Tanya/ Iggeres Ha’Kodesh - The Holy Epistle, Epistle 15, Class 10
tanyaonline.com/?p=2026
________
Likewise, by exercising the attribute of hod,58 which implies self-abnegation, and acknowledging the transcendence of that which defies his mortal understanding, [a man seeks] to prostrate himself and to [self-effacingly] praise G‑d,
וְכֵן לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת וּלְהוֹדוֹת לַה',
Who animates and creates everything and before Whom everything is essentially nonexistent and esteemed as truly nothing and null.
אֲשֶׁר מְחַיֶּה וּמְהַוֶּה אֶת הַכֹּל, וְהַכֹּל בָּטֵל בִּמְצִיאוּת אֶצְלוֹ, וְכוּלָּא קַמֵּיהּ כְּלָא חֲשִׁיב, וּכְאַיִן וָאֶפֶס מַמָּשׁ.
Though we cannot apprehend just how everything is truly as null before Him,
וְאַף שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ מַשִּׂיגִים אֵיךְ הוּא הַכֹּל אֶפֶס מַמָּשׁ קַמֵּיהּ,
nevertheless, we acknowledge and genuinely concede that in absolute truth, such is the case.
אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן, מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ בְּהוֹדָאָה אֲמִיתִּית שֶׁכֵּן הוּא בֶּאֱמֶת לַאֲמִיתּוֹ.
From the very depths of his soul, the Jew acknowledges that G‑d’s “supernal daat” and knowledge that everything is essentially nonexistent before Him is true and that the mortal understanding of our “inferior daat”—that creation does indeed exist, except that it is nullified to Him—results from the limited compass of our earthbound perspective.59 This acknowledgment results from the self-abnegation expressed by the attribute of hod.
This [attribute] also includes the expression of gratitude60 to G‑d for all the favors that He has bestowed upon us,
וּבִכְלָל זֶה גַּם כֵּן, לְהוֹדוֹת לַה' עַל כָּל הַטּוֹבוֹת אֲשֶׁר גְּמָלָנוּ,
so that [we] should not be ungrateful, G‑d forbid.
וְלֹא לִהְיוֹת כְּפוּי טוֹבָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
This [attribute of hod] also includes the offering of thanks to G‑d for all His praiseworthy [deeds], and His attributes and His workings in the emanation and creation of the upper and lower worlds,
וּבִכְלָל זֶה, לְהוֹדוֹת עַל כָּל שְׁבָחָיו וּמִדּוֹתָיו וּפְעוּלּוֹתָיו בַּאֲצִילוּת וּבְרִיאַת עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים,
for they are praiseworthy to no end,61
שֶׁהֵם מְשׁוּבָּחִים עַד אֵין תַּכְלִית ,
and are becoming and befitting Him, blessed and exalted be He.
וְנָאִים וּרְאוּיִם אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ וְיִתְעַלֶּה,
The term [hod is here to be understood] as in the phrase hod vehadar (“majesty and splendor”62).
_______
FOOTNOTES
__________
58. The Hebrew root of this word comprises three meanings—to praise, to thank, and to acknowledge.
59. Note by the Rebbe: “See Likkutei Torah, Va’etchanan, 4a ff.”
60. The Hebrew root of this word comprises three meanings—to praise, to thank, and to acknowledge.
61. According to an alternative reading, “…beyond searching.”
62. Psalms 104:1.