Kabbalah is the body of Jewish teachings that elucidates the esoteric layers of implication in every story, sentence, word, and law of the Torah as well as its customs and rituals. The sequence of betrothal and marriage as a stepwise progression of relationship has mystical significance that is likewise explicated by kabbala.
In betrothal, the external layers of the couple engage, but their ‘insides” do not yet touch. As above so below. When they marry and begin their physical relationship a core-level bonding of soul simultaneously occurs.
Although the inner essence of Divinity called the Infinite Light revealed Itself at Sinai as the radiant wisdom of the Torah, and condensed Itself into ten infinitely compact seeds of teaching called the Ten Precepts, nevertheless, only the more external layers of the Infinite Light were actually manifest in that encounter. Consequently the relationship between HaShem and Israel created by that revelation of Torah was an external bonding. Though their attachment was profound, their insides were not yet engaged.
The Torah has infinite layers of teachings, some of which are visible while other lie deeply concealed beyond the grasp of human comprehension. At Sinai only its more accessible layers actually shone forth as explicit teachings and visible lights. HaShem limited Himself to what would be apprehensible to that generation, at that point of history.
Conversely, the inner dimension of Torah, the repository of secrets hidden within the text elucidating the deeper reasons behind its laws, stories, and textual structure; this was not revealed at Sinai. Yet it initiated a process of unfolding that assures its eventual release, for each generation from that point hence peers into the Torah and exposes another layer of its hidden light. By the end-of-days there will be no secrets left. The Torah’s inner recesses will blaze forth, and all will behold the glory of its every detail. The most inward and abstract beauty of the Infinite Light will shine through the Torah like a holograph, rendered visible by the perfectly ground lens of its Oral Teachings embodied as the living community of Israel.
As explained, each of the ten sefirot and six partzufim have a distinguishing trait that is their contribution to the soul. A person’s nature and level of spiritual development determines which of those traits are integrated in strong and healthy ways, and which are under- or overdeveloped. The tree of life marks a ten-step path from below to above that each soul follows in its journey toward perfection and reunion with its Creator.
The last stop in its trek is the sefira called Crown (Keter) which contains two partzufim: an upper one called Atik Yomin (Ancient of Days) and a lower one called Arik Anpin (Long Countenance). The trait associated with Atik is spiritual bliss (תענוג), and the trait associated with Arik is will (רצון) for it is the source of all motivating impulses within the personality. For various reasons, sometimes these two partzufim are considered a single level, in which case Arik Anpin (Long Countenance) is absorbed by Atik, which now comprises two layers, one outer and one inner. In this essay, Rav Shneur Zalman employs this latter model.
In summary:
When it says that only the outer layers of the Infinite Light were revealed at Sinai, while its inner lights stayed hidden, encased within the text as unrealized possibilities of interpretation, the terms inner and outer refer to specific levels in the kabalistic map of reality. In this context they indicate the two layers of Atika, the deepest root of soul and point where it is hewn from the pure simple oneness of the Infinite Light. Atika is the place where man touches G‑d (so to speak).
The inner, hidden lights of the Torah form the inner layer of Atika whose trait is spiritual bliss. This is the highest level of consciousness available in this world (as opposed to the world to come). It is defined as a pure, unselfconscious pleasure that comes when the self is nullified before the consuming fire of Divine Presence and yet, like Moshe’s bush, is not consumed. Rather, in this self-nullified state, awareness permeates every cell of the body, no longer is it limited to the organs of brain and mind. As is known to all who are studied in kabbalistic literature, this exalted state of consciousness awaits all who reach the last milestone of their journey, called Atika d’Atikin (Most Ancient One). And yet, like all the promised rewards of the next world and nether realms, a taste (diluted as it may be) is always available in this world as well.
