Article No. 12, 1988<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our sages said (Avot<\/em>, Chapter 2, 2), \u201cRaban Gamliel, son of Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, says, \u2018It is good to learn Torah with work, for exertion in both, mitigates iniquities, and any Torah with which there is no work is ultimately canceled and induces iniquity.\u2019\u201d This verse is very perplexing to understand literally. Can it be that one who learns Torah without working alongside, the Torah stops being Torah? Moreover, Torah with which there is no labor induces iniquity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The previous verse is also difficult to understand. Why is it that specifically exertion in both mitigates iniquity? After all, our sages said (Kidushin<\/em> 30), \u201cI have created the evil inclination, I have created for it the Torah as a spice.\u201d They did not say that in order to revoke the evil inclination, the Torah also requires labor in order to revoke the evil inclination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should interpret this in the work. It is known that the evil and iniquity is primarily the nature in which man was created, whose origin is the dust, as it is written after the sin of the Tree of Knowledge (Genesis 3:19), \u201cFor you are dust, and to dust you shall return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dust is Malchut<\/em> (as it is written in The Study of the Ten Sefirot<\/em>, Part 16, Item 43, Ohr Pnimi<\/em>); it is the will to receive for one\u2019s own sake. On this desire was a Tzimtzum<\/em> [restriction] and concealment, which means that this place became a space vacant from light. That Tzimtzum<\/em> was in order not to have the bread of shame. Rather, to the extent of equivalence of form, the concealment is removed and upper light comes instead of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, Maimonides says that when beginning to teach women and children and uneducated people, they are accustomed to learn Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em> [not for Her sake]. When they gain knowledge and acquire much wisdom, they are taught that secret, meaning Lishma<\/em> [for Her sake]. This is so because Lishma<\/em> contradicts our nature, as we were born with a desire to receive for ourselves. For this reason, the only way to begin with Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> [commandments] is in Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em>. However, through Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em> we come to Lishma<\/em>, as it is written, \u201cBy engaging in it, the light in it reforms them\u201d (Midrash Rabbah<\/em>, Pticha de Eicha<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It therefore follows that the whole work that we must do is to invert our will to receive so as to aim to bestow. But this work is very difficult, and it is also called \u201cwork.\u201d That is, normally, the smaller one annuls before the greater one, and there is great pleasure in the smaller one serving the greater one. Accordingly, each one should have had a desire to serve the Creator in order to bring contentment to the Creator. Yet, this work is hard to keep, as well, and this is called \u201cIt is good to learn Torah with work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is so because of the Tzimtzum<\/em> and the concealment that was on the will to receive. For this reason, the light does not shine in this place, but there are rather darkness and concealment here in the vessels of reception for oneself. Hence, it is upon the person to take upon himself everything in faith above reason. Yet, this, too, is difficult because our will to receive is not used to doing things against reason. In order to be able to emerge from the control of the will to receive for himself, our sages said, \u201cThe Creator said, \u2018I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice,\u2019\u201d meaning that \u201cthe light in it reforms him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concerning \u201cthe light in it reforms him,\u201d it is written in the book A Sage\u2019s Fruit<\/em> (Vol. 2, p 159): \u201cThe majority of the words of the Torah are for study. This reconciles why the Torah speaks at length on parts that do not concern the practical part but only the study, meaning preceding the act of Creation,\u201d etc., \u201cand, needless to say, legends and commentaries. Yet, since they are where the light is stored, his body will be cleansed, the evil inclination subdued, and he will come to faith in the Torah and in reward and punishment. \u2026Clearly, when one ponders and contemplates words of Torah that pertain to the revelation of the Creator to our fathers, they bring the examiner more light than when examining practical matters. Although they are more important with respect to the actions, with respect to the light, the revelation of the Creator to our fathers is more important. \u2026Since the whole of the wisdom of Kabbalah speaks of the revelation of the Creator, naturally, there is no better teaching for its task. This is what the Kabbalists aimed for\u2014to arrange it so it is suitable to engage in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It follows that we engage in the Torah in order to subdue the evil inclination, meaning to achieve Dvekut<\/em> [adhesion] with the Creator, so that all our actions will be only in order to bestow. That is, by ourselves, we will never be able to go against nature, since the mind and heart that we must acquire require assistance, and the assistance is through the Torah. It is as our sages said, \u201cI have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice. By engaging in it, the light in it reforms them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, this was said\u2014that it is beneficial to elicit the light from the Torah\u2014if he aims while engaging in the Torah, to learn in order to receive the reward of the Torah, called \u201clight.\u201d At that time, studying Torah is good for him. But when he is distracted from the purpose of studying Torah, the Torah does not help complete the work of making the vessels of bestowal and not using the vessels of reception for one\u2019s own sake. Otherwise, his Torah vanishes from him. That is, the force of Torah that should have subdued the evil inclination is canceled. This is the meaning of the words, \u201cAny Torah with which there is no work,\u201d meaning when he does not aim for the Torah to do the work of turning the vessels of reception to work in order to bestow, \u201cis finally canceled,\u201d meaning that that force is canceled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, we should understand why the Torah induces iniquity. Is it not enough that the Torah is cancelled, but it also induces iniquity? Can this be? The question is presented in the \u201cIntroduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot\u201d (Item 39): \u201cWe need clarification so as to understand how and through what the Torah becomes a potion of death to him. Not only is he toiling in vain \u2026 but the Torah and the work itself become to him a potion of death.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There (in \u201cThe Study of the Ten Sefirot,\u201d Item 101), he says, \u201cIt is written that the Creator hides Himself in the Torah. Regarding the torments and pains one experiences during the concealment of the face, one who possesses few transgressions and has done little Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> is not as one who has extensively engaged in Torah and good deeds. This is because the first is quite qualified to sentence his Maker to the side of merit. \u2026For the other, however, it is very difficult to sentence his Maker to the side of merit because in his view, he does not deserve such harsh punishments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, we can understand why he says, \u201cAny Torah with which there is no work is finally cancelled and induces iniquity.\u201d It is so because on one hand, he sees that he engages in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em>, so why does the Creator not treat him as he thinks he deserves? Therefore, there are two things here: 1) It is finally cancelled. 