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What Does It Mean that by the Unification of the Creator and the Shechina, All Iniquities Are Atoned?

Article No. 13, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

It is written in The Zohar (Vayigash, Item 23), “Rabbi Yehuda started and said, ‘For behold, the kings assembled’ refers to Judah and Joseph, for both were kings.” (In Item 27) “Rabbi Yehuda says, ‘When the desire and the unification are revealed, the two worlds, ZON, connect together and are assembled together. One is ZA, to open the treasure and bestow, and one is Malchut, to gather and collect the abundance into her. And then, ‘For behold, the kings assembled.’’” (And in Item 28) He says, “‘Passed by together,’ since all the iniquities in the world do not pass away and are not pardoned until ZONconnect together, as it is written, ‘And passes by the transgression.’ Similarly, ‘Passed by together’ means the iniquities have passed away, were pardoned.” (And in Item 30) He says, “As they saw, so they were puzzled. When both kings are assembled in a single desire, they saw that desire of the two worlds, ZON. ‘They were puzzled, terrified, and hasted,’ since all the litigants were silenced and were removed from the world, and cannot govern. Then their existence was revoked and their governance rescinded.”

We should understand why the atonement of iniquities depends on the connection of two worlds, called ZA and Malchut, for he says that the kings “assembled, passed by together.” We should also understand why they are not always connected, but there is a time when the judgments govern, as it is written, “As they saw, so they were puzzled, terrified, and hasted” through the atonement of iniquities, for atonement of iniquities comes by connecting ZA and Malchut. Thus, they are not always connected. Why is this so? Who is detaining them from always being connected and not letting the judgments rule?

It is known that all the iniquities come through the will to receive for oneself. That is, since all creations come from Malchut, called “will to receive,” which is the core of creation, called “creation existence from absence,” this lack, where the creatures yearn to receive delight and pleasure in order to satisfy their deficiency, comes from the desire in Malchut.

As we learn, since the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, and pleasure and delight are measured by the intensity of the deficiency and yearning for the matter, to that extent they can enjoy when attaining the matter. For this reason, Malchut was created, who contains the full measure of the deficiency for the light and the abundance that the Creator wants to impart upon the creatures.

This Malchut is the general will to receive. That is, we must say that to the extent of the delight and pleasure that He wanted to impart upon the creatures, to that extent He created the desire for that light. In the words of the ARI, this is called Ein Sof [no end/infinity]. In order not to have the matter of the bread of shame while receiving the pleasure, there was a correction called “ Tzimtzum[restriction] and concealment,” where the delight and pleasure shine only to the extent that they can aim in order to bestow, for by this, the matter of shame will be corrected. And so was the order in Kedusha [holiness], that they will never receive more than the amount they can aim in order to bestow.

However, after that correction come more things. That is, something new took place, namely the breaking of the vessels, when there was a mingling of the will to receive for oneself with Kedusha, because of which the vessels broke. Also, there was the matter of the sin of the tree of knowledge, which caused holy sparks to fall into the Klipot [shells/peels]. It follows that the breaking of the vessels and the sin of the tree of knowledge caused the creatures that come after, that the will to receive receives its sustenance from ABYA of Klipa [singular of Klipot].

This is as it is written (“Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Items 10-11), “And in order to mend that separation, which lies on the Kli [vessel] of the souls, He created all the worlds and separated them into two systems, which are the four worlds ABYA of Kedusha, and opposite them the four worlds ABYA of Tuma’a [impurity]. And He imprinted the desire to bestow in the system of ABYA of Kedusha, removed the will to receive for themselves from them, and placed it in the system of the worlds, ABYA of Tuma’a. Because of this, they have become separated from the Creator and from all the worlds of Kedusha.”

It therefore follows that as long as one has not emerged from the governance of the will to receive for himself, it makes him sin, meaning be separated from the Kedusha. That is, through the iniquities, a person grows farther from the Kedusha and is drawn into the Klipot. Hence, it extends from this that each of the created beings causes, through his sin, separation at the root of his soul in Malchutof Atzilut—who is the collection of all the souls, which is why Malchut is called “the assembly of Israel,” who is the Malchut of Kedusha—to be separated from the Kedusha. This is regarded as a person causing through his sin, the descent of Kedusha into the Klipa.

It follows that this is regarded as causing at the root of his soul, separation between the Creator and the Shechina [Divinity]. This means that Malchut is not in equivalence of form with ZA. ZA is called the “giver,” the Creator, and Malchut is the receiver, the opposite of the giver. That is, all the sins come only from a person wanting to satisfy his will to receive for himself. It follows that he causes separation above, at the root of his soul, which is in Malchut.

When a person repents, what is the repentance that a person takes upon himself? It is when a person says that from now on he will do everything for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake, meaning that all his actions will be in order to bestow, which is called “equivalence of form.” It follows that through repentance, he causes the root of his soul, Malchut, to also be only in bestowal, like ZA, who is the giver, called the Creator.

This is called “the unification of the Creator and the Shechina.” That is, as the Creator is the giver, likewise, Malchut, who is called “the Shechina,” works in order to bestow. Naturally, the Creator can bestow upon Malchut, and then the abundance extends downward. It follows that through the sin, a flaw was made above, which caused separation. Now, through the repentance, the separation has been corrected and unification was made. This is considered that through the unification, the iniquities, meaning the corruptions he caused by his actions, were corrected.

By this we can interpret what is written, “Return, O Israel, unto the Lord your God.” What does “unto the Lord your God” mean? It is known that “the Lord” is called ZA, which is the quality of mercy, namely a giver. “Your God” is judgment, meaning Malchut, who is the will to receive on whom there was a Tzimtzum and judgment that it is forbidden to use the will to receive without a correction of the Masach [screen] called “in order to bestow.”

Since Israel’s sin caused Malchut to move away from ZA, who is called “the giver,” since all the sins come only from the will to receive for himself, it follows that there is judgment on Malchut. Hence, we must repent to the extent that Malchut will draw near to ZA, which is called “equivalence of form” and Dvekut [adhesion].

In other words, as ZA gives, so will Malchut acquire such a correction, where by repenting, when we say that henceforth, all the actions will be in order to bestow, which is called Rachamim [mercy], like ZA, it follows that repentance causes Malchut, who is called “the quality of judgment” prior to the correction, to become Rachamim [mercy] after the correction, like ZA.

By this we can interpret “Return, O Israel,” meaning that the repentance that a person should make is to make Malchut—who is called “your God,” the quality of judgment—become “the Lord,” which is mercy. This unification corrects all the corruptions that the iniquities caused, creating remoteness between the Creator and the Shechina. It follows that through this unification, all the iniquities have been atoned.

According to the above, we should interpret what we asked, Why does the atonement of iniquities depend on the connection of two worlds, called ZA and Malchut? As said above, by repenting, to the extent that “the Lord will be your God,” meaning by causing unification, meaning equivalence of form between Malchut and ZA, the corruption that is done through the iniquities—which caused separation between Malchut and ZA by committing iniquities with the will to receive—will be corrected.

Because we must believe the words of our sages, who said that each one, through his iniquities, causes separation at the root of his soul, in Malchut, that the separation that is done means that he brings the Kedusha down to the Klipot, it follows that by correcting and repenting, and saying that henceforth everything will be in order to bestow and not to receive for oneself, now this causes what he had corrupted at his root to reconnect with the Kedusha, meaning it becomes a giver like ZA. It follows that through the iniquities there was a departure of the abundance, since there was a separation between the receiver and the giver, meaning between ZA and Malchut, and now it has reunited.

This is the meaning of the words, “When the desire and the unification are revealed, the two worlds, ZON, connect together and are assembled together. One is ZA, to open the treasure and bestow, and one is Malchut, to gather and collect the abundance into her. And then, ‘For behold, the kings assembled.’” The meaning is that once the unification between the giver and the receiver has been done through the repentance, for the receiver to receive everything in order to bestow, it follows that through equivalence of form, the giver can give to the receiver.

According to the above, we can understand what we asked, Why are they not always connected, but there are times when the judgments govern? The reason is that while there are iniquities, the iniquities cause the separation, and naturally, there are judgments. Judgments means that since there was a judgment on the will to receive for oneself, where the abundance cannot shine there due to disparity of form, hence, when there are iniquities below, it causes disparity of form above, at the root of Malchut.

It follows that the judgments govern. That is, the Sitra Achra [other side], which extend only from the iniquities, which is the will to receive for himself, governs. In other words, the iniquities of those who engage in the will to receive for oneself cause an addition of power to the Sitra Achra. That is, just as when we engage in order to bestow, we cause an addition of power of the desire to bestow at the root above, which causes unification, which is equivalence of form, so it is to the contrary: When engaging in the will to receive for oneself, the Klipot receive the power to control.

This is the meaning of the words, that then the judgments rule. At that time, the abundance does not extend below, since all the abundance will go to the Sitra Achra, since Malchut of Kedusha cannot receive because of the separation and remoteness between her and ZA. This is considered that the kings do not assemble together. That is, when there is equivalence of form, called “connection,” they “pass by together,” meaning that the iniquities passed away and were atoned.

This is the meaning of the words, “As they saw, so they were puzzled, terrified, and hasted, since all the litigants were silenced and were removed from the world, and cannot govern.” It follows that everything a person does, so he causes at the root of his soul, whether for better or for worse.

By this we can interpret what is written in the Neila [concluding] prayer, “You lend a hand to the transgressors, and Your right is stretched out to welcome the returning.” Also, our sages said, “Anyone who stretches out his hand is given.” Normally, each one closes his hand and does not want to give to the other unless he sees that he will get some reward, in which case he stretches out his hand. In other words, he opens his hand to receive the reward. For this reason, the other person also opens his hand and gives to the other. But to stretch out one’s hand just like that, without a reward, a person closes his hand and cannot give anything to the other.

Therefore, when we speak of the work, meaning what a person wants to receive from above, meaning that the Creator will bestow upon him into the person’s Kelim [vessels], called “hands,” the order in the act below is that in whatever way a person does, so it awakens above, at the root of his soul.

Therefore, if a person stretches out his hand, meaning opens his hand and does not close, but wants to bestow above, it follows that at the root of his soul, Malchut, becomes regarded as a giver, which is called “equivalence of form.” At that time he is given, since now there is equivalence of form, called “the kings assembled, passed by together.” In other words, the abundance pours to Malchut, and from her to those who caused the unification of the kings, who are ZA and Malchut.

This is why they said, “Anyone who stretches out his hand is given,” since he caused unification above, in his root. Hence, if a person wants to be given something from above, he must awaken in his essence, the vessels of bestowal.

However, sometimes a person wants to stretch out his hand and be a giver, but he cannot. His body disagrees with it. What can he do? His only way is prayer. Yet, he sees that he has prayed many times for the Creator to satisfy his deficiency, meaning to be able to work in order to bestow, yet the Creator did not answer him, as though He does not watch over him.

Thus, how can he pray once more? He sees that he receives no attention whatsoever. These thoughts remove him from prayer. Thus, what should he do then, when he comes to a state where these thoughts poke his mind?

The answer is as Baal HaSulam said, that a person must believe what is written, “And it came to pass that before they call, I will answer; while they speak, I will hear.” He said that it means that a person should believe that the fact that now he has come to pray is because I made him see that he is deficient and should come to pray that the Creator will satisfy his deficiency.

That is, a person should not think that he started first. Rather, the Creator started by giving him a desire to pray. Thus, he cannot say that the Creator is not watching over him by him not seeing the answer to the prayer when he prays for his lack. Rather, it is the Creator who began.

This is called “I am the first and I am the last.” That is, “I began the contact with you,” and the person should wake up from this. However, a person does not complete the work. Rather, it is as it is written, “The Lord will finish for me.” By this we should interpret, “You lend a hand to the transgressors.” It means that the Creator gives the hand, meaning the power to the transgressors to pray for their deficiency, and not the person. Also, a person must trust the Creator to help with his prayer and not give up.

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

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

Why Is the Torah Called “Middle Line” in the Work?

Article No. 12, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

The Zohar writes (Miketz, Item 238), “Come and see, each day when the sun rises, a single bird awakens on a tree in the Garden of Eden and calls three times, and the announcer calls out loud, ‘Who among you who sees and does not see, who are in the world without knowing why they exist, and do not observe the glory of their Master, the Torah stands before them and they do not delve in it, it would be better for them not to be created than to be created.’”

He interprets there in the Sulam [commentary on The Zohar] as follows: “Seeing is Hochma. Those who cling to the left line and not to the right, see and do not see, since the Hochma on the left does not shine without clothing in the light of Hassadim [mercies] on the right. Hence, even though there is Hochma there, namely that ‘they see,’ they still do not receive Hochma for lack of clothing of Hassadim. This is why they do not see.

“It is written, ‘who are in the world without knowing why they exist.’ This is said to those who cling to the right, and not to the left, who have sustenance in the world through the light of Hassadim. However, they do not know why they exist, meaning they lack GAR, since illumination of the ‘right’ without the ‘left’ is VAK without a Rosh [head].”

They do not observe the glory of their Master, the Torah stands before them, and they do not delve in it. Torah means “middle line,” which is ZA, who is called “Torah,” which unites the two lines with one another.

We should understand why if they advance on the right, which is Hassadim, when they work in order to bestow, why is this regarded as not observing the glory of their Master? After all, they are engaging only in bestowal upon the Creator because He is great and ruling, and not in order to receive reward, and their whole vitality is that they increase the glory of heaven, and this is why they do all their deeds in order to bestow.

We should also understand why those who have already been rewarded with Hochma, which is regarded as the purpose of creation, are regarded as not observing the glory of their Master, but only when they take upon themselves the Torah, for the Torah is called “middle line,” and only they are regarded as observing the glory of their Master, for only through the Torah they come to glorify their Master.

We have spoken many times about the two matters before us: 1) The purpose of creation, which is for the lower ones to receive delight and pleasure, meaning that all the creatures will feel how the Creator behaves with them in attainment of The Good Who Does Good, as our sages interpreted, “good,” since He is good to him. In other words, a person feels that he receives from the Creator only good, and doing good. “To others” means that he sees that the Creator does good to others, too.

2) The correction of creation, which is that in order not to have the bread of shame, for the creatures not to feel shame while receiving delight and pleasure, a correction was made that the pleasure and the good will not shine on the will to receive for one’s own sake, but only when the creatures can aim in order to bestow. At that time, the delight and pleasure pour onto the creatures.

But this is only in order for the world to exist before they come to the correction of being able to bestow, for the creatures to be able to exist. If they do not have delight and pleasure, they cannot exist in the world, for the need for the delight and pleasure comes to the created beings from the purpose of creation, which is to do good to His creations. The ARI says that the delight and pleasure come from the breaking of the vessels in the world of Nekudim, when they fell down to the Klipot[shells/peels], which The Zohar calls “a slim light,” which is a very thin light compared to the delight and pleasure bestowed upon those who are in Kedusha [holiness], meaning compared to the delight and pleasure revealed in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], as it is written in The Zohar, that there are 613 Mitzvot opposite the 613 organs of the soul. But the sparks of Kedusha fell to the Klipot only in order to sustain them.

However, the order of the work is to begin from the right. Yet, there are many meanings to “right,” and it is understood according to the context. In other words, wholeness is always called “right” compared to the incomplete. But what is complete and what is incomplete depends on the matter in discussion at the time. In other words, what we need according to the situation, this is called “right.”

Therefore, when a person is far from Torah and Mitzvot, he is regarded as being “on the left.” That is, Kedusha is called “right,” which is man’s wholeness when he observes Torah and Mitzvot. But when we begin to speak of Kedusha but we do not speak of those people who are far from observing Torah and Mitzvot, we do not speak at all about those who are far from religion, those secular ones.

Thus, the state in which we begin to speak is that they observe Torah and Mitzvot only in their actions. They are regarded as “one line.” It is known that we cannot speak of “right” if there is no “left” opposite it, or vice-versa. Therefore, in this regard, those who begin the work in actions are called “one line,” since here is the beginning. But compared to secular people, who have no connection to with the reason, they are considered “right,” for they have wholeness, while the secular are called “leftists.”

Yet, when we begin to speak of people who want to work with the aim to bestow, we must say that people who work only in actions are incomplete. At that time, we must call them “left,” meaning that they have no wholeness. Conversely, those who want to work in order to bestow should be called “right.”

However, if we speak in terms of the feeling of the worker himself, and not with respect to the truth about the order of degrees, we should say that this person, who works only in actions, feels his state in observing Torah and Mitzvot as whole. Therefore, to him, this state is regarded as walking on the “right,” meaning wholeness.

