God’s Voice resonates throughout creation, revealing truths beyond human comprehension. In the book “Tanya,” Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi reveals deep secrets of creation through a unique understanding of the relationship between the Creator and His creations. Let’s dive together into this wisdom and unpack it in simple, understandable language.
How Divine Speech Creates Reality
Imagine this: when you speak, your words separate from you and live their own life. With the Almighty, things are different—in the spiritual world, God’s Voice never separates from Himself. And yet the Torah speaks of “God’s speech” as something similar to human speech. Why?
The answer is surprising: Divine energy, descending into our world, passes through numerous “contractions” and “filters” that diminish its power so much that at the end of this path, even creations that consider themselves separate from their Creator can emerge!
This is like a ray of light passing through multiple dark glasses, becoming weaker and weaker until it turns into a barely noticeable glow. This is how “klipot” (shells that conceal Divine light) and “sitra achra” (the reverse side of holiness) come into being.
The Front and Back Side of Divine Will
When you deeply desire something—that’s your inner, genuine will. But sometimes you have to do what you don’t want—for instance, give something to someone you dislike. In such cases, you throw it “over your shoulder,” turning away.
The Almighty also has two aspects of His will, expressed through God’s Voice in different ways:
- “Panim” (front side)—His true desire to give life force to everything close to holiness
- “Achoraim” (back side)—when He gives life force to impure creations, but “reluctantly,” only to maintain the world order
This is precisely why the forces of evil are called “elohim acherim”—”other gods.” They receive their vitality not from the direct expression of God’s Voice, but from its indirect reflection.
Why Does Evil Exist?
This is one of the most difficult questions, and “Tanya” provides a remarkable answer: evil exists for two purposes:
- To punish sinners
- To reward the righteous who fight against evil and overcome it
Think of a gym—the resistance of weights is necessary for building muscles. Similarly, the spiritual resistance of evil is necessary for developing the soul. God’s Voice creates this dynamic tension for our spiritual growth.
Pride and Idolatry: A Surprising Connection
The sages assert that pride is equivalent to idolatry. This sounds strange until you understand the profound essence:
True idolatry is not just worshiping statues. Its root lies in a person considering themselves a separate, independent entity, not completely dependent on the Almighty.
When the proud person exalts themselves, saying, “I and no one else,” they repeat the mistake of Pharaoh, who declared, “My river, and I created myself.” Such a person may even acknowledge God’s existence, but fails to recognize how God’s Voice sustains their very being.
The True Unity of the Creator
The genuine understanding of God’s unity means recognizing that nothing in the world has independent existence. Everything we see around us, including ourselves, is a manifestation of Divine energy that constantly recreates the world anew.
When we think we exist separately from the Source, we effectively deny God’s unity. That’s why in the sacred book of Zohar, such notions are called “turei d’piruda”—”mountains of separation.”
The Exile of Divine Light
Most amazingly, even within the forces of evil, a spark of Divine light is present! But it exists there in a state of “exile”—its presence is hidden and unacknowledged.
This can be compared to a situation where a king is forced to live among his enemies who don’t recognize his status. Similarly, God’s Voice continues to sustain even the forces that deny Him, though His presence remains concealed.
A Practical Lesson for Everyone
This teaching isn’t just theory—it changes our understanding of reality. When we realize that all our abilities and talents are gifts from above, this naturally leads to humility.
True human greatness lies not in exalting oneself, but in recognizing one’s dependence on the Source of all life and being a conduit for His light in this world.
When we attune ourselves to God’s Voice and acknowledge that our entire existence depends on the Almighty, we connect with the true source of life and become vessels for Divine presence.
This article is based on the twenty-second chapter of “Likutei Amarim—Tanya” by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, one of the greatest Hasidic thinkers. This chapter reveals a deep understanding of the nature of Divine speech, the origin of evil, and the true meaning of the Creator’s unity.
Afterword: This text has not been approved by any sage, Torah scholar, or rabbi and is merely a simplified adaptation of the sacred text for general understanding. For comprehension of true wisdom and a deeper understanding of the original text, you should refer to the sources.
