Time in the Teachings of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi

levush ha-teva’
]. 
30
T1, 19:24b-25a [Appendix 7]. 
31
See, for example, T1, 2:6a, 35:44a, 41:65b; T4, 15:123a; TO 24a, 84b; LT 
Va-yikra
2d, 6a, 39d, 
Va-yikra hosafot
51c, 
Ba-midbar 
1b, 
Hukat 
61d, 
Mas’ei 
91, 28c, 34a, c, 
‘Ekev
13d, 
Tetse 
37d, 
Rosh 
ha-shanah 
62c, 
Ha’azinu
74c, 77c, 
Shir ha-shirim
2b, 5c. 
32
See also e.g. TO 64d; LT 
Shabat shuvah 
67c,
 Matot 
83d. 
33
See, for example, T1, 1-13:5a-19b; MAHZ 
Parshiyot,
i, 140-41. For the three garments of the soul 
in Habad thought, see Hallamish, “Mishnato ha-‘iyunit,” 227-232. 
34
See T3, 6:96a. In some places Rashaz refers to the agents of the evil side as the “Ten crowns of 
impurity” [
ketarim di-mesa’avuta
], which parallel, on the evil side, the ten 
sefirot
of holiness 

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74 
is similarly up to the individual whether the divine vitality would continue to flow 
down into the pure or to the impure side of the universe. On the personal level, the 
act of directing the divine life-energy to the realm of the 
kelipah
(through deeds that 
are not directed solely to God) parallels the concealment of the divine energy within 
separate beings in the process of creation. Similarly, all the thoughts, words and 
deeds that are not directed to the good but empower the evil side of the creation drive 
the 
Shekhinah 
into exile.
35
Consequently, the thoughts, words and deeds that draw 
down the divine energy to the good side advance the end of the exile. This idea will 
be further discussed below. 
In addition, the confinement of the divine life-force in the lower worlds is 
related to the existence of the gentile nations and their power over Israel. The vitality 
of the Land of Israel is drawn directly from 
Malkhut
of the Word of Making, while 
the vitality of the other seventy nations descends through the mediation of the 
seventy patron-angels [
sarim
] appointed over them. Even though the patron-angels 
receive a life-force that is already diminished, the idol-worshipping nations still 
mistakenly consider them divine, as from their perspective, these angels are the 
source rather than mere channels of vitality. Thus the concept of the diaspora 
underscores the mutual dependence of Jewish history and the history of the universe: 
on the one hand, the creation of the patron-angels and the seventy nations they rule 
made idolatry possible, and thus the exile of 
Shekhinah
to the nations is embedded in 
the process of creation (or the sin of the Tree of Knowledge) rather than being 
directly related to the historical tribulations of the Jewish people. On the other hand, 
however, the state of exile intensifies when the Jews live in the diaspora under 
gentile rule, as at that time, the innermost aspect of the divinity that resides among 
Israel is exiled with them.
36
The diaspora is, therefore, primarily a displacement of 
the divine life-force, while the physical displacement of the people is secondary. By 
sinning, the Jews channel the life-force to the gentile nations, and thus they intensify 
the divine state of exile. The confusion caused by the displacement of the divine life-
according to the oft-quoted statement that “God set the one over against the other one” [Eccl 7:14]. 
See for example T1, 6:10a. 
35
See for example T3, 6:96b. 
36
T4, 25:139b-140a. 

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75 
force in turn leads to the intermingling of good and evil in the world, which is also 
the reason why the wicked may prosper and the righteous suffer.
37