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What Does, “Everything that Comes to Be a Burnt Offering Is Male,” Mean in the Work?

Article No. 24, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

It is written in The Zohar (VaYikra, Item 70), “‘If his offering is a burnt offering.’ Rabbi Hiya started, ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts.’ The thought of the Creator is superior and the beginning of everything. From that thought, ways and paths extend to devise the holy name. And from that thought emanate the written Torah and the oral Torah, which is Malchut. Man’s thought is the beginning of everything. Ways and paths extend from that thought to divert one’s ways in this world and in the next world, and from that thought emerges the filth of the evil inclination to harm oneself and all others. Also, transgressions, sins, and evil doing come from that thought, as well as idolatry, incest, and bloodshed. It is written about that, ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts.’”

In Item 73, it says, “Everything that comes to be a burnt offering is male and not female, since the burnt offering rises [“rises” is spelled the same as “offering” in Hebrew] over the heart, meaning on the thought, which is above the heart, since the thought, which is Hochma [wisdom], is regarded as male and the heart as female, meaning Bina [understanding], as in ‘the heart understands.’”

We should understand what is “the thought of the Creator” in the work, and what is “the thought of man” in the work, of which the writing says, according to what is written in The Zohar, “for My thoughts are not your thoughts.” We should also understand what it implies to us when he says, “a burnt offering is male,” since it atones for the thought, which is male. What does this imply to us in the work, so we will know how to behave?

It is known that although the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, for the creatures to receive delight and pleasure, in order to bring to light the perfection of His deeds, a correction was done, called “Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment,” on the delight and pleasure. Since all creations were created with a desire to receive delight and pleasure, it follows that man cannot do anything unless he knows he can receive delight and pleasure from that thing. Otherwise, he cannot make a single move, since it will contradict the root of the creatures.

Sometimes, when a person does act, although he derives no pleasure from these actions, it is because he knows that by this he will receive delight and pleasure later, which he will be given in return for his work, meaning for the actions he took and in which he took no pleasure. Only because of the pleasure he will receive after the work, it gives him strength to do the work from which he does not enjoy at the moment, but will in the future.

Yet, if the reward is not certain, he has no power to work when he does not enjoy it. For example, a mother feeds her children. Although it is work to buy the groceries and prepare them for eating, and she also feeds them, we should discern two actions here: 1) actions she would give up, 2) actions she does not intend to give up.

Buying groceries and preparing them for eating, she would give up. We see that among the rich, there are people who buy the groceries and there is a cook. This shows that the mother can do without them. But the mother looking at the children eating, although while looking at the children eat, the mother does not eat, in that state she gives up on herself but she enjoys seeing the children eat. It will never occur to the mother to think, “What do I get out of watching the little children eat?”

She does not want “the next world” for this, or “this world,” since she derives pleasure from this act, so she needs no reward. Hence, if the taste in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds] were revealed, as our sages said, that the 613 Mitzvot are called “613 Pekudin [Aramaic: deposits],” as is explained in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar], in each Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot] there is a special light that shines in it, if this were revealed and they would not have to believe it, the whole world would engage only in Torah and Mitzvot.

However, since a concealment was placed on the delight and pleasure, and it is not revealed before a person is rewarded with vessels of bestowal, there are disturbances from the body, which cry out, “Why do you want to go against the nature with which the Creator created man, to receive delight and pleasure? You want to give this up?” Although a person promises the body that it will be rewarded, in that it observes the commandments of the Torah, meaning it will be rewarded, the body seemingly asks, “In what Kelim [vessels] will I receive reward, in vessels of reception or in vessels of bestowal?”

At that time, if the person says to it, “You will receive the reward in vessels of reception,” the body asks, “Why did the Creator give us so many commandments? After all, He is a merciful Father and is good and does good, so why does He not give us all the reward He wants to give for observing all 613 Mitzvot in return for observing half of the 613 Mitzvot? Why does He mind if He gives the full reward for observing a small part of the Torah and Mitzvot? Also, why do we need to work so hard to observe the full 613 Mitzvot?”

This is similar to the allegory about the mother who feeds her children with food and drink, but she must buy the groceries and cook them and so forth, which she would forego. What she does not forego is that she sees and looks at how her children eat. The little children, she herself feeds and enjoys it. She does not want to relinquish this work, since she enjoys the work itself and does not need any reward for this work.

We therefore have two things:

1) It is not so far from the intellect. That is, one who wants to receive reward in vessels of reception but asks why the Creator wants us to observe so many Mitzvot, meaning that He should have given all the reward He wants to give for observing half of the 613 Mitzvot, since there is no pleasure in the work he is doing, but rather in the reward he will receive afterward, this is regarded as “receiving reward in the next world.” That is, during the work, he feels no pleasure, and the only reason he wants to work is for the reward that will come later.

2) We can discern in the reward that he wants to receive the reward in vessels of bestowal, meaning to have love of the Creator and to feel that he is serving the King. It follows that he hopes to receive a reward, and he will receive this reward later, in Kelim [vessels] that are in this world, meaning in the present. Then, when he is rewarded with 613 Pekudin, when he receives each Mitzva in the manner of “this world,” he does not say, “Why were we given so many Mitzvot?”

Likewise, in the corporeal world there is no one who is angry at the Creator for preparing for us so many corporeal pleasures. In the same way, when he is rewarded with 613 Pekudin, at that time he feels in each Mitzva a different taste and does not intend to relinquish it.

But there is a big flaw here while working in the form of 613 Eitin [Aramaic: counsels], meaning when the Torah and Mitzvot are only “tips” that concern how to receive the vessels of bestowal, since the body’s resistance is intense because it is completely against his will to receive with which man was born.

It follows that they (work and reward) are two separate discernments. When the reward is in vessels of reception, he has fuel because he can receive reward. However, he always has exertion since the reward he receives is in “the next world,” meaning not now but some other time, when he comes, he will receive reward. In other words, he looks at the reward he will receive later.

It follows that he would be happier if he received a greater reward for less work, since he is looking at the reward. It turns out that he always has exertion because to him, the reward is the reason that compels him to engage in Torah and Mitzvot. This is similar to the corporeal world: When we are paid for the work, the work is only a means. If he could receive the reward for less work, certainly, each one would choose a place that gives more reward for less work.

Conversely, when a person is rewarded with vessels of bestowal, the concealment and Tzimtzum that were placed on the Torah and Mitzvot are lifted from him and he is rewarded with 613 Pekudin. That is, in each Mitzva that he performs, he obtains the taste in the Mitzva. It follows that the reward is in this world, meaning in the present state that a person is in. Certainly, it cannot be said that a person should relinquish the work, since the work itself is the place to receive the reward. It follows that in “vessels of bestowal,” the 613 Mitzvot are considered “rest,” and not “work and labor.”

According to the above, we should interpret what The Zohar says about the verse, “for My thoughts are not your thoughts.” We asked, What does this imply to us in the work when it says that ways and paths extend from the thought of the Creator “to devise the holy name,” whereas from the thought of man extend “the filth of the evil inclination to harm oneself and all others. Also, transgressions, sins, and evil doing come from that thought, as well as idolatry, incest, and bloodshed.”

The text says about this, “for My thoughts are not your thoughts.” The “thought of the Creator” refers to the thought of creation, which is to do good to His creations. That is, He wants only to bestow abundance upon the creatures. For this reason, the Torah and Mitzvot that He has given us to do, we must say that His intention is not that we will give Him this work and He will accept it. After all, His desire is only to bestow. This is why he says that from the thought of the Creator “ways and paths extend to devise the holy name.”

We should understand the meaning of “to devise the holy name.” According to what we learn, the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations. It follows that the “holy name” of the Creator is The Good Who Does Good. Because that name is hidden from the creatures as long as they do not have vessels of bestowal, we were given the Torah and Mitzvot as Eitin, meaning counsels by which to obtain the vessels of bestowal, as our sages said, “The light in it reforms him.”

It follows that our work in Torah and Mitzvot is not because He needs us to observe His Mitzva. Rather, the created beings observe His Mitzvot, for by this the created beings correct themselves so they can be rewarded with vessels of bestowal. This is the meaning of what is written, “to devise the holy name,” for by this, each one will feel that the name of the Creator is The Good Who Does Good.

But (from) man’s thoughts extend “the filth of the evil inclination” because man, who is a “created being,” existence from absence, thinks only about how to receive and not bestow. Although this is the root of man, concealment and Tzimtzum were placed on that will to receive, which is why the evil inclination extends from this thought in man. In other words, when a person must perform acts of bestowal in order to have Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, called “equivalence of form,” that desire depicts to a person depictions that he will suffer by giving of his strength to others.

Therefore, when a person wants to observe Torah and Mitzvot with the aim to bestow and not receive anything that concerns his own benefit, this thought depicts to him how he will suffer. With that power of depiction, it prevents a person from achieving Dvekut with the Creator.

This is the meaning of the words “From that thought emerges the filth of the evil inclination,” as Baal HaSulam said about what our sages said, “The serpent came over Eve and cast filth within her.” He said that Zuhama [filth] is Zu-Ma [what is this?], meaning that in every matter of Kedusha[holiness], the serpent, which is the evil inclination, comes and says to a person, “What is this?” meaning “What will you get out of wanting to work and do everything for the sake of the Creator and not for your own sake?” It follows that “for My thoughts are not your thoughts” means that the thought of the Creator is to bestow, while the thought of man is only to receive.

Now we can understand what we asked, What does it imply to us when The Zohar says, “a burnt offering is male,” since it atones for the thought, which is male, since a thought is Hochma and is considered male, and the heart, which is Bina [understanding], is female, as in “the heart understands.”

Our sages said, “The eye sees and the heart covets.” We should understand what the “eye” implies. It is known that eyes are called Hochma [wisdom], meaning thought, and the thought is considered male. It is said about it in The Zohar that when a person must take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven, this faith that a person believes is called “mind.” That thought impacts the heart, and then the heart begins to covet this thing that came as a thought in his mind. In that sense, the eye is called “a thought.” The wisdom, what he sees and likes, is what he gives to the heart; hence, the heart covets the thing that is in the mind.

According to the above, the thought of the Creator is to bestow. We should interpret about this as our sages said (Avot, Chapter 2:1), “Know what is above you; an eye that sees.” We should interpret that man should know what is above him, meaning what is above his thought, that there is the thought of the Creator there, which is called “an eye that sees.” It is as The Zohar says, that “eye” is called “thought,” and thought is called “wisdom,” which is male.

As we learned, the light of Hochma comes from the Giver to the receiver. Hence, man must resemble the “eye” of above and be a giver to the Creator. This is called “equivalence of form,” and it is called “faith in the Creator.” It is called “mind,” meaning a thought that man should be in equivalence of form with the Creator.

This is as it is written in the essay, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”: “Similarly, all your actions will be to bestow and to benefit others. Thus, you will equalize your form with the form of the qualities of the Creator, and this is spiritual Dvekut. There is a discernment of ‘mind’ and a discernment of ‘heart’ in the above-mentioned equivalence of form. The engagement in Torah and Mitzvot in order to bestow contentment upon one’s Maker is equivalence of form in the mind. This is because the Creator does not think of Himself—whether He exists or whether He watches over His creations, and other such doubts. Similarly, one who wishes to achieve equivalence of form must not think of these things, as well, when it is clear that the Creator does not think of them, since there is no greater disparity of form than that. Hence, anyone who thinks of such matters is certainly separated from Him.”

It therefore follows that if a person believes in “Know what is above you; the eye sees,” “know” means Daat [knowledge], and Daat means connection and Dvekut. “What is above you, an eye that sees,” meaning that the eye of the Creator, which is Hochma [wisdom], and “know” refers to Dvekut, when a person adheres to “above you,” which is the “mind,” meaning faith.

According to the rule, “The eye sees and the heart covets,” meaning that the thought, which is “male,” gives to the heart, which is “coveting and desire,” then as the thought, which is “faith,” has equivalence with the Creator, the heart, too, which is the will to receive, does not want to use its own quality, which is reception, but rather to be influenced by the thought and wants to be a giver like the thought. It follows that if a person is complete with equivalence of form in the “mind,” it influences the heart, so the heart, too, will be as in “All your works will be for the sake of the Creator.”

This is as we explained about what our sages said, “Anyone in whom there is fear of heaven, his words are heard.” This means that anyone who assumes the burden of the kingdom of heaven, which is faith, the body hears his words, meaning that the whole body obeys his voice for the above reason that if the thought is faith above reason, equivalence of form, then the thought, which is male, influences the heart, which is female, as it is written, “The heart understands.” This is the meaning of what The Zohar says, “Bina is the heart,” and she is female.

Therefore, if it is a burnt offering, it is male. He says that the reason is that a burnt offering comes to atone for the thought, which is male, Hochma. That is, if a person sinned, meaning blemished his thought, which is faith above reason, he must correct what he has blemished. Since faith is discerned as “the eye sees,” which is “wisdom of above,” meaning that the thought of the Creator is His desire to do good to His creations, meaning to bestow upon the lower ones, and that person blemished this, meaning he does not believe that there is a leader to the world, who watches over the creations as The Good Who Does Good, and man must praise and thank the Creator, if a person does not believe that the Creator is the Giver, called “male,” the person must bring a male offering, which is its corresponding discernment, which he blemished. For this reason, the blemish of the thought is very serious, since this is the whole matter of the purpose of creation. When a person does not believe this, it is regarded that he sinned and blemished the thought, and must make the correction in the same discernment.

According to the above, we should interpret what The Zohar says about the words, “If his offering is a burnt offering,” “for My thoughts are not your thoughts.” He says, “Also, the written Torah and the oral Torah, which is Malchut, were emanated from that thought.” We should interpret that in the work, Malchut means “the kingdom of heaven,” which is faith, while “Oral Torah” is called Torah. In other words, it is impossible to be rewarded with the Torah if one has not been rewarded with faith, as our sages said, “It is forbidden to teach idol-worshippers the Torah.”

But once he has been rewarded with faith, he can be rewarded with the Torah. This is the meaning of the words, “from that thought,” meaning from the thought of creation, which is to do good to His creations, extend faith and Torah. That is, the fact that we were given faith, where everyone asks why He placed a concealment on His guidance and we need faith for this, the answer is that this, too, is in order to do good to His creations, called “in order to bring to light the perfection of His deeds.” It follows that when we are adhered to His thought, we have everything. This is unlike what man’s thought says, but from that thought emerge transgressions, sins, and evil deeds, as it is written, “for My thoughts are not your thoughts.”

Therefore, man must exert to focus all his work on being only in Dvekut with His thought, and believe that He watches over the world as The Good Who Does Good. When he has this faith, he will be rewarded with everything.

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Does It Mean that Moses Was Perplexed about the Birth of the Moon, in the Work?

Article No. 23, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

RASHI brings the words of our sages who said about the words, “This month.” These are his words: “Moses was perplexed about the birth of the moon, at what measure should it be seen so it is worthy of sanctifying. He showed him with a finger the moon in the firmament and said, “Such as this, see and sanctify.”

We should understand what it implies to us in the work, that Moses was perplexed about the birth of the moon, and what it implies to us that the Creator showed Moses with His finger. Also, we should understand what our sages said (Sukkah 29), “Israel count by the moon, and idol-worshippers by the sun.” What does the difference between counting by the moon and counting by the sun imply to us in the work?

It is known that the purpose of creation is His desire to do good to His creations. However, in order to bring to light the perfection of His deeds, there was a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment both on the Torah and Mitzvot, for in the Torah and Mitzvot, the delight and pleasure are clothed, and on the fact that He placed a Tzimtzum and concealment on the Creator Himself, as it is written, “Indeed You are a God who hides.” This means that the Creator is concealed from us and we were given the commandment of faith, to believe in the Creator, that He leads the world with a guidance of good and doing good.

Although when a person begins to look at creation, it is full of flaws, meaning that The Good Who Does Good is not revealed in the world, one must believe above reason that His guidance is in a manner of good and doing good. Although he does not see this, he should say, “They have eyes and see not.”

Therefore, when a person begins to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven, he immediately gets foreign thoughts that remove a person from the work of the Creator. And the more a person overcomes the thoughts, these thoughts of separation poke his mind and heart, and he thinks, “Although now I cannot overcome the foreign thoughts, I am waiting for an opportunity when I have more importance for Torah and Mitzvot, and then I will have the strength to overcome.” And in the meantime, he leaves the campaign.

Concerning faith, Baal HaSulam said that to man, it is of little importance, since man wants to understand and to know everything. Therefore, when a person takes upon himself faith, which is against reason, meaning that the reason does not attain this, the body does not want to take upon itself such work, especially since this is not just any work, but on the basis of above the intellect, he must work “with all his heart and with all his soul,” as our sages said, “even if he takes your soul.”

Therefore, because of the concealment that occurred, there are ascents and descents here. That is, the matter of faith does not always illuminate to a person. But most important, a person must believe in reward and punishment. And concerning reward and punishment, we said many times that faith in reward and punishment apply in every discernment that a person is in, but the difference among people is in the Kelim [vessels].

There are people for whom reward and punishment are dressed in vessels of reception. That is, what the vessels of reception of a person can receive is considered a reward, and they do not speak at all about the reward that cannot clothe in vessels of reception, since reward that does not dress in the will to receive for oneself does not interest them.

Then, there are people for whom reward and punishment are called “reward and punishment” specifically when they dress in vessels of bestowal. That is, if they can be rewarded with bestowing contentment upon the Creator through their work, they regard this as a reward. For this purpose, they say that it is worthwhile to work and to come to this, that He will have good taste and pleasure in being able to perform acts of bestowal upon the Creator.

If they see that they do not have this feeling, they consider this a punishment, meaning that the Creator is pushing them away and does not want to accept them as servants of the King, since the Creator looks at them as indecent people. Hence, He cannot permit them to enter the King’s palace and they are outside the King’s palace. They understand why they deserve punishment, since they are still immersed in self-love.

Therefore, all of their work is for the Creator to help them be able to emerge from self-love. It follows that in general, everyone must work with reward and punishment, and in this there is no difference among people. The difference is which reward and which punishment we speak of.

Therefore, when a person is promised reward and punishment clothed in vessels of self-love, the body does not resist it so much, since to the extent that one believes in reward and punishment, he has fuel that enables him to overcome the foreign thoughts that come to him and do not let him believe in reward and punishment.

