Article No. 44, 1990<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RASHI interprets the verse \u201cIf you go to war against your enemies,\u201d that the verse speaks of optional war. We should understand the meaning of \u201cIf you go to war against your enemies\u201d in an optional war. What is an \u201coptional war\u201d in the work, and what is a \u201cnon-optional war\u201d?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is known that there are 248 commandments to do, and 365 not to do. These are called 613 Mitzvot<\/em> [commandments\/good deeds]. These must be observed in every detail and precision; otherwise, it is regarded as a \u201ctransgression.\u201d It is said about them, \u201cDo not add and do not take away.\u201d This obligation pertains to actions, meaning that as far as actions are concerned, a person must do, or not do what is forbidden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is not so concerning the intention. Thus, to aim to work in order to bestow, this war is optional. In other words, it cannot be said that this work pertains to everyone, but rather to those who have an inner drive, who feel that observing Mitzvot<\/em> in the way that they are observing has nothing to do with Dvekut<\/em> [adhesion] with the Creator. They see that instead of where a person should achieve love of the Creator, they see that in all that they do, they have no other intention other than their own benefit. This work, called \u201cin order to bestow,\u201d belongs to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the general public was not given this thing. This is why the work of bestowal is called \u201coptional war,\u201d and not mandatory. This is as Maimonides says at the end of Hilchot Teshuva<\/em>: \u201cTherefore, when teaching little ones, women, and uneducated people, they are taught to work only out of fear and to be rewarded. Until they gain knowledge and acquire much wisdom, they are taught this secret bit by bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that the matter of Lishma<\/em> [for Her sake], called \u201cin order to bestow,\u201d does not belong to the general public but to people who have acquired much knowledge. Thus, it means that the work of bestowal is specifically for those who have gained much knowledge. This is why the work of bestowal is called \u201coptional war,\u201d and not \u201cmandatory war,\u201d since this is not required of the general public, but of those \u201cwho have gained knowledge and acquired much wisdom. Then they are taught that secret bit by bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should also add about the optional war, since the matter of Dvekut<\/em> with the Creator is annulment of one\u2019s own authority. By nature, man is born feeling only his own authority, that he is the landlord and does what he wants. In order for him to know that there is the authority of the Creator, that He is the leader of the world, a person must believe this, that the Creator is the King of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A person must believe that this concealment, where a person does not feel that there is a King to the world, the Creator did this, and this is called \u201cthe correction of the Tzimtzum<\/em> [restriction].\u201d However, one must believe and make great efforts until he feels in his organs that the Creator is the leader of the world. And not just a leader! Rather, one must believe that His guidance is in the manner of good and doing good. A person must do all that he can to be able to attain this, as this is expressed in two manners:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1) A person should work on having a desire and yearning to want to annul his authority, as our sages said about the verse \u201cIf a man dies in a tent,\u201d since the Torah exists only in one who puts himself to death over it.\u201d This means that he wants to annul his self, meaning he must achieve a state where he has but one authority\u2014the authority of the Creator. In other words, a person does not do anything for his own benefit, but sees only to the benefit of the Creator. This is called \u201csingular authority,\u201d and it is called \u201coptional war.\u201d In other words, he is fighting against himself to obtain this singular authority, and this is called \u201coptional war\u201d in the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2) After all the efforts that a person makes in order to achieve this authority, regarded as a person acquiring a second nature, where he previously had only a desire to receive for his own benefit, he wanted to annul that authority and receive a new one: the desire to bestow upon the Creator. This is the meaning of Dvekut<\/em>. In other words, as the Creator is the Giver, so a person wants to bestow upon the Creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, a person cannot receive this authority, but only the Creator. As He previously gave him the authority of the will to receive for his own benefit, the Creator can give him a different authority, meaning the singular authority of the Creator. This is regarded as the Creator giving him a second nature, which is the desire to bestow upon the Creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It follows that when a person is born, he has only one authority, his own. Afterward, when he takes upon himself the kingdom of heaven, to observe the Torah and Mitzvot<\/em>, he comes into two authorities. In other words, he works in order to receive reward, as Maimonides says, \u201cWhen teaching little ones, women, and uneducated people in order to receive reward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Afterward begins the work in the optional war, meaning to annul his own authority, which is called \u201cself-benefit,\u201d and to yearn for the Creator to give him the singular authority, meaning the authority of the Creator. This is regarded as a person having to acquire a second nature, called \u201cdesire to bestow,\u201d to have a desire to bring contentment to his Maker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the meaning of what is written, \u201cIf you go to war against your enemies,\u201d meaning in the optional war. It is impossible to conquer the enemy, called \u201cwill to receive for oneself,\u201d meaning annul this authority. Rather, the text promises us, \u201cand the Lord your God delivers him into your hand.