Also, they feel the work in intentions as a lack, since they see that they cannot emerge from the governance of the receiver for oneself. It follows that he feels his deficiency. Hence, we should say that this is considered “left.” That is, normally, we say that something that requires correction is called “left,” as our sages said, that we put Tefillin on the left hand since it is written, “Your hand, a weak hand,” since its power has waned and it needs help.

For this reason, those who want to do the holy work in a manner that has wholeness, to do everything in order to bestow, when they criticize their work and see that they are still not fine, that state is called “left” compared to the work in actions without an intention. In other words, a person must use the act, as well.

Thus, a person should say that although he cannot do something in order to bestow, he still feels himself as whole with respect to actions. He says that it is a great privilege that he can nonetheless perform acts of Kedusha [holiness], even without an intention. It is a great privilege that the Creator awarded him a thought and desire to engage in Torah and Mitzvot only in actions, without an intention. This is called “right” because he feels that he is in wholeness, that it is worthwhile to give thanks to the Creator for this.

Therefore, afterward, when he shifts to the intention and sees that he is deficient, all he needs is to pray that the Creator will help him and give him the power to be able to work with the aim to bestow. This is called “left” compared to the previous state.

However, when he has already been rewarded with the Creator helping him, when he can already work in order to bestow, though only in acts of bestowal, for the acts of bestowal are easier to aim in order to bestow, whereas in acts of reception of pleasure he still cannot aim to bestow, this state is called “right.” But it is called “right” compared to the previous state.

When he wants to work in order to bestow but does not succeed, this is called “left,” and there he has a place for prayer that the Creator will help him be able to aim in order to bestow. But now that the Creator has helped him and he can aim in order to bestow with acts of bestowal, now he must give thanks for the wholeness he has now, and this is called “right.” This light is called “light of Hassadim,” which is considered the correction of creation, when he has the power to perform actions in order to bestow.

Yet, although with regard to the correction, this state is regarded as wholeness, with regard to the purpose of creation, that state is still not regarded as wholeness because he must achieve the purpose of creation. For this reason, it is considered “right” from the perspective of wholeness, and he must thank the Creator for being rewarded with vessels of bestowal, with aiming in order to bestow.

But with regard to the absence of correction of the purpose of creation, it is considered a lack. Therefore, if he has been rewarded with receiving the purpose of creation, called “light of Hochma,” this is certainly regarded as complete wholeness compared to the state where he was rewarded with only light of Hassadim, called “light of the correction of creation.” It should have been called “right,” yet, that state, too, is considered incomplete. Hence, it is called “left, which requires correction,” since even though they extended the light of Hochma in order to bestow, he still needs guarding because the act of reception of pleasure contradicts the intention, which should be in order to bestow.

For this reason, we must extend the middle line, meaning light of Hassadim, which now includes both: Hochma, as well as Hitkalelut [merging/mingling] of Hassadim.

There are two things: 1) the correction of creation, 2) the purpose of creation.

This is called “Torah” or “middle line,” which is included from the right and from the left. At that time we can use the light of the purpose of creation, which is the delight and pleasure that the Creator wants to impart upon His creations, which is the purpose of creation. This means that before there is Hitkalelut with Hassadim, the light of the purpose of creation cannot shine, since the two qualities must be there together. This is called “Torah.”

Now we can understand what we asked, why people who walk in the quality of the “right,” whose works are only to bestow, and who have already been rewarded with the abundance called “light of Hassadim,” are regarded as “not observing the glory of their Master.” Also, those who have already emerged from the right and have already been rewarded with Hochma, called “left,” are still considered “not observing the glory of their Master,” and the Torah stands before them, yet they do not delve in it. This is very difficult to understand, if we are speaking of people who have already been rewarded with Hassadim, and people who have been rewarded with Hochma, that they are not delving in the Torah. Can we say this?

Yet, according to what we explained before, “right” means light of Hassadim, which is only the correction of creation. It follows that as long as they do not engage in extending the light of the purpose of creation, which is what the Creator wants to give to the created beings, the delight and pleasure where His greatness is revealed, called “the revelation of His Godliness to His creatures,” at which time His glory is revealed to the created beings, it follows that they are not looking at the glory of their Master, which will be revealed to the created beings.

This is the main deficiency for which, meaning to reveal His Godliness in the world, which is the purpose of creation—to reveal His Godliness to the created beings. For the created beings to receive this goal, all the restrictions and corrections took place. It follows that those who walk only on the right, which is the correction of creation, there is certainly a key deficiency here. That is, they did everything except for what is most important, meaning the goal. This is why it is considered that they are not observing the glory of their Master.

Also, those who have already been rewarded with the light of Hochma, which is the purpose of creation, we asked, What else do they need? The answer is that since there is a rule that the light of Hochma cannot shine to the lower ones without a clothing of light of Hassadim, since the light of Hochma comes in vessels of reception, so although he drew the light in order to bestow, he still needs guarding from being drawn after the act, as he is using the vessels of reception.

For this reason, he must extend clothing that is light of Hassadim, which dresses in the vessels of bestowal, which is considered the correction of creation. Hence, although he extended the light of the purpose of creation, he cannot use it because it does not shine without a clothing of Hassadim. Naturally, he, too, is not observing. In other words, the purpose of creation does not become revealed in him, to see the revelation of His Godliness, as it is written, that those who walk on the left also do not observe the glory of their Master.

This is the meaning of what is written, “The Torah stands before them and they do not exert in it. The Torah means the middle line, ZA, called ‘Torah,’ which unites the two lines with one another.” In other words, through the Torah, called “the middle line,” where there are two qualities together, meaning the purpose of creation, namely the revelation of His Godliness to the creatures, which is called “the glory of their Master,” and there is also the clothing of the correction of creation, called “light of Hassadim,” which is considered “right.” For this reason, when those two are separated, the purpose of creation cannot shine to the created beings. This is considered that they are “not observing the glory of their Master.” But once they delve in Torah, the purpose of creation shines. In the words of The Zohar, this is called “The Torah, and Israel, and the Creator are one.”

Now we can understand what we said (Article No. 11, Tav-Shin-Nun), that the Hanukkah candle is on the left, and its light must not be used because the left, which is Hochma, was already extended to the creatures, but as long as they do not extend the middle line, which is regarded as “Torah,” so as to have right and left together, the light does not shine to an extent that they can use it, due to absence of clothing of Hassadim, which comes through light of Hassadim.

But on Purim, they extended the light of Hassadim, called “right,” through their fasting and crying out, as is explained in The Study of the Ten Sefirot (end of Part 16). It turns out that although on Hanukkah they were complete from the right side, when they shifted to the left to extend Hochma, they no longer had the Hassadim of the right.

This means that the Hassadim that they extend after the extension of Hochma, where Hochma is called “left,” is called “middle line.” It follows that then, on Hanukkah, there was a state of Hanu-Koh[parked here]. That is, they had the quality of the “right.” The miracle was that they had “right” in wholeness. But the quality of the “left” did not have wholeness, for they lacked the middle line, which is the Torah.

Hence, on Shabbat, which is the middle line, the candles are for use. This is called “peace at home,” as in, “In Hochma [wisdom] is a house built.” For this reason, “[between] The Shabbat [Sabbath] candle and the Hanukkah candle, the Shabbat candle precedes,” since Shabbat indicates wholeness. There is the quality of Yesod, called “middle line,” which bestows upon Malchut, called “house.” For this reason, the Shabbat candle comes to imply wholeness. This is why Shabbat is called “Shabbat of peace,” since Yesod, which is the middle line, makes peace between the lines, which are called “right” and “left.”

It follows from the above that the miracle of Hanukkah was on the “right,” called “the correction of creation,” that they had wholeness. This is called that the miracle was over spirituality, since the vessels of bestowal, called “spirituality,” from the perspective of the Kelim [vessels], and these Kelimpertain to the good inclination.

Conversely, the vessels of reception are attributed to corporeality, meaning to the evil inclination, as we explained, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all you heart,” meaning with both your inclinations. That is, with the good inclination, which is vessels of bestowal, we should work for the sake of the Creator. But also with the vessels of reception, which belong to the evil inclination. They, too, must be used for the sake of the Creator, meaning to receive in order to bestow.

It follows that on Hanukkah, when the ARI says that Hanukkah and Purim are both regarded as “left,” the Hanukkah candle is on the left. Although the right is called “wholeness” from the perspective of the vessels of bestowal, the fact that the left illuminated, meaning Hochma without Hassadim, and it is forbidden to use Hochma without Hassadim, but this in itself is a great thing, that they extended the purpose of creation. However, it is still forbidden to use its light.

Therefore, on Hanukkah, it is considered that the miracle was on spirituality because it is forbidden to use Hochma without Hassadim. This is why it is considered a spiritual miracle, which still did not come down so we can use it. In that respect, Hanukkah is considered a “spiritual miracle,” both from the perspective of Hassadim of the right, and from the perspective of the Hochma of the left, since the middle line was still missing.

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

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What Does It Mean that Our Sages Said, “King David Did Not Have a Life,” in the Work?

Article No. 10, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

The Zohar says (VaYishlach, Items 52-54), “Rabbi Shimon says, ‘We learned that before King David came to the world, he did not have a life at all, except for the seventy years that Adam HaRishon gave him of his own.’ Another interpretation: The patriarchs gave him of their lives, each and every one. Abraham gave him of his life, and so did Jacob and Joseph. Isaac did not leave him anything, since King David came from his side.”

Interpretation: “Because King David is the Nukva from the left side, when it is darkness and not light, hence, he did not have a life, since there is life only from the right side, which is ZA, called ‘The Tree of Life.’ Isaac, too, was from the left side, but he was included in Abraham, as it is written, ‘Abraham begot Isaac,’ and also because of the tying [of Isaac]. This is why he had life. And this was only to himself, but he could not give life to David, since he is essentially from the left line.”

We should understand what is “right,” where he says that “there is life only from the right side,” and what is left, where “it is darkness and not light.” We should also understand why Isaac, who is left, had life, but needed Hitkalelut [merging/mingling] with the right, which is Abraham, whereas David had no life at all, but each one had to give to David of his own life.

To understand this in the work, we must remember what we learned, that there are two things before us: 1) The purpose of creation, which is to do good to His creations. This means that all creations must achieve the goal and be rewarded with the delight and pleasure that there is in the purpose of the Creator, who created it. 2) The correction of creation, which is that there will not be the bread of shame. For this purpose, a correction called Ohr Hozer [Reflected Light] was established, which means that the lower ones return bestowal upon the Creator. That is, they do not want to receive the delight and pleasure for their own sake, but in order to bestow.

Those two things are opposite to one another because the Creator created in the creatures a desire to receive for themselves, meaning that the creatures will enjoy, as this was His entire purpose, as we learn. The correction is the complete opposite from the quality of the creatures, who were created with a desire to receive for themselves, so now the creatures must do something that contradicts nature, namely to bestow.

In other words, the work begins with the lower ones having to perform acts of bestowal and with the intention to bestow. Afterward begins the work where they can receive delight and pleasure with the intention to bestow.

In order to have room for work and to choose, so they can aim to bestow, a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment were made. This means that as long as one cannot aim to bestow, he is placed under the concealment. In other words, besides the fact that he is unable to aim in order to bestow and wants only to work for his own sake, through this concealment, another thing took place, and this is the hardest—that man has to do hard work in order to be rewarded with faith above reason, since because of the concealment, he cannot see within reason the delight and pleasure that the creatures receive from the Creator, though the whole purpose of creation was because of His desire to do good to His creations. Yet, he cannot see this good neither with regard to himself nor with regard to other people.

It turns out that in addition to having to work and obtain the equivalence of form, which is to have vessels of bestowal, a person has to work to be rewarded with faith that the Creator leads His world in the form of good and doing good. And who caused all this? It was all done by the Tzimtzum and concealment that were placed because of the correction of creation.

However, here, a serious question arises: We say that the concealment took place for the purpose of correcting creation, but as a result of this concealment, two discernments arise: 1) the matter of lack of faith, 2) the prohibition to use the will to receive for oneself, which are generally called “mind and heart.” The question is, Who comes first? That is, should one first be awarded faith, and then he can be rewarded with working for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake, or is it the other way around?

It stands to reason that first one must be awarded faith, and then it can be said that he annuls his self and does not work for his own benefit, but only for the benefit of the Creator. This matter, that a person should do everything only for the sake of the Creator, depends on the extent to which one believes in the greatness of the Creator. To that extent it can be said that he is working for Him. This means that it is impossible to make great efforts for something that is not important because it is natural that for something that is more important we make greater efforts.

This means that the labor that one can give depends on the importance of the object. Naturally, in order for one to relinquish the will to receive for himself and work only for the Creator, the more important the Creator is for a person, the easier it is to work for Him. It follows that in order for one to be able to relinquish self-pleasure and rise and work for the sake of the Creator, a person must be awarded faith in the Creator. Afterward, a person will be able to annul himself before the Creator and do everything for the sake of the Creator. This is what common sense dictates, that such should be the order of the work.

However, from is written in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar] (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Item 138), it seems the opposite: Before a person is rewarded with correcting his Kelim[vessels] to work in order to bestow, called “equivalence of form,” a person cannot have faith. He says there that since as long as one does not have vessels of bestowal, he cannot receive the delight and pleasure from the Creator and cannot believe that the Creator leads the world as The Good Who Does Good. It follows that he is slandering the Creator. Therefore, at that time he no longer believes that the Creator leads the world as The Good Who Does Good.

Worse yet, he is in denial of His Providence, as it is written, “Prior to the correction, Malchut is called ‘the tree of knowledge of good and evil,’ since Malchut is His guidance in this world. As long as the receivers have not been completed so they can receive His whole benevolence, which He had contemplated in our favor in the thought of creation, the guidance must be in the form of good and bad.

…“It is written, ‘The Lord has made everything for His own purpose,’ yet we say the complete opposite. For this reason, we taste His guidance of good and evil as guidance of reward and punishment, for they are interdependent, since because we are using the vessels of reception, we necessarily sense that the operations of Providence are bad for us. It is a law that the creature cannot receive disclosed evil from the Creator, for it is a flaw in the glory of the Creator for the creature to perceive Him as an evildoer, for this is unbecoming of the complete Operator. Hence, when one feels bad, denial of the Creator’s guidance lies upon him and the superior Operator is concealed from him to that same extent. This is the greatest punishment in the world.

“Thus, the sensation of good and evil in relation to His guidance brings with it the sensation of reward and punishment, for one who exerts not to part from faith in the Creator is rewarded even when he tastes a bad taste in Providence. And if he does not exert, he will get a punishment because he has parted from faith in Him. It follows that although He alone does, is doing, and will do all the deeds, it still remains hidden from those who sense good and evil, since at the time of evil, the Sitra Achra[other side]is given the strength to conceal His guidance and faith. Thus, one comes to the great punishment of separation and becomes filled with heretical thoughts. And upon repentance, one receives the corresponding reward and can adhere to the Creator once again.”

Thus, we see that it is impossible to have faith in the Creator before one is rewarded with vessels of bestowal, for only then does one have complete faith. So, the question is, If one has no faith, how can one do everything for the sake of the Creator before one has faith in the Creator?

The answer is that man has partial faith, meaning from what he believes from the general public. In the general public in Israel, there is faith in the form of Surrounding Light. This is the light of faith that illuminates in general in the whole of Israel, and each one receives from this faith. This is called “partial faith,” and it is called “still of Kedusha [holiness].” Everyone begins their work in the manner of the “still.”

This is as it is written (“Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 14), “I once interpreted the saying of our sages, ‘He whose Torah is his trade.’ The measure of his faith is apparent in his practice of Torah because the letters of the word, Emunato [his faith]. It is like a person who trusts his friend and lends him money. He may trust him with a pound, and if he asks for two pounds he will refuse to lend him. But he may trust him with all his property without a shadow of a doubt. This last faith is considered ‘whole faith,’ and the previous forms are considered ‘incomplete faith,’ but rather as ‘partial faith.’”

For this reason, a person begins his work with faith of the whole of Israel, who have faith that is as Surrounding Light. From this faith, each one receives a part of faith that is sufficient for him to begin his work, to want to begin the work of the individual, meaning that a person will be rewarded with faith in the form of Inner Light, which is called “And you shall love the Lord your God.” “Your God” is an individual discernment, when his faith is not built on the general public, that he receives from this only the part called “partial faith.” However, he is rewarded with individual faith, and this is called “complete faith,” when he does not need the general public.

To be rewarded with complete faith, a person must first work in the form of equivalence of form, which is that all his work will be in order to bestow. Only once he has been rewarded with obtaining vessels of bestowal, he can be rewarded with complete faith, for then he can keep what is written, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.”