But those for whom the reward and punishment is what dresses in vessels of bestowal, the body resists this with all its might. The body says, “If I agree to what you are saying, that you believe in reward and punishment, then what reward do you promise me if I do not resist engaging in Torah and Mitzvot? The reward will be that you will revoke me altogether, so I, meaning the will to receive, will have no right at all. You want to have a reward such as that of King David, of whom our sages said about what David said, ‘My heart is slain within me,’ where ‘slain,’ means that they killed the evil inclination by fasting. Thus, if I believe you, that you will be rewarded with killing me, in return for observing Torah and Mitzvot, this reward that you hope for is actual death to me, so how can I help you kill me?’”

Therefore, one who wants the reward and punishment to be in vessels of bestowal, where if he is rewarded, this will be his reward, the body certainly objects. Hence, in this work begins the matter of ascents and descents, to such a point where a person often decides that this path of being rewarded with vessels of bestowal, that this will be his reward, this work is not for him, and he wants to escape from this campaign.

In this work, the reward and punishment—that he wants to be rewarded with vessels of bestowal—there must be a concealment of the face on Providence, or it will be utterly impossible that one will be able to do anything for the sake of the Creator.

Hence, when a person wants to take upon himself the kingdom of heaven, in a state of the time of concealment, Malchut is regarded as “the moon, which receives its light from the sun.” However, in Malchut herself, no light is revealed on her own self, as it is written in The Zohar, “Malchut has nothing of her own, except that which her husband gives her.”

That is, for the part of the lower one, one who takes upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven does not taste any flavor of importance from himself. “From himself” means that he does not want any flavor, but if the upper one gives, the lower one receives. This is considered that she has nothing of herself except that which her husband gives her. This she has. But for herself, she does not want anything.

Rather, a person agrees unconditionally to be a servant of the Creator, meaning whether he feels the flavor of importance or does not feel any flavor in the work. He says, “If I want to bring contentment to the Creator, why should I mind whether I take pleasure in my work? I must only believe that the Creator enjoys my work. And although I see that the work I am doing is not with all my heart, and I do not have the feeling that I am observing the King’s commandment, since for now, everything is hidden from me, and in my view,” says the person, “there is no value in what I do, and how can I say that the Creator enjoys such an act, and if at least such faith would illuminate for me, that the Creator enjoys this, then I, too, would feel some pleasure.”

The answer is as Baal HaSulam said, that one must believe that when he does something and wants the Creator to enjoy what he is doing, He already feels pleasure above. The form of the act does not matter; it is enough that the person wants, even when a person sees that this act is in utter lowliness, the lowest that can be.

This is considered that he is walking on the straight path, meaning that the person does not say that his work is perfect; he does not lie to himself. Instead, he says that the work he is doing could not be more flawed, and this is true, but he believes in the sages, who tell us to believe in what is written, “The Lord is high and the low will see.” For this reason, he believes that the Creator does enjoy this work.

Now we should interpret what we asked, What is the meaning of Moses being perplexed about the birth of the moon, to what extent should it be seen and be fit for sanctification? We should interpret that the birth of the moon implies that when a person begins to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven, and “begins” means the beginning of man’s birth, at that time, the question is, To what extent is the acceptance of the kingdom of heaven, meaning the faith that one takes upon oneself.

On this measure of faith he performs actions,” and the “birth of the moon” means that the faith in the Creator is still not felt in all his organs. However, he already wants to assume the kingship, but the body disagrees with it, and he works with his body through compulsion. In other words, on one hand, he wants to believe in the Creator and love Him, and on the other hand, the body resists this and he feels his lowliness.

We can say about such a person that he is in a state of “concealment of the face.” But those people who have no connection to faith in the Creator are not in a state of concealment of the face. That is, they do not believe that the Creator is hidden from them, meaning that the Creator has covered Himself so they would not feel Him for the purpose of the correction of creation.

For this reason, we do not speak of them at all. Rather, the beginning of the speaking in the work is from the time when a person begins to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven, and based on this faith he observes Torah and Mitzvot. With respect to him, we begin to speak of the matter of the birth of the moon, to what extent should it be seen and become worthy of sanctification. In other words, at what level of faith can we say that he already has Kedusha[holiness] and can say that the Creator enjoys what he is doing because his actions are of Kedusha. Even though the things he does are compulsory, since the whole body resists what he wants, so how can it be said that the Creator enjoys such actions, when “his heart is not with him”?

For example, if a person gives a gift to his friend, and his friend knows that although he is giving him the gift, it is not with all his heart, since he still does not love him. That person would not receive the gift from him. But in reality, we see that if someone invites his friend to a meal, and the guest knows that this invitation is not from the bottom of the heart, but is compulsory, if the guest knew this, he would decline the offer. So, how can a person say about a state of concealment, when he is doing his work in a compulsory manner, that the Creator accepts his work and enjoys it?

However, we must believe in the sages, who tell us that all our work, however we work, if the person attributes the work to the Creator, even if it is in utter lowliness, the Creator enjoys it. The person should be happy that he can do things while in a state of lowliness.

The person should tell himself that He enjoys this work, which is entirely above reason. Reasonably thinking, this work is not considered “work,” meaning an important act that the Creator enjoys. Yet, he believes in the sages, who told us that the Creator does enjoy, but this is above reason.

By this we should interpret why Moses was perplexed about the birth of the moon: How can it be that about such work during the birth, which is a state of concealment, can we say that it is Kedusha and that the Creator enjoys such actions?

It is written, “Moses was perplexed about the birth of the moon. The Creator showed him with a finger the moon in the firmament and said to him: ‘Such as this, see and sanctify.’”

We asked, What does it imply that He showed him with a finger? This is as Baal HaSulam said about what our sages said (End of Taanit): “Rabbi Elazar said, ‘The Creator is destined to pardon the righteous, and dwell among them, and each one will point with his finger.’” He said that “point with his finger” implies the light of Hochma, called “seeing,” meaning that everyone will be rewarded with the revelation of Hochma [wisdom].

Accordingly, we can interpret here “the Creator showed Moses with a finger and said, ‘Such as this, see and sanctify,’” as it is written, “showed him the moon in the firmament,” meaning that the birth of the moon is seen in the firmament. The “firmament” is the “separating Masach [screen],” as our sages said, “And God made the firmament, and it divided between water and water,” and the lower water cries, “We want to be before the King.”

The moon that is in the firmament at the time of the birth is in concealment of the face. The Creator said, “This measure that you see during the birth, such as this, see and sanctify. Although this is utter lowliness, which is completely above reason, since all his actions are still compulsory, still, if you attribute this work to My name, I enjoy it as though he were pointing with a finger.”

As is said in the words of our sages, “The Creator is destined to pardon the righteous, and each one will point with his finger.” That is, I enjoy this as though they have already been rewarded with Hochma. For this reason, if a person overcomes in this, and believes with faith in the sages, he can ascend, since he says to the Creator, “I want to subjugate myself unconditionally, so You do not need to give me a good taste in the work.”

That is, a person says to the Creator, “If You see that I am enjoying, then I can work in order to bestow, so You will enjoy, too. Otherwise, I cannot work in order to bestow.” It follows that he dictates to the Creator how He should behave with him, meaning according to man’s mind. We should say about this that the Creator said, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts.”

Rather, the person says, “I do not mind how much I understand about appreciating the importance of observing Torah and Mitzvot, that I will receive from this such great inspiration that the whole body will surrender to the Creator and do everything with love and joy. Rather, by this, I see that I can do the holy work only by coercion. It follows that I still do not have the knowledge to understand and appreciate whom I am serving, meaning to feel that I am serving a great King. Thus, how can I say that I am working in Kedusha? After all, I have foreign thoughts against the work of the Creator, to such an extent that I must do everything coercively.” And yet, he believes with faith in the sages.

The answer to this is that the Creator said, “Such as this, see and sanctify.” That is, although he still does not see the measure of importance of the moon, where “moon” implies the kingdom of heaven, and the moon, the Creator showed with a finger in the firmament that it is concealment toward the lower ones, as said in the interpretation to, “And God made the firmament, and divided between the water that is below the firmament.”

In other words, the lower ones cannot look up, since there is a firmament that hides and divides from the lower ones. This was the Creator’s answer to Moses, who was perplexed, to what extent it should be seen and be worthy of sanctification, meaning so he can say, “This is Kedusha, and this Kedushaascends before Me and I accept it as Kedusha.”

He showed him with a finger. That is, “Such as this, see and sanctify.” In other words, as the moon in the firmament is in utter concealment, and the person sanctifies it and says, “Whatever grip I have in spirituality, I accept it with love, even though my work is compulsory, this, too, is important, that I have some faith in the Creator, that I can nonetheless bend myself and do something by coercion in order to please the Creator, and this is the least that I have.” The person should say that it is as important in his eyes as if He is pointing with a finger.

This is the meaning of “Israel count by the moon, and idol-worshippers count by the sun.” We asked, What does this come to teach us in the work? We should interpret that since man is a small world, which comprises the quality of “Israel” and the quality of “the nations of the world,” Israel count by the moon, and idol-worshippers count by the sun.” Something important is called “something that is counted.”

Among the nations of the world in a person, it is when the work of the Creator shines for him like the sun. As the sun is called “day,” as our sages said, “If the matter is as clear to you as light, meaning as light that shines” (Pesachim 2b). In other words, the matter of work shines throughout his body. At that time he can work and engage in Torah and Mitzvot.

But if it does not shine for him throughout his body, he cannot do the holy work. This discernment is called “the nations of the world,” who serve only the sun, meaning specifically when it illuminates for them, and they cannot overcome and work coercively.

But the Israel in a person count by the moon. That is, they sanctify their work during the birth of the moon, when the light she should receive from the sun is still not seen. Rather, “Such as this, see and sanctify.” He does not wait until some illumination from above shines for him, and then he will begin to work. Rather, for whatever grip he has on spirituality, he thanks the Creator. This is called “the quality of Israel,” and specifically by this is one rewarded with ascending on the rungs of holiness, as was said, “In return for ‘And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look,’ he was rewarded with, ‘The image of the Lord does he behold.’” In other words, specifically by taking upon oneself to do the work of holiness unconditionally, a person is rewarded with achieving the purpose of creation, which is His desire to do good to His creations.

Such as this we see presented in The Zohar (Beresheet Bet, Item 14), “Within that palace are all those who suffered torments and illnesses in this world to be corrected in complete repentance, who thanked and praised their Master each day, and never cancelled their prayer. That is, it is the nature of a man who is concerned before Him to see himself as full of deficiencies. This enables him to always pray for complementing his deficiencies. However, he cannot thank and praise the Creator because in his mind, he has nothing for which to thank and praise. On the other hand, if he overcomes and always thanks and praises the Creator each day for the great kindness toward him, he necessarily feels satisfaction in his state, and again he cannot pray and complain to the Creator about his deficiencies.” The Zohar says that “the merit of those righteous is that they are complete on both sides. Therefore, they were rewarded with entering the palace of Hod in the Garden of Eden.”

It therefore follows that a person should walk on both lines, although they contradict one another, for specifically by this are we rewarded with entering the King’s palace.

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is the Order in Blotting Out Amalek?

Article No. 22, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

The Zohar says in the portion BeShalach (Item 471), “Rabbi Yitzhak said, ‘It is written, ‘For I will surely blot out,’ which means that the Creator will blot out. It is also written, ‘Blot out the memory of Amalek,’ meaning that we should blot it out? He replies, ‘However, the Creator said, ‘You will blot out the memory of Amalek below, and I will blot out the memory of Amalek above.’’”

We should understand what is “Amalek below” and what is “Amalek above” in the work. It means that there is the matter of blotting out two Amaleks here—above and below. Also, this implies that first we must blot out Amalek below, and then the Creator will blot out Amalek above? We should understand why we were not given a complete thing, as we learn, “The awakening from below awakens the doing above.” This means that the things we do below cause changes to occur above, as well, meaning the revelation of the abundance and annulment of the Sitra Achra [other side]. Thus, why with the blotting out of Amalek, our actions cannot blot out Amalek above? Why were we given only half the work, and the Creator does the other half? Why this partnership?

Concerning Amalek, we should also understand what his name implies. Generally, Amalek is called the “evil inclination.” However, specifically, the evil inclination has many names. Our sages said (Masechet Sukkah, p 52), “The evil inclination has seven names: Evil, Uncircumcised, Impure, Enemy, Obstacle, North Stone. It also has other names such as Pharaoh King of Egypt and Amalek.”

It is known that in every thing, we discern two discernments: light and Kli [vessel]. Even in corporeal things, we discern internality and externality in everything. The externality is called the Kli, and the internality is called the “light.” For example, when a person yearns for bread, or for meat and fish, etc., a person does not yearn for the Kli, meaning the external part, which he sees. Rather, he yearns for the interior, which is not seen, meaning to the taste of bread, or meat, or fish.

Moreover, we see that enjoying the pleasure dressed in the Kli requires preparation. To the extent of one’s preparation, so one can enjoy the light of pleasure clothed in the Kli, which is regarded as the externality. In other words, a person who comes to drink water when he is thirsty is not like one who drinks water when he is not thirsty, since the Kli for reception of pleasure is measured by the level of yearning for the pleasure.

For this reason, we see that when a person wants to enjoy drinks, he first eats acrid and salty foods in order to invoke in him the desire to drink. It is likewise in everything: Without yearning, it is impossible to enjoy anything. This stems from the beginning of creation, as we learn that the purpose of creation, which is His desire to do good to His creations, created a desire to receive delight and pleasure. Before the fourth phase—which is yearning—is revealed, it is still not regarded as a Kli that is fit to receive the light and pleasure.

Now we will return to the light and Kli in spirituality, meaning that the same order that applies in corporeality, applies also in spirituality. In truth, it is to the contrary: That which applies in corporeality, extends from spirituality. However, there is one difference between corporeality and spirituality. In corporeality, the pleasure, meaning the light, which is the internality, is revealed, as it is written, “The eye sees and the heart covets.” Therefore, when looking at something corporeal, we can more or less feel that there is an inner taste there. The pleasure clothed in the externality of the Kli attracts us and invokes within us the desire.

Conversely, in spiritual pleasures, which are clothed in the externality of the Kelim [vessels], which are called Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], they are under Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment. Therefore, we cannot say that the pleasure and light clothed in the Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot] of Tzitzit [prayer shawl] attracts him and this is why he wears a Tzitzit. It is likewise with the rest of the Mitzvot. As we learned, the Tzimtzum was for the purpose of the correction of creation. It follows that in this, there is a big difference between corporeal pleasures clothed in external matters, and spiritual pleasures, clothed in external matters, which are Torah and Mitzvot.

Hence, because of the Tzimtzum, there is the matter of Lo Lishma [not for Her sake] and Lishma [for Her sake] here. This is so because of the concealment that was done on spiritual pleasures. That is, a person cannot be told, “Try to wear a Tzitzit and you will see how good it feels to wear a Tzitzit.” Therefore, we must say, “Wear a Tzitzit and in return you will receive pleasure that is not clothed in the Mitzva of Tzitzit, for in this, you cannot feel any flavor.”

Therefore, a person asks, “Why do I need to wear a Tzitzit?” Then, the person who asks should be told, “You will receive great pleasure in return for this.” “What pleasure will I receive?” Then he is told, “You can choose worldly pleasures in return for work in Torah and Mitzvot, as it is written in The Zohar, such as provision, health, and long life, or you will also receive a reward in the next world, as Maimonides says at the end of Hilchot Teshuva.”

It follows that Lo Lishma means not as it is in corporeality, where there is some pleasure of meat or fish is clothed there in the interior of the Kli. That is, the light that is clothed inside the Kli draws him to observe Torah and Mitzvot. Rather, there is a different pleasure there, which is not clothed in these Kelim that he will receive, and this draws him to observe Torah and Mitzvot.

This is called Lo Lishma, meaning that the intention in the Mitzva does not draw him, meaning what is clothed inside the Mitzva. Rather, the Lo Lishma draws him, meaning that which is not clothed in the Mitzva, this is what draws him. However, the pleasure that is not clothed in the Mitzva and is outside the Kelim, which are called Torah and Mitzvot, this is what draws him.

This is called Lo Lishma. That is, when he engages in Torah and Mitzvot, he receives the strength to work because he will receive reward later. This means that if he could receive greater pleasures elsewhere, he could relinquish Torah and Mitzvot. But since he has faith in reward and punishment, he must therefore observe Torah and Mitzvot. Yet, he would be happier if he did not have to observe so many Mitzvot and would receive the same reward.

This means that observing Mitzvot does not interest him, but rather the reception of the reward. As in corporeality, every person wants to work fewer hours and receive a higher salary. Likewise, all those whose work is Lo Lishma are not concerned with observing more Torah and Mitzvot, but are concerned with the opposite—why they must observe so many Torah and Mitzvot, since the Creator could have given us fewer Torah and Mitzvot, and more reward. This is regarded as the Lo Lishmaforcing him to engage in Torah and Mitzvot.

It is not so with those who want to work Lishma, meaning that they want the Torah and Mitzvotthemselves to be the causes compelling them to engage in Torah and Mitzvot. As with corporeal pleasures, the internality clothed in the externality is what invokes them to use the externality. This means that they yearn to eat meat or fish not so that in return for the labor of eating meat and fish and so forth, they will receive a reward. Rather, they yearn for the pleasure found inside the meat and the fish, and there is no one in the world who is angry at the Creator for creating so much externality, meaning many things where in each one, a different pleasure is clothed, and a person says, I am content with bread and water and I do not want to have more pleasures dressed in more things.

On the contrary, we see that each one tries as hard as he can to increase external things, meaning of several kinds. Even when he eats meat, he tries to get the best meat, meaning he is meticulous about eating meat. In other words, he exerts in the light, in the pleasure clothed in the externality, so as to feel a better taste.

In the same manner, a person behaves when he works Lishma. That is, he is not angry that he has so many Mitzvot, meaning he has no grievances why there are 613 Mitzvot, and he would settle for less, since a person believes that in each Mitzva there is a different flavor, as in corporeality. When he wants to walk in the path of Lishma, although he does not feel the interior of the pleasure clothed in each Mitzva, he believes in the sages that this is so, as it is written in The Zohar, that there are 613 deposits, where in each Mitzva, a special light is deposited, which belongs to that Mitzva.

And although he does not feel, he believes that this is so because there was concealment and Tzimtzum so they would not feel the pleasure, regarded as the internality clothed in Torah and Mitzvot, which is for the sake of the lower ones. In other words, as long as they were not rewarded with the aim to bestow, which is called “Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator,” if the pleasure is revealed, they will certainly receive it in order to receive, which will separate them from the Life of Lives, and this is regarded as death in spirituality.

For this reason, they want to work only in order to bestow. That is, they want to serve the King, as it says in The Zohar, that “the essence of fear is that a person serves the Creator because He is great and ruling,” namely because of the greatness of the King. It is also within nature for a person to enjoy when serving a great one.

