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What Should One Do If He Was Born With Bad Qualities?

Article No. 41, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

It is written in The Zohar (Nasso 41), “One’s actions reflect the Partzuf that is on him, which is why he says that their countenance testified to the form that was on them, or from the Merkava[chariot/structure] of the four elements of the world, which are fire, wind, water, and dust (FWWD), in which there are neither the good inclination nor the evil inclination. Rather, they are like the beasts of the world.”

This means that the merging of the body engenders in a person the qualities, and this does not pertain to the evil inclination. For example, if one has more of the “water” element, he is lustful. If he has more of the “fire” element, he is petulant. If he has more of the “wind” element, he is arrogant, and if he has more of the “dust” element, he is lazy. But this has nothing to do with the evil inclination. This means that all the qualities that exist in a person that extend from the four qualities FWWD have nothing to do with the evil inclination.

The question is, What is the evil inclination? We should say about this that the evil inclination is what tempts a person to do things against the will of the Creator. A person must first believe in the Creator, and then it is possible to say that he is doing things against the will of the Creator, and then he begins to sin because of the evil inclination and does not want to obey the Creator, who gave Torah to His people, Israel.

Rather, the only reason they are (who do not achieve faith in the Creator) harming others is because of the merging of the four elements, as said in the words of The Zohar, which says, “of the four elements, in which there are neither the good inclination nor the evil inclination. Rather, they are like the beasts of the world,” in whom there is no connection to faith in the Creator. But for man, where there is the matter of faith, there begins the matter of the evil inclination, when he does not believe in the Creator, and the good inclination is when he does believe in the Creator. That is, one who believes in the Creator, meaning believes in reward and punishment, in him begins the work of the evil inclination and the good inclination. But those who have no interest in faith in the Creator are as beasts.

Yet, we have to say what The Zohar says, that they belong to the four elements and have no connection to the evil inclination or the good inclination. This is with respect to the work. But with respect to the revealed, meaning to the rules, they are subject to every punishment and judgment that the courthouses impose upon them, for there one cannot say, “I have no evil inclination and I do not deserve to be punished,” and to say that he comes from the four elements.

We must say that The Zohar speaks from the perspective of the work and not from the perspective of the revealed Torah, where it speaks in terms of actual practice. Rather, The Zohar speaks from the order of the work, where it can be said that a person belongs to the four elements but still has no connection to the evil inclination, since in the work, we begin to speak of the evil inclination from the time when a person begins to believe in the Creator. At that time, we speak of the good inclination or the evil inclination.

However, concerning faith in reward and punishment, we should also make two discernments: 1) Reward and punishment that are interpreted that if he walks on the straight path, he will receive in return a reward that he will be happy in this world and will also be happy in the next world. And if he does not walk on the straight path, he will be unhappy. 2) Reward and punishment that are interpreted that if he walks on the straight path, as the sages have arranged for us, and will believe in their words, then the reward will be that they draw near to the Creator. Conversely, if they do not believe in the sages, who determined for us how to walk in the ways of the Creator, they will be punished. The punishment is that they will be far from the Creator and will not be given help to draw near the Creator. That is, their reward will be that they will be given from above a desire to bestow, which is a second nature, and their punishment will be that they will remain immersed in self-love and will ache because they are not advancing.

This is considered that they are “placed under the governance of the evil inclination,” that they are separated from the Creator and cannot bond with Him, and it hurts them that they are placed under the governance of evil. That is, we cannot say that a person is punished but he does not feel that he is punished, meaning does not suffer from being under the governance of evil.

Rather, “punishment” means that he suffers because he is under the control of the evil inclination, meaning he feels that it is bad through suffering. This is regarded as a person being “placed under the governance of the evil inclination,” meaning that it hurts him. Conversely, those who are placed under the governance of the evil inclination but do not suffer, in terms of the work, this is considered that they still do not have the evil inclination, that they still do not feel that they are placed under the governance of the will to receive, called “evil.”

However, we must understand, if, according to the merging of the body, a person is incapable of doing good and must exert more than other people to do good, how does it help us that The Zoharsays that the bad he does is like a beast? What is the advice that he would be able to do good? That is, what would help him to later obtain the good inclination and the evil inclination?

Our sages said (Rosh Hashanah [beginning of Jewish new year] 17), “The eyes of the Lord your God are on her, at times for better, at times for worse. At times for better—how? If Israel are complete wicked in the beginning of the year and are allotted few rains, but in the end they repent, it is impossible to add to them because the sentence has been given. Instead, the Creator pours them down in time on a soil that needs them, all according to the soil.” (RASHI interprets “the soil that needs them”—the fields and vineyards and gardens.) “At times for worse, how? If Israel are complete righteous in the beginning of the year, they are allotted many rains, but in the end, they move astray. It is impossible to lessen them, since the decree has already been given, but the Creator pours them down not in their time, on soil that does not need them. (RASHI interprets “not in their time”—before sowing, and “on soil that does not need them”—in forests and deserts.)

We should understand what this matter comes to teach us in the work. According to what The Zoharsays, there are people who were created according to a merging of the four elements and have no connection to the good inclination or the evil inclination, but are like the beasts of the world. This means that good inclination and evil inclination mean that there is the matter of choice, where one can overcome the evil. But in the quality of “beasts,” it means that the qualities they have cannot be changed. Thus, what should one do if he were born with bad qualities and his nature cannot be changed? How can he have choice, which is the work of overcoming of the good inclination over the evil inclination?

According to the above, we should interpret that although one is born with bad qualities in which there is little good, when he walks on the straight path, meaning asks the Creator to help him overcome the bad, although the bad within him is bigger than in the rest of the people, and it is impossible to change nature, the Creator gives him the strength to use his qualities, in which there is little good. However, whatever good he does have works within him, meaning that the Creator helps him from above so that whatever powers he does have, he uses them in the right place.

For example, if he has stamina to learn only one hour, he learns specifically in books that bring him the light of Torah, meaning that through them he acquires the importance of the work of the Creator and receives an awakening that it is worthwhile to cling to the Creator. And when there is a little bit of thinking concerning work, he does not think, “What will I get out of this work?” Rather, he thinks, “What can I give to the King so I will connect with Him?” When he prays, since he knows that he is not gifted and cannot think great and profound thoughts, when he prays, he simply imagines to Whom he prays, meaning with Whom he speaks and what he asks of Him to give him. He says, “I know my lowliness, that I am worse than the rest of the people, so the rest of the people can overcome their evil and do not need Your help so much, whereas I have neither power nor brains, so have mercy on me.” Because he prays from the bottom of the heart, the Creator hears his prayer. Hence, he uses all of his small powers in the right place and at the right time.

But if a person is sentenced through the four elements to have good qualities and virtues, yet he is not rewarded, meaning he does not walk on the straight path—to ask the Creator to help him walk on the right path, his gifts are used in a place where they are not needed. That is, all the powers and talents go to a place that will not yield anything in spirituality with respect to the work, as it is written, “not in their time, before the sowing.” In other words, his work, despite the great effort and depth he puts into it, will not yield anything. This is the meaning of “on a land that does not need them—in forest and deserts.” This means that all the powers and gifts and all the good qualities are used in a place that will not grow, meaning that will not lead him to Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator. In other words, he will not trouble himself to find the right guide and will not pay attention to learn specifically in books that lead to nearing to the Creator.

It follows that the fact that man was created from four elements has no connection to the evil inclination or the good inclination. But afterward, when he begins the work and wants to draw near the Creator, then begins the matter of the evil inclination, when a person begins to see that there is evil in him and it pains him. Then, when he sees that he has no good qualities, he prays to the Creator to help him. At that time, the Creator summons all his powers and the little bit of talent that he has. The Creator assembles everything and concentrates all the powers that He can, so it will all be in order to achieve Dvekut with the Creator.

It follows that although it is said that man’s character does not change, through the evil inclination, when a person begins to work and sees that he suffers from being removed from the Creator, through prayer, when one prays to the Creator and believes what is written, “for You hear the prayer of every mouth,” meaning even a mouth that comes from a person who is not gifted and is powerless to overcome, and also has bad qualities, and he is worse than the rest of the people, and this comes to him because he was created from the four elements (fire, wind, water, and dust), and according to the merger of the four elements in his body, he has bad qualities. It follows that he has nothing to add to this.

Yet, when one begins to work in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], it causes him to know that there is the matter of the good inclination and the evil inclination, as he writes in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar] (Beresheet Bet, Item 103), “If one engages in Torah and Mitzvot even for his own pleasure, through the light in it he will still feel the lowliness and the terrible corruptness in the nature of receiving for oneself. At that time he will resolve to retire from that nature of reception and completely devote himself to working only in order to bestow contentment upon his Maker. Then the Creator will open his eyes to see before him a world filled with utter perfection without any deficiencies whatsoever.”

According to the above, we see that although a person is born with the four elements and has no connection neither to the good inclination nor to the evil inclination, and he is like the beasts of the world, and these qualities cannot be changed, still, through engagement in Torah and Mitzvot, he comes to know and feel that there is the matter of good inclination and evil inclination, and then he can pray to the Creator to help him emerge from the control of the evil inclination. At that time, one concentrates on using all of one’s powers in the right place. That is, whatever forces he has, it is enough for him to use to an extent that will be able to give him the ability to achieve Dvekut with the Creator.

This is the meaning of “At times for better—how? If Israel are complete wicked in the beginning of the year and are allotted few rains.” We should interpret that when he is born, he has bad qualities in terms of the merger of the body. This is considered that they were “allotted few rains.” “Rains” are the power that yields fruits, called “fuel [or motivation]” in the work. It is written, “In the end they repent, it is impossible to add to them because the sentence has been given.” This means that they were already born with the merger of the body in the four elements, but “the Creator pours them down in time on a soil that needs them.” That is, the rains, which are the fuel, the powers with which we work, are concentrated so as to be used only for what is required.

Let us take “fire,” for example. On one hand, man enjoys the fire. When man has fire, he can cook, he can use it to light up the darkness, and it can warm him in the winter. Therefore, essentially, we can say that fire came to the world in order to correct it. On the other hand, if a person is not careful and misuses it, this fire brings destruction and ruin to the world, for through it, man sometimes becomes poor and indigent, even if previously, he was very wealthy. Sometimes, fire brings death to the world.

Likewise, in the work, man’s powers can bring correction to the world. If one uses the powers according to the order of correction, the forces bring delight to the world. As said above, if a person walks on the path of correction, the little powers he has are enough for him to achieve his completion. We see that even something that can harm the world, if we use this power, called “fire,” for example, in a manner of correction, the whole world benefits from it.

It is likewise in the work: When the Creator gives the required help, the power of the fuel called “rains” is enough for him to bear fruit, as there is a rule in Kedusha [holiness], that a person should bear fruit in the work, whereas concerning the Sitra Achra [other side], it is called “Another god is sterile and does not bear fruit.”

According to the above, we should interpret what our sages said (Nidah 16b), “Rabbi Hanina Bar Papa says, ‘That angel appointed over pregnancy is called Laila [Hebrew: night]. It takes a drop and places it before the Creator and says to Him: ‘Master of the world, what shall become of this drop? Will it be a mighty one or a weakling, a wise one or a fool, rich or poor?’ But ‘wicked or righteous’ it did not say. It is as Rabbi Hanina said, ‘Everything is in the hands of heaven except for fear of heaven.’”

Baal HaSulam asked about this, If this drop is sentenced to be a fool, how can there also be a choice for the better afterward? After all, there is a rule that one does not sin unless a spirit of folly has entered him. Thus, how can one choose the good, since he is born with a spirit of folly, so how can he keep himself from transgressing when the spirit of folly is within him?

According to what we explained concerning man, when he is born according to the merger of four elements, for which he has bad qualities, but it is not connected to the evil inclination or the good inclination, but he is like the beasts of the world, yet by engaging in Torah and Mitzvot even for his own benefit, through the light in it, he will feel the lowliness and terrible corruption that there are in the nature of receiving for oneself. At that time he will resolve to completely devote himself to working only in order to bestow contentment upon his Maker, and then the Creator will open his eyes.

Also, we should interpret here that although the drop is sentenced to be a fool, by engaging in Torah Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], the light in it will reform him. That is, the light in Torah Lo Lishma can shine for him so he will feel the bad in him. That is, although there is a rule that a fool does not feel, for how can one who was born from a drop that was sentenced to be a fool feel the difference between good or bad, this is so from the perspective of the birth itself, from the angle of the drop, that it was sentenced to be a fool. At that time, he is considered “a fool does not feel.” But through the light of the Torah, he receives the feeling of good or bad to such an extent that through the recognition of the bad, which he received through the light of Torah, he is then rewarded with opening the eyes.

However, we should ask, Why does the Creator sentence a drop to be a fool? It seems as though the Creator deliberately causes him not to be able to overcome the qualities with which he were born. We should interpret as Baal HaSulam said, that many times, the Creator does something to a person that seems as though the Creator acts to that person’s detriment. But we should ask according to the rule, “The Creator does not complain against His creations,” so why does the Creator make it so it seems as though He caused man to be unable to overcome?

The answer is that the Creator wants the creatures to know that He is not limited in His actions. That is, achieving Dvekut with the Creator is out of one’s hands, but rather comes specifically by help from above, when the Creator gives a person a second nature, called “desire to bestow,” and to the Creator, it makes no difference whether he should help him a lot or a little. Also, we should interpret here, as well, that the fact that the Creator sentences the drop to be a fool, it is in order for man to know that to the Creator, there is no difference between having great powers or small ones, whether he is very wise or a fool. Only if one understands that he must ask the Creator to help him, the Creator helps him. That is, after he received the light of Torah, through the Torah in which he engaged for his own pleasure, called “will to receive for his own benefit,” if he asks of the Creator, he is rewarded with the Creator opening his eyes and will show him a world full of utter perfection.

According to the above, we can interpret what our sages said (Taanit 7), “Anyone who engages in Torah Lishma [for Her sake], his Torah becomes to him a potion of life. And anyone who engages in Torah Lo Lishma, it becomes to him a potion of death.”

This is perplexing: Before a person is rewarded with his actions being for the sake of the Creator, he still cannot learn Lishma. So why did they say (Pesachim 50), “One should always engage in Torah and Mitzvot Lo Lishma since from Lo Lishma he comes to Lishma.” How can it be said that a person should first learn Lo Lishma, if he puts into himself a potion of death?

We should interpret according to the above, that man, who comprises four elements, still does not have connection to the evil inclination or to the good inclination. Rather, as said in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar], it says there by learning Torah for one’s own pleasure, this is called Lo Lishma, meaning for one’s own benefit, still, through the light in it, as said in the Sulam, “Through the light in it he will feel the lowliness and the terrible corruptness in the nature of receiving for oneself.At that time he will resolve to retire from that nature of reception and completely devote himself to working only in order to bestow contentment upon his Maker. Then the Creator will open his eyes.”

Therefore, this means that only through the light of Torah, by learning Torah Lo Lishma, the light in the Torah will make him understand and feel that if he learns Lishma, meaning in order to bestow, he will be rewarded with the light of life and he will see a world filled with abundance. And if he does not, but rather stays in self-reception, his state will be “the potion of death.” That is, he will feel the corruption that there is in self-reception, and he will remain separated from the Life of Lives.

It follows that specifically when he begins to learn Lo Lishma, the light in the Torah makes him understand what is “the potion of life” and what is “the potion of death.” By this, he will later be rewarded with the opening of the eyes and will see a world filled with abundance.

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Are Truth and Falsehood in the Work?

Article No. 40, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

We should understand how truth and falsehood pertain to the work of the Creator. This implies that one can be a servant of the Creator even though it is a lie. How can such a thing be said?

It is written in The Zohar (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Item 175), “The share of the Creator is to delight the poor, for on these days, the holidays, the Creator comes to see His broken Kelim[vessels], and sees that they have nothing with which to rejoice. He weeps for them.”

He interprets these words in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar] as follows: First we need to understand the interpretation of our sages (Midrash Rabbah, Portion 6), that at the time of the creation of the world, when He said to the angels, “Let us make man in our image,” Hesed [mercy] said, “Let him be created, for he does Hassadim [mercies]; Truth said, “Let him not be created, for he is all lies”; Tzedek [justice] said, “Let him be created, for he does righteousness”; Peace said, “Let him not be created, for he is all strife.” What did the Creator do? He took Truth, and cast it to the earth.

We know the words of our sages, “One should always engage in Torah and Mitzvot[commandments/good deeds], even if Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], since from Lo Lishma he comes to Lishma [for Her sake].” Because of his lowliness, a person cannot engage in His Mitzvot right away in order to bring contentment to his Maker. By nature, he cannot make a move if not for his own sake. Hence, first he must engage in Mitzvot Lo Lishma, meaning out of self-benefit. However, he still draws abundance of Kedusha [holiness] while performing the Mitzvot, and through the abundance that he draws, he will eventually come to engage in Mitzvot Lishma.

Truth complained about the creation of man, saying “He is all lies,” etc., how can such a man be created, who from the beginning engages in Torah and Mitzvot in complete falsehood, meaning Lo Lishma? But Hesed said, “Let him be created, for he does mercies,” etc., by which he will gradually be corrected until he can engage in all the Mitzvot in order to bestow. Likewise, Peace complained that “He is all strife,” but Tzedek said, “Let him be created” because through the Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot] of charity to the poor that he does, he will gradually approach the quality of bestowal until he comes to engage Lishma. Once all of their arguments were heard, the Creator agreed with the angels Hesed and Tzedakah, and threw Truth to the ground, meaning permitted engaging in Mitzvotinitially in Lo Lishma, for even though it is a lie, it will eventually become Lishma, and then Truth will rise up from the earth.

Maimonides says there (Hilchot Teshuva, Chapter 5), “Therefore, when teaching little ones, women, and uneducated people, they are taught to work only out of fear and in order to receive reward. Until they gain much knowledge and acquire much wisdom, they are taught that secret little-by-little.”

From the words of Maimonides, we see that we must begin the work of the Creator in Lo Lishma, and we must not even reveal that there is such a matter as Lishma to them. Rather, they must know that they’re observing Torah and Mitzvot in order to receive reward is real wholeness, and there is nothing to add to this, other than in quantity, meaning to dedicate more time and effort to observe Torah and Mitzvot. They should be happy that by observing Torah and Mitzvot they will have plentiful reward.

It follows that in order for them to be complete servants of the Creator, they must not know that there is the matter of Lishma, since they are still not ready to begin to work Lishma. Hence, should they be told that the main work is Lishma, they will say, “How can we observe Torah and Mitzvot Lo Lishma if this is not the real work?” And since they still cannot work Lishma, they will remain empty handed both ways.

In other words, Lo Lishma will not be important to them, and they will see that they cannot work Lishma. For this reason, it is forbidden to reveal to them that there is a matter that we must work in order to bestow. But when they do not know, they think that they are true servants of the Creator and that they are righteous. Hence, from this they will have strength to work, since they are happy that they are servants of the Creator, and they consider other people, who do not observe Torah and Mitzvot as they do, as beasts and animals, and that they have no more brains than that of beasts and animals.

