Chapter 8 continues the theme of the 3 evil kelipot (husks/shells/peels) and the kelipah nogah (the glowing husk). The Alter Rebbe (1745-1812) teaches us about the quality of evil inherent within various worldly things and our ability to refine it.
The 3 evil kelipot cannot be uplifted and raised to higher levels – no matter what we do with it. These parts of creation remain bound to the forces of evil. If we speak about them binding themselves to forbidden food – then even if we eat that food le’shem shamayim (for the sake of heaven), and we bless the food and use that energy for holy things – still none of this can uplift the evil that is to be found in them.
There is nothing we can do with this energy ever. We must wait until the days of Moshiach when God will completely obliterate this evil from the world. On the other hand, the kelipah nogah has within it the ability to be uplifted. As a result – if we talk about food and the kelipah nogah having a hold on the food, then even if we eat this food out of desire (and not for the sake of God) – because we are tempted to eat it (instead of wanting to eat it to make use of its energy for holy matters), then still – we can uplift the sparks contained within the food at another stage.
However, there is always a little left over and there is a way that it will ultimately fall away from us. We briefly speak about another type of kelipah nogah. This is the kelipah nogah that relates to empty, useless and unnecessary talk. Even though it may not be evil – it “smacks” of it. Because of that, the “evil” contained within the wasted words must also be removed before the soul can be purified from the negative parts of its activities in this world. The Baal HaTanya explains to us how it is purified.