For this reason, a person who wants to work in order to bestow needs to have a great King to serve. Then, the person does not want a reward, meaning to receive the pleasure clothed in the externality of Torah and Mitzvot, but wants to take upon himself to work only to maintain the externality of Torah and Mitzvot, and does not want the internality because he believes in the sages that if he yearns to receive the internality, it will cause him separation.

For this reason, he wants to work only to observe the externality of Torah and Mitzvot. But what is his pleasure? According to the rule, “Without pleasure, a person cannot work,” because of His desire to do good to His creations, a person must enjoy the work. Yet, the difference is that sometimes a person works in order to receive the reward of one day’s work, as it is written, “In the evening, you will give his reward,” or he will receive his reward each week. Also, there are people who are merchants and receive their reward with each and every transaction, but without reward, it is impossible to work.

For this reason, those who want to work in order to bestow, meaning with the intention to serve the great King, enjoy instantaneously. That is, in everything they do, they already enjoy and they have no need to receive reward later because they receive the reward instantaneously, like the merchants.

However, there is great work here, meaning that the main work in the engagement in Torah and Mitzvot begins here. If the whole of man’s basis is that his pleasure is in that he is serving a great King, if His greatness were to be revealed in the world, it would not be difficult to serve the King. But we learned that there was a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment on the delight and pleasure clothed in Torah and Mitzvot, and there was also concealment on the Creator Himself so that we must believe in His guidance, that He is good and does good and that the Shechina [Divinity] is in the dust and that the Shechina is in exile, meaning that His glory is not revealed to the lower ones.

However, we have much work to overcome our bodies, since the body argues that we see that the Creator created in us an intellectual power, and we go with our intellect. That is, we heed what our intellect tells us. Therefore, when we come to the body and say to it that we do not need to look at what the intellect tells us, but go above the intellect and believe in the Creator above reason, the body rejects to this.

Therefore, when the greatness and importance of the King are not revealed, how can we work and observe Torah and Mitzvot because of the greatness of the King, since the Sitra Achra [other side] is covering His greatness? Thus, how can we work because of the greatness and importance of the King?

This is the meaning of the Klipa [shell/peel] of Amalek, as it is written (Portion Ki Tetze), “Remember that which Amalek did unto you, which occurred to you along the way when you were tired and weary and not fearing God.” RASHI interpreted the meaning of “which occurred to you along the way” to mean heat and cold: “He cooled you and chilled your boiling, for all the nations feared you, but he began and showed a way for others.” He interprets there in Siftey Hachamim, “He wanted to say with a hot matter that everyone fears it. So were the nations of the world afraid of you, but Amalek chilled you and made you lukewarm, as in tepid water.”

It follows that Amalek is a Klipa. When a person overcomes and begins to walk on the path of truth, he comes and weakens the person and says, “Do not fear departing from the path of bestowal.” And the more a person overcomes with greatness of the Creator, saying it is worthwhile to work only for the Creator and not for himself, (Amalek comes) and makes a person understand, “You see that you are tired and weary from this work, and you are not fearing God,” meaning that the fear of heaven that Israel had, when they said that it is worthwhile to work and serve a great King, he instilled his view in this, meaning that there is no importance to the King. Thus, “Why do you want to work for no reward, but only for the sake of the Creator, because of His greatness?” He spoiled this fear, meaning that his whole purpose was only to revoke the importance of the fear of heaven called “the essence of fear is that it is because He is great and ruling.”

It turns out that he instilled in the people of Israel a cancellation of the importance of fearing God, for his entire war was to weaken them from the work of serving a great King, that for this, meaning for the importance of the greatness of the Creator, it is worthwhile to work and serve Him.

This is the meaning of “which occurred to you along the way,” meaning on this path when we want no reward but this, namely to serve the King. This importance, he spoiled.

This means that when Amalek sees that a person becomes excited and heated up in the work, and a person is delighted that he has been rewarded with some importance, that it is worthwhile to serve a great King, he comes and slanders, and takes this importance away from the person. Naturally, a person loses the warmth he had in the little bit of sensation he had, that he was connected to a great King.

This is the meaning of the words, “And you are tired and weary.” That is, during the work, when a person believes that he is serving a great King, a person lives without feeling any fatigue. But when Amalek instills in him the cancellation of the greatness of the Creator, a person immediately grows tired from the work. This is as The Zohar says, “Where there is effort, there is the Sitra Achra. This means that a person should know that if he does the holy work and feels this work as a burden and a load, it is a sign that the Sitra Achra is there and weakens a person so he will not feel that he is serving a great King.

It follows that the Klipa of Amalek aims primarily against the greatness of the Creator, meaning that the foundation of Judaism is built primarily on fear, “because He is great and ruling.” Precisely on this was the war of Amalek, meaning that a person will not work on the quality of “fear of God.” This is the meaning of the words, “and not fearing God.”

According to the above we can understand what we asked about the meaning of what The Zoharsays, that “There is Amalek below and there is Amalek above.” “Amalek below” refers to the Kli, and “Amalek above” refers to the light. That is, Amalek not letting him work for the sake of the Creator is called a Kli, meaning the desire to work for the sake of the Creator, although Amalek interferes with his arguments.

In other words, “Amalek below” means that a person wants to work for the sake of the Creator but Amalek does not let him work. He recognizes and feels that this is the Klipa that brings him these thoughts that revoke the glory of heaven, and it pains him. This is called “man’s work,” meaning that the person wants to revoke all the arguments of Amalek, and a person comes to feel that by himself, he does not see how he can cancel the slander that Amalek speaks to him every time he wants to work only because of the greatness and importance of the King. The person sees that more than a prayer, to pray to the Creator not to be impressed by his slander, there is nothing he can do. This is regarded as a person wanting to blot out the Amalek in his heart and mind.

This completes the Kli for blotting out Amalek, where with this desire and lack that a person has, he feels in it the losses that this Amalek causes him in life, and yet he cannot overcome by himself. At that time, a person feels that all he needs is the help of the Creator, that the Creator will help him, and he believes in our sages, who said, “He who comes to purify is aided,” and then the Creator revokes his Amalek.

According to the above, we can interpret what we asked about what The Zohar says, that there is Amalek above and there is Amalek below, and that the Creator said about the Amalek above, “I will surely blot out,” meaning that the Creator will blot him out above, and about Amalek below, the Creator said, “Blot out the memory of Amalek,” meaning that man must blot out. We asked why the two Amaleks, and why does the Creator not blot out both, or that man will have the power to blot out both? Why this partnership?

The meaning is that there are light and Kli, and there is no light without a Kli, as it is known that there is no filling without a lack. We also asked, What is the quality of Amalek that we must blot out more than the rest of the names of the evil inclination? The answer is that the evil inclination slanders the Creator, that it is not worthwhile to engage in Torah and Mitzvot. Since according to the rule that one cannot make a single move without a reason that compels him to do so, The Zohar says that there are three reasons for which man observes Torah and Mitzvot (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Item 190): “Fear is interpreted in three discernments, two of which do not contain a proper root, and one is the root of fear. There is a person who fears the Creator so that his sons may live and not die, or fears a bodily punishment, or a punishment to one’s money. Hence, he always fears Him. It follows that the fear he fears of the Creator is not placed as the root, for his own benefit is the root, and the fear is its offshoot. Then there is a person who fears the Creator because he fears the punishment of that world and the punishment of Hell. Those two kinds of fear are not the essence of fear or its root. 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, which is called ‘fear.’”

Accordingly, we see that although there is the evil inclination, which does not let one observe Torah and Mitzvot, they are not the opposite of the essence of fear, called “because He is great and ruling.” This is the essence of the fear for which a person wants to serve the King because of the greatness and importance of the King. Amalek wants to weaken specifically this, meaning he argues that the person himself sees that there is no importance to the Creator that He should be served because of His greatness, for you see what great concealment there is on His guidance, that we can say that He leads the world as the good who does good.

He argues that this is not concealment, but that as we can with our eyes, this is really so, and not as the people of Israel say, that in truth, the Creator leads the world as the good who does good, but we have not yet been rewarded with seeing how His Providence is in the manner of good and doing good. Thus, instead, we must believe above reason and say, “They have eyes, and see not.”

Accordingly, we see that this Klipa is truly against the essence of the fear. But with the rest of the Klipot, they are not so specific against faith that He is good and does good. It follows that the Klipa of Amalek is truly the opposite of the true fear.

This is the meaning of what is written about Amalek, “and he was not fearing God.” That is, he slandered the fear of the glory of heaven, meaning the fear because of the glory of heaven, that we should walk on that line. This was all of Amalek’s resistance, since this is truly against the real work that a person should be rewarded with attaining.

By this we can understand why we must blot out this Klipa. The reason is that we should say that there is no truth in her words that there is no concealment here. Rather, as we see, so it is. This discernment must be blotted out, meaning to say that there is no truth in her words.

However, how can a person blot out when there is concealment on His guidance, when Amalek stands strong against the person? The Creator says about this, “You must give the Kli,” meaning the lack, namely that which you need, so you must pay attention to what it is you lack.

This is why the Creator says, “Blot out the memory of Amalek,” meaning He says that you do not need to do anything, meaning any tips so you can work for Me, but only blot out what Amalek says to you and believe above reason, meaning above Amalek’s reason, who is slandering Me, that it is not worthwhile to work for Me.

If you want to work above reason because, as it is written, “What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear Me?” it is specifically this quality that he resists, and you want to blot him out. If your desire is true but you cannot blot him out, this is regarded as blotting him out from below.

With what will you blot him out? Answer, with the desire—that you want to go above reason. Then, I will blot him out above, meaning I will give you the strength to blot out.

We understand this in two discernments, meaning that you will be rewarded with the revelation of the face. It follows that everything that Amalek said was blotted out. That is, his words were not true. And 2) you will have the strength to go and accept the concealment of the face

However, the revelation of the face will come later, as it is written about Moses, that our sages said, “In return for ‘And Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look,’ he was rewarded with ‘The image of the Lord he beheld.’” It follows that he blotted him out above, meaning that there is already revelation of the face.

The question we asked, Why does the Creator not let a person do everything? is simple: Concerning the revelation of the face, only the Creator can reveal His face. It cannot be said that we attribute this to the person. Also, concerning a person having to work during the concealment, and the Creator not giving the strength right away, why must man begin, or he will not have the Kli? It is because first a person must acquire a lack, and then it can be said that the Creator satisfies the lack.

It follows that “Amalek below” means that a person feels that this is Amalek and wants to blot him out because he does not want to hear his slander. This work belongs to man.

Amalek above means that his entire grip is in the concealment, and afterward the Creator gives the revelation of the face. This is considered that Amalek has been blotted out above, and this work belongs to the Creator.

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is, “As I Am for Nothing, so You Are for Nothing,” in the Work?

Article No. 21, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

It is written in The Zohar, Truma (Item 34), “‘And they shall take a donation for Me.’ ‘They shall take for Me’ indicates that one who wishes to exert in a Mitzva [commandment/good deed] and exert in the Creator must not exert in it futilely and for nothing. Rather, one should exert in it properly, according to one’s strength, as it is written, ‘Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you.’ If you say, ‘But it is written, ‘Come, buy and eat, and come buy for no money and at no cost wine and milk,’ it means that it is free, since wine and milk mean the Torah.’ He replies, ‘But with exertion in the Torah, anyone who wishes is granted with it. The exertion in the Creator, to know Him, anyone who wishes is rewarded with Him without any pay at all. But the exertion in the Creator that stands in an act must not be taken for nothing and futilely, for he will not be rewarded by this act at all, to extend on it the spirit of Kedusha [holiness], but at full cost.” The matter of “for nothing” is also brought (in Masechet Hagigah, p 7) as follows, “As I am for nothing, so you are for nothing.”

We should understand the following:

1) What is exertion in the Torah?

2) What is exertion in the Creator, to know Him?

3) What is exertion in the Creator, which stands in an act?

4) What is the meaning of “for nothing or for a cost”? Whom should we pay? We see that one who works should be paid, which means that the person who is working should pay. Who has heard of such a thing? We see that there are people who work for no pay, but to work and pay to those for whom we work? Where do we see such a thing?

First, what is the meaning of “exertion”? That is, we see that normally, when someone wants something that is difficult to obtain, the person must exert and make great efforts to obtain that thing. But with something that is abundant, you cannot speak of exertion. Rather, anyone who wants that thing takes it, or pays for what he wants, but you cannot speak of exertion.

For example, a person does not say, “Today I made great efforts to buy bread and milk for the kids,” when bread and milk are in stores for anyone who wants. But sometimes, during war, when there were no bread or milk in the stores and he made great efforts to obtain them, while other people were not as successful in obtaining them, in such a state you can speak of exertion.

But concerning Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], how can we speak of exertion? That is, how can we say that observing Torah and Mitzvot is so difficult that it requires exertion? After all, the verse says, “For this commandment that I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it far, nor is it in heaven or beyond the sea, for the matter is very close to you.” Thus, we should understand what is exertion in Torah and Mitzvot.

It is known that the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations. For this reason, He created creatures that have the desire to receive delight and pleasure. This is called a Kli [vessel] that the Creator created for the creatures, and in this Kli they will receive the delight and pleasure. This Kli is regarded as coming from the Creator; hence, this Kli is complete in the created beings. When the created beings want to use this Kli, they have no work at all to obtain the Kli because the Creator created that Kli, so there is complete wholeness in this Kli.

From this we see that wherever the created beings feel that they can obtain pleasure from something, they immediately use that Kli, called “will to receive for oneself,” meaning for one’s own benefit. There is no need to awaken the person to want to receive pleasure, but rather to the extent of the pleasure clothed in the thing, that pleasure attracts a person and he chases the pleasure in order to obtain it. This means that to the extent of the pleasure in that thing, so it awakens yearning in a person, and it does not let him sit until he makes every effort to obtain the pleasure.

But later, when the correction of the Tzimtzum [restriction] took place, which is the matter called “the wholeness of His works,” meaning when they receive the delight and pleasure from the Creator, in order for them not to feel shame, a correction was done, called “concealment.” That is, before the person obtains a vessel of bestowal, he does not see the delight and pleasure that will be revealed, that the delight and pleasure will give him an awakening to receive the good.

This is in order to have room for choice. In the work, choice is in order to be able to observe Torah and Mitzvot not in order to receive reward, since when the pleasure is revealed while performing the Mitzva, a person cannot say that he is observing the Torah and Mitzvot because he wants to delight the Creator, meaning that for himself, he would relinquish the pleasure he is tasting, but because the Creator wants the creatures to enjoy, only for this reason does he accept the pleasure.

This is impossible, since man was born with a nature of wanting to receive for himself. Therefore, how can he say that for himself, he relinquishes the pleasure? How can a person relinquish the great pleasure that is found in Torah and Mitzvot?

Because of this, sparks of light, called “tiny light,” were placed in the Klipot [shells/peels], on which all of creation feeds before they are rewarded with vessels of bestowal. Since this is only a very thin light, a person begins to do the work of giving small pleasures in return for great pleasures, meaning to receive reward in return for relinquishing small pleasures that have nothing more than a tiny light in them.

It is like commerce—where we gain more, this is where we trade. It is likewise in the work, where only later, when a person is used to relinquishing pleasures, although they are small compared to the pleasures found in Torah and Mitzvot, it is still considered that he is accustomed to the work and there is room for choice.

However, accordingly, we should understand, if a person engages in Torah and Mitzvot in order to receive reward for his work, why is observing Torah and Mitzvot regarded as an effort? After all, this is also the conduct in corporeality: to relinquish small pleasures in order to obtain great pleasure. The answer is that in corporeality, the pleasure one receives for one’s work is revealed in this world. Therefore, it cannot be regarded as an effort. But in Torah and Mitzvot, he must believe that he will have a reward in the next world, and since it depends on faith, there is already labor, since he must believe, and the body cannot believe because by nature, it needs to see and to know. But when we must believe, there are already ascents and descents.

It follows that the effort one should make in Torah and Mitzvot is one discernment. But there is another discernment, which is to exert in the Creator, to know Him. We should try to observe both in order to receive reward for the labor. That is, we must believe that we will receive reward both in this world and in the next world. This is as it is written in The Zohar (“Introduction of the Book of Zohar,” Item 190), “Fear is interpreted in three discernments. There is a person who fears the Creator so that his sons will live and not die, or fears a bodily punishment, or a punishment to one’s money. It follows that the fear he fears of the Creator is not placed as the root, for his own benefit is the root, and the fear is the result of it. And there is a person who fears the Creator because he fears the punishment of that world and the punishment of Hell. Those two kinds of fear are not the essence of the fear. The fear that is the most important is when one fears one’s Master because He is great and ruling,” meaning both exertion in Torah and Mitzvot and exertion in the Creator.

But the main meaning of knowing Him is to know that He leads the world in a guidance of The Good Who Does Good, and we must strive to know Him in this respect. We should interpret that knowing Him is when a person prays to the Creator or thanks the Creator, he should know to what name he is praying, or to what name he is giving thanks. That is, when a person prays to the Creator for someone who is sick to get better, he should know that he is praying to the name, Healer of the Sick. At that time, it cannot be said that he is praying to the name, Redeemer of the Captive, etc. Or, when he thanks the Creator for delivering him from imprisonment, he should thank the name, Redeemer of the Captive, and it cannot be said that he is thanking the name, Dresses the Naked. He says that both the exertion in Torah and Mitzvot and in the Creator, to know Him, in them, a person can be rewarded, if he exerts, for nothing, for no money and at no cost.

Conversely, exertion in the Creator that is in action (is) for a complete reward. We should understand what “stands in action” means. The writing says, “which God has created to do.” This means that the Creator created the world in order to do. That is, over that which the Creator created, man must act. This is called “the six workdays,” which is the time of work, which is called “action.”

We find likewise in the words of The Zohar, in the words (“Introduction of the Book of Zohar,” Item 67), “‘And to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’’ Do not pronounce ‘You are My people [Ami]’ with a Patach in the Ayin, but ‘You are with Me [Imi],’ with a Hirik in the Ayin, which means partnering with Me. As I made heaven and earth with My speech, as it is written, ‘By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,’ so did you.” They also said (Avot, Chapter 1), “It is not the learning that is most important, but the deed,” and also, “Great is the learning of Torah, for it yields action” (Kidushin 40).

We should understand what deed they are talking about as being the most important. We should interpret this in the work, that the wholeness is mainly for the created beings to receive the goal for which the world was created, namely His desire to do good to His creations, meaning for the lower ones to receive from Him delight and pleasure. In order for the creatures to receive delight and pleasure, He created in the creatures yearning, meaning to have a desire and yearning to receive the delight and pleasure.

