Lesson 5: The Great Concealment

Lesson five explores the central Lurianic doctrine of tzimtzum. We study Chaim Vital’s mysterious depiction of the vacuum tzimtzum creates, enabling the emergence of the kav, ray, and a transition to finite reality.

Addressing the controversy around tzimtzum, we consider the view of Yosef Irgas in Shomer Emunim, who asserts that the tzimtzum is not literal, and early Hasidic masters view tzimtzum as allegorical.

We further explore the recurrence of the tzimtzum process throughout the chain of worlds, most notably Etz Chaim’s description of the “dividing curtain” between Atzilut and Beriyah, and discuss a contemporary interpretation of tzimtzum as a healthy dynamic in relationships.