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Morning Blessings-Shabbat HaGadol-Fills The World



God’s Essence and Being, which is called the Ein Sof, literally fills all the world, with respect to both space and time. Both the heavens above and the earth below are equally filled with the Light of the Infinite Being. It is literally the same here on earth as it is in the heavens on high. They are all within the dimensions of space, and even space itself is nullified in the Light of the Infinite Being.

 

This Light, however, is clothed in space through the Attribute of Kingship, which is united with God Himself. The Attribute of Kingship is the Attribute that constricts and hides the Light of the Infinite Being so that both space and time are not completely nullified. If not for this, space and time would not exist, even in the lower worlds. From this, we can understand the verse in the Haftarah for Shabbat HaGadol, “I am God, I do not change (Malachi 3:6).”

With respect to God, there is no change at all. Just as He was alone before creation, so He is alone after creation. This is what we say in the morning prayer, “You are the same before You created the world; You are the same after You created the world.” There is absolutely no change, neither in His Essence, nor in His knowledge. Everything comes from God, and everything is like nothing when compared to Him. (Tanya; Sha’ar HaYichud v’HaEmunah 7)

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