Tzimtzumim

15 Shevat 5782

“On the day following [Moshe’s descent from Mount Sinai], Moshe sat to judge the people.” (Shemos 18:13)

“When our spiritual lives seem to flow smoothly, we may think that we have overcome the challenges of life and can sit back and relax. For the proper response to this sentiment, we need only look at Moshe’s example. While on Mount Sinai, Moshe reached the peak of spirituality, yet, as soon as he rejoined the people, he plunged directly into his new task of judging the cases that the people brought before him.

Similarly, even when it feels as though we have reached the pinnacle of holiness, there is still tomorrow – when, like Moshe, we should set our sights even higher.” (Lubavitcher Rebbe, Daily Wisdom)

“This process takes place through a gradual descent from level to level and a downward gradation by means of numerous and various contractions (tzimtzumim) to the point where the created beings can derive their life-force and existence from it without losing their identity.” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 21)

G-dly life force can only descend to this world through a myriad of contractions. Otherwise it would simply overpower the created beings, nullifying them within their own life-force. It is precisely our mission to do the same in our lives. We should connect to a higher source, through learning, praying and fabrenging on good thoughts, but then bring this down into our day to day lives, even in a contracted form, to inspire and infuse all our activities with holiness. Thereby everything we do becomes an expression of our faith in the unity of Hashem, manifesting it in this world, thereby uplifting all and everything that is attached to our doing.

“He drove out nations before them, and allotted them an inheritance [measured] by the cord; He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents. Yet they tested and defied G-d, the Most High, and did not keep His testimonies.” (Tehillim 78:55-56)

In these verses of Tehillim, we see that the Jews were punished specifically because when they received miracles and ascended to great spiritual heights they failed to immediately convert this energy into day to day action. They tarried and rested on their “accomplishments,” which were in fact unearned gifts from Hashem, instead of bringing the revelations into the most mundane parts of their lives, by keeping “His testimonies” in all their ways. We should learn from this, and use this time, in which G-dliness is concealed, to pull the little we do see into our daily lives, thereby fulfilling our mission on this earth, and bringing it much closer to its final stage, the coming of Moshiach, may it be speedily in our days.