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All of Israel Have a Part in the Next World

Article No. 03, Tav-Shin-Mem-Zayin, 1986-87

It is written in The Zohar, Noah (Item 2): “Come and see: ‘All of Israel have a part in the next world.’ It asks, ‘What is the reason?’ It says, ‘Because they keep the covenant on which the world stands, as it is written, ‘If My covenant is not day and night, I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.’’ Therefore, Israel—who are keeping the covenant because they have taken it upon themselves—have a part in the next world.”

We should understand, since first he says, “All of Israel have a part,” meaning that anyone who is called by the name, “Israel,” without any preconditions, has a part in the next world. But afterwards he interprets that not all of Israel. Rather, he sets conditions, that only those who are keeping the covenant. He brings evidence from the verse, that it refers to the keepers of the covenant, by what is written, “If My covenant is not day and night, I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.” We should also understand that the verse, “If My covenant is not day and night,” refers to the covenant.

It is written in Pesachim (p 68b): “Rabbi Elazar said, ‘Were it not for the Torah, heaven and earth would not exist,’ as it was said, ‘If My covenant is not day and night, I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.’” RASHI interprets “If My covenant is not day and night” to mean the study of Torah, of which it is written, “And you shall contemplate it day and night.” Therefore, it means that the covenant is called ‘Torah.’ And here The Zohar interprets that a covenant is circumcision, which keeps the covenant.

Concerning Abraham’s making of the covenant, as it is written, “And made the covenant with him,” our sages explained that the Creator helped the making of the covenant for he could not make the covenant alone. Rather, the Creator helped him. We should understand what it means in the work that he could not make the covenant without the Creator’s help.

It is written concerning Abraham and Avimelech, “And the two of them made a covenant.” Baal HaSulam asked, “If two people understand that it is worthwhile for them to love each other, why should they make a covenant? How does an act of seemingly signing a contract help? What does it give us?” Then he said, “It gives us that when we make a covenant we mean that since it is possible that something might separate them, they are making a covenant now, so that just as now they understand that there is love and equivalence between them, this covenant will persist even if afterwards things will come that should separate them. Still, the connection they are establishing now will be permanent. Accordingly, we should say that if afterwards things will come that should separate them, we should say that each one should go above reason and say that they will not notice what they see within reason, but go above reason. Only in this way can the covenant hold and there will be no separation between them.

It therefore follows that whether we say that the covenant is the Torah or that the covenant is circumcision, it does not mean that only this gives the covenant with the Creator that his covenant with the Creator will not part, meaning that his heart will be whole with the Creator. Rather, both the Torah and circumcision come to keep the making of the covenant, where a person’s heart must be whole with the Creator, and cling to Him with a stake that will never fall, as it is written, “If My covenant is not day and night, I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth.” This is so because the matter of the creation of heaven and earth was with the intention to do good to His creations, and the creatures cannot receive the delight and pleasure without equivalence of form, meaning that all his actions will be in order to bestow. Otherwise there will be separation between the creatures and the Creator.

This is why we were given two covenants—the circumcision and the covenant of the Torah—by which we can come to make a covenant with the Creator with faith above reason and will be able to do everything in order to bestow.

This is the meaning of “If My covenant is not,” meaning If I did not create the counsels by which to achieve equivalence of form, it would not be possible to receive the delight and pleasure, which is the whole purpose of creation, to do good to His creations. And if I did not prepare the ways by which to achieve equivalence of form, I would not need to create heaven and earth for they would not be able to receive any benefit from creation, and the whole of creation would be pointless because there would not be anyone who could enjoy it. On this covenant—that he made the covenant of the stake that will never fall—Abraham needed His help. This is the meaning of the Creator having to help him. And this is the meaning of “And made a covenant with him,” meaning that the Creator helped him be able to go above reason.

There are three discernments to make in the work above reason:

1. He does not feel any lack in his work, so as to have a need to go above reason.
2. He feels his deficiency, but he is as a female, meaning as feeble as a female, having no strength to overcome and go above reason.
3. He is regarded as a male. This means that he has the strength to overcome and go above reason.

1) For example, when a person wants to rise before dawn and is woken up, sometimes the person hears but does not pay attention and keeps sleeping. At that time there is no one who feels his deficiency because he immediately fell asleep and therefore had no time to think of his deficiency. For this reason, he is still not regarded as a human being, where it is possible to distinguish between male and female. Adam [man/human] comes from the words Ish Adama [man of the earth], meaning that he is tilling the land so as to yield crops and fruits to sustain people.

This can be said only of one who feels his deficiency, who begins to work and correct his deficiency. However, when one does not feel his deficiency, there is no one to speak of. That is, even if you tell him his deficiency he will not hear because he has many excuses for everything. Naturally, he has no room for prayer that the Creator will help him have the ability to come out of the obstructions coming to him.

2) When he is woken up he begins to think, “It’s true that I said to my friend to wake me up but when I said to my friend that I wanted to get up before dawn it was because I had some desire to get up and study; I craved the pleasure I would receive from the Torah. And even if I did not think that I would find great pleasure in studying Torah, I nevertheless did not have the suffering of having to get out of bed and give up the pleasure of rest. When I spoke to my friend about waking me up I was thinking only of the pleasure I could derive from studying Torah; this is why I asked him. But now that I am lying under the blanket, and if there is rain and wind outside, I certainly feel pleasure in the rest. But now I have to get up. How do I know that I will receive greater pleasure from learning Torah? For this reason, it is better for me to ‘Sit and do nothing,’ for certainty is preferable to doubt, since the rest certainly gives me pleasure, while studying Torah does not shine as pleasurable to me.”

However, afterward, thoughts come to him: “We learned that we have to go above reason, meaning not regard the amount of pleasure I will have and that this will be my gauge. Rather, we have to work for the Creator. So why am I calculating for myself, meaning how much I will gain from this? Instead, I should be calculating if the act I am doing is keeping the commandment of the Creator and He enjoys my heeding Him. And why do I have thoughts of self-love? But what can I do now, since I cannot overcome my thoughts?”

It follows that he is regarded as a servant of the Creator, who wants to overcome the alien thoughts, meaning that these thoughts are alien to the path of Torah. This is regarded as being a female, meaning that he is as feeble as a female, that he lacks the strength to overcome.

3) He is as a male, meaning has the strength to overcome. That is, when he is woken up, if thoughts come to him—“Why should you get up from the rest you are enjoying? You probably think that when you get out of bed and go study you will enjoy more than you are enjoying now, but how do you know that this is so?” It promptly advises him to test if this is so. But then it tells him: “What flavor are you now tasting in the study, that you are hoping to receive later?” and he immediately gets such flavors that the world grows dark on him, meaning that depictions of concealment come to him, which hide from him the vitality in the Torah. Then the body asks him: “Tell me, are these the states you long for?”

If he is a man, called “man of war,” he tells his body: “Everything you say is true. That is, according to your view, you are right. However, the foundation on which I am building the engagement in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments] is above reason. This means that reason mandates that the will to receive delight and pleasure will determine whether or not it is worth working for, and above reason means that he is working in order to bestow. That is, the will to receive does not need to agree to it, but the desire to bestow determines.

This means that if he believes that the work he wants to do now will bring contentment to the Creator, he is promptly willing to do it, without any delays. And although the body claims the opposite, he still has the power to overcome it. This is called “male.”

However, after a person has completed these three discernments in the work—1) when he still does not feel his deficiency so as to ask the Creator to help him, 2) that he does feel his deficiency but has no strength to overcome, which is called “a female,” and 3) when he is a male, a man of war, meaning that he can overcome his deficiency—he comes to a state of Shabbat, meaning rest from his work. This is called “You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest.”

By this we can interpret, “These are the generations of Noah, a righteous man.” Noah is regarded as Naicha [Aramaic: “rest”], as it is written in The Zohar. This is why he is called “righteous,” since there is rest in him. The Zohar says, “Where there is work, there is Sitra Achra [other side]. Hence, naturally, one who is righteous cannot have work. It is as Baal HaSulam said, that where Kedusha[holiness] shines, a person is annulled as a candle before a torch, and it cannot be said there that the body has work because the Kedusha is the source of delight and pleasure.

However, when a person has some grip of the Sitra Achra, it clothes man with self-love, called “receiving in order to receive,” and on this there was a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment and Kedusha cannot be revealed there. Only concealment is on this place, meaning that the delight and pleasure do not shine there, but to the contrary.

And saying, “For they are our lives and the length of our days, and we contemplate them day and night,” or when we say, “They are nicer than gold, than much fine gold, and sweeter than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb,” this is when a person has proper Kelim [vessels] for it, which are called “vessels of bestowal.” This gives us equivalence of form, at which time the reception of pleasures is in order to bestow. Otherwise, meaning if the light and abundance illuminated in vessels of reception, the receivers would become more remote from the Creator. The purpose is that we must cling to the Creator, as it is written, “And you who cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.”

It therefore follows that one who is righteous, there is no room there for the Sitra Achra, but there is a place of rest for the spirit [contentment]. This is the meaning of Shabbat, as it is written, “for in it He ceased and rested,” as due to the sanctity of Shabbat there is no room for work now.

However, our sages said (Avoda Zarah 3a), “The Creator said to them: ‘Fools, he who toiled on the eve of Shabbat shall eat on Shabbat. He who did not toil on the eve of Shabbat, from where will he eat on Shabbat?’”

This means that one who toiled, meaning had labor and toil with the Sitra Achra, who obstructed him from going on the path of Lishma, that is, during the work he felt that he could not overcome the evil in him, it is because he was still not rewarded with entering Kedusha. However, he believes that as soon as he enters Kedusha the Sitra Achra will be canceled as a candle before a torch and he will have no contact with the Sitra Achra. It follows that he knows he is missing one thing—for the Creator to help him and let him attain some Kedusha, and then everything will be fine.

For this reason, during the labor and the work he prays from the bottom of the heart that the Creator will help him. At that time he feels that without help from the Creator he will not attain a thing. This feeling that he has, that the Creator can help him, makes a Kli [vessel] in a person to receive the help from the Creator because a deficiency is called a Kli to receive filling. For this reason, the faith that he has in the Creator, that, as it is written, “You hear the prayer of every mouth,” makes the Klito receive the help.

By this we will understand the matter of “He who did not toil on the eve of Shabbat,” meaning who did not work with himself to work in order to bestow and see that he cannot win alone, without the Creator’s help, naturally, he has no room for prayer, which is the Kli to receive His help. Since the rule is that there is no light without a Kli, we need preparation so as to have what to eat on Shabbat, for the six workdays are the preparation to receive the light of Shabbat, and Shabbat is considered the abundance extended to fill the empty Kelim awaiting His help.

It is as it is written, “The light in it reforms him,” as it is written about Shabbat, “All the judgments are impregnated by her, and none other govern all the worlds but her” (Kegavna on the night of Shabbat). Thus, since after the labor with the Sitra Achra, when they feel the deficiency, called Kli, they can receive the Shabbat, called “ceasing” and “rest.”

Now we can understand what we asked. He says there, “All of Israel have a part in the next world,” without any conditions. Afterward, he says it is specifically those who kept the covenant, and not all of Israel.

We should interpret the world Ysrael [Israel] to mean Yashar-El [straight to the Creator]. This means that in everything he does, he wants his work to be directly to the Creator and not for his own benefit. It is as we explained about the verse, “And there shall be no foreign God in you, and you will not bow to a strange God.”

Our sages said (Shabbat 105b), “Which is the foreign God in man’s body? It is the evil inclination.”

We should understand this. After all, the good inclination is also in a man’s body, as it is written (Zohar, Lech Lecha, Item 86), “‘For we are brothers,’ meaning the evil inclination and the good inclination are close to each other. One stands to one’s right and the other stands to one’s left. The evil inclination on the left, and the good inclination on the right.”

Thus, we see that the good inclination is also in man’s body. Therefore, what does it mean that they said that the evil inclination is in man’s body? We should interpret this according to our way: The evil inclination is concerned with, and aspires for everything that it does to enter his body, that the intention will be entirely for his own benefit, which is regarded as “into his own body.” Conversely, the good inclination strives that all his actions will be outside his body. This is considered that his whole aspiration is to come to doing all his works for the Creator and not for his own benefit. By this we can interpret the word Israel to mean Yashar-El—that all his actions will be only for the Creator.

Similarly, it is presented in the interpretation of our sages (Yerushalmi 9a): “Rabbi Levi said, ‘The heart and the eye are two mediators of sin, as it is written, (Proverbs), ‘Give Me your heart, My son, And let your eyes delight in My ways,’ said the Creator. If you give Me your heart and eyes I will know that you are Mine.’”

This means that when we say, “Who chooses His people, Israel,” when is one regarded as belonging to the people of the Creator? It is when a person places his eyes and heart there, meaning that everything he looks at and what the heart craves, he tries to make it all in favor of the Creator and not for his own benefit. This is called “You are Mine,” meaning “You belong to Me.” Then he is included in His people Yashar-El.

Accordingly, we should interpret “All of Israel have a part in the next world,” and afterwards he interprets who is regarded as Israel and says that only one who keeps the covenant on which the world exists is called Israel. Otherwise, meaning who does not keep the covenant by which the world exists does not belong to Israel but to the nations of the world.

And what is the covenant by which the world exists? It is that he makes a covenant with the Creator that all his works will be only to benefit the Creator. This is called “in order to bestow,” for specifically by this there will be existence to the world. This means that the world was created in order to do good to His creations, and as long as there is no equivalence of form, the delight and pleasure cannot clothe in the creatures.

It follows that the whole creation of the world, which was in order to do good to His creations, was in vain because there is no one to receive the delight and pleasure. However, through the covenant with the Creator the creatures will be fit to receive the delight and pleasure.

In order to achieve the covenant, there is the Torah and the circumcision, meaning that in everything we do we must intend that by this we will be rewarded with making a covenant with the Creator forever. Especially, we must believe that the Creator hears the prayer of every mouth, and by this we will be saved.

Inapoi la pagina 1987 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1987 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

The Importance of Recognition of Evil

Article No. 02, Tav-Shin-Mem-Zayin, 1986-87

It is written in The Zohar, Beresheet Bet (Items 218-219 in the Sulam [Ladder] commentary): “‘Let the water under the heavens gather unto one place, and let the dry land be seen.’ ‘Let the water … gather’ is the Torah, which is called ‘water.’ ‘Unto one place’ means Israel. It is also written, ‘Let the water … gather unto one place,’ where water means Torah, and ‘one place’ means Israel, the recipients of the Torah. Conversely, the nations of the world did not wish to receive the Torah, hence the land remained desolate and dry. The Torah is the settling of the world, and in it, it exists. The nations of the world, who did not receive it, remained desolate and dry.”

We should understand the words of The Zohar, which interprets about the whole, meaning about Israel and the nations of the world. But how does it interpret the individuals, meaning Israel and the nations of the world in one body? It is known that The Zohar says that “each person is a small world in and of itself,” and includes within it all seventy nations, as well as Israel.

It is written in Pirkei Avot (Chapter 4, Mishnah 21): “Rabbi Yaakov says, ‘This world is like a corridor to the next world. Prepare yourself in the corridor so you may enter the living room.’” It is clear that you cannot correct something in which you find no flaw. Since when instructing in the work of the Creator, they are educated by way of wholeness, meaning that since there are many individuals in the collective, and each one is different from the others, as our sages said (Midrash Rabbah 21, Sanhedrin 38), “As their faces are not the same, so their views are not the same.”

Therefore, the collective must be guided in a manner that the education is suitable for everyone, meaning that every person will have a grip on Torah and Mitzvot [commandments]. It is as our sages said (Minchot 99), “Rabbi Ami said, ‘We learn from the words of Rabbi Yosi that even if one has learned only one chapter of the morning prayer and one chapter of the evening prayer, he has kept the Mitzva [commandment], ‘This book of Torah shall not move from your lips.’ Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, ‘Even if a person reads only the Shema reading morning and evening, he has kept, ‘This book shall not move.’ This must not be said to uneducated people.’ And Raba said, ‘It is a Mitzva to say it to uneducated people.’”

We see from this that there are many measures to keeping Torah with respect to the public. This is so deliberately, since no person is like another. Therefore, one must not be forced to keep, “This book of Torah shall not move from your lips,” but rather each according to his ability. And since the whole collective is regarded as one body, it follows that in general, each one joins into the collective. It follows that there is much Torah in the whole public together, meaning that much Torah is learned in general. Thus, he is keeping by reading the Shema reading morning and evening, and in the eyes of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai he has done his duty of “And you shall contemplate Him day and night.”

This is an innovation that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, of whom it was said (Berachot 35), “Many have done as Rabbi Ishmael and succeeded, and many have done as Rashbi but did not succeed. Rabbi Ishmael says, ‘since it is written, ‘And you shall gather your grain,’ what do we learn from this? Since it was said, ‘This book of Torah shall not move from your lips,’ the words can be understood literally. ‘And you shall gather your grain,’ deal with them as is customary,’ the words of Rabbi Ishmael. Rashbi says, ‘It is possible for one to plow at the time of plowing, sow at the time of sowing, and harvest at the time of harvesting, thresh at the time of threshing, and spread at the time of the wind. The Torah, what shall become of it?’”

We should understand why Rabbi Yohanan says in the name of Rashbi (Masechet Makkot 99): “Even if a person reads only the Shema reading morning and evening, he has kept, ‘This book of Torah shall not move from your lips.’” However, we should explain that the general public, says Rashbi, may keep the verse, “shall not move,” by reading morning and evening, but to the individuals he says, “It is possible for one to plow at the time of plowing … The Torah, what shall become of it?”

For this reason we must always distinguish between the general public and the individuals. We can also interpret that the general public is called “landlords,” and individuals, meaning people who belong to the individuals, are regarded as having the view of Torah.

The meaning of “view of landlords” is that normally, one who buys a house, it is said that that house belongs to this or that person, meaning that this house belongs to none other than specifically that person. Even if he buys a small object, it is the same, meaning that when we ask one another, “To whom does this object belong?” It belongs to so and so, who has acquired it through the labor he has given for the object, so the object will be his, and the person’s name is given to the object.

It is likewise in the work of the Creator. When a person makes an effort and wants reward for his labor, it follows that the reward he wants to receive is named after him, and he wants to acquire the reward of this world and the reward of the next world. It follows that everything comes into his own authority, that he is the landlord of all those things that he acquires through his labor.

These people are called “the view of landlords” because the reason that they understand is not to do anything except for the own good, meaning that they will be the owners of the things they can obtain through labor. If they do not see that they can obtain some benefit for themselves, they have no strength to work and exert, unless they see that there is room to gain something for their own authority, which is called “self-love.” This is called ”general public,” who are regarded as landlords.

But the individuals are called “the view of Torah.” This means that all those people who belong to the individuals have the view of Torah, since they want to cancel their own selves so they will have no existence in and of themselves because they do not want to merit a name. That is, they do not want to own anything because they want to exit self-love and not care for their own selves in any way, but only annul before the Creator. This is all they want—to cancel their own authority. They want there to be only one domain, the domain of the Creator. That is, they do not want there to be two domains, but only the domain of the Singular One.

When they read the Shema reading, they aim, when they say, “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One,” that there will be only one authority in the world, and want to cancel their own authority, and there will be only one Creator. This is called “the view of Torah.” It is as our sages said (Berachot 63), “Words of Torah come true only in one who puts himself to death over it.” This means that he puts his self to death, meaning his self-love.

This means that the individuals and the view of Torah are the same thing. That is, it is about achieving Dvekut, called “equivalence of form,” and cancellation of self-love, and his only aim is to annul before Him. As long as one feels that he is still immersed in self-love although he keeps Torah and Mitzvot in every detail, he cannot see himself as whole in his work, saying that it is complete work, since he sees that in everything he does he still wants everything to go into his own authority, called “the view of landlords,” and he does not care that he has two authorities. But he takes to heart that he has two authorities. At that time he can pray a true prayer, from the bottom of his heart, that the Creator will deliver him from his own authority and admit him into the authority of the Creator. That is, he will feel that there is only one authority in the world and everything is annulled before Him. Because of it there is specific education to the general public and specific education to the individuals.

However, we should understand why the general public is educated through wholeness, meaning that there is wholeness in everything they do, as we was said that even Rashbi, who is more meticulous than Rabbi Ishmael, asks, “It is possible for one to plow at the time of plowing… The Torah, what shall become of it?” Still, he says, “Even if a person reads only the Shema reading morning and evening, he has kept, ‘This book of Torah shall not move from your lips’” meaning as though he has kept the verse, “And you shall contemplate Him day and night.”

However, since the general public must have a grip on Torah and Mitzvot, and we see that there is a law in nature that one cannot do anything unless he sees progress in his work, and since the general public has the view of landlords, if they are told that there is the view of Torah they will not even understand what is being said to them.