Concerning the scrutinies, he wrote in Tree of Life (presented in Beit Shaar HaKavanot, Item 107): “The Creator gave the Torah and Mitzvot to Israel only in order to sort, cleanse, and remove the dross from the silver, which is the dressing for the soul. Through man’s intention in Torah and Mitzvot, the clothing of the soul is completed. Through the Torah, Noga of Yetzira is cleansed, a clothing of Ruach, and through practical Mitzvot, Noga of Assiya is cleansed, and becomes a clothing of Nefesh.”

This means that we cannot say that the performance of Mitzvot and Torah without an intention are not true. Rather, it is implied from the words of the ARI that through all of man’s actions, the scrutinies of Kedusha are sorted out of the Klipot [shells/peels], to which they descended at the time of the breaking of the vessels. However, we should distinguish between Mitzvot without an intention and Torah without an intention, and between Torah and Mitzvot with an intention, as was said, “and through the practical Mitzvot, Noga of Assiya is cleansed and becomes a clothing for the Nefesh.”

Concerning Lo Lishma, which is called “a lie,” we should interpret that since the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, and in order for man to obtain this in practice, meaning to see that the delight and pleasure are revealed in the world, the creatures cannot see this before they have the real Kelim by which to see the delight and pleasure revealed in the world.

Therefore, to the creatures, it is still not revealed that the purpose of creation is really to do good to His creations, since they see that they are suffering torments in the world, each in his own way. Thus, we can interpret that as long as the creatures observe Torah and Mitzvot not with the aim to bestow, they are unable to see the truth that there is in the purpose of creation—to do good.

Therefore, this means that concerning those who observe Torah and Mitzvot and have not been rewarded with aiming to bestow, although in truth scrutinies were made for the Kedusha by observing Torah and Mitzvot even if without the intention, meaning that the Kedusha increases through their actions, this is only with respect to the existence of Kedusha. Nevertheless, the creatures are still unable to see what happens through their actions, meaning what corrections are done by their work even if Lo Lishma.

It follows that when we speak of falsehood, that we say that Lo Lishma is called “a lie,” it is with respect to the creatures. That is, they are still unable to see the truth about observing Torah and Mitzvot without the intention. But in truth, corrections and scrutinies are made in Kedusha.

We must believe the words of the ARI that each and every act in Torah and Mitzvot makes corrections to such an extent that we should ask, concerning what we see, that the rule is that if a person can make his neighbor not desecrate the Shabbat [Sabbath], if for example, the neighbor needs his help, and because of it the neighbor will observe Shabbat, then a person must act so he will not desecrate the Shabbat.

We should ask, But if there is no intention here to observe the Shabbat, and he observes the commandment that his friend imposes on him, so what good can emerge from such work? However, every single act we do, even without an intention, does its thing. That is, it makes scrutinies for Kedusha, except the creatures still cannot see the corrections because they might blemish, since they are still under the governance of the will to receive.

For this reason, before he sees the corrections that are done by him, he still cannot receive from the abundance that is revealed through his actions. Hence, when they do not see the abundance that is revealed, they cannot blemish since they do not see that there is something to receive. However, one must believe that each and every act in Torah and work is important, and so he must believe.

Only after one is rewarded with receiving the second nature, called “desire to bestow,” he will be rewarded with seeing the truth, that the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations. It follows that when we say that Lo Lishma is called “a lie,” it is from man’s perspective, for man still does not see that the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations.

Accordingly, we can understand why Lishma is called “truth,” since by being rewarded with Lishma, a person should achieve the degree of “love of the Creator,” by His behavior with the person himself. That is, when a person receives abundance from the Creator, he sees the truth, that the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations. Moreover, a person should be rewarded with seeing that Providence behaves with all creations in a manner of good and doing good.

This is a great degree, when a person sees how the Creator behaves with him in person in a manner of good and doing good. However, a person must see that the Creator behaves this way with all creations—in a manner of good and doing good. Because of this, Lishma is called “truth,” for by work in the state of Lishma, a person is rewarded with seeing the truth, that the Creator behaves with all creations in a manner of good and doing good.

This is as it is written in the “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot” (Item 97): “For this reason, our sages warned us concerning the necessary condition in the practice of Torah, that it will be specifically Lishma, in a way that one will be awarded life through it, for it is a Torah of life, and set his mind and heart to find ‘the light of the King’s face’ in it, that is, the attainment of open Providence, called ‘light of the face.’”

In other words, as long as one has not been rewarded with Lishma, he is in concealment of the face, meaning that he still does not see how the Creator leads the world as The Good Who Does Good. It follows that he is in a state of falsehood. That is, when he says what they said, that the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, it is a lie, since we see the opposite.

But one who learns Torah Lishma is rewarded with seeing the truth because he himself has been rewarded with seeing the delight and pleasure he is receiving from the Creator. Moreover, he must come to a state of wholeness and see how the Creator behaves with the whole world with the purpose of doing good to His creations. It follows that truth and falsehood pertain to the attainment of the person himself. Accordingly, it follows that one who learns Torah Lo Lishma, which is considered a lie, is only because he is unfit to see the truth, that the Creator leads the world in a manner of good and doing good.

This is as the ARI says, that all of man’s actions in Kedusha make corrections, but a person still cannot see what is done with the Torah and Mitzvot that the creatures do even without the intention, meaning even in Lo Lishma, but for their own sake. For this reason, Maimonides says that we must begin the order of the work with children and women in order to receive reward, since the performance of Mitzvot in themselves make corrections.

Baal HaSulam said about what our sages said (Avot, Chapter 3:18), “Israel are beloved, for they are called ‘The children of the Creator.’ They are greatly favored, for they are called ‘The children of the Creator,’ as was said, ‘You are the children of the Lord your God.’ He said that being called ‘The children of the Creator’ is in general, but being greatly favored is in person. He asks, what is being ‘greatly favored’? He replied, ‘The great favor is in that it is known to them, meaning that they know and feel that they are called ‘The children of the Creator.’”

Here we can interpret similarly. That is, in terms of the action without the intention to bestow, called Lo Lishma, the people of Israel are called “children of the Creator,” because they engage in Torah and Mitzvot in practice, this, too, makes great corrections, as the ARI said. However, it is not known to them. In other words, they cannot see what corrections are done by their work.

Conversely, after they are rewarded with Lishma, it becomes known to them what they are doing. This is as it is written, “Rabbi Meir says, ‘Anyone who engages in Torah Lishma is rewarded with many things. Moreover, the whole world is worthwhile for him, and the secrets of Torah are revealed to him.’”

We should interpret that “the whole world is worthwhile for him” means that he already see the truth about the purpose of creation, that it is to do good to His creations. The evidence of this is that at that time, he sees that “the whole world is worthwhile for him,” since he feels the delight and pleasure.

Also, we should interpret the meaning of “the secrets of Torah are revealed to him.” This means that he is rewarded with seeing how through his work in Torah and Mitzvot, corrections are done above. But before he is rewarded with engaging in Torah and Mitzvot Lishma, although corrections are done through his work in Torah and Mitzvot, he cannot see it before he is rewarded with vessels of bestowal.

Accordingly, we should interpret what our sages said (Avot 1:17), “It is not the learning that is the most important, but the work.” Here before us are two things: 1) actions, 2) intentions.

On one hand, we understand that the intention matters most. In other words, when a person does something, good or bad, we should regard the intention, not the act. For example, in a conflict between two people, one took a knife and stabbed the other. Of course, this is a bad deed. The victim sued him and the offender was fined for it.

The offender claimed, “I only stabbed this man in the hand, and I only scratched him, but I have to pay him a fine. And yet, I saw that not long ago, this man went into a hospital and a doctor cut open his stomach and took something out, and he paid the doctor a lot of money. And I, for the tiny cut I caused him, I have to pay him, the opposite of what happened with that doctor?!”

“The answer is simple,” said the judge. “We follow the intention. Since you stabbed him because you wanted to enjoy, you have to pay for the pleasure you had. But when the surgeon cut his flesh with a knife, he wanted the patient to enjoy. Therefore, the patient should pay the doctor.” We therefore see that what counts is the aim and not the act. Thus, why did our sages say, “It is not the learning that matters most, but the action”?

In spirituality, concerning Torah and Mitzvot, the work matters most, as in the words of the ARI, that through performance of Mitzvot, scrutinies of holy sparks are sorted out of the Klipot [shells/peels]. However, a person cannot see this before he has vessels of bestowal, or he will see what is done with his work and it will go to his vessels of reception, and he will send it all back to the Klipot. It follows that the work is what matters most.

But if he can make the intention in order to bestow, as well, then through the intention that lies over the action he ascends to a higher degree, as was said above, “Through man’s intention in Torah and Mitzvot, the clothing of the soul is completed.Through the Torah, Noga of Yetzira is cleansed, a clothing of Ruach, and through practical Mitzvot, Noga of Assiya is cleansed, and becomes a clothing of Nefesh.”

For this reason, the act is what matters most, and to the act, we must also add the intention. We must believe that as far as branch and root go, all the corporeal things that happen here derive from upper roots. That is, as corporeal actions correct the body, and without them the body cannot exist, it is likewise in matters of the soul: Without performance of Torah and Mitzvot, there is no nourishment to the soul so it can exist.

This is as presented in the book Beit Shaar HaKavanot (Item 83), “Know that in Adam HaRishon, all the scrutinies of all the worlds and all the souls were sorted, and all the beasts were sorted. But the still and vegetative were not fully sorted; this is why they eat, in order to sort them. When they sinned, the souls and beasts returned to the depth of the Klipot, and only the pure beasts are sorted through our eating, and likewise the still and vegetative.”

It therefore follows that specifically through our eating in practice, the still, vegetative, and animate are sorted, and all we need is to add to it the aim. But without the act, the aim does not help. Therefore, we should not say, “Why put Tefillin if the intention is what matters? He can aim the intention of the Tefillin and does not need to observe in practice.” However, the act is the main thing, and the aim is the addition.

Therefore, as in corporeality, if a person makes the aim of eating or the aim of drinking, but does not eat or drink in practice, he will die. Likewise, if a person does not observe Torah and Mitzvot in practice, his soul, which receives its nourishment from the work in Torah and Mitzvot, will have nothing on which to live.

This is the meaning of “It is not the learning that matters most, but the action,” meaning an actual act, in practice. Afterward, as an addition, we also need an aim over the actions that a person does. This is regarded as “still of Kedusha [holiness].” From the still, we can arrive at the state of vegetative, animate, and speaking.

According to the above, we can understand what is said above concerning the Creator coming to see His broken Kelim, for in the end, he will achieve Lishma and Truth will rise up from the earth. He says there (p 173 [in Hebrew]), “This is the meaning of the breaking of the vessels that occurred prior to the creation of the world. Through the breaking of the vessels of Kedusha and their fall to the separated BYA, sparks of Kedusha fell with them to the Klipot, and from them come the pleasures and all sorts of penchants into the domain of the Klipot, which they pass on for man to receive and enjoy, and thereby cause every kind of transgression. However, along with it, He gave us Torah and Mitzvot, so that even if one begins to engage in them while still in Lo Lishma, meaning for one’s own pleasure, to satisfy his lowly lusts, in the end, through them he will achieve Lishma and will be rewarded with the purpose of creation, to receive all the pleasantness and good in the thought of creation, in order to bestow contentment upon Him.”

We should remember the rule in the order of the work, that one need not examine himself to see if he is fine or not. That is, if a person sees that he is not alright, this is the time when he should pray to the Creator to help him be fine. This is specifically when one feels that he has some closeness to the Creator. At that time, he is permitted to regard his situation with criticism. But when a person feels that he is removed from the work, meaning that he does not have a desire for the work, at that time he must not examine himself and pray. Rather, he must pay attention and say, “Whatever grip I have on the work, I am happy with it, and I thank the Creator for it.” But at that time, he should not pray to the Creator to bring him closer. And concerning the prayer that he should pray to the Creator to bring him closer, this should be specifically when he has some ascent in the work.

This is as it is written in The Zohar (VaEra, Item 102), “Come and see, in the day, he engaged in Torah to complement the judgments, and at night he engaged in singing and praising until the day came because all through the day he engaged in complementing and scrutinizing the judgments, which are ‘left.’ At night, he engaged in praises, which are Hassadim.”

Hence, the above explanation is that specifically during the “day,” meaning during an ascent, he engaged in the left, to sort the judgments. But at “night,” when it does not illuminate, he engages in praises.

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Does It Mean that the Right Must Be Greater than the Left, in the Work?

Article No. 39, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

The Zohar writes (Nasso, Item 174), “This Mitzva [commandment/ good deed], that the priest should bless the people each day by pointing out the fingers, since the fingers imply the upper one, the five on the right are more important than those on the left, since the right is more important than the left. Therefore, in the blessing that the priest blesses the people, the right should be raised higher than the left.”

We should understand what is “right” in the work, what is “left” in the work, and why the right is more important than the left.

It is known that in the order of man’s work, when he wants to achieve Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, which is equivalence of form, meaning to do everything in order to bestow, we should make two discernments: 1) a state of wholeness, where everything he thinks and does has no deficiency, 2) a state of deficiencies, where everything he thinks and does is full of deficiencies.

We need both of those states. The state of wholeness is in order to receive vitality, joy, and pleasure from his states. When a person feels deficiencies in everything he does, he has nothing to live on, since man was created with a nature that he must receive pleasure as long as he is alive. This stems from the purpose of creation, which is because of “His desire to do good to His creations.” (In the words of the ARI, this is called “Zivug [coupling] to sustain the worlds,” since without vitality the world will be cancelled. Hence, this matter is called “perpetual Zivug.”) This can be only if a person is content with little and is happy with the share that he has, and says that he does not deserve more than the rest of the people.

In the work, this is considered that he says that he is happy with this share, with the fact the Creator gave him a desire and craving to do something in Kedusha [holiness]. In other words, he is happy that he can observe Torah and Mitzvot [pl. of Mitzva] even without any understanding and without any intention. He says that he sees that there are many people who do not even have the little bit of engagement in Torah and work that he has. As in corporeality, a person who wants to be content with little should look at people who live happily although they do not make even half the income that he does. From this, he can be happy with his share in corporeality.

The same is true for spirituality. He is happy with his share when he sees that there are people who have no grip at all on Torah and Mitzvot, while he is happy that he has some grip on Torah and Mitzvot. From this he derives vitality, meaning he can glorify and praise the Creator for giving him some grip on Torah and Mitzvot. We must remember that the gratitude that a person gives to the Creator, at that time he is in a state of closeness to the Creator because the gratitude that one gives is for the present and the past. It follows that he can be in wholeness.

But when a person prays that He will fulfill his heart’s wishes, he should strengthen during the prayer with faith that the Creator hears the prayer of every mouth. Otherwise, his prayer cannot be from the bottom of the heart, since he must believe that the Creator hears every mouth. Baal HaSulam said that during the prayer, one should believe what is written, “For You hear the prayer of every mouth,” where “every mouth” means even a mouth that is unworthy, meaning full of deficiencies and devoid of merits, still, the Creator helps everyone, only if a person prays from the bottom of the heart, meaning believes above reason in what is written, that the Creator hears every mouth. Only then can one pray with all his heart, meaning without any doubts.

It follows that when one works in the manner of the “left,” meaning looks and sees that he is bare and destitute, and wants the Creator to satisfy his wishes, then it is difficult for a person to believe that the Creator will help him, and he needs great strengthening so he can pray with all his heart. For this reason, a person does not receive vitality from the prayer for deficiencies since he is living in doubt. That is, he sees that he prayed several times, and it is as though the Creator does not hear his prayer. Therefore, it is hard for him to derive vitality from prayer.

But in the manner of the right, when he walks on the path of wholeness and is happy with everything he does, from the privilege he has that the Creator lets him do something in Torah and Mitzvot, at that time it is forbidden to look at the deficiencies, since one takes vitality only from wholeness. Therefore, a person must make every effort to see that the Creator is complete with all the virtues and depict to himself every depiction in the world about how He leads the world in utter perfection. As Baal HaSulam said, one should believe above reason that the Creator leads the world in complete delight and pleasure, to a point that there is nothing to add to it. And although a person cannot see this before he achieves the desire to bestow, he should still believe that this is so.

It therefore follows that when one walks on the path of wholeness and thanks the Creator, he already knows if he thanks the Creator because he already has faith in the greatness of the Creator to some extent, and this is why he thanks the Creator, for the Creator summoning a lowly person like himself to serve Him, meaning observe His Mitzvot. In other words, he is able to observe something in Torah and Mitzvot because the Creator has given him a thought and desire to do something in Torah and Mitzvot, and this is considered that the Creator has summoned a person and told him, “I am giving you permission to enter the palace of Kedusha [holiness] to do some service for Me.”

It follows that a person has no doubt about the gratitude that one gives for the past and for the present. Otherwise, if he does not go completely above reason, he is powerless to thank the Creator. Conversely, a prayer is for the future. At that time, he does not know for sure that the Creator will help him, since he cannot say anything about the future.

It follows that although one should work in the manner of the right, as well as in the manner of the left, and we explained that “right” means wholeness, which should be perpetual, since only from wholeness can one derive vitality, but from wholeness, a person cannot engender a higher level because he has no deficiency. Thus, who says that he should go forward, which is considered that he should engender a higher degree (which is called in the words of the ARI, “a Zivug for begetting souls,” and this Zivug is not permanent but only during an ascent).

In other words, wholeness means that he engages in Hesed [mercy/grace], although it is an act without an intention, to him it is important and he is happy with his share, since from this a person receives vitality. (As said above, this is called “a Zivug to sustain the worlds,” which is Hassadim[mercies], in the manner of “For He desires mercy.” He does not need anything and he is happy with his share, and this is called “a perpetual Zivug.”)

However, in order to achieve a higher degree, which is called “a Zivug to beget souls,” since the meaning of engendering souls can come only from deficiencies and not from wholeness, this is as it is written in The Zohar, “He who comes to purify.” That is, when a person sees that he is impure, meaning he is lying under the governance of the will to receive, which is the Tuma’a [impurity] within man’s heart, and he does everything and cannot emerge from the control of the will to receive, at that time he prays to the Creator from the bottom of the heart to help him. Then what our sages said, “He who comes to purify is aided,” comes true. And The Zohar asks, “With what?” And he replies, “With a holy soul.”

We therefore see that specifically from deficiencies we can beget a soul, meaning from a prayer from the bottom of the heart. By this we can interpret the words of the ARI, that the Zivug for engendering the souls is not perpetual but is specifically during an ascent. This means that when a person wants to ascend to a higher degree each time and achieve a higher soul, he must search in himself for a lack to fill. This is specifically when he demands help from the Creator, causing him the birth of new souls. In other words, specifically when he does not settle for less and feels his deficiency, it causes him to be given from above more of a soul until he obtains the NRNHY in his soul.

It follows that the way of the right, meaning wholeness, should be perpetual because a person must do everything with vitality, and from deficiencies, a person has no joy so as to derive vitality from being deficient. For this reason, the left, which is a lack, from which one does not derive vitality, since when a person sees that he is deficient, with what can he be happy? Hence, in general, a person should always be on the right line. Only some of the time he is used to dedicating to Torah and work, he should set a special time, when he is not in descent, but specifically when he is in ascent. At that time he will be sure that he will not fall into a state of sadness when he sees his deficiencies.