As was said, this Kli comes from the Creator. However, afterward, there was a correction where this Kli became half a Kli. In other words, after there was a correction so there would not be the matter of shame, a Tzimtzum and concealment were placed on this Kli, called “will to receive for oneself.” For this reason, this Kli, called “will to receive,” is considered as only half a Kli, meaning that as long as we cannot make the will to receive for ourselves work in order to bestow, we cannot use this Kli. But after we place on it the desire to bestow, the Kli can receive the abundance.

It therefore follows that the Creator made the first half Kli, called “will to receive.” The other half, meaning the aim to bestow, pertains only to the creatures—to place the Masach [screen] on the will to receive, and from this emerges the other half. When both of these halves are present, they become one Kli, which is suitable to receive the delight and pleasure.

It follows that man’s work is to make the second half of the Kli. This is called “action,” and this is the meaning of “which God has created,” meaning the first half, the will to receive for oneself, on which man does not need to do. But the second half, which is in order to bestow, which pertains to the created beings, here there is work, since it is against nature. Hence, there is a lot of work here to obtain it. This is called “action,” which a person must do, and which is not done by the Creator because we attribute to the Creator what He gives. That is, every bestowing, meaning giving, pertains to the Creator, but the second half of the Kli, which is what the lower one wants to give, this belongs to the lower one.

Now we can interpret what we asked, What is exertion in the Creator, which stands in an act? Which act are we speaking of? We should interpret that when a person exerts in the Creator in action, meaning in bestowing upon the Creator, this act belongs to the lower one, namely that a person has to work to have this Kli called “desire to bestow.”

As in corporeality, when a person needs to learn the trade of making tools to sell to people, and making the tools is a profession, meaning a craft that must be learned not at once, and not in one month. Likewise, here in the work, a person must learn the trade of making vessels of bestowal. A person cannot do it as soon as he wants to have these Kelim [vessels]. Rather, it is a craft that must be learned over a long period of time until he has such Kelim, meaning the ability to observe Torah and Mitzvot in order to bestow.

Our sages said, “The Creator said, ‘I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice’” (Kidushin 30). This means that the Creator created the will to receive, which is considered the first part of the Kli, namely the yearning for pleasure, “and I created the Torah as a spice,” which spices the evil inclination into a good inclination, making the will to receive work in order to bestow.

Therefore, this means that the Creator gives the second part of the Kli, as well. According to what our sages said about the verse, “And to say unto Zion, ‘You are My people,’” and they explained, “Do not pronounce ‘My people [Ami]’ but ‘with Me [Imi],’ which means partnering with Me.” This means that the creatures also make. We should interpret about the second half of the Kli, that it is not all done by the Creator, but that there is man’s work here, too.

However, we should interpret about the second half of the Kli, which we attribute to man, that in this Kli, called “desire to bestow,” we also discern the matter of light and Kli. Hence, the Kli in the Klibelongs to man, meaning that which the Creator gives is called “light,” and that which man gives is called “a Kli,” since a Kli is called “a lack,” and light is called “the filling of the lack.”

Since the Creator is the Giver, and abundance is called “light,” we attribute the light to the Creator, and the Kli, called “a lack,” belongs to the created beings, as this is their whole root—only a lack—and the Creator fills the lack.

Hence, when speaking of the vessels of bestowal, this Kli also divides into two parts, as said above. 1) A lack, meaning that one must feel that he is lacking vessels of bestowal. That is, he feels that everything he does is for his own benefit, and believes that a person should adhere to the Creator, as it is written, “And to cleave unto Him,” where Dvekut [adhesion] is called “equivalence of form.” It pains him that he is far from Dvekut with the Creator, and he sees that for himself, he has no way to emerge from the domination of the will to receive. This is called “a lack,” and this pertains to man, meaning that man must feel the lack. This is regarded as an act, meaning work in vessels of bestowal.

The light of the Kli, meaning in the Kli, which is the lack, will be the filling that is clothed, meaning the power that he can bestow. This is called “the light in the Kli,” and the Creator gives this. By this we can interpret what we asked, “Our sages said, ‘I have created the Torah as a spice,’” meaning that the Creator also gives the Kli called “desire to bestow,” and not man. Thus, why is the Kli called “action,” which pertains to man’s work in action?

The answer is that the Kli, called “lack,” when it pains him that he cannot do anything for the sake of the Creator, we attribute this to the creature. That is, the lack belongs to the creature, and the filling of the lack belongs to the Creator. This is why they said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice,” meaning the light spices the evil inclination. In other words, the Creator gives the power to want to do everything for the sake of the Creator.

But the lack in the Kli, this a person has to feel within his body. This means that the person must do all that he can in order to achieve Dvekut with the Creator, and making that lack is called “a lack,” and this is regarded as what we asked, What is the exertion in the Creator that stands in an act, meaning that a person exerts in the Creator, to be able to delight the Creator, meaning to bring Him contentment. This desire is called “an act,” meaning “making the lack.” This is when he can bring contentment to the Creator, and this is the light in the Kli.

Now we will explain what we asked, What is the meaning of the reward, and what is the meaning of “for nothing”? Ostensibly, it should have been the opposite. That is, the exertion in the Creator should be for nothing, and exertion in Torah and Mitzvot and exertion in the Creator, to know Him, should be for a reward. That is, those who exert will be rewarded. However, it implies that those who exert in action pay a fee!

This is hard to understand for two reasons: 1) Where do we see such a thing that the one who works is the one who pays? There are people who work for no pay, as volunteers. We do see this. But to pay in order to be allowed to work? This we do not see. 2) The question is, Whom must we pay this fee? We should say that it is to the Creator, but how can it be said that the Creator receives reward, called “profit”? That is, how can we say that if a person does not think that the Creator will benefit, then his effort, called “action,” this act that the person does will not yield that person any results?

However, we should interpret this according to our way: There is the matter of Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], which means that a person engages in Torah and Mitzvot in order to receive reward. Naturally, one who works in order to receive reward always looks at what he will gain from exerting and following the orders of the landlord, and does not think at all about what the landlord will gain from his work. Sometimes, when the worker thinks that the landlord should profit, too, it is not because he is concerned with the benefit of the landlord, but because the worker knows that if this business does not yield profits to the landlord, the business will shut down and he will have no work. Other than that, he does not think about the landlord whatsoever.

That is, the worker does not need to think that the Creator should profit, unless for nothing, meaning that he is not interested in the Creator making a profit. This is called “for nothing.” But one who wants to work in action, which is making a Kli to bestow contentment upon the Creator, it is explicitly for a reward, meaning that the Creator will enjoy his work. In other words, a person is not concerned with his profits, but with the profit of the Creator. This is the meaning of the prohibition to take it for nothing, meaning without a profit. In other words, a person should aim all his actions that the Creator will enjoy. This is regarded that work in action should be for a reward, meaning that this will reward the Creator.

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is Half a Shekel in the Work 2?

Article No. 20, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

The verse says, “When you count the heads of the children of Israel to number them, each one of them shall give a ransom for his soul to the Lord, when you number them, and there shall be no plague among them when you count them. This is what they shall give: half a shekel in the shekel of holiness. The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, to make a contribution to the Lord, to make atonement for your souls.”

We should understand what specifically a half shekel implies to us in the work, and not a quarter or a third of a shekel, where the whole point is to know the number of Israel. What does specifically the half imply to us? Also, why does it say, “The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less”? Even a small child understands that if we take from someone less or more we will not know the number of Israel. And also, what is the meaning of “there shall be no plague among them”?

It is known that the purpose of the creation of the world was because He desires to do good to His creations. However, in order for this doing good to be complete, meaning not to have any shame in it while receiving the delight and pleasure, a correction took place, called Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment. This means that before a person can aim his actions to be in order to bestow, they will not feel the delight and pleasure unless when they engage in Torah and Mitzvot in order to bring contentment to the Creator.

Afterward, when he has vessels of bestowal, the delight and pleasure found as a deposit in Torah and Mitzvot will be revealed. At that time he will receive the delight and pleasure that was in the thought of creation, and for which He created the world.

Since man was created by nature to yearn only for his own benefit, from where can one work on the intention to bestow upon the Creator? This is regarded as a person exerting himself in all kinds of works so as to please the Creator, since then the body asks, “What will you gain if the Creator enjoys”? You should do things so you will enjoy, and why did our sages tell us, “All your works should be for the sake of the Creator?” How can we do something against nature?

The body also asks, “Why should the Creator mind if the creatures work for themselves, meaning that they will enjoy? After all, His desire is to delight His creations.” It follows that on one hand, man can enjoy life, meaning work for his own sake, which is natural. On the other hand, it is said that man should not go according to the nature with which he was born, but should work for the sake of the Creator.

And as much as we may explain with all kinds of answers, the body cannot understand this. Although sometimes the body agrees that it is worthwhile to work for the sake of the Creator, in practice, when the body faces something it will enjoy and it must give it up because it will benefit only the Creator, the body chooses its own benefit and relinquishes the benefit of the Creator.

Therefore, we get two things out of this: 1) Since we must believe in the words of our sages that we must do everything for the sake of the Creator although the body does not understand it after all the explanations we give to it, our sages said, and so did Maimonides determine in practice (Hilchot Teshuva, Chapter 10), “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 knowledge and acquire much wisdom, they are taught that secret little-by-little.”

The question is, What is, “Until they gain knowledge and acquire much wisdom”? That is, what is “wisdom” and what is “much wisdom,” so we will know how to determine when we are permitted to reveal to him that secret little-by-little.

At the beginning of man’s work, we must say to the body that it is worthwhile to relinquish corporeal pleasures, which are only a “tiny light” compared to the delight and pleasure found in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds]. It follows that to the extent that he believes and faith illuminates for him, the body agrees to replace a small pleasure with a big one. As in corporeality, when a person makes his effort, the reward he acquired for his work and gives it in order to obtain nourishments to sustain his household, since he has more pleasure when he buys groceries for his household with the money he earned through the labor.

Also, to the extent that faith illuminates for him and he feels that it will give him more pleasure to engage in Torah and Mitzvot, he can relinquish corporeal pleasures in order to obtain greater pleasures. However, sometimes a person gets a descent in the faith that he will be rewarded. At that time, it is difficult for him to concede corporeal pleasures. However, if he watches over himself and is in a good environment, the body does not resist this work because this is not considered against nature, since he says that he will receive a greater reward, meaning greater pleasure from observing Torah and Mitzvot. It follows that this reason is a strong reason that can compel a person to relinquish the corporeal pleasures that the Torah forbade, and all in order to receive greater pleasures.

2) Since man has to come to a state where “All your works should be for the sake of the Creator,” meaning against nature, and this is for the purpose of the correction of creation, which is for the creatures to be able to receive the delight and pleasure without shame, a correction was placed where one must aim that all his enjoyment will be only for the sake of the Creator. That is, that the Creator will enjoy the creature’s pleasure, since this was the purpose of creation. However, sometimes the body feels that it is impossible that with the same intellect and understanding he had when he began to do the holy work, he is constantly in the same intellect and is making no progress, but only in quantity.

When he begins to ask about this, this is regarded as what we asked, What is “wisdom” and what is “much wisdom”? “Wisdom” means that he already observes Torah and Mitzvot. “Much wisdom” means that he wants to understand the meaning of Torah and Mitzvot, to what state it should bring a person. This is called “intention,” which is to aim while observing Torah and Mitzvot, that it should bring him to some degree. This is called “much wisdom.” At that time they begin to reveal to him this secret, meaning what is the work Lishma [for Her sake]. In other words, they begin to let him see that he must work not in order to receive reward, but completely for the sake of the Creator.

When he obtains “much wisdom,” he begins to understand that in Torah and Mitzvot there is what was said, “For it is your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations.” However, there is concealment on it. At that time he is told that this is true, there is a concealment on it for the purpose of correction, since the purpose is for man to achieve Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, and this is obtained by equivalence of form, regarded as “all his actions should be in order to bestow.”

Here is where man begins to be a servant of the Creator. In the work, “serving the Creator” means that he is working for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake. At that time, the work he does, meaning the fact that he wants to work for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake, is the beginning when a person begins to enter the exile, under the rule of the will to receive for himself.

Also, he has no hope of emerging from this exile unless with heaven’s mercy. That is, the Creator Himself should deliver him from exile, as was in Egypt, where it is written (in the Haggadah [Passover narrative]), “And the Lord brought us out from Egypt, not by an angel, but the Lord Himself.” However, the fact that a person feels that he is in exile under the rule of the will to receive for himself, a person cannot feel this at once, meaning when he begins to work to come out of its control.

Rather, this Kli is called “a lack,” meaning a need to overcome his vessels of reception. A person does not acquire this at once, but it requires time and effort. Then, over time, there is room for a person to feel that he cannot emerge by himself, but time causes a person a need and suffering, to feel how good it would be if he could emerge from exile, and bad when he is in exile.

For this reason, a person is given ascents and descents, and he must believe that both the ascents and the descents come to him from above. At the same time, during the work, he should say, “If I am not for me, who is for me?” When a person comes to a state where his lack is complete, this is considered that he has a Kli [vessel] to receive the filling, to satisfy his lack. Then comes the time when the upper one fills his Kli.

It is known that there is no light without a Kli, as there is no filling without a lack. Accordingly, a complete thing is called “light and Kli,” which divides into two halves: The first half is the Kli, namely the lack. The second half is the light, namely the filling.

It follows that when a person prays to the Creator to satisfy his lack, it is called “half,” meaning making a lack, which is the Kli, for the Creator to satisfy his lack. This is as our sages said (VaYikra Rabbah 18), “A prayer makes half.” We should interpret that a prayer is when a person prays to the Creator to satisfy his lack. This is already regarded as “half,” meaning the first half, which is in one’s hand. The second half is in the hands of the Creator, meaning that the Creator must give the light, and then there will be a complete thing.

However, there are many interpretations to light and Kli. If we are to define a Kli, we can say that it is a lack, and it does not matter what is lacking. For example, sometimes a person feels that he is lacking a Kli to receive abundance, since the abundance cannot reach a Kli that cannot aim in order to bestow. Since he feels that he is under the control of the will to receive for himself, it follows that he lacks a Kli that can receive abundance.

It follows that he is not praying to receive abundance. Rather, he is praying to be given a Kli called “desire to bestow.” Thus, in this case, “a prayer makes half” means the prayer made half a Kli, and the Creator should give the other half of the Kli. It follows that these two halves are actually a complete Kli and not light.

On the other hand, we should say that the lack is in man’s hands. This is called “the first half of the Kli.” And the filling of the Kli, meaning having the desire to bestow, considered the “second half of the Kli,” is regarded as light, since the desire to bestow that the upper one gives him is a filling for a lack, and any filling is called “light” with respect to the lack.

According to the above, we should interpret what we asked, What does the half a shekel imply to us? for the Torah said specifically half: “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less.” The thing is that we should interpret the words “When you count the heads of the children of Israel to number them,” we should interpret the meaning of “heads” as it is written, “May we be the head and not the tail,” meaning that they will be regarded as Israel, which are the letters Li-Rosh [a head to me].

This is the meaning of “each one shall give a ransom for his soul.” That is, a person must come out of exile, which is called “a ransom for his soul” from the hands of the Sitra Achra [other side]. This is why it is written, “This is what everyone who is numbered shall give,” meaning those who feel that they are breaking the commandments of the Torah because they are placed under the governance of the will to receive. Half a shekel means that they must pray that the Creator will deliver them from exile.

“A prayer makes half” means that the Kli and the desire for something are regarded as half, meaning that by this they will have a complete thing, meaning that they will be rewarded with the “shekel of holiness.” That is, they will have a half shekel, which is the Kli, and the Creator will place the light on this, at which time it is called “a complete thing.” This is the meaning of the words “This is what everyone who is numbered shall give,” meaning those who feel that they are breaking the commandments of the Torah and want to pay a ransom for their souls so that their souls will enter Kedusha [holiness], meaning that they will have the strength to do everything for the sake of the Creator.

They must give half a shekel, meaning a prayer. That is, they must pray and not stop praying until they have a complete measure of lack and desire to emerge from the exile, where they are placed under the control of the will to receive for themselves. By giving their half, they will be rewarded with the shekel of holiness, where the other half, which is the filling for the prayer, will be together the shekel of holiness, meaning it will be one complete shekel of Kedusha.

By this we will understand what we asked, What does it tell us when it says, “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less”? Even a small child understands that if we want to know the number of something, everyone must give the same amount. We should interpret this in the work. The Torah is telling us a great thing here: We should know that to the Creator, great and small are equal, as it is written (“All Believe”), “Who is equal and equalizes small and great.”

This means that a person thinks that he is rich in good deeds, therefore he deserves the help of the Creator, and he does not need to pray so much for the Creator to satisfy his wish. Therefore, if he has prayed, to the extent of his virtues, the Creator should have promptly granted his wish. And if the Creator does not help him right away, according to his understanding, he stops praying and says that the rest of the people, who are inferior to him, must pray a lot for the Creator to help them. Therefore, he escapes the campaign.

This is why it is written, “The rich shall not give more.” This means that the rich should not think that he is praying too much, according to his understanding. Rather, there is a certain measure of lack and need, and precisely by praying a lot, a person receives a greater lack than he has. That is, a great light requires a great lack, meaning to have a feeling of lack in that he is in exile under the governance of the will to receive and he cannot come out.

As long as he does not have true suffering, it is still not considered a true lack so as to be called “a prayer that counts as half a shekel.” We must know that in the work, a prayer is a lack, meaning that which a person feels in his heart that he lacks, this is called “a prayer,” and not what he utters with his mouth. This is as our sages said, “A prayer is work in the heart,” meaning that which the heart feels it is lacking. To the extent that his heart feels a lack because of what he does not have, by this is the size of the prayer measured.

Concerning the shekel, The Zohar explains that this concerns the balance scales on which we weigh the deficiencies and fillings, since they are regarded as light and Kli. Hence, the light can come only to its proper Kli, since the lack for the filling is in the heart. For this reason, the light, too, comes to the feeling in the heart, and it has nothing to do with what the mouth says while he is praying.

It therefore follows that when a person gives his half in prayer, which is a sense of deficiency in the heart, the Creator will give the light, which is Kedusha. Out of both the lack and the light, will be one shekel of holiness. This is the meaning of the words “half a shekel,” since then this half is still not holiness. But when the Creator gives him the light as in “The light in it reforms him,” the two halves are shekel of holiness, as it is written, “in the shekel of holiness.”