It is as though someone speaks only Hebrew, and if he is spoken to in English he will certainly not understand a single word. Likewise, the view of landlords, who understand only the language of self-love, will certainly not understand another language, meaning the language of bestowal.

Therefore, in order to have a grip on Torah and Mitzvot, which is necessary for the benefit of the general public, as it was said that there is wholeness in the public through the quantity, if they are told that there is no wholeness in their work they will stop keeping Torah and Mitzvot. But it is not a lie that they are not told the truth, since any grip on Torah and Mitzvot is a great thing because penny by penny joins into a great amount, for Israel are responsible for one another. Thus, any work that anyone gives joins into the work of each and every one in the public.

It is as Baal HaSulam said, that there are two who are strong—strong in quantity and strong in quality. The strong in quality is a lion, and the strong in quantity is locust, and both have power that is hard to overcome. Therefore, we need the general public, who are strong in quality [quantity]. For this reason, we say that when we pray, even if we do not know the meaning of the words, it is still very important because the holy words have great power that shines as surrounding for a person although he does not feel it internally.

However, if a person sees the words that he is saying and knows a little bit about the meaning of the words, and sees that the body does not agree to what he is saying, then he is not told, “This has nothing to do with you; do not take into consideration the alien thoughts that the body is telling you, and you do not agree with what the body argues.” Rather, in the end, all will be well. That is, “only when you say the words that our sages have arranged, that we need to say the full order of prayers and litanies, you need not mind all that, meaning you should not consider what the body is saying—that you are telling lies. That is, what you are uttering is all lies, meaning you are asking for something, but in truth, you yourself have no regard for the request you are making.”

For example, you are saying, “Return us, our Father, to Your law.” However, you are not even thinking about what you are asking because your lack, which you feel you need, is for respect and money and so forth. Thus, it is making true arguments. At that time he is told, “You need not mind the arguments of the body. Rather, it is not making its argument so that you will ask for repentance, but in order to fail you, so you will not pray. This is why it comes to you and makes the argument of a righteous. However, these are alien thoughts that you must not take into consideration whatsoever.”

The reason he is taught to advance in a manner that everything he does is in wholeness is that a person cannot work in something in which he sees no progress. It is similar to arrangements made in corporeal matters. For example, when a person begins to study carpentry and sees that he is not progressing in his profession, he is told, “carpentry is not for you; go learn another trade.” If he does not succeed in the next profession, he is told, “You cannot continue this because you are not making any progress in these studies.” Rather, he cannot be a professional worker but only a simple one.

It is likewise here in the work of the Creator. When we want him to continue in the work because in spirituality, everything we do is regarded as wholeness from the perspective of the general public, we must not mention any flaw in his work. Rather, he is told, “Everything you do is perfect because penny by penny joins into a great amount and no act in spirituality is lost. Rather, at the time of the end of correction, all the acts will be corrected.”

It follows that he is not lied to, but that for him this is sufficient work because he cannot work in the way of individuals, where one is taught to walk on the path of criticism, meaning can he really keep what he is asking, meaning are his mouth and heart the same in what he asks of the Creator, or that he sees that the body disagrees with what he is asking, and he must always see his true state.

We find the reason for the two conducts in our sages (Ketubot 17), in the dispute between the house of Shammai and the house of Hillel regarding “How to dance before the bride.” The house of Shammai say, “The bride as she is,” meaning to say the truth whatever it is. The house of Hillel say, “a handsome and virtuous bride.” The house of Shammai said to the house of Hillel, “If she is lame or blind, is she told, “a handsome and virtuous bride”? (RASHI interpreted that virtuous means that a thread of grace is stretched over her.) But the Torah said, “stay far from false words.” The house of Hillel said to the house of Shammai, “According to you, one who has made a bad bargain in the market, will he praise him or condemn him in his eyes? He will praise him in his eyes.” From here our sages said, “One’s view should always be mingled with the people.” RASHI interpreted that one’s view should be mingled with the people, to do according to each man’s wish.

This requires clarification: If a person who is not so proficient, for example, in real-estate or diamonds, takes with him a professional in these matters, and if that taker wants to buy an apartment or a diamond that he likes, and the person he took with him as a professional sees that they are not good, is it better if he does not tell him the truth, that this is a bad deal? Can we say this? According to RASHI’s interpretation, who interprets, “One’s view should always be mingled with the people, to do according to each man’s wish,” meaning if he wants a bad deal he should tell him, “Yes, it is a good deal”?

Instead, we should say that there is a difference because before a person has made a bad deal, and he can still fix it, meaning not to close the bad deal, of course he should be told the truth. But if he has already closed the deal and cannot fix it, it is forbidden to tell him the truth because what will he gain by knowing the truth? He will only suffer pointlessly.

At that time it can be said, as RASHI interpreted, “to do according to each man’s wish.” This means that the desire of each person is to feel pleasure. Therefore, if he suffers because he is told the truth, he must not be told the truth, for this is not his wish, as man’s wish is to enjoy life, for this was the purpose of creation. For this reason, if he is told the truth, he will suffer. But if he has still not made the purchase he should be told the truth because he will be happy since now that he knows the truth he will not make the bad deal but will make a good deal, as he advises him, and will pay the required price for the good deal.

The same applies here, concerning the work of the Creator. People who belong to the general public, who won’t, or cannot understand any other language but the language of self-love, if they are told that their work is incomplete, which is similar to what our sage said, “one who makes a bad deal,” meaning that he cannot fix it, he must not be told it is a bad deal. Rather, “He should praise it in his eye.” This is so because as RASHI explained about what our sages said, “Therefore, one’s view should always be mingled with the people,” meaning to do according to each man’s wish. This means that if a person desires only self-love he should be told, “This work, that you are working Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], is good and virtuous work. But how can two opposite things be said at the same time, meaning that your work is Lo Lishma but it is still good and perfect work?

However, he begins to understand by himself that he cannot work Lishma [for Her sake], but like the general public, who work only Lo Lishma. For this reason, he says, “I am no worse than the general public.” And regarding what is written in all the places—that a person must work Lishma—this work was given only to a chosen few in the generation and not to the general public, since the work Lishmais hard work. Hence, it follows that he is guided according to his wish.

However, people who belong to the individuals, who have an inner drive and are dissatisfied with the work of the general public because they have a penchant for the truth and cannot understand contrasts, but rather tell themselves, “Either I am serving the Creator or I am serving myself.” That is, he is uncompromising and says, “Either I am entirely for the benefit of the Creator and not for my own benefit, or I am for my own benefit and not for the benefit of the Creator. It is as our sages said (Sukkah 45), “All who combine work for the Creator and another thing are uprooted from the world.” This means that if he wants to work to benefit the Creator, but also a little for his own benefit, he is uprooted from the eternal world.

Therefore, when one’s desire is to see the truth, he is guided to criticize his actions, meaning if his mouth and heart are the same in what he says. If they are not then he should exert to be able to aim for the Creator. At that time it is to the contrary, meaning that the body makes him understand that he should know that he is above ordinary people and not equal to the rest of the people, who belong to the general public, while he belongs to the chosen few in the generation who ascend on degrees.

If the Creator does not help him with his request as soon as he asks, he immediately becomes angry and says, “Other people, who are from the type that belongs to the general public, when they ask You to satisfy their wishes, that You will grant them corporeal needs, meaning desires of self-love, I can understand it if they are not worthy of You granting their wishes. But when I ask You only spiritual wishes, meaning for Your benefit, because what do I want? To work for You, to serve only You, and I am not asking anything for myself, so why are You not answering me right away, especially since I have been asking You for a long time that I want to work for You except my body does not allow me to work and I am asking for Your help, so why aren’t You helping me?”

It follows that he comes with real complaints. We should understand why he is not answered. The reason is simple: he is arguing that he is right. The question is, in what is he right? He will say that normally, when someone wants to do something good to another, the beneficiary listens to the giver. For this reason, here, in the work of the Creator, when he wants to work for the Creator, it follows that the Creator is the recipient of the benefit, and the person is the giver. This is why he is angry with the Creator for not listening to him.

However, in the work of the Creator, it is the opposite of what the person thinks, since it is similar to what our sages said about matrimony funds (Kidushin, p 7a), that the rule about one who marries a woman, the writing says, “And he placed it in her hand,” meaning that the husband must give the matrimony funds. However, if he is an important person, if she gives the matrimony funds and he sanctifies [weds] her, then she is sanctified [wedded]. The reason is that with an important person, his pleasure of receiving from her is regarded as actual giving.

It therefore follows that when a person wants to give everything to the Creator, he is regarded as a receiver. That is, if the Creator accepts his work it will be regarded that the person is the receiver, and not that the person is the giver, as the person thinks.

Therefore, when a person wants to give something to the Creator, it is considered that the Creator is giving to the person. At that time it is seen above if that person is worthy of being given the pleasure, meaning that the Creator will receive from him. This is why his prayer is not granted immediately, as the person thinks, that he is the giver. As for the giver of the gifts, no conditions are required of the giver. On the contrary, the receiver might have to meet the conditions that the giver requires.

For this reason, as with an important person, the giver is regarded as a receiver, and the important person can set conditions to the giver, or he will not receive from him. Likewise, in the work of the Creator, the Creator requires that the person will give Him certain things in his work in order to bestow, or else the Creator will not want to receive from the person what the person wants to give Him. For this reason, a person must make many requests of the Creator, so He will want to receive from the person.

Only once the Creator sees that a person is fit and worthy of the Creator’s receiving from him what he wants to give Him, the Creator gives him the help so he can do everything in order to bestow. Prior to this he does not receive help in a way that a person can see directly that the Creator is helping him. Rather, the help a person receives until he is fit to do everything in order to bestow, and until then, although without the Creator’s help there is nothing, but a person is unable to see this directly.

For this reason, a person who wants the Creator to help him be able to observe, as our sages said (Avot 2:12), “All your works will be for the Creator,” must first feel the importance of the Creator so as to understand His giving, as was said about an important person. At that time he will know that what he wants to give, he should think that now he is going to receive from the Creator because with an important person, “By the pleasure he receives from him, the giving is considered receiving.”

Therefore, a person must first appreciate the importance of the Creator and seek advice how to obtain the greatness of the Creator. This means that all the Mitzvot he performs will be with the aim to thereby obtain the greatness and importance of the Creator.

It is similar to what is written in The Zohar about the verse, “Her husband is known at the gates.” The Zohar says, “Each according to what he assumes in his heart,” for only then, according to the importance and greatness of the Creator that he assumes in his heart, he begins to feel that he wants to give all his works only to benefit the Creator. It is so because he wants to receive pleasure from the Creator’s reception from him what he wants to give Him, as was said about an important person.

And since the quality of reception of pleasure is imprinted in man, when one feels the importance and greatness of the Creator, since there is pleasure in an important person receiving from him, the desire naturally awakens in a person to want to do everything to benefit the Creator. That is, he wants to give everything he has to the Creator because of the pleasure he feels while giving to the Creator.

However, this is not regarded as “bestowing in order to receive.” Rather, bestowing in order to receive means that it is like commerce, where the taker gives money to the seller. It follows that the taker is giving to the seller so that the seller will give him some reward in return for his giving.

It follows that there are two things here: 1) the money that the customer gives, 2) the seller who gives him some object in return. Conversely, with the work of the Creator the smaller one gives the greater one some object and does not want anything in return. Rather, there is a single act here. Therefore, we should distinguish two intentions in the same act here, meaning the object that the person gives to the important person.

We should discern two opposite intentions here: 1) the giver, and the giver intends to receive pleasure from the giving, 2) the receiver of the object, who is an important person, and whose intention is to bestow pleasure upon the giver. It follows that the giver is called “receiver,” and the receiver is called “giver.”

As was said above, this pleasure that a person enjoys bestowing upon the Creator, is because of the importance. The thing is that since we were given the matter of correction, called “equivalence of form,” called Dvekut, as our sages said about the verse, “and to cleave unto Him,” we should say that it means, “as He is merciful” and enjoys giving to the creatures, “so you are merciful,” meaning enjoying giving to the Creator. It turns out that when he bestows upon the Creator and does not enjoy, there is a flaw in the equivalence of form.

Rather, precisely if he enjoys giving to the Creator it can be said that there is equivalence of form here. However, how can one come to such a degree where he enjoys giving to the Creator? This can happen only when he feels the greatness and importance of the Creator. At that time there is natural joy, as with an important person. By this one can receive pleasure from bestowal because this bestowal gives him pleasure, and in a place of reception a person can work.

However, this brings up the question, “How does one come to feel the greatness of the Creator?” Baal HaSulam said about this that there is a matter of faith above reason. That is, he gave a depiction that sometimes a person feels that this man is above all others and has the most valuable qualities in the world. As for wisdom, he is the wisest man on Earth. This is the first discernment.

The second discernment is that he does not feel his greatness and importance, but believes in him above reason—that he has all the qualities in the world. If his faith is one hundred percent, it is as though he has achieved it by knowing.

There are two discernments to make concerning faith above reason:

1) He has no way of obtaining his importance and greatness, and therefore believes that he is the most important person in the world.

2) He does have a way to attain and feel his importance and greatness, but because of his honor, so there will not be a flaw in his investigating the truth. It is like a person who asks someone for a loan and promises that he will repay him in time, and the lender investigates if he is a trustworthy person. Sometimes the borrower hears about it. It follows that the borrower was also blemished by this, as he is the most important person in the world. It follows that because of the honor, he believes above reason, even though he has another way.

Accordingly, it follows that if one wants specifically “Because of God’s honor, conceal the matter,” he wants to believe in the Creator even though he has a way by which to attain and know the importance of the Creator. Still, he waives the sparks in his body that tell him: “Why do you need to go above reason where you can attain everything within reason?” This degree applies to those who have already been rewarded with some spirituality, who have a way by which to attain the greatness of the Creator, and still want to go above reason.

However, the same applies in the work that is the preparation to enter true spirituality. That is, when he takes upon himself to believe in the importance of the Creator above reason, he must take upon himself that he wants to go specifically with faith above reason. Even though he was given the reason to see the greatness of the Creator within reason, he prefers faith above reason due to “because of the honor of the Creator, conceal the matter.”

This is regarded as wanting to go above reason. Precisely then he becomes a Kli [vessel] that is fit to receive spirituality, since he has no concern at all for himself, but all his intentions are only to bestow upon the Creator. For this reason there is no longer fear that should he be given some illumination it will go into the vessels of reception, since he is always trying to exit self-love.

Baal HaSulam said that as the will to receive wants only to receive and not bestow, even where it is told to work above reason it is only regarded as bestowing and not receiving because a person suffers where he has to go above reason. The evidence of this is that since the body is always concerned with receiving delight and pleasure in everything it does, and since if a person must work above reason, the body is dissatisfied with it, therefore, when a person is taught to go above reason he begins the work of bestowal. It therefore follows that when one prefers to go by way of above reason it is safeguarding that he will walk on the right path, which is the route for achieving Dvekut with the Creator.

According to the above, we should always remember the meaning of “above reason,” that one should first know that he is going to take upon himself the discernment of above reason, to depict what is within reason, meaning what his reason tells him, for which it is worthwhile to work for the Creator. Also, one should depict in which way, under this or that condition, he would agree to work in order to bestow.

And we see in nature that when the small one serves the great one, he has delight and pleasure, for we see that there are people who pay in order to be able to serve the great one. And when one knows and feels the greatness of an important person he does not need to strain himself for the body to want to serve him, because of it the Creator has placed in nature the existence of pleasure in serving a great one, and he annuls before him as a candle before a torch. However, this is so specifically when the body feels his greatness and importance. For this reason we must always think how to obtain the greatness and importance of the Creator.

Now we come to explain the words of The Zohar when it interprets the verse, “Let the water … gather unto one place, and let the dry land be seen.” According to what we explained above regarding the general public and individuals, the general public has the “view of landlords,” called “self-love,” meaning that they want to receive everything into their own authority. This means that although they believe in the Creator, that He is the Landlord of the world and everything is called by His name, still, when they engage in Torah and Mitzvot they want to draw out into their own authority reward from the Creator in return for the labor in Torah and Mitzvot. This is called “taking from authority to authority,” meaning taking out from the singular authority to the public authority. It is considered that they want there to be two authorities—the authority of men and the authority of the Creator.

But the individuals belong to the “view of Torah,” which is cancellation of the authority, as our sages said (Berachot 63b), “Words of Torah come true only in one who puts himself to death over it,” as it was said, “This is the law, should a man die in a tent.” The meaning is that one cancels one’s self, meaning self-love, and wants to do everything only for the Creator, meaning that there will be only one authority in the world, the authority of the Singular One.

At that time he can be rewarded with the Torah because then he is in a state of equivalence of form, called Dvekut with the Creator. And then he is named “Israel,” meaning that he is rewarded with all his thoughts, words, and actions being directly Yashar-El [straight to the Creator] because all their aspirations are only to achieve bestowal, called “equivalence of form,” since he annuls himself before the Creator, which is called “the singular authority” and not two authorities—that they also have a desire for self-love.

However, since there is a rule that they are many, since the view of the majority has a great power to rule over the individual, and since the general public feel themselves as whole concerning the work of the Creator, the view of the majority also reaches the individual. And although the individual does not want to assume the method of the general public, they still weaken the individual so he will not feel its absence so much, and the individual is weakened in his work.

That is, the body says to him, “It’s true that you are not complete in the work for the Creator, but it’s not so terrible that you should regret it and make a heartfelt prayer for it. That is, that you must say that if you are not rewarded with the degree of bestowing contentment upon the Creator you say about it, ‘My death is preferable to me than my life.’ You are not obligated to do this. After all, you see that the general public takes the path of landlords. True, it would be better if you could do everything in order to bestow, but you must ask the Creator to help you. And if you still did not receive help from the Creator you are so worried that you say, ‘My death is preferable for me than my life.’ But this is not so terrible; look at the general public.”

By this the individual surrenders to the general public. That is, it weakens him from doing things he can do until he obtains help from the Creator, who will give him that strength so he can do everything in order to bestow, as the individual demands.

And when a person begins to receive wholeness from the general public, a person can no longer see the truth because for every deficiency he elicits by himself he immediately finds for himself an excuse that justifies him to an extent that he no longer feels that now he is controlled by the general public.

Therefore, in order to be in a state where the work is revealed before him, and to not be drawn after the control of the collective, The Zohar comes and advises us to focus everything we do in Torah and Mitzvot in one place. That is, we must come to have only one place, meaning one authority, and not two authorities.

At that time he can say, “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.” It is as was written above, the “view of Torah.” Otherwise, meaning in the view of landlords, there must be two authorities: 1) the authority of the Creator, 2) man’s authority. When a person examines his work he sees that he has no connection to Dvekut with the Creator, called “equivalence of form,” so naturally, he is separated from the Life of Lives and is similar to the nations of the world, who would not receive the Torah. The Torah should be interpreted as the “view of the Torah.” Rather, they want the view of landlords, and from that there cannot be existence to the world. By seeing and examining himself he can see his true state in the ways of the Creator and will not be taken after the wholeness of the general public, who want to ordain the view of landlords.

It is as The Zohar says, “Let the water … gather unto one place.” Water, which is the Torah, will gather unto one place, meaning that the two authorities that there are in the world will be one authority, which is called “the view of Torah.” As The Zohar ends, “The Torah is the settling of the world, and in it, it exists. And the nations of the world, who did not receive it, remained desolate and dry.”

Inapoi la pagina 1987 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1987 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

The Good Who Does Good, to the Bad and to the Good

Article No. 01, Tav-Shin-Mem-Zayin, 1986-87

We say, “And all believe,” etc., “the Good who does good, to the bad and to the good.” We should understand this in the work, meaning those who want to draw near the Creator, and who regard this as “good,” meaning that this is all that they expect—to be rewarded with Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator. Therefore, why should we interpret here “to the bad and to the good”? That is, why are they regarded as “bad” if we are speaking of a person who wants to reach the good, which he regards as Dvekut with the Creator? And accordingly, what do we regard as the degree of “good”?

To understand this, we first need to bring in the purpose of creation, which we know is about “doing good to His creations.” Accordingly, it means that when we say, “And all believe,” etc., “the Good who does good,” it means, as our sages said, that “the conduct of the Good is to do good.” And yet, we believe that He does good to the bad and to the good, meaning that the bad, too, will receive the delight and pleasure.

According to the simple meaning, we should say that “bad” are those people who do bad to others, meaning that they are concerned only with their own well-being and not to bestow. “Good” are those people who like to do good to others; these are the people who are called “good.” For this reason, we should interpret “the Good, who does good to the bad and to the good” to mean that bad people, who are immersed in self-love, will also receive delight and pleasure.

According to the rule we learn—that there was a restriction and concealment on the vessels of reception in order to receive, that the light will not shine again in this place and it will remain a space devoid of light, and that restriction is called Tzimtzum Aleph [first restriction], which will never be revoked, but only Tzimtzum Bet [second restriction] will be revoked, but one who receives in order to receive will never receive—so how can “does good to the bad and to the good” be true? After all, they do not have vessels to receive the upper abundance, called “to do good to His creations.”

