theme of the Hidden Light is evident already in the Zohar, which voices the claim that were that Light to be completely hidden, nothing would be able to exist, as existence itself is dependent upon that hidden but-not-totally-hidden Light.16 The view presented in the Zohar represents a shift from emphasis upon the Light’s absence, its having been withdrawn, to that of its continued presence. The position of the Zohar can be explained in light of the fact that while the motif of the Hidden Light is a distinctively midrashic motif, that of the Primordial Light, found in many traditions in ancient and medieval times including Neo-Platonism, viewed that light as underlying all existence and as present within all that exists. In addition, the view attributed to the Besht that the Light is hidden in the Torah might interestingly parallel an Islamic identification of the Primordial Light with Muhammad17 and the much earlier Christian identification of that Light with Jesus.18
The Surface Meaning of the Torah and the Torah’s Innerness19
“God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water, that it may separate water from water.’ God made the expanse, and it separated the water which was below the expanse from the water which was above the expanse. . . . God said, ‘Let the water below the sky be gathered into one area, that the dry land may appear.’” (Gen 1:6–9)
It is important to note that the waters are not included in the list of created objects; there is no verb indicating their being created. . . .
And God created the world with the Torah (as its blueprint). The Torah, however, assumes different manifestations appropriate to the various levels of existence. At the very highest level (ʾAtzilut), it is completely beyond our grasp, and concerning the Torah at that level it is said, “I was with Him as an infant, a source of delight every day, rejoicing before Him at all times“ (Prov 8:30), two thousand years prior to creation.20 On another level (B’riʾah), it exists as the innerness of the Torah, while at our level, appropriate to our world (ʿAsiyah), it assumes the form of the simple surface meaning of the Torah. Accordingly, the plain, simple meaning was given to us while the Torah’s innerness is concealed from us, for if not, we would inflict damage upon the Torah’s innerness, God forbid, just as did the early generations who knew the Torah’s innerness and severely damaged it.
For this reason, only the simple level of the Torah was given to us; however, through our study of that plain surface level of the Torah and our engaging with it in discourse and observing it (being faithful to its commandments), we will come to grasp its innerness.
The very core-principle of ʿavodah, the service/worship of God, is to attain a sense of presence of God and to attach oneself to the blessed ʾEin-sof (the Infinite state of the Divine), sublime beyond all the heights, something that not every person is able to experience. And in what way can one arrive at that understanding? Our Sages determined that one is to recite the Sh’ma, “Hear, Israel, . . . God is One,” (Deut 6:4) morning and evening with the intention of recognizing the majesty of the blessed Holy One both above and below and extending in all directions. And in reciting this verse morning and evening with this inner intent and with great longing and yearning for God, it will be possible to attach oneself to God every day and every night.
But the person who has not yet adequately repaired his qualities and who has not shattered the force of his physical desires will be unable to recite this verse and to proclaim the word “One” (ʾeḥad) with clear and flawless intention. This is because alien, disturbing thoughts still prevail within him to confuse him, and in reciting the Sh’ma, one ascribes kingship to God according to the extent that the person has attained a degree of oneness and unity within the self.
In order to recite the word “One” properly as is required, in a way that such foreign thoughts will not confuse him, he is advised, before praying, to devote considerable time to the study of Mishna and Gemara and the Zohar with this intention in mind. [The Mishna and Gemara are the two layers comprising the Talmud, the Gemara consisting of discussions on the Mishna, and the Zohar became the central text in medieval Kabbalah.] In that case, one will certainly be able to affirm and reify God’s reign over all the higher and lower worlds, providing the person proves his diligence and devotes considerable time to study and does not trespass the time of prayer, God forbid. [The leaders and followers of Hasidism were accused by those who opposed the new stream of reciting traditional daily prayers when they were so moved, even long after their proper time, and in this comment the preacher voices his own opposition to taking such liberties. The various prayer-services connect with different times of the day: Shaḥarit after the first sign of dawn, Minḥah prior to sundown, and Maʿariv (ʿAravit) after sundown.]
It is known that the Torah is called water [mayyim,21 based on Isa 55:1, “Ho, all who are thirsty, come for water . . . .” As the prophet speaks of water metaphorically, that metaphor provided Kalonymus Kalman with a key to reading a verse from the toraitic creation-account in a way that transcends its much simpler surface meaning]. And from these points we can clarify what is written, “And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water, that it may separate water from water’” (Gen 1:6). With the understanding that Torah is called “water,” we can grasp that water is not included in the list of created things for the reason that the Torah preceded the world by two-thousand years. But the verse points to something very necessary: “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water,” meaning that a curtain is spread between the innerness of the Torah and its plain meaning. For the Torah’s innerness must be concealed; not everyone should have access to that innerness of the Torah lest that person inflict damage upon it, God forbid, as did those early generations (prior to Abraham’s time). [This theme might have its source in the Zohar, I, 176a in reference to the “secrets of wisdom” given to those early generations who utilized them for evil purposes.]
The pronouncement of the King, “God made the expanse,” serves as counsel to humankind who would be moved to see that innerness of the Torah. With the words, “And God said, ‘Let the water beneath the sky be gathered into one area’” (Gen 1:9), one is advised to study the simple level of the Torah, which is beneath the heavens, in our own level of existence, with great intent. Doing so, a person thereby accepts upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of God and crowns the blessed Holy One in the heavens and everywhere on earth, including all the corners of the earth, as he recites the Sh’ma, which includes the word ʾeḥad (“One”). And in that way it will be possible to attain the Innerness of the Torah.
And the verse continues, “that the dry land appear,” signaling that in reciting the word, ʾeḥad (“One”), one will be able to grasp whether that person’s uttering that word is something dry and lifeless or whether it contains the vitality of holiness. For according to the level of one’s own self-purification, a person will be able to accept upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of God while reciting the Sh’ma. And understand.
Comment: In his discussion of verses from the Torah’s creation-account, the concern of the Kraków preacher is remote from the actual phenomenon of waters, above and below. Rather, building upon the metaphorical significance of water itself, as evident in that verse from the book of Isaiah (55:1, and delineated at length in Midrash Shir ha-Shirim rabbah 1.19 on the opening verse of the Song of Songs), Kalonymus Kalman overheard in those verses from the creation-account a key-issue concerning conflicting senses of Torah itself, an issue with which the Kraków master engaged and wrestled in several of his discourses. This homily is built upon the premise that the more sublime essence of the Torah, its depth and innerness, transcends its surface-meaning, the manifestation and character that the Torah assumes in our finite, physical world. And accordingly, the homily raises the question: how do we then relate to that