\u201d In other words, the Creator will give you this power, this authority called \u201csingular authority.\u201d Put differently, the Creator will give you a second nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order for a person to be ready to ask for this authority, there needs to be a prayer from the bottom of the heart. In other words, a person should feel how much he needs this power, called \u201cdesire to bestow.\u201d For this, we were given the 613 Mitzvot<\/em> in the form of Eitin<\/em> [Aramaic: counsels], called \u201c613 counsels.\u201d Through them, a person takes the lack, to feel how much he needs the desire to bestow, since this is all that detains him from achieving the completion of the goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, in that regard, meaning about the fact that he does not feel the real lack, that he does not have a real need to bestow, a person should pray for this, as well, that the Creator will give him the lack over not having a lack to obtain the desire to bestow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In truth, when a person has faith in the Creator and believes that He is a great King, a person must annul \u201cas a candle before a torch.\u201d At that time, there is no question of choice because he naturally annuls. But when a person begins to work in order to bestow, foreign thoughts come to him, which weaken his faith. It follows that the fact that a person cannot work in order to bestow is for lack of faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is as it is written (Psalms 42), \u201cMy tear has been my bread day and night, while they say to me all day long, \u2018Where is your God?\u2019\u201d In other words, thoughts of Pharaoh come to him, who said, \u201cWho is the Lord that I should obey His voice?\u201d It follows that at that time, a person should pray for two things together: 1) for faith that the Creator will not hide Himself from him, as it is written, \u201cDo not hide Your face from me,\u201d 2) to bring him closer, meaning to give him the power of the desire to bestow. Through this desire, a person comes closer to the Creator, which is called \u201cequivalence of form.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reason why when a person wants to work in order to bestow, foreign thoughts come to him, is that as long as one is working for himself, the body does not resist him so much, since he promises the body that it will receive a great reward, that it is worthwhile to observe Torah and Mitzvot<\/em>, since the reward sweetens the labor, as in physical work and labor. Hence, the body does not ask any questions about its work in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em>, and a person lives in peace. He is content with his work, since he believes that his reward is growing every day. For this reason, he leads a peaceful life and feels tranquility in his life. And if he can also observe the Mitzva<\/em> [singular of Mitzvot<\/em>], \u201cReprimand your neighbor,\u201d he is certainly pleased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But when a person says to his body, \u201cUntil now I have been working in your favor, meaning everything I did, both corporeal things and in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em>, was all in order to make you happy. That is, all my concerns were only for the will to receive for oneself, which is called \u2018self-love\u2019 or \u2018self-benefit.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut now, meaning henceforth, I do not want to work for the benefit of the body any longer, but only for the benefit of the Creator.\u201d At that time, the body begins to resist, why is he throwing it away. It does all that it can, bringing him questions from all over the world, meaning the argument of Pharaoh, who asked, \u201cWho is the Lord that I should obey His voice?\u201d and the argument of the wicked one, who asks, \u201cWhat is this work for you?\u201d These thoughts burden one\u2019s work so much that often, the descents and ascents that a person has cause him to see that this is endless and he wants to escape the campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And all that one can tell the body is that he wants to work in real fear, which is called in The Zohar<\/em>, \u201cBecause He is great and ruling,\u201d meaning for it to be a great privilege to him that he is serving a great King, and he wants to bring contentment to his Maker, and that this will be his only concern, and he does not want to worry about himself anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now we can understand what is written (Deuteronomy 26:16), \u201cThis day the Lord your God commands you to do these laws and judgments, and keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul.\u201d RASHI interprets \u201cThis day\u201d as \u201cEach day, they will be as new in your eyes, as though on this day you were commanded them.\u201d We should understand what it adds to us, meaning what we gain by needing to exert to make each day as though on that day we were commanded. The thing is that there are two discernments before us in the work: 1) in order to receive reward, 2) not in order to receive reward, but because of the greatness of the Creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those whose work is in order to receive reward do not need \u201cEach day they will be as new.\u201d Rather, when a person believes that he will be rewarded for his work, he has the power to work since the reward causes him to observe Torah and Mitzvot<\/em>. Thus, there is no difference whether he believes in the reward that the Torah promises us, and he does not need to renew the imperative each day, for what will this add to him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conversely, those who want to work because \u201cHe is great and ruling,\u201d meaning because of the greatness of the Creator, for this reason there is a need \u201cas though on that day you were commanded,\u201d since when a person engages in Torah and Mitzvot<\/em> in order to bestow, each day he should discern how much he assumes the greatness of the Creator, for whom it is worthwhile to exert in order to serve Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is as it is written in The Zohar<\/em>, \u201cHer husband is known at the gates,\u201d that \u201cEach one according to what he assumes in his heart.