Now we can understand the words, “And the poor shall not give less.” That is, one who feels that he is poor in virtues and good qualities, and he is poor in the sense that he has a weak character, when he prays for the Creator to help him and give him the power to overcome the bad in him and to be able to work in order to bestow, he sentences the Creator to the side of merit when the Creator does not grant his prayer, since he is poor.

Thus, what should he do? Only escape the campaign and say that this path is only for the rich. The writing warns us about this, “The poor shall not do less.” Rather, “Each one of them shall give a ransom for his soul,” to emerge from the exile and be rewarded with redemption. To the Creator, everyone is equal, as it is written, “And all believe that he is easy to please, equal and equalizes small and great.”

In other words, for the part of the Creator, there is no discrimination. Rather, He answers everyone. However, everyone should come to feel the lack, to know what they are lacking and to pray for this. And the prayer itself increases the lack and the pain at being far from the Creator. When a person does all the prayers he should do, he receives the other half of the shekel, which at that time is all holiness, as it is written, “in the shekel of the holiness.”

Then “there shall be no plague among them.” This means as it is written, “The wicked in their lives are called ‘dead,’” as presented in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, that it is because the will to receive is in disparity of form from the Creator, and disparity of form creates separation. Hence, they are separated from the Life of Lives. This is why they are called “dead.” It follows that through the prayer, which is the half shekel that a person must give, if the giving is complete the Creator gives the other half, meaning the light. By this, a person can already work in order to bestow. This is regarded as being rewarded with Dvekut with the Creator, to adhere to the Life of Lives.

It therefore follows that there are two manners that cause a person to escape the campaign even when he enters the work of being adhered to the Creator. Once a person begins to walk on the path of truth, he is shown from above his lowliness, meaning that the more he overcomes, the more hardening of the heart he receives from above, because as it is written, “That I may set these signs of Mine within him.” This means that by this, there will be room for the revelation of the light of Torah, called “letters,” and this reforms him. That is, since there is no light without a Kli, through the hardening of the heart, the lack appears sufficiently, and the Creator knows when the measure is sufficient, when the Kli is completed.

Therefore, sometimes a person escapes the campaign when he sees that he has already prayed a lot in his opinion, but the Creator does not notice him. At that time, sometimes a person sentences the Creator to the side of merit for not granting his prayer, and says that it is because he has a poor character in every way, in virtues, and in good qualities, etc.

It was said about this, “The poor shall not give less,” meaning that a person should not belittle himself and say that the Creator cannot help a lowly person such as him, for it was said about this, “The Lord is high and the low will see.”

And sometimes, a person leaves the campaign because he knows that he is rich, meaning he has much Torah and many good deeds, and he knows that he is superior to others. Therefore, when he asks the Creator to help him be able to do everything in order to bestow, why is the Creator not granting him, for he knows that he has already given many prayers for it. Therefore, he says that the Creator does not want to answer him, and therefore he runs.

And yet, a person must always overcome.

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Why the Speech of Shabbat Must Not Be as the Speech of a Weekday, in the Work

Article No. 18, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

It is written in The Zohar (BeShalach, Items 70-78), “‘The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.’ Rabbi Aba started, ‘If because of the Sabbath, you turn your foot from doing what you wish, and from speaking words, so your speech of the Sabbath will not be as the speech of a weekday.’ Each day, one must show a deed and evoke awakening below, from what he should evoke. However, on Sabbath, one should awaken only in the words of the Creator and the holiness of the day, and not on anything else, since on Sabbath, there is no need for an awakening from below. Come and see, here, when Pharaoh drew near, to make war with Israel, at that time the Creator did not want Israel to evoke an awakening from below at all, since there was an awakening from above, as it is written, ‘The Lord will fight for you, and you will keep silent,’ since the name of Rachamim [mercies] must awaken on them because an awakening from below would only activate judgment.”

We should understand the adjacency of “The Lord will fight for you” and Shabbat [Sabbath], and why each day we need an awakening from below, but on Shabbat we do not need it because on Shabbat, there is only an awakening from above. We should also understand what it means that on Shabbat we should engage only in the words of the Creator and the sacredness of the day.

It is known that there are two things before us: 1) The lack, which is yearning. Without a lack, a person cannot feel pleasure, even if this thing is the most important thing in the world. If he has no lack for the matter, although he can receive it, but not enjoy it, since this depends on the measure of his yearning for it. Hence, we have a time of lack, and then it is the time to receive more lack each time.

That is, where he feels a lack, he goes to fill the lack. If it is hard for him to obtain that thing, we do not say that he tried in vain to obtain it but rather that he did obtain something: He obtained a Kli[vessel] called “yearning.” In other words, had he obtained the filling right away, the filling would not be regarded as a filling with regard to pleasure, which is the main purpose, as we learned, that the purpose of creation was His desire to do good to His creations, meaning that they will receive delight and pleasure.

It follows that if a person receives something without effort, meaning that he did not have the time to obtain the Kli to receive the pleasure, called “yearning,” the pleasure he should receive from it, the filling cannot yield the pleasure because he has no Kli to receive the pleasure, for the Kli to receive pleasure is called “yearning,” and in order to receive yearning for something, it depends on time, meaning time for feeling the lack.

It follows that when a person prays to the Creator to satisfy his need, this, too, depends on the amount of time he has been praying for the Creator to satisfy his lack. For this reason, the Creator first helps him by the growing of the Kli within him, called “a Kli of yearning,” meaning that the Creator hears his prayer. And the reason why a person does not receive the filling for his prayer right away, he should say that this is not so, but that the Creator does hear his prayer and is increasing the yearning within him so he will have a real Kli to feel the pleasure. It follows that if he were to receive what he wants right away, he would not be able to enjoy because of the lack of yearning.

By this we will understand what our sages said (Sukkah 52), “To the wicked, the evil inclination seems like a hairsbreadth, and to the righteous, like a high mountain.” However, first we must understand, when we speak in terms of the work, what does “in terms of the work” mean?

The thing is that there are two manners in observing Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds]: 1) Doing, which is regarded as action. He learns Torah; he observes Mitzvot in all their details and precisions, and there is nothing to add to this. Indeed, in terms of actions, he is considered righteous. 2) Work, which is work in the heart. In the words of our sages, a prayer is usually called “work,” for a prayer is called “work in the heart,” which is an intention, meaning the intention of the heart. That is, a person should aim while observing Torah and Mitzvot, why he is observing the Torah and Mitzvot, whether for his own sake or does he aim for the sake of the Creator?

For this reason, we should discern between righteous and wicked in terms of the action, and righteous and wicked in terms of the intention. In terms of the actions, the righteous are the Ultra-Orthodox and the wicked are the secular. But with respect to the intention, righteous and wicked go by a completely different order. In other words, in terms of the action, both are righteous. But with regard to the intention, there is a difference: Righteous are those who work for the Creator, and wicked are those who work for themselves. However, in terms of the work, both are righteous.

When we want to walk in the work, meaning with the aim of the heart, to intend that all his work will be for the sake of the Creator, then begins the order of the work. That is, the wicked in his heart, which are called “will to receive for oneself,” resist working for the sake of the Creator. However, “God has made them one opposite the other,” meaning that to the extent that he wants to walk on the path of truth, to that extent the truth about the evil within him appears.

When one has a small desire to walk on the path of truth, meaning to do everything for the sake of the Creator, his evil is small, as well, since “one opposite the other…” In other words, to the extent of the Kedusha [holiness] in him, so is the resistance to Kedusha. It follows that the more he advances in the work, and wants to go more on the path of truth, the more the evil surfaces by not letting him cancel the evil, and the evil exerts to control more forcefully.

It follows that “Anyone who is greater than his friend, his inclination is greater than him.” Therefore, it follows that one who wants to be righteous, that his actions will be for the sake of the Creator, the evil grows within him. This is why they said, “To the righteous, the evil inclination seems like a high mountain.” In other words, the evil ascends each time. Har [mountain] means Hirhurim [reflections]. That is, he has bad reflections, meaning that each time, the bad thoughts increase and become a high mountain.

But to the wicked, those who do not mind the intention, to make it in order to bestow, but believe that they are working Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], and that from Lo Lishma they come to Lishma[for Her sake], and rely on it and say “Glory will finally come,” meaning that only when they have a desire to aim for the Creator, they will certainly have the power to overcome and do everything for the sake of the Creator, since their bad seems to them like a hairsbreadth, meaning that it is not so difficult to aim.

The reason is that their bad is not so great, as was said, since their good is small, meaning the desire to do everything for the sake of the Creator is small. The proof of this is that they do not have such a need to begin this work, so the bad in them does not need to show the evil within it and resist him. Therefore, the evil inclination seems to them like a hairsbreadth. This means that none of them is lying, but each speaks according to his feeling.

Accordingly, we understand the meaning of extending the light and the meaning of extending the Kli[vessel]. That is, we still do not have the Kli for reception of delight and pleasure, called “yearning,” since this depends on man’s work, that specifically through the work there is development for this Kli, called “lack” and “yearning.” This Kli is acquired specifically through labor, meaning without labor, it is impossible to obtain the Kli, meaning the need to acquire vessels of bestowal.

This means that the very obtainment of the vessels of bestowal is already called “light.” That is, this is something that comes from above, called “assistance from above for obtainment of the vessels of bestowal.

It is known that there are two discernments to make in the light: 1) To obtain vessels of bestowal, meaning the Kelim [vessels], namely desires, which were previously outside of Kedusha, meaning that these desires could not be used in order to bestow. 2) This light is named after the Kelim, since the light comes in order to correct the Kelim. This is called “light of Achoraim [posterior],” after the Kelim, for the Kelim are called Achoraim, with respect to the light, and the light is called Panim[face/anterior].

In the work, this is called “assistance from above,” as it is said in The Zohar, “He who comes to purify is aided.” And it asks, “With what?” The answer is “With a holy soul.” That is, he is given from above a light that is called Neshama [soul], and this light purifies the person so he will have the strength to bestow upon the upper one, for as the light comes from the Giver, so this light gives one the strength to be able to work in order to bestow.

It follows that in the order of the work, we should discern the following:

State 1) When a person awakens to emerge from what he has from his upbringing. He feels that he cannot be drawn to the general public, who engage in Torah and Mitzvot with the same understanding they had when they began to observe Torah and Mitzvot. This understanding and feeling have been going on for them for a long time, but they are not making any progress in Torah and Mitzvot, except in quantity. But as for quality, meaning to have more of a feeling for the importance of Torah and Mitzvot, they do not have it. They wonder how is it possible that there will be no progress in the quality of Torah and Mitzvot, since it is written about Torah and Mitzvot, “For they are our lives and the length of our days.” But in that sense, they are not advancing whatsoever. Therefore, they go look for a place where they can obtain the progress in terms of the greatness and importance, so they will feel that “They are our lives.”

State 2) When we begin to walk on the path to achieve “For they are our lives,” our sages tell us that the advice to come to feel the life that is found in Torah and Mitzvot is Dvekut [adhesion], as it is written, “and to cling unto Him.” That is, “cling unto His attributes, as He is merciful, so you are merciful.” This means that as the Creator wants only to bestow, so man should come to such a degree where he wants all his actions to be only to bestow, and not for his own sake.

Here, in this second state, when he wants to ascend in degree and observe Torah and Mitzvot in order to bestow, he receives the first assistance, when a person is notified that he is far from this quality called Lishma. In other words, although before he began the work of bestowal, he knew that there was the matter of having to work Lishma, called “for the sake of the Creator,” and he believed in what our sages said, “One should always engage in Torah and Mitzvot, even if Lo Lishma, since from Lo Lishma he will come to Lishma” (Pesachim 50), but it never occurred to him that in order to work Lishma, one needs a miracle from above, or it is impossible to emerge from the control of the will to receive for oneself.

This is so because if a person has only a little bit of good, he cannot be given a lot of bad, for he will not be able to subdue it and will immediately escape from this work. But when a person begins to work with energy in order to come to work in order to bestow, he is given, according to his work, a sensation and awareness how far he is from it.

It follows that the first assistance he receives is the revelation of the evil in him. This is called “hardening of the heart,” as it is written, “For I have hardened his heart.” This is regarded as obtaining the Achoraim of Kedusha. Kedusha is called Panim, and Panim is considered something that illuminates, as he says (“Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 47), “We must first understand what is the meaning of the ‘face of the Creator,’ about which the writing says, ‘I will hide My face.’ It can be thought of as a person who sees his friend’s face and knows him right away. However, when he sees him from behind he is not certain of his identity. He might doubt, ‘Perhaps he is another and not his friend?’ So is the matter before us: Everyone knows and feels that the Creator is good and that it is the conduct of the good to do good. Hence, when the Creator generously bestows upon His creations, it is considered that His face is revealed to His creations, since then everyone knows and recognizes Him. Yet, when He behaves with His creations the opposite from the above mentioned, meaning when they suffer afflictions and torments in His world, it is considered the Achoraim of the Creator, for His face, meaning His complete attribute of goodness, is entirely concealed from them.”

Therefore, in that state, if he can accept the Achoraim, which is called “exile,” and does not run, but rather, “And they cried out to the Lord” to deliver him from the exile, then he accepts the Achoraimand says that it comes from the Creator, hence he asks Him that as He made him feel the taste of exile, so He will help him emerge from exile. This is called “the second state.”

State 3) This is the second assistance, when he receives assistance to obtain vessels of bestowal, which is regarded as emerging from exile, where he was under the rule of self-love. Through the assistance from above, which is called that the Creator is giving him a soul, this light gives him the vessels of bestowal. It is as we learned, that when the light of Hochma, called light of AB, comes and brings out the Kelim of Bina, ZA, and Nukva that fell into the Klipot [shells/peels], having been placed under the governance of receiving in order to receive, which is called a Klipa [singular of Klipot], this light of AB brings them out of the Klipot, meaning it gives strength for these Kelim to be corrected in order to bestow. This is regarded as these Kelim entering the Kedusha, meaning that he can already use them in order to bestow. This is called “the exodus from Egypt.”

State 4) When he receives the light that dresses in vessels of bestowal, at that time the 613 Mitzvot[commandments/good deeds], are called 613 Pekudin [Aramaic: deposits], meaning he obtains a different flavor in each Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot]. This is the meaning of Pekudin, that in each Mitzva, a special light is deposited, which belongs to that Mitzva. This is similar to corporeal pleasures, where there is a taste in meat, and there is another taste that is clothed in fish. Likewise, in each Mitzva, there is a unique flavor. At that time, a person comes to feel that the matter of Torah and Mitzvot is as in, “For they are our lives and the length of our days.” This is so because he has obtained from the Creator the vessels of bestowal, called Dvekut, “equivalence of form,” and in these Kelim, the delight and pleasure that was in the purpose of creation is clothed.

Now we can understand what we asked about the adjacency of “The Lord will fight for you and you will keep silent,” and Shabbat. Since the work on obtaining the vessels of bestowal comes by obtaining the state of Gadlut [greatness/adulthood] of the evil, as it is written, “For I have hardened his heart,” meaning the attainment of the bad, then, when the people of Israel came to a state where they saw that they could not escape from the bad, meaning they saw that the power of the bad was on all sides and they did not see any salvation by nature, this is considered that the Kli of the bad has been completed.

At that time comes State 5), when the Creator gives them the light, and this light reforms them. In other words, by this they emerge from the governance of evil, called “vessels of self-reception,” and are rewarded with vessels of bestowal. This is the meaning of “Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will do for you today.” This means that once the Kli of the bad has been completed, there is room for disclosure of light on the part of the upper one. This is considered that the Creator is giving them the vessels of bestowal.

It follows that this work of increasing the bad is work that pertains to Hol [non-holy/weekday]. That is, work and Hol are one and the same, meaning one discernment, as it is known that in Kedusha, there is no work, since when a person has vessels of bestowal he enjoys giving, but when he still does not have vessels of bestowal, it is a great effort when he must give something without receiving anything in return, since it is against man’s will to receive.

This is why it is called Hol and not holy, and this is why it is forbidden to work on Shabbat, since Shabbat is a time of rest and not of work. In other words, Shabbat indicates Kedusha, which is the time when through the Kedusha of the Shabbat, light shines because of the awakening from above. For this reason, one does not need to work on increasing the bad, as in hardening of the heart, since then is the time to speak only of what the Creator gives, and not to speak about man, who must receive and think whether he is cleansed of self-love and must correct the Kelim.

The work on the bad pertains to Hol and not to holiness, since seeing the bad, the state he is in, pertains to man’s work. That is, he looks at himself and wants to see his state of lowliness, and how he should pray to the Creator, and pay attention to whether he is advancing or to the contrary.

In other words, when a person works, this is the time for a person to be seen, meaning to see his deficiencies, what he lacks. But when speaking of an awakening from above, meaning what the Creator does, we must only look at the Creator, meaning what He has to give, namely to see the meaning of the holy names, for each name indicates attainment.

For example, when we look at a person and see that he is rich, the name of that person is “wealth.” And if we see that the person always heals the sick, then he is called “healer of the sick.” Therefore, when speaking of the Creator, sometimes He is called “who heals the sick,” and sometimes “nourishing and sustaining,” or “redeems the captives,” etc., all according to what we see that He gives. Therefore, on Shabbat, which is a time of awakening from above, which pertains to what the Creator gives, we must see and examine the names of the Creator.

By this we will understand the adjacency of what is written, “The Lord will fight for you, and you will keep silent,” and Shabbat. It is so because then, when they were already complete in terms of the evil, when they saw that it was impossible to emerge from the bad in a natural way, but only by a miracle, this is regarded as the evil being completed sufficiently. At that time, the help from above should come, to give them the light to complete the Kelim, meaning that the vessels of reception will acquire the form of bestowal. This does not pertain to man’s work.

This is why it is written, “You will keep silent,” since now is the time when the Creator gives. Also, on Shabbat, which is an awakening from above, we should speak only of what the Creator has, as he says that on Shabbat, we should speak only of the words of the Creator and the sanctity of the day, since Shabbat is an awakening from above. Conversely, on other days, meaning weekdays, there should an awakening from below, to invoke the lacks that are below, among the created beings, and to ask that the Creator will satisfy their lacks.

Now we can understand what we asked about the adjacency of “You will keep silent” and Shabbat. We will also understand why on weekdays we need an awakening from below, and on Shabbat it is only an awakening from above. Also, we will understand what is, “so your speech of the Sabbath will not be as the speech of a weekday.” And we will also understand why on Shabbat we must speak only about the words of the Creator and the sanctity of the day.

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is the Assistance that He who Comes to Purify Receives in the Work?