2) It causes iniquity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, prior to the study, a person should examine with which purpose does he want to observe the Mitzva<\/em> [commandment] of learning Torah? That is, does he engage in Torah because of the Torah itself, in order to know how to observe the rules of doing the Mitzvot<\/em>, or is the learning of Torah itself his whole intention, and knowing the rules of doing the Mitzvot<\/em> is a completely different matter for him? meaning he is learning Torah for two reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, even while learning Torah for the sake of learning Torah, he should still distinguish with which intention he is learning. Is it to observe the commandments of the Creator, as it is written, \u201cAnd you shall reflect on Him day and night,\u201d or is he learning in order to receive the light of Torah because he needs the light of Torah in order to cancel the evil within him, as our sages said, \u201cI have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice\u201d? It turns out that he is learning in order to obtain the spice, as our sages said, \u201cThe light in it reforms him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Certainly, prior to learning Torah, a person should examine the reason for which he is learning Torah, for any act needs to have some purpose that causes him to do the act. It is as our sages said, \u201cA prayer without an aim is as a body without a soul.\u201d For this reason, before he comes to learn Torah he must prepare the intention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is what he says there, in the \u201cIntroduction to the Study of Ten Sefirot\u201d (Item 17): \u201cHence, prior to the study, the student must pledge to strengthen himself in faith in the Creator and in His guidance in reward and punishment \u2026 In this way, he will be rewarded with benefitting from the light in it, that his faith, too, will strengthen and grow through the remedy in this light. Thus, even one who knows about himself that he has not been rewarded with faith, still has hope through the practice of Torah. For if one sets one\u2019s heart and mind to attain faith in the Creator through it, there is no greater Mitzva<\/em> than that. \u2026Moreover, there is no other counsel but this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It therefore follows that a person must make a great effort before he comes to learn so that his learning will bear fruit and good results, meaning so the learning will bring him the light of Torah, by which it will be possible to reform him. Then, through the Torah, he becomes a wise disciple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is a \u201cwise disciple\u201d? Baal HaSulam said that it is a student who learns from the wise. That is, the Creator is called \u201cwise,\u201d and a person who learns from Him is called a \u201cdisciple of the wise.\u201d What should one learn from the Creator? He said that a person should learn only one thing from the Creator. It is known that the Creator wishes only to bestow. Likewise, man should learn from Him to be a giver. This is called a \u201cwise disciple.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the above, we should interpret what our sages said (Nedarim<\/em> 81), \u201cWhy are no wise disciples emerging from among them? Rabina says, \u2018It is because they do not bless in the Torah first.\u2019\u201d We should understand these words in the work, meaning that it all applies to one body. Hence, we should interpret the question, \u201cWhy are no wise disciples emerging from among them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is known that \u201cfather\u201d and \u201cson\u201d are called \u201ccause\u201d and \u201cconsequence.\u201d That is, the first state causes the second state. Accordingly, when a person learns Torah, this is called a \u201cwise disciple.\u201d Also, we learned that \u201cthe light in it reforms him.\u201d What does \u201creforming\u201d mean? It is as our sages said, that the Creator said, \u201cI have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice, which cancels the evil inclination.\u201d When the evil is cancelled, and evil is the will to receive for himself, he becomes a wise disciple, according to the interpretation of Baal HaSulam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, the answer to the question, \u201cWhy are no wise disciples,\u201d which is the first state, \u201cemerging from among them?\u201d That is, the second state does not emerge from them, which is that he should become a disciple of the wise, to be rewarded with all his actions being only in order to bestow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But there is a rule, \u201cThe light in it reforms him,\u201d and we do not see that the wise disciple has the ability to elicit sons who are wise disciples. To this comes the answer that they did not bless in the Torah first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, this answer is also difficult to understand. We see that anyone who comes to study, first says the blessing of the Torah before the learning. Thus, how can they interpret that the reason they are not begetting sons who are wise disciples is that they did not bless in the Torah first?<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should interpret the words, \u201cthey did not bless in the Torah first.\u201d Since we see that one who is going to make a substantial purchase, where through the merchandise that he will buy he will make great profits, his friends bless him with luck in this activity. That is, that he will make a lot of money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is likewise here in the work. When a person comes to learn Torah, there should be a purpose before his eyes, namely the reason he is going to study. Clearly, it is in order to benefit from the study of Torah, for without a benefit it is impossible to work. Hence, he must know that the purpose, meaning the benefit he needs to acquire from the Torah is \u201cthe light in it,\u201d which \u201creforms him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the work, where we speak of one body, he should bless himself with success in his learning and with obtaining much light from the Torah that he is now going to learn. Otherwise, if he does not bless prior to learning Torah, he does not remember the goal he must elicit from the learning, which is called \u201csons.\u201d The sons are the result of the study, as was said, that the Torah is the reason, the father, and the light he elicits from the Torah is the son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, prior to learning, each and every one must contemplate the purpose of the study, meaning why he exerts in the Torah. Certainly, one should not exert without reward, and certainly, when a person learns Torah, he believes in \u201cYou can trust your landlord to pay for your work\u201d (Avot<\/em>, Chapter 2, 21). But to which reward is he aiming? He should pay attention to keep the reward always before him, meaning to have confidence and faith that the Creator will pay his reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reward he hopes to receive should give him energy to work. That is, the reward is the fuel on which his work is based. Clearly, the greater the reward, the more energy there is to work. But if the reward is not so important, that reward cannot give him the strength to work devotedly, meaning to make him see that the Torah is so important, as it is written, \u201cFor they are our lives and the length of our days.