However, when a person begins to work in the form of equivalence of form in order to be rewarded with complete faith, the work goes in two directions, called “mind” and “heart.” That is, it is impossible to work in order to bestow unless we want to bestow upon a great and important person. Therefore, a person must work part of his time in the “mind” and part of his time in the “heart.”

Here is where the real work begins, when he wants to work in faith in the individual manner, since here there are ups and downs, since the basis of this work is to work for the sake of the Creator, which is opposite from human nature, who was created with a desire to receive for his own sake. Hence, here begins the real war against the inclination. For this reason, there must be order in the work, or he will not be able to continue on this path, meaning achieve Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator.

When a person sees that the work is hard because he must always go above reason, meaning that his reason always makes him think that it is not worthwhile to work unless it is for his own sake, and each time, his reason lets him see, “You see that you were born with a desire to receive for yourself, so how do you want to annul yourself and not think at all about your own benefit, but of the benefit of the Creator? What will you get out of working for the sake of the Creator?” Our reason can understand a person doing the holy work in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds] in order to receive reward. This is the normal way, that we work for someone, and it does not matter who is the boss, but we always think about how much we are getting paid for the work, since the reward is what determines. This is the work of the general public.

However, when a person wants to work in order to bestow and by this to be granted with complete faith, here begin the ascents and descents, since it is impossible to work without reward. Rather, when can one work without reward? Only when he wants to bestow upon an important person. This, he regards as a reward. This is as our sages said about “the pleasure he receives from him,” meaning that a person enjoys the important person accepting his gift.

This means that it is within nature that the smaller one enjoys if he can serve the King. It follows that when he wants to work in order to bestow, a person must appreciate the Creator, so as to be able to bestow upon Him, and to have the strength to work for the sake of the Creator. Therefore, when he loses the importance of the Creator—which The Zohar calls “ Shechina [Divinity] in the dust,” when he does not feel the importance of Kedusha but regards it as dust—then he is powerless to work in order to bestow. This is why the work is in both mind and heart.

However, during the work, when a person works in order to achieve the goal, which is to be rewarded with Dvekut with the Creator, the order is as it is in corporeality, when a person does not walk forward unless he uses both legs, right and left. This is as our sages said (Sotah 47), “The left should always push away, and the right should pull near.” “Right” means that which brings closer to the Creator, meaning when one feels close to the Creator. Even if he still does not have this feeling, he should go above reason, as though he feels completely whole, as is said (Article No. 9, Tav-Shin-Nun), “And he is happy with his lot and is called ‘blessed.’”

At that time, “The blessed clings to the Blessed,” and from this he receives vitality, since he is close to the Creator. This is called “adhering to the tree of life,” when he uses the vessels of bestowal, on which there is no Tzimtzum or judgment. Hence, from the right side, called “wholeness,” a person extends life from the Life of Lives.

Conversely, the “left” is something that requires correction. When a person criticizes his work, he (sees) his faults. Since he has nothing in which he has wholeness, he sees that he is rejected from Kedusha. Naturally, he sees that he is cursed, and “the cursed does not cling to the Blessed.” It follows that then he is separated from the Creator, and naturally, he has no life. It follows that in the left, when a person makes his calculation within reason, he sees that he is bare and destitute. Hence, when a person walks on the left line, he has no life.

According to the above, we can interpret what we asked about the words of The Zohar, that King David had no life before he came to the world. The reason is that since King David is Malchut, on whom there was a Tzimtzum, and David is regarded as “the whole of Malchut,” which requires correction, that the whole of the will to receive that there is in the vessels of reception should be corrected, for this reason, he needed to be included with Kelim [vessels] in which there are vessels of bestowal. By this, the general Malchut will also be corrected.

This is called “the end of correction,” meaning that the Messiah King is called “the end of correction.” This means that the general Malchut will be corrected to work in order to bestow. This is why The Zohar said that only Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph, who are not from the quality of judgment, gave of their qualities to David so he would have life. That is, by them he would have vessels of bestowal, which belong to the “right,” which is Hesed [mercy], the opposite of the quality of judgment, which are vessels of reception. This is why he did not receive from Isaac, who is the left, the quality of judgment, which are vessels of reception.

This is the meaning of “there is no life on the left,” since when a person walks in the manner of the “left,” meaning sees what he is lacking, and a deficiency is called “the quality of judgment,” hence, on the left there is no life. Rather, it is on the right, when he engages in the form of “For he desires mercy” and is not lacking anything; this is when a person feels alive. But when a person is in a state where he is bare and destitute, it is considered that he has no life. When a person feels his faults and the future does not shine for him—that he will ever be able to satisfy his wants—then the person says, “I would rather die than live.”

By this we should interpret what is written, “King David had no life.” It means that the whole matter of the creation of the world was for the creatures to receive the delight and pleasure. Therefore, the order of the work is that first, a person must believe in the purpose of creation, that it is the Creator’s will for the creatures to receive delight and pleasure. If he believes this, he should think, “What is the reason that I do not have the delight and pleasure that the Creator wants me to take?”

It follows that if he believes that he should receive, to that extent he feels the absence. When he feels the absence, he goes to search for the reason why he cannot correct his lack. At that time, we must believe in the words of our sages, who said that what we lack is Dvekut, which is equivalence of form, as it is written, “As He is merciful, so you are merciful.”

It follows that to the extent that he believes that the Creator bestows abundance to the whole world, to that extent he should also bestow upon the Creator. Then, when one believes that the Creator gives to the entire world, from this a person should derive the importance and greatness of the Creator, like an important person in corporeality, where we see that it is a great privilege to serve important people, and from this service itself, a person derives delight and pleasure and he does not need any other reward. It follows that to the extent of the faith in the “mind,” to that extent he can also work with faith.

However, since man is born as a will to receive for himself, in this manner there is no life. It follows that the quality of King David, which is the point in the heart, has no life. In other words, the light of life cannot shine there.

For this reason, “the association of the quality of mercy with judgment” took place, as it is written that Malchut, which is the quality of judgment, will receive life from the quality of the “right,” which is bestowal, when it is associated with the quality of King David. Hence, the quality of Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph, who are the quality of Hesed and mercy, was placed in the quality of King David, and not from Isaac, who is the quality of the “left,” which is vessels of reception.

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

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

What Is, “A Ladder Is Set on the Earth, and Its Top Reaches Heaven,” in the Work?

Article No. 9, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

The Zohar says (VaYetze, Item 52), “‘And behold, a ladder was set up on the earth.’ What is a ladder? It is a degree upon which all other degrees depend, meaning the Nukva [Aramaic: female], who is the gate to all the degrees. (And in Item 53), See there, “‘And behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.’ Those are the appointees of all the nations, who are ascending and descending on this ladder. And when Israel sin, the ladder is lowered down and those appointees ascend. When Israel improve their actions, the ladder rises and all the appointees come down, and their governance is cancelled. Everything depends on this ladder.”

We should understand all the above in the work: 1) Why does everything depend on the ladder, that if Israel sin, the ladder is lowered down, and when Israel improve their actions, the ladder ascends? 2) What does it mean when it says that the ladder ascends or descends? What does this teach us in the work?

It is known that man should try to achieve the degree of Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, which is equivalence of form. When a person is rewarded with Dvekut with the Creator, see in the essay “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar,” “Now we can understand the merit of one who has been rewarded with cleaving unto Him once more. It means that he has been rewarded with equivalence of form with the Creator by inverting the will to receive imprinted in him through the power in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds]. This was the very thing that separated him from His Essence and turned it into a will to bestow. It follows that one is just like the organ that was once cut off from the body and has been reunited with the body: It knows the thoughts of the rest of the body once again, just as it did prior to the separation from the body. The soul is like that, too: After it has acquired equivalence with Him, it knows His thoughts once more, as it knew prior to the separation from Him. Then the verse, ‘Know the God of your father’ comes true in him, as then one is rewarded with the complete knowledge, which is Godly knowledge. Also, one is rewarded with all the secrets of the Torah, as His thoughts are the secrets of the Torah.”

In order for a person to be able to achieve equivalence of form, and since this is a very difficult matter because it is against the nature that the Creator created, as we learned that in order for the creatures to enjoy the delight and pleasure that He wants to give them, which was the reason for the creation of the world, since He desires to do good to His creations, and without desire and yearning a person cannot enjoy, therefore, the core of creation, which He created existence from absence, is the will to receive for oneself. This is in oppositeness of form from the Creator, whose desire is to bestow upon the creatures. For this reason, the correction was Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment, where a person must first believe in the Creator, and then we can speak of working for the sake of the Creator and not for one’s own sake.

There are many measures in the work of faith. As he writes in the “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot” (Item 14), there is partial faith and there is complete faith. Hence, man’s main work in order to be able to annul himself and accept the burden of the kingdom of heaven depends on the extent to which he appreciates the greatness of the Creator. This is as it is written in The Zohar, that fear should be primarily because He is great and ruling. This means that a person should observe Torah and Mitzvot in order to serve a great King. Hence, man’s primary work is to work to be rewarded with complete faith, for only then, if one knows he has a great King, the body will annul before Him and he will have great pleasure in serving a great King.

In The Zohar, this work is regarded as a person having to do the holy work in order to “raise the Shechina [Divinity] from the dust.” It is written in the Selichot [prayers for forgiveness], “I remember God and I weep when I see every city built on its foundation, and the city of God lowered to the netherworld.” The “city of God” is the kingdom of heaven and is in utter lowliness among the creatures. Naturally, when it is lowly, how is it possible to work for a lowly king? But if the king is a great king, there is a desire, according to the importance and greatness of the king, so there are people who want to serve him and annul their self-benefit in order to benefit the king.

Now we can understand that man’s work is primarily to achieve faith that he has a great King. This is regarded as the Shechina being in Gadlut [greatness/adulthood]. It follows that man’s work is to “raise the Shechina from the dust.” Then, all his actions can be in order to bestow. If a person does not work in Torah and Mitzvot in order to raise the Shechina from the dust, and the kingdom of heaven is as important as dust, the SitraAchra [other side] can control the quality of Israel, and they force a person to work for a foolish old king and not for the King of all Kings.

It follows that man’s primary work is on the intention and the purpose—what a person wants to gain from engaging in Torah and Mitzvot. The answer to this is that a person’s main work with the evil inclination, which comes from the control of the SitraAchra, is lack of faith in the greatness of the Creator. In the words of The Zohar, this is called “to raise the Shechina from the dust,” as our sages said, “Habakkuk came and established then on one: a righteous shall live by his faith” (Makot 24).

In the words of The Zohar, faith is called Malchut, and Malchut is called “fear.” This is as our sages said, “What does the Lord your God ask of you? Only to fear Him.” This means that a person must know that in order to advance in the work of the Creator, he does not need anything other than fear, which is called “faith.” This is as our sages said (Berachot 6), “Any person in whom there is fear of heaven, his words are heard.”

Literally speaking, this is difficult to understand. After all, there were many righteous in Israel, so why did He not reform them? After all, he who has fear of heaven, his words are heard. But in the work we should interpret that the words were said about an individual with respect to himself, when he sees that everything he tells his body, it does not want to obey him. He does everything he can but he cannot overcome the body. Then, our sages tell him that what he needs in order to be able to take control of the body is only one thing: fear of heaven, for only when he has fear of heaven, his words will be heard by his body.

According to the above, we should interpret the words of The Zohar, where we asked about the meaning of the words, “What is a ladder? It is a degree upon which all other degrees depend, meaning the Nukva [Aramaic: female], who is the gate to all the degrees.” The answer is that a ladder, which is the Nukva, refers to the kingdom of heaven, which is called “faith” and “fear of heaven.” That is, all the degrees with which a person can be rewarded depend only on the ladder, as she is the gate to all the degrees. In other words, everything depends on the faith one has. That is, there is a difference between one who has only partial faith or complete faith. It follows that everything depends on the ladder, meaning the kingdom of heaven, which is the whole basis of Kedusha, and the gate to all the degrees.

This is the meaning of what he says about the verse, “‘And behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.’ Those are the appointees of all the nations, who are ascending and descending on this ladder. And when Israel sin, the ladder is lowered down and those appointees ascend.” This means that if Malchut, who is the holy Shechina, is lowered because of the sins—and “sins” means that they work only for their own sake and not for the sake of the Creator—they each cause separation at the root of his soul.

In other words, where they should have created unification through work in Torah and Mitzvot, they cause separation. That is, all those “appointees of the nations of the world,” whose wish is only to receive for themselves, ascend in their importance. This is why they govern, for the important one rules.

Therefore, when the people of Israel engage in bestowal, they cause an awakening from below that the Kedusha will be revealed. That is, Malchut, in the sense that she wants to be united with the Creator, will ascend, and the SitraAchra, which is reception for oneself, will naturally descend from prominence.

This is called, “All the appointees come down, and their governance is cancelled. Everything depends on this ladder.” This means that everything depends on the greatness of the faith, which is called a “ladder.” This is why he says, “When Israel sin, the ladder is lowered.” It means that they cause the Shechina to be lowered, which is regarded as the ladder being lowered down, and the SitraAchra and the Klipot [shells/peels] ascend in importance. This means that everything pertaining to self-love ascends in importance, and everything pertaining to the benefit of the Creator, a person feels as a taste of lowliness and unpleasantness, and he cannot do anything that pertains to the benefit of the Creator. This is regarded as the ladder being lowered.

“When they improve their actions, the ladder ascends.” That is, through an awakening from below, they cause the rising of the Shechina from the dust, and all the appointees descend. That is, all the thoughts, desires, and actions pertaining to the SitraAchra, meaning everything that has to do with self-reception, seems to him as lowly and loathsome, and despicable to engage in such matters, which pertain to self-reception.

According to the above, it follows that the ladder is like scales: If one pan goes up, the other pan comes down. For this reason, if there are good deeds, meaning that they engage in a manner that the actions will rise up to the Creator, this is regarded as the ladder ascending, meaning that to him, the kingdom of heaven is in ascent. At that time, the other pan, which belongs to self-reception, namely the opposite of Kedusha, descends. That is, the appointees of the nations of the world descend. In other words, they descend from the value of being worthwhile to work for. This is considered that the quality of Israel in a person controls them, meaning the thoughts and desires of the nations of the world, which are regarded as self-reception.

At that time, all of a person’s concerns are how to bring contentment to the Creator. When thoughts of self-reception come to him, the governance of faith, which is the ladder, promptly cancels them. Therefore, all of man’s work is to aim what he does so that it will yield faith, to believe in the greatness of the Creator. From this he will achieve the goal, as this is the gate to all the degrees that a person wants to achieve.

It is written in The Zohar, in the Idra Zuta (Item 135), “As the actions that the lower ones do, so it appears below, for better or for worse.” These are its words: “The Eynaim [eyes] of the ZA are Providence of reward and punishment. At times he is revealed, and at times he is concealed. When the lower ones improve their actions, they are rewarded with attaining His Providence (meaning that His Providence is in the form of good and doing good), and he is awake and will not slumber or sleep. If they worsen their actions, Providence is concealed and they say, ‘The Lord will not see, and the God of Jacob will not understand.’ This is regarded as sleep, as in ‘Their God is asleep.’ This is so because when they worsen their actions, they make the left line prevail over the right, and then the eyes are concealed from them and they say, ‘The Lord will not see.’ Hence, they do not keep themselves from them and they are unafraid to sin. This is the meaning of what he says, ‘They are asleep and not asleep. To the wicked, they are asleep, and to the righteous, they are not asleep.’”

We see that His guidance is in a state of rest from the perspective of the upper one, as it is written (Lamentation 3), “Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?” Thus, everything depends on the work of the lower ones. This is why it says, “As the work that the lower ones do, so it appears below, for better or for worse.” This means that a Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot] induces a Mitzva. That is, if they improve their actions, meaning if the lower ones do good deeds, meaning that their intention is to benefit the Creator, this is certainly considered a Mitzva and induces another Mitzva. Namely, they feel that the Creator bestows upon them only good. This is called “open Providence.” In other words, they see the delight and pleasure they are receiving from the Creator, and then everyone stands and praises the Creator.

But if the lower ones worsen their actions, meaning that each one is concerned only with doing things that yield self-benefit, then a transgression induces a transgression. In other words, they say that Providence is not in the form of good and doing good, and feel only the concealment of the face. They say that the Creator does not hear a prayer, since they asked Him many times but were not answered. Therefore, they say “The Lord will not see, and the God of Jacob will not understand,” since the transgression they committed before—wanting to do everything in order to receive for themselves—causes a concealment of the face.

