Divine Mercy in Creation
Creation · Divine Mercy · Jacob · Tikkun · Spiritual Struggle
בפסוק ואל שדי יתן לכם רחמים פרש"י מי שאמר לעולמו די יאמר די לצרותי כו'.
“On the verse ‘And may El Shaddai give you mercy,’ Rashi explains: ‘The One who said to His world “Enough” will say “Enough” to my troubles.’”
The Sefat Emet opens by asking why Rashi uses this parable, and what it means that God said “Enough” to His world.
להבין ענין משל הזה כי הוא גופא צריך ביאור מפני מה אמר הקב"ה לעולמו די.
“To understand this parable—since it itself requires explanation: why did the Holy One say ‘Enough’ to His world?”
The Rebbe underscores that the parable is not self‑evident; the notion that God restrained creation needs clarification.
אמנם פי' העולמות הם התפשטות כח מאמרי השי"ת.
“The meaning of ‘worlds’ is the expansion of the power of God’s utterances.”
Creation unfolds as emanations of the divine speech, each level an extension of God’s creative word.
והנה עי"ז הי' בכח רוב המדריגות מזו לזו עד שנעשה עולם השפל הזה שנמצא התנגדות לקדושה.
“And through this came many levels, one descending from another, until the lowly world was formed, in which opposition to holiness exists.”
The chain of descent creates a realm where holiness is obscured, allowing resistance and concealment.
ועל זה ההתפשטות אמר השי"ת די.
“And regarding this expansion God said ‘Enough.’”
God limited the descent so that the world would not fall beyond the possibility of spiritual repair.
כי באמת זה נעשה בעבור עבודת הצדיקים להפוך מר למתוק ולברר האמת תוך השקר.
“For truly this was done for the sake of the work of the righteous, to transform bitterness to sweetness and to clarify truth within falsehood.”
The purpose of concealment is tikun: the righteous elevate what has fallen and reveal divine truth.
אך כי לא הי' בכח אנשים לתקן כל כך.
“But human beings did not have the strength to repair so much.”
Human capacity is limited; unchecked descent would exceed mankind’s ability to rectify.
כענין מה שאחז"ל עלה בלבו לבראות במדה"ד ושיתף עמו מדה"ר.
“As our sages taught: it arose in His thought to create with the attribute of judgment, but He combined it with mercy.”
Pure judgment would be too severe, so God tempered creation with compassion.
ולכן אמר לעולמו די מצד התעוררות הרחמים.
“Therefore He said ‘Enough’ to His world out of an awakening of mercy.”
The limit on expansion was an act of divine compassion.
וככל הדברים האלה שנעשה בכלל הבריאה.
“And just as these things occurred in the creation of the world…”
The pattern established in creation repeats in spiritual labor.
כמו כן הוא בעבודת הצדיקים אשר בלי ספק צדיק כיעקב תיקן כל אלה המדריגות.
“So it is in the work of the righteous, for surely a tzaddik like Jacob repaired all these levels.”
Jacob personally rectified the full spectrum of spiritual descent.
ובהגיע בסוף הוצרך ע"כ לבקש רחמים כאשר סוף גמר הבריאה הי' בצירוף הרחמים.
“And when he reached the end, he therefore had to request mercy, just as the completion of creation involved mercy.”
Jacob’s prayer reflects the primordial structure—final completion requires divine compassion.
וזה ענין מ"ש במד' לעת מצוא כו'.
“This is the meaning of what the Midrash teaches on ‘At a time of finding…’”
The Midrash alludes to the moment when one must rely on mercy rather than human effort.
היינו כנ"ל שסוף התיקון צריך להיות ברחמים ובעזר הבורא.
“Meaning, as explained above, that the final repair must come through mercy and the help of the Creator.”
The ultimate tikun cannot be achieved solely by human power.
והנה הרגיש אבינו יעקב כי אין בכח אנושי עוד לעשות רק ע"י תפלה.
“And our father Jacob felt that human strength could do no more, except through prayer.”
Jacob recognized the moment when one must shift from effort to supplication.
וכל זמן שיכול לסבול בכח לא ביקש עזר.
“And as long as he could endure with his own strength, he did not ask for help.”
He only turned to divine mercy when his own ability reached its limit.
וז"ש מי שאמר לעולמו די והבן:
“And this is the meaning of ‘The One who said to His world “Enough,”’ and understand this.”
The Sefat Emet concludes: Jacob invokes the same divine compassion that limited creation itself.
Summary: Creation was limited by divine mercy so that the world would remain repairable; Jacob mirrored this structure in his spiritual work, turning to prayer and mercy when human strength could reach no further.