Baal HaSulam once said that there are two types of Kelim [vessels] in a person: 1) vessels of bestowal, 2) vessels of reception, which Kabbalah calls Kelim de Panim [anterior Kelim], which are vessels of bestowal, and Kelim de Achoraim [posterior vessels], which are vessels of reception. The vessels of bestowal are called “good vessels,” and there are people who can correct themselves only with vessels of bestowal. This means that only with vessels of bestowal can they direct their intention to be in order to bestow, and not more. Others are rewarded with a higher degree, meaning that they can aim in order to bestow with vessels of reception, too.

According to the above, we should interpret the meaning of “Good, who does good to the bad and to the good,” to mean that a person should believe that the Creator gives help from above, as our sages said, “He who comes to purify is aided.” Therefore, when they ask of the Creator to give him the strength to be able to direct his actions to be in order to bestow, to ask for a complete prayer, meaning that the Creator will help him have the power to overcome in order to bestow even over his vessels of reception, too, so they will be in order to bestow, this is called “to the bad,” meaning to the vessels of reception. And “to the good” means vessels of bestowal. Both of them should have the intention for the Creator.

Now we can understand why it can be said of a person who wishes for the Creator to bring him closer to His work, so he can aim his work for the Creator, that they are called “bad.” According to the above, it will mean that those who want the vessels of reception—which are called “bad Kelim”—to also draw near to the Creator, we call them “bad.” It follows that when we speak of bad Kelim that will be corrected in order to bestow it is a higher degree than the “good,” since “good” means that he wants the Creator to give him the power to prevail over them and aim in order to bestow.

And regarding the evil inclination and good inclination, Baal HaSulam once said that Yetzer[inclination] comes from the word Tziur [depiction]. Therefore, sometimes the inclination means that a person receives a good depiction about keeping Torah and Mitzvot [commandments] for the Creator, meaning that he begins to feel the delight and pleasure that he will have by being rewarded with adhering to the Creator and adhering to the root that has created all creations, meaning that the Creator’s intention was to do good to His creations.

At that time, this depiction gives one a great yearning to leave all corporeal matters because he feels that they are all inconsequential and will be cancelled. He says about every corporeal matter he examines that it is not worth wasting his life in order to obtain it. Rather, he feels that it is worthwhile to give up everything in order to achieve Dvekut with the Creator, and to have connection with all the souls that were in this world and were rewarded with the life of the next world, and he will be rewarded with entering the seminaries, as it is in The Zohar, “the seminary of Rashbi,” “the seminary of Matat.” It follows that the good depiction he has received about spirituality causes him to depart from bodily pleasures and approach pleasures of the souls, since he longs, as our sages said, for “You will see you world in your life, and your end in the life of the next world” (see “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 89). This is the good inclination.

Sometimes a person receives a bad depiction, meaning he receives a depiction that if he takes upon himself to work only for the Creator and not for his own benefit, and that all his work will be dedicated to the Creator, he receives depictions as though he is lost from the world, which is filled with the joy of life, and he is leaving his entire family, with whom he was always together, and he suddenly leaves them. All the yearnings he wanted to obtain, and thought that he had obtained some, and some he did not, now, all at once, he loses everything and feels as though the whole world has grown dark for him. He cannot find in himself any desire or craving to have the ability to overcome all the depictions he is now receiving about the corporeal world.

Moreover, a person is surprised that he has never attributed such importance to the corporeal world as he does now, and he already agreed many times to work devotedly so that everything will be to benefit the Creator and not for his own benefit. However, he never felt such taste in the corporeal life as it seems to him now, in such a state where he received such bad depictions about spirituality, and good depictions about corporeality. This is called “the evil inclination.”

According to the above, we should interpret what is written in “And for a sin that we sinned before You coercively and willingly,” and afterwards we say, “for a sin that we sinned before You with the evil inclination.” Everyone asks, “Was the previous ‘for a sin’ about the good inclination and not about the evil inclination? After all, transgressions come only from the evil inclination.”

By this we should interpret what we have taken upon ourselves: to hear the bad depictions it tells us about spirituality. That is, on the one hand, we are immersed in all the corporeal sins, and in addition, we receive from it bad depictions about spirituality, and we can interpret “for a sin that we sinned before You with the evil inclination” as bad depictions about spirituality.

Inapoi la pagina 1987 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Is Preparation for Selichot [Forgiveness]

Article No. 36, Tav-Shin-Mem-Vav, 1985-86

It is known that for anything we want, we must prepare the means to obtain it. Accordingly, what must one prepare in order to receive Selichot [forgiveness]? In corporeality we see that one does not say to another, “Sorry,” unless he has done something that harmed the other person in terms of money, honor, or bodily harm, by causing him some injury. In that case it can be said that one should ask for the other’s forgiveness, to forgive the wrong that he has done to him.

There are two things to discern here: 1) If he did not do anything to him, but he is asking him for forgiveness, the other person will look at him as though he is insane. If we saw someone walking on the street saying to everyone, “Sorry, sorry,” we would certainly think that he is mad. Forgiveness pertains only to some felony. 2) If another person causes a great loss to another person and apologizes as though he did something small, he will certainly not receive what he has asked for, since he has done a great offense, but he apologizes as though he did something small. It is inconceivable that he will forgive him. Rather, one measures the severity of the damage that he has done to his friend, and to that extent chooses the means that will make his friend forgive him.

We see in corporeal conducts how people behave concerning forgiveness among people, and from the conduct between man and man we should apply the same order between man and God. That is, when one comes to ask the Creator for forgiveness, to forgive his sins, the two above discernments apply, as well: 1) that you do not apologize for nothing, but only for hurting another, or you will be perceived as insane, or that you are mocking the other by asking his forgiveness. 2) The request for forgiveness should match the measure of harm to the other.

Therefore, when one comes to ask the Creator to forgive his sin against Him, that he blemished His honor, one must think about his sin against the Creator. This is so because if a person does not feel any sin yet asks for forgiveness, it is as though he is joking. He is yelling and crying and asking the Creator’s forgiveness when he does not feel that he has damaged the King’s glory whatsoever.

The reason why a person does not feel his sins is as our sages said (Yoma, 86), “If a person commits a transgression and repeats it, it becomes to him as permitted.” This is the reason why a person does not feel his sins when he comes to ask the Creator for forgiveness.

It follows, according to the second discernment, meaning discerning the measure of the sin, that first one must acknowledge the measure of the flaw that he has flawed in the glory of the King. Otherwise you cannot speak of forgiveness. Thus, one should try as much as possible to be able to ask that He will forgive his sins according to his sins, meaning that they will be of equal weight.

Our sages also said (Sukkah, 52), that to the wicked, the sins seem like a hairsbreadth, and to the righteous they seem like a high mountain. The question is, what does this “seem” mean? That is, they said, “Seem to them,” but what is the truth?

The thing is that when one does not notice before whom he sins and does not feel the importance and greatness of the Creator, he is faithless. At that time, when he begins to think, “But I’m a Jew, as well,” and since now is the month of Elul, and it is customary in Israel throughout the generations that since it is a month of mercy, and anyone who is regarded as “Israel” knows that now is the time to ask the Creator for forgiveness for the sins of the house of Israel. Also, we blow the Shofar [festive horn] so man’s heart will begin to contemplate repentance for sins. At that time one believes that he, too, must have sinned and must ask the Creator for forgiveness.

However, what is the measure of the flaw that he has blemished in the King? A person cannot feel this feeling. Rather, to the extent of one’s faith in the greatness of the Creator he can assume the measure of the flaw that he has caused by his sins. Therefore, all those who come to ask for forgiveness without any preparation as to what they are forgiveness for are as one who is asking forgiveness of someone although he did terrible things to him, which require true remorse for his actions, yet he is asking forgiveness as though he did something insignificant. Naturally, the request for forgiveness is also without real value as it should be for a real sin.

It follows that before one comes to ask forgiveness he must first reflect on the core of the sin. Afterward he can consider the sins that were caused by the core of the sin. One should know that the core of the sin with which one blemishes, and from which all the sins extend, is that one is not trying to have permanent faith. If he has partial faith he settles for this.

It is as it is written in the “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot” (item 14), that if he had permanent faith, that faith would not let him sin. That is, he asks forgiveness from the Creator since he sees that the real reason for all the sins is that he lacks permanent faith. Therefore, he asks the Creator to give him that strength, meaning to have the ability to always have faith steadfast in his heart. Naturally, he will not come and commit sins and blemish the glory of the Creator because he has no feeling of the greatness of the Creator, and because he does not know how to appreciate the glory of heaven, and how not to harm it.

Therefore, he asks forgiveness from the Creator, to help him and give him the strength to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven above reason, meaning to have the power to overcome and strengthen in faith in the Creator, and to know how to behave between man and God, with some reverence.

This means that when one reflects, he will see that he needs only one thing—to reflect on the difference between Jew and gentile, for which we bless each day, “Blessed are You, O Lord, for not making me a gentile.” But one does not pay much attention to what he says, “For not making me a gentile.” That is, he does not consider himself: in what way he is Israel and not a gentile. We must know that the main distinction is in the faith—Israel believes in the Creator and a gentile has no faith in the Creator.

Once he knows that difference he must check his measure of faith in the Creator, meaning as it is written in the “Introduction to the Study of Ten Sefirot” (item 14), how much he is willing to make concessions for his faith in the Creator. Then he will be able to see the truth, meaning if he is willing to do things only for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake, or is he willing to work for the Creator only to a small extent, meaning that God forbid that he should blemish self-love, or else he will not be able to do anything.

It therefore follows that then is the time when he can see the truth: his true measure of faith in the Creator. From this he can see that all the sins stem only from this reason. By receiving preparation and qualification when he comes to ask the Creator to forgive his sins he can assume the true measure of the flaw, meaning in what way he has blemished the glory of the King and he will know what to ask of the Creator, meaning what sins he has sinned and which he must correct so as not to sin again.

Now we can understand what is written in the portion, Nitzavim [Standing] (Deuteronomy, 30:11): “For this commandment, which I command you today, is not beyond you, nor is it far. It is not in heaven, and not beyond the sea, for the matter is very near you—in your mouth and in your heart to do it.”

The words, “For this commandment,” to which commandment is he referring? We should also understand the meaning of “It is not beyond you.” The thing is that the core of the Mitzva[commandment] is the Mitzva of faith, meaning to believe in the Creator. Afterwards we can keep His Mitzvot [pl. of Mitzva]. All the slanderers and all the obstructions come to the Mitzva of faith. The body begins to ask many questions—both questions that the body itself is asking, and questions about faith that the body hears other people.

They come to a person when he wants to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven “as an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load,” meaning everything above reason. Suddenly, the body becomes smart and begins to investigate and ask “Who” and “What”? Under no circumstances does it let us take upon ourselves the Mitzva of faith. The body’s questions are so strong that one cannot answer its questions. Then a person becomes bewildered and does not have the strength to overcome its just arguments, according to the reason by which it is asking. The body’s questions are a true wonder.

The writing tells us about this: “For this commandment,” meaning the commandment of faith, “is not beyond you.” That is, you do not need to answer the body’s questions, which it asks within reason, since the Mitzva of faith is built specifically above the intellect. That is, the external mind, which was given to man, cannot attain it. This is why you do not need to answer its bewildering questions.

Instead, one must believe that all the questions that the body asks do not come in order for you to answer them. It is to the contrary: These questions come to a person so as to give him a place to believe above reason. Otherwise, if the body understood with its intellect that a person wants to work for the Creator, it would be within reason. This would be called “knowing,” not “believing,” for precisely where one’s mind does not grasp, there, if he does something, it is purely on the basis of faith.

It therefore follows that one does not need to be very talented in order to be able to answer the body’s questions, since all the answers are “Above reason,” called “faith.” This is regarded as “It is not in heaven, and not beyond the sea,” requiring great tactics. Rather, it is utterly simple, and it is called “It is in your mouth and in your heart to do it,” meaning if there is only a desire in the heart then we can overcome.

But the matter of “above reason” requires clarification, since there are many discernments to make there/ Baal HaSulam said that above reason means that one should depict for oneself how he would keep Torah and Mitzvot if his reason determined that it is worthwhile to engage in Torah and Mitzvot. That is, if he felt the taste that is in each and every Mitzva.

One must believe that as there are corporeal pleasures, such as pleasures of eating, drinking, and respect, where each thing tastes differently, we must also believe that there is a special taste in each Mitzva. Accordingly, if he tasted the change of flavors during his engagement in Torah and Mitzvot, what excitement and vitality he would feel during his work? Reason would compel him to create for himself an image in the work that is suitable for a servant of the Creator. He would look at all the things that want to disrupt him from his work as inconsequential, unworthy of his attention.

According to the abovementioned depiction, which he depicts to himself within reason, he should make the same depiction above reason. That is, although he does not feel that there will be something that reason supports, he still works precisely as if he has strong reason and feeling. When he does this, it is regarded as working above reason.

However, as long as he feels that if he had reason he would be serving the Creator more willingly and more consistently, then he is still working within reason, since there is still a difference between reason and above reason. Precisely when it makes no difference to him, it is regarded as “above reason.”

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

The Fifteenth of Av

Article No. 35, Tav-Shin-Mem-Vav, 1985-86

It is written in the Mishnah (Ta’anit, p 26b): “Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel said, ‘No days were better for Israel than the fifteenth of Av [11th Hebrew month], and Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement], when the daughters of Jerusalem would come out dressed in borrowed white garments, so as not to shame those who do not have. The daughters of Jerusalem would come out and dance in the vineyards. What would they say? “Young man, lift up your eyes and see what you choose for yourself. Do not cast your eyes on beauty; cast your eyes on family.’” (And on page 31) “Those who did not have wives went there. Our sages taught, ‘What would the beauties among them say? ‘Turn your eyes to beauty, for a woman is only for beauty.’ What would the wellborn among them say? ‘Cast your eyes on family, for a woman is only for sons.’ In The Eye of Jacob he adds, ‘The wealthy among them say, ‘Cast your eyes on the wealthy.’ What would the unsightly ones among them say? ‘Take what you take for the Creator, as long as you crown us with gold coins.’”

We should understand the connection between good days and the daughters of Jerusalem coming out to dance in the vineyards and speaking to young men about matchmaking. What modesty is there here? It implies that the good days that Israel had caused the daughters of Jerusalem to come out and dance in the vineyards. We should understand the connection between them.

It is known that Malchut is called “daughter,” as in “Father created the daughter.” We make four discernments in Malchut. These are called Hochma, Bina, ZA, and Malchut, which are called “four Behinot [discernments] in the Aviut [thickness].”

The first Behina [discernment], which is Hochma, is called “beauty,” for it is known that Hochma is called “having beautiful eyes.”

The second Behina is Bina. She is called “mother of the children,” and she begot ZON. The quality of Bina is that she wants equivalence of form, to be similar to the Giver. For this reason, the merit of Bina is that we attribute her to Keter, meaning that she wants to resemble Keter, who is the Giver.

The third Behina is ZA. She is called “rich,” as it is written, “The rich shall not give more.” It is written (Zohar, Ki Tissa, item 4), “‘The rich shall not give more’ is the middle pillar, ZA, who should not give too much Yod. ‘The rich shall not give more’ is the middle pillar, which, from His essence, leans toward the right, to Hassadim, and does not need Hochma, hence its title, ‘rich.’”

The fourth Behina, which is Malchut, is called “poor and meager,” as it is written, “She has nothing of her own except that which her husband gives her.” It is known that Malchut is called “faith.” It is as was said about Abraham, “And he believed in the Lord and He considered it for him as righteousness.” Faith is called Tzedakah [righteousness/charity], as one gives charity to the poor without asking anything in return. Such is faith above reason: he does not ask anything in return, but only for the Lord. It follows that it is as though faith is called “meager,” like the poor, who do not return anything for the charity that is given to him.

With the above said we can interpret the excerpt about the daughters of Israel coming out. It is known that good days are when there are ascents of the worlds and their disclosure. Therefore, then is the time for disclosure, and then the daughters of Jerusalem come out. Coming out means from concealment to disclosure, and each Sefira shows its importance.

It is known that there are four Behinot [discernments/phases] of Ohr Yashar [Direct Light]. This means that four phases are discerned in Malchut herself—in the will to receive, which is Malchut with respect to the OhrYashar, whose quality is to receive in order to receive. Four Behinot are discerned there, as it is written (“Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” item 20), “The five discernments of reception in Behina Dalet are called by the names of the Sefirot KHB TM because prior to the Tzimtzum [restriction], while Behina Dalet was still the vessel of reception for the ten Sefirot included in the Upper Light by way of ‘He is One and His Name One,’ …its clothing of the ten Sefirot there followed these Behinot. Each of the five Behinot in her clothed its corresponding Behina in the ten Sefirot in the Upper Light.”

These abovementioned Behinot appear on good days, meaning that each Behina reveals its merit. The order is that Behina Aleph, called Hochma, says, Bachur [Young unmarried man], meaning one who is worthy of being Bachur [also “chosen”] from among the nation. At that time she reveals her merit—that there is beauty in her. That is, Hochma is called “the beauty of the eyes,” as it is said, “The eyes of the congregation,” referring to the sages of the congregation. Therefore, Hochma is called “beauties.” This is why they said that a woman is only for beauty. Concerning the vessels of reception in general—where the desire to do good to His creations created a Kli [vessel] to receive the delight and pleasure—it pertains to light of Hochma. This is why a woman is called “vessel of reception only for Hochma.”

“What would the wellborn among them say?” being wellborn means that he has a high root. For example, when we say that this man is the grandson of a great man, we mean that his root is a very high root. The Sefira, Bina, called Behina Bet, shows her merit—that she craves equivalence of form, by which we can come to adhere to the root, which is the Emanator and Keter. It follows that the Sefira Bina shows that she is attached to the root. This is called “pedigree,” meaning that the sons she will bear will have a nature with the same quality as hers, since she has equivalence with the root. This is why it is written, “What would the wellborn among them say? A woman is only for sons.”

This means that the vessels of reception, called “woman,” must strive to bear sons, meaning that the sons they will bear will be important sons. This is why it was said “Cast your eyes on family,” meaning family pedigree. That is, Bina showed her merit—that she is adhered to the root, which is called “equivalence of form,” for the root of Bina is Keter, which is a desire to do good and bestow. Therefore, her merit is that she begets power of bestowal for the sons, who will later bear.

“The wealthy ones among them say, ‘Cast your eyes on the wealthy.’” Behina Gimel, which is ZA, is called “rich,” since one who has Hassadim is regarded as rich because he is content with his lot and does not need Hochma. He also has illumination of Hochma, but he leans toward Hassadim. In that respect he is similar to Bina, who is the source of Hassadim, which extends from the root, Keter. She wants to resemble her root, but he has illumination of Hochma.

It is written in the holy Zohar (Ki Tissa, item 4): “‘The rich shall not give more’ is the middle pillar, ZA, who should not give too much Yod.” And it is written, “‘The rich shall not give more’ is the middle pillar, which, from His essence, leans toward the right, to Hassadim, and does not need Hochma, hence its title, ‘rich.’” It was told not to give too much Yod, meaning not to give too much Yod, but rather take Ohr Hassadim [light of mercy] with illumination of Hochma.

This is why it is written, “The wealthy ones among them,” meaning Behina Gimel, which is the Behinaof ZA, called light of Hassadim in illumination of Hochma, for ZA is called “rich.” That Sefira in Malchut shows her merit, as it is written, “Cast your eyes on the wealthy.”

“The unsightly ones among them” are the actual Malchut, called Behina Dalet in Dalet, on whom there was the Tzimtzum [restriction]. Hence, this Behina is called “poor and meager,” as it is written in the holy Zohar, that Malchut is called “poor and meager for she has nothing of her own except that which her husband gives her.” It is known that we must assume the kingdom of heaven above reason. This is called “faith,” to believe in the Creator although the body comes with many questions, complaints, and demands. At that time we should say, “They have eyes but they do not see, ears, but they do not hear.” Instead, we must accept everything above sense and reason. Moreover, this must be as Tzedakah, as was said about Abraham, “And he believed in the Lord and He regarded it for him as righteousness.”

The reason is that as when you give charity to the poor, you do not ask the poor for anything in return because the poor have nothing to give back accept what they are given. So should be the assuming of the burden of the kingdom of heaven—without anything in return, but only for the Creator, as though the Creator has nothing to give back to man in return for his work in assuming the burden of the kingdom of heaven.

Indeed, why should faith be specifically this way? It is because of the known reason that there was a Tzimtzum on the vessels of reception so there would be room for work, and by which to achieve equivalence of form, called Dvekut [adhesion]. Specifically in these Kelim [vessels], called “annulment of vessels of reception,” we obtain vessels of bestowal, where one can aim in order to bestow. In these Kelim illuminate all the delight and pleasure that the Creator wanted to bestow upon His creations.

