Mystical Mitzvahs, Active and Passive

In the course of exhorting the Jewish people to perform G‑d's commandments, Moses tells them: "For this commandment that I command you this day is not too wondrous for you, or too far away." (Deut. 30:11)

The Arizal discusses the mystical dynamics of performing the commandments.

There are two types of [spiritual] coupling that we effect by performing G‑d's commandments. These are the coupling of Abba and Imma and the coupling of Zeir Anpin and Nukva.

There are also two [corresponding] types of commandment: active commandments and passive commandments.

These are generally known as positive commandments ("do's") and negative commandments ("don'ts").

As you know, our sages point out that the numerical value of "My Name" plus that of the letters yud-hei equals 365, while the numerical value of "My Remembrance" plus that of the two letters vav-hei equals 248. (Zohar III:275b; Tikunei Zohar, introduction, 4b, and II:18a)

There are 613 commandments in the Torah, 365 of which are passive and 248 of which are active.

When Moses was experiencing his first revelation of G‑d in the burning bush, G‑d told him, "Thus shall you say to the Israelites: 'G‑d [Havayah], the G‑d of your fathers, the G‑d of Abraham, the G‑d of Isaac, and the G‑d of Jacob sent me to you.' This is My Name forever, and this is My Remembrance for all generations." (Ex. 3:15) G‑d thus refers to the name Havayah as "My Name" and "My Remembrance".

The word for "My Name" is "shemi", and the word for "My Remembrance" is "zichri":

"Shemi" is spelled: shin-mem-yud = 300 + 40 + 10 = 350.

"Zichri" is spelled: zayin-chaf-reish-yud = 7+20+200+10 = 237.

The numerical value of the first two letters of the name Havayah (yud-hei: 10 + 5) is 15; when this is added to the numerical value of the word for "My Name" (350), the sum is 365, the number of passive commandments.

The letters yud-hei, in addition to being the first two letters of the name Havayah, are themselves a name of G‑d (Y-ah), so the word "My Name" plus yud-hei can be read as the phrase "My Name Y-ah".

The numerical value of the second two letters of the name Havayah (vav-hei: 6 + 5) is 11; when this is added to the numerical value of the word for "My Remembrance" (237), the sum is 248, the number of active commandments.

The letters vav-hei are not a name of G‑d, just a "remembrance" of the name Havayah. The word for "My Remembrance" plus the letters vav-hei can thus be seen as the phrase "My Remembrance, vav-hei".

Thus, the active commandments are associated with the second half of the name Havayah and the passive commandments with the first half.

By this they meant that the passive commandments are dependent upon the two letters yud-hei, which indicate Abba and Imma, and the active commandments [are dependent] upon the two letters vav-hei, which indicate Zeir Anpin and Nukva.

Thus, when a person performs a commandment, he effects both types of coupling. This is because the first two letters of the word for "commandment" [in Hebrew, "mitzvah", mem-tzadik] transform via atbash to yud-hei, which signifies the coupling of Abba and Imma.

Atbash is the most common of various methods used in Kabbalah (and elsewhere in the Torah, as well) to relate concepts by substituting the letters of a word with other letters according to a specific algorithm. In atbash, the first letter of the alef-bet (alef) is replaced by the last letter (tav), the second letter (beit) by the penultimate letter (shin), and so on. (The first two pairs of substitutions form the word at-bash). Mem pairs with yud, and tzadik pairs with hei.

In general, transforming a word (or set of letters) to another via a substitution algorithm indicates that in the resulting word (or set of letters), the idea represented by the first word is hidden or less intense; hence, to reach it, the letters have to be "decoded". In this case, the idea of yud-hei (the union of Abba and Imma) is hidden in the first two letters of the word "mitzvah". The second two letters of both the name Havayah and the word "mitzvah" are the same (vav-hei).

This coupling is accomplished by observing the passive commandments, as alluded to by the fact that the numerical value of the word for "My Name" plus that of the two letters yud-hei equals 365, as stated.

To explain this:

The numerical value of the word for "My Name" is [also] that of the progressive iteration of the spelling-out of the name Havayah when spelled out to equal 72 [known as "Ab"- which corresponds to Abba and the letter yud [of the name Havayah] - plus the progressive iteration of the spelling-out of the name Havayah when spelled to equal 63 [known as "Sag"]- which corresponds to Imma and the letter hei [of the name Havayah].

