Article 19, 1984<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The interpreters ask about the words, \u201cYou stand today, all of you …your heads, your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel.\u201d It begins with the plural form, \u201cYou\u201d [plural form in Hebrew], and ends in singular form, \u201cEvery man of Israel.\u201d The author of the book, Light and Sun<\/em>, explains that by using plural form and singular form, it points to the matter of love of friends. Although among you are \u201cheads, tribes,\u201d etc., still no one sees greater merit in himself than in any man of Israel. Instead, everyone is equal in that no one complains about the other. For this reason, from above, too, they are treated accordingly, and this is why great abundance is imparted below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is our way to study everything within one subject. It turns out that a person should take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven as an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load, which are mind and heart. In other words, all of one\u2019s work should be in order to bestow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, if one works in order to bestow and does not wish for any reward in return\u2014except to serve in the holy work without hoping to be given any addition to what he has\u2014he has no wish even for additional work. In other words, receiving some knowledge that he is walking on the right path is certainly a just demand, and yet he relinquishes even that because he wishes to go with his eyes shut and believe in the Creator. And what he can, he does and he is content with his lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And he even feels that there are people who have some understanding of the work of the Creator, while he sees that he is completely empty. In other words, many times he feels a good taste in the work, and at times he feels that he is in a state of \u201cYour heads.\u201d In other words, at times he thinks that now he has reached a degree where it is impossible that he will ever decline to a state of lowliness, a state where if he wishes to engage in the work of God, he has to make great efforts to force his body. At that time, what he does is by compulsion because he has no desire for the work, and the body only wishes to rest and does not care for anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, at that time he feels that he has already come to know for sure that there is nothing else in the world except to work in order to bestow, and then he certainly finds good taste in the work. And when he regards his previous states, he cannot understand, now that he is in a state of ascent. Hence, by all calculations, he decides that now it is impossible that he will ever suffer a decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But sometimes, after a day, an hour, or a few minutes, he descends to such a state of lowliness that he cannot immediately feel that he has fallen from his uplifted state to the \u201cdepth of the great abyss.\u201d Rather, at times, after an hour or two he suddenly sees that he has fallen from the highest level, meaning from his previous certainty that he was the strongest man, and he is like any man of Israel, meaning like an ordinary person. Then he begins to seek advice in his heart, \u201cWhat should I do now?\u201d \u201cHow can I pick myself up to the state of Gadlut<\/em> [greatness\/adulthood] that I had before?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At that time, one should walk on the path of truth\u2014to say, \u201cMy current state, being in utter lowliness, means that I was deliberately thrown out from above to know if I truly wish to do the holy work in order to bestow, or if I wish to be God\u2019s servant because I find it more rewarding than other things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, if one can say, \u201cNow I want to work in order to bestow and I do not want to do the holy work to receive some gratification in the work. Instead, I will settle for doing the work of holiness like any man of Israel\u2014praying or taking a lesson on the daily portion. And I don\u2019t have time to think with which intent I study or pray, but I will simply observe the actions without any special intent.\u201d At that time, he will reenter the holy work because now he wishes to be God\u2019s servant without any preconditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the meaning of what is written, \u201cYou stand today, all of you,\u201d meaning everything you went through, all the states you have experienced\u2014whether states of Gadlut<\/em> or states of less than Gadlut<\/em>, which were considered intermediate or so. You take all those details and you do not compare one degree to another because you do not care for any reward, but only for doing the Creator\u2019s will. He has commanded us to observe Mitzvot<\/em> [commandments] and to study Torah, and this is what we do, like any common man of Israel. In other words, the state he is in right now is as important to him as when he thought he was in a state of Gadlut<\/em>. At that time, \u201cThe Lord your God makes with you this day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that then the Creator makes a covenant with him. In other words, precisely when one accepts His work without any conditions and agrees to do the holy work without any reward, which is called \u201cunconditional surrender,\u201d this is the time when the Creator makes a covenant with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baal HaSulam explained the matter of making a covenant: When two people see that they love each other, they make a covenant between them that their love will always endure. And he asked, \u201cIf they love each other and understand that this love will never leave them, why this covenant? Why do they make this covenant, meaning for what purpose?