However, in the creatures, who were created with vessels of reception, and who are told that they must work above reason, this work is called “unimportant work.” It is regarded as unimportant because it is unsuitable for a reasonable person to do things to which the intellect does not agree.

It is as Baal HaSulam said about the verse that the Creator said to Moses (Exodus, 4:2): “And the Lord said to him: ‘What is that in your hand?’ And he said, ‘A staff.’ And He said, ‘Throw it on the ground,’ and it became a serpent, and Moses fled from it.” He said that Moses’ hands are called “faith.” It is regarded as “of little importance,” since man craves only knowledge. Where he sees that there is no knowledge that he wants to obtain, he cannot attain the matter. He argues that he has already exerted in this work so we can do everything for the Creator but he did not move one bit. Thus, the body tells him, “Give up on this and do not think that you will ever be able to attain it. So get off this path.” At that time the Creator tells him, “Throw it on the ground,” meaning this is what you should do before the people of Israel. We must know that Pharaoh and Egypt imply the Pharaoh and Egypt that exist in an Israeli heart. “And it became a serpent.” That is, as soon as we leave the faith, called “of low importance,” we promptly fall into the Klipot [shells/peels] for specifically through faith above reason can we be rewarded with all the wholeness.

It follows that the majority of the work is when a person has no intellectual basis on which to build. Also, faith has no basis in his intellect. For this reason, where one does not see that any benefit will arise from this to himself, he promptly loses the energy to work and becomes like a log, without any desire or strength.

But precisely then one can see the truth—whether he has faith above reason, so he can tell his body, which comes to him with arguments that make sense. The body tells him: “Is it not enough for you to see the truth, that it is impossible to go forward your way? Do tell me, how much more proof do you need in order to listen to me, give up, and say, ‘Now I have realized that this path of working only for the Creator is not for me. I don’t know who it is for, but what I do know is that it is not for me.’”

Although our sages said otherwise (Sanhedrin, p 37a), “Therefore, each one must say, ‘The world was created for me.’ But what can I do if I see that in reality, I cannot keep this reality of saying that I must do everything for the Creator?’” This is why work of faith is regarded as unimportant work.

With the above said we will interpret what the unsightly ones would say, “Take what you take for the Creator, as long as you crown us with gold coins.” Behina Dalet in Malchut is called “poor and meager.” As said above, one considers this work unsightly because here he cannot look at the beauty of spirituality, nor at the pedigree in spirituality, or the wealth in spirituality.

Rather, what we do have here are only things that reason and intellect cannot tolerate. It is like an ugly object from which one keeps his distance, as it is written, (Hulin, 44), “Stay away from ugliness and its likes.” What can they say to a young man who wants to be a chosen one, “Take what you take for the Creator,” meaning “We cannot promise you anything of self-benefit. However, if you want to be the chosen ones in the nation, you must take what you take only for the Creator. That is, if you can agree to these conditions, you may take us. Otherwise, there is nothing to speak of.”

However, that, too, is not simple. Rather, “We want you to ‘crown us in gold coins.’” RASHI interpreted “crown us in gold coins” to mean that after the marriage you will give us jewels and handsome garments. Baal HaSulam said that although a person agrees to take upon himself the bargain for the sake of the Creator, meaning even if she is unsightly, he does not look at anything, but it is like “a bride as she is,” she still demands that afterwards he will draw for her the light of Torah. That is, he should try to obtain the flavors of Torah and the flavors of Mitzvot, or she will not agree, since “One who does not know the commandment of the upper one, how will he serve him?” This is why they said, “as long as you crown us with gold coins.” That is, although in terms of faith it is above reason, afterwards we must extend the light of Torah.

We therefore see two things that are opposite from one another. On the one hand, faith must be above reason, completely unfounded. On the other hand we must obtain the flavors of Torah and Mitzvot.

Similarly, Baal HaSulam said about what we say in the blessing, “Who has created in him, holes upon holes, hollows upon hollows, etc., so that should one of them open or should one of them close, it is impossible to exist and stand before You.” He said that closing pertains to faith, which should stay closed. This is the meaning of “Should [one of them] open.” Rather, it should stay closed. “Or should [one of them] close” refers to the flavors of Torah and Mitzvot. Rather, faith will stay above reason, and the flavors of Torah and Mitzvot will be revealed.

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Judges and Officers

Article No. 34, Tav-Shin-Mem-Vav, 1985-86

The writing says, “You shall place for yourself judges and officers in all your gates which the Lord your God is giving you.” To understand the above according to the rule that the Torah is eternity and applies to all generations, we should interpret the above verse in our generation, too. For this reason, each word requires its own explanation: 1) What are “judges”? 2) What are “officers”? 3) “You shall place for yourself” is singular form. This means that each and every person must place judges and officers. Can it be that each person should do so? 4) “In all your gates.” We need to understand how “gates” are related to our time. And also, what does “In all your gates” imply? It means that if there is a gate we should promptly try to place judges and officers there. 5) Especially, what does it imply that he says, “Which the Lord your God is giving you”? What does it imply? Is there anyone else besides the Creator who is giving to the people of Israel?

To understand the above, we first need to mention what we said in the previous articles: 1) The purpose of creation from the perspective of the Creator. 2) The purpose of our work in keeping Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], meaning to which degree we should reach by observing Torah and Mitzvot.

It is known that the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, meaning that the creatures will receive from Him the delight and pleasure according to His ability, without any limitations. However, because He wanted His works to be complete, meaning that there will not be the bread of shame, there was a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment. This means that there is no disclosure of light in Kelim [vessels] that work in order to receive. Only once the Kli [vessel] called “will to receive” has been corrected to work in order to bestow, then according to his ability to aim to bestow, to that extent the abundance appears. Prior to this they see the opposite of disclosure—feeling only concealment.

It therefore follows that here, meaning after the Tzimtzum took place, the work of the lower ones begins. The goal should be that all our thoughts and actions will be with only one intention—to bestow.

However, this brings up the question, “How can there be such a thing?” That is, since man is born a wild ass, from where will he take the strength to be able to come of the nature in which he was created?

For this purpose, we were given work in observing Torah and Mitzvot. That is, man should aim while observing Torah and Mitzvot, that it will bring him the power to agree to turn all his passions and ambitions to be only about how and with what he might bestow contentment upon his Maker.

Before he began the work of bestowal he thought that this matter of observing Torah and Mitzvot will bring him success and blessing so he can delight his body, meaning that by observing Torah and Mitzvot the body will have this world and the next world. This was his foundation, on which he built a foundation for himself, for that foundation to be the reason compelling him to observe Torah and Mitzvot in all its details, and he had the power to overcome the laziness in his body and prevail in order to obtain the reward.

It is like people who work in corporeality in order to make a living. The body resists working in corporeality, too, since the body would prefer to rest, but the corporeal pay that he sees, which is to his body’s benefit, gives him the strength to overcome. Likewise, when the reward for the work is reward for one’s body, he has the strength to overcome all the obstacles on his way. Because the reward he hopes for is only for his own needs, the body does not object to it.

That is, although the body enjoys the rest, when it is told, “Give up your rest and you will have pleasure in a way that the pleasure you will receive through the work will be greater than the rest, or that the pleasure you will receive by giving up rest is more necessary than the pleasure you find in rest, since through these pleasures you will be able to exist in the world, otherwise you will be unable to exist.” On all these matters the body has the strength to overcome and give up small pleasures in order to obtain greater reward than his work. That is, the reward pays for his concessions, which he demands of his body to make, in order to be happier than he is feeling now, before he has relinquished the pleasures.

But when the body is told, “Work in bestowal,” meaning that by observing Torah and Mitzvot it will be rewarded with delighting the Creator, namely that a person is told, “Give up your self-love,” what will be the reward? That the Creator will enjoy the work of observing Torah and Mitzvot. At that time, the body promptly comes and asks the argument of “who” and “what.” That is, “What will I gain by the Creator enjoying my work? And how can you work without reward?” This is the “Who” argument,” which does not want to work. The body says, “I am willing to work like everyone else, but not on these terms. That is, if I give up my self-love and do everything so the Creator will enjoy, what will be my gain from this work?”

When a person overcomes all the arguments of the body, and thinks that he already has the strength to overcome the body’s nature, meaning that now he feels that he can focus his thoughts only in order to bestow, suddenly the body comes to him with new complaints: “It’s fine that you want to work for the Creator and not the way everyone else works, in order to receive reward. However, it would be good if, since you have already exerted for a while, you would receive strength from above so you could walk in the way of bestowal. But as you see, you’ve given much work and didn’t move one bit. So you can see for yourself that you cannot walk in this path. You are wasting your energy, working for nothing. Get off this path, escape the campaign.”

If a person overcomes all these arguments of the body, the body comes and reveals to him new things, for which a person has no answer. By this it wants to detach him from his work. The body tells him: “It is known that when a person begins to learn some science, he advances each time. If he is talented he advances faster; and if he is less talented he advances slower. And when a person sees that he is not advancing at all in the science, he is told, ‘This science is not for you. You need to learn some profession; you are unfit to learn sciences.’ We see that this is customary and reasonable.”

But here the body argues, “You see according to the efforts you have made in the work of bestowal, that not only did you not move one step ahead, it is to the contrary.” That is, before he began the work of bestowal he was not so immersed in self-love. But now that he has made efforts to overcome self-love, he has received a greater desire and feels that now he is more immersed in self-love.

It follows that here, in this work, we see that we are going backwards and not forward. He sees this clearly and actually feels it. That is, previously, before he began to overcome self-love, he thought that this was quite easy to give up self-love in order to be rewarded with spirituality. He always thought, “How can I find a way that I can walk and by which to obtain some spirituality?” However, he never thought that he should worry about emerging from self-love, for this is something not advisable to think about. Rather, all the concerns were about finding the right way that leads to entering the King’s palace and meriting the purpose for which man was created.

But now he has come to a state that he had never dreamed of, meaning that self-love would be a stumbling block interfering with reaching the truth. He always thought that he was willing to sacrifice himself in order to reach the truth, but now he sees that he went ten degrees backwards, meaning that he is unwilling to make any concessions on his self-love for the sake of Kedusha [holiness/sanctity].

When the body comes to him with such arguments, he “falls under his load.” At that time he comes to a state of despair and idleness, and wants to escape the campaign, since now he sees that all the arguments of the body are true arguments.

But the truth is as we said many times. As Baal HaSulam said, there is the matter of advancing toward the truth. That is, before one begins the work of bestowal, he is far from the truth, meaning from feeling the measure of his evil. But later, when he has exerted in overcoming self-love, he advances toward the truth. That is, each time he sees more of how immersed he is in evil, from head to toe.

However, we should understand why we need all this. That is, why is it that before he began the work of bestowal he did not have such a great measure of feeling the evil, but once he has exerted to overcome, the evil has become more clearly sensed in him. Why was everything that should be revealed later not revealed right away, but rather appeared in stages, bit-by-bit?

The thing is that the order of overcoming is gradual. It is as one who practices weightlifting. He begins, say, with lifting 50 kilograms, and gradually adds because through exercises he can keep adding. It is the same in serving the Creator, and this is why we are not given a great taste for self-love in the beginning, since we will probably not be able to overcome. We are giving additional taste of pleasure in self-love according to our work. That is, to the extent that they see that he can overcome, he is given more taste of pleasure in self-love, so he will be able to overcome. By this we will understand what our sages said (Sukkah, 52), “One who is greater than his friend, his desire is greater than him.”

This brings up the question, “Why is this so?” According to the above-mentioned, it is simple. This is also the order in corporeality: We move from light to heavy. Therefore, before one begins to work in overcoming, he is not given great force of self-love, which he will not be able to overcome because he has not begun the work of overcoming. Therefore, he does not feel a great taste in self-love.

But when he begins to overcome, he is given greater pleasure and importance in self-love so he will have what to overcome. When he overcomes a certain measure of self-love, he is given an even greater measure of importance of self-love. In this way he gradually accustoms himself to overcome pleasures so he can say that everything he is receiving is only in order to bestow.

It follows that self-love becomes to him increasingly difficult to overcome because each time, his will to receive is given more importance so he will have a place to work on overcoming. However, we must understand why we must be given from above more importance and more pleasure to make it difficult to overcome. Concerning this overcoming the corporeality, it would be better if we were not given great importance, but the importance we felt about self-love in the beginning of our work would be enough for us to overcome corporeality and we could promptly begin the spiritual work. But why should I do this work for free, overcoming self-love in corporeal matters? Although each time we have greater overcoming, why do we need to work in self-love, which concerns corporeality?

However, it is a great correction. It is known that the numerous pleasures we feel in corporeal pleasures are only a “thin light” compared to what is found in spiritual pleasures. It therefore follows that even after one has passed the test of overcoming corporeal pleasures, which he can correct only in order to bestow, this test is sufficient only on small pleasures that he can overcome and not receive on condition that he can aim in order to bestow. However, this is not so with great pleasures, and one cannot be given spiritual pleasures which he is bound to take in order to receive.

Therefore, first he must go through the work in corporeal pleasures. There, he is given greater flavors each time then when he began the work. Before he began the work he could taste the taste of pleasure as is ordinarily given to corporeal pleasures. But one who has begun the work of bestowal and wants to be rewarded with spirituality is given more taste in corporeality than the usual. This is so deliberately, so he will become accustomed to greater pleasures than there are in corporeal pleasures. This is a preparation to be immunized in the work of overcoming the great pleasures found in spirituality.

Now we can see that those who want to work the holy work are given additions. That is, they are given additional flavor in self-love. This is not so for people who have no interest in walking in the path of bestowal. It is as our sages said, “Anyone who is greater than his friend, his desire is greater than him.” It is so in order to accustom them to the work of overcoming, since for the manifold pleasures found in spiritual pleasures, his usual overcoming of corporeal pleasures will not be enough because the pleasure is in them as a constant, while they are given each time more importance in order to become accustomed to overcoming more each time.

Now we can understand what we asked about the verse where it is written, “You shall place for yourself judges and officers in all your gates.” How does placing judges and officers apply to the current time? However, when a person wants to begin the work of the Creator we should make two discernments: 1) Potential. That is, first he makes for himself a plan of what he should, and what he shouldn’t do, meaning a scrutiny of good and bad. Doing this in potential is called “judge,” who says what must be done. 2) Afterwards we must execute what was in potential. The execution is called “officer.”

Since matters of work are not a one-time thing, but rather each day he must exert in the work, hence, the text uses plural form, meaning “judges and officers.”

Saying, “You shall place for yourself,” in singular form, comes to tell us that this work pertains to each and every individual.

This is why it says, “in all your gates.” We should interpret it literally, meaning that a gate is the place of entrance. This means that whenever a person wants to begin the work of the Creator, he must arrange the work in two manners: in potential and in actuality, which are “judges” and “officers.”

However, regarding his saying, “In all your gates,” we should interpret according to what we see—that there are two kinds of life in our world: 1) corporeal life, 2) spiritual life.

It follows from this that we have two gates: 1) a gate that is similar to a prison gate. This is similar to what is written (in the prayer, “Thank,” that we say on the eve of Shabbat in the afternoon prayer): “Dwellers of darkness and the shadow of death; prisoners of poverty and iron.” The Metzudat David [David’s Fortress interpretation] interprets there: “People who sit in a place of darkness are tied by tormenting ties and by chains of iron.” 2) A gate that is similar to the King’s gate, as it is written, “And Mordechai sat by the King’s gate.”

At each gate there are guards who are standing guard, but each of the guards acts in the opposite way. That is, the prison guards see that none of the prisoners escape the prison, while the guards at the King’s gate see that no one comes through the King’s gate.

The thing is that those who are immersed in self-love and have no understanding or feeling of anything more than corporeal pleasures are regarded as being in prison, and the guards do not let them out. By what force do they guard them and not let them out? The moment a guard sees that he wants to exit self-love and begin the work of bestowal he adds to them more pleasure in self-love. By this they tie them with iron chains so they will not want to leave there.

After all the overcoming, when the guards see that the prisoners want to escape self-love and begin to come into the love of the Creator, they promptly give them more flavor and more importance, to the extent that no one ever thought that it was so worthwhile to remain in self-love as they feel now, that self-love is not such a simple matter, as it is written, “Anyone who is greater than his friend, his desire is greater than him.” By this the guards have the power to see that no one escapes from the prison.

But the role of the guards who are standing at the King’s gate is not to let anyone through the King’s gate. What is the power by which they can overcome those who want to come into the King’s palace? It is as it is written in the “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot” (item 133), “It is like a king who wished to select for himself the most loyal of his subjects in the country and bring them in to work inside his palace. What did he do? He issued a decree that anyone who wished, young or old, would come to his palace to engage in the works inside his palace. However, he appointed many of his servants to guard the palace gate, and ordered them to cunningly deflect all those nearing his palace. Naturally, all the people in the country began to run to the king’s palace. But the diligent guards cunningly rejected them. Many of them overpowered them and came near the palace gate, but the guards at the gate were the most diligent, and if someone approached the gate, they diverted him and turned him away with great craftiness, until he despaired and returned as he had come. And so they came and went. Only the heroes among them, whose patience endured, defeated the guards and opened the gate. They were instantly awarded seeing the king’s face, who appointed each of them to his right place.”

It therefore follows that the gates standing at the King’s gate deflect with all kinds of arguments that “It is not for you” to enter the King’s palace. To each one they make up reasons so these people will understand that it is not worthwhile for them to toil in vain. Especially, through all kinds of arguments, they have the power to deflect them and turn them from the campaign of holy work. This is the meaning of “in all your gates,” meaning the prison gate and the King’s gate.

Now we will explain the end of the verse where he ends, “which the Lord your God is giving you.” We asked, “What does it come to tell us?” It is known that everything comes from the Creator. However, as we explained above, a person who wants to be saved from all those arguments of the guards has only one counsel: faith above reason. This means that everything that the guards say is true. However, the Creator is merciful and gracious, and hears the prayer of every mouth. He gives the power to overcome all the obstacles.

However, there is a rule that one must say, “If I am not for me, who is for me?” That is, a person must not wait for the Creator to help him overcome. Rather, he must overcome by himself and do everything he can do, and only ask that the Creator will help him overcome, meaning help him. If a person tries in any way he can, then he must ask the Creator that his effort will bear fruit. However, a person must not say that the Creator will work for him, but that the Creator will help him in his work to succeed in acquiring the good.

It therefore follows that since man is the worker and the Creator only helps him, a person reflects on why he has been rewarded nearness to the Creator more than others. It is because other people could not exert so much in work above reason and not look at the argument of the body as he constantly prevailed in his work and never looked at his thoughts of despair with which the body wanted to fail him.

It follows that then a person can say, “My strength and the might of my hand have gotten me these riches.” In that regard, the verse says that he must know that “the Lord your God is giving you,” that it is indeed only God’s gift. That is, the fact that you had the strength to place judges and officers in all your gates was but a gift from God.

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

What Are Commandments that a Person Tramples with His Feet

Article No. 33, Tav-Shin-Mem-Vav, 1985-86

It is written in the portion, Ekev [Because]: “And it shall come to pass that because you listen … the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy that He has sworn to your fathers.” RASHI interprets “And it shall come to pass that because you listen”: “If you keep the light Mitzvot [commandments] that a person tramples with his feet. You will listen and the Lord will keep, etc., will keep His promise.”

We should understand the Creator’s stipulation: “If you keep the light Mitzvot, I will keep the promises I have given to the fathers. Otherwise I cannot keep them.” Surely, the conditions that the Creator wants are not similar to a flesh and blood king, who presents stipulations in favor of the giver. Surely, here they are in favor of the creatures, meaning that otherwise they cannot receive what he has promised. Therefore, we should understand the condition of light Mitzvot.

To understand the condition we must first understand the promise that the Creator promised the fathers. Clearly, this does not pertain to corporeality, for the promise was certainly for the Creator to give the people of Israel that they will be rewarded with the purpose of creation, called “doing good to His creations,” which is that the souls will obtain the root of their souls, regarded as the five parts of the soul, called NRNHY.

In order for the souls to obtain what has been prepared for them to receive, and in order not to feel the bread of shame while receiving the delight and pleasure, we were given the work called “work of bestowal.” This means that first, one must accustom himself in this work. In order to have room for choice, meaning to be able to choose the intention with which he observes Torah and Mitzvot, there had to be a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment, for then there is room for choice.

However, if the pleasure were revealed then he would have to observe Torah and Mitzvot in order to receive. He would do everything to satisfy his self-love because it cannot be said that he does everything in order to bestow, since when there is disclosure of light, the pleasure is greater than all the corporeal pleasures.

