Glossary · Torah Ohr · Likkutei Torah
Yesh me’ayin
יש מאין
Something from nothing (yesh me’ayin)
Creation of a wholly new being from no thing at all, unlike cause and effect, where the cause is enclothed in its effect. The created bears no relation to its Creator; it is renewed constantly.
Where it’s explained
- Likkutei Torah, Reeh 8, ¶3Cause and effect is “something from something”: the cause is grasped and enclothed in its effect. The worlds came from Him not that way but as yesh me’ayin, even supernal Chochmah, through a tzimtzum (the yud of Havayah); this is why He is “holy,” set apart from them.
שהעולמות נבראו ונמצאו ממנו ית׳ שלא בדרך עילה ועלול שהוא בחי׳ יש מיש שבזה שייך תפיסא והתלבשות העילה בעלול אלא נתהוו בבחי׳ יש מאין
- Likkutei Torah, Reeh 2, ¶6Since all is from Him and all is as nothing before Him, why is creation called “from nothing”? Because the worlds come only from a radiance, and a radiance of a radiance, like sunlight from the sun, of no comparison to His essence, which is not in the category of descent and enclothing.
ומ״מ נק׳ יש מאין כי באורך נראה אור. פי׳ באור וזיו בעלמא כמשל זיו השמש מהשמש שאינו מערך מהותו כלל
- Likkutei Torah, Reeh 3, ¶18Physical things coming into being from the spiritual letters of the divine utterance is a new creation from absolute nothing, not merely concealed becoming revealed. Its source is the kav enclothed in the ten Sefiros of Atzilus; from the level of sovev, where no power of the maker is in the made, “He commanded and they were created,” and this is why creation is truly yesh me’ayin.
שלהיות התהוות הגשמיות מן המאמר ואותיות רוחניים המלובשים בו ה״ז בריאה חדשה מאין ואפס ממש ולא השתלשלות מההעלם אל הגילוי לבד
- Likkutei Torah, Reeh 7, ¶17The beginning of creation from the Or Ein Sof was yesh me’ayin, and the levels after it are yesh miyesh; the power of yesh me’ayin is revealed again only in the lowest, physical earth, which makes things grow, some from nothing at all. The lower a thing is, the higher the power enclothed in it.
אלא בארץ הלזו התחתונה בגשמיות דוקא שהרי כח הצומח שבה הוא להצמיח יש מאין
- Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 2, ¶1“Creator” (borei) is yesh me’ayin, above the order of hishtalshelus, since the created has no comparison to the Creator; “Owner” (koneh) is the chain of worlds one from another by cause and effect, which only brings out what was hidden, like goods passing from seller to buyer.
פי׳ בורא הוא ההתהוות יש מאין שזהו למעלה מדרך סדר ההשתלשלות. כי הנברא אינו ערוך כלל אל הבורא
Stated differently
Whether Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah coming from Atzilus is yesh me’ayin and not hishtalshelus of cause and effect, or, unlike Chochmah of Atzilus coming from what is above it, is also called hishtalshelus
הוא ע״ד התהוות יש מאין ולא בחי׳ עילה ועלול כלל ולא ע״ד התהוות חכמה דבי״ע מחכמה דאצי׳ שזה נק׳ ג״כ השתלשלותChochmah of Atzilus comes from “You are wise” (not a known wisdom) as yesh me’ayin, not cause and effect at all; Chochmah of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah coming from Chochmah of Atzilus is unlike that and is also called hishtalshelus.
מאצי׳ שהוא אלקות נק׳ בריאה יש מאין ולא בבחי׳ השתלשלות עילה ועלולBeriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, a separate yesh, coming into being from Atzilus, which is G‑dliness, is called creation yesh me’ayin and not hishtalshelus of cause and effect; yet the vessels of Atzilus become a soul enclothed within them.
Where the step of yesh me’ayin lies within the Sefiros: Chochmah coming from Keser, with everything from Chochmah downward hishtalshelus of cause and effect, or Binah coming from Chochmah, since Chochmah is still ayin
ולא בבחי׳ השתלשלות עילה ועלול שמחכמה ולמטה כו׳ ולכן נקרא החכמה לגבי הכתר יש מאיןFrom Chochmah onward is hishtalshelus; Chochmah is not, since a partition (parsa) divides Chochmah from Keser and changes the flow into another essence. So Chochmah relative to Keser is called yesh me’ayin, through the yud of Havayah.
וזהו בחי׳ יש מאין כי החכמה היא עדיין בחי׳ אין כח מ״ה לפי שמאין תמצאFrom Chochmah comes Binah, the comprehension of G‑dliness and root of the World to Come; that is yesh me’ayin, because Chochmah is still ayin, koach mah, as it is “found from ayin.”