\u201d In other words, what do they gain by this making of a covenant? Is it only a ritual or is it for some benefit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said that the matter of making a covenant is that now they understand that it is in their interest for each to love the other because of reasons they can now see\u2014that each one feels the other and cares only for his well-being\u2014so they make a covenant. And as now neither has any complaints against his friend, or they would not make the covenant, they tell each other, \u201cIt is worthwhile for us to make a covenant once and for all.\u201d In other words, if there is ever a state where one will have complaints against the other, they will both remember the covenant that they made when love was revealed between them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, even though they currently do not feel the love as they did then, they still evoke the old love and do not look at the state they are currently in. Instead, they go back to doing things for each other. This is the benefit of the covenant. Thus, even when the love that was between them has lost its fancy, because they made the covenant, they have the strength to reawaken the shining love that they had before. In this way, they usher each other back into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It follows that making the covenant is for the future. It is like a contract that they sign that they will not be able to regret when they see that the ties of love are not as they were, that this love gave them great pleasure while they were doing good to each other, but now that love has been corrupted, they are powerless and none can do anything for the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But if they do wish to do something for their friends, they must consider the making of the covenant that they had before, and out of that they should rebuild the love. It is like a person who signs a contract with his friend, and the contract connects them so they cannot part from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It follows that, \u201cYou stand today, all of you.\u201d In other words, he thinks of details, \u201cYour heads, your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel.\u201d This means that of all the high degrees that he had, it is now considered for him that he is in a state of \u201cEvery man of Israel,\u201d and he assumes that state, as when he was in a state that he considered good. He says, \u201cNow I do my part, and I agree that the Creator will give me what He wants, and I have no criticism.\u201d At that time, he is rewarded with making a covenant. In other words, the connection remains forever because the Creator made a covenant with him for all eternity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the above, we should interpret the verse, \u201cThe secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may do all the words of this law.\u201d We should understand what this verse comes to tell us. We cannot say that it comes to tell us that we do not know what is hidden and only the Creator knows. We cannot say that because without the verse, we do not know what is hidden from us. Thus, what does the verse come to tell us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is known that there is a thing that is hidden and a thing that is revealed. It means that the active part of what we do is when we can see whether or not we are doing it. And if the body does not wish to perform the Mitzva<\/em> [commandment], there is a tactic\u2014one can force oneself, meaning that he is compelled to do the Mitzva<\/em> against his will. It turns out that coercion is relevant with revealed things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hidden thing is the intention in the Mitzva<\/em>. This, one cannot see, meaning what the other one intends while doing. It is the same with the person himself, the one who acts. He, too, cannot know if he is not fooling himself during the act. He thinks that he has no other goal and that he is completely dedicated to the Creator. But with the action, called \u201cthe revealed part,\u201d it is irrelevant to speak of a person lying to himself, that he thinks that he is wearing Tefillin<\/em> [phylacteries] when in truth, it is not Tefillin<\/em>. Similarly, a woman cannot lie to herself saying that she lights the Sabbath candles when in fact she isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But with intention, it can be said that one lies to oneself. He thinks that he is working Lishma<\/em> [for Her sake] when in fact he is entirely in Lo Lishma<\/em> [not for Her sake]. Also, there cannot be coercion because one cannot coerce one\u2019s thought into thinking what he wants to. Regarding things that belong to emotion or knowledge, a person is powerless. He cannot force his mind to understand differently than it does or feel differently than how he feels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now we can understand the above matter\u2014that all that is left for us is the practical part. This is called \u201cThe things that are revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may do all the words of this law.\u201d We are commanded to perform the action, meaning it is the deed that we are commanded to do, even coercively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But as for the intention, called \u201cthe hidden part,\u201d in that, no man has any view or governance. Thus, what should we do to keep the hidden part, as well? Here all that one can do is test, meaning examine himself to see if he is truly doing everything in order to bestow, or whether the body resists the aim to bestow. He feels that he is removed from it to the extent that there is nothing he can do alone, since whatever he plans to do, all the tactics to be able to aim in order to bestow do not help him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is about that that the verse comes to tell us that this matter of Lishma<\/em>, called \u201cthe hidden part,\u201d belongs to the Lord our God. In other words, only the Creator can help him, while there is absolutely no possibility that he himself would realize it. It is not in the hands of man because it is above nature. This is why the verse says, \u201cThe secret things belong to the Lord our God,\u201d meaning that it belongs to Him, that the Creator should provide this force called \u201cto bestow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why our sages said (Kidushin<\/em> 30), \u201cMan\u2019s inclination overpowers him every day and seeks to put him to death, as it is said, \u2018The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him.