Purim: Likutei Moharan: The Limits of Da’at

Know, that the root of the entire creation is glory. “For everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created, He created only for His glory. As it is written: ‘Everyone that is called by My name, for I have created him for My glory’ (Yeshayahu 43:7)” (Yoma 38). Since everything was created for His glory, blessed be He, His glory is the root of all of creation. Even though He is entirely One, nevertheless, creation consists of parts, and each and every part of creation has a unique aspect of glory, which is its root, as stated above. This is the aspect of (Avot 5:1): "By ten utterances was the world created. Could not all have been created by one utterance? It is only for reward and punishment that it was created by ten utterances." And each and every utterance has a unique aspect of glory, which is its root, for glory is the root of everything, as stated above.

This is the aspect of (Tehilim 29:9): "And in His Temple, everyone speaks of His glory," for every utterance clothes His glory, blessed be He, for through it the world was created, for "the whole world is full of His glory" (Yeshayahu 6:3).

Even sins and evil things, God forbid, which are void of His glory, blessed be He, having the aspect of "My glory I will not give to another" (Yeshayahu 42:8). For the glory has a limit, past which it will not spread. And even though the whole world is full of His glory, nevertheless, there is a limit when it reaches the aforementioned places, so that it will not go out there. This is the aspect of "My glory I will not give to another," as stated above. And there is a limit to each and every glory, so that it not spread to the external places, as stated above.

But know, that all this notwithstanding, they too certainly receive vitality from Him, blessed be He; even filthy places and houses of idolatry must receive vitality from Him, blessed be He. But know, that they receive from the aspect of a closed utterance, which at the beginning is a closed utterance, which includes all the utterances, and all of them receive vitality from it. And the glory of a closed utterance is closed and hidden in ultimate concealment, and from there they receive vitality. For from the aspect of the revealed glory and utterances, it is impossible for them to receive vitality, having the aspect of "My glory I will not give to another," as stated above. Only from the closed utterance, which is hidden in ultimate concealment, from there they receive vitality.

This matter cannot be understood, and one is forbidden to contemplate it at all. (Likutei Moharan Tinyana, 12)