Rather, then he will be strengthened; he will be able to give a heartfelt prayer, meaning that the confidence that the Creator hears the prayer of every mouth will illuminate for him during the prayer. But during the rest of the hours of the work, he should walk only on the right path, since on the right path, he is always in wholeness with the Creator. Hence, at that time he receives from the Surrounding Light, as the ARI says, that the Surrounding Light shines from afar. That is, Baal HaSulam said that even when a person is still far from equivalence of form, meaning even when a person has still not been rewarded with the desire to bestow, the Surrounding Light still shines for him, and from this a person receives vitality and joy, whereas with the left, it is to the contrary.

According to the above, we should interpret what is written (Numbers 26:53-54), “Among these the land shall be divided for an inheritance. To the large you shall increase their inheritance, and to the small you shall diminish their inheritance.” The interpreters of the Torah ask, If it says, “To the large you shall increase their inheritance,” it is obvious that “to the small you shall diminish their inheritance,” so why the repetition concerning the small? We should interpret this in the work. In the work, it is known that we learn everything in one person. That is, “to the large you shall increase and to the small you shall diminish” applies to the same person.

We should therefore interpret “large” and “small.” “Large” means “whole” and “small” means “deficient.” As we learn, the right line is called “wholeness,” hence the right line is called “large,” as one says, “Any grip that I have on the work,” he believes that the Creator has given him the thought and desire to observe Torah and Mitzvot, and he says that he is not more important than the rest of the people. Rather, as before he began to work on the left line, he had vitality and pleasure in the work that he did, he knew that it was very important and he would certainly receive a great reward for this, so now that he has begun to walk on the left line, he should be in a state of humbleness, as it is written, “Be very, very humble.” In other words, even after he has begun to walk on the left line, to see his deficiencies, which the left line shows him, which he received from the state of “His heart was high in the ways of the Lord,” but now that he is working in the state of the right, when he should lower himself, this is a lot of work because they are called “two writings that deny one another,” and this was not so when he was walking on one line.

Yet, such are the ways of the Creator. A person should believe in the sages that such is the order of the work. It follows that there is a huge difference in the work between his work being in the right or being in one line. But according to what we learn, we need two lines. Both cannot be at the same time in the same subject. Rather, they can be one at a time.

Now the question will be that if we need two lines, and we must dedicate some time to the right, and some time to the left, the question is how much of one’s work should he dedicate to walking on the right line, and how much time should he dedicate to walking on the left line.

According to the above said, we should interpret what is written, “To the large you shall increase their inheritance.” “Large” means work that is called “wholeness” and “right line,” which is called “large,” meaning wholeness. “You shall increase their inheritance” means that you will increase the time you dedicate to the right line, giving much of your time of engagement in Torah and Mitzvot.

When it says “and to the small, you shall diminish their inheritance,” “to diminish” means to lessen, a deficiency called “left line,” where one begins to contemplate what he has gained when he left the one line and began the work of bestowal. He sees that not only did he not advance in the work, but he even regressed. That is, now he does not have the vitality and joy he had while walking on one line. Although he prays to the Creator to give him the power of the desire to bestow, he sees that he has prayed many prayers for this but he is not being noticed from above, so many times he wants to escape the campaign. Although the work on the left line is important, for the birth of souls comes specifically from the left line, we must still believe in faith in the sages that we can engage in the left line precisely at a time of ascent, for then a person is strong and can overcome the left through prayer. But only for a little while, as it is written, “To the small you shall diminish their inheritance,” where “diminish” means that you will not dedicate to it much of your work time.

It follows that the word “small” has two meanings: 1) “small” as in “deficient,” such as when saying, this person has little income, 2) little time.

It follows that when it writes, “to the small you shall diminish,” and “diminish” means a lack. Diminishing in the work of bestowal and “diminish” is diminishing in time. Accordingly, we should interpret what it means that the right should be greater than the left in the work, and also what it means that The Zohar says that “when the priest blesses the people, he should raise the right higher than the left.” We should interpret that “right” indicates wholeness, which is Hesed. Hesed means that he does not need anything except to give. Therefore, when a person feels his lowliness and says that the Creator is doing Hesed with him by giving him some grip on Torah and work, he thanks the Creator for this.

Therefore, when we speak in the work about the priest who blesses the people, since all matters pertain to the same person, the “priest” is a servant of the Creator. He “blesses the people,” meaning the person himself, called “the people,” in the work. It is as our sages said (Sanhedrin 37), “Therefore, each one must say, ‘The world was created for me.’” For this reason, in the work we learn the whole world within one person. “He must raise the right higher than the left,” in order to know that the right is more important than the left, although from the left we are rewarded with the birth of new souls.

Yet, when a person engages in deficiencies, he cannot receive from this vitality. For this reason, he must work on the right, as well. The Zohar comes to tell us that we should dedicate the majority of our time to the right. This is why he says that “the priest must raise the right above the left,” since the right is more important. And in The Zohar (Pekudei, Item 683), he says, “The most important is that the left will not be greater than the right.” This is the meaning of what our sages said (Yevamot63), “One of inferior degree receives a woman” (a person should descend from his degree in order to receive a wife).

There, he speaks in the manner of degrees in the upper worlds. As above, in the upper degrees, so it is below, in man’s work, even before one is rewarded with opening the eyes in the Torah. There the meaning of “left” is when the light of Hochma shines, which is in vessels of reception. Certainly, this should be in order to bestow, and he still did not receive the right, which is light of Hassadim. It is called “left” because everything where there is a deficiency is called “left.”

At that time, the path of correction is that the light of Hassadim, called “right,” should be greater than the light of Hochma. That is, the light of Hochma must not take more than half a degree, and the light of Hassadim, which is “right” which guards the light of Hochma so it stays in order to bestow, should be greater than the light of Hochma. At that time, the light of Hochma exists in the degree, and this is the meaning of the priest, when he blesses, should raise the right above the left, meaning that the Hesed should be more important than the left.

This is the meaning of what is written, “This is the meaning of ‘one who is of inferior degree receives a woman.’” It means that when a person comes to receive the light of Hochma, which is Malchut, where Malchut is called “bottom Hochma,” he should not take her in her state of Gadlut[greatness/adulthood]. Rather “inferior degree,” meaning when one comes to receive the light of Hochma, called “woman,” which is Malchut, one should try that she will already be in a state of descent, meaning that she has only half of what she had. At that time he can receive Hassadim, and the Hassadim will be more than the Hochma. Then the words “One of inferior degree receives a woman” will come true.

According to the above-said, we should interpret what is written (Sanhedrin 44b), “Rabbi Elazar said, ‘One should always precede prayer to trouble.’” We should interpret that one does not go into the work of the left before he first worked in the manner of the right, which is regarded as wholeness, meaning that he does not lack anything and he thanks and praises the Creator for giving him some grip on the work of the Creator, and then he begins the work of the left. At that time, he sees that he is in trouble, that he has neither Torah nor work that is suitable for one who is serving the Creator. At that time, he feels how far he is from the work of the Creator, meaning from working for Him, namely working only with the aim to bestow contentment upon his Maker, and not at all for his own benefit. At that time, he sees how the body objects to this, and he does not see that he will ever be able to do anything only in order to bestow.

It follows that when he begins the path of the left, this is called “trouble,” and he has no other choice but to pray to the Creator to help him and give him the desire to bestow, called “second nature.” At that time, the prayer is from the bottom of the heart, and the Creator hears his prayer.

Accordingly, we should interpret what our sages said, “One should always precede prayer to trouble,” since it is possible that when he comes to work in the state of the left and sees the state of lowliness that he is in, he might fall into despair and want to escape the campaign. This is called “trouble,” and he must precede with a prayer, meaning first see if he will have the strength to pray when he is in a state of trouble. Otherwise, he must not begin the work of the left line. This is the meaning of what they said, that the “priest who blesses the people should raise the right higher than the left.” In other words, the right should be greater than the left. This means that he must wait for the right time to exit from the work of the right to the work of the left.

We must remember that the work of the right, which is called “wholeness,” is the work of the general public. It is work in practice, meaning he observes Torah and Mitzvot because of the commandment of the Creator and in order to receive reward in this world and in the next world. This is called “work in practice.” But the intention to bestow, which is called “the work of the left,” this he does not touch. Hence, a person feels wholeness during the work.

This work of wholeness is called “one line.” That same work of wholeness of the general public, when he begins to work with the intention, that same one line, meaning the practice of the general public, acquires a different name: Now it is called “right line.” Hence, it is now difficult to shift to work on the line of wholeness of the practice when it receives a new name, “right.”

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is the “Right Line,” in the Work?

Article No. 38, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

Our sages said (Avotde Rabbi Natan 11:2), “Anyone who extols himself with words of Torah is ultimately brought low, and anyone who lowers himself with words of Torah is ultimately raised high.”

We should understand why specifically with words of Torah, it is forbidden to take pride. After all, in general, it is forbidden to be proud, as it is written, “Be very, very humble” (Avot, Chapter 4:4). Also it was said, “Anyone who is proud, the Creator said, ‘I and he cannot dwell in the same abode.’” So, why did they speak specifically about words of Torah?

It is known that we have two discernments in observing Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds]: 1) 613 Eitin (counsels [Aramaic]), 2) 613 Pekudin [Aramaic: deposits]. These two discernments come to us from two discernments that exist in the world: 1) the purpose of creation, 2) the correction of creation.

In the matter of the purpose of creation, His desire to do good to His creations, for which He created in the creatures a desire and yearning to receive delight and pleasure, this Kli [vessel] for receiving pleasure comes from the Creator. Hence, this Kli is complete. In other words, a person does not need to work to make for himself a Kli, as this comes to him by nature, since wherever one sees that there is something to enjoy, he immediately yearns for it, as it is written, “The eye sees and the heart covets.”

However, afterward, a correction was done where in order to prevent the issue of shame when receiving the delight and pleasure a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment were made, so we cannot see that there is pleasure. Naturally, a person does not see the delight and pleasure so as to yearn for this delight and pleasure that the Creator wants to give to the created beings. But once they have vessels of bestowal, by reception of pleasure in these Kelim [plural of Kli], the shame while receiving pleasure will be removed from them. At that time, the concealment is lifted and they see the delight and pleasure that the Creator wants to impart upon the creatures.

However, we must know that all of our work is in making the vessels of bestowal, since our Kli is against our nature. But how can one go against nature? This is why we begin to observe Torah and Mitzvot in order to receive, as The Zohar says, that we should observe Torah and Mitzvot out of fear.

This fear divides into two manners: 1) observing Torah and Mitzvot because of reward and punishment in this world, such as health and provision, and 2) observing Torah and Mitzvot because of reward and punishment in the next world, meaning to go to Heaven and not to Hell.

It follows that these two discernments do not contradict the will to receive, which is human nature. Afterward, he enters the work of the “still of Kedusha [holiness],” and the “still” is the first quality, where everyone begins. This pertains to the whole collective, meaning that as surrounding, the light shines to all of Israel, meaning to all those with a grip on Torah and Mitzvot, the Surrounding Light shines in them, since Surrounding Light means that the light illuminates outside the Kelim, since the light needs a Kli so as to have equivalence with the light.

In other words, since the light aims to bestow, likewise, the Kli should aim to bestow. As long as a person has not qualified his Kelim to work in order to bestow, the light remains outside the Kli. However, from there, it shines to the Kli, and by this, the Kli gradually acquires a need to equalize with the light, and seeks advice how to equalize with the light, meaning for the Kli, called “will to receive,” to have the power to work in order to bestow.

The Zohar says that there is a manner of observing Torah and Mitzvot out of fear: 3) He observes Torah and Mitzvot because “He is great and ruling.” This means that the fear that leads him to observe Torah and Mitzvot is not because the will to receive will enjoy it, meaning that by observing Torah and Mitzvot he will receive some reward that he will enjoy. Rather, the greatness and importance of the King obligate him, since he wants to serve the King, and he does not want any reward for his labor in Torah and Mitzvot. Rather, the things he does in order to bestow upon the King are his pleasure.

However, how can one acquire this feeling of the greatness and importance of the King, while there is concealment on the greatness and importance of the King, which was done by the Tzimtzum[restriction]? And if so, from where will he take the greatness of the Creator?

Here begins the work in the manner of “faith above reason,” where one must believe in the greatness and importance of the King. This work is considered that a person must ask the Creator that “His great name will grow and be sanctified,” meaning that the greatness and importance of the Creator will be revealed in the world. As long as one is immersed in the will to receive, we learned that there is a correction called “concealment on Providence,” that the Creator leads the world in a manner of good and doing good.

Otherwise, there will be no room for choice, that it will be possible to do something in order to bestow. It is known that smaller pleasures are easier to relinquish and say, “If not in order to bestow, I do not want to use them.” But with great pleasures, it is certainly difficult to relinquish them. This is why there had to be concealment on Providence.

However, in order for a person to exist in the world, and without pleasure, there is no existence to the creatures, since the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, for this reason, the ARI says that through the breaking of the vessels that occurred in the world of Nekudim, sparks fell into the Klipot [shells/peels] and sustain the Klipot so they will not be cancelled. These are called “tiny light,” in the words of The Zohar, and from this tiny light extend all the corporeal pleasures.

Conversely, the real pleasure is clothed in the Torah. Hence, on corporeal pleasures, where the pleasures are not as great as the spiritual ones, we begin to practice on them how to receive them in order to bestow. To the extent that a person enters the work of bestowal, to that extent the concealment and hiding over the pleasure in Torah and Mitzvot depart from him.

However, how does one acquire the strength to work in order to bestow on small pleasures? After all, a person can work only for his own sake. Thus, in what manner can he begin, so he has something over which to relinquish his self-benefit? The answer is that our sages said about this, “The Creator said, ‘I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice, since the light in it reforms him.’” In other words, when a person engages in Torah, he must aim that the Torah will give him light, to want to work for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake. This discernment is called “613 Eitin (counsels [Aramaic]).” In other words, these are only counsels concerning how to achieve equivalence of form, called “Dvekut with the Creator.”

Once a person has been rewarded with the Kli called “desire to bestow,” he is then rewarded with the Torah, which is the names of the Creator. In the words of The Zohar, this discernment is called “613 Pekudin [Aramaic: deposits],” which means that in each Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot], a special light that pertains to that Mitzva is deposited. This Torah is discerned as “the names of the Creator.”

At that time, a person can obtain the delight and pleasure that exist in the thought of creation, called “His desire to do good to His creations,” and then he is rewarded with the discernment of “The Torah, and Israel, and the Creator are one.” This is the discernment that one should achieve, as it is written in the book A Sage’s Fruit (Vol. 1, p 118).

However, the heart of man’s work begins when a person wants to observe Torah and Mitzvot because of the greatness of the Creator, meaning that he wants to achieve a state where all his actions are in order to bestow. At that time, ascents and descents come to a person, since everything is built on faith above reason. Hence, sometimes the faith shines for him, and sometimes it does not shine. At that time, one must believe that “There is none else besides Him,” meaning that “There is no other force in the world but the power of the Creator.”

Baal HaSulam said that one must believe that the Creator gives the descents, as well, meaning that he should believe above reason that the Creator hears the prayer of every mouth. That is, both that of an important person, and that of an ordinary person. In other words, even if a person feels that he is an ordinary person, that he lacks Torah and is devoid of strength to work, nevertheless, through prayer, the Creator gives him everything, if he prays for the Creator to bring him closer and wants to serve the King without any reward.

However, what can he do if the body disagrees with this? For this reason, he asks the Creator to take him as a servant who will serve the Creator. And although he has no merits over others, he feels an inner drive that awakens him to be a servant of the King. Yet, he has no control over the body, so he asks of the Creator to help him. This is considered that he believes that the Creator hears the prayer of every mouth.

However, when a person feels a lack and feels his own lowliness, and there is a rule that one cannot live from deficiencies, but rather one can live only from fulfillment, for one can live only where one feels the taste of wholeness, therefore, he was given another way to work, called “right line.” In this way, one feels wholeness. But here, when one wants to shift from the “left line,” it is something that requires correction, which is called “left” in the work, and correction pertains specifically to when there is corruption. Then it is possible to speak of correction.

Therefore, when a person sees in the left line that he has no control over the body, and he does not want to do anything except for his own benefit, how can he then shift to the right line and be happy that he has wholeness and praise and thank the Creator for bringing him closer to His work? After all, they are two writings that deny one another.

The thing is, as Baal HaSulam said, that in the work of the Creator, there are always contradictions, which are called “right” and “left.” This is so in the upper worlds, and they are in contradiction to each other until the third line comes and decides between them, as it is written, “Until the third writing comes and decides between them.” He said that in the order of the work there are also contradictions, which extend from the upper roots. On one hand, we see that the writing says, “and his heart was high in the ways of the Lord.” On the other hand, our sages said, “Be very, very humble.” However, they apply to two times, one by one, and only at the end of the work are they applied at one time. In other words, once he comes to the middle line, it is as our sages said, “There are three partners in a person: the Creator, his father, and his mother. His father gives the white; his mother gives the red; and the Creator gives the soul,” for only in the middle line are all of them together.

Therefore, when a person walks on the left line, he should be with pride, as our sages said, “and his heart was high in the ways of the Lord.” In other words, he should say what our sages said (Sanhedrin 37), “Therefore, each one must say, ‘The world was created for me.’” That is, he should try to achieve the purpose of creation, which is His desire to do good to His creations.

Therefore, he should try that the purpose of creation will come true in him, and before he has achieved the goal, he should be deficient and regret that he has not achieved the wholeness that befits the creature that the Creator created. This is called “left,” meaning a lack.

However, what should one do before he has achieved wholeness and he is deficient, since a person cannot live on deficiencies and must receive vitality, and we can receive vitality only from wholeness, as from this a person derives delight and pleasure, from this he can exist. But from the left, it is impossible to live.

At that time, a person should shift to the right line, called “wholeness.” Yet, how can one receive wholeness when he sees that he is bare and destitute? From what can he receive wholeness? That is, from what can he receive delight and pleasure in this state?

The answer is that at that time, one should say that he does not see that he is more important than other people, who have no privilege to have desire and yearning for Torah and Mitzvot. That is, they do not even have a need for Lo Lishma [not for Her sake]. Yet, he sees that the Creator has given him a desire and yearning to do something in Torah and work. Although he does not feel any taste in the work, in terms of the work, he does have the privilege of doing something. The only thing is that his intentions are wrong, but he sees that some grip he does have, whereas to others, the Creator did not give the desire and yearning to do something in Torah and work, and he believes that this is a great thing. Although he still does not feel the importance of the matter, he still believes in this above reason.

Moreover, he sees that there are many people who are happy when they engage in Torah and Mitzvot. They are glad and regard secular people as mere beasts, but they have no thought at all about the intention. Therefore, why should he not be as happy as they are, who feel wholeness in their work? Why does he deserve greater wholeness? That is, if he sees that he cannot work in order to bestow, he feels deficient. Who says that he deserves a higher degree than theirs?