In corporeality we see a rule: The smaller the pleasure—in order to relinquish the pleasure—the less work there is. Also, it cannot be said that the pleasure he receives is with the intention only to bestow if he cannot relinquish it. That is, he must be certain that if he cannot aim to bestow he will be willing to give up the pleasure. Therefore, the smaller the pleasure the easier it is to give it up.

This is why we were given the concealment on the taste of Torah and Mitzvot and were given a taste for corporeal pleasures. We must believe in the words of the holy Zohar that every delight and pleasure that exists in corporeal things is only a thin light, meaning a very faint light compared to the light of the pleasure that is dressed in Torah and Mitzvot. For this reason, there is a reality where one exercises on corporeal pleasures and afterwards he can come out of the Tzimtzum and concealment to some extent, for he can already choose and say that he is receiving this delight and pleasure only because he wants to bestow.

Afterwards, if he passes the trial and receives the small discernment he has attained in the work of the Creator, he is given a bigger degree on which to aim to bestow. Thus he goes from degree to degree until he attains all his NRNHY from the root of his soul. And the NRNHY that a person attains is the 613 ways of the Torah, which are the 613 Mitzvot in the Torah and the seven Mitzvot of our great sages, which, in Gematria, are 620 names that one can attain.

It is written in the book, A Sage’s Fruit: Letters of Baal HaSulam (Letter no. 17): “It is written in Tree of Life, ‘The worlds were created only to disclose the names of the Creator.’ Thus, you see that since the soul came down to clothe this filthy substance, it could no longer cleave to its root, to its own world, as it was in its root before it came to this world. Rather, it must increase its stature 620 times more than how it previously was in the root. This is the meaning of the entire perfection, the entire NRNHY up to Yechida, for which Yechida is called Keter, implying the number 620.”

Now we can see what is the promise that the Creator has promised to the fathers, and how it is possible to attain such wholeness. That question is asked from two sides:

1) The need for this great wholeness. We know that there is no light without a Kli [vessel], meaning no filling without a lack. This brings up the question, “How can we have this feeling that we need to obtain the NRNHY?” According to what we explained, all the corporeal pleasures that the whole world is chasing are nothing more than a tiny spark compared to the pleasure in Kedusha [sanctity], and when one is rewarded with having even a tiny illumination of Kedusha he will feel great satisfaction with it. So who will tell him that he is still deficient to the point that he must obtain the light of Yechida, or he will feel that he has not yet achieved wholeness? Who will notify this to him?

2) How can one overcome such great pleasures and say that if he cannot aim the reception of these pleasures to the Creator then he gives up the pleasures? From where will he find such strength? After all, we see that even in corporeal pleasures, of which we said that they are but a thin light, sparks that have fallen into the Klipot, it is difficult to overcome them and say that we relinquish these pleasures if we cannot aim in order to bestow. And since concerning corporeal pleasures we see that they divide into great pleasures and small ones, it is all the more so in spirituality, where there are many degrees and discernments. So the question is from where will one take such great powers to overcome?

To understand the two above questions, 1) From where will he take the need for greatness, and 2) From where will he take the strength to give up the pleasures so he can be sure that the pleasures he is taking are only in order to bestow contentment upon his Maker, we should precede with the words of our sages (Kidushin, 30): “Rabbi Shimon Ben Levi said, ‘Man’s inclination overcomes him every day and seeks to put him to death,’ as it was said, ‘The wicked watches the righteous and seeks to put him to death, and if the Creator did not help him, he would not overcome it, as it is said, ‘The Lord will not leave him in his hand.’”

We said that there are two questions here:

1) If man has been given the evil inclination, why is he unable to overcome it, but the Creator helps him? After all, choice means that a person can overcome, but here it implies that one has no choice to overcome, but only with the Creator’s help. By himself, he cannot overcome it. This brings up the question, “Why did the Creator not give man the strength to overcome it?”

2) If man cannot overcome, why does it say that the Creator helps him? This means that a person must begin to overcome and see that he cannot overcome, and then the Creator helps him. Why does the Creator not help him as soon as the evil inclination comes to him? What does it add to us that a person begins the work, since he cannot prevail anyway?

Therefore, why does the Creator have to wait until a person begins the work and then the help arrives. What is the benefit from losing time by the Creator waiting for a person to begin the work? Who gains from this loss of time? After all, the Creator should have given the help as soon as the evil inclination comes to a person, before a person begins the work. Why should He wait for a person to start the work and then the Creator will help him?

The thing is, as we said in the previous articles, that the Tzimtzum and restriction were in order to correct the world. Otherwise there would not be any possibility for man to be able to even begin the work of overcoming self-love, since by nature, the will to receive controls him, and this is the axis of Creation. What comes afterwards is only a correction, to correct the will to receive.

It turns out that the will to receive is the main thing, and the rest of the things that come later are only to correct it. It follows that the will to receive remains, but corrections are added to it. However, who is the one who undergoes all the corrections? It must be the will to receive.

It is known that even when we say that there is a degree that wants the desire to bestow, it still means that it does not use the will to receive that there is in the degree, but overcomes its desire and engages in the desire to bestow. It follows that the corrections that one should do are only on his vessels of reception, meaning to place on it the intention to bestow. And since the greater the pleasure, the more difficult it is to give it up and say that if he cannot aim to bestow he does not want to receive the pleasure, therefore two things must be corrected here:

1) Aviut [thickness], meaning will to receive, so it is not too big, namely that the lower one cannot overcome. For this reason, he must be given smaller lust. Afterwards, when seeing that he can overcome a small pleasure, he is given a greater pleasure. If we see that he can overcome this pleasure, he is given a greater pleasure, etc., but how do we arrange it?

Therefore, man was given the work in faith above reason, which man slights, from the word “flippant” [in Hebrew]. This means that a person does not respect this work and considers the time he must serve with faith as a state of lowliness. That is, he understands that this work is for women and children, but not for intelligent and acute people.

Conversely, they must understand everything they see happening in the world, so it corresponds with their view and spirit. And when they need to do something but do not see that it is to their benefit, how can they agree to do things that are fit for fools, meaning people who do not scrutinize their thoughts or actions?

For this reason, they always try to avoid such matters. If they sometimes happen to work above reason because they have no choice, since reason is far away from them, they constantly wait for when they can be freed of such states. After all, it is unbecoming of us to live in the air, when the intellect does not understand everything he does as necessary for what he wants to achieve, and he wants to achieve a degree where he is among the prominent ones in the public.

When he looks at the public, how they engage in Torah and Mitzvot without any criticism, he says about them that they can observe everything enthusiastically and be meticulous with every detail because they have no sense of criticism. This is why they can be like that, with eyes closed. That is, if they had some brains they would be like me. That is, I observe Torah and Mitzvot but I see that this work is unworthy of me. However, I do not have a choice since otherwise I will have no connection with Judaism, and therefore for me everything will be forced and involuntary.

For this reason, as long as I forget that I am going above reason I can do everything like the rest of the people. But when I get the thoughts about the basis on which my Judaism is built, and I have to reply to my body that it is only as in, “The earth hangs on nothing,” I cannot overcome and say that the foundation of Judaism is based precisely on faith above reason. And specifically now I can keep the commandment of faith, since now I see that I have no basis. But usually, a person falls and lies under the weight of these questions.

Indeed, this is the question of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, who said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?” For this reason a person says that the path of faith that the Creator has given us to work on, this way will never succeed. And if the Creator had only listened to me He would have let us work on the basis of knowledge, and not on faith. Certainly many people would join in keeping Torah and Mitzvot. But in this way, of faith, there are many people who even though they began this work, they escaped from the campaign.

Baal HaSulam said that the Creator chose that we should walk in the path of faith not because man is of inferior degree, so he cannot be guided except by the path of faith. Rather, this is the most successful way. This is why the Creator has chosen this way, so they will take upon themselves the order of their work, by which they will be able to achieve the goal called “doing good to His creations,” so the creatures will receive delight and pleasure and will also be in complete Dvekut, meaning in equivalence with the Creator. And although the creatures do not understand it, this is the truth.

It therefore follows that although faith is a slight and lowly matter, and we interpreted that slight comes from flippancy, meaning that it is not appreciated, it is still the way by which we can succeed in achieving the goal.

By this we will understand what RASHI interpreted, “If you observe the light Mitzvot[commandments] that a person tramples with his feet, You will listen; about this.” That is, he referred to faith, which a person tramples with his heels. You will listen about this and then you will have the Kelim [vessels/tools] to reach the goal.

This is what RASHI interpreted: “And keep; will keep his promise.” This means that the condition He has set is not for the sake of the Creator, as is the way of flesh and blood, who set conditions in favor of the giver. But with the Creator, the condition to observe the light Mitzvot aim for man’s sake, for precisely by this one can achieve wholeness and be rewarded with what has been prepared for him by the thought of creation.

Now we can explain what we asked:

1) Why does the Creator not help a person when the evil inclination overcomes him, but waits until a person begins the work to overcome, and then helps him, as our sages said, “if the Creator does not help him”? It is akin to a person carrying a heavy load that he does not have the strength to carry, so he asks for help and people come and help him. But when he does not ask for help, no one comes to help him. This can be said between man and man. But why should the Creator wait for a person to begin the work and cry out to the Creator to help him when the Creator knows that he cannot overcome the evil inclination by himself, since the Creator did not give him the strength for it?

2) What is the reason that the Creator did not give him the strength to overcome by himself, but seemingly told him, “I have given you the choice to overcome the evil inclination”? We should say that the Creator did give him the strength to overcome the evil, and at the same time we say that without the Creator’s help a person cannot overcome it. It follows that these two matters contradict one another.

We will understand these two questions with the two questions we asked:

1) When a person is rewarded with the smallest degree in spirituality, he feels in it greater pleasure than all the corporeal pleasures, as in the words of the ARI, that all the great pleasures we find in corporeal pleasures—which we see that the whole world is chasing these pleasures and receive through them satisfaction in their lives—all the pleasure in them extends from Kedusha, where through the breaking of the vessels and the sin of Adam HaRishon with the tree of knowledge, holy sparks fell into the Klipot [shells/peels]. The holy Zohar calls this light, “thin light,” which descended in order to sustain the Klipot. All the corporeal pleasures extend from this, and the smallest degree in spirituality, which is Kedusha, where the essence of the light is found, he is certain to derive satisfaction from this and will have no need for Gadlut [greatness/adulthood]. Thus, who will tell him that he needs Gadlut?

2) From where will he take such great powers that he will be able to receive the great pleasures in order to bestow, or else he will be willing to relinquish them?

It follows that since there is no light without a Kli, meaning no filling without a deficiency, for this reason a person must begin the work. When he wants to overcome the evil inclination but cannot, he becomes deficient. When he sees that he cannot overcome he asks the Creator for help. At that time the Creator can give the filling because he already has a Kli to receive the filling.

The reason that the Creator did not give him the strength to overcome by himself is that when a person has some filling, he settles for what he has. Then a person has no need to be rewarded with NRNHY of the soul by the Creator helping him, as it is written in the holy Zohar, “He who comes to purify is aided. And he asks, ‘With what is he aided?’ He replies, ‘With a holy soul.’ When he is rewarded he is given Nefesh. When he is rewarded more he is given Ruach.”

It follows that receiving help from above causes him to need to extend his NRNHY. That is, each time he wants to overcome his evil but cannot, the Creator helps him with a holy soul. But if the person could overcome by himself, from where would he have a need to ask the Creator to give him a higher degree than the one he has?

But now that he is asking the Creator to help him, he is not asking for degrees. Rather, he is simply asking the Creator not to be under the control of the evil. It turns out that the reason why a person wants the Creator to help him have the strength to aim in order to bestow and not be in the domain of the Sitra Achra [other side], but that he wants to be in the domain of Kedusha [holiness/sanctity], meaning that his only wish will be to bestow upon the Creator, and this is all he needs, and not any high degrees, but simply to serve the Creator and not himself, this is the force he asks of the Creator. When the Creator helps him, the holy Zohar says it with the help of a holy soul. Each help is through a soul that the Creator gives him. Therefore, by this he goes from degree to degree until he attains the completion of the soul, called NRNHY.

Now we understand what our sages said, “Man’s inclination overcomes him every day.” This brings up the question, “Why does he need to overcome the evil inclination every day if he has already received help from the Creator and has defeated it? Why does it need to come to a person once again? And for what purpose does it come each day?”

With the above we understand that since through the help he receives from the Creator, he receives a soul, then each overcoming, when a person wants to overcome and be purer, he thereby receives a soul. This is why these overcomings cause man to be able to attain the NRNHY of his soul.

And the second question, “From where will he take strength to overcome?” It is not by his own strength. Rather, this is the help that the Creator gives so he can overcome it. It follows that through one thing there is correction of two things.

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

The Reason for Straightening the Legs and Covering the Head During the Prayer

Article No. 32, Tav-Shin-Mem-Vav, 1985-86

It is written in The Zohar (Vaetchanan, item 10): “Come and see, he who stands during the prayer should straighten his legs and cover his head as one who is standing before the King, and he should cover his eyes so as not to look at the Shechina [divinity].” In The Zohar (Vaetchanan, item 11) he asks, “You say, ‘One who is looking at the Shechina while he is praying.’ But how can he look at the Shechina? He replies, ‘It is to verify that the Shechina is standing in front of him during his prayer. This is why he must not open his eyes.’”

We should understand what the matter of straightening the legs implies, for it seems to be a condition in the prayer, meaning it implies an important issue, so what is it? We should also understand why we must cover the head during the prayer. It cannot be said that it means we must cover the head with the Talit [prayer shawl] during the prayer, for this pertains only to the morning prayer. But in the afternoon and evening prayers, which we pray without a Talit, how can we speak of covering the head? So what does it imply?

Also, what does it mean to cover the eyes? We cover our eyes when we read the Shema reading, but here he says that during the prayer we should also cover our eyes, so we should know what these words imply. We should also understand the reply of the holy Zohar to the question, “How can he look at the Shechina?”

He explains that it is to verify that the Shechina is standing in front of him during his prayer. But the answer is unclear: What is the connection between closing the eyes and knowing that the Shechina is standing in front of him? To understand the above we must return to the whole matter of the work of creation—what it is for and what is the degree that Creation should achieve?

It is known that the purpose of creation was to do good to His creations. To this comes the famous question, “Why then are the delight and pleasure not evident to each and every one of the creatures? Rather, we see the opposite: the whole world is suffering and tormented before they obtain some delight and pleasure. For the most part, when a person introspects, he says what our sages said, “It would have been better not to be born than to be born” (Iruvin, 13). In their words, “It would be preferable for man not to be born than to be born.”

It is known that the answer is that in order not to have shame, called “bread of shame,” we were given a correction called “equivalence of form.” This means that every delight and pleasure that one receives should be with the intention to bestow. In order to be able to accustom himself to receive pleasures in order to bestow there had to be a Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment, so we would not see the great pleasures dressed in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments] right away.

We can learn the order of the work in order to bestow in corporeal matters, where there are only small pleasures, which the holy Zohar calls “thin light,” meaning “very faint light.” That is, holy sparks fell into the Klipot [shells/peels] so they will exist. On that light, which is found in corporeal pleasures, we can learn how to receive them in order to bestow because on smaller pleasures it is easier to accustom ourselves to receive them only in order to bestow. That is, it is easier to say, “If I cannot aim to bestow I give them up and do not want to receive these pleasures because by them I become separated from the Creator.”

It is known that He works only to bestow, and the lower one wants specifically to receive. Thus, there is no equivalence of form here. For this reason, meaning, since he wants to adhere to the Creator, the act of reception detaches him from feeling the Creator due to the Tzimtzum and concealment that took place so he could accustom himself to be able to do things and direct them to bestow. But if the Providence of the Creator were revealed, the delight and pleasure would be revealed and man would not be able to overcome his vessels of reception.

By this we will understand what our sages said, that during the prayer a man must straighten his legs. Raglaim [legs] comes from the word Meraglim [spies]. That is, the argument of the spies comes to a person. They saw that it was not worthwhile to commence the work to reach the holy land, which is the land of Israel, for two reasons: 1) What would the will to receive gain if he walked on the path that reaches only the King? That is, he would toil with his work that he is doing for the Creator and the will to receive will not benefit, but lose, and the desire to bestow will gain. But what will the will to receive—which is the heart of the created being—have? 2) Even if we say that it is worthwhile to serve the King, that it brings man great pleasure, not every person is fit for this. This must require special stipulations, which are specifically for people born with great talents and courage, who can overcome all the obstacles found when wanting to approach Kedusha [holiness/sanctity].

Rather, it is enough for us to remain on the same level as the whole of Israel. Why should we seek higher degrees than the general public? I don’t need to be an exception and I am content with simply keeping Torah and Mitzvot, without any intentions. This work will certainly be easier because it is closer to our vessels of reception.

Why should I look at a handful of people saying that the most important is to work for the Creator? Surely, the whole public is working for the Creator, so I will be as one of them. This is called “spies.”

It was said that during the prayer he must straighten his legs. This means that he should say that what the spies are showing him, this way—that only a handful of people say that we must walk only in this path—that only this path is the truth, and not the other ways, although they are paths of truth.

This is as our sages said, “One should always engage in Torah and Mitzvot Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], and from Lo Lishma he will come to Lishma [for Her sake].” What our sages said must be true, but this path of trying to walk on the path that leads directly for the Creator is called “the complete truth.” This means that he should reply to the spies telling him that what he was doing was wrong, “Now I am going to ask the Creator to help me walk on my way, which I have chosen now, and say that only this is an upright way.”

This is the meaning of having to straighten the legs during the prayer. It follows that the prayer that he is going to pray to the Creator is for a deficiency, for if he has no deficiency, he has nothing for which to ask and pray. And what is my deficiency? It is that I see that the spies won’t leave me alone, and I don’t want to walk in their ways. However, I see that all my thoughts and desires are only for my own benefit, and I see that I cannot do anything for the Creator.

Thus, all I need now, and for which I should ask the Creator, is that He will give me a Kli [vessel], called “desire.” That is, I am deficient of deficiency, meaning a desire to want to serve the King, and that this will be my every wish and aspiration, and not to worry about things that do not concern serving the Creator.

However, the real reason why a person does not crave to serve the King is not that he does not want to serve the King. Rather, Baal HaSulam said that the reason is that he does not believe that he is standing before the King. But when he feels that he is standing before the King, his choice becomes annulled and he annuls before the King as a candle before a torch.

It therefore follows that the main thing on which one should work in his labor is to be rewarded with faith, meaning to feel that the Creator exists, as our sages said (Pirkey Avot), “The eye sees and the ear hears,” since there is concealment over us. But before we exit self-love, we are still under the Tzimtzum that was done, so that the place of reception will be dark, without light, which is called “a space vacant of upper light.”

For this reason, he asks the Creator to open his eyes so he will feel that he is standing in front of the Creator. He needs this not because he wants to enjoy standing in front of the Creator. Rather, he wants to bestow upon the Creator and cannot do anything because he still does not feel the importance of the Creator. Instead, to him, the Shechina is in exile. That is, when it occurs to him to do something for the Creator and not think of his own benefit, the world grows dark on him. It seems to him that now he has passed away from the world and died.

That is, he begins to feel that his entire existence is annulled and he no longer merits a name. For this reason, right at the beginning of his entrance into that state he wants to escape it because at that time he feels the unpleasantness that this situation is causing him, and he cannot continue walking on this path. He understands that if he begins to walk on the path of “Only for the Creator,” he should feel life and happiness. But suddenly he sees the opposite.

This brings up the question, “Why is this so?” The answer is that in this state, when he feels this way, he can feel the meaning of “Shechina in the dust.” That is, he feels that he has fallen so low that he has really stooped to the ground. Afterwards, when he knows what is “Shechina in the dust,” he can pray to the Creator and do good deeds so the Creator will raise the Shechina from the dust.

That is, where he felt that assuming the burden of the kingdom of heaven—meaning to work only for the Creator and not for himself—tastes like dust, he asks the Creator to remove His concealment from him so he will be rewarded with seeing that the Shechina is called the “land of the living.” That is, precisely by wanting to do everything for the Creator and not for his own benefit, precisely from here one is rewarded with the real life. This is the meaning of the “land of the living,” a land from which life springs to all. Conversely, the land of the Sitra Achra [other side] is called a “land that consumes its dwellers.”

It is known that the matter of reception causes separation from the Kedusha. For this reason, “the wicked in their lives are called ‘dead.’” Bestowal is called Dvekut, as it is written, “And you who cling to the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.” This means that a person wanting the Creator to open his eyes and to be rewarded with faith, meaning to feel His existence, does not mean that he craves the pleasure of feeling that he is standing before the King. Rather, he craves not to be wicked by not wanting to observe the commandment of loving the Creator. And although there cannot be love without pleasure, there is the matter that one wants it directly, and indirectly, something else is drawn.

