מחשבה הקדומה
מחשבה הקדומה (Primordial Thought) is the primordial thought about all the worlds that arose in G-d's thought, which is identified with the level of אדם קדמון.[1]
Definition
The Primordial Thought, or מחשבה הקדומה, is the general כתר of the entire סדר השתלשלות.[2] Although this thought contains all the details of the worlds—from the highest world to the details of this lowly world, for all six thousand years—these details are not in a state of division. Instead, they are all viewed as one, in a "single glance."[3] This is because it is drawn from the general רצון that precedes the צמצום.[4]
Within this thought, two powers of the אור אין סוף are revealed: the power of expansion and broadening, seen in the "multitude of details," and the power of contraction and concentration, seen in the "one glance."[5]
The first existence of the "desire for the desire" is within thought, and is called "the desire which is within thought." This is the general explanation for the matter of כתר, חכמה, and בינה of אדם קדמון, which is the actualization of the light of the "desire for the desire" as it comes into the "hidden thought" of אדם קדמון.[6] This is contrasted with the level of the קו, which is higher than the actualization of a desire within the "hidden thought." In the קו, the thought of everything that will be is still entirely to Himself.[7]
Teachings of the Rebbeim
The Mitteler Rebbe explains that there are three levels of thought within the Essential Self of HaShem before the צמצום: action of thought, speech of thought, and thought of thought. "Thought of thought" of His Essential Self is when it arose in His desire and thought, "I shall rule" (אנא אמלוך).[8]
The Rebbe explains that the teaching "Israel arose in thought" means that the thought for the Jewish people preceded everything.[9] This refers to ascending to the loftiest level of thought, which transcends all revelations. However, the true root of the souls of the Jewish people is entirely beyond thought, to the point that it is not applicable to say it "preceded everything," as there is no relativity between them and "everything" whatsoever.[10]The Midrash states, "The Holy One, blessed is He, consulted the souls of the righteous to create the world," which indicates that the souls of the Jewish people transcend even the matter of thought itself.[11]
References
- ↑ Sefer HaArachim – Chabad, vol. 1, p. 173 ff.
- ↑ Sefer HaArachim – Chabad, vol. 1, p. 173 ff., section 1; cf. Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 6:1; Likkutei Torah, Masei 8:1.
- ↑ Sefer HaArachim – Chabad, vol. 1, p. 173 ff.
- ↑ Sefer HaArachim – Chabad, vol. 1, p. 173 ff.
- ↑ Sefer HaArachim – Chabad, vol. 1, p. 173 ff.
- ↑ Shaar HaYichud (The Gate of Unity)
- ↑ Shaar HaYichud (The Gate of Unity)
- ↑ Shaar HaYichud (The Gate of Unity)
- ↑ Midrash Bereishit Rabba 1:4.
- ↑ Likkutei Torah Shir HaShirim 17d.
- ↑ Midrash Ruth Rabba 2:3.