\u201d This means that in the work of bestowal, there is the matter of ascents and descents. It follows that \u201cno day is like another,\u201d for sometimes he assumes he has a great King, and sometimes to the contrary. It follows that each they should be \u201cnew,\u201d \u201cas though on that day you were commanded them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, the strength to exert is according to which King he serves at that time, great or small. In other words, if yesterday he thought that He is a great King, and today he does not think so, then he does not make the same effort as yesterday, but according to his faith today. This is why the verse tells us, \u201cThis day the Lord your God commands you.\u201d That is, a person must know that each day, he has a different measure of faith in Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, one should not be alarmed if sometimes during a descent, there is a small king. This means that the person\u2019s faith is small, and cannot obligate him so he can overcome his body. Instead he surrenders to his body and is contemplating leaving the campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But one must believe that this descent he has received, and he does not have the power to overcome, to believe in the Creator that He will help him and deliver him from this lowliness where a person is, and he will later acquire greater faith in the Creator, and then he will certainly have powers to work, since each day is new, meaning new faith. This is why he says, \u201cAs though today you were commanded them.\u201d Thus, everything is according to the faith he has on that day, to that extent a person works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should know that when a person begins to work in order to bestow and the body objects to it, the body brings him down to the worst lowliness. That is, the will to receive overcomes him and brings him down to sordid lusts. Sometimes he gets thoughts and desires he had never thought of. They come to him like uninvited guests, and the person is surprised and says, \u201cHow is today different from other days? That is, who caused me these thoughts and desires? Is it by thinking that one needs to work only for the sake of the Creator that these thoughts threw me into such baseness?\u201d He asks, \u201cBut it is known that a Mitzva<\/em> induces a Mitzva<\/em>, so why does the desire to obtain vessels of bestowal cause a person to receive such thoughts in return for it? And also, what can one do in such states?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, a person must know, as Baal HaSulam says (Shamati<\/em>, Article No. 1, \u201cThere Is None Else Besides Him\u201d) that the Creator sends these thoughts to a person so he will not be able to tolerate such lowliness, so it will cause him to pray to the Creator from the bottom of the heart to give him the strength to come closer instead of the thoughts that cause separation and remoteness from the Creator. At that time, a person must pray and cry out to the Creator, \u201cDo not cast us from before You, and do not take away from us the spirit of Your holiness,\u201d but rather that the Creator will give him the second nature, the desire to bestow, meaning to have only a desire to bestow contentment upon the Maker, and no concern for himself. Then all these thoughts and desires that the will to receive brings him will naturally move away from him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, since a person should believe that all those thoughts that the will to receive brings him are sent to him from above because he wants to walk on the path of bestowal, and in the meantime he is idle in the work, because he prayed for the Creator to bring him closer to being in Dvekut<\/em> with the Creator, which is equivalence of form, when it is apparent that the person is idle in the work, he is sent the foreign thoughts that a person cannot agree to be under such a control. This, in turn, gives a person a push that he must overcome the state he is in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It therefore follows that from this bad, when a person feels that he is in such a lowly state that he never imagined that he could be under such governance, for this reason, he should not be alarmed and escape the campaign. On the contrary, he should believe that the Creator is taking care of him now, and He is bringing him closer through a state of Achoraim<\/em> [posterior].<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is as it is written in the book A Sage\u2019s Fruit<\/em> (Vol. 1, p 139), \u201cAbout the verse, \u2018My beloved is like a gazelle,\u2019 our sages said, \u2018As the gazelle looks back when he runs, when the Creator leaves Israel, He turns back His face.\u2019 Then the face returns to being in the Achoraim<\/em>, meaning craving and longing to cling to Israel once more. This begets in Israel longing and craving to cling to the Creator, too, and the measure of the longing and craving is actually the face itself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We should interpret that he means that when a person is in a state of lowliness, it is considered that the Creator has moved away from him, and he has no desire or yearning for the work, this is regarded as the Creator giving a person a shape of tastelessness about spirituality. Moreover, a person wants to escape and forget about the work altogether. This is regarded as the Creator showing him the Achoraim<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Panim<\/em> [face\/anterior] of the Creator is His desire to do good to His creations, and the Achoraim<\/em> is the complete opposite. Why does the Creator show a person the Achoraim<\/em>? It is on purpose, for by this a person gets a thrust toward Dvekut<\/em> with the Creator, for he cannot remain in a state of lowliness. It follows that here, within the Achoraim<\/em> is the discernment of Panim<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Article No. 44, 1990 RASHI interprets the verse \u201cIf you go to war against your enemies,\u201d that the verse speaks […]<\/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-11080","book","type-book","status-publish","hentry","topic-rabash"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n