Discussed by
The Tzemach Tzedek · Or HaTorah, Maamarei Razal, p. רג
The Tzemach Tzedek weighs whether Chochmah is yesh me’ayin and concludes that its essence is not, since it comes from the kav, the power of limitation within Or Ein Sof; it is called yesh me’ayin only because of the vessel that limits it. Binah is not mentioned.
ומ״ש שא״ק נק׳ בריאה ממש יש מאין וכן החכמה יש מאין היינו מצד כלי המגבילה
The Rebbe · Sefer HaMaamarim (bilti muga) 5715, p. קיב
The Rebbe places the step at Chochmah coming from Keser (‘the Chochmah is found from nothing’) and resolves places that call it cause and effect: relative to the Chochmah within Keser it is cause and effect, relative to Keser of Keser it is yesh me’ayin. The Binah option is not discussed.
ומה שמבואר לפעמים שהתהוות החכמה היא בדרך עו״ע, הרי זה כמו שהחכמה היא לגבי חכמה שבכתר, שהוא חכמה סתימאה
Further in Chassidus
The Tzemach Tzedek · Derech Mitzvosecha (section Maamarei HaTzemach Tzedek, Acharei Hashem Elokeichem), p. קפז
The Tzemach Tzedek asks how creation can be ‘from nothing’ when G‑dly life is clothed in it, and answers that cause and effect share a kind while the created has no relation to its source, so only G‑d can bring it about, and creation is renewed now as in the six days.והענין כי הנה ענין עלה ועלול הוא שהעלול יש לו ערך לעילתו כמו המדות לגבי השכל אבל התהוות הגשמיות מן הרוחניות
The Rebbe · Sefer HaMaamarim (bilti muga) 5715, p. קיב
The Rebbe explains why yesh me’ayin means constant renewal (the ayin is never found within the yesh), and that the power to create something from nothing comes only from the light above hishtalshelus, since within hishtalshelus there is only cause and effect.ובענין יש מאין נת״ל שהאין צריך תמיד לחדש את היש, הרי זה התחדשות תמידית, שהרי בהיש לא נמצא מציאות האין
Short quotes, © their publishers; each page opened by a second AI reader.
Main sources
Likkutei Torah, Reeh 2, ¶5Likkutei Torah, Reeh 2, ¶6Likkutei Torah, Reeh 3, ¶18Likkutei Torah, Reeh 7, ¶4Likkutei Torah, Reeh 7, ¶17Likkutei Torah, Reeh 8, ¶3Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 2, ¶1Torah Ohr, Noach 4, ¶5
Where it appears
In 317 paragraphs of 161 maamarim.
- Likkutei Torah, Acharei 1 ¶5 ¶9 ¶12 ¶13 ¶24 ¶28
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 9 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 11 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 1 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Behar 2 ¶12 ¶13 ¶14 ¶15 ¶20 ¶25
- Likkutei Torah, Chukas 5 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Devarim 1 ¶3 ¶4 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Eikev 2 ¶28
- Likkutei Torah, Matos 6 ¶4 ¶5 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 3 ¶13 ¶14 ¶15 ¶25
- Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 4 ¶3 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Pinchas 3 ¶2 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 3 ¶2 ¶3 ¶5 ¶7 ¶17 ¶18 ¶19
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 7 ¶4 ¶17 ¶18
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 8 ¶3 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 4 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 3 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 7 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 11 ¶3 ¶4 ¶8
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 16 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Shabbos Shuvah 3 ¶4 ¶6 ¶17 ¶19 ¶20 ¶25
- Likkutei Torah, Shemini Atzeres 5 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 1 ¶2 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 5 ¶2 ¶4 ¶8 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 18 ¶3 ¶6 ¶13
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 22 ¶27
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 23 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 32 ¶8 ¶10 ¶12 ¶19 ¶20 ¶38
- Likkutei Torah, V’Zos HaBerachah 3 ¶5 ¶6 ¶7 ¶19
- Likkutei Torah, V’Zos HaBerachah 4 ¶5 ¶8 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 8 ¶1
- Torah Ohr, Beshalach 7 ¶2 ¶6 ¶11
- Torah Ohr, Bo 1 ¶11
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 1 ¶7 ¶9 ¶11 ¶13 ¶15 ¶16 ¶19
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 8 ¶16
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 12 ¶23
- Torah Ohr, Vayechi 4 ¶3 ¶14
- Torah Ohr, Vayeitzei 2 ¶3 ¶4 ¶6 ¶18 ¶20
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 1 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 10 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Matos 1 ¶4 ¶6 ¶10
- Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 2 ¶2 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 4 ¶2 ¶15 ¶18
- Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 1 ¶2 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 38 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 6 ¶22
- Torah Ohr, Beshalach 4 ¶2 ¶9
- Torah Ohr, Beshalach 8 ¶26 ¶27 ¶28
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 2 ¶7
- Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 13 ¶7 ¶13
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 1 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 10 ¶8
- Likkutei Torah, Ki Seitzei 3 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 7 ¶11 ¶13
- Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 3 ¶2 ¶3 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 15 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 3 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 9 ¶1 ¶2 ¶3