For example, a person wants to love his children because he wants to enjoy it. Although it cannot be said that he loves the matter and does not feel pleasure about it, for where one feels suffering we cannot speak of love. Only sometimes we say that we are happy about suffering, since by this we might gain something. It is like a person going through surgery in a hospital. He pays the doctor a lot of money, and he does not say that he loves it, but he is happy about it because by this he will gain something important—his life.

Therefore, we cannot say that he wants to love his children and work for them so as to enjoy. Rather, the fact that he wants to love is love that comes naturally and has nothing to do with pleasure. But his love for them gives him joy. It follows that the pleasure derived from love of the children is extended indirectly.

It is the same when a person asks the Creator to bring him closer and give him the light of faith, to feel the existence of the Creator. Naturally, at that time he annuls before the Creator and certainly enjoys. However, this is not what he means. Rather, his intention is that he wants the Creator to bring him closer because he sees that he is wicked and cannot do anything, except for his own benefit. Thus, he truly wants to exit self-love.

It follows that his intention is to exit self-love, and not to receive greater pleasure. That is, since he does not enjoy corporeal pleasures all that much, to give more pleasure to his will to receive, this is his purpose, meaning that he wants his self-love will have more pleasure. Certainly not! On the contrary, he wants to exit self-love altogether.

But the reason that causes him to want to ask the Creator to take him out of self-love and give him the light of faith is only that he is Jewish and must observe Torah and Mitzvot because the Creator has commanded us to observe His will. But he sees that he has nothing to do with bestowing upon the Creator. Rather, all his concerns are as those of the gentiles, only self-love. This motivates him to go and ask for something—to be able to be a Jew and not a gentile who belongs to the nations of the world.

However, we should remember that it is impossible to feel the existence of the Creator without feeling pleasure. And yet, this is so when the pleasure comes to him indirectly, meaning when he does not intend it but that it comes to him by itself because it is natural that when we feel that we are standing before the King we feel the importance of the King, and to that extent we are filled with pleasure.

It therefore follows that it cannot be said that he is standing before the King and feels that he wants to annul before the King, and at the same time feel unpleasantness because he wants to annul. Therefore, when a person sees, if he begins to work in order to bestow and feels that by his annulling before the Creator he feels unpleasantness, he should say that this is not the form of the King, but that such a feeling came to him in order to know the meaning of “Shechina in exile” or “Shechina in the dust.”

Then the time is ripe for praying to the Creator to bring him closer, since otherwise he sees that there is no way that he will be able to enter Kedusha by himself, since he feels that all the body’s organs resist serving the King and annulling his existence, so all his aspirations will be only to serve the King. At that time he is called “deficient,” when there is no one in the world who can help him but the Creator Himself.

However, regarding the deficiency, we should make several discernments in order to be fit for fulfillment when praying to the Creator to help him:

1) He has what he needs, but he does not feel its absence. For example, a man has a family of six, and his friends have a family as big as his and live in three rooms, while he lives in an apartment with two rooms. He is content with little and does not feel deficient of another room. Naturally, when he does not feel deficient he does not make efforts to obtain another room. It follows that with such a deficiency we cannot speak of prayer, therefore granting the prayer is irrelevant because “there is no light without a Kli, since there is no filling without a lack.”

2) He feels its deficiency and begins to try to obtain it. However, after some time of making efforts to satisfy his need he sees that he cannot obtain it so easily and despairs. He begins to tell himself that he does not have to be among the prominent people in the public and can settle for what he has. By man’s nature, the laziness helps him justify his lack of effort to a great extent. Hence, now he is restful and carefree because now he does not want anything.

However, since before he despaired he made great efforts to obtain what he wanted, thoughts of the deficiencies, the filling he had hoped to achieve, keep coming to him. And as much as he had exerted to obtain them, it is as though the filling itself is awakening him now to begin the work anew.

At that time a person comes to a state where he asks the Creator to remove all the thoughts that awaken him to feel deficient and work on them. Instead, he prays that no lack will come into his mind. All he wants now, and if he attains this it will be a state he calls, “good,” is not to feel any lack.

It therefore follows that the filling he hopes for is not to have a sense of deficiency. This is the entire filling for which he hopes. Now he wants to enjoy the absence of feeling deficiencies, and does not expect the filling of the deficiencies. Rather, the whole satisfaction is in the absence of the feeling of lack. This is what he wants now, that this will be the best state in his life.

This means that should his friend come and ask him, “Do you need anything? I will try to grant you your wish,” he will reply to him, “Believe me that now I am in a state where I do not need anything. Now all I want is rest, not to worry about anything. I am embarrassed to tell you since you came to me and you probably came in order to delight me, but to tell you the truth, even you are interrupting my rest by having to try to think what to speak to you about. So I’ll tell you the truth, go in peace and do me a favor, tell all our friends not to come visit me if they see that I am not around you, since the only good I feel in my life is rest from all the troubles.”

Certainly, when a person prays that the Creator will satisfy such a deficiency he cannot receive satisfaction of such a prayer, which is built on the foundation of despair and idleness. He wants the Creator to help him be lazy, and such a deficiency is not about to be filled because such fillings will not build the world. All the prayers must be for construction, and not the other way around. We must pray for the correction of the world, and idleness will not yield any construction.

3) He feels his deficiency and all the thoughts of idleness and despair cannot satisfy his lack. For this reason he tries to seek advice on how to obtain what he wants. It follows that he is praying to the Creator for the filling of his deficiency because he wants the construction of the world. He sees that in the state he is in, he is also constructing, but all the buildings he is building are like little children playing and building toy houses then dismantling them, only in order to build once more. It is the building they enjoy.

Likewise, he is looking at the corporeal life. And as the games of the children who are building will not build the world, corporeal pleasures will not be the construction of the world, which must have been created for a purpose and not for little children. So how can he agree to remain among little children?

And although the children laugh at him that he does not want to play with them and do not understand him, thinking that he probably does not have a sense for life and does not know that we can enjoy life, but he is not like everyone else, but seemingly wants to retire from the world and go to the desert to live like the desert animals.

And yet, he cannot give them any answers since he has no common language with them. In any case, he is suffering due to his lack—that he wants to be rewarded with spiritual life. It follows that only in the third discernment of a deficiency can we say that his prayer is called “a prayer,” since he demands filling, so he can correct the world, so as to have the ability to receive the purpose of creation, which is to do good to His creations. He believes that all the concealment and restriction that exist in the world is because we haven’t the proper tools fit for the abundance of Godliness, which is a vessel of bestowal.

For this reason, he asks the Creator to give him vessels of bestowal. We can obtain this by feeling the greatness and importance of the King. But when the Shechina is in exile and when the work tastes like dust, how can we continue this work? This is why a prayer such as this is accepted.

Now we can interpret the words of the holy Zohar, when we asked about the intention of saying that we must cover the head and close our eyes as though standing before the King. It is known that the head is called “man’s mind.” Likewise, the eyes are regarded as the mind, as it is written, “The eyes of the congregation,” which means the elders of the congregation.

Covering and closing mean not looking at what the mind tells him. This means that when a person stands in the prayer, he must believe that he is standing before the King. Although he does not feel the King, he should pray that the Creator will give him the power of faith to feel that he is standing in front of the King. That is, he wants the power of faith that will be just like knowing, meaning that the body will be impressed by the faith that he believes, as though he is seeing the King and is impressed with the King. This is the faith for which he prays.

This is why he says that it is forbidden to open the eyes during the prayer because it is forbidden to look at the Shechina. The holy Zohar asks, “How can he look at the Shechina?” He replies that it is to verify that the Shechina is standing in front of him during his prayer, which is why he is forbidden to open his eyes.

We asked, “What is the answer?” The thing is that the faith that a person believes should be exactly as if he is seeing the Shechina. Otherwise, if his faith has not reached this level, it is not regarded as real faith. This is the kind of faith for which one should pray, that the faith will work in him as though he is seeing everything with his eyes.

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Concerning Yenika [Nursing] and Ibur [Impregnation]

Article No. 31, Tav-Shin-Mem-Vav, 1985-86

Ibur [conception/impregnation], Yenika [nursing], Mochin [adulthood/greatness] are three degrees. Once a person has been rewarded with entering Kedusha [holiness/sanctity], he begins to attain them. They are called Nefesh in Ibur, Ruach in Yenika, and Neshama in Mochin.

However, even during the preparation for the work, before one has been rewarded with permanent admission into Kedusha, these matters still apply. Ibur means that a person temporarily Maavir [shifts/removes] his selfness and says, “Now I do not want to think of my own benefit whatsoever, and I also do not want to use my intellect, although to me it is the most important thing. That is, since I cannot do something that I do not understand—meaning I can do anything but I must understand the benefit of it—he still says, “Now I can temporarily say that I am taking upon myself at this time that I determine not to use my intellect. Rather, I believe above reason, believe in faith in the sages, believing that there is an overseer who is watching each and every one in the world in Private Providence.”

But why should I believe it and I cannot feel that this is so? It makes sense that if I could feel the existence of the Creator I could certainly work for Him and would desire to serve Him. Why then is this concealment? What does the Creator gain by hiding Himself from the creatures? Also, he does not provide any answer to this, but rather answers that with this question, too, he goes above reason and says that if the Creator knew that not making the concealment would be better for the creatures, He would not create concealment.

It turns out that to all the questions that come up in his mind he says that he is going above reason, and that now he is going with eyes shut and only with faith. It is as Baal HaSulam said about the verse (Psalms, 68:32): “Cush shall run to stretch out her hands to God.” He said that if one can say, “Cush,” meaning that his Kushiot [questions] are answers, it means that he does not need answers, but the question itself gives him the answer. That is, he says that now that he has a question he can go above reason. Then, “his hands are to God,” meaning that then his hands, namely his vessels of reception—from the words, “Should a hand attain”—then a person is regarded as whole, with God.

Therefore, the beginning of the entrance into the work of the Creator is regarded as Ibur[impregnation], when he cancels his self and becomes impregnated in the mother’s womb, as it is written, “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” This comes from the verse, “For if you call the mother, ‘understanding [Bina],’” meaning that he cancels self-love, called Malchut, whose original essence is called “will to receive in order to receive,” and enters the vessels of bestowal, called Bina.

One should believe that before he was born, meaning before the soul descended into the body, the soul was adhered to Him, and now he longs to adhere to Him as prior to her descent. This is called Ibur, when he completely annuls his self. However, although his heart tells him that only now he agrees to the annulment but later he will regret, we can say about this, “Do not worry about tomorrow.”

Also, tomorrow may not be the next day. Rather, tomorrow can be the present or the future. The difference in time can be even an hour later.

It is as our sages said, “Anyone who has what to eat today and says, ‘What shall I eat tomorrow?’ it is for lack of faith” (Sutah, 48). We should interpret that this means that if he has what to eat today, meaning he is willing to take upon himself faith above reason and only thinks, “What will happen later,” meaning he already has Reshimot [recollections] from states when he thought that he would remain in that state of ascent forever, but then descended once more to a place of lowliness, which is a place of garbage, where garbage means where all the waste is thrown.

That is, during the ascent he thought that the whole matter of self-love is nothing but waste that should be thrown to the garbage. That is, he felt that the will to receive is garbage. But now, during the descent, he himself is descending into the place of garbage so as to receive nourishments from there, like cats poking through trash to find something to eat to sustain themselves. Likewise, during the descent he is like a cat, and not like spoiled people who always select what they should eat and what they shouldn’t.

This is the meaning of what we say in the Hallel [Praise]: “He raises the poor from the dust, lifts the poor from the trash.” Accordingly, it follows that when a person can annul himself a little bit and at that time says, “Now I want to annul myself before the Kedusha,” meaning not to think about self-love. Rather, now he wants to bring contentment to the Creator, and believes above reason that although he still does not feel anything, he believes above reason, that the Creator hears the prayer of every mouth, and before Him, small and great are equal, and as He can deliver the greatest of the greatest, He can also help the smallest of the small.

This is called Ibur, meaning that he passes from his own domain into the domain of the Creator. However, it is temporary. That is, he truly wants to annul himself forever, but cannot believe that there will be annulling forever now since he has already thought many times that it would be so but then descended from his degree and fell to the place of garbage.

However, he does not need to worry about what to eat tomorrow, as was said above, that later he will probably fall from his degree, as this is for lack of faith. Rather, he must believe that the salvation of the Lord is as the blink of an eye. It follows that since he annuls himself for the time being and wants to remain this way forever, it follows that he has the value of Ibur.

However, in truth, one must believe that his desire to begin to work the Creator in annulling his self is a call from above, for it is not within man’s wisdom. The evidence of this is that during this call, all the questions he had before he was called from above—he had many questions, and each time he wanted to do something in order to bestow the body resisted and could not understand if there is a person in the world who could annul his self before the Creator and not worry at all about his own benefit. He was always under some fear whether he could annul himself to the Creator.

But now he sees that all the thoughts and doubts have been completely burned and he would feel great pleasure if he could annul himself before the Creator. Now he sees that all his reason is worthless, although previously he thought that no one in the world could convince him to annul himself before the Creator, and he would say that this is hard work that not just anyone can come into. But now he sees that there is nothing that interferes with his adhering and annulling before the Creator. Rather, as was said above, since it is an illumination from above, all the obstructers who came and told him the argument of the spies have surrendered to him and vanished from sight.

It is as it is written (Psalms, 103:16), “For the wind has passed over him and he is no more, and his place will no longer know him.” It is as it is written, “For the wind has passed over him.” When a person receives Ruach [spirit/wind] from above, all the obstructers disappear and even his place is not apparent. That is, during the ascent, when he receives spirit from above, at that time he does not understand how can there be a place where the wicked can do something with their arguments.

It follows that during the Ibur, when we see that there is a time of abortion, meaning that if the fetus is born before the time of corrections of the Ibur has been completed, as some weakness in the impregnation causes an abortion, when the fetus emerges prematurely and cannot exist and dies, it is the same in spirituality. If there is a weakness then a person comes out of the Ibur and comes into the air of this world, and all the thoughts that exist in this world fall into his mind, and all the desires of this world cling to him. This is considered that the Ibur has died.

In The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 9 (p 788, item 83), the ARI writes, “There should be doors in a woman, to close them and hold the fetus within so it does not come out until it is completely fashioned. And there should also be in her a force that depicts the form of the fetus.”

He explains there in “Inner Light” that there are two forces in the Ibur: 1) A depicting force, where the depiction of the fetus is Katnut [infancy/smallness], for in order to obtain Katnut there is an order, since Katnut is preparation for Gadlut [adulthood/ greatness], and without Katnut in the degree there is no Gadlut. And as long as he is in Katnut he is still incomplete, and wherever there is a deficiency in Kedusha there is a grip to the Sitra Achra, who might spoil the Ibur so it cannot be completed. By this he is aborted, meaning that he is born before the state of Ibur has been completed.

It is so because there are twenty-five Partzufim [plural of Partzuf] in the Ibur, meaning NRNHY, and in each of them there is also NRNHY. Therefore, there must be a detaining force, meaning that even in Katnut there should be wholeness there. He receives this through his mother, although the fetus in itself has no Kelim [vessels] in which to receive Gadlut in order to bestow. Still, by annulling before the mother it can receive Gadlut from the Kelim of its mother. This is regarded as “An embryo is its mother’s thigh; it eats what its mother eats.”

That is, since it has no choice of its own but rather eats what its mother eats, meaning that what its mother knows is permitted to eat, it eats, as well, it means that he has shifted the choice of what is good and what is bad from himself. Rather, it is all attributed to the mother. This is called “its mother’s thigh,” meaning that he himself does not merit a name.

There it speaks of upper lights, but the same thing applies during the preparation, when wanting to enter the King’s palace—the same orders apply. As there are many discernments there and the Iburis not completed all at once, and it is said that there are nine months of pregnancy until he obtains twenty-five Partzufim, in the preparation, too, there are many discernments until he obtains the complete Ibur during the preparation. Therefore, there are many ups and downs, and sometimes the Ibur becomes corrupted, which is also called “abortion,” and we must begin the order of the work anew.

Let us explain the depicting force that exists during the preparation period. The depiction of the Iburis Katnut, which means that only in vessels of bestowal, when he engages in Torah and work, he can aim to do everything with the intention to bestow.

That is, the reason why he engages now in Torah and Mitzvot is because he believes in the Creator and in His greatness. He takes upon himself that henceforth, all his pleasure will be in that he has a desire to serve the King, and he will regard this as though he has made a fortune, and as though the whole world is looking at him and envies him that he has been privileged with rising to the highest degrees, with which none other has been rewarded. Naturally, he is delighted and does not feel anything bad in the world, but rather that he is living in a world that is all good.

However, all the importance and joy is in that he gives, meaning that he wants to give to the Creator. That is, throughout the day he has one thought: “What should I do that will please the Creator?” That is, on the one hand we say that a person needs to work not in order to receive reward, but only for the Creator. On the other hand, we say that he must enjoy and picture how he can enjoy.

This means that he must depict pictures of greatness and importance of how we appreciate flesh and blood kings or other world leaders, and see how the public appreciates them. Afterwards he should learn from the world how they enjoy serving world leaders and use this for the greatness of the Creator, that when he is serving the Creator he must feel the same pleasure as they enjoy serving world leaders.

Otherwise, if he does not derive great pleasure from engaging in Torah and Mitzvot, it is a sign that he does not appreciate the Creator as they appreciate and receive delight and pleasure from serving world leaders.

Therefore, when he speaks to the Creator, he must first depict to whom he is speaking, meaning His greatness and importance. That is, in what manner and what reverence I speak to Him, and He listens and looks at me when I speak to Him.

For example, when a person eats a cake or some fruit, we know we must believe that the Creator has created all these, and now we are enjoying what has been prepared for us to enjoy. We turn to Him for this and thank Him for this, and we say, “We thank and praise You for this pleasure and say, ‘Blessed are You, O Lord, creator of the fruit of the tree.’”

At that time a person can monitor what he has just said to the Creator, what reverence he felt while speaking to Him, and what he feels after he has spoken to Him, meaning what impression it has left in him, what elation, since if he truly believes that he spoke to the King, where are the excitement and elation? It is written about it: “If I am a father, where is My honor? If I am a master, where is the fear of Me?”

If we look more closely we can detect two discernments in this act: 1) he enjoys the fruit he is eating. This joy he has from the fruit pertains to the animate will to receive. That is, animals also enjoy eating and drinking. There is no need for man to receive such a pleasure, and this is why this pleasure is called “beastly pleasure.”

But the blessing and gratitude he gives to the Creator for it, in this we should make several discernments. In the second discernment in the above action, meaning the joy of thanking the Creator, this pertains specifically to man and is absent in animals. There are many discernments here because in this act, which belongs to man, there are many degrees to discern.

For example, in man we should discern the measure of faith—how much he believes that the Creator has given him all the pleasures to enjoy. Afterwards we should discern—in the speaking that he speaks to the Creator—to what extent he believes that he is speaking to the Creator. Afterwards we should discern to what extent he believes in the greatness and importance of the Creator. In that, it is certain that every person is different. And in a person himself we should discern according to his current state, for because a person is walking, he could be ascending or descending. Thus, in one person we can discern several states, as it is written, “And I will give you moves among these who are standing.”

It turns out that in the will to receive pleasure, which by and large pertains to the beast, there is nothing to discern, since it is general pleasure. This is not so with pleasure pertaining to man. There we should already make many discernments. It follows that the foundation of the joy that pertains to man is not attributed to the vessels of reception. Rather, it pertains to bestowal because all his pleasure is built on the Creator. That is, all the fuel from which he has Kelim [vessels] for work depends on the greatness of the Creator and not on the measure of man’s pleasure. This means that the measure of pleasure depends on the extent to which he assumes the greatness of the Creator.

This is called “pleasure that comes to a person indirectly.” He wants to bestow upon the King directly, and to the extent that he depicts the greatness of the King, to that extent he is happier that he is delighting a great king. He receives indirect pleasure from this. It follows that pleasure is permitted only in this manner, for he does not intend for self-pleasure when he is serving the King, but the importance of the King commits him to serve the King.

It turns out that his intention is to delight the King, to make the King happy, so it naturally follows that he enjoys, as well. Such pleasure is permitted because when he receives this pleasure there is no matter of shame here, called “bread of shame,” as his pleasure is from giving and not from something he receives directly from the Creator.

When he enjoys something that the Creator gives him it is regarded as pleasure that comes directly from the Giver, as lights. This is called Ohr Hochma [Light of Wisdom], which comes to the receiver directly. That is, the receiver enjoys the reception, and this requires a correction called “aiming to bestow.” But if his pleasure is because he is giving to the Creator, and he enjoys serving Him, this pleasure is regarded as coming indirectly because his intention is for the King to enjoy and he does not think about enjoying this.

