Sunday Tishrei 11 5704
Torah Lessons (5703)	Chumash: B'racha, First Parsha with Rashi. Tehillim: 60-65. Tanya: XXI. Upon enquiring (p. 513)...every day." (p. 515).

At the conclusion of Yom Kippur 5556 (1795) in Lyozna, the Alter Rebbe delivered a public discourse[1] (his discourses were brief, as usual then) on the verse "Who is like the Eternal our G-d whenever we call upon Him,"[2] on which the Sages comment - "...upon Him" and not upon His attributes:

Pardes Rimonim explains that "upon Him"[2] refers to the Orot ("radiances" or "illuminations") as they are invested in the "vessels" of the Ten Sefirot of Atzilut.

The Rebbe, the Baal Shem Tov, says that "upon Him" refers to the G-dhood invested in the "vessels" of the Ten Sefirot of Atzilut.

The simple meaning is: "upon Him" refers to the Essence of the En Sof[3] of which every ordinary Jew has inherent knowledge through his simple faith.

This is the meaning of "close to him"[4] to the person) and "whenever we call to Him (G-d)"[4] -

(These two expressions referring respectively to) the Essence of the En Sof and the essence of the soul.

Davening with simple faith joins the essence of the soul with the essence of the Infinite, so that the Essence of the En Sof will be the Healer of the ill, and He Who blesses the years.

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) Then called "a Torah."

2. (Back to text) Tehillim 113:2.

3. (Back to text) The Ultimate Infinitude; G-d.

4. (Back to text) In both expressions the identical word is used, Eilav, "to him."