But one says to oneself, “I see that I have already prayed many prayers that the Creator will give us the desire to bestow, meaning that we ask the Creator to give us a desire to want to do everything in order to bestow, so we are not asking that the Creator will help us so we can work for our own sake, but rather that we can work for the sake of the Creator. So, why is He not answering our prayer? Thus, how can we say that He hears the prayer of every mouth?”

However, we must believe above reason that the Creator does hear the prayer of every mouth. And within reason, if a person wants to understand the order of the work, he must say that from above he has been notified what is for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake. That is, he was given from above the feeling of what is not for his own sake. When a person feels this, that he should leave nothing for himself, he sees he cannot do this, since as long as a person does not know what is not for his own sake, he asks the Creator to help so that he will be able to work for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake.

But when he receives from above the feeling of what it means to do everything only for the Creator, the person does not want the Creator to give him this power, and he resists with all his might. Therefore, when a person begins to ask the Creator to give him the power to overcome the will to receive, a person still does not have the full power of resistance of the body, since he still does not know what is “entirely for the Creator.”

Therefore, when his prayer is answered from above, what is the answer? The answer comes from above in that they show him so he will know what he is asking, as though there is no deceit here, so he will later be able to say, “I did not know what I was asking.” For this reason, a person must know that the Creator does hear the prayer. And the reason he sees that now he is worse than before he prayed for the power to overcome the will to receive, this is the answer from above to his prayer.

Therefore, one should not say that his prayer is not heard. Rather, one should say that the answer that comes from above is not what one understands, but what they understand above concerning what is for his best to know. In other words, a person must know how far he is from bestowal, and that all the organs of the body object to this. The person is asking of the Creator for something that there is not one element in the body that will agree to the request that he is making of the Creator. And at that time, a person sees something new that he did not know before he began to ask of the Creator to be given strength to overcome the body, so he will be able to do things only for the sake of the Creator, and not for his own sake.

This new awareness that the person attains is that he sees that the body does not agree to such a prayer to cancel the will to receive for himself. Thus, the question is, Why does a person sometimes want to cancel the will to receive for himself? That is, many times he sees that when he asks the Creator to give him vessels of bestowal, the whole body resists, and his prayer is only lip-service, meaning only empty words. Yet, he sees that there are times when he can pray wholeheartedly. The answer is that this is already the answer to the prayer, meaning that the Creator gave him the strength to pray for this with all his heart. Therefore, a person must be hopeful that the Creator will bring him closer.

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What It Means that Esau Was Called “A Man of the Field,” in the Work

Article No. 8, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

The Zohar says (Toldot, Item 75), “It is written here, ‘A skillful hunter, a man of the field,’ and it is written there (about Nimrod), ‘He was a mighty hunter before the Lord.’ As there, it means that he was hunting the minds of people and misleading them to rebel against the Creator, so here, ‘A man of the field’ means to rob people and to kill them. Esau said that he was in the field to pray, like Isaac, as it is written, ‘And Isaac went out to stroll in the field,’ and hunting, and he deceived Isaac.”

We should understand what are the two things said about Esau, meaning what is the difference between “a skillful hunter” and “a man of the field” in the work. We should also understand why The Zohar says, “a man of the field, since his lot is not in an inhabited place, but in a desolate place, in the desert, in the field, and this is why he is called ‘a man of the field.’” But Noah, too, was called “a man of the earth,” as it is written, “And Noah, man of the earth, began.” Also, it is written about Isaac himself, “And Isaac went out to stroll in the field,” and it is also written that Isaac said about Jacob what is written, “And he said, ‘See, the scent of my son is as the scent of the field that the Lord has blessed.’” Thus, from where is it implied that with Esau, “a man of the field” means robbing people and killing them? We should interpret this in the work.

It is written, “Which God has created to do.” That is, the Creator created the world with the aim to do good to His creations. For this purpose, He created something new called a “desire to receive delight and pleasure.” As we learned, in order to enjoy the delight and pleasure that He wants to give, the pleasure is according to the need and the yearning for the thing, since the yearning determines the measure of the pleasure that one can derive from the matter.

Therefore, first emerged this will to receive existence from absence. This is called “which God has created.” “To do” is the correction of creation, since by this there is a difference between the Bestower and the receiver. Therefore, there is the matter of the bread of shame, namely shame. This is why we can have an aim to bestow, meaning not to receive despite the great yearning to receive the delight and pleasure. Still, in order not to feel shame, work was given to the created beings.

It is called “work” because it is against the nature with which the Creator created creation, since the matter of the purpose of creation to do good to His creations means that anything that can be said that a person receives, meaning that he has a desire to receive, comes from the Creator, who created this nature. Conversely, not receiving the delight and pleasure that the Creator wants to give, this we attribute to the creatures. For this reason, this correction not to receive the delight and pleasure unless we have the aim to bestow is called “doing,” and the creatures must do this although it is against nature.

This will to receive is called Malchut, as it is known that the Kli [vessel] to receive the lights is called Malchut. As we learn, there was a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment on this Malchut, and Malchut, with respect to the will to receive for herself, remained without light. Only when it is possible to place on her a desire in order to bestow, to that extent the Tzimtzum and concealment depart and she can receive the abundance. Otherwise, Malchut is called a “vacant space” from light. From this, it extends that afterward, two systems were made, as in “God has made one opposite the other.” In other words, just as there is ABYA of Kedusha [holiness], opposite it there is ABYA of Tuma’a[impurity].

Malchut has several names: “land,” “earth,” “sea,” and “dust,” depending on what she receives. In this Malchut, called “earth,” the man is extended, as it is written, “And the Lord God created the man dust off the earth.” This is the Malchut of whom it was said, “All was from the dust.” It was said in The Zohar (Tzav, Item 173), “All was from the dust, even the wheel of the sun.” This means that when we speak, we speak only of lights clothed in the Kelim [vessels], as it is known that there is no light without a Kli, and all the Kelim extend from Malchut, who is the will to receive.

This means that all we speak of is only of Malchut, who is the will to receive, which is either in Kedusha or in Klipa [shell/peel]. The only difference is that the Kedusha does not use the will to receive unless it can place on it a desire that works in order to bestow, or it restricts itself from using the will to receive. Conversely, the Klipa wants to use the will to receive in order to receive. This means that when it is said that a person is using vessels of bestowal, it does not mean that the vessels of bestowal are doing something, since there are no vessels of bestowal in the will to receive, as all of creation is regarded as only a desire to receive, as it is known that other than the will to receive, we attribute everything to the Creator.

Creation is called “existence from absence,” and this pertains specifically to the lack that the Creator created. However, when we say that a person is using the desire to bestow, it means that the will to receive is not using its own quality, but the Creator’s desire, Whose wish is only to bestow and not receive anything.

According to the above, we can understand the meaning of the “field” that was said about Esau, who is called “a man of the field.” We see that Isaac, too, went out to the field, and it is also written about Jacob that Isaac said, “See, the scent of my son is as the scent of the field that the Lord has blessed.” This means that a “field” means Malchut, which is the will to receive, and there, there is the matter of the choice whether to correct it into working in order to bestow, which is called Kedusha. It is about this that Isaac said, “as the field that the Lord has blessed.”

If we do not correct it into working in order to bestow, but engage in receiving in order to receive, this is called “a man of the field,” which is a Klipa, as was said, “a man of the field, in order to rob people and kill them.” This pertained to Esau. But concerning Isaac, it is written, “And Isaac went out to stroll in the field.” He went to correct the field, which is Malchut, to correct so that the quality of Malchut, which is a desire to receive, will work in order to bestow. This is called “correcting the world with the kingdom of Shadai.” It is known that the name Shadai means Yesod, and Yesod is called YesodTzadik [righteous], who is the Bestower. The intention is to correct Malchut, who is reception, so she becomes like the quality of Yesod, meaning aiming to bestow. This is the meaning of “Isaac went out to stroll in the field.”

It is written likewise about Jacob, that Jacob said, “See, the scent of my son is as the scent of the field that the Lord has blessed.” In other words, Isaac saw that Jacob corrected Malchut, so it was possible to see the blessing of the Creator on the field, which is Malchut.

However, we should understand why The Zohar speaks of the field in a reproving manner with respect to Esau. We should interpret that it is because it is written, “a skillful hunter,” and then it is written, “a man of the field.” It interprets that “a skillful hunter” is from Nimrod, for Nimrod was “a mighty hunter before the Lord.” The Zohar interprets that it means that “he was hunting the minds of people and misleading them to rebel against the Creator.”

We should understand the difference between a skillful hunter and a man of the field. According to what we learn, there is a difference between the mind and the heart. The mind, Baal HaSulam explains, refers to faith above reason. The heart means the desire in the heart, which works only for its own sake. That is, for its own sake means that a person is willing to do any work in the world as long as he sees that the reward he will receive in return for his effort is worthwhile. It follows that when it says “a skillful hunter” or “a man of the field,” they are two things, which in the work, are called “mind” and “heart.”

Now we can understand that if the writing says about Esau that he was a skillful hunter, and we learn from Nimrod what hunting means, that he hunted the minds of people and misled them to rebel against the Creator, this is a flaw in the mind, meaning in faith. From this we know how to interpret “a man of the field.” It means that as he flawed the mind, he also flawed the heart. This is why we interpret “a man of the field” to mean self-love, meaning that his field was about robbing people and killing them. He was supposed to choose the good for the field, so there would be blessing there. Yet, he did the opposite, extending death and killing into that field.

In the work, we should interpret that since man was created with a desire to receive, and must correct it into working in order to bestow, in order to be able to correct, meaning to have a choice, meaning that a person will observe Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds] in order to bestow and not for his own sake, a Tzimtzum and concealment were made, where man must begin the work in the form of faith above reason, since within reason, the concealment has been placed.

This is when the work on the choice begins, meaning that a person must accept the burden of the kingdom of heaven, which is a burden, as in, “as an ox to the burden.” In other words, although the body does not agree to do anything unless it sees what is done with its work, since this is the nature with “God has created to do,” that man must see what he is doing, meaning what is done with his work. He must see who enjoys the work he is doing.

Therefore, when a person engages in Torah and Mitzvot, he wants to see who received his work. Since a concealment and hiding were made, for the purpose of correction, a person does not see or feel who receives his work, and he must believe above reason that the Creator receives his work. But the body does not want to believe.

For this reason, we were given this work “as an ox to the burden.” In other words, as the ox works by coercion and must obey what its owner wants, man must not ask the body if it wants to take upon itself the burden of Torah and Mitzvot. Rather, he must force it and believe in the sages that such is the path of truth.

Also, there is the discernment of “and as a donkey to the load,” meaning it is the quality of the heart. In other words, a person must work not in order to receive reward. Therefore, when the body is told to work without any reward, this work is a load to it and the body wants to take off this load, which man wants it to suffer. In other words, the body understands that it can carry a load even for a doubtful reward for this work. But if it is told, “Work and carry loads without any reward,” it wants to get rid of this work every moment. Then it was said, “as a donkey to the load.” That is, a person must walk in this direction even though the body disagrees.

It follows that the labor is in two manners: 1) as an ox to the burden, 2) as a donkey to the load. If a person walks on the path of Esau, the person is called “a skillful hunter, a man of the field.” That is, he lacks faith, which is called “a skillful hunter,” like Nimrod, when the body wants to rebel against the faith in the Creator, which blemishes the quality of “mind.” Also, he is “a man of the field,” meaning he robs people. This means that he robs the “man” in him and he remains as a beast, knowing only himself and not others.

It is written, “a man of the field, to rob people and to kill them.” This means that if he robs the man in him and enters the state of a “beast,” which is the desire to receive for oneself, then he is in a state of “The wicked in their lives are called ‘dead,’” since they are separated from the Life of Lives. This is called “heart.” Baal HaSulam said that in truth, the quality of the heart is man’s primary quality, meaning that this is the root, that he does not want to believe because man has more pleasure when he sees and feels. Therefore, he does not want to degrade himself and walk with his eyes shut and believe all that our sages said.

Yet, the primary basis is faith in the sages, as it is written ( Shabbat 31), “There is a tale about a foreigner who came to Shammai and said, ‘How many laws [Torah] do you have?’ He replied, ‘Two, the written Torah and the oral Torah.’ He said to him, ‘I believe you about the written Torah, and I do not believe you about the oral Torah. Convert me, so as to teach me the written Torah.’ He rebuked him and ejected him with a rebuke. He came to Hillel: ‘Convert me.’ On the first day, he said to him, ‘ Aleph, Bet, Gimel, Dalet.’ The following day he reversed [them] to him (such as Tav, Shin, Reish, Kof). He said to him, ‘But yesterday, did not say them to me thus?’ He said to him: ‘Do you not trust me? So trust me with the oral too.’” RASHI interprets “Do you not trust me?” as “How do you know that this is Aleph and this is Bet? But since I taught you and you trusted me, ‘trust me with the oral too.’” From this we see that Hillel told him without faith in the sages there is nothing.

However, faith is an argument of the intellect. That is, a person says, “If I did not have to believe above reason, but everything would be within reason, I would progress without any breaks.” But Baal HaSulam said that in truth, the will to receive—that a person wants to work only for his own sake, like a beast—is the reason why he cannot believe. This means that when a person claims that it is difficult for him to go above reason, it stems from self-love, which is the beast in man. This is all that interferes. For this reason, two forces are required, the mind and the heart, as it is written, “As an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load.”

Hence, if we correct the field, meaning Malchut, who is called “will to receive for oneself,” whether in mind or in heart, it is called “the field that the Lord has blessed,” which was said about Jacob. And likewise, it is written about Isaac, “And Isaac went out to stroll in the field,” which is the correction of Malchut. But Esau, who is called “a man of the field,” in the action, it seems as though he is going to correct the field, but in the intention, which is called “in order to bestow,” which is the whole correction of Malchut, there is room for one to deceive oneself, since this is something that is given to the heart, and it is not apparent from the outside that it is possible to monitor.

This is not so with actions, which are revealed outwards, a person can check whether or not he is deceiving himself. This is why The Zohar interprets, “And Esau said that he was in the field in order to pray, like Isaac,” as it is written, “And Isaac went out to stroll in the field, and hunting, and he deceived Isaac.” This means that he went into the field in order to pray, meaning he entered the field in order to correct it, like Isaac, but “hunting,” meaning that he hunted, like Nimrod, who misled people’s minds to rebel against the Creator. By this, Esau misled himself, as well, and from this extends the robbing, too, as it says, “to rob people.”

This is as our sages said about Adam HaRishon. They said that he was a thief in that he ate from the tree of knowledge, meaning took it out from the singular authority, meaning the authority of the Creator. In other words, everything must be for the sake of the Creator, and by eating from the tree of knowledge, he fell into his own authority, meaning wanted to receive everything for his own sake.

It is likewise with Esau, who entered the field, meaning to correct Malchut. Externally, it did not show that he was not working in order to bestow. Externally, Esau said as it is written, that he entered in order to pray, like Isaac, meaning to correct the field, which is Malchut.

Yet, he deceived himself, meaning that the intention that should have been for the singular authority, for the sake of the Creator, was “in order to rob people.” That is, as Adam HaRishon stole and was a thief, so did Esau do everything for his own sake. This is called “robbing people.”

Therefore, a person who begins to do the holy work, meaning to turn everything into Kedusha, must be careful with the externality, so he does not deceive himself while performing the actions, which is work Lo Lishma [not for Her sake]. He must tell his body, “I am engaging in Torah and Mitzvot Lo Lishma, and by this I want to come to aim Lishma [for Her sake].” He believes in the words of our sages, who said, “One should always engage in Torah and Mitzvot Lo Lishma, and from Lo Lishma,” I want to come to Lishma. He believes with faith in the sages, who said, “The light in it reforms him,” and he will be rewarded with it.

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What Are the Times of Prayer and Gratitude in the Work?

Article No. 7, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

Our sages said (Berachot 32), “One should always establish the praise of the Creator, and then pray.” They also said (Rosh Hashanah 35), “Rabbi Elazar said, ‘One should always establish one’s prayer, and then pray.’”

We should understand why we must first establish the praise of the Creator. When a person is in a state of deficiency and wants to pray to the Creator to satiate his lack, then he needs His help. Thus, why should one first establish the praise of the Creator?

With a flesh and blood king, we can understand that first we must show our respect for the king so the king will see that we are among those who love him, and for this reason the king will grant our wish. But how can this be said with regard to the Creator? Does the Creator need a person to show Him that he is among those who love the Creator, and then He will help him, and otherwise He will not?

After all, the Creator is merciful and gracious. Although one is unworthy, the Creator helps those who pray to Him, as Baal HaSulam explained what we say in the Eighteen Prayer, “For You hear the prayer of every mouth,” meaning that it does not matter what mouth prays, but the prayer of any mouth, even if this mouth is unimportant, still, the Creator hears it. Thus, why must we first establish the praise of the Creator?