It follows that a person must lower himself and say that he does not deserve a higher degree than others, and from this a person can receive wholeness, meaning be happy with the little bit of grip on the work of the Creator that he has. From this he should be happy all day long.

According to the above, we should interpret what we asked, “Why is it written, ‘Anyone who extols himself with words of Torah is ultimately brought low, and anyone who lowers himself with words of Torah is ultimately raised high’?” We asked, Why is it forbidden specifically concerning words of Torah, since our sages said, “Be very, very humble,” and not necessarily concerning words of Torah?

The answer is that this discusses those who want to walk on the path of the Creator on the path of truth, meaning that all their work will be only in order to bestow. They observe what is written, “And his heart was high in the ways of the Lord,” and the “pride” is not that he wants something for his own benefit. Rather, he wants to annul before the Creator, and for himself, he wants to put this desire called “will to receive” to death. He wants to observe what our sages said, “The Torah exists only in one who puts himself to death over it.”

It follows that his pride is not for someone who is proud, of whom it was said, “Anyone who is proud, the Creator said, ‘I and he cannot dwell in the same abode.’” Rather, here his pride is that he wants to put to death his own will to receive and not be like the rest of the people, caring only for their own sake.

And still, they said that there is a time when he should be in lowliness, meaning be content with little. In other words, he does not need to be a servant of the Creator more than others. Rather, as the general public work in action and does not pay attention to the intention, they settle for this and do everything gladly, each according to the degree that he received by upbringing. Hence, at that time he says, “I, too, ‘dwell among my own people,’ and I do not need greatness.”

Indeed, we should understand this, since it is better that he works on the path toward achieving a state of Lishma! The answer is that there is a lot of work before we achieve the degree of Lishma. In the meantime, during the work, there are ascents and descents because this work is against nature. When a person sees that he is still not advancing in the path toward achieving the desire to bestow, then he is deficient, and a person cannot receive vitality and joy from deficiencies. Therefore, at that time he is without vitality.

This is called “the work of the left.” Hence, a person must shift to the work of the right, where “right” means wholeness. When a person feels that he is in a state of wholeness, from this he can derive joy and vitality and enjoy the work he does for the Creator, and praise and thank the Creator for rewarding him with a little bit of grip on the work of the Creator. Otherwise, one is unable to exist and must fall into a state of sadness.

In a state of sadness, a person cannot work. Rather, he can find all his pleasures in sleep, since when a person is asleep, he feels as though he has escaped from his suffering. Because of it, a person must enter the work of the general public. But afterward, a person enters the work of the left once more, but it should be limited and measured. For most of the time, a person should be in the work of the right until the Creator helps him and gives him the middle line, as was said, that there are three partners in a man: the Creator, his father, and his mother.

According to the above, we should interpret what is written (Numbers 24:7), “Water will flow from his buckets.” “Water” is called Torah. “His buckets” comes from the word “bucket,” meaning the bucket that is used to draw water. Dli [bucket] comes from the word Dal [poor], which is poverty, and “there is no poverty except in knowledge.”

The verse comes to tell us that one who wants to be rewarded with the Torah, meaning that the Creator will open his eyes in the Torah, should go through many, many states until he is rewarded with the opening of the eyes in the Torah. We should know that it is impossible to be rewarded with the Torah before one is rewarded with Kelim that are fit for the Torah.

This is why prior to being rewarded with the 613 Pekudin, we must first go through observance of 613 Eitin, which are counsels how to acquire the means to qualify oneself to achieve the degree of 613 Pekudin. At that time, there is the matter of left line and right line. It is known that the beginning should be in one line, after which we shift to the left line, and then the one line becomes the right line. Then, when the one line becomes the right line, it is hard to walk on one line, meaning to be in joy and vitality from engaging only in action and not reflecting on whether it is in order to bestow.

…Now that the time of work on the left has passed, meaning in a state of pride, as in “His heart was high in the ways of the Lord,” when he does not want to be like the general public, but wants to work in the manner of individuals, how can he later lower himself and walk on the path that was previously called “one line,” which means that he still did not know that there is another line, but now that he sees that there is the matter of left line, how can he lower himself and take back the way that he left and say, “I am returning to the way I said was suitable for ordinary people and not for me”? Thus, it is difficult for him to return to the way that is now called “right line.”

He comes to tell us about this, that a person must return to the state of “poor and meager,” as though he has no reason in that he is returning to the way of wholeness, which is now called “right.” However, each time, he must return to the left. It follows that by his returning to the state of “right” he becomes poor. And from many Dal [poor] and meager, a bucket is made, and the bucket becomes buckets, and from them water will flow, and water is called “Torah.”

In other words, through these buckets, he will later be rewarded with the Torah. This is the meaning of the words “Anyone who extols himself with words of Torah is ultimately brought low,” since he must lower himself and walk on the right, and anyone who lowers himself and walks on the right is raised and he is rewarded with the Torah.

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is the “Torah” and What Is “The Statute of the Torah,” in the Work?

Article No. 37, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

It is written in The Zohar (Hukat, Item 2), “It is written here, ‘This is the statute of the Torah.’ It is also written, ‘This is the Torah,’ and it is not written, ‘The statute of.’ ‘This is the Torah’ is to show that all is in one unification. For this reason, it is written, ‘And this is the Torah,’ indicating ZA and Nukvain one unification. But ‘this’ without the added Vav is the statute of the Torah, Malchut, which is called ‘statute,’ coming from ZA, who is called ‘Torah.’ Yet, not the Torah herself, which is ZA, but only the Din [judgment] of Torah, the decree of Torah, which is Malchut.”

We should understand the difference in the work between the “statute of the Torah” and the Torah herself. The statute of the Torah relates to Malchut, and the Torah relates to ZA. Also, we should understand what is written about a red cow “on which a yoke has never been placed.” We see what our sages said (Avoda Zarah 5b), “Tana de Bei Eliyahu, ‘One should always take upon himself the words of Torah as an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load.’” This means that one who takes upon himself a burden, it is a good thing. Certainly, this pertains to the burden of Torah, as our sages said (Avot, Chapter 3, 6), “Anyone who takes upon himself the burden of Torah, the burden of Malchut [kingship] is removed from him.” Therefore, concerning a red cow, of which it says, “on which a yoke has never been placed,” and which comes to purify the impure, why is it written, “on which a yoke has never been placed”?

We should understand what is a burden [in Hebrew, Ol means both “yoke” and “burden”], of which they said, “One should always make himself as an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load.” We see that a “burden” means “coercion,” which is work above reason. This ox, on which the owner places the yoke so it will till the land, does not understand why it needs to work for the owner. Also, we cannot say that the ox works for him because he loves the owner since he lets it eat and drink. If this is because the owner has a kind heart, and this is why he gives the ox all its needs, the ox probably knows that if the owner could work with the ox without having to provide for its needs, he would certainly do so. But the owner knows that if he does not provide the ox with all its needs, the ox will not have the strength to work. Therefore, he gives everything to the ox so he can work with the ox, and not because he wants to delight the ox. In other words, he knows that if he does not give the ox everything that the ox needs in order to have the strength to work, the owner will not be able to yield crops and produce from the land. It follows that he draws all the wealth from the strength of the ox. Therefore, when the owner feeds the ox, it is not because he loves the ox, but in order for the ox to have the strength to work. Likewise, the reason why the ox works for the owner is compulsory, and when the ox sees that the owner is not looking at it, it immediately stops working. This is called coercion.

Now we can understand what is the burden of the kingdom of heaven and the burden of the Torah that one should assume, which is coercion. A person’s body is like an ox or a donkey, and we must work with the body as one works with an ox or a donkey. By working with his body, through the work of the body, the person will be rewarded with wealth and spiritual properties. Also, a person must be considerate with the body as with an ox, as we place on the ox the yoke to work in coercion although the ox and the donkey do not want to work. No one takes into consideration the ox’s view; whether it wants to or not, it is used for work.

However, we should also be considerate with the body, meaning to give it what it needs, what the body demands. But when we give to the body what it needs, it should not be because he loves the body, meaning his will to receive. Rather, it is because otherwise the body will not be able to work. It follows that the only reason a person examines the body so as to satisfy its needs is not because of love, but like an owner who provides for the needs of the ox, only because of the benefit of the owner, and not for the love of the ox.

Also, a person should aim while satisfying the desires of the body, that it will not be because he loves it, but that by this he will then be able to make his body till the land and yield fruit, as it is written, “much produce by the strength of the ox.” This means that one should be careful while working with the body as while working with the ox. That is, the reason why he satisfies the needs of the ox, he would certainly be happier if he could work with the ox without having to provide for the ox’s needs.

Likewise, a person must come to understand that he would be happier if he did not have to do something for the needs of the body, and satisfy the needs of the body, but would dedicate all his time to holy work and would devote all his time to increase the glory of heaven, and the body would work without any disturbances. Yet, what can one do if the Creator wants man to see and to tend to the needs of the body?

According to the above, we already know the meaning of “the burden of the kingdom of heaven” and “the burden of Torah,” meaning to work with the body coercively, even if it disagrees with the work. It should all follow the example of the ox to the burden and the donkey to the load. However, it is a lot of work for a person to have the strength to overcome the body and work with the body coercively, as with an ox. From what source can one derive this strength? Our sages said about this, “The Creator said, ‘I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.’” That is, only through the Torah that a person engages in, even if Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], and he aims that he wants to engage in the Torah so as to thereby receive the light of the Torah, which will give him the strength to force the body when it disagrees with the work.

The resistance of the body appears primarily when he wants to do everything for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake. Here the body resists with all its might, since it argues, “Why do you want to put me and my domain to death? You come to me with having to work only for the sake of the Creator and not for one’s own sake, which is truly annulment of the will to receive from everything. You tell me that our sages said, ‘The Torah exists only in one who puts himself to death over it,’ meaning to put to death all the domain of self-benefit and care only for the benefit of the Creator, and before this, a person is unable to be rewarded with the Torah.” Yet, a person sees that it is unrealistic that he will have the strength to go against nature.

At that time, one has no choice but to turn to the Creator and say, “Now I have come to a state where I see that unless You help me, I am lost. I will never have the strength to overcome the will to receive, as this is my nature. Rather, only the Creator can give another nature.”

A person says that he believes that this was the exodus from Egypt, that the Creator delivered the people of Israel from under the governance of Egypt, as our sages said (in the Passover Haggadah[story/narrative]), “And the Lord brought us out from Egypt, not by an angel, and not by a messenger, but the Creator Himself; I am the Lord, it is I and not another.”

Now, he, too, sees that only the Creator can deliver him from the governance of the will to receive and give him a second nature. In other words, just as the Creator gave the first nature, there is no one who can give the second nature but the Creator Himself. Therefore, at that time a person prays wholeheartedly, from the bottom of the heart, and this is the time for the reception of the prayer.

However, we should ask, Why does one need to work coercively, against the will to receive? The answer is that it is because there was a correction so there would not be shame when receiving the delight and pleasure. Therefore, two things are needed here: 1) On one hand, a person yearns to receive delight and pleasure. Otherwise, if there is no passion for the pleasures, a person is unable to enjoy. 2) He should receive delight and pleasure with the aim to bestow.

It follows that we need both. That is, first we begin to work with the will to receive, which is called Lo Lishma, and then a person is taught to work in order to bestow. In other words, by observing Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], a person wants to come to be a giver, meaning to thereby be rewarded with a second nature, that the Creator will give him this power, as it is written, “The light in it reforms him,” and afterward, he is rewarded with “receiving in order to bestow.”

This is as it is written (Avot, Chapter 6), “Rabbi Meir says, ‘Anyone who engages in Torah Lishma [for Her sake] is rewarded with many things. Moreover, the whole world is worthwhile for him, and the secrets of Torah are revealed to him.’”

It follows that later, a person comes to a state where he receives the delight and pleasure, and then there is no more need for coercion because the period of coercion was only in order to obtain the vessels of bestowal, by which there would be reception of the pleasure without any unpleasantness, since by this, the issue of shame would be corrected, so he can do everything for the sake of the Creator.

According to the above, we should interpret what we asked, Why is it written about the red cow, “on which a yoke has never been placed”? We asked, what does it imply that the red cow should be without a yoke? According to the above, we should interpret that the meaning of the red cow is that it purifies the impure. And what do they obtain through purification? It is known that the whole matter of Tuma’a [impurity] implies the will to receive. We must work with the will to receive, called “body,” coercively, “as an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load.” This coercive work is only before one is rewarded with purity. After one has been rewarded with purity, which implies to us the matter of the red cow, he is rewarded with work, “on which a yoke has never been placed.” At that time, his work is no longer coercive, and he serves the Creator from love.

Therefore, we should discern two times:

1) Before one is rewarded with purification of the Kelim [vessels], so they work in order to bestow. At that time, his work is compulsory, and this is called “a law.” That is, if the body comes and asks, “What is this work for you?” we tell it, “You ask questions according to the mind of the will to receive. I have no answer to this, and you are right. Yet, I do not want to answer within reason,” meaning so that the will to receive will also understand it. It would mean that I am working for the will to receive, or it would never agree to work.

Therefore, at that time, a person says, “You are right when you ask, ‘What will I have,’ meaning the will to receive, ‘from this work?’ So I am telling you that I do not want to work for you. Why? It is because I believe in the sages that we must work for the sake of the Creator above reason although the body does not understand, and I accept this work ‘as an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load,’ meaning by coercion.”

2) A person says, “But once I am rewarded with purity, my work will be by way of love, and not by way of coercion. However, I do not mean that now I am working coercively so that afterward I will work out of love.” That would be as though it is also for the will to receive, since afterward he will receive the delight and pleasure. Rather, when he says that afterward he will be rewarded with love, it is for a different reason: It will only be a sign for him by which to know whether he is truly working for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake.

This is so for because the Creator wants to give delight and pleasure, but we still have no Kelim to receive, since we are not working in order to bestow. Hence, this is a sign whether he is working in order to bestow. That is, if he still did not receive delight and pleasure, it is a sign that he is still under the governance of the will to receive. However, his aim is not to receive the delight and pleasure, but to know whether he is truly working in order to bestow.

The Sayer of Duvna said about the verse, “You did not call upon Me Jacob, for you labored in Me, Israel.” He said that if you labor while observing Torah and Mitzvot, it is a sign that you are not working for Me, meaning for the sake of the Creator, for one who works for the sake of the Creator has no labor in Torah and Mitzvot. On the contrary, he feels pleasure when he knows that he is serving the King. It follows that he wants to work out of love and not by coercion not because he wants to please the will to receive, but in order to know for certain that he is working for the sake of the Creator.

By this we should interpret the words, “on which a yoke has never been placed.” It means that before he took her, there was no yoke on her. We should interpret that in the work, this implies to us why it has to be one “on which a yoke has never been placed,” implying that through the red cow, by which one is purified, by receiving purification from a red cow, he will be rewarded with working in a state of love, and not by coercion. In other words, the body, which resisted working for the sake of the Creator, by being purified, the body agrees to work for the sake of the Creator, for at that time he will observe, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,” with both your inclinations. This means that the evil inclination, too, agrees to serve the Creator, meaning to work in order to bestow.

According to the above, we should interpret why he says that Malchut is called “the statute of the Torah” and not “the Torah,” and ZA is called “the Torah.” Because assuming the kingdom of heaven should be above reason, like a law, this is why Malchut is called “statute.” But afterward, we are rewarded with the Torah, called ZA, and they are united. This is called “the unification of the Creator with His Shechina [Divinity].” In other words, by accepting the kingdom of heaven as a law, completely mindlessly, above reason, as our sages said, “Because Satan and the nations of the world taunt Israel, to say, ‘What is this Mitzva [commandment/good deed] and what is its reason,’ therefore, it is written about it, ‘It is a statute, a decree before Me; you have no permission to doubt it.’”

Hence, when a person takes upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven, he is rewarded with the Torah. This is the meaning of saying, “‘This is the law’ is to show that all is in one unification.” This means that in the end, everything becomes united, and then it is evident that the thought of creation, which is to do good to His creations, becomes revealed, since the will to receive has united with the desire to bestow, and equivalence of form is achieved. Then, there are no longer two desires, but one: the desire to bestow of the Creator to the creatures. And the will to receive of the created beings is annulled and included in the Creator’s desire to bestow, and this is considered that there is only one authority in the world. This is called “singular authority,” and then the delight and pleasure are apparent in the world.

However, the work should be done in two lines—right and left. “Right” means “completeness,” and “left” means “incompleteness,” and a correction is needed there. When one engages in the manner of “the statute of the Torah,” meaning he wants to assume the burden of the kingdom of heaven but the body objects to it and fights him, that state is called “left line,” since then a person feels his deficiency, how far he is from the love of the Creator. This is when the body comes with the “Who” and “What” questions. At that time, he has nothing from which to derive vitality, since a person cannot live on a lack.

This work is called “depart from evil,” meaning that a person should depart from the bad that is within man, called “will to receive,” whether in mind or in heart. Although this work is necessary, since this is the first foundation, that one should assume the burden of the kingdom of heaven, but at the same time, the writing says, “There is more to do, meaning the work of the right, called “completeness.”

The work of the right is called in the verse, “and do good.” We should interpret that a person should engage in the good, and good is called “completeness.” In other words, a person should calculate how much good he has, which is called “and do,” meaning work and calculate how much good he has. That is, a person should regard everything of Kedusha [holiness] as a great fortune and believe that any grip he has on Kedusha, although it is a small grip, he should believe that the Creator has given him some desire and yearning to have a grip on Kedusha, and even if it is Lo Lishma, it is still a very important matter. He should thank the Creator for the little bit of good that he has, and from this, a person can derive vitality and be in high spirits. From this, a person can receive what is written, “Serve the Lord with gladness.” It follows that a person should maintain the right and the left, and this is the meaning of the verse, “Part from evil and do good.”

However, a question arises in a person. For example, he has been busy all day and did not have time to remember that there is a reality of the work of the Creator in the world. Afterward, he remembers that he went through the whole day in matters that have no connection to the work. What should he do now? Should he be sorry for not engaging in the work the whole time, or should he introspect and say, “Who reminded me now that there is the matter of a spiritual reality in the world, and that we must do something for the Kedusha? It must be the Creator who gave me this thought now. Therefore, I must thank the Creator and be happy that the Creator is calling me to Him.” Should he be happy about this and thank and praise the Creator, or regret that all day long he was removed from the work altogether? It is true that he was removed from the Creator the whole day, and it is also true that now the Creator has given him an awakening so he will know the state he is in. So the question is, “What should he do?”

According to what Baal HaSulam said, “Where a person thinks, there he is.” Thus, if a person thinks about the time when he was removed from the Creator and regrets it, then he is attached to the state of remoteness from the Creator, when he thought about trivial matters that he was engaged in all day long. It follows that the Dvekut of his thought is in matters that are immaterial. Therefore, it is better to think about the good that he has now, meaning the fact that now he can think what do for the Kedusha. It does not matter what he does, but only that he wants to engage in Torah and Mitzvot. Now he already has connection with the Torah and Mitzvot, according to the above rule, “Where one thinks, there he is.”

Now we should interpret the verse differently: Now he should be “Part from evil,” meaning not to think about his bad state, when he was separated, but rather “do good,” so everything he wants to do now will concern the good that he should do now.