\u201d Certainly, if a person feels this way, that it is truly the Torah of life, each person, according to his feeling, would give his whole life to obtain life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, feeling the vitality in the Torah requires great preparation to prepare his body to be able to feel the life in the Torah. This is why our sages said we must begin in Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em>, and through the light of Torah he obtains while still in Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em>, it will bring him to Lishma<\/em>, since the light in it reforms him. Then, he will be able to learn Lishma<\/em>, meaning for the sake of the Torah, which is called \u201cTorah [law] of life,\u201d as he has already attained the life in the Torah, for the light in the Torah will have given such qualification to a person as to be able to feel the life that is in the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the \u201cIntroduction to the Study of Ten Sefirot\u201d (Item 38), he asks, \u201cWhy is complete engagement in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> regarded as Torah Lishma<\/em>? We should understand this title, Torah Lishma<\/em>, why the complete and desirable work is titled Lishma<\/em>. According to the literal meaning, one who engages in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> must aim his heart to bring contentment to his maker and not for his own sake. This should have been named and defined as Torah Lishmo<\/em> [for His sake] and Torah Lo<\/em> Lishmo<\/em> [not for His sake], meaning for the Creator. After all, the text proves that Torah Lishmo<\/em>, meaning to bring contentment to one\u2019s maker, is still not enough. Instead, we also need the engagement to be Lishma<\/em> [for Her sake], meaning for the sake of the Torah, for it is known that the name of the Torah is \u2018Torah [law] of life,\u2019 as was said, \u2018For they are life to those who find them\u2019 (Proverbs 4:22). As was said, \u2018It is not a vain thing for you, for it is your life\u2019 (Deuteronomy 32:47). Therefore, the meaning of Torah Lishma<\/em> is that engagement in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> brings him life and longevity, for at that time the Torah is as its name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the above, it implies that once a person has reached the degree of bestowing contentment upon his maker, as this is regarded as engaging in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> for His sake, then begins a second degree, when he engages in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> for Her sake, meaning for the sake of the Torah, as the name of the Torah is \u201cTorah of life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order for a person to achieve a degree of doing everything for the Creator, called Torah Lishmo<\/em> [for His sake], it requires the light of Torah, for this light reforms him. That is, he will be able to emerge from self-love and do everything for His sake. Only this light can help him, as our sages said, \u201cI have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.\u201d That is, once he has been rewarded with the light of Torah, he can be rewarded with the Torah itself, called \u201cTorah of life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, we should interpret what our sages said, \u201cShould one tell you, \u2018There is wisdom in the gentiles,\u2019 believe. \u2018There is Torah in the gentiles, do not believe\u2019\u201d (Eicha Rabbah<\/em> 2, 17). When a person learns Torah, he should discern two things in it: 1) the wisdom and the intellect in it, called the \u201cclothing of the Torah,\u201d 2) who is wearing the clothing of the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We must believe in the words of The Zohar<\/em> that the whole Torah is the names of the Creator, meaning that the Creator is clothed in the clothing of the Torah. Hence, we should discern two things in the Torah: 1) the clothing, 2) the one who wears it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is as it is written in the book A Sages Fruit<\/em> (Vol. 1, p 118): \u201cHowever, the Creator is the light of Ein Sof<\/em>, clothed in the light of Torah that is found in the above 620 Mitzvot<\/em>. \u2026This is the meaning of their words, \u2018The whole Torah is the names of the Creator.\u2019 It means that the Creator is the whole, and the 620 names are parts and items.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It follows that one who has faith in the Creator can believe that the giver of the Torah is clothed in the Torah. Conversely, a gentile, who has no faith in the Creator, how can he learn Torah, since he does not believe in the giver of the Torah? He can learn only from the clothing of the Torah, but not from the one who wears it, since he has no faith. The outer clothing is called \u201cwisdom\u201d and not \u201cTorah,\u201d since Torah is specifically when he is connected to the giver of the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By this we understand what our sages said, \u201cShould one tell you, \u2018There is wisdom in the gentiles,\u2019 believe.\u201d It is so because they can learn the clothing without the one who wears it, which is only called \u201cwisdom,\u201d without any connection to the giver of the Torah. But \u201cShould one tell you, \u2018There is Torah in the gentiles,\u2019 do not believe,\u201d since they have no connection to the giver of the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the essence of our work is to achieve Dvekut<\/em> [adhesion] with the Creator, as it is written, \u201cto cling unto Him,\u201d it follows that the Torah is the means to adhere to Him. That is, while learning Torah, we should aim to be rewarded with connecting to the one who wears it. This is done through the clothing, which is the Torah, in which the Creator is clothed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the above-mentioned verse, \u201cThere is wisdom in the gentiles, believe, there is Torah in the gentiles, do not believe,\u201d when we interpret this in the work, we should know that \u201cgentiles\u201d and \u201cIsraelis\u201d are in the same body. That is, before a person is rewarded with faith, he is still regarded as a \u201cgentile.\u201d Only after he is rewarded with faith, he is called \u201cIsrael.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if a person wants to achieve complete faith, although he has still not been rewarded with complete faith, he is already regarded as Israel. It is as Baal HaSulam said about \u201cLet wisdom be given to the wise.\u201d He asked, Should it not have said, \u201cLet wisdom be given to the fools\u201d? He said that a person who seeks wisdom is already called \u201cwise\u201d because any person is judged by his goal, meaning by what he expects to achieve, after this a person is called. Accordingly, we should interpret that all those who want to achieve complete faith are already called \u201cIsraelis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, if in the beginning of his study, when a person comes to study, there is no desire to thereby achieve complete faith, which he can achieve through the light in the Torah by wanting to adhere to the one who wears it, who is clothed in the Torah and gives the light of Torah and none other, it follows that he is learning Torah, which is the clothing of the Creator. Through it, he wants to achieve complete faith, adhere to the one who wears it, who is the giver of the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here there is unification of three discernments: 1) the Torah, which is the clothing of the Creator, 2) the Creator, who is clothed in the Torah, and 3) Israel, the person who is learning Torah with the above intention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is called \u201cunification,\u201d called \u201cthe Torah and the Creator and Israel are one.\u201d Although The Zohar<\/em> speaks to those who have already been rewarded with \u201cthe names of the Creator,\u201d which is called that they have been rewarded with a \u201chand Tefillin<\/em>,\u201d called \u201cfaith,\u201d and a \u201chead Tefillin<\/em>,\u201d called \u201cTorah,\u201d yet, those who walk on the path of achieving Torah and faith also receive a surrounding from this unification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now we can understand what is written, \u201cThere is wisdom in the gentiles, believe.\u201d That is, if a person does not aim to be rewarded with faith in the Creator through the study of Torah, then he has no connection to the Torah, since Torah means the clothing and the one who wears it together, namely the Torah together with the giver of the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although he still does not feel the giver of the Torah, still, the purpose of the study is to come to feel the giver of the Torah. If a person does not place the goal of reaching the giver of the Torah in front of him, he is regarded as a gentile, meaning one who has no need for faith. That is, he should have the need to seek advice to achieve faith. This is why he is still considered a gentile and not \u201cIsrael.