Article No. 17, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

The Zohar asks (Exodus, Item 36), “Why is it written, ‘Come unto Pharaoh?’ It should have said, ‘Go unto Pharaoh.’ What is ‘Come’? Moses was afraid of him. When the Creator saw that Moses was afraid of him, the Creator said, ‘Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt.’ The Creator, and none other, had to wage war against him, as you say, ‘I the Lord,’ which they explained, ‘I and not another.’”

This means that the answer to why it is written, “Come,” is because Moses could not defeat Pharaoh king of Egypt by himself, but the Creator waged war against him. In that case, why did He say to Moses, “Come,” if Moses could not defeat him but only the Creator? How does Moses help in this, and why is it written, “Come unto Pharaoh”?

We should also understand the words, “Come unto Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart that I may set these signs of Mine within him.” All the interpreters ask, Why after the first five plagues, the Creator took from Pharaoh the choice? And if the Creator took from him the choice, why is it Pharaoh’s fault that he did not obey the Creator?

The answer to this, says the writing, is “for I have hardened his heart.” And why did I harden his heart? It is not because he is at fault, but for another reason, as it is written, “that I may set these signs of Mine within him.” Because the Creator wanted to set His signs, He took from him the choice, so he will suffer plagues.

This is difficult to understand. Does the Creator, who created the world in order to do good to His creations, for the creatures to receive only good, can it be said that because He wants to show His signs, He hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so He would have an excuse to give the signs? It seems like one who benefits from his friend’s downfall.

It was said (Sotah 11) about the verse (Exodus), “And a new king arose, who did not know Joseph”: “Rav and Shmuel, one said, ‘truly a new one,’ and one said, ‘whose decrees were renewed.’” We should understand how this is interpreted when interpreting in the work, that Pharaoh is the evil inclination that is within man’s body. How can it be said that he is actually new, if the evil inclination is called “a foolish old king”?

The Zohar said that the reason is that since the evil inclination comes to a person as soon as one is born, as it is written, “Sin crouches at the door,” meaning that as soon as one is born, the evil inclination emerges along with him, whereas the good inclination comes to a person after thirteen years. Therefore, why does it say, “‘And a new king arose,’ truly new”? Instead, we should say that the foolish old king, who is the evil inclination, is not something new in a person. Rather, as soon as one is born, it is present, as it is written, “A wild ass’s colt, a man is born.” Thus, what does “truly new” mean?

To understand the above, we should know what is the work that was given to us in Torah and Mitzvot[commandments/good deeds]. That is, why do I need this work? We learned that the purpose of creation is because of His desire is to do good to His creations. Hence, why do we need to exert ourselves? Is receiving pleasure, this act of receiving pleasure, called “work”?

We see that reception of pleasure is considered a reward and not work. However, this is as we learned that in order for the creatures not to feel shame when they receive pleasure, since the branch wants to resemble its root, and as our root bestows upon the creatures, when one does something that is not in the root, he feels unpleasantness about it, so in order to correct this, so that when the creatures receive they will feel wholeness in the pleasure and there will be no flaw in the reception of the pleasure, there was a correction called Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment. That is, as long as the creatures have not obtained vessels of bestowal, they will not receive and will not feel the pleasure that the Creator wanted to give them.

Therefore, when engaging in Torah and Mitzvot, they still do not feel the delight and pleasure clothed in Torah and Mitzvot. This is why it is considered work, since the importance of the King is not yet revealed, that it is worthwhile to serve Him because of His importance and greatness. This is regarded as the Shechina [Divinity] being in exile in each and every one. Hence, if there is no importance, it is considered that the Shechina is in the dust, meaning that there is no flavor in this whatsoever.

Through the sin of the tree of knowledge, our sages said that the serpent came to Eve and cast filth within her. Baal HaSulam interpreted that the serpent, which is the evil inclination, cast filth in her, meaning let her understand, “This-what.” That is, the serpent cast a flaw in Malchut, who is called “Eve,” and said, “This-what,” that you are working for the kingdom of heaven.

It turns out that as a result, we must work before we obtain the vessels of bestowal, where through the vessels of bestowal we can receive the delight and pleasure that the Creator wanted to give to the created beings. It follows that when we say that there is work in observing Torah and Mitzvot, it does not mean that observing the Torah and Mitzvot is work, but that the work is while observing Torah and Mitzvot before we can direct them in order to bestow. Then there is work, since we are placed under the rule of the evil and the serpent, as was said, that the serpent cast filth and blemished.

For this reason, we are under the rule of the rule of the will to receive for ourselves, at which time the delight and pleasure in Torah and Mitzvot are not revealed. And this is all the work—to obtain vessels of bestowal, for only through vessels of bestowal are the Tzimtzum and concealment that were placed on Torah and Mitzvot removed, for the delight and pleasure are not revealed in vessels of reception.

Hence, at that time we are given the Torah and Mitzvot to observe as an advice and Segula [remedy]. That is, we must aim, while observing Torah and Mitzvot, while we still cannot aim, that they will be in order to bestow, that these 613 Mitzvot that he observes will bring him the ability to achieve Lishma [for Her sake]. In the words of our sages, this advance is called Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], meaning that by observing Lo Lishma, he will come to Lishma because “the light in it reforms him.”

It follows that when a person sees that he cannot do everything in order to bestow, what should he do so as to come to be a giver? Our sages advised us that he should learn Lo Lishma, meaning in order to receive. This is the only advice by which he will achieve Lishma. There is no other advice. In the words of The Zohar, this is called “613 Eitin,” meaning 613 counsels.

These are his words (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” “General Explanation for All Fourteen Commandments and How They Divide into the Seven Days of Creation,” Item 1): “The Mitzvot in the Torah are called Pekudin [Aramaic: commands/deposits], as well as 613 Eitin [Aramaic: counsels/tips]. The difference between them is that in all things there is Panim [anterior/face] and Achor [posterior/back]. The preparation for something is called Achor, and the attainment of the matter is called Panim. Similarly, in Torah and Mitzvot there are ‘We shall do’ and ‘We shall hear.’ When observing Torah and Mitzvot as ‘doers of His word,’ prior to being rewarded with ‘hearing the voice of His word,’ the Mitzvot are called ‘613 Eitin,’ and are regarded as Achor. When rewarded with ‘hearing the voice of His word,’ the 613 Mitzvot become Pekudin, from the word Pikadon [deposit]. This is so because there are 613 Mitzvot, where in each Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot], the light of a unique degree is deposited.”

We therefore see that there are two times in observing Torah and Mitzvot: 1) During the preparation, regarded as “doers of His word.” At that time, it is called “work,” since he has not been rewarded with hearing, as then a person is still under the governance of receiving in order to receive, the state on which there was a Tzimtzum and concealment where the delight and pleasure are concealed from the Torah and Mitzvot, and a person must observe the 613 Mitzvot as counsel, meaning that by this he will be able to be rewarded with vessels of bestowal.

At that time, when he has these Kelim, the Tzimtzum and concealment will depart from him, and he will obtain the delight and pleasure, which was the purpose of creation—to do good to His creations. At that time, the 613 Mitzvot are called “613 Pekudin,” where in each Mitzva, the light that pertains to that Mitzva is deposited.

Then, there is no more room for work because he has already been rewarded with working for the sake of the Creator and not for his own benefit. This is as the Sayer of Duvna says, when he explained the verse, “You did not call upon Me, Jacob, for you labored in Me, Israel.” He said that if a person says that he has labor in observing Torah and Mitzvot, it is a sign that “You are not working for Me,” says the Creator. This is the meaning of “You did not call upon Me Jacob.” The sign that you are not working for the sake of the Creator is that you say that you have labored in observing Torah and Mitzvot, since when a person works Lishma, the concealment and Tzimtzum are removed and he begins to attain the delight and pleasure that exist in Torah and Mitzvot, which are called “613 Pekudin.”

By this we will understand what we asked, If the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, from where does the work in Torah and Mitzvot come to us? The answer is that in order not to have shame, the concealment and Tzimtzum were made. It follows that the delight and pleasure are not revealed in vessels of reception.

Hence, there is work: 1) because we must work against our nature, for we were born with a desire to receive for our own sake, 2) for by making the Tzimtzum, we must work on what is important, meaning we must work on going above reason, and we must believe that there is a leader to the world, who watches over the world as The Good Who Does Good.

These two things cause man labor and work, and require great overcoming in order for man not to escape the campaign in the middle of the work. This is so because when a person does something, he must see progress in the matter. If he sees no progress, he says that this is not for him, since he sees that he is not succeeding. This causes him to want to escape the campaign he is in.

But the truth is that there are two kinds of assistance from above, meaning that without help from above we cannot attain it: 1) the Kli [vessel], meaning the lack. That is, a lack to know what is the real lack, so as to know for what to ask for help from above.

In other words, often, a person is lacking something for which he becomes sick. The doctors give him medicines but it does not help him because he is not sick with what the doctors think he is. It turns out that he comes to a doctor, who prescribes him a medicine, but the medicine does not help him, and all the doctors have already discouraged him that he may stay with the illness for the rest of his life.

But finally, a professor comes along and says that he is sick and tormented because there is a substance deficient in his body, and this is why they cannot cure him, while he says that he is suffering from something that causes him the illness and the suffering. Therefore, I will give him a cure according to the substance that I think is deficient in his body, and he will be well right away. Afterward, they saw that he was completely healed.

It follows that first, one must know what he is missing so he can observe Torah and Mitzvot. A person might think of many things, and for each thing, he receives a medicine, but it does not help him because the reason why he cannot walk on the path of truth is not what a person thinks. It follows that he is praying to the Creator to help him, to give him filling what he thinks, but what he thinks is not the truth. Hence, a person is not healed from the control of the evil inclination.

For this reason, first, a person receives help from above to know the illness from which he is suffering. That is, he thinks he is deficient of something quantitative, meaning he needs more time to learn, and more brains, talent, etc., and for this he prays that He will help him. However, in truth, a person is deficient in quality, to know that the main lack within him is that he has no importance to feel that there is the Upper Guidance. In other words, he is lacking faith that the Creator leads the world in a manner of The Good Who Does Good. If he could really feel this, he would rejoice that he is receiving from the Creator delight and pleasure, and he would not want to part from the Creator for one moment, for he would know what he loses by turning his thought to other things.

So if he does not think that this is what he is lacking, but that he is lacking other things, which are not important in the work, then the first assistance that a person receives from above is to know his evil, his main obstructor for which he cannot be a true servant of the Creator. This help must come first, and afterward it is possible to make corrections, to correct them. That is, a person must come to a state where he knows that he needs only two main things, which are “mind” and “heart,” that this is all he must strive to obtain. Hence, the first assistance that a person receives from above is this lack.

However, this cannot be revealed in him at once, but gradually. According to his work when he exerts in the work to achieve the truth, to that extent he receives assistance from above. Once he has obtained the real Kli, meaning the real lack that he needs, then is the time when he receives the real filling that is suitable for the Kli. It therefore follows that a person receives from above both the light and the Kli, meaning the need, called “lack.”

In other words, what he is lacking hurts him. Yet, not everything that one does not have is considered a lack. For example, a person who has abundance and is enjoying life, when a person comes to him and asks him, “Why are you so happy? I see that my neighbor’s son, whose parents are very wealthy and respected, and yet I saw him suffering. That is, I saw him walking with a tormented expression. I asked him, ‘My friend, what is it you need? Your parents are very wealthy, so tell me, what is it you need? Are you unwell?’ So he replied, ‘I was supposed to get my doctor’s diploma, for which I labored many years, but I failed the tests, and I am sad that now I do not have a doctor’s diploma.’” Can it be said that any person who does not have a doctor’s diploma regrets it?

Rather, as said above, not everything that one does not have is considered a lack. A lack is everything that a person wants, but does not have. This is called “a lack.” For this reason, when we want to measure the intensity of the desire, we measure it according to the suffering one feels at not having what he yearns for.

It therefore follows that the first assistance that the upper one gives to the lower one is the awareness what he should obtain. The suffering from not having obtained it is regarded as the upper one giving the lower one the Kli. Then, when the lower one has a real need, the upper one gives him the second assistance, namely the light and the filling of the lack.

By this we will understand what we asked, If the Creator knew that Moses could not fight and defeat Pharaoh king of Egypt by himself, but the Creator Himself, as it is written, “I and not a messenger,” why did he say to Him, “Come unto Pharaoh”? This implies that together with Moses, the Creator can help. But the Creator said, “I and not a messenger,” so how does Moses help us here? Why is it written, “Come unto Pharaoh”?

It means that a person must begin to walk on the path of the Creator and achieve the truth, meaning to be rewarded with Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator. Then, if he advances in the walk, the person receives the first assistance—the sensation of the lack, to know what he is lacking. Subsequently, he grasps that he is lacking only two main things: “mind” and “heart.” And along with it, he receives suffering at not having them. In other words, he feels the need for this. At that time, if the person does not work by himself, it cannot be said that he is suffering from not having it. Only the need for something, if one labored to obtain something, can it be said that he has a need for it to the point that he is suffering from not having it.

This is why it is written, “Come unto Pharaoh.” It indicates two things: 1) The person himself should exert, such as the allegory about the doctor, who labored many years to study medicine and finally failed and did not get the doctor’s diploma. Then it can be said that he is suffering from not having what he wants.

But if he did not exert, it cannot be said that he is suffering from not achieving what he wants, since the labor one puts into something awakens the desire, so he will not escape the campaign because he is sorry about all the efforts he had put into the matter, and he always thinks, “Perhaps I will finally obtain what I want.” It follows that by working, even though he cannot obtain it, the labor he exerts each time invokes the yearning for the matter.

It follows that there are two forces here:

1) Man’s power, who must toil not in order to obtain the matter, but in order to have a strong desire to obtain the matter. It follows that man’s work is required in order to obtain the need for the Creator’s help. This is called “a complete desire.” In other words, it is not that man’s work causes the obtainment of the matter, but rather the obtainment of the lack and need for the matter, and in order to know what he is lacking. For this, he receives help from above, by seeing each time, that he is more deficient and cannot emerge from the governance of Pharaoh. This assistance is called “for I have hardened his heart.” It follows that the hardening of the heart is required in order to have a real need for a real thing.

2) At the same time, we must have the Creator’s help, to give the light, as it is written, “I and not a messenger.” This means that since by nature, the will to receive for oneself—called “a foolish old king”—controls a person, and man’s ability to change nature is only in the hands of the Creator, meaning that He made nature, and He can change it, and this is called “the exodus from Egypt,” which was a miracle. This is why it is written, “Come,” meaning both of them together, as we say, “Come together,” likewise, the Creator and Moses.

Now we can understand what we asked, Why is it written, “For I have hardened his heart that I may set these signs of Mine within him”? We said that it seems as one who benefits from his friend’s downfall. That is, the Creator made him wicked so He would show His signs. According to the above, the meaning of “set these signs of Mine” refers to the light, for the light is called “letters.” It follows that He made him wicked, meaning deficient, so he would have a complete Kli to receive the light. This means that the letters are not for the sake of the Creator, but for the sake of the created being.

By this we will also understand what we asked, what is “And a new king arose,” since he is an old king? The answer is that each time, his decrees are renewed. That is, each time, the evil inclination is made anew, because “I have hardened his heart.” It follows that “Anyone whose desire is great, his inclination is greater than him.”

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is “For Lack of Spirit and for Hard Work,” in the Work?

Article No. 16, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

It is written in The Zohar, VaEra (Item 65), “Rabbi Shimon said, ‘For lack of spirit’ means that the Yovel [Jubilee], which is Bina, had not finished yet to give them rest and freedom. And the last spirit, which is Malchut, still did not rule the world, to instill upright laws in the world. Hence, there was lack of spirit. And which spirit is it? It is Malchut, who was unable to save Israel. This is the meaning of ‘for lack of spirit.’”

We should understand the meaning of “hard work” and “lack of spirit.” In other words, what is the connection between hard work and lack of spirit, in the work? We should also understand what Rabbi Shimon interprets about lack of spirit with regard to Malchut, what is the connection to hard work?

It is known that the order of the work in the work of the Creator is that a person should work to provide himself with Kelim [vessels] in which he will be able to receive the delight and pleasure that the Creator contemplated giving to the creatures. It is known that the reason for the creation of the worlds was His desire to do good to His creations. Because of this, He created in the creatures a desire and yearning to receive delight and pleasure. In the desire and yearning for the pleasure, we measure the taste of the pleasure, meaning that to the extent of the yearning for something from which he thinks he will receive pleasure, so is the measure of enjoyment. For this reason, smallness or greatness of the pleasure of a person are measured by the measure of the yearning for the pleasure in that thing.

Accordingly, from where do the discernments of the recipients of the pleasure come? After all, they were all created with a desire to receive for themselves, so who makes one feel little pleasure, and another, great pleasure? That is, what fool would want to receive little pleasure where he can receive much pleasure? But because the Creator wanted “to bring to light the perfection of His deeds,” meaning that doing good to His creations means complete giving, meaning that when he receives the delight and pleasure, he will not feel any unpleasantness, namely shame, as it is written, “One who eats that which is not his, is afraid to look at his face,” hence, the Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment on the vessels of reception was installed, which are Kelim [vessels] that man was created with them by nature.

In other words, there are two matters about this: 1) We cannot receive any abundance of Kedusha[holiness] in these Kelim, 2) As long as one has not acquired vessels of bestowal, he does not see the delight and pleasure found in Kedusha, and he cannot perceive the taste of pleasure, except the tiny illumination that was given to the Klipot [shells/peels] so they can exist. Out of these sparks that fell into the Klipot come all the corporeal pleasures.

This is revealed to all, meaning that the pleasure is revealed, namely that each one can taste these pleasures with the vessels of reception, which want to receive pleasure for their own benefit. Conversely, the delight and pleasure of Kedusha, where there are the majority of pleasures that He wanted to impart upon the creatures, this is hidden from the vessels of reception. This is called “ Tzimtzum and concealment.”

Therefore, two things emerged from this correction—that it is possible to receive the pleasures of Kedusha only to the extent that he has acquired vessels of bestowal: 1) A person must believe that the majority of delight and pleasure that the Creator wants to give to the created beings is found in Kedusha. 2) We must work against nature and not receive anything for our own sake, but only for the sake of the Creator.

This induces a distinction of degrees. That is, no person is like another, since with regard to what comes from the Giver, everyone is the same, as the ARI says, “Before the emanations were emanated and the creatures were created, the simple, upper light had filled the whole of reality. And there was not beginning or end, but everything was simple light.” Yet, afterward, after the correction to receive only in vessels of bestowal was done, a proliferation of worlds took place, meaning many discernments according to the intention that one can aim in order to bestow. This is called proliferation of Masachim [screens], and by this, a distinction of degrees took place.