According to the above, we should ask, How does one go to work in the manner of the left, since then he is in the state of “left,” and thinks only about deficiencies, so he is attached to the deficiencies?

The answer is that a person should work on the left line only if first he is in the right line. Only when he is in a state of completeness and feels a good taste in the work, which is called “an ascent,” should he dedicate time to the left, as well, to see whether his mind and heart are fine. After this, he will be rewarded with “the Creator gives the soul,” called “the soul of life.”

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is, “Peace, Peace, to the Far and to the Near,” in the Work?

Article No. 36, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

The Zohar says (Korah, Items 5-8), “Korah went by way of dispute. What is a dispute? It is removing and repelling above and below. One who wishes to repel the correction of the world is lost from all the worlds. A dispute is removing and repelling of the peace. One who disagrees with peace disagrees with His Holy Name, since His Holy Name is called ‘Peace.’ The world stands only on peace. When the Creator created the world, it could not exist until He came and established peace upon them. And what is it? It is the Sabbath. Hence, one who disagrees with peace will be lost from the world. Rabbi Yosi said, ‘It is written, ‘Those who love Your Torah [law] have much peace.’ The Torah is peace, as it is written, ‘And all her ways are peace.’ Korah came to blemish the peace above—the Torah, meaning the middle line, which is called ‘Torah,’ which makes peace between right and left—and below, of Moses. This is why he was punished by upper and lower, by fire and the mouth of the earth.’”

We should understand why he says that the world can exist only on peace because His Holy Name is “Peace.” It follows that the reason that the world cannot exist is that the Creator is called “Peace.”

We should understand the connection to the name of the Creator. In simple terms, everyone understands that if there is a dispute, there cannot be an existence to the world. But how does this concern the name of the Creator? Also, we should understand why he says, “And what is peace?” He says that peace means Shabbat [the Sabbath], and Rabbi Yosi says that peace is called “Torah.” Thus, how is it expressed that the Shabbat and the Torah indicate peace?

First, we must repeat two tenets that we have spoken of many times: 1) the purpose of creation, 2) the correction of creation, meaning what we should do in order to achieve the purpose of creation.

It is known that the purpose of creation is for the creatures to receive delight and pleasure, as he says, “His desire to do good to His creations.” For this purpose, He created in the creatures a desire to receive pleasure. In other words, if there is no yearning for something, we cannot enjoy it. If we sometimes see that wherever one can enjoy something, he cannot stop himself and not want to receive the pleasure. If we sometimes see that a person does relinquish a pleasure, this must be for some special reason for which it is worthwhile for him to relinquish, since one cannot go against the nature of the will to receive. Hence, if there is a good enough reason, a person will give up pleasures that he wants to receive.

This can happen for two reasons: 1) Because of a reward, meaning that if he relinquishes the pleasure that he wants now, he will receive greater pleasure instead. 2) Because of punishment. That is, if he does not relinquish this pleasure, he will suffer great torments for it, and he sees that it is better for him to give up this pleasure in order not to suffer.

It follows that the fact that a person has now relinquished the will to receive pleasure, this concession is not because he does not want to work for his own benefit. Rather, he sees that if he does not concede what he wants now, it will harm his self-benefit, and this is why he gives it up. For this reason, we do not say that by giving up a pleasure, he did something against nature, meaning that he blemished the will to receive. Rather, all he did was according to the method of the will to receive.

In other words, we should not look at what people do, for sometimes they relinquish something, but it is not a sign that this person is working. Rather, we must see the aim, as well.

For example, a person might give up the lust for food. If he knows that someone might see that he is a person who renounces pleasures, it is a sign that he is a servant of the Creator, and there are people who will respect him for this. Then, a person has the power to overcome because he will receive a greater pleasure, which is respect. This is usually the case.

But there are also exceptions. There are those who can degrade themselves, meaning relinquish respect in order to obtain a lust. Also, there are those who do not relinquish lusts, but not because of respect, but on the contrary, meaning that if one works in concealment, he can eat much, for example, and people are bound to see how he is eating and will despise him in their hearts. He relinquishes the respect in order to gain from this the ability to work in concealment, since through this work he can be rewarded with an even greater pleasure, since one who is humble is rewarded with Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator.

This means that he does not want to be satisfied with people respecting him, since there is a rule that when people think that he is above them they respect him, and respect takes over, so one who develops a passion for respect cannot come out of it and must work and toil in order to obtain the respect. Then, he cannot do anything for the sake of the Creator. Therefore, we were given the counsel to do everything in concealment, and thereby not be given respect. By this he can be saved from falling under the governance of respect. At that time, he can accustom himself to work in order to bestow.

Accordingly, we see that one who relinquishes small pleasures and instead receives a big pleasure, it is not that he flawed the will to receive. Sometimes, he receives the big pleasure from satisfying some passion, and sometimes the great pleasure comes through respect, and so forth.

Sometimes, he receives a small pleasure, meaning a small passion, since he knows that by this he is giving up a big pleasure, which is respect. The question is, Why would he want to relinquish a big pleasure? It is because in return for relinquishing a big pleasure, he wants to receive a higher degree. For example, by relinquishing respect, he wants to be rewarded with Dvekut with the Creator.

In this manner, we do not say that he received a small pleasure, such as eating, and gave up a big pleasure, which is respect. Rather, we should say that he also does not relinquish the small pleasure, but only in the eyes of people who are looking at him and say that this person is not smart, since he does not want to relinquish a small passion, for if he gave up that passion he could receive a greater pleasure, but he does not even have the power to overcome a small passion. It follows that it is impossible to know the truth about a person whose way is concealment.

Now we return to what we discussed concerning the correction of creation, that one should come to do everything in order to bestow. Since man was created with a nature of receiving only for his own benefit, how can he be told to go against nature, since the body asks, “What will I get out of this?” Certainly, we should tell it, “You will get out of this, that if you work in order to bestow, you will be rewarded with the delight and pleasure that are found in the purpose of creation.”

Thus, the answer is that the will to receive will obtain a greater pleasure than he can receive now, in the will to receive without the aim to bestow. At that time, the body claims, “So you are saying that then I will benefit, as well. That is, I see that if I work in order to bestow, I will get self-benefit from this.” In that case, a person says that he does not see anything that one can do without yielding some benefit for himself from it.

The answer is that with the intellect, it is impossible to understand how one can do something against nature. Therefore, a person is told, “What you are saying is correct; by nature, it is impossible for man to understand what is in order to bestow.” Therefore, our sages said, “One should always engage in Torah and Mitzvot Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], since from Lo Lishma he will come to Lishma [for Her sake].” Then, when he learns Lo Lishma, “the light in it reforms him,” as it says in the Sulam[Ladder commentary on The Zohar] (Beresheet Bet, Item 103), “If one engages in Torah and Mitzvot[commandments/good deeds] even for his own pleasure, through the light in it he will still feel the lowliness and the terrible corruptness in the nature of receiving for oneself. At that time, he will resolve to retire from that nature of reception and will completely devote himself to working only in order to bestow contentment upon his Maker. Then the Creator will open his eyes to see before him a world filled with utter perfection without any deficiencies whatsoever.”

According to the above, we see that man cannot understand what it means to work in order to bestow and not for his own sake. We can begin to understand it specifically by engaging in Torah and Mitzvot even Lo Lishma. Nevertheless, the light in it can make him see that there is the matter that it is worthwhile to work only for the sake of the Creator and not for one’s own sake.

But without the remedy in Torah and Mitzvot, man’s intellect cannot understand that it is possible to do something unless it yields pleasure with which one can please his will to receive. Hence, when a person is told to do everything for the sake of the Creator, and he sees that he cannot understand such a thing, the answer is that it is true that it is impossible to understand it with the external mind that was given to man, but he is told, “You must know that you are wasting your time waiting and saying that if he learns it, he will understand how to engage in it in order to attain the desire to bestow, and in the meantime he will wait with praying for the Creator to give him that desire. Before he understands that he needs this thing, how can he pray to the Creator to give him something if he does not know he needs it? He can say that he wants the desire to bestow, but how can he pray from the bottom of the heart that this is what he needs?

There is no way to understand this with the external mind, but one who wants to walk on the path toward achieving the goal for which he was created must believe in the sages, who said that one should do everything in order to bestow and not for his own sake. That is, the fact that he must walk on a path where all his actions are in order to bestow, a person cannot take this desire. Only the Creator can give him that second nature, as well as the belief that he will receive the need for this from observing Torah and Mitzvot even Lo Lishma, because “the light in it reforms him.”

Hence, we see here two things that the Creator gives: 1) The need for one to understand that he needs the desire to bestow, and he receives this through the light in the Torah. Later, he also receives the light, which is the power to do everything in order to bestow.

Accordingly, we should interpret what we asked, What is the reason that the world stands only on peace, since the name of the Creator is “Peace”? We asked, What is the connection between them?

The answer is that since it is impossible to make peace where there is no dispute, for only where there is a dispute, there can be peace, for this reason, first we must know what is the dispute that there is in the world, for which we must make peace, since the Creator is called “Peace,” and only then the world exists.

It is known that the Creator’s desire is to do good to His creations. Hence, all the creatures feel that they should receive delight and pleasure from the Creator. It follows that when they are not receiving delight and pleasure, they are disputed with the Creator over why is He not giving them delight and pleasure. Since there was a correction that in order to prevent the shame, everything must be done in order to bestow, the Creator is in dispute with the created beings over why they are unwilling to work in order to bestow.

It therefore follows that there are two opposite opinions here: 1) The creatures say to the Creator, “Let us enjoy; satisfy our desires, meaning our will to receive, with abundance, so we can say, ‘Blessed is He who said, ‘Let there be the world,’’ since we feel the abundance that we have and we enjoy it.” 2) The Creator said, “I, too, want to enjoy the world that I created, and all My joy is that you are enjoying, as this was My purpose in creation, as it is written, ‘His desire to do good to His creations.’ However, I want your pleasure to be complete, without any unpleasantness, called ‘shame.’”

For this reason, once the creatures feel the dispute, they want to make peace with the Creator, since otherwise the world cannot exist. That is, the world must exist only for the purpose for which it was created. If the goal cannot be achieved, then why do they need the world, for the world was not created so that the creatures would suffer torments?

Hence, the name of the Creator is “Peace” because it is impossible to reveal the name of the Creator, as His general name is The Good Who Does Good, but how can the name The Good Who Does Good be revealed when there is a dispute between the Creator and the creatures?

We therefore see that precisely by peace, the world can exist. Peace means that through peace, it is possible to feel that the Creator is good and does good, since they are receiving the delight and pleasure from the Creator, once peace has been established, meaning when the creatures accept the desire of the Creator, who wants the creatures to do everything for the sake of the Creator.

This is called “resembling the desire of the Creator,” whose desire is only to bestow upon the creatures. Likewise, now the creatures become similar to the desire of the Creator in that they, too, want only to bestow upon the Creator. Then, through equivalence of form, it is possible to reveal the delight and pleasure that exist in the thought of creation, and then it becomes revealed that the name of the Creator is The Good Who Does Good.

By this we will understand what we asked about peace being specifically where there is a dispute, so why did the Creator create the world with a dispute to begin with? The answer is that a dispute exists wherever there are opposite things. Since the world was created with a Kli [vessel] of a desire to receive, since otherwise, if there is no desire to receive something, it is impossible to enjoy it; therefore, creation emerged with a nature of wanting to receive for oneself. Afterward, in order to correct it so there will not be the matter of shame in it, the creatures must acquire a second nature, meaning to acquire the desire of the Creator, whose desire is to bestow. For this reason, a dispute emerged from this.

It follows that the dispute is necessary. That is, if the creatures do not understand the matter of the dispute, they can never achieve the purpose of creation, which is to do good to His creations, since it is impossible to correct anything if we do not know what is missing. Hence, once we know the dispute between the desires, we can make peace between them.

According to the above, we can interpret what we asked, “What is peace?” He says that peace is Shabbat. Rabbi Yosi says that peace is Torah, meaning that through the Torah, a person comes to feel the dispute, since the Torah, even in Lo Lishma, the light in it makes him see that there is the need to work in order to bestow. It follows that through the Torah, he first comes to the dispute, and then he knows what needs to be corrected. Afterward, by being rewarded with “Torah Lishma,” the Torah makes peace, meaning gives him the power of the desire to bestow, which is the meaning of doing everything for the sake of the Creator. It follows that through the Torah, he achieves two things: the Kli, which is the lack, and the light, which is the power to be able to do everything in order to bestow.

When it says that peace is called Shabbat, it does not dispute the interpretation that peace is called Torah, since our sages said (Avoda Zara 3), “The Creator said to them, ‘He who toiled on the eve of Shabbat will eat on Shabbat. He who did not toil on the eve of Shabbat, from where will he eat on Shabbat?’”

We should understand this saying in the work. It means that since Shabbat is called “peace,” how can one be rewarded with peace if there is no dispute there? And what is the dispute? It is as our sages said, “One should always anger the good inclination over the evil inclination.” RASHI interprets that he should make war with it (Berachot 5). The war means that since the good inclination is to have the same desire as the Creator, namely a desire to bestow, and the evil inclination is called the will to receive, a person should try to make a dispute, meaning that they are two opposing desires. At that time, Shabbat comes and makes peace.

But if there is no dispute, how can we say that Shabbat makes peace? This is why he says, “He who did not toil on the eve of Shabbat, from where will he eat on Shabbat?” It follows that the toil is the dispute, meaning to fight against the evil inclination, which is the will to receive.

However, why is Shabbat called “peace”? It is as The Zohar writes, “What is Shabbat? The name of the Creator” (brought in The Zohar on the Shabbat morning meal). It is known that the name of the Creator is “Torah,” as our sages said, “The whole Torah is the names of the Creator.” It follows that both Shabbat and Torah make peace. This means that through the revelation of the Torah in the manner of the “name of the Creator,” peace is made between the creatures and the Creator, for the creatures enjoy being rewarded with receiving the delight and pleasure, and the Creator enjoys the purpose of creation being achieved. In other words, the desire to do good to His creations is revealed in full.

According to the above, we should interpret the words of The Zohar, which says that Korah “went by way of dispute,” and one who wants to repel the correction of the world will be lost from all the worlds. We should interpret that the correction of the world was for everything to work in order to bestow. Korah went by way of dispute, and had to later achieve peace, which is correction. But Korah wanted to stay in the dispute. It follows that he repelled the correction of the world. This is why it says, “One who disagrees with peace disagrees with His Holy Name, since His Holy Name is called ‘Peace.’”

This means that since His name is peace, meaning that peace was done between the Creator and the creatures, meaning that the name of the Creator, that He is good and does good, becomes revealed, and through the dispute, called “disparity of form,” the good cannot be revealed, it follows that the creatures are disputed with the Creator. But when peace is made from the perspective of the Kelim, meaning from the perspective of the desires, when there is one desire in the world, called “desire to bestow,” then all the delight and pleasure in the world becomes revealed.

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is the Meaning of “Spies,” in the Work?

Article No. 35, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

It is written in The Zohar (Shlach, Item 82), “Rabbi Yosi said, ‘They took upon themselves a counsel, to slander everything. What is ‘everything’? It is the earth and the Creator. Rabbi Yitzhak said, ‘The earth, this is true. But the Creator? How do we know?’ He told him, ‘This is the meaning of the verse, ‘Nevertheless, strong is the people,’ meaning Who can overcome them, for ‘strong is the people’? In other words, even the Creator cannot overcome them. Thus, they slandered the Creator.”

We should understand how such a thing can be said in the work, about the Creator, since we are speaking of people who want to draw near to the Creator. How can it be said that they do not believe that the Creator is almighty? It is written in The Zohar (Item 63), “‘And they returned from touring the land.’ ‘Returned’ means that they returned to the side of evil, and returned from the path of truth, saying, ‘What did we get out of it? To this day we have not seen good in the world. We have toiled in Torah and the house is empty. Who will be awarded that world? It would have been better had we not toiled so. We labored and learned in order to know the part of that world. That upper world is good, as we know in the Torah, but who can be rewarded with it?’”

We should understand what is the sin of the spies, if they said that everything is true, “but who can be rewarded with it?” In other words, they were saying that they are unworthy of the good, as it is written, “That upper world is good, as we know in the Torah, but who can be rewarded with it?” Thus, why is the sin so grave?

In Midrash Rabbah (Shlach 15:7), he says, “Rabbi Yehoshua says, ‘What were they (spies) like? Like a king who arranged for his son a fair woman, from a good and wealthy family. The king told his son, ‘She is a fair looking woman and she is from a good and wealthy family.’ The son replied, ‘I will go and see her,’ for he did not believe his father. Promptly, the matter perplexed and irritated his father. His father said, ‘What should I do? If I tell him, ‘I will not show her to you now,’ he will say that she is ugly, and this is why he does not want to show her.’ In the end, he said to him, ‘See her, but because you did not believe in me, I swear that you will not see her in your house, for I will rather give her to your son.’’”

This is perplexing, for it implies that the Creator showed that the land is good, but the spies did not see the good land, since they said that they did not see there any good. Instead, they said that they saw there only bad things, for they said, “It is a land that devours its inhabitants.” Thus, what is the allegory about the king’s son?

To understand the above, we must understand what we learn, that we have two things before us: 1) to receive delight and pleasure, which is the purpose of creation, 2) how to obtain the delight and pleasure.

Because we see that although everyone agrees that we should receive delight and pleasure, without labor, one does not attain anything. The labor is that we must offer some payment to the landlord so he will want to give us what we want. In the work, this is called “desire to bestow,” for only in vessels of bestowal can we receive abundance of Kedusha [holiness], which is as we learned, “You will be holy for I am holy,” meaning that everything must be in order to bestow.

Before one obtains the vessels of bestowal, he is placed under the Tzimtzum [restriction] and the concealment that were placed on the upper guidance, so that man is unable to see the truth. That is, a person is unable to see His guidance, the way He behaves with the creatures in a guidance of good and doing good, as Baal HaSulam said (in the book Shamati, essay, “Faith in the Rav”) about what is written, “They have eyes but they will not see,” that one must believe in his rav [teacher] about what the rav arranged for us—an order of work on the “right.” At that time, a person should depict to himself as though he has already been rewarded with complete faith in the Creator, and he already feels in his organs that the Creator leads the whole world in a manner of good and doing good, meaning that the whole world receives from Him only good.

And even though when he looks at himself, he sees that he is bare and destitute, he should say about this, “They have eyes but they will not see,” where “they” means that as long as one is under multiple authorities, called “they,” “they will not see” the truth. And what is multiple authorities? It is two desires.

This means that man has a will to receive for his own sake, which is a different desire from that of the Creator, whose desire is to bestow, and a person wants only to receive for his own sake. Hence, when one is going to criticize what the Creator gave him, he sees only suffering and pain, since there are two desires in the world.

Therefore, when one must thank the Creator and say, “Blessed is He who said, ‘Let there be the world,’” to praise and be thankful that the Creator gave us a world filled with abundance, yet, now he sees the opposite, then one must exert and go above reason and say that everything he sees is not the truth, and believe what is written, “They have eyes but they will not see” the truth.