- Torah Ohr, Lech Lecha 4 ¶4 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 1 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 2 ¶16
- Likkutei Torah, Shemini Atzeres 1 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 36 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 12 ¶3 ¶4 ¶6 ¶13
- Torah Ohr, Beshalach 6 ¶8
- Torah Ohr, Va’eira 2 ¶16
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 2 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Emor 2 ¶6 ¶8 ¶9
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 2 ¶3 ¶12 ¶13 ¶15
- Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 7 ¶16
- Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 4 ¶4 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Tetzaveh 3 ¶20
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 6 ¶10 ¶24 ¶25
- Likkutei Torah, Pinchas 4 ¶1 ¶2 ¶5 ¶6 ¶22
- Likkutei Torah, Shabbos Shuvah 1 ¶1 ¶2 ¶5 ¶8
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 5 ¶12
- Torah Ohr, Tetzaveh 1 ¶22 ¶23
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 2 ¶17 ¶25
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 3 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Acharei 2 ¶5 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Balak 2 ¶7 ¶10 ¶14 ¶29
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 6 ¶2 ¶3 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 15 ¶2 ¶17
- Likkutei Torah, Behar 1 ¶4 ¶13 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Behar 3 ¶4 ¶6 ¶7 ¶10
- Likkutei Torah, Emor 5 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Haazinu 1 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Haazinu 3 ¶5 ¶11 ¶43
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 1 ¶6 ¶7 ¶21
- Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 1 ¶10 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Pekudei 1 ¶17 ¶18
- Likkutei Torah, Pekudei 2 ¶5 ¶22
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 2 ¶5 ¶6 ¶7 ¶20
- Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 2 ¶1 ¶2 ¶3 ¶5 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 1 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 6 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 13 ¶8 ¶9
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 30 ¶2 ¶10 ¶12
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 34 ¶2 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Tzav 3 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 1 ¶18 ¶33
- Torah Ohr, Bereishis 3 ¶12 ¶19
- Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 15 ¶3 ¶4 ¶6
- Torah Ohr, Shemos 1 ¶33
- Torah Ohr, Shemos 8 ¶3 ¶6 ¶22
- Torah Ohr, Toldos 1 ¶3
- Torah Ohr, Toldos 2 ¶4
- Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 4 ¶21 ¶28 ¶35
- Torah Ohr, Vayeitzei 1 ¶8 ¶20 ¶23
- Likkutei Torah, Balak 1 ¶2 ¶5 ¶9 ¶21
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 2 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 18 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 4 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Beshalach 1 ¶10
- Likkutei Torah, Chukas 3 ¶9
- Likkutei Torah, Kedoshim 1 ¶5 ¶15 ¶27
- Likkutei Torah, Ki Savo 1 ¶10
- Likkutei Torah, Ki Seitzei 1 ¶6 ¶10
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 5 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 6 ¶9
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 5 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Shemini Atzeres 3 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 3 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 8 ¶9
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 17 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 26 ¶21
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 31 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Sukkos 4 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Tzav 6 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Tzav 7 ¶34
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 1 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 4 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Yom Kippur 1 ¶3
- Torah Ohr, Bereishis 2 ¶4
- Torah Ohr, Bereishis 5 ¶17
- Torah Ohr, Beshalach 2 ¶1 ¶2
- Torah Ohr, Lech Lecha 3 ¶1 ¶2 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 7 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 4 ¶21
- Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 7 ¶8 ¶9 ¶10
- Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 9 ¶4
- Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 2 ¶1 ¶2
- Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 7 ¶12
- Torah Ohr, Noach 1 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Noach 3 ¶3
- Torah Ohr, Tetzaveh 2 ¶16
- Torah Ohr, Vayakhel 1 ¶6
- Torah Ohr, Vayechi 3 ¶9 ¶10
- Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 5 ¶7
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 6 ¶4 ¶11
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 7 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Tzav 2 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 10 ¶6
- Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 11 ¶8
- Likkutei Torah, Chukas 2 ¶38
- Likkutei Torah, Haazinu 2 ¶11
- Torah Ohr, Noach 4 ¶5 ¶6
- Torah Ohr, Vayeira 1 ¶20
- Likkutei Torah, Tzav 12 ¶12
- Likkutei Torah, Masei 8 ¶2 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Yom Kippur 2 ¶3
Written with AI from the paragraphs of Torah Ohr and Likkutei Torah, each entry checked by a second AI reader and every Hebrew quote checked by code; not yet reviewed by a person. Our English: CC BY-NC 4.0.