In order to interpret this, we should first present the words of The Zohar (Chayei Sarah, Item 224), “Come and see, ‘And it came to pass, before he concluded speaking, that, behold, Rebecca came out.’ He asks, it should have said, ‘Came,’ as it is written, ‘Rachel his daughter comes.’ Why does it say, ‘came out’? He says that this indicates that the Creator took her out from among the town’s people, who were all wicked, and Rebecca came out and parted from the rest of the people in the city because she was righteous.”

RASHI interprets the verse (Genesis 24:39), “Suppose the woman does not walk.” He writes, “It says, ‘to me’ [in Hebrew, “suppose” and “to me” are spelled the same]. Eliezer had a daughter. He was looking for a reason that Abraham would turn to him to marry his daughter. Abraham said to him: ‘My son is blessed and you are cursed, and the cursed does not cling to the blessed.’”

We should interpret the meaning of Isaac and Rebecca, as well as the meaning of the matter of the daughter of Eliezer in the work. The Zohar writes (Chayei Sarah, Item 94), “He said to him, ‘My master shall say if he heard how the authors of the Mishnah said this portion, which they interpreted concerning the soul, that Abraham is the soul and Sarah is the body.’”

In this manner, we should interpret the matter of Isaac and Rebecca, as it is written in The Zohar (Chayei Sarah, Item 249), “Rabbi Yehuda said, ‘His mother Sarah,’ since as the form of Isaac was as the form of Abraham, similarly, Rebecca’s form was just as Sarah’s. This is why it is written, ‘His mother Sarah.’”

By this we should also interpret that Isaac was the soul and Rebecca the body. In the order of man’s work, when he wants to achieve Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, he should always walk on two lines—right and left. “Right” means wholeness, when a person feels satisfaction in the work and praises and thanks the Creator for rewarding him with being among the King’s servants. He sees that he has achieved a degree in spirituality, which is not so among the rest of the workers of the Creator. Yet, he recognizes his lowliness and does not know why the Creator chose him over other people, who have not reached this degree. For this reason, he thanks and praises the King and can observe what is written, “Serve the Lord with gladness.” At that time he has nothing for which to pray to the Creator to help him, since he feels no lack in his situation.

However, later, when a person goes to work on the left line, when he criticizes the state he is in and sees that he is flawed in mind and in heart, and even worse, he sometimes sees that he is immersed in self-love more than usual, sometimes he comes to such lowliness that he does not want the Creator to help him out of his lowliness. On the contrary, he is angry that he is not receiving delight and pleasure from the corporeal life. It follows that sometimes the left does not let him even pray and ask of the Creator. Thus, how can he feel himself as a whole person and thank the Creator?

However, we must know that the work is mainly during the ascent, for only during an ascent can we speak of man’s work in two lines—right and left. Conversely, during a descent, a person is considered dead. Can we say that we are speaking to the dead, or that we want something from the dead, that he will do something?

For this reason, when a person is in a state of work, it can be said that a person should work in two ways: 1) right, 2) left. “Right” means primarily that the wholeness in him is built on above reason, while the left in him is built on the reason and intellect. That is, at that time he sentences himself as he sees, as our sages said, “A judge has only what his eyes see” (Baba Batra 131).

It turns out that when he engages in the left and sees the truth, how lowly and immersed in self-love he is, how can he then say that he is in a state of wholeness and be grateful to the Creator for giving him such a great gift that he is in Kedusha [holiness]? This is the complete opposite of the truth he sees, and how can one be happy when he sees the truth?

The answer is in two ways: 1) It is written in the essay from Tav-Shin-Gimel (Shamati, Article No. 40, 1943) concerning faith in his teacher, that Baal HaSulam said that a person should go with faith in the sages, as they have arranged for us. These are his words, slightly changed: The student must believe as his teacher tells him, to walk on the path of “right” and wholeness. The student should depict to himself that he has already been rewarded with complete faith in the Creator, and already feels in his organs that the Creator leads the whole world as The Good Who Does Good. This means that the whole world receives from Him only good, and although when he looks at himself, he sees that he is bare and destitute, and when he looks at the world, he also sees that the world suffers torments—each suffering according to his own degree—he should say about this what is written, “They have eyes and see not.” That is, as long as a person is in a state of “they,” that “they” have two authorities, “they” cannot see the truth. For this reason, a person must believe above reason that he is in wholeness, and so is the whole world.

It follows that in this way he can and should thank the Creator for giving us abundance. This is called the “right line,” which is the complete opposite of the left line. That is, in the left line, we walk within reason, as was said, that “A judge has only what his eyes see.” In other words, it is specifically with the intellect and not above the intellect. But when shifting to work with the “right,” the left is the cause that the right is built on the basis of above reason.

This is as our sages said, “The left pushes away and the right pulls near.” In other words, the state of “left” shows a person how he is rejected and separated from the work of the Creator. “The right pulls near” means that it shows him that he is close to the work of the Creator. This means that when he engages in the left, the left should bring him to see a state of rejection, that he is rejected and separated from the work. When he engages in the right, he should come to a state where he sees that he is close to the Creator. He should thank the Creator for the “right,” and pray to the Creator for the “left,” for only on two legs can a person walk in corporeality. This extends from spirituality, which shows that a person should walk on two lines.

Concerning the wholeness, there is another manner. If a person comes to a state where he sees that he is bare and destitute, since he is behind both in mind and in heart, meaning sees that he is immersed in self-love and that he has not a single organ that has any desire to work for the sake of the Creator, now he sees that he has come to his true state called “recognition of evil.”

He says that the fact that now he sees the recognition of evil is a gift from above that he was shown the truth. Otherwise, he would deceive himself and think that he need not change his way, since he is certainly walking on the path of truth. Thus, he could remain with his evil forever. But now, a revelation from above came to him, to see the truth.

This is as it is written in The Zohar about the verse, “Or make his sin known to him.” It interprets that the Creator notified him that he sinned, meaning he was informed from above that he sinned. In other words, recognition of evil is a revelation from above. For this reason, he rejoices at the fact that the Creator tends to him and guides him, and shows him his true state. This gives him wholeness from being rewarded with the revelation of the truth at the hands of the Creator. This discernment, that he receives wholeness, means that he says that the Creator is bringing him closer and shows him the truth.

It follows that now he is not in a state where he says that the Creator has rejected him from Kedushabecause he feels the bad. On the contrary, this makes him feel that the Creator is pulling him closer. This is called “the right pulls near.” Naturally, in that state, when he sees that he is all bad, he can overcome and seek advice how to emerge from this bad. Hence, he thanks and praises the Creator.

It follows that now he is regarded as blessed, in that he sees that he has received awareness from above about the recognition of evil. When he thanks the Creator, he is certainly called “blessed,” since he received a blessing from the Creator, and then he can come to Dvekut with the Creator since “the blessed clings to the blessed.”

This is as Baal HaSulam interpreted what our sages said, “The world was created either for the complete wicked or for the complete righteous” (Berachot 61). He asked, “We can understand that it is for the complete righteous, but can it be said, ‘for the complete wicked’?”

He explained that when a person knows about himself that he is wicked, he will certainly do all that he can to repent. We should interpret his words, “For the complete righteous,” who then enjoy the world in that they are rewarded with the delight and pleasure that the Creator wanted to give at the time of the creation of the world, since they already have Kelim [vessels] to receive the light of the Creator in order to bestow, for in these Kelim, the purpose of creation is revealed, which is called “His desire to do good to His creations.”

Likewise, when he has already been rewarded with the recognition of evil, it is Kelim, for he has an inner drive to do what he can to emerge from the state of wicked. But when he does not feel the bad, he has no one to awaken him to emerge from that bad state, since he does not feel so bad that he must do all that he can in order to emerge from it.

It follows that the fact that he has come to a state where he sees that he is all bad, already has a great merit to it. The evidence is that he can already say that the world was created for him, as was said, “The world was created either for the complete wicked.” But before he discovered the bad state, he had no right to exist in the world, as was said, “The world was created either for the complete wicked or for the complete righteous.” It follows that prior to the recognition of evil, he has no right to exist in the world.

It therefore follows that if he has achieved the recognition of evil, it is regarded that he already has a grip in the world. In that respect, it is considered that he has wholeness and he can already praise and thank the Creator for this, and he already has connection with the Creator and it can already be said that he is called “blessed,” and “the blessed clings to the blessed.”

At that time, he can be, and this is the time when he can ascend in degree, meaning that at the time of gladness, he can receive all the prayers he has given over his deficiencies. It is as our sages said, “The Shechina [Divinity] is present only out of joy,” as it is written, “And he will be as a musician playing, and the spirit of the Lord shall be upon him.” It follows that the primary time when one is rewarded with instilling the Shechina is specifically the time of wholeness, for specifically at the time of wholeness is the time when he can receive his soul.

According to the above, we can interpret what our sages said, “Eliezer had a daughter. He wanted her to be a wife for Isaac.” Literally, this is difficult to understand. After all, Eliezer’s daughter was the daughter of a sage, as our sages said (Yoma 28b), “And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that was his. Rabbi Eliezer said that the governor of the teaching of his master is of the household of Eliezer.” They also said there, “Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, was old and sat in a seminary.”

Abraham did not agree to this match and replied, “The cursed does not cling to the blessed.” This was not so about the match with Rebecca, who was the daughter of Betuel and the sister of wicked Lavan. Our sages said that Betuel sought to feed Eliezer the potion of death so they would be left with the wealth. In other words, he was not merely wicked; he was also a murderer. Yet, Gabriel came and replaced the bowl and gave it to Betuel, and he died.

Rebecca, too, came from an environment of wicked, yet, this match is a good match, as it is written, “And Rebecca came out.” In other words, the Creator brought her out from among all the town’s people, who were wicked. “Rebecca came out” because she was righteous. In the literal, if a person is offered two matches, where one is a daughter of a sage, and the other comes from the house of wicked people and a city of wicked people, of course he would choose the daughter of the sage.

But in the work, we should interpret that the state of Eliezer is a state of “left,” for he was yelling all the time, “Eli [My God], Ezer [help!], since I am under the governance of the evil.” It follows that this woman, the daughter of the left, who prayed to be given the quality of Isaac, who is called Neshama[soul] as a “wife,” which is the body, in order to receive the soul, Abraham did not agree because when a person is in the left and cries out, “Lord, help me emerge from the evil,” that body is in a state of “cursed.” He told him that Isaac, meaning the soul, was “blessed,” and “the cursed does not cling to the blessed.”

It is written in The Zohar (Toldot, Item 49), Therefore, although Eliezer was a sage, he felt that he lacked the quality of truth. He was always in the state of “the left,” and always had grievances, why the Creator would not hear him and give him a soul, since “the light in it reforms him.” Although the left “speaks to the point,” since everything is built on reason, as was said, that “the judge has only what his eyes see,” but in truth, he is cursed.

This is why Abraham told him, “The cursed,” meaning the body in a state of “cursed,” cannot receive the instilling of the Shechina, regarded as one’s personal soul. This is so because the Shechina is called Malchut, which is the collection of the souls. For this reason, Malchut is called “the assembly of Israel.” Hence, in this state, the body is unfit to receive the quality of Isaac, who is called a “soul,” as was said that the body is called “wife,” and the soul is called “husband.”

However, Rebecca, means in the work that the body sees everything that the left shows it, its true state, that all its organs are wicked, that it understands only that which concerns self-love, but with regard to the benefit of the Creator, it cannot do a thing, just as the “left” shows it.

This is the meaning of “all the town’s people were wicked,” since the body is called “city,” as it is written (Ecclesiastes 9:14), “A small city with few people in it. A great king came to it and found in it a poor wise man, who saved the city with his wisdom.” Rebecca, who was a single righteous woman, came out from among all the town’s people.

Why does it say “came out”? He says that “It indicates that the Creator took her out from among all the town’s people.” This means that this body felt itself as whole, meaning as righteous, because the Creator notified it the truth. From this, it is glad, and this in itself is regarded as wholeness, that the Creator notified it, or, for the second above-mentioned reason, that he believes above reason that he has wholeness because he believes in faith in his teacher that we must go above reason and say, “They have eyes and see not.”

In a state of wholeness, we can be rewarded with the state of Isaac, who is called a “soul.” This means that the two opposites are in one body but in two times. We are told that the most important is to walk on the right line, once he has a little bit of the left line. This is the meaning of “One should always establish the praise of the Creator,” which is called “right,” “and then pray,” regarded as “left,” and then he returns to the right.

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

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

When Should One Use Pride in the Work?

Article No. 6, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

It is written (2 Chronicles 17), “His heart was proud in the ways of the Lord.” And in the Mishnah, it was said (Avot, Chapter 4:4), “Be very, very humble.” Thus, this contradicts what is written, “His heart was proud.”

The Zohar (VaYera, Item 17) asks, “‘And the Lord appeared unto him by the Oaks of Mamre.’ Why in the Oaks of Mamre and not elsewhere? It is because Mamre gave him an advice about the circumcision. When the Creator told Abraham to circumcise himself, Abraham went to consult his friends. Aner told him, ‘You are over ninety years old; you will torment yourself.’ Marme told him, ‘Remember the day when the Chaldeans threw you in the furnace, and that famine that the world endured, and those kings whom your men chased and whom you struck. The Creator saved you from all of them. Rise up and do as your Master commands.’ The Creator said to Mamre: ‘You advised him in favor of the circumcision, thus, I will appear to him only in your abode.’”

This is difficult to understand. If the Creator commanded him to circumcise himself, he went to ask his friends if he should obey the Creator? What if Mamre had said otherwise? He would heed the advice of Mamre and not the word of the Creator. Can we say this?

It is also difficult to understand what Mamre told him, that he should obey the Creator, that He will save you for sure, just as He saved you from the furnace. This implies that the basis for why Mamre told him to obey the Creator is because He would save him, just as He saved him from the furnace. Otherwise, you should not obey.

We see the same thing where our sages said (RASHI brings the words of our sages, Genesis 11:28), “‘Terah died in the presence of his father,’ during his father’s life. Some say that because of him, his father died, when Terah complained to Nimrod about his son, Abram, about the breaking of his statues and throwing them into the furnace. Haran sat and said to himself, ‘If Abram wins, I am with him. If Nimrod wins, I am with him.’ When Abram was saved, they said to Haran, ‘Who are you with?’ Haran replied, ‘I am with Abram.’ They threw him in the furnace and he burned.”

We see about Haran that since he said that he was going to take upon himself devotion on condition that the Creator would save him, he was burned. Thus, why in Abram’s case, when Mamre told him, “You should obey the Creator,” since He saved Abram from the furnace, meaning yesterday’s Abram, for example, He would also save Abram today when he circumcises himself? This is just like Haran and Abram with the furnace. The only difference here is that they are the same thing but in the same body, meaning in two states of Abram.

In the literal, we see that with Haran and Abram and the furnace, there was the matter of gentiles, meaning that foreigners wanted both Abram and Haran not to obey the Creator. This is not so with the circumcision, which the Creator instructed him. That is, there is a difference between foreigners saying not to obey the Creator, or the Creator telling him to obey Him.

We should say that when foreigners want a person to idol-worship and detach himself from faith in the Creator, a person should give unconditional dedication. For this reason, when Haran said that he was ready to dedicate himself on condition that he survives, like Abraham, this is not regarded as dedication. This is why he was burned in the furnace.

This is not so here when the Creator told him to circumcise himself and he went to consult his friends. We should interpret this differently, that he thought that the Creator telling him to circumcise himself is a high degree and he was still unworthy of it, as he thought that if the Creator told him to circumcise himself and he was still unworthy of it, he might fall even from the state he was in at the time, since he knew that he was in lowliness, as it is written, “And I am dust and ashes.” Therefore, he went to ask whether he was permitted to walk into this high degree and circumcise himself, or should he wait until he is worthy of it.

This is why Aner told him, “You are over ninety years old; you will torment yourself” beginning to ascend high degrees now, and beginning to do more work in order to qualify yourself to be worthy of the Mitzva [commandment/good deed] of circumcision. “You are too old to start making great efforts now in order to be rewarded with higher degrees. This is suitable for a young man, who has a great future, not for you, who is already over ninety. Therefore, this is not for you.”

However, when he came to ask Mamre, Mamre replied to him, “You see that the Creator does not look at your lowliness; let Him say when you are worthy, and then He can help you, as our sages said, ‘He who comes to purify is aided.’ When you feel that you are dust and ashes, the Creator cannot help you, but you see that when you were thrown in the furnace, the Creator helped you nonetheless, since He is merciful and gracious.”