It follows that every work and labor that one must give is in order to obtain the desire to bestow, for only then can one see how the Creator created a world so filled with abundance that our sages said, “There has never been joy before Him as on the day when heaven and earth were created.” This is so because to the Creator, there is no issue of time. Hence, He immediately saw the wholeness of creation at the end of its correction, since the purpose of creation was as it is written, “His desire to do good to His creations,” and to Him, past and future are all the same. Naturally, at that time He saw the delight and pleasure that the creatures are receiving.

However, when one begins to work in order to obtain the desire to bestow, begins the order of ascents and descents, since in everything there are things that are good for one and bad for the other. However, everything must be balanced. For this reason, often, a person does not keep to the middle road between them, but leans to one side more than to the other, and spoils everything.

It is known that in the work of bestowal, a person must walk on two lines, called “right and left.” “Right” means wholeness, and “left” is called in the work, “a path that requires correction.” Because of it, we have two orders in the work:

1) Songs and praises, which pertain to the state of wholeness. That is, when one is satisfied with the guidance of the Creator, with how He behaves with him, he thanks the Creator for the good that the Creator has given him.

2) Prayer and litany, which pertains to when one sees that he has deficiencies and wants the Creator to satisfy his needs. At that time, a person asks the Creator to grant him his wish. However, since they are opposite from one another, meaning when a person thanks the Creator, and certainly when a man is thankful, one should try to give to the Creator many thanks, for the gratitude should be evaluated according to the measure of the good that the Creator has given him. Thus, it is upon man to depict to himself the greatness and importance of the matter.

In other words, a person says that he does not deserve this good that the Creator has given him. Thus, how can he then say that he is deficient? Certainly, a prayer must be from the bottom of the heart, meaning to feel his need in all his organs or the prayer will not be from the bottom of the heart. Thus, how is it possible can it be said, once he has thanked the Creator for all the good that he has received, that he is deficient, and pray and cry to the Creator to grant him his wishes?

Therefore, those two things cause descents and ascents, since each one cancels the other. Yet, we should understand why we need both, and why prayer or gratitude is not enough, but rather both are required, but since they cannot be in the same carrier at the same time, we arrange them consecutively.

In other words, first we thank the Creator because He chose us from among all the nations, although we are lowly and inferior compared to His greatness, yet He chose us out of every nation. This is as our sages said, “One should always establish the praise of the Creator and then pray.” Thus, when one thanks the Creator because He has been good to him, meaning certainly when the Creator gave him all that is needed, how is there a place to then pray for the things he is missing, and for the prayer to be from the bottom of the heart?

The answer is that on one hand, one should receive vitality during the work. When one does not have anything from which to live, he is distraught and cannot observe the Torah and Mitzvot properly, as it is written, “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.You shall teach them diligently to your sons and you shall speak of them when you sit in your home, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Thus, there is a complete order in observing Torah and Mitzvot. If one’s mind is not settled, his work cannot be done in the order that it should. Hence, when one praises the Creator and depicts to himself the greatness and importance of the Creator as much as he can, from this one can derive vitality and feel the importance of the Creator, that the Creator gave him a thought and desire to speak with Him. From this, one should derive contentment.

One should imagine what mood he would be in if the greatest in the generation, whom the whole world praises, if that great man gave him permission to speak with him, how elated he would be, since when he feels this pleasure of being able to speak with him, he would not feel that he needs anything in the world. The pleasure that one feels more than usual makes him forget all his worries and his whole body gives itself up to the pleasure he is receiving now. That is, if during the reception of the pleasure, he can think about anything other than the pleasure he is receiving now, it is a sign that the pleasure he is receiving now is incomplete.

Hence, when one depicts to himself that the Creator permitted him to speak with Him, it does not matter what he says, but the importance that he has an opportunity to speak to the Creator, from this one should derive delight and pleasure that he has such a privilege. It follows that the work of the right is that one should believe that he is speaking with the Creator and that he does not need anything right now.

However, one should know that anything that depends on faith, the body does not agree to this work, especially because this work is considered a correction, and anything that pertains to correction invokes the body’s resistance. This extends from the breaking of the vessels that occurred in the world of Nekudim. Therefore, there is much work on this.

Baal HaSulam said about the work of the right, when a person begins to slight it because he begins to work on a line that is contradictory to the right, which is the left line—that the work of the right is work in wholeness and truth, meaning that one must believe that the Creator is great and important, and man is utterly base. It follows that both are true. It is hard to walk on this line, and the body objects. He said that in the state of the right, a person is considered “blessed,” since he is happy with his share and does not need anything. At that time, a person is fit to receive abundance from above by way of “The blessed clings to the Blessed.” In this quality, he has Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator. Hence, precisely in that state, a person can rise in degree.

However, we must also walk on the left line, which is the way to see how one sees the faults that need correcting. In other words, in the right, the work is only to depict the greatness of the Creator and believe in His greatness and importance. But the quality of the left is specifically to look at oneself and see the faults in him, in order to correct himself so there is no flaw in him. But the main flaw that one should see is the bad within him, meaning what is the essence of the evil that we must find, meaning that we must search and find.

Certainly, each person knows that there is evil in him. The thing is that we must know the root of evil, which is what prevents one from being able to receive the good that there is in the world.

The world was created for a purpose, and it was said that the purpose of the creation of the world was His desire to do good to His creations. Since man suffers torments in the world, and asks, “Why does it seem to us in this way?” For this reason, one must believe in the sages, who said that one should know that there was a correction on the purpose of creation, so as not to have the matter of shame upon the reception of the pleasure. This can be only if during the reception of the abundance, it will be in order to bestow. In that state, there is no place for shame.

Hence, only then, when he believes in the sages that we must obtain vessels of bestowal, otherwise it is impossible to obtain the good that the creatures should receive, then one realizes that all the bad is only the will to receive for one’s own sake, and man should do everything to root it out and receive in its stead the desire to bestow, called a “second nature.” At that time, he will be rewarded with the delight and pleasure that was in the thought of creation.

According to the above, we should work in two manners:

1) On the path of the right, which is the time when one works so as to feel that he has wholeness and he is content with his situation, and he can thank the Creator for it. This is the time when he can receive from above abundance and advance in the rungs of Kedusha [holiness]. However, although this is time to receive abundance from above, he does not lack anything, meaning he has no Kelim[vessels] to receive the abundance, so he must shift to the other line, called “left.”

2) This is the path of the “left,” by means of criticism that one passes on himself. The right line means that one looks only at the Creator, meaning to understand and to learn about the measure of the greatness of the Creator, and not about himself, to see what he is missing. Rather, he wants to look at what he has, meaning what the Creator gave him, and be thankful to the Creator for this.

However, the path of the left is to examine oneself, how much bad he has and what is the bad within him, and to try to correct it. At that time begins the matter of the spies who slandered the earth. “Earth” means the kingdom of heaven, as they said, that this matter of the kingdom of heaven is not for them.

According to the above, we should interpret what is written, “Rabbi Yosi said, ‘They took upon themselves a counsel, to slander everything. What is ‘everything’? It is the earth and the Creator. ‘This is the meaning of the verse, ‘Nevertheless, strong is the people,’ meaning who can overcome them?’ In other words, even the Creator cannot overcome them. Thus, they slandered the Creator.”

They said that “We were born with a nature of doing everything for ourselves, so how can we accept the burden of the kingdom of heaven with the aim to benefit the Creator, meaning to do everything in order to bestow? After all, we began the work many times and in our view, we have done all that we could. But not only did the Creator not help us advance at all toward the aim to bestow, but we have even gone backwards. Thus, we must determine that even the Creator cannot help us emerge from the control of the will to receive. Otherwise, we would have moved a little bit forward. But after all the labor we have given in order to obtain the desire to bestow, in our view, it has all been in vain. Therefore, we are in a state where we have neither the corporeal world nor the spiritual world.”

This is why it is written, “What did we get out of it? To this day we have not seen good in the world. We have toiled in Torah and the house is empty. Who will be awarded that world?” That is, they saw that they were not advancing in the work. But what was the sin? It was that they should have had faith in the Creator that all those descents that they felt in the work were not because they did not go forward, but that each time a person sees that he is far from the goal, it is in order for him to find a real need for His salvation. And the need is called “a Kli [vessel] to receive the filling.” Yet, what was missing there and for which they could not continue and wanted to escape from the campaign was the lack of the right line.

The meaning of “right” is that one must have vitality during the work, and we receive vitality specifically from wholeness, which we can obtain precisely when we are not looking at ourselves, but at the Creator, and all the effort is to think about the greatness of the Creator and not about ourselves, meaning what we acquired, some progress in the work. Rather, we should think what a privilege we have that we have some contact with the Creator.

This means that when he performs a commandment or says a blessing, he should say, “I am happy that I believe that I am doing the Creator’s will by observing His commandments. Although I understand that we must observe the commandments of the King with more importance than I ascribe to observing the Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], I cannot appreciate the importance of the act, even though the act is incomplete. Still, I am happy that the Creator has given me a desire and yearning to do something in observing Torah and Mitzvot, even if these actions are not so important. Yet, it is important to me, since now I can say that I am doing the Creator’s will.”

From this, one should derive vitality and joy because it is the truth that the Creator is great. Hence, when one has a desire to do something in the work, this is very important. A person should believe that even when a person does things by coercion, it is still important, since in terms of the action, there is nothing to add and the act does its thing.

Therefore, since the spies did not go on the right, as well, they wanted to escape the campaign and said that even the Creator cannot help them. That is, they understood that the Creator should bring them closer in the way that they understood, not in the way that the Torah obligates us, as it is written, that there are two writings that deny one another until the third wiring comes and decides between them. For this reason, the spies, who strayed to walk on the left line and abandoned the right, saw that they could not come and inherit the land. It was all because they went by the wrong path, as Moses had arranged for them.

This is the meaning of what is written about a king who arranged for his son a wife and said, “I will show her to you (but) I swear that you will not see her in your house, for I will rather give her to your son.” We asked, But the spies did not see her, that she is fair and comes from a good and wealthy family?! We should interpret that in the work “father and son” are “cause and consequence.” The present is called “father,” and the future is called “son.” In spirituality, “seeing” means attainment. Since they took the wrong path, they could not see it “in your house,” meaning in the state they were in, in vessels of reception. Rather, “to your son,” meaning after you repent, when you are rewarded with vessels of bestowal, you will be able to see all the merits that there are in the inheritance of the land that the Creator promised to our forefathers.

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is Eating Their Fruits in This World and Keeping the Principal for the Next World, in the Work?

Article No. 34, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

It is written in The Zohar (BeHaalotcha, Items 140-144), “Rabbi Aba said, ‘The evil in the heart, which clings to all organs of the body, does that to them. ‘There is evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men.’ This evil is the force of the evil in the heart that wishes to dominate the worldly matters and does not watch over the matters of that world at all.’ He asks, ‘Why is the heart evil?’ And he replies, ‘The following verse proves it, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 6), ‘A man to whom God has given wealth and possessions and honor, whose soul lacks nothing of all that he desires, and God has not empowered him to eat from it, for a foreign man shall eat it.’’

“This is a perplexing verse, since it is written, ‘whose soul lacks nothing of all that he desires,’ why will God not empower him to eat from it? After all, his soul lacks nothing. He replies that a person walks in this world and the Creator gives him wealth so he will be rewarded with the next world by it, and will remain with a principal of his money. What is a principal? It is that money that exists forever. This is why he must keep this principal after him, and he will receive this principal after he departs from this world. Because this principal is the tree of life of that world, which ZA, there is nothing of it in this world but the fruits that come out of it. This is why a man who has been rewarded with these fruits in this world eats them, while the principal remains for him in that world, to be rewarded by it with the upper life, above.

“And one who defiles himself and is drawn after self-benefit, and lacks nothing for his soul or his body, God does not empower him to eat from it and to be rewarded with that wealth.”

We should understand what it means in the work that he eats their fruits in this world and keeps the principal for the next world. Also, What is “to whom God has given wealth and possessions and honor,” in the work? of which he said, “God has not empowered him to eat from it, for a foreign man shall eat it.”

It is known that in the work, we have the matter of “doing,” as it is written, “Which God has created to do.” This means that the Creator created man with a desire to receive delight and pleasure. To the extent of one’s desire and yearning for something, so is his ability to enjoy it. Hence, we were born with a desire to receive for our own sake, and we attribute this to the Creator.

Yet, He has given us to make other Kelim [vessels], which are opposite from the Kelim that the Creator has made. In other words, the Kelim that the creatures should make are a desire to bestow upon the Creator. This means that the Kelim that the Creator made are for the creatures to receive delight, and the Kelim that the creatures should make are for the Creator to receive delight. However, if man was born with a nature of a desire to receive, how can that nature be changed?

The answer is that there is a Segula [remedy/power/virtue], and with this Segula they can receive a second nature from the Creator. Our sages said about this, “The Creator said, ‘I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice,’” since “the light in the Torah reforms him.” That is, through the light in the Torah, they will ultimately receive the second nature, which is the desire to bestow contentment upon the Maker. At that time, they will be rewarded with Dvekut [adhesion], called “equivalence of form.”

However, before we obtain the desire to bestow, one must go through several degrees:

1) First, one must understand that we must obtain this desire, since when we come to do something, we go and see how people behave, if the people around us also think that we should do everything for the sake of the Creator. Naturally, a person goes to see among those who engage in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], and sees that no one around him is concerned with finding ways by which to obtain the desire to bestow.

The reason he does not see it in others is simple: They are not on the path toward obtaining the intention to bestow. At that time, he sees the truth. However, those who do engage in Torah and Mitzvot in order to bestow are probably working in concealment, since if their work were revealed outside, externality would become involved in their work, since by nature, when one sees that others are looking at what he does, he thinks that the other appreciates his work. This gives him strength for the work not because the Creator mandates his work, but the other person, by looking at him, obligates him to work in Torah and Mitzvot. Hence, those who want to work for the sake of the Creator conceal their work from others. This is why it is impossible to see if someone is working in order to bestow.

Therefore, one has a lot of work before he comes to feel that he is deficient of the desire to bestow. Although sometimes, he begins to understand that he does need the desire to bestow, but he sees that many people are engaging in Torah and Mitzvot, and they are respectable people, and he does not see that they have any deficiency, that they suffer because they haven’t the desire to bestow. Thus, the first work is to try to obtain the need to be rewarded with the desire to bestow.

2) Once he has obtained the need for the desire to bestow, he does not receive the filling as soon as he begins to obtain the deficiency. This is so because the feeling of deficiency depends also on the measure of the suffering he feels from not having the desire to bestow. But when a person begins to feel how much he needs it, and above there is a desire that he will have a real deficiency, then he receives help from above to feel the lack. That is, he is shown how far he is from it, meaning he sees how difficult it is to obtain the desire to bestow, which causes him a great deficiency.

Yet, why do we need a great deficiency? The reason that when something is unimportant, we do not know how to keep from losing it. Hence, before one has a real lack, he is not given the matter from above, for the lack and the yearning make the thing important.

But in the work, when one sees that it is hard to get what he wants, he escapes from the work. He says, “I believe that there are people who have been rewarded and to whom the Creator gave the desire to bestow. But this was because they were more gifted than I am. But a person like me, with worse qualities than others, has no chance of meriting this.” Hence, he escapes the campaign and begins to work like the general public.

Only those who say that they want to escape from the work but have nowhere else to go, since nothing satisfies them, those people do not walk out from the work. Although they have ups and downs, they do not give up. This is as it is written, “And the children of Israel sighed from the work, and they cried, and their cry went up to God from the work.” In other words, they cried out from the work because they were not advancing in the work of the Creator, so they could work in order to bestow contentment upon the Maker. At that time, they were rewarded with the exodus from Egypt. In the work, this is called “emerging the control of the will to receive and entry into the work of bestowal.”

It therefore follows that the beginning of man’s work is to take upon himself the kingdom of heaven, meaning that where he used to care only to satisfy the desire of an old and foolish king, meaning that all his work was only for his own sake, he has taken upon himself a different King, called “kingdom of heaven,” when he crowns the Creator over all his organs, meaning that all his organs will serve the Creator. This is called in the work, “exodus from Egypt,” exodus from the governance of self-benefit, and taking upon oneself to serve the Creator, as it is written, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be a God unto you.” We should interpret that He brought them out from the governance of the will to receive for oneself and gave them the desire to bestow. This is called “to be a God unto you,” meaning that I gave you the desire to bestow so you can work for My sake. This is called “I gave you the power to feel that I am the Creator.”

However, how does one acquire this feeling that the will to receive is something bad? Who notifies him that he should correct his actions? He writes in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar] (Beresheet Bet, Item 103), “Hence, the Creator has imprinted bitter and harsh afflictions in self-reception, instilled in man from the moment of his birth—bodily pains and pains of the soul—so that if he engages in Torah and Mitzvot even for his own pleasure, through the light in it he will still feel the lowliness and the terrible corruptness in the nature of receiving for oneself. At that time, he will resolve to retire from that nature of reception and completely devote himself to working only in order to bestow contentment upon his Maker, as it is written, ‘All the works of the Lord are for His sake.’ Then the Creator will open his eyes to see before him a world filled with utter perfection. Then, he partakes in His joy as at the time of the creation of the world (for our sages said, “There has never been such joy before Him as on the day when heaven and earth were created”).”

It follows that this light of Torah gives one the lack, so he will have the need to ask the Creator to give him the power to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven, and all his actions will be in order to bestow. Afterward, when he has been rewarded with the kingdom of heaven, there is another degree, called “Torah,” which is the names of the Creator. This is regarded as “The Torah and the Creator and Israel are one.”

According to the above, we should interpret the words of The Zohar, “Because this principal is the tree of life of that world, which is ZA, and there is nothing of it in this world but the fruits that come out of it, so a man who has been rewarded with its fruits eats them in this world, while the principal remains for him in the next world.”

We should interpret what is written, “And the principal remains for the next world,” which is ZA, since ZA is called “Torah,” and this is called “that world,” meaning “the next world,” which comes after this world, since this world is called Malchut, and the next world comes afterward. The Zohar calls that world ZA, which is the tree of life, the Torah.

It is known that the order of the work is that first, one must be rewarded with the kingdom of heaven, that it will be in order to bestow. But how can one be rewarded with bestowal? This is the meaning of “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.” It follows that it is through the Torah, meaning through the light that reforms in it. Thus, the Torah is to him as Eitin(counsels) by which to achieve the kingdom of heaven, for Malchut [kingdom/kingship] is called “this world,” and the light that reforms is called “fruits.” In other words, a person sees fruits in his work, meaning he exerted in the Torah and yielded fruit from it, and the fruits are the reward from the work. Hence, we should interpret that he eats “fruits from the Torah,” meaning that he has been rewarded through the Torah with the desire to bestow, which “reforms him.” This is called “613 counsels.”

