Hashem as the Place of all existence

אא"ז מו"ר ז"ל הגיד על חודש אדר ע"ש המד' הנ"ל ואדור ביניכם.

My grandfather and teacher, of blessed memory, said regarding the month of Adar — based on the aforementioned Midrash — "And I shall dwell (v'adur) among you."

The Sefas Emes cites his grandfather (the Chiddushei HaRim), who linked the name of the month Adar to the word "v'adur," Hashem's promise to dwell among Bnei Yisrael.

ורק בתנאי לידע כי הכל ממנו ית' כמ"ש בגסות אין אני והוא יכולין לדור כו'.

But only on condition that one knows that everything comes from Him, may He be blessed, as it is said: with arrogance (gassus), "I and he cannot dwell together."

Hashem can only "dwell" within a person who recognizes that all comes from Hashem. Where there is gaavah (haughtiness), Chazal say Hashem will not abide together with him.

ושם אדר א' ודל ורש.

And the name Adar [hints at] "Aleph" (the One) together with "dal" (poor) and "rash" (impoverished).

The letters of "Adar" are read as Aleph — the One, Hashem — joined to "dar," one who is poor and lowly; only one who makes himself small in bittul becomes a vessel for Hashem's presence.

ועי"ז נדבק ביחידו של עולם כו'.

And through this one cleaves to the Yachid (the One and Only) of the world.

By emptying himself of arrogance and recognizing his own poverty before Hashem, a person becomes attached to the Singular One of the universe.

כי הכלל בכל דבר יש נקודה חיות ממנו ית'.

For the principle is that in everything there is a point of vitality (nekudas chiyus) from Him, may He be blessed.

The Sefas Emes lays down a klal: every single thing in creation contains an inner point of Divine life-force.

כמ"ש אין לך דבר שאין לו מקום.

As it is said: "There is nothing that has no place (makom)."

Chazal teach that everything has its "place" — and the Sefas Emes will now reveal that this "place" is really Hashem Himself.

והקב"ה נקרא מקומי של עולם.

And the Holy One, blessed be He, is called "Makomi shel olam — the Place of the world."

Hashem is the true "place" within which all of creation exists; the inner point of every thing is rooted in Him.

ואין עולמו מקומו.

But His world is not His place.

The world does not contain Hashem; rather, Hashem contains the world. He is the Place of everything, yet nothing is His "place."

וכפי מה שיודעין שאין מקום לשום דבר רק ממנו ית'.

And according to how much one knows that nothing has any place except from Him, may He be blessed —

The more a person truly recognizes that nothing has independent existence and that all standing comes only from Hashem,

כפי"ז נתגלה הפנימיות כנ"ל.

— according to this, the inner dimension (penimiyus) is revealed, as above.

the more the hidden penimiyus, the indwelling Divine point, becomes revealed to him.

והוא מקומו ש"ע.

And He is its place [the place of every thing].

Hashem Himself is the "place" that gives each thing its existence.

לפי מה שאין ההעלם והסתר מקום בפ"ע.

Inasmuch as the concealment and hiddenness are not a place unto themselves.

The concealment of this world is not an independent reality standing on its own — it too has no "place" apart from Hashem, so even within the hester, Hashem is found.

כמ"ש אשכון את דכא כנ"ל:

As it is written: "I dwell… with the contrite and lowly (es daka)" (Yeshayahu 57:15), as above.

Hashem dwells specifically with the one who is "daka" — crushed and humble before Him — bringing us back to Adar, "Aleph with the poor": through bittul, Hashem's presence is revealed even within concealment.

Summary: The month of Adar — "v'adur, I will dwell among you" — teaches that Hashem dwells within a person only when he recognizes that everything comes from Hashem and humbles himself in bittul. Since Hashem is the "Place" of all existence and even concealment has no independent reality, the more one knows that nothing stands on its own, the more the hidden inner Divine point is revealed.