Tanya for 16 Tamuz

Analogously, exactly the same applies to the soul of man, again keeping in mind the infinite separation [between the Creator and the created soul], which is the divine soul which "He blew from within Himself."

[Since the soul derives from the internal aspect of G-dliness, the Tetragrammaton, which comprises the Ten Sefirot, the soul likewise comprises the following characteristics]:

There is [the initial state of Chochmah,] the hidden concept alluded to by the letter yud.

[Just as the letter yud lacks length and breadth and is but a simple point, so, too, is Chochmah a faculty that lacks intellectual length and breadth, merely] possessing the potential of being revealed, and thereby understanding and conceiving G-d's true existence and greatness, in each person according to his measure, according to the breadth of his intellect and understanding.

[While the degree of one's comprehension of G-dliness depends on the breadth of one's intellect, a Jew's essential ability to find G-d's true being and greatness securely integrated in his mind, stems from the soul's attribute of Chochmah, alluded to in the letter yud].

As a man deepens his intelligence, as he broadens his mind and comprehension, to contemplate G-d's greatness, his now-developed understanding, the faculty of Binah, is alluded to by the letter hei, that has breadth, [indicating the breadth of his understanding].

[The hei] also has length, to indicate downward extension, so that from his understanding and contemplation of G-d's greatness, he arouses love and fear and their offspring, i[.e., the other emotive attributes, which are termed the offspring or branches of love and fear], in his mind and in the recesses of his heart.

[At this early stage in the generation of the spiritual emotions of love and fear and so on, they are not yet manifest].

Until ultimately they find overt expression in his heart.

[The downward progression of intellect into the realm of emotions is thus indicated by the vertical length of the letter hei].

These [spiritual emotions] lead to the true service of G-d, in Torah study and mitzvah observance, with voice and speech or with deed.

[True divine service is that which is motivated by the love and awe of G-d, as explained above in Part I, chapter 4].

This is is the import of the [final] letters vav and hei [of the Four-Letter Name, Havayah] ...., [for vav alludes to voice and speech, while hei alludes to action].

Furthermore, contemplation that endeavors to understand and conceive of G-d's true being, also derives from Torah.

[I.e., such contemplation must necessarily be preceded by the study of Torah], for (36) "Torah proceeds from Chochmah," which is the yud of the Tetragrammaton.

36. Zohar II, 85a, 121a.