\u201d Hence, regarding wisdom, believe that he has it, meaning only the clothing without the need for the one who wears it. This is the meaning of the words, \u201cthere is Torah in the gentiles, do not believe,\u201d since he has no connection to the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, believing or not believing also does not refer to two bodies. Rather, believing or not believing refers to the person himself. The person himself must pay attention to whether or not he has Torah. Since a person exerts and makes efforts, the intention is certainly to be rewarded with the Torah. The person thinks that even without the aim to achieve complete faith he can be rewarded with the Torah. Our sages said about this that one should know that it is impossible to be rewarded with the Torah without complete faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, prior to the study, a person must pay attention and introspect with which aim he is making his effort in learning Torah. That is, what does he want to achieve by learning Torah? Certainly, when a person makes an effort, it is because he lacks something. Through his effort, he will be given what he thinks he needs and his lack will be satisfied in return for the toil. A person should believe what is written, \u201cI labored and found.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, sometimes a person understands that what he lacks is the knowledge of Torah. Hence, all his thoughts are toward being rewarded with the knowledge of Torah. This is the clothing of the Creator, and he feels that all he needs is the outer clothing of the Torah. This is called \u201cwisdom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Torah means that he needs the one who wears, who is clothed in the Torah. That is, he still lacks complete faith in the Creator and he feels that there is evil in his heart, and he wants to be rewarded with the mind and heart that will be all for the sake of the Creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since our sages said, \u201cThe Creator said, \u2018I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice because the light in it reforms it,\u2019\u201d it follows that he needs the Torah as a means, where through the Torah he will be rewarded with complete faith in the Creator. Afterward, through the Torah he will be rewarded with the Torah that is called \u201cTorah of life,\u201d since he will be rewarded with the one who wears together with the clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is, he will be rewarded with the clothing called \u201cTorah,\u201d together with the one who wears it, called \u201cthe Creator.\u201d It is as The Zohar<\/em> says, \u201cThe Torah and the Creator and Israel are one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the meaning of what is written (Midrash<\/em> Rabbah<\/em>, Truma<\/em>, Chapter 33), \u201c\u2018And let them take for Me a contribution.\u2019 You have merchandise that he who sells it is sold with it. The Creator said to Israel, \u2018I have sold to you My Torah [law]. It is as though I have been sold with it,\u2019 as was said, \u2018And let them take for Me a contribution.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the above, we should interpret the words of the Midrash where it says, \u201cIt is as though I have been sold with it.\u201d The Torah is regarded as \u201cThe Torah and Israel and the Creator are one,\u201d since the Torah is the clothing of the Creator, and through the Torah, man must be rewarded with the one who wears it, which is called \u201cadhering to the Creator,\u201d it follows that we must be rewarded with two things: the Torah and the Creator. This is the meaning of what is written, \u201cIt is as though I have been sold with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, there is completeness of three things here: 1) Israel, 2) the Creator, and 3) the Torah. It is as it is written in the book A Sage\u2019s Fruit<\/em> (Vol. 1): \u201cWhat can a person do in order to come to feel the need for the Torah, in which the Creator is clothed? It is our sages said, that the Creator said to Israel, \u2018I have sold you My Torah. It is as though I have been sold with it.\u2019 This is the meaning of having a merchandise that one who sells it is sold with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that the Creator wants that when a person takes the Torah, he will seemingly take the Creator with him. Yet, a person does not feel he needs this. Primarily, a person takes after the majority. And since when beginning to teach women, children, and the general public, Maimonides says we should begin in Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em>, and normally, everyone takes after the beginning, meaning that the reason they were given for why we need the Torah are reasons of Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em>, and not because \u201cI have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.\u201d Naturally, the majority of the world does not even understand that there is a reward called \u201cDvekut<\/em> with the Creator.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, the view of the majority controls a person\u2014that he does not need to study Torah so that by this he will be able to achieve the real intention. That is, that through the Torah he will be able to aim in order to bestow and not for his own benefit, that it will bring him Dvekut<\/em>, to adhere to the Creator. For this, meaning in order to correct the creatures so they achieve Dvekut<\/em>, the multiplicity of worlds, Partzufim<\/em>, and souls were made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is all in order to correct creation, called \u201cwill to receive.\u201d Through the reception, creation has moved away from the Creator, and by these corrections that were made, it will be possible to correct everything so it works in order to bestow. When all the vessels of reception work in order to bestow, this will be the end of correction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is called \u201cthe perfection of His deeds,\u201d as the holy ARI said (The Study of the Ten Sefirot<\/em>, Part 1), \u201cWhen it came up in His simple will to create the worlds and emanate the emanations, to bring to light the perfection of His deeds, His names and appellations, which was the reason for the creation of the worlds, Ein Sof<\/em> restricted Himself and there was room where the emanations could be.\u201d There (The Study of the Ten Sefirot<\/em>, Part 1), he interprets in Ohr Pnimi<\/em> as follows: \u201cIt follows that the very reason for the Tzimtzum<\/em> [restriction] was only the craving for the new form of reception in order to bestow, which is destined to be revealed by the creation of the worlds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, we see that the creation of the worlds and souls was primarily with one intention\u2014to correct everything so that it works in order to bestow, which is called Dvekut<\/em>, equivalence of form. The Creator said about the Torah, \u201cI have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.\u201d That is, once man receives the Torah as a spice, the evil inclination will be corrected to work in order to bestow, as it is written in The Zohar<\/em>, \u201cThe angel of death is destined to be a holy angel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A person cannot see all this because he takes after the majority, called \u201cthe whole of Israel.\u201d It was said that the beginning of the education everyone receives is in Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em>, meaning that the engagement in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> is in order to receive reward in Kelim<\/em> [vessels] of self-benefit, and the Lishma<\/em> is forbidden to reveal to a person upon the admission of a person into the observance of Torah and Mitzvot<\/em>, as mentioned in the words of Maimonides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This causes a person to understand with his intellect that he needs to learn Torah only in order to know the rules, how to observe the Mitzvot<\/em>, as our sages said, \u201cAn uneducated person is not a Hassid<\/em>.\u201d Although they also learn Torah that does not pertain to practical Mitzvot<\/em>, learning that part of the Torah is because of the commandment to learn Torah, as it is written, \u201cAnd you shall reflect on it day and night.\u201d That is, he learns because it is a Mitzva<\/em>, just like the rest of the Mitzvot<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, concerning what our sages said, \u201cYou have a merchandise that one who sells it is sold with it,\u201d when the Creator said to Israel, \u201cI have sold you My Torah, it is as though I have been sold with it.