This is as our sages said (Shabbat 152), “Each and every righteous is given a section according to his glory.” This is so because there is a difference on the part of the Kelim of the receiver, meaning the Kelim that the receiver should make, which are called “vessels of bestowal,” meaning to receive in order to bestow. Vessels of reception for one’s own benefit come from the Emanator. A person does not need to work on these Kelim, since the Creator created him with such Kelim. Hence, the created beings’ only work is to obtain vessels of bestowal.

According to the above, we know what is man’s work: It is work only to obtain vessels of bestowal. That is, a person should come to a state where everything that does not concern the benefit of the Creator does not interest him. Instead, his only desire is to come to a state where he can bring contentment to his Maker. Hence, when a person begins the work, he begins in Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], meaning for his own sake. Afterward, he begins to understand that the fact that he is working Lo Lishma is only a Segula [remedy/power/quality] by which to achieve Lishma [for Her sake], as our sages said, “From Lo Lishma, we come to Lishma, since the light in it reforms him,” and he believes that in the end he will achieve Lishma.

Afterward, a person goes another step forward and begins to exert. He does things that will bring him to Lishma, meaning he begins to understand that one must take actions and intend that these actions will bring him to the level of Lishma, and he calculates to himself how much he has already been rewarded with the matter of Lishma.

At that time, he begins to see the truth—how far he is from the work of bestowal. With each time, he sees more how immersed he is only in self-love. He sees that each day he is regressing, and then his work, where he wants to work in order to bestow, is called “hard work.”

This is so for two reasons: 1) Now he sees what “in order to bestow” means. A person must believe in our sages, that the fact that now he sees what is “for the sake of the Creator,” he did not know its true meaning. Rather, as we explained about the words of The Zohar about the verse, “Or make his sin known to him,” he asks, “Who made it known to him?” And he replies, “The Creator.” We should interpret that when a person feels how far he is from the work of bestowal and that he is immersed in self-love, this is a revelation from above. Now, this work becomes harder, meaning that once he was notified from above the meaning of “for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake,” now his work has become harder.

However, a person thinks that now he has become worse than when he began the work in order to bestow, as though he himself has become worse now. At that time, a person must believe that this is not so. Rather, he advanced toward the truth by the Creator notifying him his real situation. It follows that through the work, when he began to do this work, which now seems to him as hard work, it is because the Creator has turned to him because now he is in a better state than when he was still not involved in work of bestowal.

However, the second reason why now it has become harder for him is that normally, when a person wants to learn a profession, he goes to a craftsman to learn the profession that he thinks is good for him. If the craftsman sees that he is not progressing after some time of learning with him, the craftsman tells him, “This profession is not for you; it is too difficult; go look for another occupation that is easier for you, and from this you will make a living.”

Therefore, in the work of the Creator, when a person begins to do the work of bestowal, and thinks that according to the order of the work, each day there should be progress, he says that it is worthwhile to continue with this work of bestowal because he is certain to learn this profession of knowing how to do everything only for the sake of the Creator.

But when he sees that after some time of exerting in this job, not only did he not progress, but he even regressed, his body tells him, “You are wasting energy in this occupation; this job is not for you. This job requires special skills and a brave heart. Go and find another occupation like everyone else, and do not be an exception.”

It follows that this is called “hard work,” since in any work, when he wants to exert and walk on the work of bestowing, the body does not let him work by resisting him with just arguments.

And indeed, within reason, it is absolutely right. It follows that the slander he hears from his body makes the work heavy on him, which is why it is called “hard work.”

However, a person should believe that in truth, he is making progress, and the reason he sees that each time he is more immersed in self-love and that now he is worse off—meaning in a state of lowliness that is worse than when he began the work of bestowal—is because “For I have hardened his heart.”

In other words, the Creator shows him each time what it means not to work for one’s own benefit but only for the sake of the Creator, by the Creator letting a person know the meaning of not working for himself. By this one sees how this is truly against nature. Since man was created with a desire to receive for his own sake, and now he wants to do something that is against nature, this is why it is called “hard work.”

Yet, the question is, Why does the Creator notify him the truth that a person is unable to work against nature? This is because, as it is written, “that I may place these signs of Mine within him.” That is, by revealing all the bad within a person, the Creator can give help, as our sages said, “He who comes to purify is aided.” And since what is given from above is a complete thing, a person must have a complete Kli [vessel], meaning a complete lack, called a “complete Kli” in which the whole of the light may enter.

It follows that the Creator reveals the bad to a person in order to help him. That is, since there is no light without a Kli, when the bad is not revealed to the fullest, he still does not have a complete Kli. We can interpret “complete Kli” to mean “complete desire for His help,” since as long as the evil is not revealed, a person sometimes says that if he overcomes, he will certainly be able to achieve the work of bestowal. Also, sometimes he says that the Creator cannot help him, either. Hence, when a person exerts in the work of bestowal, the powers he has invested do not let him escape the campaign, and each time he gets a greater need for the help of the Creator. It follows that the hard work itself was the cause that he would cry out to the Creator to help him.

This is similar to what is presented in The Zohar (Beresheet Bet, Item 103), “There are two ways in the corporeal and spiritual afflictions he had prior to repenting:

1. All that the Creator does, He does for the best. He sees that were it not for the terrible pains that he had suffered for being immersed in the nature of reception for himself, he would never have been rewarded with repentance. Therefore, he blesses for the bad as he blesses for the good, since without the bad he would not have been rewarded with the good. It follows that all that the Merciful One does, He does for the best, meaning they induce good.
2. That, too, is for the best. Not only did the evils that were done induce good, but the evils themselves have been inverted into good through very great lights that the Creator illuminated through all those evils until they were inverted into good.”

Therefore, we see that specifically when all the bad is revealed, there is a complete Kli in which a complete light can shine. From the above, we see why the Creator hardened his heart, meaning that the heart, called “desire,” resisted the work of bestowal more forcefully each time. The reason is that we need hard work, for only through the suffering of hard work, these sufferings induce an outcry to the Creator with a complete desire that He will help him emerge from the rule of Pharaoh king of Egypt. That is, specifically from the state of lowliness, when a person feels that he is worse off than all other people, it pushes him to cry out to the Creator with all his heart to help him.

However, in that state, there are many ups and downs. That is, sometimes a person cannot believe that the situation he is in comes from the Creator, meaning that the Creator has turned to him and hears his prayer, when a person asks that the Creator will help him out of the exile he is in under the rule of self-love.

Therefore, when a person has this faith, he does not escape from the campaign, meaning says that he sees that the Creator does not hear his prayer, so there is no one to pray to. Rather, he believes that the Creator does hear his prayer and the Creator has given him the awareness to know what lowliness one is in, that it never occurred to him that he would be so immersed in self-love.

Hence, each time he braces himself and does not move from praying to the Creator. He says, “The Creator must want a true desire to appear in me, which will deliver me from this exile.” Then, he does not stop thanking the Creator for revealing to him his true state.

Also, he stands and prays to the Creator, since he sees that the Creator hears a prayer, in that He showed him the evil, and He will certainly also help him out of the evil, which is called “redemption.” In other words, he believes that the Creator let him see that he is in exile and will certainly deliver him from exile.

However, at times there are descents where it is hard for him to believe that the Creator hears a prayer, since in the person’s eyes, he thinks that he has already prayed to Him far too much, and if the Creator hears what is being asked of Him, He should have helped me. And since I have not been saved from what I have been praying about, he says that the Creator does not hear his prayer. Perhaps He hears others, but what difference does this make, since what matters is what he feels, meaning whether he is happy or sad.

These descents induce within him thoughts about escaping the campaign and to say that this is not for him. But if he does not escape, he gets another ascent and he begins to think differently and forgets about all the decisions he had made. In this way, the procession of ascents and descents continues until a true need for nearing the Creator appears within a person, meaning that the Kli, called “desire,” has been completed in all of its correct form.

Yet, it is the Creator who knows when it is completed, and a person cannot know this. At that time, the Creator gives the help and delivers a person from exile.

Now we can understand what we asked about how The Zohar interprets the words “And Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel (meaning the annunciation of the redemption), but they did not listen to Moses for lack of spirit and for hard work.” He says, “Lack of spirit means Malchut, who was unable to save Israel.” We should interpret that the main work is in the Malchut, as the ARI says, that the exile in Egypt was that the view of Kedusha [holiness] was in exile. That is, the kingdom of heaven, that we must accept the burden of the kingdom of heaven because He is great and ruling, meaning not in order to receive reward, but that the work must be a great pleasure because one has been rewarded with serving the King because of the importance of the King, this was in exile.

In other words, the importance of Kedusha was not revealed. This is called “Shechina in the dust,” meaning that when a person should take upon himself to work for the sake of the Creator, this work is regarded as lowliness, since he finds in this no taste of importance. It follows that by Malchut being in the dust, which is something that is not important, this made it hard work.

This is called “lack of spirit,” meaning that Malchut, which is an important thing, meaning that one who serves the King is regarded as one “who sees the face of the King,” who sit first in the kingdom, among these people, it is not considered that they are dwelling with the King, and they are regarded as seeing the King’s face, sitting first in the kingdom, they regard it as hard work and we say that they have “lack of spirit,” meaning they are not high spirited.

However, when Malchut is in exile under the governance of the Klipot [shells/peels], they regard Malchut as dust, unimportant. This is called “lack of spirit,” when Malchut cannot give high spirits, as one should feel when dwelling with the King. It follows that “lack of spirit and hard work” are tied to one another. This means that if Malchut is in the dust, unimportant, this causes hard work, because something that is tasteless, each moment when one overcomes and works, this overcoming is very difficult, and a person cannot always overcome.

This is the meaning of what he says, “The last spirit, which is Malchut, still did not rule the world, to instill upright laws,” meaning that Malchut still did not have governance, so everyone would see that all the laws that come from her are upright laws, meaning that everything will be in accord and each one will feel Malchut, called “Providence,” as good and doing good, since the world follows Her leadership, as it is written, “And His kingship rules over all.” This was still not revealed.

This is the meaning of the words, “Hence, there was lack of spirit. And which spirit is it? It is Malchut, who was unable to save Israel.” This means that since this Malchut was still in exile, she could not save Israel. But when she is delivered from exile, it is to the contrary, she gives man the spirit so that he is high spirited.

Therefore, when Moses came and announced the annunciation of the redemption, they could not believe such a thing—that they would be delivered from the exile in Egypt, as it is written, “And I will bring you out from under the afflictions of Egypt, and I will save you from their work.” That is, they will not only have no hard work, but they will not have any work at all. This, they could not believe, that such a thing could be.

Had they believed it, then by the power of faith they would have come out from the exile. Malchut, which is called “spirit,” would have risen in importance, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 3), “Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, if it ascends upward? And the spirit of the beast, if it descends down to the earth?” We should interpret “the spirit of the sons of men” to mean that after he emerges from his beast and becomes a “man,” as our sages said, “you are called ‘man,’” the spirit, meaning Malchut, who is called “spirit,” ascends, rises in importance.

But the quality of spirit in a beast, when a person is in a state of beastliness, for him the spirit descends in importance. Hence, the people of Israel had to reveal their evil so they would have a complete lack, for then the complete help could come. This is why the children of Israel still did not hear.

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

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What Does It Mean that Before the Egyptian Minister Fell, Their Outcry Was Not Answered, in the Work?

Article No. 15, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

The Zohar (Shemot [Exodus], Item 341) says, “As long as their minister had dominion over Israel, Israel’s outcry was not heard. When their minister fell, it is written, ‘The king of Egypt died.’ And promptly, ‘And the children of Israel sighed from the work, and they cried, and their outcry went up unto God.’ But until that time, their outcry was not answered.”

We should understand this: If he says that before their minister fell, their outcry was not answered, who caused their minister to fall so that afterward it will be possible to hear their outcry? We should also understand why, if their minister had dominion, it is impossible for their outcry to be answered. Does their minister have the power to detain the prayers of Israel? We should also understand what is written (Exodus 5:22), “Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not saved Your people at all.’ Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh, for with a mighty hand he will send them.’”

We should understand Moses’ argument when he said, “Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not saved Your people at all.” It appears as though Moses’ complaint was true, since it implies from the Creator’s reply that what Moses said was true. But the Creator said, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh.” In other words, he would see what the Creator would do to Pharaoh. It seems as though it should have said, “You will see,” meaning that Moses will see, meaning Atah [you] with an Aleph [which changes the meaning from “now” to “you”]. Why is it written Atah with an Ayin [which means “now”], which implies that now he will see? It means that when he came to Pharaoh previously, and he harmed this people, there could not be an exodus from Egypt. But now there will be a place for with a mighty hand he will send them and drive them out.

We should understand why specifically now is the place of the exodus from Egypt. There are two things to understand here: 1) why when he came as the Creator’s messenger, the situation of the people of Israel grew worse. 2) why specifically now, after the situation has deteriorated, there can be an exodus from Egypt.

We should interpret this in the work. The ARI says that the exile in Egypt was that the view of Kedusha [holiness] was in exile. This means that the Klipa of Egypt ruled over the people of Israel. We should interpret that the people of Israel means that the whole nation wanted to work for the sake of the Creator and not for their own sake, as it is known that “Israel” means Yashar-El [straight to the Creator], meaning everything for the Creator.

The governance of Pharaoh is the opposite: to work only for one’s own sake. For this reason, the view of Kedusha means that we must work for the sake of the Creator, meaning to bestow. This discernment was in exile under the rule of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, where Mitzrayim [Egypt] has the letters of Metzar-Yam [narrow sea], and it is known that “narrow” means scarce in Hassadim[mercies].

It is like the [Hebrew] expression, “narrow eyed” [jealous], meaning that he can only receive and not give anything. “Wide” means expansive, meaning giving much, and “narrow” is the opposite, not giving, which means that the Klipa [shell/peel] of Egypt was that each one could work only in order to receive in return. But without return, meaning only to bestow, he does not permit any action. This is considered that Egypt was narrowing [constraining] the quality of Israel.

By this we can interpret what our sages said, “Anyone who constrains Israel becomes a Rosh [head].” That is, who can control the quality of Israel? Only he who is the Rosh, he governs. Then he constrains the quality of Israel, not letting one work for the sake of the Creator, which is called to engage in Hesed [mercy], but only in reception for oneself. This is called “the Klipa of Egypt.”

Therefore, the order of the work is as our sages said, “One should always engage in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds] Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], and from Lo Lishma, we come to Lishma [for Her sake], since the light in it reforms him.” This is so because man was born with a desire to receive for himself. Hence, if we want him to do something, to emerge from the state where he is used to working for his sustenance, meaning a person is told, “Until now you knew that all your pleasures, by which you sustain the body so it can exist, came only from corporeal things. You found pleasure only in corporeal things, and this is called ‘the sustenance of the body.’ Engage in Torah and Mitzvot, where greater pleasure is clothed, so it is better for you to engage in Torah and Mitzvotbecause by this you will have more pleasure.”

It is like a person being told, “Stop working where you are used to work; there is a company where you can earn ten times more.” If he believes what he is told, he will certainly leave the job he was used to doing all the time and go work at the new place, since he will receive a higher return.

This is called Lo Lishma. However, from Lo Lishma he will come to Lishma. Therefore, it is worthwhile to begin even in Lo Lishma, since in the end, he will come to Lishma. It is as Maimonides says, “Therefore, when teaching little ones, women, and uneducated people, it is in order to receive reward, until they gain knowledge.”

All this is because the body understands only the mother tongue. That is, if the first language that the mother speaks to it is the language of reception, meaning to work only for the will to receive for oneself, meaning to act only for its own benefit, and the language of bestowal is something new to it and it does not understand it, it is very difficult to learn this language. That is, understanding this language requires help from above, so as to be able to grasp this language of the desire to bestow.

It was said about this, “He who comes to purify is aided,” to understand this language. This is called “the generation of Babylon,” as it is written (Genesis 7:11), “They will not hear one another’s language.” In other words, when they were given work of bestowal, for each to work for one’s friend, the package soon fell apart.

That is, it is as it is written, “and they stopped building the city,” since when they were told that each one should work for his friend, they did not know this language, and no one wanted to work for another. Hence, they immediately “stopped building the city,” as they had no motivation to work for the sake of others.

For this reason, when the people of Israel were in exile in Egypt and were under the governance of Pharaoh, King of Metzar-Yam [Narrow Sea/Egypt], and wanted to emerge from his governance, they could not. It was still unclear to them what it means to work in order to bestow and not for one’s own sake. Although they wanted to work for the sake of the Creator, they saw that they could not. Yet, they always had excuses as to why they cannot aim in order to bestow, and they did not feel that they were so far from the Creator.

However, when Moses came to the people of Israel and spoke the Pharaoh of each and every one, meaning to the will to receive in their hearts, and told them that he wanted the Pharaoh in them not to dominate the quality of Israel in them, but that it would allow working for the sake of the Creator and not for the sake of the body, when Pharaoh of the nation heard what Moses had told them—to work only for the sake of the Creator—they understood what it means to bestow and not receive and were promptly weakened in the work, since the body resisted with all its might so they would not perform any act of Kedusha.

In other words, even the Lo Lishma now became difficult for them to do. Before Moses came, they had strength to work because they still did not know what “for the sake of the Creator” meant. But when Moses came and explained to them what it means to bestow and not receive anything, the Pharaoh of each one started asking questions: 1) As it is written, Pharaoh asked, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?” 2) Then came the wicked one’s question, who asked, “What is this work for you?”

It follows that once the people of Israel heard from Moses that they must work for the sake of the Creator, the real resistance of the evil in man began. This is the meaning of the words, “Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people?Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people.’” In other words, the body, which is called Pharaoh, began to resist the work.

It follows that Moses’ question was in order. That is, intellectually, we understand that if we observe the Torah and Mitzvot that the Creator commanded, the order should be that if we engage on the path of truth, the work should certainly be stronger, since we are marching on the path of truth, whereas Lo Lishma is not on the path of truth.

Hence, when Moses came to speak in the name of the Creator, the work should have been stronger, meaning to overcome the evil with the quality of truth. Yet, what did Moses see? It is written, “Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people,” meaning the work to overcome the evil has become harder. In other words, not only did they not become better, meaning had more power to overcome the evil, but on the contrary, the evil gained more power.

Yet, the truth is that before we know what it means to do everything in order to bestow, the evil in man does not show its resistance all that much, since it is given a holding place while engaging in Torah and Mitzvot. Yet, when the body hears what it means to bestow upon the Creator and not receive anything for one’s own sake, meaning wanting to completely uproot the evil and not give it any grip on one’s Torah and Mitzvot, of course it resists with all its might and does not allow being cancelled.

