Inward with Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld Likkutei Moharan 1, Shiur 3: The Emptiness of Malchus, the Nothingness of the Self, and Becoming a Vessel
Oct 27, 2026
Explore Malchus as the moonlike vessel that receives infinite wisdom and brings it into ordinary life. The discussion moves through falling, spiritual emptiness, divine concealment, and the tension between perfection and growth. It also considers free choice, the soul’s longing for light, Eretz Yisrael as continual arrival, and Kiddush Levana as a path from hiddenness to renewal.
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Why Infinite Light Needs Malchus
- Infinite light cannot be grasped directly; it must descend through the bent, deficient quality symbolized by Nun and Malchus.
- Drawing Chochmah into visible imperfection makes spiritual illumination usable within ordinary life.
Restoring Grace By Joining Torah And Prayer
- Restoring chen means bringing the clarity of Chochmah into the imperfect world of Malchus, prayer, and daily experience.
- Torah answers prayer by reconnecting the empty vessel of worldliness with divine wisdom.
The Moon Reveals What It Does Not Own
- The moon has no independent light, yet its apparent emptiness lets it reveal or conceal the sun’s light.
- Human consciousness functions similarly: ego blocks divine presence, while self-emptying allows Chochmah to shine through.