\u201d To this, one has no connection, for what will it give him if he believes that the Creator is clothed in the Torah? Should one who takes the Torah know that the Creator is clothed in the Torah, and he should be rewarded Dvekut<\/em> with the Creator, who is clothed in it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of his work is with the intention Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em>, and all he hopes for is to observe Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> with the intention for self-benefit. Naturally, he has no connection to the one who is clothed in the Torah, but rather settles for just one thing: To the extent that he has faith in reward and punishment, to that extent depends his work in observing Torah and Mitzvot<\/em>, since he looks at nothing but the reward. But the essence of the Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> that he performs does not interest him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conversely, if a person wants to work and observe Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> without any reward, only because he wants to serve the King, then he needs to know the greatness of the King, for the measure of his work depends on the extent of his faith in the greatness of the King, for only the greatness and importance of the King gives him fuel for work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is as it is written in The Zohar<\/em> about the verse, \u201cHer husband is known at the gates.\u201d It means that each according to what he assumes in his heart. By this, he tells us that to the extent that a person assumes in his heart the greatness and importance of the Creator, to that extent he dedicates himself to serving the King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, people of this kind, who want to work only in order to bestow, and the whole reason that compels them to engage in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> is the importance and greatness of the Creator, as it is written in The Zohar<\/em> that \u201cThe essence of fear is to work because He is great and ruling,\u201d when these people believe that the Creator is clothed in the Torah, and believe what the Creator said to Israel, \u201cI sold you My Torah; it is as though I have been sold with it,\u201d when they learn Torah they want to elicit the light of the Torah that reforms him. This is the meaning of what our sages said, \u201cHe who comes to purify,\u201d through the Torah, \u201cis aided,\u201d since the Creator is clothed in the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, we should interpret what we say (\u201cEverlasting Love,\u201d prior to reading the Shema<\/em>), \u201cEnlighten us in Your Torah.\u201d It seems as though the words \u201cEnlighten us,\u201d should be said of a place of darkness and concealment, but in regard to the Torah, it should have said, \u201cLet us understand Your Torah,\u201d so what is \u201cEnlighten\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the above, we should interpret that since we should discern within the Torah, the clothing of Torah, in which the Creator is clothed, and this is concealed from us because we see only the clothing, and not the one who wears it, we therefore ask the Creator to enlighten us so we may be rewarded with seeing and feeling the Creator, who is clothed in the Torah. This is the meaning of \u201cEnlighten us,\u201d that we may see that You are clothed in Your Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should also understand what is said in The Zohar<\/em> about the verse, \u201cThey who seek Me will find Me.\u201d They asked about this, \u201cWhere do you find the Creator?\u201d They said that you find Him only in the Torah. Also, they said about the verse, \u201cIndeed, You are a God who hides,\u201d that the Creator hides Himself in the holy Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is written in the \u201cIntroduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot\u201d (Item 41) concerning what our sages said, \u201cYou have merchandise that he who sells it is sold with it.\u201d This means that the Creator is clothed in the Torah, except a person must seek and find Him since He hid Himself in the Torah as long as the learners of Torah are unworthy of it. But through the labor and prayer, they find Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was said about this, \u201cI labored and found.\u201d The question is, What is the connection between laboring and finding in the Torah? Through the labor, we find the Creator, how He is clothed in the Torah. This means that one should not say, \u201cI learned much Torah but I do not find the Creator, how He is clothed in the Torah.\u201d Instead, we should seek Him and not despair, but believe what is written, \u201cThey who seek Me will find Me,\u201d since the concealment is a correction that a person will not attain Him before he has vessels of bestowal, which is called \u201cequivalence of form\u201d and \u201cDvekut<\/em> with the Creator.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, we should interpret what our sages said (Nedarim<\/em> 81), \u201cBe careful with the sons of the poor, for from them Torah will emerge,\u201d as was said, \u201cWater will flow from his bucket,\u201d for from them Torah will emerge. It seems to mean that Torah will emerge specifically from the sons of the poor, but from the sons of the rich it will not. Can we say this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the work, we should interpret that \u201cpoor\u201d is as our sages said (Nedarim<\/em> 41), \u201cOne is poor only in knowledge.\u201d For this reason, when a person learns Torah and wants to achieve the Torah, meaning to a state of \u201cEnlighten us in Your Torah,\u201d meaning to adhere to the Creator, who is clothed in the Torah, for \u201cYour Torah\u201d refers to the Creator, who is clothed in it. Yet, he sees that as much as he has exerted and worked to find the Creator in the Torah, he cannot find Him. Although it is written, \u201cThey who seek Me will find Me,\u201d he sees that he is poor in knowledge. Yet, he wants to keep what is written, \u201cKnow the God of your father and serve Him,\u201d and what is written, \u201cA soul without knowledge is not good,\u201d but he is far from it, for each time he sees that it is utterly impossible to find Him in the Torah. This is called \u201cpoor in knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At that time a person understands that finding the Creator in the Torah was not said for him, since he thinks that he has already looked for Him in the Torah but has found nothing, and he wants to escape the campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why our sages came and said, \u201cBe careful with the sons of the poor, for from them the Torah will emerge.\u201d The reason is according to the rule, \u201cThere is no filling without a lack, no Gadlut<\/em> [greatness\/adulthood] without Katnut<\/em> [smallness\/infancy].\u201d This means that if we want to give something to a person but the giver is afraid that if he is given immediately, as soon as the receiver asks of him, the receiver will not be able to appreciate the giving and will probably lose it, or other people might take that thing from him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the giver knows the importance of the matter, he does not want the receiver to spoil it. For this reason, he does not give him what he asks immediately. Instead, he wants the receiver to ask him many times. Thus, through the demand, a need for the matter is formed in the receiver. Otherwise, he would have had to stop asking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When he does not stop asking him, this can be only if each time he must understand the necessity of the matter. That is, if he wants to ask of him again\u2014that the giver will give him\u2014a person must contemplate whether he really needs that thing, for only then does he have the strength to ask again, once he has already asked but received no answer to his question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is so because a person cannot ask of someone who takes no interest in his requests. However, since the thing that he is asking is necessary, and his whole life depends on it, the necessity of the matter does not let him rest and he goes even above reason to ask time and time again. He has nowhere else to go because he understands that this is his life and without it, he says his life is pointless, since he has come to feel that it is not worth living for other things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It follows that he has no choice since he has no satisfaction in his life. That is, since there is a rule that a person cannot live without provision, since the Creator created the creatures with the intention that they will enjoy, which is called \u201cHis desire to do good to His creations,\u201d and the three things that can give a person provision\u2014to sustain the body so it is satisfied, and which are called \u201cenvy,\u201d \u201clust,\u201d and \u201chonor\u201d\u2014 do not satisfy him, for this reason a person must seek spirituality. If he is a Jew, he believes that through Dvekut<\/em> with the Creator and His law he can obtain provision, to provide for the body and be able to say wholeheartedly, \u201cBlessed is He who said, \u2018Let there be the world,\u2019\u201d since he enjoys it if he is rewarded with Dvekut<\/em> with the Creator, as it is written, \u201cAnd you, who cling unto the Lord your God, are alive everyone of you today,\u201d for then he will be rewarded with real life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This gives him the strength not to despair from asking the Creator to bring him closer and open his eyes in the Torah. It is written in the \u201cIntroduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot\u201d (Item 83), \u201cThe first degree of the revelation of the face comes to a person only through His salvation, when he is rewarded with opening of the eyes in the holy Torah with wonderful attainment, and he becomes like a never ending stream.