This is as our sages say about the verse, “‘And I will pardon whom I pardon,’ although he is unfit and unworthy of it.” Therefore, here, too, with the Mitzva of circumcision, the Creator wants you to enter a higher level although you are not worthy or fit. Hence, go and do your Master’s commandment and do not look at your own lowliness.

This is as Baal HaSulam said about what the Creator said, “Now I know that you are God fearing.” The question is, Does the Creator not know the future, that He said, “Now I know,” meaning that now He knows that “you are God fearing”? That is, this means that now Abraham knew that he was God fearing.

The question is, Why did Abram need to know this? We should say that now that he knows that he is God fearing, Abraham can go to a higher level and is not afraid that it might be too high for him. Rather, he can already ascend.

Likewise, we can interpret what Rabba said (Berachot 61), “One should know in one’s heart whether he is a complete righteous or not.” We should also understand there why he needs to know this. Indeed, by this he will try to walk in higher degrees and will not think that it is too high for him. This is why Mamre advised him not to look at his lowliness that he feels, that he is dust and ashes. Rather, the Creator wants you to ascend in degrees through the Mitzva of circumcision? Go and do it, and do not look at anything. This is the meaning of the verse, “The Lord is high and the low will see,” as it is written, “The Lord raises up the lowly.”

Now we can understand what we asked, Why did Abraham consult his friends whether to obey the Creator? The meaning is that if he should wait and qualify himself to enter the high degree with which he will be rewarded following the doing of the commandment of circumcision, or should he do it right away and ignore his lowliness, where he feels that he is dust and ashes. This is what he asked his friends about, and not whether to observe the commandment of the Creator.

By this we will also understand why when he was thrown into the furnace, he did not seek his friends’ advice, but agreed to be thrown into the furnace in order to sanctify the name of heaven. However, this is the quality of faith, where we must give unconditional devotion, meaning to say, “I am very low; this is why He does not want to give devotion.”

But in idol-worship, the rule is “Be killed but do not breach.” For this reason, when Haran wanted to sanctify the Creator with dedication only on condition that he stays alive like Abram, this is clearly not “Be killed but do not breach,” since his view was that he agreed to be thrown in the furnace provided he is not killed. It follows that he did not observe at all the Mitzva that there is in idol-worship, “Be killed but do not breech.” This is why Haran was burned in the furnace.

Conversely, Abram’s view was in the form of “Be killed but do not breach.” Therefore, thanks to the complete Mitzva, he was saved from the furnace. This is the meaning of the nations speaking to him there, demanding of him to idol-worship.

But with the commandment of the circumcision, where the Creator told him to circumcise himself, the Creator certainly demanded of Abram to ascend in degree. Once he sanctified the Creator with Nimrod, what did the Creator want from Abraham? Certainly, to ascend to a higher level. It was about this that he thought that perhaps he was still unworthy of ascending to such a high level, which is why he went to ask his friends what to do, since he felt that he was still not worthy of such Gadlut[greatness/adulthood], which he would be awarded by observing the Mitzva of circumcision. Therefore, it is a completely different matter here.

According to the above, we see that there are two states in the work: 1) faith, 2) Torah.

In the state of faith, it cannot be said that he is lowly, and therefore cannot observe the commandment of sanctifying the Creator, which is done by the general public in Israel, even among common people, that we hear that they died for the sanctification of the Creator.

Therefore, when a person begins the work of the Creator on the path of truth, he must take upon himself the burden of faith above reason even though all the nations of the world in his body laugh at him. He must sanctify the Creator before the gentiles in his body and say that he believes in the Creator and wants to serve Him with all his heart and soul. And even though they disagree with him, he can say that he takes upon himself to love the Creator. Even if he has no feeling when he utters it, a person should not be impressed with the organs disagreeing with his view. He does what he can do. That is, in speech and action he can do this by coercion. And although he feels nothing in it, he is still doing an awakening from below.

It was said about this, “And I will bless you in all that you will do.” That is, the Creator will later send him blessing on what he does. Although after the overcoming he does not see that he received any blessing, meaning he does not feel any nearing to the Creator more than he was prior to the overcoming, so the body asks the person, “You told me that if you overcome your mind and reason, the Creator would give you blessing, meaning that by this you will feel the importance of spirituality. But you see that you are in the same state as before the work, when you exerted to do things by coercion.”

To this comes the answer, “If I felt the blessing instantaneously, then I would have done it in order to receive reward.” This is similar to Haran who said, “If I see that Abraham was saved from the furnace, I am with him.” Here, too, when he says, “I am willing to bow myself and do good deeds against the body’s will, but on condition that afterwards I will get a good feeling, how worthwhile it is to serve the Creator in order to receive reward, meaning a good feeling.”

Hence, if a person wants to receive reward immediately after the work by coercion, it is as though he began with the coercion so that afterward he would not have to work by coercion. It follows that when accepting the faith, he sets conditions. But the faith of acceptance of the kingdom of heaven must be unconditional surrender. For this reason, where faith is concerned, it cannot be said that a person feels that he is too lowly, that it is not for him to assume the burden of the kingdom of heaven. Also, a person should not say, “Now I am not in the mood for this; I’ll wait for when I am in a better mood, and then I’ll try to take upon myself the burden of the kingdom of heaven.” Rather, this duty lies with every person to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven, at any place and at any time.

Conversely, when speaking of the Torah, this is the time when one should feel one’s lowliness. Since our sages said, “It is forbidden to teach Torah to idol-worshippers,” but only to Israel, he should therefore first see if he is truly regarded as “Israel.” This means that he should see whether he is worthy of learning Torah. If he sees that he is still unworthy, he must try to be worthy, and then he will be able to learn Torah.

What is the way by which one should qualify himself to be worthy? The way is as our sages said, “The Creator said, ‘I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.’” In other words, a person should learn Torah first, so the Torah will lead him into being regarded as “Israel.” When he has the quality of “Israel,” he will ascend in degree to learn Torah, which is then called “the Torah of the Creator, as in the names of the Creator.” Before he is rewarded with being “Israel,” he must try to engage in Torah and Mitzvot so it will make him become “Israel.” Then is the time to come to wholeness, called “the purpose of creation,” which is to do good to His creations.

However, when he engages in Torah and Mitzvot, since a person must walk on two lines—right and left—meaning a time of wholeness and a time of lack, on one hand we must thank the Creator, and one who feels he has received a lot of good from the Creator is more capable of giving more gratitude, so when a person engages in Torah and Mitzvot, this is the time to be in wholeness, as though the Creator has brought him close, to be among the King’s servants. However, one must not lie to oneself and say that he feels that he is serving the King when he does not feel this way. Therefore, how can he be grateful to the Creator for drawing him near if he does not feel it?

Instead, at that time a person should say that although he is in utter lowliness, meaning he is still immersed in self-love, and still cannot do anything above reason, the Creator still gave him a thought and desire to engage in Torah and Mitzvot, and has also given him some strength to be able to overcome the spies who speak to him and poke his mind with their arguments. And still, he has some grip on spirituality.

At that time, a person should pay attention to this and believe that the Creator is tending to him and guides him on the track that leads to the King’s palace. It follows that he should be happy that the Creator is watching over him and gives him the descents, as well. That is, a person should believe, as much as he can understand, that the Creator is giving him the ascents, since certainly, a person cannot say that he himself receives the ascents, but that the Creator wants to bring him closer; this is why He gives him the ascents.

Also, a person should believe that the Creator gives him the descents, as well, because He wants to bring him closer. Therefore, every single thing that he can do, he must do as though he is in a state of ascent. Therefore, when he overcomes a little during the descent, it is called an “awakening from below.” Each act that he does, he believes that it is the Creator’s will, and by this itself he is rewarded with greater nearing, meaning that the person himself begins to feel that the Creator has brought him closer.

It is as Baal HaSulam said, that when a person is happy, when he feels that he is privileged that he has some grip on spirituality, that person is called “blessed,” and “The blessed clings to the Blessed.” That is, the person begins to feel that the Creator is blessing him now, and he feels no lack at all. However, this is so specifically when he engages in Torah and Mitzvot.

Yet, one must dedicate a little bit of his time to work on the left line, as this gives him room to pray for the lacks in him. It is needed that during the wholeness, when a person is grateful to the Creator for bringing him a little closer, this is the time to receive the filling for his lacks, which he felt while working in the manner of the “left.”

It follows that the answer to the prayer is not when he prays, since then he is in a state of “cursed,” meaning deficient, and the complete does not connect to the deficient. Rather, when a person feels whole not because he knows that he has wholeness but because he feels himself as lowly, and regards whatever grip he has on spirituality as a great fortune, from this he derives wholeness and says that he is not even worthy of this. This is the time when he can receive the filling for what he felt while he was working in the manner of the “left.”

Now we can understand what we asked, why on one hand they said, “Be very, very humble,” and on the other hand, it is written, “And his heart was proud in the ways of the Lord,” as they are two opposites on the same topic. The answer is that they are two opposites on the same topic, but in two times.

In other words, when he engages in the kingdom of heaven, to take upon himself faith above reason, when the body disagrees with it and gives him many excuses that now is not the time for this, and brings him evidence from other people, who do not pay attention to this work of faith in the Creator above reason, he should say about this, “And his heart was proud in the ways of the Lord.” He does not look at anyone, but is determined that this is the path of truth and he should not look at anyone or hear what the body makes him understand—“Go and look at reputable people, who understand what is the work of the Creator.” It is about this that they said, “And his heart was proud,” to be proud that he understands better than everyone.

But when he engages in Torah and Mitzvot and sees that he has no idea what he is learning or what he is praying, at that time he must not be proud and say that if he does not understand, why should he look at the books in vain, if he does not understand the matters of Torah and Mitzvot. At that time he should be in lowliness, as our sages said, “Be very, very humble.” In other words, a person should be in lowliness and say that he is happy with whatever grip he has, since he sees how many people do not have any grip on spirituality. Therefore, here he needs to feel that he is not worthy of anything, and be happy.

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

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

What It Means that the Land Did Not Bear Fruit before Man Was Created, in the Work

Article No. 5, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

It is written in The Zohar (VaYera, Item 1), “Rabbi Hiya started, ‘The buds appeared on the earth; the time of pruning has come.’ This means that when the Creator created the world, He placed in the earth all the power it deserves, and everything was in the land. Yet, it did not bear fruit in the world until man was created. When man was created, everything appeared in the world and the land revealed the fruits and forces that were deposited in it. And then it was said, ‘The buds appeared on the earth, the time of pruning has come, and the voice of the turtledove was heard in our land.’ This is the speaking of the Creator, which was absent in the world before man was created. Once man is present, everything is present.”

We should understand why the land did not bear its fruit before man was created. What is the connection between the earth and man, where if there is no man, although the land has everything, it still does not bear its fruits before there is man? Also, what does it mean that before man was created, the speaking of the Creator was not present in the world? After all, it is written several times, “And God said, ‘Let there be light.’”

We should interpret this in the work. Our sages said about the verse, “In the beginning God created,” that it is for Israel, who were called Resheet [beginning], as it is written, “The sanctity of Israel, the Resheet [beginning] of its crop.” This means as it is written, that the purpose of the creation of the world was to do good to His creations. That is, He created in the creatures a desire to receive delight and pleasure, and in this desire, meaning that this desire causes him to yearn to receive the delight and pleasure. By this the delight and pleasure that a person can derive from there is measured.

This is called “the work of the Creator,” meaning that He created a desire to enjoy for the pleasure that He wants to give them. It turns out that nothing is missing in the world; there is abundance that belongs to the will to receive. That is, to the extent that He wanted to give delight and pleasure, to that extent He created a Kli [vessel] for this. This means that the will to receive is not greater than the Creator created it, so he can receive what the Creator wants to give. It follows that the delight and pleasure are present, the Kli to receive is present, so what else is missing?

It is known that the land is called Malchut. That is, the desire to receive the abundance from the Creator is called Malchut. This means that Malchut receives the abundance for the souls, as for this reason Malchut is called “the assembly of Israel,” which is the collection of the souls. It follows that Malchut already received all the light for the souls. The question is, Why do the creatures not receive from Malchut the abundance she received for the creatures, and there is the power of concealment in the world, so the voice of the turtledove is not heard in our land, meaning that the speaking of the Creator is not heard in the world, but rather each one feels the concealment and there is a lot of work to believe in His Providence over the created beings, and the delight and pleasure are not revealed in the world?

The answer is that it is because the Creator did not want there to be shame. For this reason, there was a correction, called Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment so the upper Providence will not be revealed. Instead, we must believe that the Creator leads the world as the good who does good. This causes us all the work, that we must exert and relinquish the will to receive for ourselves, although this is our entire reality.

In other words, everything that we relate to the creatures is only a will to receive. Yet, it is forbidden to use the will to receive as it emerged by nature, but we must go above nature. In other words, our nature is the will to receive for ourselves. It follows that when a person is told we must relinquish the will to receive for ourselves, there is not an organ in us that will be able to understand this. The body begins to ask the “Who” and “What” questions, meaning demands an intellectual answer if the Creator truly hears each and every one who asks of Him.

The body argues to a person, “You see that you have asked the Creator many times to help you with what you think you need. Until now, you see that you have received no answer to the prayer. Therefore, why do you say each day, ‘For You hear the prayer of every mouth’? If this is so, why is He not helping you?” It follows that reason asserts that the body is right, meaning that it is making a reasonable and sensible argument.

We must answer the body about this that we are going above reason. That is, although reason asserts that the Creator does not accept the prayer of every mouth, meaning that he can explain the fact that the Creator is not answering him as because he is still unfit to receive the salvation from the Creator, but in truth, the Creator does hear the prayer of Israel. It is only to you that He does not want to answer the prayer you made, since you are not regarded as Israel.

The body asks once more, “You see that we must believe that ‘You hear the prayer of every mouth,’ as we say in the prayer, ‘For You hear the prayer of every mouth.’ Thus, the Creator should have heard your prayer, as well. Moreover, if He does not hear the prayer of every mouth, then why do you need to pray?”

Then, when a person comes to such a state, he can say that he is going above reason. That is, although reason is very important, and he sees that the body speaks with reason, but a person should say that we must go above reason. That is, we, too, see contradictions, such as that many times he prayed but received no answer for his prayer. But then, when he overcomes and goes above reason, this is called “faith above reason.”

Likewise, when a person must relinquish the quality of the heart and say, “I relinquish the self-benefit and care only for the benefit of the Creator,” of course this is above reason. In other words, above reason means that a person should say that to him, faith is at a higher level than reason. For this reason, he obeys the voice of faith and not the voice of reason. This is against reason, since we see that we were given reason and we measure every person according to the level of his intellect, as it is written, “A man will be praised according to his mind” (Proverbs 12), and one who has more reason is a more important person. Therefore, when we are told that we must go above reason, it is against our reason.

For this reason, when a person comes to a state where the body begins to ask the “Who” and “What” questions, then begins the real work. Then we must ask for the help of the Creator to give us the strength not to hear these questions of Pharaoh and the wicked one, which are “Who” and “What.” It was said about this, “Were it not for the help of the Creator, he would not overcome it,” since a person cannot emerge from their control by himself and say, “I am going above reason,” since it is against nature.

According to the above, we can interpret what we asked, What is the connection between the land that did not bear its fruit before man was created? In the work, man is regarded as one who has emerged from the control of the quality of a beast. A “beast” means one who is immersed in self-benefit, like a beast, and man means one in whom there is fear of heaven and works because of fear, which The Zohar calls “Because He is great and ruling,” where he works only because of the greatness of the Creator and does not care for his own benefit, but for the benefit of the Creator. It is as our sages said about the verse, “In the end of the matter, fear God and observe His commandments, for this is the whole of man. What is ‘for this is the whole of man’? Rabbi Elazar said, ‘The whole world was created only for this’” (Berachot 6).

It follows that man is regarded as one in whom there is the fear of heaven. And what is the fear of heaven? That is, what is fear? It is as he says (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Item 191), “Both the first fear and the second fear are not for his own benefit, but only for fear that he will decline in bringing contentment to his Maker.”

According to the above, we already know the meaning of Adam. It is one who has fear of heaven, who is afraid that perhaps he will not be able to do everything in order to bestow. This is called “man.” A “beast” is the opposite: one who cares only for one’s own benefit, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 3), “Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?” We should interpret that “spirit of man” goes upward means that everything he does is for the sake of the Creator. This is called “upward,” when his intention is that everything will be only in order to bestow. From this man derives contentment.

