, a father who punishes or disciplines his child does so out of great love of the child and for his ultimate betterment, by correcting the negative characteristics he sees in him. If he did not care for the child, he would not be moved to discipline him. However, to the casual observer it may seem to be cruel. In such a case, the love and kindness of the father is enclothed, so to speak, within the external expression of punishment and discipline.

112B. Sometimes in HaShem’s-יהו"ה relationship to Israel, the conduct of kindness is enclothed in that of judgment, for their ultimate good, as Scripture states,¹³⁶Deuteronomy 8:5 “As a man chastens his son, so does the HaShem-יהו"ה your God chasten you.” So too, concerning the suffering of the righteous,¹³⁷See #10 the sages stated,¹³⁸Talmud Bavli, Yoma 87a “It is good for the righteous that [HaShem] does not countenance [their transgressions] in this world.” Scripture describes punishment as the concealment of HaShem’s-יהו"ה countenance, as it is written,¹³⁹Deuteronomy 31:18 “I shall surely conceal my countenance on that day.”¹⁴⁰The deeper meaning of this verse is, “I shall surely conceal my inner aspect (Panim-פנים) on that day.” This signifies that HaShem’s kindness, which is the inner, motivating force, is concealed by judgement, which is expressed in its stead.

136. All the stages of life; embryonic (Ibur), infancy (Yenikah), childhood (Katnut), adulthood (Gadlut) etc., hint at the Divine conducts.¹⁷⁸See at greater length in Shaar HaYichud of Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch, translated as The Gate of Unity, Ch. 34-35, and the introductions and notes there. The embryonic stage (Ibur), in which the embryo is concealed and totally dependent on its mother for sustenance, is comparable to a time of severity, in which the world lacks merit and Divine revelation, as stated,¹⁷⁹Deuteronomy 31:18 “I shall surely hide My face on that day.” It then is sustained solely through HaShem’s-יהו"ה grace and the merit of the patriarchs (Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov). This connection between the embryonic stage and HaShem’s-יהו"ה conduct in relation to His world, is hinted at in the scriptural verse,¹⁸⁰Ecclesiastes 11:5 “Just as you know not what the way of the wind is, or how the bones grow in the womb.” The bondage in Egypt,¹⁸¹GR’A to Sifra D’Tzniuta, end of chapter one. as well as our present state of exile, constitutes such a period. The state of the Jewish people during the exodus was comparable to infancy (Yenikah), marking the birth of the nation. However, since they had yet to receive Torah and Mitzvot, they lacked meritorious deeds. In like manner, there is a relationship between all of man’s life stages and the deeds of HaShem-יהו"ה in relation to His world.