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, this depends on the extent to which he believes that the Creator hears a prayer and can justify Providence and say what he thinks, that he did not receive what he asked for not because the Creator did not pay attention to his prayers, but he believes that the Creator stands and waits for his prayers and collects them, as in, \u201cPenny by penny join into a great amount.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, since it is known that if you give something important to a person who does not know its value, and there are people who do know its importance, that thing will move to those people either by theft or by losing it, for the person will not know how to keep it, and there are people who know its value and they will steal or find it and not return it to the owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is known that opposite Kedusha<\/em> [sanctity\/holiness] there is the Sitra<\/em> Achra<\/em> [other side], who do know the value of spirituality. For this reason, there must be keeping so it does not come into their authority. This is why the Creator does not give him what he wants, but stands and waits. By prevailing each time with faith above reason to ask the Creator to help him and open his eyes in the Torah, and he believes in faith in the sages, who said that working on faith is the best way to be rewarded with the importance of the goal, which is Dvekut<\/em> with the Creator. When the Creator knows that he already knows how to keep the King\u2019s present, the Creator will certainly help him and grant his prayer, which is his request that the Creator will open his eyes and he will be rewarded with opening the eyes in the Torah, and He will certainly give him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the meaning of the words, \u201cBe careful with the sons of the poor.\u201d That is, do not underestimate the situation where he feels that he is poor in knowledge because he has not been rewarded with opening the eyes in the Torah and he has not been rewarded with \u201cThe light in it reforms him,\u201d since \u201cfrom them, Torah will emerge.\u201d That is, he should believe that by feeling that he is poor in knowledge, and each time he must overcome, he must believe that these descents come to him from the Creator, and by this he will receive the vessels and the need to appreciate the gift of the Creator from the outer ones, meaning that not everything will fall into the vessels of reception, which are Kelim<\/em> [vessels] that belong to the Klipot<\/em> [shells\/peels]. By overcoming with faith that the Creator hears a prayer, and each and every prayer that he asks of the Creator, the Creator adds it to the great amount until a person knows the value of the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the meaning of what is written in the book A Sage\u2019s Fruit<\/em> (Vol. 1, p 88): \u201cFor this reason, this Klipa<\/em> [singular of Klipot<\/em>] is called Pharaoh, with the letters [in Hebrew] Peh Ra<\/em> [evil mouth]. In the exile in Egypt, that Peh Ra<\/em> had control and they returned to their bad ways. For this reason, even though they were rewarded with some illumination from the upper nine, it could not be swallowed in the Guf<\/em> [body] because the Peh Ra<\/em>, which is the opposite of the Peh<\/em> [mouth] of Kedusha<\/em>, namely the back of the neck, stopped the abundance that came down from the Rosh<\/em> [head] and sucked all the abundance that began to come down for Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It therefore follows that we should make several discernments in the Torah: 1) one who learns Torah in order to know the rules, to know how to observe the Mitzvot<\/em> of the Torah, 2) one who learns Torah in order to observe the Mitzva<\/em> of learning Torah, as it is written (Joshua 1), \u201cThis book of Torah shall not move from your mouth, and you shall contemplate it day and night.\u201d RASHI interprets \u201ccontemplate it\u201d as \u201clooking in it,\u201d every thought in the Torah is in the heart, as he said, \u201cThe contemplation of my heart is before You.\u201d 3) He learns Torah in order to be rewarded with the light of the Torah, as it is written, \u201cI have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice because the light in it reforms him.\u201d By this he will be rewarded with faith, and to adhere to the Creator, and then he will become \u201cIsrael\u201d for he believes in the Creator in complete faith. 4) Once he has been rewarded with faith, he is rewarded with the \u201cTorah, as in the names of the Creator.\u201d In The Zohar<\/em>, this is called \u201cThe Torah and Israel and the Creator are one.\u201d At that time he is rewarded with the purpose of creation, which is to do good to His creations, when the creatures receive what the Creator wants to give to the creatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And concerning what RASHI interpreted about the verse, \u201cYou shall contemplate it day and night,\u201d he says \u201clook in it. Every thought in the Torah is in the heart.\u201d We should understand what he means by saying that the thought is in the heart, since when we learn Torah, it is in the mind and not in the heart, so why does he tell us, \u201cEvery thought in the Torah is in the heart\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should interpret that this does not pertain specifically to the Torah that relates to rules he learns in order to know how to observe the Mitzvot<\/em>. Instead, he wishes to say that the Torah also includes the last two discernments just mentioned: 1) that he learns in order to receive the light of Torah, 2) that he is then rewarded with the Torah, called \u201cthe names of the Creator.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those two belong specifically to the heart, as Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra says (in the \u201cIntroduction to the book Panim Masbirot,\u201d Item 10), \u201cKnow that all the Mitzvot<\/em> that are written in the Torah or the accepted ones, which the forefathers have established, although the majority of them are in deed or utterance, they are all in order to correct the heart. This is because the Lord wants all the hearts, and He understands the inclination of every thought. It is written, \u2018To those whose hearts are straight,\u2019 and conversely, \u2018a heart filled with thoughts of transgression.\u2019 Know that the Torah was given only to men of heart.