The “spirit of the beast” is that in everything he does, he wants it all for “downward,” meaning “down to the earth,” which is worldliness, for the will to receive for oneself is called “earth.” When that person does things, he sees that it will be only for his own benefit. From this he derives spirit, meaning his contentment. That is, he will enjoy his actions only if it yields benefit for himself. If he sees that the will to receive cannot enjoy it, he will not have strength to work. If he must work for some reason, then he is not in a good mood at all.

Now we can understand the connection between man and earth. We asked, What does it mean that the earth did not bear its fruit in the world before man was created although all the power it deserved and everything was already in the land? The thing is that in the work, “land” is the kingdom of heaven, which is the assembly of Israel, who receives abundance for the created beings, since all the souls come from her. From the perspective of the Creator, everything is already corrected in the best possible way.

It is as he says (“Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 13), “The thing is that by the very thought to create the souls, His thought completed everything, for He does not need an act, as do we. Instantaneously, all the souls and all the worlds that are destined to be created emerged filled with all the delight and pleasure that the souls were intended to receive at the end of correction, after the will to receive in the souls has been fully corrected and has been turned into pure bestowal. This is so because in His eternalness, past, present, and future are as one.”

By this we should interpret the connection between man and the earth, which is that if man is present, the earth bears its fruit. The “earth” means the will to receive that has been fully corrected. From the perspective of the Creator, everything has been completed in utter perfection and there is nothing to add to it, as he says, “Instantaneously, all the souls emerged filled with all the delight and pleasure.” However, in order for the creatures to enjoy the fruits of Malchut, which she received, Malchut, which is called “land,” does not give this to the created beings before they correct the will to receive to work in order to bestow, due to the correction that took place, so there will be in them the matter of equivalence of form.

It turns out that as long as a person has not achieved the degree of “man,” which is regarded as bestowing upward, as in “the spirit of man goes upward,” meaning that “man” means that everything he does is for the sake of the Creator, while the spirit of the beast “goes downward,” meaning for his own benefit, Malchut, which is called “earth,” cannot show the delight and pleasure she received for the created beings.

The Zohar says, “The buds appeared on the earth,” meaning that everything was in the earth, but it did not bear fruit in the world until man was created. Before the created being achieved the quality of “man,” the Creator does not see any fruits from Malchut, which is called “earth.”

Now we can understand what we asked about The Zohar saying that “the voice of the turtle dove was heard in our land” is the speaking of the Creator, who was not present in the world before man was created, though it is written many times in the Torah, “And God said,” before man was created. The meaning is that before a person achieves the degree of “man,” meaning emerges from the state of a beast, the “man” is in concealment and it is impossible to hear the voice of the Creator.

This is regarded as the “speaking of the Creator was not present in the world before the quality of man was created.” Only afterward, when a person achieves the degree of “man,” he hears the “speaking of the Creator.” The “speaking of the Creator” is called Torah, and then he is rewarded with the Torah, which is called “the names of the Creator.” This is called the “speaking of the Creator.” It is not that the Torah is a wisdom, as with other wisdoms. Rather, the Torah is the speaking of the Creator.

Not easily can one achieve the degree of “man” and emerge from the quality of a beast. This is so because in the work of the Creator, one is always in oppositeness of form, and only out of two extremes, a middle line is born. It is as it is written in the poem by the ARI, “Right and left, and in between them a bride.” This means that through the right and the left, which are two opposites, the kingdom of heaven, called “bride,” is born.

It is known that Malchut is called “faith.” To be rewarded with faith, we must first emerge from the state of a beast, called “self-love,” as was said that the spirit of the beast goes downward. Downward means decreasing in importance, which is the quality of a beast, which can only work for its own sake.

While the creature is still under the control of the will to receive for himself, he can receive only partial faith. This means that he has descents and ascents. During the descents, he loses the power of faith because the descent comes to him due to some flaw, and all the flaws come to the creature while he is immersed in self-love. For this reason, there is a correction for the creature so as not to blemish the King: He loses the faith in the existence of the King, as explained in the “Introduction of The Book of Zohar” (Item 138, beginning with the words, “It is a law”).

Since there is a rule that a person cannot walk on one leg, but only on two legs, this points to spirituality, too. “Right” implies wholeness. That is, the first beginning, when the creature wants to begin the work of the Creator, is that he must believe in the Creator. It does not matter how much faith he has, but with whatever faith he has, he can already begin to observe Torah and Mitzvot[commandments/good deeds], and each day he adds as much as he can.

However, this state is not regarded as “right,” but as “one line.” This is called “still of Kedusha[holiness].” From this still emerge all other degrees, called “vegetative,” “animate,” and “speaking,” as it is written (Ecclesiastes 3), “All was from the dust.” The Zohar interprets, “even the wheel of the sun” (Tzav, Item 173). That is, everyone must begin in still of Kedusha.

However, we should know that as with the corporeal still, a person does not need to make efforts in order for the still to be revealed. Rather, the still develops according to the development of nature. In other words, if a person does not spoil the corporeal still, it develops. For example, if a person does not spoil the earth or takes out stones from the earth, the still develops.

It is the same with the still of Kedusha. If he does not spoil his actions, his still of Kedusha develops. However, it does not require any intention or thought in order to continue his quality of still of Kedusha.

Conversely, if he wants to acquire the quality of “vegetative,” we see that in corporeality, the vegetative already requires special treatment. It needs to be given food, meaning water and sun, and to fix the still from which the vegetative will grow, namely plowing and so forth. Also, other plants, which do not belong to the plant that the person wants to grow out of the still, must be removed, so in corporeality, weeds that have intermingled are uprooted.

Likewise, in the vegetative of Kedusha, we must dedicate thought and desire to nursing this still, meaning plowing. That is, we must turn the will to receive in us to work in order to bestow, and then it is relevant to speak of work in “right” and “left.” That which was previously one line, which is the act, a person must use it as the “right line,” meaning that he should appreciate the simple act and say that he is grateful to the Creator for rewarding him with doing simple works in utter simplicity, and to say that he is not worth even this—that the Creator gave him the present of serving Him in simplicity.

At the same time, he must shift to the left line, meaning criticize himself if he is truly working for the Creator or for himself, meaning for his own benefit and not for the benefit of the Creator. He should pray for this, that he is so immersed in self-love.

Sometimes, he sees that he cannot pray that the Creator will help him and deliver him from the governance of self-love. Sometimes, he is even in a worse state—that he does not even want to pray the Creator will bring him out of self-love. On the contrary, he wants the Creator to help him satisfy his will to receive for himself with every possible satisfaction. This is called “left,” since in spirituality, something that requires correction is called “left.”

It follows that there are two opposites here. On one hand, a person is told that the order of the work is that a person should try to observe the one line to the fullest. That is, as when the creature was in a state of still, called “one line,” and felt himself as whole and was happy and glad because he knew that he had wholeness and all he needed to add was quantity.

But the reason was that he had no idea about the vegetative. He thought that the still is the wholeness that man must do. Therefore, he felt high spirited because of the feeling of wholeness and he could not understand why all the creatures were not as smart as him.

But now that he has a notion of the quality of “vegetative,” he no longer has the wholeness of the one line. For this reason, now he must make great efforts to be able to appreciate and derive vitality from the right, as he received from it while being in one line. The reason for this is that the left line makes him see that this is not wholeness.

Indeed, why do we need to walk on the right line? The answer is that this is the truth. That is, a person should indeed consider the little bit of grip he has on Kedusha as a great fortune, and this is the time to thank the Creator. Afterward, he should return to the left line, for this is also true, that we must work for the sake of the Creator. Out of those two, from the wholeness and importance of the right, and from the lack of the left, a person is rewarded with the middle line. This is the meaning of “Right and left, and in between the bride.”

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

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

What It Means that the Generations of the Righteous are Good Deeds, in the Work

Article No. 4, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

Our sages said about the verse, “These are the generations of Noah; Noah was a righteous man,” “To teach you that the generations of the righteous are primarily good deeds.” We should understand this, since our sages said (Nedarim 64), “One who has no sons is considered dead, as it is written, ‘Give me sons, or else I die.’” It therefore follows that righteous, who have good deeds, are still considered dead. Can this be said about righteous?

In the work, father and son are called “cause and consequence.” In other words, the potential is called “father,” and what is later revealed in practice is called “son.” The potential is like a drop in the father’s brain, and the emergent result is called “birth,” and a “son,” which emerges from potential to actual.

For this reason, when a person thinks of doing something, he must first think what he wants to do that will give him pleasure from the act, since it is known that man likes rest. The reason for this is that our root is in a state of complete rest, so the creatures, too, desire rest and do not make a single move unless it brings them more pleasure than they have in the state of rest.

For this reason, righteous, meaning people who want to be at the degree of righteous are called righteous, although they have not achieved the degree of righteous. It is as Baal HaSulam interpreted about the verse, “Will bring wisdom to the wise.” The question is, Should it not have said, “Will bring wisdom to the fools”? Why does it say “to the wise”? Indeed, one who seeks wisdom is already called “wise,” whereas a fool does not want wisdom, as it is written, “The fool does not desire wisdom.”

It follows that one who wants to be righteous arranges for himself in his mind what he must do, meaning what he should crave. Our sages said “good deeds,” meaning that he thinks how he can come to a state where he can do good deeds. That is, when he has good deeds in his hand, he will know that he is righteous, as our sages said (Berachot 61), “Rabba said, ‘One should know in one’s heart whether he is righteous or wicked.’” For this reason, a person arranges for himself in his mind, regarded as the “potential,” what he must do in order to come to a state where everything he does is a good deed.

However, we must know what is a good deed, by which to know that he is righteous. We should interpret that good deeds are interpreted in the Torah and in the prayer, as well as in the performance of Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds]. We should interpret that a good deed is when a person feels good during the act. For example, when a person wants to stand and pray to the Creator, the person wants to feel as though he is standing before the King, for then all of one’s heart and mind are given to the King. Because of the greatness and importance of the King, it is impossible that he would be distracted from the King.

Thus, there are two things here: 1) There is no room where another thought, which does not concern the King, may enter. At that time, it is as though there is no one in the world but he and the King, due to the fear of the greatness of the King. 2) At that time, he feels that he is in a state of good feeling because he has the privilege of speaking with the King.

Likewise, when he comes to observe some Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot], he thinks that the Mitzva he will perform will be a good Mitzva. That is, while performing the Mitzva, he should feel that now he is going to bring contentment to the King. For this reason, a person should feel, while performing the Mitzva, that he has the privilege of delighting the King, meaning that now the King enjoys his observing of the King’s commandment. This is called “a good deed.”

When he feels this way and has no other thought during the performing of the Mitzva, since he engages in the commandments of the King, therefore, his entire thought is that he wonders if the King will truly enjoy what he is doing now. This is what he regards as “good deeds.”

Also, when he learns Torah, he prepares for the learning of Torah, meaning he first thinks what Torah he is about to learn—does he intend to enjoy the wisdom in the Torah or is it to have the strength to awaken in himself that this is the Torah of the Creator, that the whole of the Torah is the names of the Creator, and that he still has not been rewarded with understanding and seeing the connection between the Torah and the Creator. Yet, at least he wants to believe what our sages said, “The Torah and Israel and the Creator are one,” and this is what he regards as good deeds.

It follows that one who wants to be righteous, while preparing and reflecting that he wants to do things that will be good, he is called “righteous.” That is, he wants to engender through the preparation he has in his mind, which is called a “father who begets sons,” which are good deeds.

It is written, “Noah was a righteous man,” which is called “These are the generations of Noah,” meaning the good deeds, which are the generations of the righteous. The verse “Noah was a righteous man” means that he was rewarded with good deeds. That is, during the act, he felt that his actions were truly good, and felt contentment while performing his actions and felt the good that is in them. Because the acts are good, he was rewarded with the delight and pleasure clothed in the performance of Mitzvot.

According to the above, we can understand what our sages said, “One who has no sons is considered dead.” We asked, From this, from Noah, it seems that only one who has good deeds is considered righteous. But it is written, “One who has no sons is considered dead,” which means that even righteous, if they have no sons, are considered dead. According to the above-said, where sons are called “good deeds,” the meaning of “One who has no sons is considered dead” is that he has no good deeds and is considered dead because the righteous in their lives are called “dead,” since they are separated from the Life of Lives.

However, why does man need to do good deeds? That is, what causes him to want to be righteous? Also, why must one leave all the needs he has been accustomed to do for the sake of the body? He was used to enjoying eating and drinking, and handsome clothes, and so forth, and although he hears from books and from authors that there is the matter of the soul, that a person should acquire the matters of the soul, after he has been given with a body, a person begins to ask, What is a soul, for which he must toil in order to obtain? At that time, the body asks, “What will I gain from having a soul?” Moreover, it asks, “What is a soul, that I should merit attaining it?”

To this comes the answer that a person is told, “There is no soul without a body.” This is why man was given a body, which is like a machine, and with the machine he can go and come to all the places he wants. Therefore, we must preserve the machine and give it everything it needs, such as oil, water, and fuel. Only after you give the machine everything it needs, it will do what it must and bring the person to the places where he needs to go. Certainly, the person does not take a machine and gives it everything it needs and then leaves it and does not drive it.

Likewise, a person must think about the body. The body is like a machine whose role is to bring a person where he needs. When a person understands that the body is an instrument by which to obtain a soul, and this is why man was created with the body. This is similar to what is presented in the book A Sage’s Fruit (Part 1, p 117), “By this you will understand that before a soul comes into the body, it is but a tiny dot, though attached to the root as a branch to a tree. This dot is called the ‘root of the soul and its world.’ Had it not entered this world in a body, it would have had only its own world, meaning its own part in the root. However, the more it comes to walk in the paths of the Creator, which are the 613 ways of the Torah that return to being the actual names of the Creator, the more its stature grows, according to the level of the names it has attained, except it must increase its stature 620 times more than how it previously was in the root.”

It therefore follows that if we believe in the sages, there is room to contemplate why we were born in this world with a body that includes within it many base lusts. Also, how can we say that this body, for all its lowliness, was created for a sublime matter, which the soul could not attain before she descended into the lowly body—620 times more than what she had prior to clothing in a body?

In this regard, we must work with faith, to believe in the sages that this is so. However, it is not necessarily for this that we need faith in the sages. Rather, for every single step, we must believe that such is the way to go in this world with our bodies as they were arranged for us. Otherwise, we stumble on our way as we walk on the path of the Creator.

However, concerning faith, we also need true guides, who arrange for us how and in what way to walk in the path of the Creator, since many times a person gives all his might to something that is not the main thing in the work. As a result, he is left with no time or energy to make the effort in the right place, meaning in the most important thing he needs in order to be completed in the rungs of holiness.

Since it is impossible to learn only from books, since one person is not like another, for each has different tendencies, as the ARI says, “One person is not like another, and one day is not like another, and the Helbona [resin] will correct what the Levona [incense] will not correct,” therefore, each person needs his own precise order, and the order of the work of one person does not suit another’s. For this reason, each one must go with the order that suits specifically him.

It is as presented in the “Introduction to the Book, Panim Masbirot” (Item 3), “We distinguish four divisions in the speaking species.For this purpose, the Creator instilled three inclinations in the masses, called ‘envy,’ ‘lust,’ and ‘honor.’ Due to them, the masses develop degree by degree to elicit a face of a whole man.”

We should interpret the still, vegetative, animate, and speaking according to the four degrees, where neither understands the other. In other words, each one understands how a person should behave in this world, and no one can understand the other.

For example, the still is the first phase. This kind understands only lust. Sometimes, we see two neighbors living next to one another, and the wife of one husband, who is at the second degree, the vegetative, which pertains to respect and control, goes over to the wife of the still husband and sees how the neighbor sits with his family next to the table and eats with the family, and tells his family what his workday was like and how he is resting now and enjoys sitting together with his family and eating.

When the wife of the vegetative returns home, she waits for her husband to return from the store to have dinner with the family. But when the husband comes, he says, “I have no time to eat with you now because I am invited to some meeting for the public benefit.” His wife asks, “Why does your neighbor come from the store and sits and eats with the family, and does not run anywhere, but sits at ease and joyfully with the family, while you have no consideration for your family, and your mind is only given to other people? I do not even know if you know them, but you are giving the time that our family deserves and you regard others more than us!”

Then, he replies to her that his neighbor has no feeling for others. He is like a hen with its chicks, strolling with them and tending only to her chicks. “Likewise, our neighbor has no more brains than a chicken. Would you like me to be like him? Would you want a husband who is like a chicken?”

That woman returns to the neighbor and asks him, “Why are you eating with your family after work and behave like a chicken instead of being like my husband?” He replies, “I am not crazy like your husband, giving my precious time that I need for rest and to be happy with my family to other people.” Certainly, both are correct, but no one understands the other.