Afterward, comes the matter of the 613 Pekudin [Aramaic: deposits], which is already the actual Torah, as in “The Torah and the Creator and Israel are one.” This is called “actual Torah.” This is as it says, “ZA is the tree of life, which is Torah,” and this is his principal for the next world, which is regarded as the Torah. This is called “the principal that is the actual Torah.” Conversely, the kingdom of heaven, which is considered this world, there the Torah is only as fruits, meaning that it is only the light of Torah that reforms him, while ZA is called “the principal that is the actual Torah.” This is regarded as “their fruits in this world,” which is called Malchut, meaning permanent faith. Afterward comes another degree, called “the next world,” meaning it comes after Malchut. This is regarded as ZA, the land of the living, the actual Torah.

According to the above, we should interpret what he asks, “Why is the heart evil?” He replies that it is as it is written, “A man to whom God has given wealth and possessions and honor, whose soul lacks nothing of all that he desires, and God has not empowered him to eat from it, for a foreign man shall eat it.” He asks, “Since it is written, ‘He lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires,’” why has God not “empowered him to eat from them”? After all, “He lacks nothing for his soul.” He replies about this that a person eating their fruits in this world refers to the kingdom of heaven. When the light in it reforms him reforms him, this light is called “fruits.” Afterward, he comes to a state of “the principal exists for him for the next world,” meaning that he is rewarded with the “actual Torah,” and this is called “wholeness.”

By this The Zohar explains that “One who defiles himself and is drawn after self-benefit, and lacks nothing for his soul or his body,” then “God does not empower him to eat from it” and be rewarded with that wealth. We should interpret that “wealth” pertains to “There is none who is poor except in knowledge,” meaning that he has been rewarded with learning Torah and knowing all the rules, and he has possessions, meaning he knows that thank God he has great possessions of Torah and Mitzvotand good deeds, and he has honor, and everyone respects him because of the glory of the Torah. And yet, “God does not empower him to eat from it.”

The reason is that although he has wealth and honor and good deeds, because he is drawn toward self-benefit, meaning for his own sake, as it is written, “He lacks nothing for his soul,” meaning that all his concerns are that there will be no deficiency in self-benefit, naturally, he has nothing to eat from Kedusha [holiness], but it all goes to the Sitra Achra [other side].

This is the meaning of what is written, “a foreign man shall eat it.” That is, the Klipot [shells/peels] took everything because all his work was for the will to receive, which is the authority of the Klipot. It follows that all the wealth, when he thought he had knowledge of the Torah, and possessions, which are the possessions of Torah and Mitzvot, are all in the domain of the Klipot.

By this we will understand what he asks, “Why is the heart evil?” We should interpret what is the evil that exists in the will to receive. He replies about this, “The following verse proves it, as it is written, ‘A man to whom God has given wealth and possessions.’” That is, although the Creator let him do many things in Kedusha, since it was all for self-benefit, it all went into another authority. This is the meaning of the words, “for a foreign man shall eat it,” meaning the Klipot, since he worked for them and not for the Kedusha. However, we must know that when one corrects one’s actions, he elicits everything from the Klipot and everything returns to the Kedusha, as it is written, “He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them out.”

According to the above, there is the matter of “fruits in this world,” with respect to “the light in it reforms him,” from which he receives the kingdom of heaven, where the work is in order to emerge from the governance of the will to receive and do everything in order to bestow. Afterward, there is the matter of “keeping the principal for the next world,” which is the meaning of Torah, as in “the names of the Creator.”

We can interpret what The Zohar says (BeHaalotcha, Items 26-27), “It is written, ‘And to Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and, Issachar, in your tents.’ This teaches that they were joined together. One went out and waged war, and the other sat and engaged in Torah. One gives to the other a share of his spoils, and the other gives to the one, a share of his Torah. Issachar is Tifferet, and Zebulun is Malchut. This is why Zebulun inherited going to war, since he is regarded as Malchut, meaning abundance through wars. And the share of Issachar is the Torah. This is why they joined together, so that Zebulun would be blessed through Issachar, for the blessing in the Torah is a blessing for all.”

We should interpret that the partnership between Issachar and Zebulun in the work are in one body. That is, the work should be arranged in two manners: 1) It is in the manner of the kingdom of heaven, at which time there is the war of the inclination, to emerge from the control of self-love, and take upon oneself that all his actions will be in order to bestow. At that time, through the wars, he takes spoils. That is, he takes forces of the will to receive and replaces them with the desire to bestow. This is considered that through the war, he subdues it, and the will to receive must do everything according to his will, meaning that all his actions will be only in order to bestow. But from where does the quality of Zebulun take the powers to win the war? He takes it from Issachar, meaning from the Torah of Issachar.

This is as it is written, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.” This is why it says, “and the other gives to the one, a share of his Torah. Issachar is Tifferet.” From the Torah of Issachar, Zebulun has the power to win the wars. This is considered that he “eats their fruits in this world,” meaning he sees the fruits that the Torah brings him. That is, he sees that through the light in the Torah, he has been rewarded with the desire to bestow, as fruits are called “profits from the work.”

This is regarded as 613 Eitin [Aramaic: counsels], and it is considered that Issachar “gives to this one, a share of his Torah,” from which he eats fruits. This is the meaning of saying, “and one gives a share of his spoils.” Through the spoils that Zebulun gives him, he sits and engages in Torah, meaning that had Zebulun not given him of his spoils, he would not have been able to be rewarded with the Torah.

We should interpret that here we are speaking from the perspective of the Torah, which is the names of the Creator, from the 613 Pekudin [deposits], which is the actual Torah. As was said, it is impossible to be rewarded with actual Torah before one is rewarded with faith, the kingdom of heaven, in order to bestow, at which time the will to receive surrenders and the desire to bestow governs.

Hence, when Malchut has the desire to bestow, a desire that Malchut has won by wars, this is considered that she took spoils from the war. When she gives him the desire to bestow, he can “sit in the tent of Torah,” and she calls this discernment Tifferet, ZA. But if there is still no desire to bestow in the degree, there is no place for the actual Torah. This is called “the partnership between Issachar and Zebulun” in the work, meaning when Malchut goes out to war, and ZA, called “Torah,” gives to Malchut of his Torah.

In other words, we should discern two manners in the Torah: 1) “The light in it reforms him.” From this, a discernment of “fruits” extends to Malchut. 2) The “actual Torah,” which is called “keeping the principal for the next world.” This comes specifically after the quality of Malchut has the desire to bestow, with which she has been rewarded through the “light of Torah,” regarded as “fruits.”

This is as our sages said, that the hand Tefillin [phylacteries] comes before the head Tefillin, since a hand Tefillin, says The Zohar, is considered Malchut, the weaker hand, since it needs strengthening, since in the kingdom of heaven there are all the wars required in order to subdue the will to receive. Afterward comes the head Tefillin, regarded as the Torah.

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Does It Mean that the Creator Favors Someone, in the Work?

Article No. 33, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

Our sages said (Midrash Rabbah, Chapter 11:7) about the verse, “The Lord will turn His face to you [favor you]”: “One verse says, ‘The Lord will favor you,’ and another verse says, ‘who does not turn His face [favor].’ How can these two verses be reconciled? When Israel do the Creator’s will, ‘The Lord will favor you.’ When they do not do the Creator’s will, ‘who does not favor.’”

We should understand this. If Israel do the Creator’s will, why is being favored needed? To understand what they explained, we first need to understand what is the “will of the Creator” and what is the “face of the Creator.” We learn that the Creator’s will is to bestow, as it is written, that the purpose of creation is His desire to do good to His creations, meaning to bestow upon them delight and pleasure. The face of the Creator is called “revelation of the face,” when one is rewarded with attaining open Providence, that the Creator leads the world as The Good Who Does Good.

It is written (“Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 83), “The first degree of the revelation of the face is the attainment of the Providence of reward and punishment in utter clarity. This comes to a person only through His salvation, when one is awarded the opening of eyes in the Holy Torah in wonderful attainment, and becomes ‘a flowing spring.’ In any Mitzva[commandment/good deed] in the Holy Torah that one has kept of his own labor and choice, one is granted seeing the reward of the Mitzva intended for him in the next world, as well as the great loss in the transgression.”

According to the above, we should interpret what we asked about what is written here, that “Those who do the Creator’s will, He favors them,” if they are doing the Creator’s will, why do they need “The Lord will favor you”?

The thing is that the face of the Creator is revelation of His guidance as a guidance of good and doing good. Since there was a correction that before one corrects the will to receive so as to work in order to bestow, there will be concealment and hiding on His Providence. Hence, before one achieves the state of “doers of His will,” meaning that as the Creator’s will is to bestow, so man should come to want to bestow.

When there is equivalence of form, the Creator can give him the revelation of His face, which is the opening of the eyes in the Torah, and he is rewarded with the attainment that the Creator leads the world in a manner of good and doing good. But this can be only after one does the will of the Creator, meaning that one has been rewarded with desire to bestow, for specifically then the Tzimtzum[restriction] and concealment are lifted.

Before Israel do the Creator’s will, when they rather want the Creator to give them everything in vessels of reception, which is the opposite of the Creator’s will, whose desire is to bestow, there must be guidance in a manner of “who will not favor,” but in the manner of Achoraim [posterior], called “the concealment of the face of the Creator.” This is regarded as “who will not favor,” and it is because of the correction that there will not be the matter of shame.

Likewise, we should interpret the above verse in relation to the time of the beginning of the work, before one has been rewarded with being among those who have been rewarded with “doing the Creator’s will.” We should interpret “doers of His will” to mean those who are walking on the path to achieve being among those who do the Creator’s will, since when they walk on this path, they are already named after the road on which they walk. This is as Baal HaSulam said about what is written, “will give wisdom to the wise.” He asked, “It should have said, ‘will give wisdom to the fools.’” And he said that this refers to those who already want wisdom; they are already called “wise” because they are walking on the path toward obtaining wisdom. And since they are giving an awakening from below, they are given wisdom from above.

It is likewise here: When they want to achieve the power of the desire to bestow, this is regarded as doing the Creator’s will. According to the rule, “He who comes to purify is aided,” they are given help from the Creator. For this reason, the writing tells them “The Lord will favor you,” meaning the Creator shines His face to them, namely helps them.

And what is the help? This is as it is written in The Zohar, “He who comes to purify is aided.” He asks, “With what?” The reply is “with a holy soul,” which is called “the face of the Creator,” as it is written, “For by the light of Your face you have given us the law [Torah] of life and the love of mercy [Hesed].” In other words, through the light of the face, they receive the love of Hesed, which is bestowal. That is, the Creator gives them the strength to love Hesed, meaning to love being a giver.

This is called “The Lord will turn His face to you [favor you] and will give you peace.” Peace means as it is written (Psalms 85), “I will hear what the Lord God shall speak, for He shall speak peace unto His people, and let them not turn back to folly.” It follows that “peace” means that the Creator says “peace,” that he will not sin again, and he is rewarded with being at peace with the Creator. This is the meaning of “When they do the Creator’s will,” they receive the assistance of the Creator, as it says, “The Lord will favor you.”

But “when they do not do the Creator’s will,” when they are not walking on the path toward achieving the desire of the Creator, which is the desire to bestow, it is said about them, “who does not favor.” That is, He cannot help them by satisfying their wish, since their wish is the opposite of Kedusha[holiness], so how can He give them something that contradicts the Creator’s will, since all that one should do in the work is correct his actions so they are in order to bestow? If the Creator favors them, meaning that they receive help so they work for the will to receive for themselves, it is as though the Creator is failing them. Hence, the Creator helps them by not favoring them, so they do not remain in self-love. It was said about this, “He who comes to defile, it is opened for him,” but he is not helped, unlike when he comes to purify, who is assisted.

Now we can understand the meaning of repentance. What should one reply, since Teshuva[repentance/answer/returning] means that he received something and must (return) what he received? The thing is that since man is born with a nature that is the will to receive for his own benefit, when he wants to work only for man’s sake, meaning that he wants the Creator to fill his vessels of reception, a person should repent on this, meaning do everything for the sake of the Creator. In other words, what he receives, he does not want to receive for his own sake, but rather all that he receives is in order to bring contentment to the Creator. Since the Creator wants man to receive, as it is written, “His desire is to do good to His creations,” it follows that all that he receives is only in order to return. Otherwise, he does not want to receive. This is Teshuva [to return], meaning he returns everything that he receives.

This is as it is written in The Zohar (Nasso, Item 28), “Anyone who repents, it is as though he returned the letter Hey, which is Malchut, to the letter Vav, which is ZA, who is the son of Yod-Hey, completing the HaVaYaH. This is certainly repentance, for it is the letters of ‘The Hey shall return to the Vav.’”

And in The Zohar (Nasso, Item 31), it says, “This repentance, which is Malchut and the Hey of HaVaYaH, is called ‘life,’ as it is written, ‘for from it is the offshoot of life,’ which are the soul of Israel, the offshoot of Malchut, who is called ‘life.’ She is a Hevel [mouth/breath] that goes out and into a person’s mouth without toil and without labor, which is the Hey of BeHibaram [when they were created], for the letter Hey is expressed by the mouth more easily than all the letters, and it was said about it, ‘And the image of the Lord does he behold,’ since Malchut is called ‘the image of the Lord.’ Also, ‘Only in the shadow shall one walk,’ and because it is on the man’s head, he must not walk four cubits bareheaded, since if it departs from over man’s head, life immediately departs from him.”

We should interpret the words of The Zohar when it says that repentance means the return of the Hey to the Vav. The thing is that all of our work is to take upon ourselves the burden of the kingdom of heaven although it is concealed and hidden. That is, although the thought of creation is to do good to His creations, there was a Tzimtzum and concealment on the kingdom of heaven so there would be room for choice, meaning that man would be able to say that he does not accept the burden of the kingdom of heaven out of self-love, but in order to bring contentment to his Maker. If the King were revealed, man would accept the revelation of the King because of self-love, since we must believe that there is no greater pleasure in the world than to see the King’s face. It follows that at the time of the acceptance of the kingdom of heaven, man was compelled to be separated due to disparity of form, as it is known that disparity causes separation in spirituality.

It follows that this concealment causes that it is difficult for us to assume the burden of the kingdom of heaven and believe that His guidance is in a manner of good and doing good. Only when one walks on the path toward achieving equivalence of form, meaning that all his actions will be for the sake of the Creator, to the extent that his aim is to bestow, to that extent the concealment and Tzimtzum [restriction] are removed from him. At that time, a person can obtain the delight and pleasure, since then he receives in the manner of Ohr Hozer [Reflected Light], meaning that he enjoys only because he wants to bring contentment to his Maker. Hence, the reception of pleasure does not inflict separation. In that state, a person receives the abundance, according to the rule, “More than the calf wants to eat, the cow wants to feed.” Then, a person has no more work to obtain anything because the upper one can already give because he already has the Kelim [vessels] of equivalence of form. It follows that the heart of man’s work is to obtain vessels of bestowal.

According to the above, we should interpret what is repentance, when he says, “the Hey, which is Malchut, shall return,” as she is separated from the name HaVaYaH. That is, Malchut, which is the totality of the souls and should provide for all the souls. If the created beings work (as) they must, meaning doing everything in order to bestow, each of them causes a desire to bestow at the root of his soul. At that time, Malchut receives equivalence of form with the Creator, who is the Giver.

It follows that the abundance pours down to the creatures without any toil and labor, as in the words of The Zohar, since the giving of the abundance belongs to the Creator. He will give, and man will have no work to obtain it. Rather, all of man’s work is on the Kelim, so they will have equivalence of form. This is called “the work of the earth,” meaning that the work is for their kingdom of heaven to work in order to bestow.

This is as it is written (Berachot 33), “Everything is in the hands of heaven but the fear of heaven.” We should interpret that “everything” means the filling that the Creator gives. There are many kinds in the abundance, but in general, they are called NRNHY, or Hochma, or Hassadim. The Creator gives all those without any labor on the part of man, other than fear of heaven, where fear means that one must work to have fear that he might not be able to work in order to bestow. This pertains to man’s work.

In other words, a person is afraid he might not be able to aim in order to bestow. We attribute the matter of not receiving to man, and the matter of giving, we attribute to the Creator. It follows that fear of heaven means he is afraid to receive, since he might thereby come to separation from the Creator. This work, (we) attribute to man. That is, all of man’s work is to obtain vessels of bestowal, but it is not upon man to seek advice how to obtain abundance, since we need not worry about this. Rather, all our worries should be how to obtain the desire to bestow, since Malchut, who is called “life,” from her are the offshoot of life.

This is after one has obtained the vessels of bestowal, by returning the Malchut, called “the receiving Kli,” to now be as a “giving Kli,” meaning that the created beings have corrected at the root of their souls, which is Malchut, that she will work in order to bestow and not to receive. At that time, Malchut bestows upon them life, as it is written, “for from it is the offshoot of life.” This, one receives without toil and without labor, which is the meaning of the Hey of BeHibraam [when they were created]. In other words, once a person has corrected the Malchut, which is the final Hey, into equivalence of form with the Yod-Hey-Vav, the abundance extends to the man who has corrected her without toil or labor.

This is the meaning of saying “It was said about her, ‘and the image of the Lord does he behold,’” since Malchut is called “the image of the Lord.” We should interpret that he wants to tell us that all the work is only on “fear,” meaning not to receive the abundance, lest he will not be able to aim in order to bestow. This is as it is written about Moses (Berachot 7), “‘And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look.’ They said, in return for ‘Moses hid his face,’ he was rewarded with ‘the image of the Lord does he behold.’”

In other words, the labor is on the fear, as it is written, “for he was afraid to look,” after which came the reward without toil or labor, when he was rewarded with seeing the image of the Lord, which is Malchut, as it says, “for Malchut is called ‘the image of the Lord.’” It follows that all of life came from Malchut, as he says, “Vav-Hey of HaVaYaH is called ‘life,’” which comes without toil or labor.

This is the meaning of “Only in the shadow shall one walk.” Baal HaSulam said that “shadow” means “shade,” and shadow is where the sun does not shine, which is concealment. In other words, once a person accepts the kingdom of heaven as concealment above reason, he is rewarded with knowledge of Kedusha [holiness]. This is the meaning of what is written, “Only in the shadow shall one walk,” precisely when one takes upon himself the kingdom of heaven as a “shadow” by which one can ascend the rungs of holiness. This is the meaning of “shall one walk.”

Also, we should interpret what is written, “One must not walk four cubits bareheaded.” “Head” means knowledge and intellect. Covering the head means that he covers the intellect and does not look at it, but goes above reason. “Four cubits” are the man; this is his height. It means that one is forbidden to walk without faith above reason. If he does walk within reason, meaning “bareheaded,” “Life immediately departs from him.” Rather, specifically by covering the head, he will be rewarded with the knowledge of Kedusha.

However, this work of faith above reason should be with a sound mind, for only then can one understand what is above reason. Otherwise, a person is mistaken with the meaning of above reason. This is as our sages said (Avot, Chapter 4:23), “Do not appease your neighbor while he is angry.” Hence, when one is angry, when he is dissatisfied with the situation he is in and begins to introspect, he falls into mistakes and cannot calculate truthfully, as our sages said (Sifrei Matot), “Once he comes by anger, he comes by every mistake.”