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should interpret the words of RASHI, as Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra says. Accordingly, we should note about the above four discernments, that the last two pertain to the work of the individual, while the first two pertain to the general public. It is as Maimonides says, \u201cWhen teaching children, women, and uneducated people, they are taught to work only out of fear and in order to receive reward. Until they gain knowledge and acquire much wisdom, they are taught that secret little by little, and are accustomed to it calmly until they attain Him and serve Him with love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We see from the words of Maimonides that the beginning of the work of the general public is in Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em> and in order to receive reward. Therefore, they must learn Torah in order to know the rules how to observe the Mitzvot<\/em>. This is the first discernment. Also, his learning of Torah is in order to know with the intellect what is written there, that he will be rewarded through the Mitzva<\/em> of learning Torah. This is the second discernment. Those two do not belong to the work of the heart, as said in the words of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the last two discernments already pertain to the heart because they pertain to Lishma<\/em>. When one wants to walk on the path of Lishma<\/em>, he is shown, as Maimonides says, that \u201cWhat we told you before, that you should learn Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em> but in order to receive reward, was because by nature, a person cannot work for the sake of the Creator, but only for his own sake. Therefore, now we are telling you that you must know that the real work is Lishma<\/em>. But how do you achieve this? The advice is \u201cFrom Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em> we come to Lishma<\/em> because the light in it reforms him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The question is, What is the evil we should correct so as to be good? We are told that one is unable to do anything for the sake of the Creator. Only through the light of Torah will the heart be corrected, for the heart is called \u201cdesire,\u201d and by nature, it is a desire only to receive. But how can a person go against nature?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why the Creator said, \u201cI have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.\u201d It follows that he is not learning Torah for the intellect, to understand, but he is learning in order to understand so as to achieve Dvekut<\/em> with the Creator, who is clothed in the Torah, and this pertains to the heart. Through the light he will receive, it reforms him, meaning that the will to receive for his own sake can receive a power from above that enables it to work for the sake of the Creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It follows that when he wants to begin the work of Lishma<\/em>, which pertains to the work of the individual, he is shown that learning Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em> is not the end of the road, as he first thought, in the beginning of his learning. Rather, the learning Lo<\/em> Lishma<\/em> should aim to bring him into learning Lishma<\/em>. For this reason, once he has learned about the intention to achieve the aim to bestow by receiving the light of the Torah, he comes to the fourth discernment in the study of Torah, called \u201cTorah of life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is written (Avot<\/em>, Chapter 6), \u201cRabbi Meir says, \u2018Anyone who engages in Torah Lishma<\/em> is rewarded with many things and the secrets of Torah are revealed to him.\u2019\u201d This means that then he is rewarded with the \u201cTorah, which is the names of the Creator.\u201d This is what The Zohar<\/em> calls, \u201cThe Torah, and Israel, and the Creator are one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, we should make two discernments in the Torah, which pertain to the heart: 1) The light of Torah pertains to establishing faith in the heart. This is the meaning of \u201cThe light in it reforms him.\u201d 2) Torah that pertains to the heart, as it is written (Exodus 28:2), \u201cAnd you shall speak to all the wise-hearted whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom.\u201d In the words of The Zohar<\/em>, this is called, \u201cOne who does not know the ways of the upper one and the commandments of the upper one, how will he serve Him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is written about it in the book A Sage\u2019s Fruit<\/em> (Vol. 1, p 119), \u201cHence, you\u2019d best grip unto the goal of yearning for the commandment of the upper one, for one who does not know the ways of the upper one and the commandments of the upper one,\u201d which are the secrets of Torah, \u201chow will he serve Him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus, the meaning of \u201cTorah and work\u201d is that he learns Torah in order for the Torah to bring him the light of Torah. By this, he will be able to invert the vessels of reception to work in order to bestow, and with these Kelim<\/em> he will be rewarded with Dvekut<\/em> with the Creator, called \u201clearning Torah Lishma<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n By this we can interpret what our sages said (Kidushin<\/em> 40), \u201cA good thought, the Creator adds it to an act.\u201d When a person learns Torah in order to come to actions, meaning an act of making the vessels of bestowal, since a person cannot do this by himself due to the evil in his heart, when the Creator sees that a person has a great yearning for this act, the Creator gives him the light of Torah, which reforms him. This is the meaning of \u201cthe Creator adds it to an act.\u201d That is, now He does the act. By giving him the light of Torah, an act results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, we see that in truth, from man came nothing more than a good thought. That is, he thought that vessels of bestowal were a good thing. But in truth, who did the work for man to be rewarded with these Kelim<\/em>? Only the Creator\u2014by giving him the light of Torah, which is the one who wears, who is clothed in the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why it is written, \u201cA good thought that a person has, the Creator makes it so there will be an act here, too.\u201d It is as our sages said, \u201cHe who comes to purify is aided.\u201d It turns out that on the part of man, there is nothing more than coming to purify, which is called a \u201cgood thought.\u201d Afterward, the Creator gives him the assistance, adding it to an act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In light of the above, we should interpret what is written, \u201cAnd you will speak to all the wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom.\u201d We asked, What is the connection to the wise-hearted, since wisdom pertains to the mind? The thing is that we should make two discernments in the Torah, which pertain to the Lishma<\/em>: 1) Kli<\/em>, 2) light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Kli<\/em> that is fit to receive the light must be in equivalence with the light, for on this was the Tzimtzum<\/em> and the concealment. We learned that Malchut<\/em> de<\/em> Ein Sof<\/em>, which is the root of the creatures, desired Dvekut<\/em>, called \u201cequivalence of form,\u201d and all the corrections are only about performing this correction, to correct the vessels of reception so they work in order to bestow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, a person who is born with the will to receive and wants to correct it into working in order to bestow, since this is against nature, he has only one counsel: Only the light of Torah can invert him into working in order to bestow, as it is written, \u201cI have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice,\u201d and the light in it reforms the heart. It is said that \u201cevil\u201d is receiving for one\u2019s self, and \u201cgood\u201d is when his heart is only about bestowal and not about reception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, those who engage in Torah not necessarily in order to know the rules and customs how to observe the Mitzvot<\/em>, but have another, exalted role, that they are learning Torah in order to correct the heart, these are called \u201cwise-hearted,\u201d since everything is named after its action. For this reason, the Torah they learn with this intention is called \u201cwise-hearted\u201d and not \u201cwise-minded,\u201d since they need the Torah in order to correct the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this way we should interpret what is written, \u201cWhom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom.\u201d Once they have Kelim<\/em> that are suitable for the light, where as the light that comes from above is to bestow, so the Kli<\/em> should aim to bestow, since they already have this Kli<\/em>, which they have obtained through the light of Torah, they are called \u201cwise-hearted,\u201d since they learned Torah in order to correct the heart. That is, they have suitable Kelim<\/em>; therefore, they should receive the Torah, which is called \u201cTorah of life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the meaning of the words, \u201cwhom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom,\u201d pertaining to the light. That is, the light, too, goes to the heart because once they have acquired new Kelim<\/em>, called \u201cvessels of bestowal,\u201d and they want to bestow contentment upon the Creator, they see that only one thing is missing in the King\u2019s house. Since our sages said (Midrash Rabbah<\/em>, Beresheet<\/em>), \u201cThe Creator said to the angels when He came to create Adam HaRishon<\/em> and the angels slandered him, What is this like? Like a king who has a tower filled abundantly but no guests. What pleasure has he from his work?