20- Concerning the Will to Receive
We should understand concerning the matter that it is explained that the purpose of creation is for man to come to a state where he receives in order to bestow, and that this pleasure is permitted, while pleasure for oneself is forbidden. We should understand this, since in the end he enjoys this, for otherwise there is no way he can bestow, for it is impossible for man to be able to do anything at all if he derives no pleasure from the act.
For example, if a murderer comes to a person and asks him to give him his money, and he grants his request and gives him what he asked for, we must say that the person had pleasure in giving him his money, for otherwise, he would not give him anything. After all, what difference does it make if a person gives his money in return for a house or for garments, since he enjoys this because through the money he obtains things that are more important to him than money, for when a person needs a house, the house is more important to him than money; otherwise, he would not give the money.
It is likewise here with the murderer. Receiving his life in return for the money is more important to him now, meaning he exchanges a small pleasure for a greater one. It follows that there is not a single action in the world that a person does unless he receives pleasure.
Hence, when one bestows upon the Creator, he certainly enjoys this. Otherwise, he would not bestow. Thus, what is the difference if a person receives pleasure from reception or from bestowal?
The thing is that the prohibition that there is in reception is for the known reason, which is the bread of shame. On this comes the correction that he will receive in order to bestow. At that time, if his pleasure is in bestowing, he no longer has shame.
When a person gives his friend a gift, we must say that the giver enjoys it. But if the pleasure comes by bestowal, then there is no shame because the rich is not ashamed when he gives to the poor although he enjoys it.
What is the difference in the division of the soul of Adam HaRishon into 600,000 souls? In Panim Masbirot, he brings an allegory about this, that it is like a king who wanted to transfer a great treasure but was afraid that if he gave it to one person he would steal. What did he do? He divided it into pennies and gave it to many people by whom he transferred the treasure to a different place.
We should understand the difference between a person having a great desire that he cannot overcome, or a small desire that he cannot overcome. We should say that in the end, we see that a person can overcome a small passion, but it is hard for him with a great one. When we say that he is always fifty-fifty, it is precisely after the soul was divided into parts, and for this reason the tree of knowledge was forbidden for him, since there is more than half there and he would have no room for choice. Hence, now each one has a part of the desire, so there is room for choice.
The will to receive is the essence of man. It is considered an innovation “existence from absence.” But the rest of the things, meaning all the fillings, extend “existence from existence,” called “creation,” meaning existence from existence. However, all the kinds of fillings in the world extend existence from existence, meaning that they are included in the Creator. Conversely, the negative things, the lacks and the sufferings, are something new.