It was said about this: “Serve the Lord with gladness.” That is, the joy should come to a person from serving the Creator. However, if he is serving without joy it is for lack of faith in the greatness and importance of the King. Otherwise, there must be joy and elation without any preparation for it, meaning he does not need to see that he will enjoy the work but needs to see that he prepares himself to know Whom he is serving and what is His importance. The joy is the result. Thus, if he has no joy in the work it is a sign that he has no idea about the importance of the Creator, and then he must correct himself in matters of faith.

Thus, he does not need to work on having gladness in serving the Creator. Rather, he must labor to obtain the importance and greatness of the Creator. That is, in everything he does, learns, and engages in Mitzvot [commandments], he wants reward for his labor—to be rewarded with the greatness and importance of the Creator. To the extent that he receives the importance of the Creator he will be naturally drawn to annul before Him and will want and crave to serve Him.

Everything we said thus far is regarded as Ibur because he must believe that everything comes from the Creator, giving him the thought and desire to annul before Him. At such a time he must find a place for depiction, meaning how he is inspired by this awakening, and criticize, and he will certainly find deficiencies to correct there. But when he sees what is missing there, he cannot be happy because every deficiency causes him suffering, so how can he be happy? On the other hand, it is not good to be so deficient, according to the rule that where there is a deficiency in the Kedusha [holiness/sanctity] there is a grip to the Klipot [shells/peels], and he might fall from his degree and receive from this weakness in the work.

Therefore, a person must see himself in wholeness, that he has no deficiency. He sees himself as happy with his life and as having where to find pleasure from seeing that there are many people like him who do not enjoy the life that he does, and if they had the pleasure that he has, they would all envy him.

Let us say, for example, that there are prisoners, and no one is allowed to come out of the prison to breathe some air. But one man wins the warden’s favor, and no one knows it but he lets him out free one hour a day. He goes home to visit and then returns to the prison. How happy is that man? 1) He is happy because he visits his home. 2) When he looks at the rest of the prisoners, who are not given this freedom, he derives immense delight and pleasure from looking at the others, who are sitting in the prison without seeing any of the light that there is outside.

This means that besides his own pleasure, meaning the pleasure he himself enjoys, he can take pleasure from what is outside of him. He enjoys seeing what he has and what others do not have. It follows that this pleasure comes from outside, meaning from looking outside and seeing how they suffer from not having any leaves, while he enjoys his leaves.

It follows that we should discern two pleasures here: 1) the pleasure he receives from enjoying, 2) the pleasure he receives from having what others do not have, which is called “receiving joy from outside.” The lesson is that since we are incarcerated, it is as we say (in the Kaparot [atonements] on the eve of Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement]), “Dwellers of darkness and the shadow of death, prisoners of poverty and iron, He will deliver them from darkness and the shadow of death.”

We have sinned and were placed in prison, where all the prisoners who sinned before the King are placed, where they do not see light their whole life, meaning they were given a life-sentence in prison. They are disconnected from the parents, called “fathers of the world,” as our sages said (Tana de Bei Eliyahu Rabah, Chapter 25), “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my fathers?”

That is, where there is connection with the fathers, when one knows the good deeds of the fathers, it can be said that he is asking, “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my fathers?” That is, that he, too, will have the ability to do good deeds like the fathers. But because of the sin—as it is said, “For our sins we have been exiled from our land”—we have been placed in prison, completely disconnected from the fathers, meaning we do not know that we had fathers who were adhered to the Creator and we have no idea that it also pertains to us to say of every spiritual matter that we want to do things by which we can adhere to the Creator.

It follows that the people who were sentenced to life imprisonment do not see light their whole lives and accept their situation. They accustom themselves to enjoy only what the warden thinks he should give them for nourishment, and habit causes them to forget what they once had—a life outside the prison, where they enjoyed the life they chose for themselves and did not have to accept the nourishments according to the terms of the prison. However, they have forgotten everything.

The lesson is that one should be happy that the warden loves him and has therefore given him some freedom each day to walk out of jail and enjoy what innocent people enjoy, meaning as though he had never sinned against the King. He walks home and partakes with everyone in his family and the rest of his friends and loved ones, but then he must go back to jail.

This happens every day. That is, when a desire comes to a person to enter the synagogue and pray, and learn a little and feel a little that there is spiritual life, that he finally believes it, meaning that he has faith, it is called “diminutive feeling about all the things in Kedusha,” that he receives illumination from afar. That is, although he is still far from equivalence of form, for because he sinned with self-love, called “disparity of form,” he was sentenced to life in prison. Jail is where there is no spiritual life but a place for the wicked who have sinned against the King.

But he was favored by the warden, who gives him a thought and desire to enjoy the life of humans, as in, “You are called ‘man,’ and the nations of the world are not called ‘man,’” since they enjoy man’s food, called a “spiritual life,” when they are connected to the King of Kings, meaning that they temporarily feel that they are speaking to the King.

When a person pictures that he is favored by the warden, who has given him a temporary leave, although he knows that later he will have a descent and will have to return to prison, even while in prison he can still be happy because he knows from past experience that there are ups and downs. Hence, even when he is returned to prison he knows that sometimes he is favored by the warden who will give him another temporary leave, and in that short while he will be able to see and plead with friends to set him free completely.

This means that even during a descent he sometimes gets thoughts that he is already used to being ejected from the thoughts and desires of sinners who are immersed in self-love. Later, when he receives a call from above, for so he believes, the thoughts and desires he has during the descent, he feels that it is impossible that he will ever be able to come out of self-love, for he sees the body’s resistance. Each time the resistance takes on different forms, and each argument is different from the other, but they are all the same in making him see that it is difficult and that there is no such thing in reality that a person can come out of them.

Still, he sees that when an awakening from above comes to him, he forgets all their arguments and they all burn as though they never existed. Now he wants only one thing—to annul before the Creator, and now he feels pleasure specifically in this.

Because of this, when one has some grip in spirituality, even if it is the smallest of the small, he can already feel happy and complete, for two reasons:

1) He has been given a leave. He enjoys being temporarily out of prison, meaning out of Torah and Mitzvot.

2) He enjoys seeing that everyone else is in prison. He looks at them with pity and sometimes wants to ask for mercy for them, that the Creator will permit them to come out of prison.

Now we can understand that during the Ibur, when his force of depiction is only Katnut, when he can barely observe Torah and Mitzvot with any intention, he must believe that it is very important that the Creator has given him a place to depart from the rest of the people in the world, who have no connection to Judaism, and whose aspirations are clothed only in beastly pleasures, meaning they settle for that which nourishes and sustains beasts. As for spirituality, they pride themselves in not being stupid like the religious, who say that there is a matter of spiritual life. Instead, they have a strong and clear sense that they are right. They tell themselves, “We are the smartest in the generation in that we don’t believe in spirituality, and our life’s purpose is only corporeal life.”

They know for certain that there is no spirituality in the world, to such an extent that they want to make the religious also know that common sense dictates that there is nothing in the world but corporeal life, just like animals. There are even bigger smart alecks who—because they live like animals—have come to the conclusion that we should not eat animals because the speaking does not have a higher purpose than an animal, so why should we eat them if we are all on the same degree and have the same purpose?

It follows that on the one hand, one should appreciate the thought and desire to do simple things without any understanding or intellect, but completely above reason, and believe that even the small desire to observe Torah and Mitzvot was also given to him by the Creator as He favors him. However, he does not know what merit he has over other people whom the Creator has left in the corporeal life while picking him out from among all the people, as in the prison allegory. This matter should bring him joy and wholeness, and because he feels wholeness he can thank the Creator for it. It is as Baal HaSulam said, “To the extent that a person thanks the Creator for having brought him a little closer, to that extent he always receives help from above.”

We can interpret that the reason is that if a person understands that he must thank the Creator, it does not mean that the Creator should thank him like flesh and blood. Rather, the question is the measure to which he understands that he must thank Him. At that time he begins to think how much gratitude I should give Him.

There is a rule that to the extent of giving is the extent of the gratitude. For example, if someone helps another person, who did not have a job so as to make a living, and he went and toiled for him and found him a job, naturally, he feels deep gratitude.

But if, for example, a person commits a crime against the government and the judge sentences him to twenty years in prison, and he must leave his family, and he already has sons and daughters that he should marry, and he just started a business, meaning started a company with one hundred workers, but in the meantime he only has fifty workers, and now according to the crime for which he was caught he must be incarcerated for twenty years, he is worried about the outcome of his plans and about his family while he is separated from the world. He says that now he would prefer to die than to live in prison and worry about everything.

And along comes a man who gives him tips by which he is acquitted from all the charges and he is freed. Then the person certainly begins to think what he can give to this man who saved his life. Undoubtedly, now this man has but one concern: “With what can I show this man my heart, that my every bone thanks and praises him.” It is as it is written, “All my bones shall say” songs and praises for this man.

It follows that by having to thank him he begins to contemplate the measure of salvation he has given him so as to know what kind of gratitude he should give him. Because of it, when a person thanks the Creator it depends on the extent to which he appreciates the importance of the Creator delivering him from prison for one moment to breathe some more of the air of the world of Kedusha.

It therefore follows that a person suffers a descent because he did not appreciate drawing near to the Creator, and not appreciating it caused its loss. It is as our sages said, “Who is a fool? He who loses what he is given.” This means that he does not have the intellect to appreciate the measure of nearing Torah and Mitzvot, meaning that a person should believe that even the smallest thing in Torah and Mitzvot is also very important although he still does not feel its importance.

It follows that faith is in things that man still cannot feel or attain. At that time he must believe in the sages, what our sages told us to believe that it is so, meaning as our sages told us and not as we feel. It is so because our feelings are still not developed in us so as to feel those feelings that extend when knowing we are speaking to the King. This is simple: If one knows that he is speaking to the King, he does not need to prepare himself to feel the importance of the King for it is a natural thing and he does not need to work on it needlessly.

Accordingly, what is the reason that a person is not excited while saying words of gratitude and words of Torah when he believes it is the Torah of the Creator? The reason is that his faith is still not complete faith, meaning that his faith will be as clear knowledge, but rather that his faith is still deficient.

Instead, he must work on believing that he is speaking to an important King, and feeling is something that comes without work, since feeling is only a result of something new that inspires a person. It follows that the main work is the work on faith, to believe that He is a great King.

This is the matter presented in several places in the holy Zohar, that one should pray over the exile of the Shechina [Divinity], or in other words, the “Shechina in exile” or “Shechina in the dust.” That is, we do not have the importance of the one to whom we pray or speak, or thank for both pleasures and Mitzvot. Also, we do not contemplate the value of whose Mitzvot we are keeping. All this is called “Shechina in exile.”

Naturally, we cannot have a feeling for observing Torah and Mitzvot because there is a rule that a person is not inspired by something small, to an extent that some excitement will come to him.

It therefore follows that one should serve the Creator with gladness, meaning that in whatever state he is, even if he is in a lowly state and feels completely lifeless while engaging in Torah and Mitzvot, he should picture to himself that now he is observing the Mitzva [singular of Mitzvot] of faith above reason. That is, although the body shows him his lowliness, he can still strengthen himself and say, “My observing Torah and Mitzvot without any intention is very important” because in fact, he is observing everything in practice, but lacks the aim. That is, if he also had the right intention, the body would be satisfied and he would feel like a complete human being.

But now the body cannot enjoy Torah and Mitzvot, so all that is missing here is the pleasure of the body. But since he wants to work for the Creator, it follows that specifically now, when the body has no pleasure, he can work more in order to bestow. If he believes above reason that this is so, this overcoming is called “awakening from below.” Afterwards he must receive sustenance because now he really is adhered to the Creator and wants to serve the Creator with nothing in return.

However, if he cannot go above reason then two officers come to him and put him in prison along with all the sinners against the King. Those two officers are “mind” and “heart.” At that time he is sentenced to however long he is sentenced, and then he is given a short leave to examine his behavior. This continues until he is pitied from above and is freed from the prison.

It follows that we need two things: the first is the depicting force, which is Katnut, and the second is the detaining force to prevent abortion, meaning not to spoil the Ibur. We need the depicting force because there is a rule that there is no light without a Kli, meaning no filling without a lack, so if there is no Katnut, there will never be Gadlut.

However, we need strength to hold on while feeling deficient because deficiency means that it pains him that he is still incomplete. It is known that it is hard to tolerate suffering. If he sees no end to the suffering, he escapes the campaign. It follows that we must give him wholeness so he can hold on and not escape the war of the inclination. However, he must not be given a lie, meaning to deceive himself and say that he is whole, since it is written, “He who speaks falsehood shall not be established before Me.”

Therefore, when we say to a person, “You see that everyone is incarcerated,” as in the above allegory, “and forget that they even have parents and friends,” who are people who engage in Torah and Mitzvot and who are friends with their souls. They forget everything and think that all that there is in the world are incarcerated people and a warden who controls them, meaning that they are under the judgment of the evil inclination, and they consider one who goes against their view as insane, meaning that they leave the corporeal life of enjoying the prison and seeks something above reason, meaning to believe that there is greater pleasure than the joys of corporeal life.

But he calculates to himself that he is very privileged that he has been favored by the Creator and that He has delivered him even momentarily from the corporeal life to breathe some air of Kedusha. He should be so happy when he considers them and himself. Certainly, this wholeness is considered true wholeness because in corporeality we [see] that a temporary leave, from the above allegory of the prison, gives so much joy to a person when he sees that he has been favored by the warden and all the prisoners have not been privileged with it.

Besides this wholeness being true, a person must make great efforts to appreciate it, since this work lifts the importance of the work by appreciating a small service in spirituality. By this we are later rewarded with enhancing the importance to a point where one can say that he has no way to appreciate the importance of serving the King. This is called Ibur.

Ibur means that the awakening comes from the upper one. But during the preparation, which is before one is rewarded admission into the King’s palace, where Ibur is when he is rewarded with NRNHY de Nefesh, there are many ups and down. However, it all enters the Ibur since everything comes from the awakening of the upper one.

From the perspective of the preparation, Yenika means that he awakens by himself and wants to suckle something from Kedusha through authors and books, so he can revive the spirit with spiritual life. For this reason, when he engages in Torah and Mitzvot he craves to elicit from them the light of Torah that reforms him, as our sages said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.”

However, in order to elicit the light of Torah we must have faith, as it is written in the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar.” The reason is that he believes in the Creator and in His Torah and wants to adhere to Him, but sees that he cannot due to the evil in him, which is the will to receive, and this form causes him to be removed from the Creator. For this reason, his faith is also inconsistent, as it is written in the Sulam [commentary on The Zohar], that faith cannot be in a person permanently because as long as one does not have fear—which is regarded as constantly fearing that he might not be able to aim to bestow but will crave to receive in order to receive, which is disparity of form—the light of faith cannot be in him permanently.

It therefore follows that there cannot be permanent faith if he has no Dvekut [adhesion], called “equivalence of form.” But how does one take this force so he can overcome his nature, which is only in oppositeness of form? It was said about this, “One should always engage in Torah and Mitzvot, even Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], and from Lo Lishma he comes to Lishma [for Her sake] because the light in it reforms him” (Pesachim, 50). It follows that the light in the Torah is what reforms him, but this was said specifically when he wants the light in the Torah in order to reform him, meaning to aim all his actions to bestow upon his Maker.

Then, by reforming him, which means that he has Dvekut, then he will be rewarded with permanent faith. But a person who is not concerned with having only partial faith, and learns Torah only where he can derive pleasure that will enter the vessels of reception, and is not concerned with vessels of bestowal, he has no need for the light of Torah to give him the remedy of reforming him. That is, to give him the strength to correct his works so they are only to bestow contentment upon his Maker, which is called Dvekut, and by which he will be rewarded with permanent faith.

This is not so if he does not need permanent faith and does not need Dvekut, and he expects the light because the light in the Torah comes from the upper one and there is delight and pleasure in this light. It follows that he craves the light not in order to help him turn his vessels of reception into vessels of bestowal. Rather, he wants the light to do the opposite of what it is meant to do.

The purpose of the light is to reform him. “Good” is as it is written, “My heart overflows with a good thing; I say, ‘My work is for the King’” (Psalms, 45). That is, “good” means that which awards man with vessels of bestowal. But he wants the light in order to enjoy it, meaning that this light will increase his vessels of reception. This is the exact opposite of what the light should give. He wants to receive from it, and therefore the light will not come to him.

In the “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot” (item 15), he writes that one should not expect the engagement in Torah and Mitzvot Lo Lishma to bring him to Lishma, unless he knows in his heart that he has been rewarded with faith in the Creator and His Torah properly, for then the light in it reforms him and he will be rewarded with the day of the Lord, which is all light, since the Kedusha of faith purifies man’s eyes so they enjoy His light until the light in the Torah reforms him. Likewise, the eyes of the faithless are blinded toward the light of the Creator.

We should interpret what he says, that the light of faith appears to those who have faith. According to what we explained, those who have been rewarded with permanent faith already have abundance. However, it is as Baal HaSulam said about what is written, “Will bring wisdom to the wise.” People ask, “It should have said, ‘Will bring wisdom to the fools.’” And he said that since there is no light without a Kli [vessel], wisdom cannot be given to the fools, since they have no need. Accordingly, what does “Will give wisdom to the wise” mean? It is for one who has a desire to be wise, who has a Kli. He can receive the filling, since there is no filling without a lack.

We should therefore interpret in this way regarding matters of faith, as well. That is, one who has a need for faith because he sees that he has only partial faith, as said above (In the “Introduction,” item 14)—and craves to have complete faith—is called “faithful.” It means that he has a desire and need for the light of faith. Those people who seek faith, to them the light of Torah appears. This is why it is written that the Kedusha of faith purifies man’s eyes so they enjoy His light until the light in the Torah reforms him.

It therefore follows that Ibur means the awakening from above that a person receives. As the corporeal Ibur depends on the parents, here, too, it is upon the calling that comes from above, when one is called upon to repent, and he begins to think other thoughts. Then, all the desires he had prior to the herald he had received from above are burned and do not merit a name.

Conversely, Yenika means that he begins to search by himself which Yenika [nursing] he will receive from books or authors. He wants to suckle the light of Torah from them in order to have the ability to cling to the Creator and be rewarded with complete faith.

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

Inapoi la pagina 1986 (ŞLAVEY HASULAM (TREPTELE SCĂRII) – link

The Klipa [Shell/Peel] that Precedes the Fruit

Article No. 30, Tav-Shin-Mem-Vav, 1985-86

In the portion, Balak, The Zohar writes (item 15), “If you say that so the Creator wished—to give the birthright to Israel, and this is improper, come and see: Esau was a Klipa [shell/peel] and Sitra Achra. It is known that the Klipa precedes the marrow, hence he came out first. Once the Klipa has emerged and was removed, the marrow was found. The first foreskin, which is Esau, is outside. Hence, he came out first. The covenant, which is the most precious, meaning Jacob, appeared next. Therefore, Esau’s early emergence does not regard is birthright, for he is Klipa and foreskin, completely worthless compared to the marrow and the covenant. He only came first for the reason that the Klipa precedes the fruit.”

We should understand why he needs to answer. After all, our sages have already answered this question (introduced by RASHI in the beginning of the portion, Beresheet [in the beginning]): “Rabbi Yitzhak said, ‘The Torah should have begun from, ‘This month is to you…’ which is the first Mitzva [commandment] that Israel were commanded. What is the reason that it begins with Beresheet? It is because ‘He has made known to His people the power of His works, to give them the inheritance of nations,’ so that should the nations of the world say to Israel, ‘You are robbers, for you have conquered the lands of seven nations,’ they will tell them, ‘The whole earth is the Creator’s. He has created it and given it to whom He chooses. At His will he gave it to them, and at His will He took it from them and has given it to us.’’”

The same applies with the birthright. First He gave it to Esau, then He took it from Esau and gave it to Jacob. We cannot say that birthright is not the same as lands because a land can be sold and given, while birthright is about facts, meaning the one who was born first is called “firstborn,” and it cannot be changed. And yet, we see that birthright can also be sold, so we can say that it can be taken from one and given to another. Otherwise, how could Jacob buy his birthright from Esau, as it is written, “and he sold his birthright to Jacob”?

From this we see that birthright is similar to a land, which can be given. Thus, what does this answer that he gives here imply to us, that since a Klipa precedes the fruit, being born first does not count as having the birthright.

To understand the matter we must first know what is a Klipa, what is marrow, and what is the foreskin, for he calls Esau by the name “foreskin.” First we must state what is the purpose of creation, and afterwards we will be able to explain what is primary and what is not secondary, so as to know the matter of fruit and Klipa, which must precede the fruit. What is that necessity, which implies that it cannot be otherwise?

It is known that the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations. For this reason, He has created a creature, so that this creature can receive the delight and pleasure that He wants to give them. That creature is called “will to receive in order to receive.” It follows that we can only speak of something that has a desire to receive, or else it is not regarded as a creature of which we can speak, for a creature is called Kli [vessel], and there is no light without a Kli. This means that we can speak of light only when it is clothed in a Kli.