Man’s main anger at himself is expressed in work in sadness at the state he is in. Hence, all the calculations he does are wrong, since he himself is in a state where there is no peace of mind in him. In that state, he should not make any calculations but take upon himself the kingdom of heaven without any calculations. Only once he has taken upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven by force, and when his anger has subsided, can he calculate, to know what is above reason and what is below reason, and what is within reason.

We should know that when a person is angry at something, he feels that he is in an uncomfortable situation. At such a time, it is impossible to believe in private Providence, that the Creator leads the world in a manner of good and doing good. Hence, in that state he slanders the guidance of the Creator, and naturally becomes separated from faith, since there is a correction from above, which our sages called “One does not sin unless a spirit of folly has entered him.” This means that the spirit of Kedusha that he had has departed from him. This is done in man’s favor, since when he does not have the spirit of Kedusha, he cannot blemish what he does not have.

Hence, when one falls into a state of sadness, meaning he has nothing from which to derive joy, he becomes separated from the Kedusha. At that time, there is only one advice, to take upon himself, by force, the burden of the kingdom of heaven, and pray to the Creator to help him so that this coercion that he has taken upon himself, the Creator will help him make it with joy, as it is written, “Serve the Lord with gladness.” Since now this work is compulsory for him, from where will he take joy?

For this reason, one must pray to the Creator to help him be able to observe what is written, “Serve the Lord with gladness.” Also, at that time, one should overcome in the manner of “an awakening from below,” and believe that it is a great privilege that he was able to overcome his situation and be able to do something against the intellect, which is called “above reason.”

Also, he should believe, once he has overcome above reason, this is regarded that he is a servant of the Creator. That is, this overcoming that he is now doing is called “work of the Creator,” since now he is working with faith above reason. In other words, only now is he considered “working,” since the body does not agree to this work.

It therefore follows that when one comes to a state where the body does not want to do the holy work, and a person is in a state where he has no spirit of life, this is the time when a person is regarded as having no faith in the Creator, since faith in the Creator brings joy. Hence, when he is irritated and angry with himself to the point that he cannot stand anything around him, he is considered to be an “idol-worshipper.”

This is as our sages said, “Anyone who is angry, it is as though he is committing idol-worship.” This is so because he has no faith. Hence, a person should try to be thankful to the Creator for every contact that he has with spirituality, and then he unifies the connection with the Creator. In other words, even if he is in a state where the body rejects anything of Kedusha, he can maintain contact with the Creator even over this, meaning that a person must say at that time, “the fact that I feel that I have no desire for work, this, too, is called ‘contact.’”

That is, a person sees that he does not always think about work, whether or not he wants to work. Rather, he should think and worry about other matters, which have no connection to spirituality. Hence, now that he has contact, he is thankful for it, and by this he can reenter the work and begin to live a life of Kedusha.

Although there are many discernments in the connection that one connects oneself to the Creator, any contact is a great thing. It is written about it (Psalms 48:11), “As Your name, God, so is Your glory.” This means that as much as one can appreciate the greatness and importance of the Creator, to that extent he can thank and praise the Creator. Clearly, the more one can depict to oneself the greatness and importance of the Creator, he will be able to give greater praises to the Creator. However, by overcoming and praising the Creator over something, regardless what it is for which he thanks the Creator, this act already gives connection to the Creator, and by this he can come to do the holy work in truth. Hence, in every situation, only prayer helps.

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Does It Mean that Charity to the Poor Makes the Holy Name, in the Work?

Article No. 31, Tav-Shin-Nun-Aleph, 1989-91

It says (BeHukotai, Item 20), “‘I will give your rains in their season.’ Each one will give his strength over you. Who are they? It is that correction that you made, unifying that Holy Name. That unification of law and ordinance will bestow upon you. It is written, ‘Keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice.’ Since it is written, ‘Keep the way of the Lord,’ why does it need to write, ‘To do righteousness and justice’? He replies, ‘Since one who keeps the ways of Torah, it is as though he does righteousness and justice. And what are righteousness and justice? It is the Creator.’ Rabbi Shimon wept and said, ‘Woe unto people who do not know and do not consider the glory of their Master, for who makes the Holy Name every day? One who gives alms to the poor. One who makes this awakening from below, meaning gives alms, it is as though he made the Holy Name in completeness: As one does below, so it awakens above.’”

We should understand the connection between alms and the unification of righteousness and justice. Also, what is the connection between righteousness and justice and making the Holy Name? We should also understand what it means that a person makes the Holy Name, since we understand that the Holy Name makes man and not that man makes the Holy Name.

We should interpret this in the work, what this comes to teach us. It is known that the essence of our work in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds] is to be able to receive the delight and pleasure that He contemplated giving to the created beings. The whole delay is in that we haven’t the Kelim [vessels] to receive the abundance that comes from the Giver to the creatures, meaning for the creatures to have equivalence of form, called “As He is merciful, so you are merciful,” meaning for the creatures to also have vessels of bestowal like the Giver.

Therefore, when a person takes upon himself the kingdom of heaven, the body asks, “What will you get out of this work of accepting the kingdom of heaven?” Our sages said about this (Pesachim 50), “One should always engage in Torah and Mitzvot even if Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], since from Lo Lishma he comes to Lishma [for Her sake].” This is as it is written in The Zohar, that there is the matter of fear when he observes Torah and Mitzvot in order to be rewarded in this world and in the next world. But the fear that is important is “because He is great and ruling,” meaning not in order to be rewarded, but because he says that he has the privilege of serving a great King, and this is why he wants to observe the Torah and Mitzvot.

Although a person understands that there is the matter of serving the King, man’s body is created with a nature of a desire to receive delight only from things that benefit itself. The body cannot understand serving someone else, so that the other will enjoy, meaning that he will enjoy someone else enjoying his work. That is, it is unnatural for an employee, who works for the owner, and the owner really benefits from the work of the employee, that the employee will tell the owner, “I don’t want you to pay me; it is enough for me that you enjoy the things I fixed for you because you regretted the broken tools you had. But now that I fixed them, you are enjoying this and I don’t want any payment for my work.” This is against nature. On the contrary, if you are enjoying my work, you should pay me more than I requested for my work.

Accordingly, we can understand how it is possible fora person to have the strength to work for the sake of the Creator without any reward. The first state is when a person wants to observe Torah and Mitzvot so it will bring him the cure, which is “the light in the Torah reforms him.” That is, through them, he will obtain the second nature called “desire to bestow.” Then, he will be able to serve the King without any reward, and his only reward will be that he is delighting the King. The Zohar calls this time, when he observes Torah and Mitzvot in order to obtain the desire to bestow, “613 Eitin[Aramaic: counsels].”

The second state is after he has acquired the desire to bestow. This is the state of receiving the delight and pleasure that are in the 613 Mitzvot, which The Zohar calls “613 Pekudin [Aramaic: deposits].” This means as it is written in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar], that the delight and pleasure are there as a deposit.

For this reason, man’s work when he takes upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven is to make it as a “charity for the poor.” It is known that The Zohar calls Malchut “poor and meager.” We should interpret this as not wanting to receive any return. This is similar to giving charity to a poor person and not asking him for anything in return. That is, we do not even want the poor person’s gratitude, since real charity is called “concealed giving,” which means that he does not see to whom he gives. Therefore, giving the charity was devoid of any gratitude from the poor.

It follows that when a person accepts the burden of the kingdom of heaven above reason, he does not hope for the Creator to thank him for it. Thus, the body asks, “Why are you taking upon yourself the burden of Torah and Mitzvot?” In that state, when he wants to take upon himself to observe Torah and Mitzvot without any reward, a person needs the Creator to give him the strength to overcome the body’s question, and have the strength to do the holy work gladly.

It follows that precisely when one works in order to come to work that is purely holy, without any mixture of waste in there, he becomes needy of the Creator’s help. Each time he wants to reassume the burden of the kingdom of heaven, he must work anew. A person must believe the words of the ARI, who says, “Each and every day, new discernments that have fallen into the Klipot [shells/peels] are corrected, and one day is not like the next, or one moment like its following.”

Therefore, assuming the burden of the kingdom of heaven anew corrects new discernments into Kedusha [holiness]. For this reason, when a person wants to take upon himself the kingdom of heaven anew, the body asks, “What will you get out of working for the sake of the Creator?” And there is no other way but to ask the Creator to give him the power of faith above the reason of the body. In the words of our sages, this is called “Had the Creator not helped him, he would not overcome it.”

According to the above, we should interpret what we asked about the relation that The Zoharexplains about the verse, “Keep the way of the Lord,” why it had to be written, “to do righteousness and justice.” He replies that “one who keeps the ways of Torah, it is as though he does righteousness and justice.” As said above, since man does not have the strength to assume the kingdom of heaven above the reason of the body, but only by the Segula [merit/quality/power] of Torah and Mitzvot, which is the way of the Creator, the ways of Torah, by which a person is rewarded with giving alms to the poor, since “the light in the Torah reforms him,” then he will be rewarded with doing “righteousness and justice.”

This is the meaning of what he says, that by keeping the way of the Lord, they will achieve the degree of doing “righteousness and justice.” Yet, what are “righteousness and justice”? That is, what is this unification that The Zohar says is called “making the Holy Name?” In other words, what does it mean that by giving alms, he makes the Holy Name?

As said above, “righteousness and justice” mean that the Creator is called “justice” and Malchut is called “righteousness,” which is the quality of judgment, on which there was a judgment, since Malchut is called a Kli [sing. of Kelim] that receives the abundance from the Creator. There were Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment on the vessels of reception in order to receive, meaning a judgment that it is forbidden to use the vessels of reception as they are due to disparity of form between the receiver, who is called Malchut, and the Giver, who is called “the Creator.” It follows that there is separation above where the abundance cannot spread to the creatures because of the disparity of form.

For this reason, there was a correction for the lower ones to give “alms to the poor.” In terms of the work, when they take upon themselves the burden of the kingdom of heaven without anything in return, but rather as one gives charity to the poor and does not want to receive anything in return for this, each one causes at the root of his soul, above in Malchut, that it will also work only in order to bestow. It follows that they cause the unification of the Creator and His Shechina [Divinity]. This means that by a person doing everything in order to bestow, alms, called “justice,” extend from the Creator to Malchut. In other words, through the abundance that Malchut, called “righteousness,” receives, she is now called “charity,” due to what she receives from the Creator.

In other words, by the lower ones giving alms to Malchut, the Creator, too, gives alms to Malchut. At that time, Malchut receives the name “charity.” This is the meaning of the words “One who gives alms to the poor, it is as though he made the Holy Name complete, as it should be,” meaning connects her with the Creator, who gives her everything, as though he made the Holy Name in completeness, “As one does below, so it awakens above.”

This means that the kingdom of heaven is called “poor” because she has nothing to give to the creatures. If the creatures come to her with vessels of reception, then she is poor and meager, since the creatures cause in Malchut the reception that exists in the quality of Malchut, and this causes separation between Malchut and the Creator, who is the Giver. Hence, the name is not complete because in terms of the name, the Creator is called The Good Who Does Good. Since they cause the reception that there is in Malchut, at the root of their souls, and there was a Tzimtzum of the abundance on the quality of reception, by this they prevent the abundance from spreading to the lower ones.

But if the creatures give alms, meaning do their actions in order to bestow, they cause a desire to bestow at the root of their soul, and then they cause equivalence of form above, and the abundance flows to the created beings. Then, the name The Good Who Does Good is revealed to the lower ones and this is considered that they make “the Holy Name in completeness.” In other words, everything comes by directing their actions to be in order to bestow.

It follows that there are two states to man: 1) At the beginning of the work, we must begin in Lo Lishma. That is, everything he does is in order to receive reward in this world and in the next world. At that time, the Creator is called for him “King of the Nations,” as it is written, “Who will not fear You, King of the Nations.”

In the work, we should interpret that when one works for one’s own benefit, he is regarded as “gentiles.” He has still not achieved the quality of “Israel,” where his actions are Yashar-El [straight to the Creator]. It follows that the person is serving a king who is called “King of the Nations.” Thus, what sort of greatness of the King can there be in a person who is in a state of “gentile,” although he has fear, as it is written, “Who will not fear You, King of the Nations”?

We should know that this is very important. That is, a person must know that any contact he has with the Creator is very important. Therefore, when a person works for a reward, we must not slight these works, although there is certainly a greater degree than the degree of “King of the Nations.” This means that when a person is rewarded with the quality of “Israel,” certainly in his current attainment, when he is at the degree of “Israel,” he has a better understanding of the greatness of the Creator, to the point that he is delighted that he is serving a great King and he has no need to receive anything in return for his work.

Concerning work for the sake of the Creator, we should interpret what our sages said (Midrash Tanchuma, p 235b), “‘If your brother becomes poor and stretches out his hand,’ the writing says, ‘Do not rob a poor, for he is poor.’ What is ‘Do not rob a poor’? Is there a person who robs the poor? What does one rob of someone who has nothing? However, if you were accustomed, if you were used to sustain him and you retracted and said, ‘How long will I provide for this one?’ and you refrain from giving him, if you did so, know that you are robbing him. This is ‘Do not rob the poor, for he is poor.’”

According to the above, we should interpret that charity to the poor refers to Malchut, who is called “poor and meager” because she has nothing to give back to man. If a person works for the sake of the Creator and wants nothing in return, but works only for the sake of the Creator, but sometimes, in the middle of the work, thoughts come to him that he is always working for the sake of the Creator and wants nothing in return, he will certainly be rewarded for this with a higher degree, meaning feel more flavor in Torah and work, since he has already done his part, meaning he says that he is assuming the kingdom of heaven without any reward, meaning he is not even receiving a flavor in Torah and Mitzvot in return for his work, so if his intention is already for the sake of the Creator, called “Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator,” he should have felt vitality in his work. Yet, he does not see any progress in the work; therefore, he wishes to stop this work of bestowal and work like the rest of the people—in order to receive reward.

The text says about this: “Do not rob a poor, for he is poor.” The Midrash asks, “Is there a person who robs the poor? What does one rob of someone who has nothing? However, if you were accustomed to sustain him and you retracted and said, ‘How long will I provide for this one?’ and you refrain from giving him, know that you are robbing him.”

It follows that the text warns us that one should not say, “I have already worked a lot on achieving the aim to bestow, and I did not obtain the delight and pleasure one should obtain when working with the intention to bestow, called “alms to the poor.” Also, I was promised that I will nonetheless obtain the light, called “power,” to be able to do everything in order to bestow, which is the light that is revealed when a person observes Torah and Mitzvot in the manner of “613 counsels,” in order to obtain vessels of bestowal, called “the light for the completion of the Kelim,” so they can work with the Kelim in order to bestow.” He did not obtain that force, either, although the whole time he engaged in Torah and Mitzvot it was with this intention. “Therefore,” says the person, “I have given You many exertions but I have acquired nothing, so I want to stop this work.”

This is the meaning of saying, “How long will I provide for this one?” In other words, I have given You much, but I have received no spiritual progress in return. “Therefore,” says the person, “How long will I have to work in a manner of ‘alms to the poor’?” At that point, a person wants to escape the campaign and return to working like the general public, when he was working in the manner of “Who will not fear You, King of the Nations?” As said above, when a person works in observing Torah and Mitzvot for the purpose of self-love, there is no place for working for the sake of the Creator. This is regarded as the king whose Torah and Mitzvot a person observes is called “King of the Nations” and not “King of Israel,” since then a person is not regarded as “Israel” but as a “gentile.”

The text warns about this, “Do not escape the campaign; do not rob the poor, for he is poor.” We should interpret “Do not rob the poor.” It means that you should not stop the alms that you are giving him, meaning the acceptance of the kingdom of heaven without any reward, for although you claim that you have already given him many alms, know that this is incorrect. The meaning of “for he is poor” is that as long as you think that Malchut, who is poor, should give you anything, you are not saying she is poor. That is, if a person demands of Malchut to reward him, he blemishes the name of Malchut, who is called “poor and meager,” since you are demanding something of her.

Rather, a person should pray to the Creator to give him the strength to be content and happy from being able to work for Malchut even when she hides herself and does not show him any nearing, and his taste in the work is as if he has now begun anew, meaning that he cannot say that he feels any flavor of which he can say that for this flavor he is working and laboring in assuming the kingdom of heaven.

That is, he has no support or basis that he can say, “This is why I engage in Torah and Mitzvot.” This is called “hanging the earth on nothing,” and it is called “completely above reason.” Although it is completely against the body’s nature, he prays to the Creator for this, to give him this power. This is the meaning of what is written, “Do not rob the poor, for he is poor.” One should always want to stay, take upon himself the kingdom of heaven, and his basis is “for he is poor.”

This is as Baal HaSulam said about what is written (in the poem, “A Woman of Valor”), “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain; a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” He said that when one assumes the burden of the kingdom of heaven, sometimes the kingdom of heaven is graceful, and sometimes he feels that there is beauty in the kingdom of heaven. The writing says about this: “It is all a lie.” That is, this whole basis on which he builds his kingdom of heaven is a lie.

However, a “woman,” who is the kingdom of heaven, that a person takes upon himself, should be because of the fear of the Creator, meaning that his fear will be as it is written in The Zohar, “The essence of fear should be because he is great and ruling” (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Item 191), as it is said, “Fear, which is the most important, is when one fears one’s Master because He is great and ruling, the essence and the root of all the worlds, and everything is considered nothing compared to Him, and he will place his will in that place.”

It therefore follows that prayer is the most important. A person should pray to the Creator to give him the required force for anything that concerns the work, both in Torah and in prayer. Hence, one should ask of the Creator to give him the need, meaning a desire for the work. Sometimes, a person comes to a state where he has no desire for anything, meaning that he does not see anything good before him that he should want, that will bring him vitality, that will give him a need to exert in order to obtain something. Rather, the person stays without any desire of which he can say that it is worth laboring in order to obtain it. He does not see this.

At that time, he must ask the Creator to give him some desire for something, meaning that this thing will give him desire to work. According to a person’s understanding, the request will be that the Creator will let him see something that will bring him delight and pleasure. This is as our sages said, “The eye sees and the heart covets.” That is, if the Creator lets him see something for which it is worthwhile to work, the coveting in the heart will make him seek ways by which to obtain the matter. It follows that the prayer that a person prays now is only for the purpose of desire, called a Kli[vessel].

This means that the first prayer that a person should pray is for a desire and lack that the Creator will give him to ask for a deficiency, so that if he obtains the satisfaction of the deficiency, that satisfaction will fill man in completeness. That is, the Creator will notify him what is the wholeness he should achieve, so as to know what it is he truly needs. And in order to know what he truly needs, this is done through the Torah, where by the Segula of the Torah, the light in it reforms him, meaning that the Torah lets him know what he is missing.

However, a person should demand this of the Torah, meaning for the Torah to guide him toward attaining the truth. Also, a person should find the connection between him and the Torah, for his desire to know his connection with the Torah is already regarded as a prayer. This means that by this he already connects himself to the Creator when he learns Torah, since he is asking the Creator—when he engages in Torah—to understand the connection between the Torah and the person who is learning the Torah. And once he has prayed for the Creator to give him the deficiency, he must ask the Creator to give him the satisfaction of the deficiency, meaning to be rewarded with achieving the degree of man’s completeness.

Inapoi la pagina 1991 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link