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This series is a continuation and should be read in order. If you are not familiar with previous posts you may have trouble understanding later ones.
And now Chapter 12.06
So far the Mittler Rebbe gave the key analogies for the concept of the Tzimtzum in general. Now he will give analogies for the concept of a Tzimtzum where only an impression [Reshimu] was left over and to understand the nature of this impression.
However, in order to understand the concept of the Reshimu [impression], which indicates a removal of the Light into concealment, in a such a manner that only an impression of everything that was there before remains, but none of the original Light etc. The most basic example of an impression that indicates this idea is like when someone jots down a phone number on a pad of paper and then rips the paper off. The original letters are completely missing, but there remains an impression of what was written on the next piece of paper, so that, a detective could come along and rub a pencil over this second piece of paper and see what was written originally. Similarly, with a foot print, the person’s foot is completely gone, but there remains an impression left behind, which indicates both that there was a person there and also the shape of the foot and sometimes, as with a fingerprint, we can actually figure out exactly who the person was even though he himself is gone. However, the Mittler Rebbe makes use of particular key examples and analogies for the concept of an impression that are more specifically geared to understand the nature of the Reshimu that was left from the Infinite Light.
Now in the word’s of the Mittler Rebbe:
This concept of the Reshimu is better understood from different types of analogies: such as the blueprint that a craftsman makes, that from the small lines of this blueprint it is possible to make the entire construction. For, the entire lengthy process of the construction is included, in short, within this blueprint. So that the entire vision of the final structure, with all particular details of the beauty of the architectural design, the engineering of structural and material stability etc., all of this was within the mind of the architect. However, the architect wishes to give this vision over to a work crew so that they may actually construct the building. Now to try to explain to each worker what the structure is to look like so that he can envision the building is obviously not very plausible. Therefore, the architect makes a blueprint, where his entire vision is put into a medium that is separate from himself. Once completed the architect can leave and need not be consulted about the construction ever again, for everything is found within the lines of the blueprint. Yet, at first glance the small lines of the blueprint contain no house, but rather all that one sees is lines and numbers.
However, though this analogy is fine to understand how everything is enclothed within the impression, it does not show a complete removal of the original light, for though the blueprint may only be mere lines with nothing to do with the wood and stone of which the actual house is constructed, it still contains the same shape and proportions as the building. This will be further refined in the following analogies.
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The material in this series is copyrighted by Rabbi Yossi Markel