Questions for today:
Today we tackle a question we proposed at the outset. What does the verse mean that when we see that ‘HaShem’ is ‘Elokim’, we will realize that indeed there is nothing other than G-d?
We are discussing a two-pronged method of creation. There is a divine entity with the infinite capacity to make everything exist from nothing, and an equally divine capacity, called the name Elokim, that restricts our perception of the infinite so that we can physically take shape.
This leads to profound conclusions. The divine entity of restriction is what's making us take shape, which is an act of kindness.
This act of kindness is the opposite of Elokim’s restrictive nature.
This realization that the Divine aspect of ‘Elokim’ acts contrary to its nature, serves as a vivid testimony to the fact that Elokim is not about Itself. Elokim is an expression of an Infinite Creator greater than Itself.
The finite name of Elokim brings us into being and at the same time is actually a part of the infinite [described by the four-letter name of G-d that we refer to as] ‘HaShem’.
This explains the verse (dut. 4:35) that says that when we see that ‘Hashem is Elokim’, we’ll not only realize that there's no other creator, but even that the physical world, as we see it, is part of the infinite.
Indeed this is our objective, to understand how even with a created world, “Ein Od”, there's nothing else, other than G-d.
176 14 Tanya Sivan 17 ~ m203 m16 Sivan 18
Tanya book 2, Ch 6, Pt 2
The fact that the divine entity of restriction enables us to take shape, implies that it acts out of kindness - the opposite of its nature.
This shows that in truth, it is only an expression of an infinite Creator above it.
So we see that even the very creation of the physical is an actual, undivided aspect of the divine.
Therefore, not only are there no other Gods, there is not even true substance to our divided and limited self-identity.
As the verse says "Ein Od" there is nothing else.
Study today’s Tanya in full:
https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=6/17/2022
See today’s video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJmk54x7Z1I&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSC7FvXJfcTF6vOd_JEAABrJ&index=14