What is the difference between ‘Transcendental Light’ and ‘Immanent Light’?
Chassidut and Kabala describe two kinds of light that illuminate the worlds: ‘Transcendental Light’ and ‘Immanent Light. The Divine light which illuminates the worlds, the Immanent Light, is a light which by definition is limited, because it is manifested in the finite world, and is suited to the ability of the created beings to be a vessel for it. This light is supposed to be felt in the creation, so it must be contracted and suited to each creation so that the created being won’t ‘burn up’ from the intensity of the Divine light. This is analogous to the light or vitality of the soul being distributed to the various limbs of the body in accordance with its function; the spiritual source of vision in the soul enables the eye to see, and so forth.
‘Transcendental light,’ on the other hand, is infinite Divine light which does not change or become diffused according to the creations, thus it is also not felt by them, rather it illuminates in a peripheral manner only. Although its influence on the creation is critical and affects their very existence, the Transcendental light cannot be felt in an internal way.
In a person’s soul this is analogous to willpower, which doesn’t divide into separate limbs, but directs the whole body equally