As we have explained previously, the name Havayah is spelled out in Kabbalah in four basic ways, such that it equals 72, 63, 45, and 52. These four numerical equivalents themselves correspond to the four letters of the name Havayah, and thus to the four basic partzufim, the sefirot, etc. In the following chart, the letters that are varied in order to produce the different values are indicated in bold:

The progressive iteration of a name is produced by considering first the first letter of the name, then the first two letters, then the first three letters, and so on until the whole name is spelled out. For the name Av (=72), this iteration yields:

For the name Sag (=63), this iteration yields:

184 + 166 = 350, the numerical value of "My Name" (in Hebrew, "shemi").

When we combine this value with that of the letters yud-hei, which is the source of these two names [i.e. iterations], the total is 365, the number of passive commandments.

The technical term for "progressive iteration" is "achorayim", which means "backs". This is because this operation on a name indicates how the divine effulgence represented by this name is progressively withdrawn from reality. We are to visualize how first the first letter retreats, then the first two letters, then the first three letters, etc., as if we are watching the name disappear into its source head-first, leaving us with progressively less and less of its "end" or "back".

In contrast, the basic letters of a name indicate its direct revelation into reality.

This leads to the following idea:

This indicates that by observing the passive commandments, the individual causes "My Name", which is equivalent to the backs of Abba and Imma, to join with their fronts, which are indicated by the letters yud-hei. The total [of this union] is then 365.

Thus, by observing passive commandments, we ensure that whatever withholding of divine blessing is necessary for the world to operate properly is accomplished together with, permeated by, and for the sake of direct revelation.

It appears to me, Chaim [Vital], that [the above phenomenon] occurs because the coupling of Abba and Imma is the higher and more hidden [of the two types of coupling]. Therefore, since passive commandments are [an expression of] judgment, they cause [the letters indicating the coupling they effect] to be transformed [via an algorithm]. Thus, [the yud-hei] are transformed and hidden in the two letters mem-tzadik of "mitzvah" through atbash.

In general, the love between Abba and Imma is relatively mature, settled, consistent, and modest, like that between a mature couple, as opposed to that between Zeir Anpin and Nukva, which is relatively impetuous, volatile, arduous, and uninhibited, like that between a young couple. Despite the fireworks of young love, the settled passion of maturity is more consistent and enduring, despite it being more subdued.

Similarly, the love for G‑d we express by refraining from what He opposes (i.e. observing passive commandments) is less outwardly expressive and colorful than fulfilling His directives (by performing active commandments), but reflects a deeper, more mature level of relationship. The ability to exercise self-control and restraint strikes deeper than the ability to demonstrate love actively. Both are necessary, but passivity causes the greater union.

As a practical example, as a husband and wife mature, they (hopefully) realize that they can enhance their marriage more by refraining from negative acts than by doing positive ones. Refraining from negative acts would include avoiding anger, criticism, name-calling (a la blasphemy), and arguments, as well as avoiding negative habits that make one a less-attractive or less-functional partner (overeating, under-sleeping, surrendering to animal drives, etc.). Positive acts would include active demonstrations of consideration and love, such as giving complements or gifts, helping each out, etc. Both are necessary, but it is harder - and therefore calls for more devotion - to resist a second helping of chocolate cake or a chance for a cutting criticism than it is to give a compliment.

When a person performs an active commandment, he causes the coupling of Zeir Anpin and Nukva, which are indicated by the vav-hei of the name Havayah and of the word "mitzvah". This is because the letters of the name Havayah are the same as the word "mitzvah", except that the first two letters [of each] are transformed [into each other] via atbash, as stated. Then, the numerical value of the vav-hei is added to that of the word for "My Remembrance" to give the 248 active commandments.

Thus, in performing active commandments, there is no need to transform the letters that indicate these commandments (vav-hei) in producing the word "mitzvah", since the union they effect (that of Zeir Anpin and Nukva) is not hidden as is that effected by observing passive commandments (i.e. that of Abba and Imma).

Earlier in this Torah reading, Moses says, "The hidden things are to G‑d, our G‑d, but the revealed things are to us and our children forever, to do everything in this Torah." (Deut. 29:28) It is explained that "the hidden things" refers to the first two letters of the name Havayah, yud-hei, which indicate Abba and Imma, here alluded to by the words "G‑d, our G‑d". The word for "but the revealed things" (in Hebrew, "ve-ha-niglot") begins with the letters vav-hei, and can thus be read, "Vav-hei [are] revealed", alluding to the union of vav-hei, Zeir Anpin and Nukva, the "children" of Abba and Imma.

Translated and adapted by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky from Sefer HaLikutim; subsequently published in "Apples From the Orchard."

Reprinted with permission from Chabad of California. Copyright 2004 by Chabad of California, Inc. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this work or portions thereof, in any form, without permission, in writing, from Chabad of California, Inc.