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, when a person wishes only to bring contentment to the Creator, his heart, which wants to enjoy giving something to the King, to please Him, finds only one thing that the King can enjoy\u2014that they will receive from Him the delight and pleasure that He wishes to give to the creatures. Since there is a tower filled abundantly, and he wishes to be the Creator\u2019s guest, he should come into the tower and receive from Him delight, as this is the King\u2019s pleasure. It follows that the light of Torah that a person wants to receive as \u201cTorah of life\u201d is for man\u2019s heart, so he will have something with which to delight the King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the meaning of the words, \u201cAnd you will speak to all the wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom.\u201d That is, the spirit of wisdom filled him. Whom? The wise-hearted. This pertains to the light, for the light comes to the wise-hearted. The heart is called \u201cdesire,\u201d and it wants to receive the Torah of life in order to thereby delight the Creator, as in the allegory about the king who has a tower filled abundantly but no guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the above, we should interpret what our sages said (Berachot<\/em> 58a), \u201cHe would say, \u2018A good guest, what does he say? What trouble has the host gone through for me, and all his trouble were only for me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is known that it is possible to be a guest only where there is a host. Therefore, when a person believes in the Creator, that He is the landlord of the world, and a person feels that he is a guest, yet wants to adhere to Him, as our sags said about the verse, \u201cAnd to cling unto Him,\u201d which means \u201ccling unto His attributes: as He is merciful, so you are merciful,\u201d this is called a \u201cgood guest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The meaning of \u201cgood\u201d is as is written (Psalms 85), \u201cMy heart overflows with a good thing; I say, my work is for the King.\u201d It means that all of his actions will be only for the King, meaning for the Creator. This is called \u201ca good thing.\u201d When all his actions are in order to bestow, then he is regarded as \u201cwise-hearted,\u201d and comes to a state of \u201cTorah of life,\u201d which is the names of the Creator, where the delight and pleasure that He wished to give to the creatures is found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At that time, he says, \u201cEverything that the host did, he did only for me,\u201d and not at all for himself, as in the allegory about the king who has a tower filled abundantly but no guests. Now we can interpret the \u201csecrets of Torah,\u201d meaning which secret the Torah reveals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should interpret this in two discernments: 1) The Torah reveals something new to a person, which he did not know before. This is so because man is born with a nature of wanting to receive. When told to work with a desire to bestow, it is to him unimportant and despicable. The body wants to run away from such desires, since it can only lose if it uses the vessels of bestowal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, when a person learns Torah with the aim to be rewarded with the light of Torah because this light reforms him, this light of Torah reveals something new to him, which he did not know before. That is, now he knows the complete opposite of what he thought before. Before he was rewarded with the light of Torah, he knew that what is important to man is primarily the vessels of reception, for with the vessels of reception he can receive the joys of life in this world. Conversely, with acts of bestowal he can only do good to others, that they, too, will enjoy the world through his help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, this is only for the purpose of Mitzva<\/em>, because he feels sorry for others who cannot provide for themselves, and he is helping them. Certainly, he expects those people whom he benefits not to be ungrateful and respect him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But now, by being rewarded with the light of Torah, which reforms him, something new has been revealed to him: By using the vessels of reception, he loses life and delight and pleasure for himself. If he uses the vessels of bestowal for the sake of others, he will receive true<\/em> delight and pleasure for himself. Only through vessels of bestowal does he gain for himself delight and pleasure, whereas with vessels of reception he loses delight and pleasure. This secret has now been revealed to him through the light of the Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By this we can interpret what our sages said (Pesachim<\/em> 50a), \u201cI saw an opposite world, the upper ones below, and the lower ones above.\u201d We should interpret that something new has been revealed to him: What is regarded as \u201cupper ones\u201d in the world of falsehood, meaning vessels of reception, which is an important thing called \u201cupper ones,\u201d in the world of truth, meaning when one is rewarded with the light of Torah, regarded as being \u201crewarded with the truth,\u201d then we see the lower ones above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the world of falsehood, the vessels of bestowal are regarded as having inferior importance and are degraded. Sometimes, when a person must work with them, he tastes in them the taste of lowliness, since he does not see what the will to receive for himself gains from them. But there, in the world of truth, they are of superior importance because only through them it is possible to acquire any delight and pleasure. Therefore, it turns out that the lower ones are of superior importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the meaning of the words, \u201cupper ones below.\u201d The vessels of reception are appreciated in the world of falsehood, for we use only the vessels of reception for ourselves because we think that through them we can enjoy. But in the world of truth, when one is rewarded with the light of Torah, we see something new that has been revealed\u2014the vessels of reception only cause us losses in life. They interfere with our attainment of the delight and pleasure. It turns out that the upper ones are of inferior importance. This is the secret for which the Torah is called the \u201csecrets of Torah,\u201d as it reveals the truth to man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2) The Torah reveals that the name \u201csecrets of Torah\u201d is given for before he attains the vessels bestowal through the light of Torah, he attains only the clothing of Torah, where the Creator is clothed in the clothing. Now, the one who wears, who is clothed in the Torah, also becomes revealed to a person. This Torah is called \u201cTorah of life,\u201d which is the names of the Creator. This is called \u201cthe Torah and Israel and the Creator are one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n By this we will understand what we asked, What are Torah and work, in the work? The answer is that he learns Torah in order to be able to do the work, which is called \u201cwhich God has created to do.\u201d That is, the creatures must do the work of turning the will to receive into a desire to bestow, by which they will have Dvekut<\/em>, which is equivalence of form, and they will also be able to receive the delight and pleasure, which is the purpose of creation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Article No. 12, 1988 Our sages said (Avot, Chapter 2, 2), \u201cRaban Gamliel, son of Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, says, \u2018It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":6243,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"topic":[26],"class_list":["post-10701","book","type-book","status-publish","hentry","topic-rabash"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n