It therefore follows that it is not that something new occurred in the evil. That is, it is not that now he received the evil, but that the evil that was in him had nothing to do and was virtually idle within him. But when a person wants to give all his actions to the Creator and not give anything to his body, called “will to receive for oneself,” it begins to show its strength and resists being overthrown from governance over the body.

It is written in The Zohar that the evil inclination in a man is called “a foolish old king.” It says, Why is it called “king”? Because it controls the body. And why is it called “old”? Because as soon as one is born, it is present in a person, whereas the good inclination comes to a person after thirteen years.

It therefore follows that as long as the evil is not revealed, there is still no one to cancel. But once its might has been exposed in full, it is possible to revoke it, since then, when he revokes it, he revokes it entirely. When the evil is not revealed, only a part of it can be cancelled, and this is not wholeness, since from above, when a person is given something, he is given a complete thing.

Otherwise, if one were to be given the power to be able to work for the sake of the Creator, if a bad part that has not been revealed remains in a person, it follows that a part that is bad and is still not revealed remains within a person and works with the intention for the sake of the Creator, and this is not considered wholeness. This is as our sages said (Sukkah 48), “Anyone who associates ‘for the sake of the Creator’ with another thing is uprooted from the world.”

We should interpret this in the work. This means that if a person observes Torah and Mitzvot for the sake of the Creator, but does part of the work also for the sake of the body, meaning that it will yield benefit to the body, too, he is uprooted from the world, meaning from the spiritual world, since everything must be for the sake of the Creator, and not at all for one’s own sake.

It follows that before the evil reveals its true form, it is impossible to give the person the power to uproot it, since he still does not have the measure of the bad that will give him the power to overcome, as it is known that there is no light without a Kli [vessel], meaning no filling without a lack.

According to the above, we can understand the Creator’s answer when He told him, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh.” We asked, it should have said Atah with an Aleph [meaning “you”], meaning that Moses would see that the Creator will do to Pharaoh. Why does it say Atah with an Ayin[meaning “now”]?

According to what we explained, it is impossible to give half a thing. Rather, first, the full evil must be disclosed, and then comes the help from above over a complete thing. Therefore, after Moses said, “Why have You brought harm to this people and did not save at all,” but rather the bad manifested in all its might, now is the time when the salvation will come from above. This is why He said, “now,” meaning that now you will see that I will give them the necessary help, as it is written, “For with a mighty hand he will send them, and with a mighty hand he will drive them out from his land.” For only now is it the time, since all the bad has been revealed in them.

Now we can understand why when Moses came as the Creator’s emissary, their situation grew worse. The reason is that this is not regarded that they grew worse, but that when Moses let them see what it means that they must work for the sake of the Creator, as it is written, “Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name,” meaning that we must work for the sake of the Creator and the quality of Pharaoh must descend from its throne, there was room for the revelation of the evil.

It follows that by Moses explaining to them the meaning of working in order to bestow, they advanced in the work and achieved the degree of truth, to know how the bad controls them. Before Moses came to them as an emissary of the Creator, they did not know the truth—how far they were from the Creator. It follows that although in action, they grew worse, in truth, they advanced, for only now do they have Kelim [vessels] that the Creator can fill with His help, as our sages said, “He who comes to purify is aided.”

Now we can also understand the second question: Why specifically after they grew worse, the time came when the Creator gave the help. This was so because only now do they have Kelim that are ready to receive a complete thing. This is why it is written, “Now you will see” with an Ayin.

Concerning what we asked about what The Zohar says, that before their minister fell, the outcry of Israel was not heard, as it is written, “And the king of Egypt died,” and promptly, “And their cry went up unto God.” But until that time their outcry was not answered. We asked, 1) Who caused their minister to fall? 2) Why does their minister have the strength to detain their prayer?

We can understand this the way Baal HaSulam said, as is presented in the book A Sage’s Fruit (Part 1, p 103): “The thing is that to the extent that the children of Israel thought that Egypt were enslaving them and impeding them from worshipping the Creator, they truly were in the exile in Egypt. Hence, the redeemer’s only work was to reveal to them that there was no other force involved here, that ‘I and not a messenger,’ for there is no other force but Him. This was indeed the light of redemption.”

It follows that the exile is primarily that we think that there is a minister of Egypt, meaning that their minister is given authority and he governs Israel. When a person thinks so, their minister rules. When the people of Israel want to emerge from the governance of the minister of Egypt and see that they are asking the Creator to deliver them from his dominion but the Creator does not deliver them from exile and they are under his governance, then they say that the Creator does not hear their prayer.

The evidence of this is that He does not hear their outcry, since they see that they keep regressing instead of progressing. In other words, each time, they see that they are farther from the work of bestowal, since it makes sense that according to the work and toil that a person gives and prays to the Creator, He would deliver him from Pharaoh’s governance.

Yet, each day he sees the opposite. That is, each day, he sees that Pharaoh is ruling over him with more power, meaning he sees that he is more connected to the will to receive, and also more remote from the desire to bestow. For this reason, a person says that the Creator does not hear a prayer.

This is the meaning of what The Zohar says, that as long as their minister was given dominion over Israel, Israel’s outcry was not heard. This is considered that their minister detains the prayers of Israel. That is, the people of Israel say so; otherwise, why does the Creator not hear their outcry?

And what happens in the end, meaning after the full form of the evil has been revealed to them and they did not escape the campaign in the middle of the work? At that time they are rewarded with seeing the truth, that there is no minister of theirs here, who was detaining their prayers, but the Creator Himself did everything, as it is written, “for I have hardened his heart.” That is, the Creator made them see each time how far they were from Kedusha, meaning that the Creator revealed to them the bad “that I may set these signs of Mine.” Thus, specifically by revealing all the bad, the Creator can give them the help for a complete thing.

Accordingly, it means that when they were rewarded with seeing, “And the king of Egypt died,” which The Zohar calls “the fall of their minister,” this awareness, that they thought that there was a minister to Egypt and that he had authority and was detaining their outcry so it would not be heard above, that view has fallen from the people of Israel.

Instead, now they were rewarded with seeing that there was no minister to Egypt who detained the prayers of Israel from being accepted. Rather, the Creator did hear their prayer and the Creator hardened their hearts. That is, the Creator wanted the real form of evil, called “will to receive for oneself,” to be revealed.

It follows that He did hear their outcry. Were it not for the awakening from below of the people of Israel, who want to emerge from Egypt’s governance, meaning when they saw that all their work was in favor of the will to receive for themselves, called “Pharaoh king of Egypt,” without this awakening, the Creator would not reveal to them the form of the bad.

The Creator shows the form of the bad only to those who want to emerge from the governance of the bad. They think that they are growing worse each time, when in truth, it is common sense that everything in which we exert, we advance more or less, but we do not regress. The answer is that we are not regressing. Rather, we are advancing to the form of the truth of how much the bad can work within them. Then, when they have a complete Kli of evil, the Creator gives them the help, and then everyone sees that the Creator did hear the prayer the whole time.

According to the above, it is clear what they thought, that there is a minister of Egypt who detains the prayers. We asked, Why does this minister have the power to control the prayers of Israel? The answer is that this is what they thought.

The second question, What caused their minister to fall from his authority? It is that they worked all the time and did not escape the campaign until there was room to reveal all the bad. Then, they were rewarded with the truth. Until then, there was also no minister here of theirs, but they thought so. It follows that two things came at once, which our sages call, “His divorce and his hand come as one.”

According to the above, we need great strengthening and not to escape the campaign, but to believe that “The Lord hears the prayer of every mouth,” and there is no other force in the world but only one force—that of the Creator, and He always hears everything that is turned to Him.

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

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What Is True Hesed in the Work?

Article No. 14, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

RASHI interprets the verse that Jacob said to Joseph, “Do for me mercy and truth.” Hesed[mercy/grace] that is done with the dead is true Hesed, for one does not expect a reward in return. This means that when he asked him the favor, “Please do not bury me in Egypt,” he asked that he will perform true Hesed, without reward. We should understand this, since common sense dictates that if he paid him for the trouble, he would certainly be more certain that he would do this for him, as it is customary that when we want something done to the fullest, we pay a higher fee. Thus, why did he choose the other way, to do the work without any payment?

Even more perplexing, according to the words of RASHI about the verse, “And I give you one Shechem more than to your brothers” (Genesis 48:22), RASHI interprets “‘I give you,’ since you trouble yourself with my burial, ‘one Shechem more than to your brothers.’ The actual Shechem will be to you one portion more than to your brothers.” Thus, this contradicts a true Hesed, which means without any payment, while here he pays him “one Shechem,” meaning one portion more than to his brothers.

We should interpret all this in the work, that Jacob implied to Joseph the order of the work. We see that the order of the work that was given to us in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds] also seems contradictory. On one hand, we see that our sages said that the reason for the creation of the worlds was His desire to do good to His creations, meaning for the creatures to receive from Him delight and pleasure, since the Creator is in utter wholeness and the only reason He created creation is in order to give abundance to the created beings, as it is written (Midrash Rabbah, Beresheet), “The Creator replied to the angels when He wanted to create the man. He said that it is like a king who has a tower filled with abundance but he has no guests. What pleasure does it give?” It follows that all that He created was for the creatures to receive delight and pleasure and to feel His guidance as good and doing good.

On the other hand, we see something that is the complete opposite from the purpose of creation, meaning that a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment were placed, that it is forbidden to receive for one’s own benefit. Rather, everything we receive should be for the sake of the Creator. This means that our main work is to work for Him. This is the meaning of the words, “Blessed is our God, who created us for His glory.” That is, all of creation is only for His glory and not for the created beings. This is why we were given 613 Mitzvot to observe.

As our sages said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice,” said the Creator. In other words, a person cannot work for the sake of the Creator because the evil inclination obstructs him. Hence, the Creator has given us 613 Mitzvot, which The Zohar calls “613 Eitin” (meaning counsels), by which we will be able to work for the sake of the Creator.

Ostensibly, this is the complete opposite of the purpose of creation—to do good to His creations. The thing is that we must believe what the ARI says, “When it came up in His simple will to create the worlds, emanate the emanations, and bring to light the perfection of His deeds.” In The Study of the Ten Sefirot, at the beginning of the Ohr Pnimi commentary, he explains there that “perfection of His deeds” means that the delight and pleasure that He contemplated giving to the creatures, so there would be wholeness in them, so they would not feel shame while receiving the delight and pleasure, this is called “the perfection of His deeds.”

It follows that the Tzimtzum that took place, where the light shines only when the creatures do everything for the sake of heaven, to benefit the Creator, and then they will receive the delight and pleasure and there will be no shame, this is the correction of the Tzimtzum, where we must do everything for the sake of the Creator and not for our own sake. It therefore follows that the only reason we must work for the sake of the Creator is only for our own benefit. By this we will receive the complete delight and pleasure without any unpleasantness of the bread of shame. This is called “to bring to light the perfection of His deeds,” meaning the deed that He wants to do good to His creations will be complete when the creatures receive the delight and pleasure.

Hence, there is no contradiction between the purpose of creation, to do good to His creations, meaning that the goal is to benefit the created beings, and not that the Creator wants to be served. Rather, it is all for the created beings and not at all for the sake of the Creator, since He has no deficiency. Moreover, He would like the created beings to be so happy that they will feel good and not feel any unpleasantness upon receiving the delight and pleasure.

The rule is that anyone who eats the bread of shame is ashamed. The Creator would like to save them from this shame; hence, He made a correction called “Tzimtzum and concealment,” where as long as they do not have the correction of doing everything for the sake of the Creator, they cannot receive the delight and pleasure because this concealment was placed, so that afterward, when they do everything for the sake of the Creator, the delight and pleasure that they want to receive and enjoy is only for the sake of the Creator, they will be saved from the shame that is present in one who receives sustenance from others as a free gift.

It follows from the above said, that there is no contradiction between the purpose of creation to do good to His creations, meaning for the sake of the created being, and the correction of creation, that we must do everything for the sake of the Creator and not for our own sake, which is also for the sake of the created beings and not that the Creator needs to be served or given anything. Rather, everything is for the sake of the created beings.

Now we can explain what we asked, Why did Jacob say to Joseph to do for him “true mercy.” This refers to the matter that Jacob established the order of the work that we must do here. He implied to him the order of the correction of creation and the matter of the purpose of creation, which are both one aim—to benefit the creatures.

This is why he began to tell him that we must begin the work in a manner of “true mercy,” meaning without any reward, but everything not for his own sake but for the sake of the Creator, as it is written in the book Matan Torah (in the beginning), that when a person works for the sake of others, it should also be because of the commandment of the Creator, meaning that everything a person does should be for the sake of the Creator, and then he will naturally be adhered to the Creator in everything he does.

Afterward, he implied to him that the fact that we must work for the sake of the Creator is in order to yield benefit for himself, meaning that if a person truly works for the sake of the Creator and does not want anything for his own benefit, he comes to a degree where he wants to give something to the Creator so He will enjoy. At that time, he sees that there is only one thing by which he can please the Creator—by receiving from Him the delight and pleasure because this is why He created creation. Hence, he wants to delight the Creator. And certainly, the more a person enjoys the King’s gift, the more pleasure the King has.

This is similar to someone giving a gift to his friend. Usually, if the receiver of the gift praises the gift he received from his friend, his friend enjoys more. But if the receiver of the gift tells him, “I don’t really need the gift you gave me,” his friend does not enjoy this. On the contrary, the more the recipient needs the gift, the more the giver enjoys. This is expressed in the measure of the gratitude that the recipient gives to the giver. Therefore, the more a person tries to enjoy the delight and pleasure that the Creator has given him, the more contentment there is above from the lower one enjoying more.

Therefore, once Joseph took upon himself the work in order to bestow without any reward, he should receive the delight and pleasure for what he did in order to bestow. This is why it is written that Jacob told him, “And I give you one Shechem more than to your brothers.” “Shechem” means one portion more than to your brothers, according to RASHI’s interpretation, since you trouble yourself with my burial, meaning that because then you took upon yourself to work without any reward, now comes the time for you to receive the payment, meaning the part of the light and abundance that should be revealed on the work in order to bestow, since the work in order to bestow is primarily for this purpose—to be able to receive the delight and pleasure without shame, as one who receives free gifts.

Concerning the words “one Shechem,” we should interpret the way Baal HaSulam interpreted what is written about King Saul, who was “from his Shechem [shoulder] and up, higher than all the people” (1 Samuel 9). The corporeal meaning is that he was taller by a head than the rest of the people, meaning that his head was higher than all the people. He said that in spirituality, the degrees divide into Rosh [head] and Guf [body]. Guf means that there is still no wholeness in him, and Rosh means that he already has wholeness.

We should interpret that wholeness means that he has already been rewarded with the correction of creation, called “vessels of bestowal.” This means that with the actions of the vessels of bestowal, he can already aim to bestow. This is considered that he has been rewarded with the light of Hassadim[mercies], which dresses in vessels of bestowal. Also, he has been rewarded with the purpose of creation, meaning that he can use the vessels reception in order to bestow. This is considered that he has been rewarded with the light of Hochma.

It follows that “from his shoulder and up” means that he has been rewarded with wholeness, called Rosh. Similarly, we should interpret what Jacob said to Joseph, “And I give you one Shechem more than to your brothers.” That is, by accepting his work as true mercy, meaning without payment, he was later rewarded with the wholeness of using the vessels of reception in order to bestow. In other words, he was awarded two things together: 1) the correction of creation, 2) the purpose of creation.

According to the above, we should interpret what is written in the Shabbat [Sabbath] song, “Anyone who sanctifies the Seventh, his reward is great, according to his work.” We should understand what is the novelty in saying, “his reward is great, according to his work.” Yet, this applies in the corporeal world, too, that any worker receives a salary according to the time he worked. Thus, where is the novelty that he comes to tell us, that he receives reward according to his work? Even more perplexing, we should work not in order to receive reward, but for the sake of heaven, meaning to benefit the Creator, and not to benefit ourselves, so what does it mean, “his reward is great”?

As said above, after a person worked in the correction of creation during the six workdays, in order to bestow and not for his own benefit, it follows that he has worked not in order to receive any reward. Rather, it was all for the sake of the Creator. It follows that to the extent that he worked not in order to receive reward, when Shabbat comes—which is a “similitude of the next world,” the conclusion of heaven and earth—he receives reward. That is, he uses the vessels of reception and enjoys the delight and pleasure that is the purpose of creation, since now he can receive everything in order to bestow.

It follows that if he does not enjoy, it is as though the host gives food to a guest and tries to make for the guest a tower filled with abundance. But if the guest says to the host, “I did not take any pleasure in your meal,” what contentment does the host have? Thus, the more the guest enjoys the meal, the happier is the host.

This is as our sages said (Berachot 58), “A good guest, what does he say? ‘What troubles has the host troubled himself for me?! And all that he troubled himself, he troubled himself only for me.’ But a bad guest, what does he say? ‘What trouble the host troubles himself is only for his wife and children.’”

We should interpret what are a good guest and a bad guest in the work. When a person has not corrected his evil, meaning his will to receive for his own sake, he is under the governance of evil. Hence, he says, “The fact that the Creator gave us the Torah and Mitzvot to observe is because He needs our work. Therefore, He commanded us to observe Torah and Mitzvot. In return, He will pay us.” That is, He did not create the world in order to do good to His creations. Rather, they say that He created the world for His own sake.

However, He wants us to work for Him, and in return He will pay us. Therefore, sometimes, the bad guest says, “I do not want to work for Him, meaning to observe His Torah and Mitzvot, and I relinquish the reward.” He says, “Neither they,” meaning the work in Torah and Mitzvot, “nor their reward,” of Torah and Mitzvot. In other words, this work that the Creator commanded us, this reward for the work is not worthwhile.

A good guest in the work is one who has already corrected the bad and has vessels of bestowal. Afterward, he is rewarded with the purpose of creation, meaning he receives the delight and pleasure because he already corrected the bad. Then he says, “All that the host has troubled Himself with was for me,” and not that the Creator is the needy one, that we should work for Him. Rather, working for Him is to our benefit, so we can receive the delight and pleasure and not feel shame when receiving the pleasure.

But a bad guest, one who is still under the governance of his evil, which is the receiver in order to receive, says the complete opposite, that (the Creator) did everything for Him, and not for the sake of the created beings.

According to the above, we should interpret mercy and truth as two things: 1) Hesed means to do everything not for one’s own sake, but only for the sake of the Creator. 2) “Truth” means that then we are rewarded with seeing the truth, that the reason for the creation of the worlds with all the corrections is only for the sake of the creatures, so they will receive delight and pleasure. But before they are rewarded with Hesed, the truth is not revealed—that the creation of the world was in order to do good to His creations.

Inapoi la pagina 1990 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link