However, there isn’t this Kli, called “desire to receive delight and pleasure,” “reception,” once the correction called “equivalence of form” has been made, so as not to have the bread of shame. It is known that there is shame when one must receive something, as our sages said, “Chrome gorges for the sons of men.” When a person is compelled to receive from people, his face changes and become as chrome. This is why there was the correction called “Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment,” to receive pleasure only with the intention to bestow.

It therefore follows that we should discern two things: 1) This most important is the Kli, called “desire to receive the delight and pleasure.” Without this desire there is nothing to speak of. However, the SitraAchra and the Klipot [pl. of Klipa] extend from this discernment. The order of the cascading of the worlds comes to us as root, meaning that from this point extends open expansion with all the evil. It is as the ARI said, that the Tzimtzum is the root of judgment, meaning that by this there was a Tzimtzum not to receive in order to receive, but only in order to bestow. The order was as explained in The Study of the Ten Sefirot (Part 1), that initially, the Tzimtzum was voluntary, meaning that there still wasn’t the prohibition on receiving. But afterwards there was a prohibition on receiving, but there was still no one who wanted to receive in order to receive. That is, there was still no one who wanted to breach the prohibition of the Tzimtzum. However, through Tzimtzum Bet [second restriction], a new thing was born—someone who wanted to receive in order to receive, though there were still no Klipot.

The Klipot were born after the breaking of the vessels that occurred in the world in the world of Nekudim, but there was still no structure of them. Rather, at that time the Klipot were called “Vavand a dot,” and there was still no structure of worlds in them. Only after the sin of Adam HaRishonwith the tree of knowledge, when the Levushim [dress/ clothing] fell into the Klipot, the Klipot received the structure of four worlds like the Kedusha [holiness/sanctity], and they are called “the four worlds ABYA de [of] Tuma’a [impurity].” This is the matter presented in the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar” (item 29): “Know that our work during the seventy years of our days is divided in four:

The First Division is to obtain the excessive will to receive without restraints, in its full, corrupted measure from under the hands of the four impure worlds ABYA. If we do not have that corrupted will to receive, we will not be able to correct it. Thus, the will to receive imprinted in the body at birth is insufficient. Rather, it must also be a vehicle for the impure Klipot for no less than thirteen years. This means that the Klipot must dominate it and give it of their lights, for their lights increase its will to receive, for the fulfillments with which the Klipot provide the will to receive only expand and enhance the demands of the will to receive. If one does not overcome it through Torah and Mitzvot, and purifies the will to receive to turn it into bestowal, one’s will to receive expands throughout one’s life.

The Second Division is from thirteen years onward. At that point, the point in the heart, which is the posterior of the Nefesh of Kedusha [holiness], is given strength. Although it is dressed in his will to receive at birth, it only begins to awaken after thirteen years, and then one begins to enter the system of the worlds of Kedusha, to the extent that one engages in Torah and Mitzvot. The primary aim of that time is to obtain and intensify the spiritual will to receive. Hence, this degree, which comes past the thirteen years, is deemed holiness. This is considered the holy maid who serves her mistress, which is the Holy Shechina [Divinity], since the maid brings one to Lishma [for Her sake] and he is rewarded with the instilling of the Shechina. And the final degree in this division is that he will fall passionately in love with the Creator, as the poet says, ‘When I remember Him, He does not let me sleep.’”

Now we can understand what is Kedusha and what is Klipa. Kedusha comes from the words Kodesh le Hashem [dedicated to the Creator]. It means that it does not belong to us, meaning that it does not belong to our domain, but that we dedicate it to the Creator. That is, he takes it out from the domain of laypeople and admits it into the domain of Kedusha. However, it cannot be said that he admits it into the domain of Kedusha if it was not previously in his domain, and then it can be said that he has taken it out from his own domain and admitted it into the domain of Kedusha.

Therefore, a person must first be in the domain of the Klipa until the age of thirteen years, as it is written in the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar,” at which time he feels that he has his own authority because the Klipa, called “will to receive in order to receive,” is called “disparity of form,” which separates him from the Creator. This matter of vessels of reception that one acquires while being under the domain of the Klipa until the age of thirteen years lets him feel that he is the landlord, meaning that he can do whatever he wants because he does not feel any other authority but his own.

For this reason, when he is told, after thirteen years, that now is the time when you must annul your authority, that there is only the authority of the Creator, he begins to think and contemplate, “Why do I need to annul my authority and say that only the Creator is the landlord and I am His servant, and I have no possession, but as our sages said, “He who buys a servant buys his master.” That is, I need to serve the Creator so as to bring Him contentment.

At that time, man’s body, called “will to receive,” makes a strong argument: “First I must believe that there is a connection between the Creator and the creatures, and then I must see that it is worthwhile to believe that the Creator is the owner. But for this I must annul my authority and see only that there is contentment to the Creator. What is my gain in this?” However, he understands—once he believes that there is a connection between the Creator and the creatures—meaning that all He wants is to do good to His creations, and all that he needs to see in this state is how the Creator serves him. That is, the Creator is the servant and man is the owner. He is the owner and the Creator must serve man, for man is the master and the Creator is the slave.

However, when a person is told that he must know that the truth is that the Creator is the landlord and we, creatures, have no say in the world, and whether we accept His kingship over us or we are secular who do not want to assume His kingship, nothing helps us. He does what He wants, and the creatures must obey His orders against their will, as our sages said (Avot, Chapter 3), “Man’s debt is collected whether knowingly or unknowingly.”

It follows that even if one does not agree to what he is being told, the fact that he does not want to believe does not change reality—that the Creator is the landlord and does what He wants. However, a person cannot see the truth, and this is why we do not want to believe.

But when a person does not believe it he cannot take upon himself to be a servant of the Creator, meaning believe that the Creator is the master and we are His servants. Rather, this applies specifically to those with faith.

However, this is not real faith. There is a type of people who believe that the Lord is the Creator and that He has created the world with a purpose called “to do good to His creations.” They also believe that the Creator has commanded us through Moses to observe the Torah and Mitzvot, which He has given us. But we can believe all this for profit, meaning that He will pay us for exerting in the work of keeping Torah and Mitzvot. Also, they have what to rely on, as our sages said (Avot, Chapter 2, 16), “If you learned much Torah, you are given a great reward. You can trust your landlord to pay for your work, and know that the reward of the righteous is in the future [implying end of correction].”

We therefore see that there is the matter of believing in the Creator and in His law, and keeping every single Mitzva, slight or serious. However, it is all measured by profitability, which is in order to receive reward, called LoLishma [not for Her sake].” However, we must remember what our sages said, “From Lo Lishma one comes to Lishma.” Thus, this is already regarded as a degree of Kedusha. But when one is told, after thirteen years, that now is the time when you must annul your authority and say that there is no other authority in the world, and you are only as a slave serving the master not in order to receive reward, the body resists it. At that time begins the main work, since it is against nature.

Therefore, a person must believe above reason and tell his body: “You must know that you cannot work in bestowing contentment upon the Creator without any reward, since you were born with a nature of will to receive, and that nature is necessary, for only this is the whole creation, as it is known that only the will to receive, called “craving and desire to receive pleasure” is called “existence from absence.”

It therefore follows that we are called “creatures” precisely pertaining to the will to receive, which we can call “creation.” That desire is found in all the degrees and worlds of Kedusha. However, in Kedusha, that will to receive is corrected with a correction of intention to bestow. It follows that the basis is the will to receive, and the difference between Kedusha and Tuma’a and between life and death is only in the intention.

This means that if the reception is in order to bestow, it is called Kedusha, since it is equivalence of form. Equivalence of form is called Dvekut, as our sages said about the verse, “And to cleave unto Him.” They interpreted, “cleave unto His attributes: as He is merciful, so you are merciful,” and for this reason he is adhered to the life of lives. It follows that life extends to him from above.

But if he cannot place the intention to bestow on the act, then he is in disparity of form from the Creator, since He is the giver, and the creatures want to receive. For this reason, they are separated from the life of lives, and naturally have only death. This is called Klipa, although it comes in the basis of creation. Otherwise, if there is no will to receive there, there is no one to speak of. And yet, if there is no correction of bestowal over it, it is called Klipa, Sitra Achra, “the angel of death,” etc.

According to the order of correction, we see that first there must be a desire and craving to receive the pleasures, and then we say that we must know that we must not receive with the intention of self-love. And although there is a great desire to receive the pleasure, we must still overcome the lust and work with ourselves in such a way that we want to receive the pleasure provided we can aim that the reception we will be receiving now is only because the Creator wants me to receive the pleasure, and this is why I am receiving, since I want to please the Creator.

He has already cancelled his own authority, meaning he does not want to receive anything inside the Kli called “self-love.” But since the Creator wants him to receive, he says, “Now I want to receive delight and pleasure because the Creator wants it, and I want to satisfy the Creator’s will.” Therefore, now he receives the delight and pleasure.

But in order for man to achieve this degree, regarded as “His only desire is to bestow contentment upon the Creator,” here begins the real work, since there are two discernments to make in matters of work: 1) The act. It is difficult for us to relinquish pleasures, regardless of the kind of pleasure. Take, for example, the pleasure of rest. When a person must go to work in order to receive a salary, he goes to work in construction or in a factory, so it is certainly difficult to relinquish the pleasure of rest. But since he will suffer more if he has nothing to eat, he relinquishes rest and takes upon himself labor, since by this he will achieve a greater pleasure.

In what is it great? He gains two things here: not suffering from not having anything to eat, or the suffering of shame when he has nothing to wear. Also, he will have the pleasure of eating and the joy of having nice clothes. This is not so when he relinquishes the pleasure of rest but does not suffer at not having rest, although we can say that when he relinquishes rest he feels suffering of sleep, besides missing the pleasure of sleep. Also, when he works, we can say that in addition to relinquishing the pleasure of rest, he also has the suffering of movement. It is especially so when one is doing physical work—he suffers during the work, as well.

However, this suffering is no like the suffering that one feels when he is hungry, or when he must go be with people in a place of celebration, such as a briss [circumcision ceremony] or a wedding, and he has nothing to wear. This makes it easier for him to give up the rest and assume the trouble of labor, since we see what everyone does—giving up rest and going to work. Thus, the suffering from not having must be harder.

The same applies when a person is told, “Give up the rest and start working in Torah and Mitzvot.” He immediately asks, as in corporeality: “What will be my reward for giving up rest? I want to see the profit.” Maimonides says about this (end of Hilchot Teshuva): “Your reward will be in this world and in the next world, and you will be saved from affliction and from every misfortune.” At that time he can believe what he is told and keep Torah and Mitzvot in practice for the Creator. That is, by keeping Torah and Mitzvot, he is aiming to what the Creator has commanded us through Moses, and return we will receive reward for our labor and toil of relinquishing many pleasures that the Torah has forbidden us. In return, we are receive reward, just as those who work in a factory or in construction, because we are paid.

The same thing applies in spirituality. That is, we work for the landlord. It is not that he is the owner of some factory. Rather, we believe that he is the owner of the entire world, and we work for Him. We are told, “Give up the job you have for a small company that pays you very little, and work for the big boss, the owner of the world.”

However, this brings up the question: Why is everyone not working for the owner of the world?” The answer is simple: they do not see the instantaneous reward. Rather, they must believe in the reward. They must believe that in the end they will be paid, and this is why not many people want it. Because normally, people work for a guaranteed reward and not for a questionable one, there is a big difference between corporeality and spirituality. However, we must know that the only difference is in that here in spirituality, the reward is not instantaneous, but we must believe. This is the only difference.

However, we see that people come and want to keep Torah and Mitzvot, although the whole time until they came they were among secular people, and they come and say that they want to repent. When they are asked about the reason that they want to change the way that they were used to, they say that they no longer find meaning in life, meaning in self-love. Because he (a person) does not have anything to receive and put into them (in his desires of self-love), since he has nothing to give them (to the desires of self-love), therefore he wants to keep Torah and Mitzvot.

He has heard that one can receive pleasure form Torah and Mitzvot, so he will have something with which to delight his will to receive. That is, he constantly see that he should nourish the will to receive with corporeal pleasures; he has no need to change his way. But if he hears that there is a matter of faith, and that there is a master who leads the world, who did not create the world for no reason, but rather for some purpose, and the goal is called “to do good to His creations,” when he hears this, if he if dissatisfied with corporeal pleasures since he cannot find the meaning of life in them, for which it is worthwhile to live and suffer in the world, since each one is suffering according to his degree, so when he hears that there is a place where there is something that illuminates something in life, then he can come out of the corporeal pleasures, although we said above that in corporeal pleasures he does not need to believe. But in spirituality, he is in doubt, and must believe that in the end, the glory will come, meaning that in the end he will receive reward. But since he is dissatisfied with corporeal pleasures he can shift to the side of Kedusha and observe Torah and Mitzvot.

However, when one is immersed in corporeal lusts and finds satisfaction in them, even if temporary and then he sees that he has no satisfaction, he is already as an infant captured by the idol-worshippers, powerless to emerge from their control.

However, even after such people take upon themselves the burden of Torah and Mitzvot, sometimes corporeal lusts awaken in them, and then the work is difficult for them. However, we must know that the fact that corporal lusts have awakened in them, meaning that they are beginning to feel flavors in them that they did not taste before, and also all those people who grew up with religious upbringing, who have been keeping Torah and Mitzvot since childhood, when they begin to work the work of bestowal there awakens in them greater taste for corporeality than when they first began to engage in work of bestowal. It is as our sages said (Sanhedrin, p 75b), “Rabbi Yitzhak said, ‘Since the day when the Temple was ruined, the taste of intercourse was taken away, and given to transgressors.’”

We should interpret “Since the day when the Temple was ruined” to mean when the Kedusha in man’s heart was ruined. “The taste of intercourse was taken away”: The term, “intercourse,” incorporates all the pleasures. “And was given to transgressors”: This is perplexing. Why do transgressors deserve to feel pleasure in corporeal things more than those who are not transgressors? It is as if they deserve the reward of feeling more pleasure than others for committing transgressions.

To understand this we need to see what is customary in the world. If a person can hire a person for a low salary, he will not pay him more. Indeed, every person strives to have workers who will work for them and do everything he asks while paying him less. It is irrelevant to say that he will pay him more than the worker asks for. It follows that when speaking of the work of the Creator, when the evil inclination comes to a person and tells him, “Work on the Mitzvot of the Torah,” the person tells it, “What will you give me?” Then the evil inclination tells him: “In return for obeying me I will give you, say two hundred grams of pleasure.” So he tells it, “For two hundred grams of pleasure I do not work to breach the Creator’s commandments.” Then the evil inclination must add another hundred gram until a person can no longer pass up such a delight and must obey the evil inclination.

It follows that to the extent that a person appreciates the sin, to that extent it is difficult for one to transgress the Mitzva. And since it is difficult to breach the Creator’s commandments, and there is a rule that for hard work you must pay well, hence, to the extent that it is difficult for him to commit the transgression, to that extent the evil inclination must give a great reward, meaning a great pleasure in return for the transgression. But when it is not so difficult to breach the Creator’s commandment, the evil inclination does not need to give him such a great reward.

It therefore follows that secular people, who do not keep Torah and Mitzvot at all, do not feel that they are committing any transgression, as our sages said (Yoma, 86b), “If a person commits a transgression and repeats it, it becomes to him as permitted.” Thus, the evil inclination does not need to give them a taste for transgression, since it is not difficult for them to transgress so as to need payment in return for breaching the Mitzvot. This is why they do not feel a great flavor in the transgression, since he always finds workers who want to work for him, so he does not need to pay them with great pleasures.

This is not so with people who do not wish to commit transgressions, who feel during the act that they are going to commit a transgression and it is difficult for them to do it. Because of it, the evil inclination must let them feel a great flavor in the transgression, or they will not listen to it and keep its orders. Hence, it must pay them with great pleasures.

By this we can interpret the words, “Since the ruin of the Temple.” That is, when there is no work of Kedusha in man’s heart, “the taste has been taken away,” meaning the general taste of pleasures, called “intercourse,” “and was given to transgressors,” meaning that as long as one feels that he is committing a transgression, he feels the flavor. But “If a person commits a transgression and repeats it, it becomes to him as permitted,” and the evil inclination no longer gives him pleasure, since he is working without any reward because he feels no heaviness in committing the transgressions.

Therefore, the orthodox have a big mistake in thinking that the secular enjoy corporeal pleasures. Because they are serving the evil inclination without any reward, since their whole vitality is their objection to religion and they do not have the pleasures that the religious think because the evil inclination does not reward for nothing.

Therefore, do not be surprised if a person sees that when he has begun the work of bestowal he has received more pleasure for corporeal lusts. It is not because he has suffered a descent. On the contrary, because now he does not want to receive in order to receive, but wants only to bestow, when the evil inclination comes to distract him from the work of bestowal it gives him a greater taste for corporeal pleasures so he will listen to it and will not be able to overcome its will to receive.

But before he has begun the work of bestowal, when he engaged in corporeal lusts, he did not have such a great desire for corporeal lusts, since he was engaged in corporeal lusts without much pleasure. But now that he has begun the work of bestowal, if he does not feel a great taste, the evil inclination will not be able to do anything because he will not listen to it. It follows that to the extent that one moves away from self-love he begins to feel greater taste (in corporeal lusts), since otherwise he will not obey it (the evil inclination) at all.

It therefore follows that one need not be alarmed if in the middle of the work he receives a passion for corporeal lusts, even if previously he did not have such lusts. But now, because he needs to constantly correct the vessels of reception, it means that the greater the pleasure, the greater is his desire. When he corrects the desire, meaning overcomes it, he scrutinizes a desire called Kli, each time, by taking it out of the Klipot and admitting it into Kedusha. For this reason, each time he is given a greater lust.

However, each time he should pray to be given strength form above to overcome this Kli, called “desire.” This is called “correction of the Kelim at the root of his soul.” These Kelim that he must correct, (their correction) begins from the Kelim, meaning from a desire to receive corporeality, and finally comes to correcting the Kelim, meaning the desires for reception of spiritual things. And he must ask the Creator to give him the force of the Masach [screen] over all of them, meaning the assistance from above, as our sages said, “He who comes to purify is aided.”

Now we shall come to clarify what we asked, 1) about what the holy Zohar explains, that he gave the birthright to Jacob although Esau was born first. It explains that Esau is a Klipa, and this is why he came out first and Jacob came out next. It is so because the order is that the Klipa precedes the fruit. We asked, “But there is a simple answer, as RASHI presents in the beginning of the portion, Beresheet [In the beginning], as it is written, “‘He has made known to His people the power of His works,’ so that should the nations say, ‘You are robbers,’ they will tell them, ‘The whole earth is the Creator’s. He has created it and given it to whom He chooses. At His will he gave it to them, and at His will He took it from them and have given it to us.’” Thus, he adds another reason here.

2) Why must the Klipa precede the fruit? With the above said, it is simple: since the Creator created the world and Creation is only a Kli. It is known that the light is not considered Creation, but rather “existence from existence.” Therefore, it cannot be said that He first had to create a correction for Creation, before He has anything to correct. That is, first He created the Kli, called “will to receive,” and then a correction called “Tzimtzum [restriction] and concealment” emerged on that Kli. Afterwards the nations of the world extended to the world, which is the will to receive in order to receive, namely a Kli without correction. A Kli without correction is called Klipa.

Therefore, it cannot be any other way because it is impossible to correct something that has not been born in the world. It follows that by saying “He created it” it means that He has created the world according to the applied order, meaning that first emerges a deficiency, and then it is possible to correct the deficiency. For this reason, according to the rule of root and branch, the a receiver in order to receive must emerge first, which is the opposite of the Creator, meaning disparity of form, called “nations of the world,” as it is written in the holy Zohar, “Among the nations of the world, all the good that they do, they do it for themselves.” This is called a “Klipa that precedes the fruit,” meaning that the Klipa is considered that which is unfit for eating because the abundance enters the vessels of reception after the correction of the Tzimtzum.

But afterwards comes the correction called “in order to bestow, which is regarded as Jacob. This is called a “fruit” because now there is a correction on the will to receive, to bestow contentment upon the Creator. Now it is possible to eat fruits since there is equivalence of form here between the light and the Kli, and then the Kli is rewarded with fruits. But concerning the Sitra Achra, the holy Zoharsays, “Another God is sterile and does not bear fruit.” This is why it says that Jacob is called a “covenant,” where making a covenant means that there is equivalence between them. It is as it is written, “For it is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; it is a sign forever.”

It follows that that answer which Rabbi Yitzhak gave, because it is “the power of His works,” is the same answer that He has created it according to the order that the Klipa precedes the fruit. The branch and root come out, where the Klipa must come first, which is receiving in order to receive, and then emerges the correction, which is Israel or Jacob. It follows that when it says, “He took it from them and has given it to us,” it means to correct, since such is the order.

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