\u2019 And if the Creator did not help him, he would not overcome it, as it is said, \u2018The Lord will not leave him in his hand.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The matter of seeking to slay him means that it wishes for man to do everything in order to receive, which is regarded as being separated from the Life of Lives. Naturally, one remains a beast. This is why our sages said, \u201cThe wicked are called \u2018dead\u2019 while they are alive.\u201d It turns out that it is called \u201cdeath\u201d when his intention is to receive. This is considered separation. To be rewarded with Dvekut<\/em> [adhesion], meaning to be granted the strength to bestow\u2014to have such a thing\u2014only the Creator can give it to him; it is not in man\u2019s power to obtain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why our sages said, \u201cMan\u2019s inclination overpowers him every day and seeks to slay him, and if the Creator did not help him, he would not overcome it, as it is said, \u2018The Lord will not leave him in his hand.\u2019\u201d From what we explained, we can understand the verse, \u201cThe secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our sons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus, only the act is for us to do, but the hidden part is for the Creator to do<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there is still something for us to do about the hidden, so the Creator will give us the hidden part. This follows the rule that everything requires an awakening from below. There is a rule that there is no light without a Kli<\/em> [vessel], meaning there is no fulfillment without a deficiency. You cannot insert anything unless there is a vacancy, and then you put in whatever you want. But if there is no cavity, no empty place, how can we insert anything?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, first we should see that we do not have the vessel of bestowal, called \u201cdesire to bestow,\u201d and that this is our light<\/em>. As we explained in previous articles, our primary reward is to obtain the desire to bestow, called \u201cReflected Light,\u201d as it is said, \u201cThe whole reward that we hope for is the Reflected Light\u201d (General Preface to the Tree of Life).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, if the desire to bestow is called \u201cthe light,\u201d then this deficiency, when one sees that he does not have the power to bestow, is called \u201ca Kli<\/em>.\u201d He feels that this is what he is missing, meaning he sees what he is losing by not having this power called \u201cthe power of bestowal.\u201d Hence, his deficiency is built in him according to his sensation. This is called \u201ca Kli<\/em>\u201d and \u201ca vacancy,\u201d for here\u2014where he lacks the power of bestowal\u2014there is room for this filling to enter. This is called \u201cthe arrival of the light into the Kli<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, we should know that receiving this Kli<\/em> requires a lot of work. We have Kelim<\/em> [plural of Kli<\/em>], called \u201cdeficiencies,\u201d which we wish to fill. They are called \u201cKelim<\/em> of self-love,\u201d meaning that we wish to receive fulfillment. These are very important Kelim<\/em> because they come from the side of the Creator, who created them existence from absence because He wishes to do good to His creations, meaning that He wishes to give fulfillment. Yet, how is it possible to give fulfillment if there is no vacancy in which to place the filling? For this reason, He created these Kelim<\/em> existence from absence to place the delight and pleasure in them. It turns out that this is the essence of the Kli<\/em> that the Creator created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, because this Kli<\/em> is called a \u201cdesire to receive,\u201d it wished to have equivalence of form, called \u201cDvekut<\/em> [adhesion] with the Creator.\u201d This is why this Kli<\/em> was disqualified from being a Kli<\/em> for reception of the upper abundance. Now there is a need for a new Kli<\/em> for reception, which dresses in the former Kli<\/em>, where only by both\u2014by clothing the will to bestow within the will to receive\u2014will this Kli<\/em> befit reception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The previous Kli<\/em>, called \u201cdesire to receive,\u201d came from the Emanator. The lower one has no part in the work of the desire to receive, although everything comes from the Emanator. Similarly, the second Kli<\/em>, called \u201cdesire to bestow,\u201d comes only from the Emanator, as well, and the lower one cannot add, just as in the first Kli<\/em>, called \u201cdesire to receive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the difference is that the vessel of bestowal must first have a demand from the lower one, who seeks of the Creator to be given the new Kli<\/em>. This, the first Kli<\/em> did not have because it came to him without any awakening on the part of the lower one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Article 19, 1984 The interpreters ask about the words, \u201cYou stand today, all of you …your heads, your tribes, your […]<\/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-9391","book","type-book","status-publish","hentry","topic-rabash"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n