It is likewise between the second state to the third state. Let us take as an example two neighbors. One woman visits the other and sees that the neighbor’s son gets up at eight in the morning and goes to work. In the evening, he comes and behaves fine, just like all other people. Afterward, he goes to meetings to do something there for the benefit of the public, and then he returns and goes to sleep, as usual, like all other people.

When that woman returns home she asks her son, “Why do I often see that I fix you dinner, and when I get up in the morning I see that the light is still on and dinner is still in front of you, untouched, while you are sitting by your books? Why does my neighbor’s son behave like a human being?”

The son replies, “I love knowledge, so I think that it is worthwhile to give up everything and acquire knowledge. Conversely, the neighbor’s son has no connection to knowledge; he is like a beast, working for the public needs, meaning in whatever way is convenient for beasts like him. That is, without knowledge, I see myself as similar to a beast. But the neighbor’s son, who belongs to the quality of the beast, how can he understand that a person without knowledge is called ‘a beast’?”

When that woman tells her neighbor that her son says about her son that he is a beast, that son tells his mother, “I am not crazy sinking my head into knowledge. Who and what will it give me? No one will want to speak with me, and everyone will say that I have no idea about worldly matters. Conversely, when I work for the needs of the public and go to meetings, where smart people gather to do something for the public benefit, many people will respect me since I am not tending to my own needs but to the public benefit. The neighbor’s son, on the other hand, cares only for his own needs, this is why he delves in the books.”

It follows that each one says that the way he is walking is the path of truth, and neither understands the other.

This is even more so with the speaking level. Those who are from the animate level cannot understand the speaking level. That is, those who engage in the work of the Creator seem to the smart people who delve in books their entire lives and say that brains is what counts and only reason determines, while those who engage in the work of the Creator say that we must go above reason, they laugh at them and say, “Without reason, we are as beasts. How can they say that we must go above reason?” It follows that one does not understand the other.

This is called “the generation of Babylon,” when one does not understand the other’s language.

Accordingly, how can a person emerge from the tendencies that he is used to since birth? Intellectually, it is impossible to understand how it is possible that a person will think other than his inclinations. And there (in the introduction, Item 3) he says, “Because of this, we were given corrections, by which man must toil and labor. Otherwise, all creations would have been in a state of rest, since the root of the creatures, which is the Creator, is in a state of complete rest, and every branch wants to resemble its root.”

These corrections, called “envy,” “lust,” and “honor,” bring man out of the world (Avot, Chapter 4:28). He says there that through the envy and respect, it is possible to change the inclinations to lust into the degree of vegetative, where he begins to work for the sake of others for the purpose of Lo Lishma[not for Her sake]. Likewise, through envy, he can shift to the level of knowledge, as our sages said, “Authors’ envy increases knowledge.” And likewise, through Lo Lishma they can also shift from the animate level to the speaking.

Yet, how does the Lo Lishma help if one does not have the real inclination to the degree to which he enters? Our sages said about this, with respect to the Torah, “The light in it reforms him.” It turns out that through Lo Lishma, we come to Lishma [for Her sake]. This is why they said, “One should always learn Lo Lishma, as from Lo Lishma we come to Lishma.”

However, we must know that these four divisions, which are still, vegetative, animate, and speaking, apply to the same person. The person himself shifts from state to state, as he writes there, “Yet, those who remain without any Segula [remedy/virtue/power], it is because they do not have a strong desire. Hence, all three above-mentioned tendencies work within them in a mixture. At times they are lustful, at times jealous, and at times craving honors. Yet, their desire shatters into pieces and they are as children craving anything they see, but they will obtain nothing. For this reason, their value is like the straw and bran that remain after the flour.”

Now we can understand how a person has three states during the work: 1) the permanent state, 2) the state of ascent, and 3) the state of descent.

That is, when a person wants to emerge from his permanent state, it is known that there is a fixed routine that a person observes Torah and Mitzvot like the general public. This means that we are careful to observe Torah and Mitzvot in practice, meaning that they do not pay attention to the aim to bestow. This is called Lo Lishma. At that time, he can generally be in this state permanently, since he sees that each day he is progressing in Torah and Mitzvot. This is so because he looks only at the act, to see whether or not it is fine, and he is more or less meticulous about observing. For this reason, each day he acquires Torah and Mitzvot. And there is a rule: Where a person succeeds, he enjoys and can continue. For this reason, this state is called the “permanent state.”

Conversely, the second state is the time of ascent. This means that a person heard from authors and books that there is the issue of the flavors of Torah and Mitzvot that a person should attain by observing Torah and Mitzvot, that he should work on Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, that one must attain Godliness, which is the main thing required from the Torah and Mitzvot. The books say that in the end, every person will be rewarded with this degree.

This person begins to ascend the degrees of holiness and begins to feel that now he is in a different world, as though the state he was in compared to his current state is like the difference between day and night. However, he is not accustomed to walking in this path and falls into a descent.

When his ascents and descents increase, he sometimes despairs and says, “This path is not for me,” but he cannot return to the permanent state he had. In truth, a person should learn from all three states. It is as our sages said, “I have learned much from my teachers, more from my friends, and most from my disciples.” “My teachers” are the states of ascent, “my disciples” are the states of descent, and “my friends” are the permanent state.

In other words, a person should use the state of descent. That is, during the ascent, he should reflect on the thoughts and desires he had then. In other words, the learning is done primarily at the time of ascent, meaning the time of Gadlut [adulthood/greatness], which is called “my teachers,” for only during an ascent does a person have the brains to think.

Then, when he begins to learn from the state of descent, this is considered that he is learning from his disciples, which is below the routine that he was used to regularly. When a person learns from that state, he learns a lot, since now he can praise and thank the Creator for delivering him from the trash and the garbage where he was lying like the rest of the animals, whose food is only the waste that people throw into the trash, and animals such as cats come and nourish themselves on this waste. Now, during the ascent, he can praise and thank the Creator for this.

Baal HaSulam said that according to the praise and gratitude that is given to the Creator, to that extent he ascends. It does not matter what he has. What matters is how much he is impressed by the nearing to the Creator. To the extent of the gratitude that a person gives, to that extent he ascends in degree.

Also, he should learn from his friend’s state. That is, during the ascent, he should reflect and scrutinize on what understanding his work was built then.

It follows that if a person learns from his current state during the ascent, this is regarded as not learning much. But when he learns from the state of “his friend,” he learns more than from the state of ascent. “And [I learned] most from my disciples” means the time of descent. This is called “and most from my disciples.”

However, we must not forget that all the learning is specifically during the ascent. It follows that if he does not learn from the above-mentioned states during the ascent, it is considered that he did not learn much. For this reason, during the descent, a person must not decide anything, but only pray to the Creator to deliver him from the lowliness and believe that the Creator hears a prayer.

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

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

What It Means that the World Was Created for the Torah

Article No. 3, Tav-Shin-Nun, 1989-90

RASHI brings the words of our sages about “In the beginning [God] created,” “for the Torah, which is called ‘the beginning of his way,’ and for Israel, who were called ‘The holy of Israel, his first crop.’”

We should understand what it means that “The world was created for the Torah.” “Torah,” simply put, is the King’s commandments, who commanded to observe them. But are the King’s commandments lacking, and want to have someone following them? Do they have feelings?

We can say that the King wants His commandments followed. But this pertains to a flesh and blood king, who wants to command them and enjoys this. But we cannot say this about the Creator, that He wants to be given respect and that they will keep what He commands them.

Also, we should understand what our sages said, that the world was created for Israel, meaning not for the Torah. Therefore, we should understand if the creation of the world has two reasons or is it one reason, meaning that both point to the same thing.

It is known that the reason for the creation of the world was His desire to do good to His creations. In order to carry out the perfection of His deeds, meaning so there would not be shame, a Tzimtzum[restriction] and concealment were established, so the delight and pleasure would not shine unless the receiver has the intention to bestow. Otherwise, there is a concealment of the face of the Creator. For this reason, we were given the commandment of faith that He leads His world as The Good Who Does Good, whereby the commandment of faith in the Creator, and by observing the Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds] on the basis of faith, the matter of shame will be corrected.

However, because of the creation of the creatures, who were created with a desire to receive for themselves, the creatures cannot achieve a degree where all their actions are for the sake of the Creator and not for their own sake. This is why the will to receive is called “evil,” and one who walks in the path of this evil is called “wicked.” The will to receive for one’s own benefit is called “evil inclination” because all it depicts for one to do is to do everything only in a manner of self-reception, and this harms a person.

This means that this is the only reason why a person cannot obtain the delight and pleasure that the Creator wishes to impart upon the creatures, since there was a correction on this quality, called “will to receive for oneself,” since the will to receive is opposite from the Creator, whose desire is only to bestow, while the will to receive cannot be a giver.

In order to have equivalence of form, meaning that while a person receives he will be able to aim that the reception will be in order to bestow, this is already considered that he bestows. This is called “equivalence of form” or Dvekut [adhesion], since in spirituality, equivalence is called Dvekut, although in the act he is receiving. This is called “receiving in order to bestow.”

However, how can one achieve equivalence of form? Since the Creator created this will to receive, how is it possible to revoke the nature that the Creator created? There was a correction on this that while it is impossible to revoke the nature of the will to receive, an intention to bestow is added on top of it. It follows that the will to receive, meaning that a person sees something from which he can enjoy, remains. In other words, a person still enjoys in the end, but with a different intention. This is called “receiving in order to bestow.”

However, how can one have a different aim than to receive for his own benefit, but rather for the benefit of the Creator? Our sages said about this, “The Creator said, ‘I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.’” In other words, through the Segula[merit/virtue/remedy] of Torah and Mitzvot, a person can obtain the desire to bestow. This is the only way by which one can be rewarded with vessels of bestowal, and our sages said about it, “The light in it reforms him.”

It follows that through the Torah, a person will obtain vessels of bestowal, and then he will be able to receive the delight and pleasure that the Creator wants to give to the created beings. In this respect, the Torah is called “613 counsels,” meaning 613 tips by which one is rewarded with vessels of bestowal.

Afterward, once he is rewarded with vessels of bestowal through the Torah, he must receive the delight and pleasure that is found in the thought of the Creator. That delight and pleasure is also called “Torah,” meaning that at that time, the 613 counsels become 613 deposits. This means that in each Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot] there is a special light.

This is as it is written (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” “General Explanation for All Fourteen Commandments and How They Divide into the Seven Days of Creation,” Item 1), “In Torah and Mitzvot there are ‘We shall do’ and ‘We shall hear,’ as our sages said, ‘Doers of His word, to hear the voice of His word. In the beginning, they do, and in the end, they hear.’ When observing Torah and Mitzvot as ‘doers of His word,’ prior to being rewarded with hearing, the Mitzvot are called ‘613 counsels,’ and are considered Achor [back/posterior]. When rewarded with hearing ‘the voice of His word,’ the 613 Mitzvot become Pekudin, from the word Pikadon [deposit], for in each Mitzva, the light of a unique degree is deposited.”

According to the above, we can interpret what we asked, What does it mean that the world was created for the Torah? Does the Torah have feelings, that she should feel that she needs someone to observer her? We also asked, But elsewhere, our sages said that the world was created for Israel?

The thing is that both point to the same thing—that the reason for the creation of the world was His desire to do good to His creations. It is written (Midrash Rabbah, Beresheet) that when the Creator wanted to create Adam HaRishon, the angels objected to this saying, “What is man that You should think of him? Why do You need this trouble?” The Creator replied to them that it is like a king who has a tower filled with abundance but he has no guests.

It follows that man’s creation was in order to do good to His creations. This is why they said that the creation of the world was for Israel, who are called Resheet [beginning]. Yet, what is the delight and pleasure that He wanted to give them?

Our sages came and told us that the delight and pleasure is the Torah. That is, the creation of the world was for Israel to receive and enjoy the delight and pleasure found in the Torah.

It follows that when they said, “The world was created for Israel,” and when they said, “The world was created for the Torah,” it is the same.

However, here we are speaking of the receivers, which are Israel, and here, of what Israel receive. That is, one speaks from the perspective of the Kli [vessel], and one speaks from the perspective of the light. Yet, they are both one—light and Kli.

However, we should interpret what they said, “The world was created for the Torah,” in two ways: 1) The Torah is regarded as 613 counsels, 613 tips for subduing the evil, as it is written, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.” That is, through the Torah, the evil is corrected because “the light in it reforms him.”

In this way, we should interpret what our sages said (Shabbat 33), “Were it not for My covenant day and night, I would not place the ordinances of heaven and earth.” They interpreted “day and night” to mean the Torah, as it is written, “And you shall reflect on it day and night.” In other words, were it not for the Torah, the world would not exist.

We should interpret that through the Torah, whose light reforms him, the world can exist. In other words, it will be possible to receive the delight and pleasure because the Torah will correct the evil in the creatures and they will have equivalence of form by which the flaw of shame will be corrected.

Naturally, if the Torah did not reform, it would be impossible for them to receive the delight and pleasure. It follows that “I would not place the ordinances of heaven and earth,” so everything would be useless.

It follows that here the Torah is regarded only as counsels, meaning tips by which to receive the good.

2) The Torah is considered 613 deposits, which are the holy names. As is said in the “Introduction of The Book of Zohar” (“General Explanation for All Fourteen Commandments and How They Divide into the Seven Days of Creation,” Item 1), “In each Mitzva, a light of a unique degree is deposited, which corresponds to a unique organ in the 613 organs and tendons of the soul and the body. It follows that while performing the Mitzva, one extends to its corresponding organ in his soul and body the degree of light that belongs to that organ and tendon. This is considered the Panim [face/anterior] of the Mitzvot,” which are then called Pekudin.

Now we can interpret what our sages said, “The world was created for the Torah,” meaning that we say that the reason for the creation of the worlds was in order to do good to His creations. That delight and pleasure is found in the Torah, which is called “the names of the Creator,” whose general name is The Good Who Does Good.

The names given to the Creator are only by way of “By Your actions we know You.” For this reason, since they attained from the Creator delight and pleasure for themselves and for the whole world, they named Him, The Good Who Does Good, as our sages said, “Good for himself, and does good to others.” This means that they perceived that they received abundance from the Creator, and also perceived that the Creator does good to others, too.

However, we cannot speak of the Creator Himself, as it is written in The Zohar, “There is no thought or perception in Him at all.” This means that it is impossible to speak of the Creator Himself because we have no attainment in the Creator. It follows that what our sages said, that the world was created for the Torah, and what our sages said, that the world was created for Israel, are the same thing. The only difference is between the light and the Kli. The light is called “Torah,” and the Kli for reception of the light is called “Israel.”

This matter is explained in the book A Sage’s Fruit (Part 1, p 118), where he explains the matter of “the Torah, Israel, and the Creator are one.” These are his words: “Thus, you see that the meaning of the 620 names, being the 613 Mitzvot of the Torah and the seven Mitzvot de Rabanan [lit. commandments of our great sages], are, in fact, the five properties of the soul, meaning NRNHY. This is because the vessels of the NRNHY are from the above 620 Mitzvot, and the lights of NRNHY are the very light of Torah in each and every Mitzva. It follows that the Torah and the soul are one.However, the Creator is the light of Ein Sof [infinity], clothed in the light of the Torah, which is found in the above 620 Mitzvot.”

It follows that “Israel” and the “Torah” are the same thing, except the difference is whether we speak from the perspective of the light or from the perspective of the Kli.

However, the order of the work is that since we were born after the sin of the tree of knowledge, we are already immersed in the will to receive for our own sake, on which there were the Tzimtzum and concealment. For this reason, the order of our work begins in work Lo Lishma [not for Her sake]. That is, when we begin to observe Torah and Mitzvot, we must believe even if Lo Lishma, since without faith, even if Lo Lishma, we cannot work.

Wherever the work is on the basis of faith, it is hard work. That is, only where the reward and punishment are revealed, the work is called “within reason” because we immediately see the results.

But when the reward and punishment are covered and we must only believe in reward and punishment, even Lo Lishma is a great effort. However, this is still not so bad because it is not against the nature of the will to receive for oneself. But if we want to achieve Dvekut, called “in order to bestow,” the body begins to resist with all its might, and it is impossible to emerge from the control of the will to receive without help from above.

It was said about this, “Were it not for the help of the Creator, he would not overcome it.” The advice for this is Torah, since “the light in it reforms him.” Afterward, when he is rewarded with vessels of bestowal, he is rewarded with the quality called “the names of the Creator,” which is the delight and pleasure that was in His thought to give to the created beings. This is the meaning of what they said, that the reason for the creation of the worlds was to do good to His creations.

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