READING: BETWEEN AFTER MIDNINGHT AND DAWN TUESDAY

Baal HaSulam. The Acting Mind

The Acting Mind

It is written that every person is obliged to attain the root of his soul. This means that the aspired-for purpose of the created being is Dvekut [adhesion] with His qualities, as it is written, “And to cleave unto Him.” Our sages interpreted that this is the Dvekut with His attributes: “As He is merciful,” etc. His qualities are the holy Sefirot, and this is the acting mind that guides His world and by which He allots them His bestowal and goodness.

We must understand why this is called “Dvekut with the Creator,” as it seems to be mere learning. I will explain it with an allegory: In every operation in the world, the mind of its operator remains in that operation. In a table, one can attain the carpenter’s mind and deftness in his craft, whether great or small. This is so because while working, he built it with his mind and the qualities of his mind. And one who observes this operation and considers the mind imprinted in it, during this act, he is attached to the mind that performed it, meaning they actually unite.

In truth, there is no distance or cessation between spirituals, even when they are in distinct bodies. But the mind in them cannot be distinguished, since what knife can cut the spiritual and leave it separated? Rather, the main difference between spirituals is in their qualities—praiseworthy or blameworthy—and the composition, since a mind that calculates astronomy will not cling to one that contemplates natural sciences.

There is great diversity even within the same teaching, for if one exceeds another in even one element, it separates the spirituals from one another. But when two sages contemplate the same teaching and have the same measure of knowledge, they are in fact united, for what separates them?

Hence, when one contemplates another’s action and attains the mind of the sage who performed it, they have the same mind and power. Now they are completely united, like a man who met his beloved friend on the street, he embraces him and kisses him, and because of their great unity, it is impossible to separate them.

Hence, the rule is that in the speaking, the mind is the best-adjusted force between the Creator and His creatures. It is considered the medium, meaning He emanated a spark of that force, and through that spark, everything returns to Him.

It is written, “In wisdom You have made them all,” meaning that He created the whole world with His wisdom. Hence, one who is rewarded with attaining the manners by which He created the world and its conducts is adhered to the Mind that performed them. Thus, he is adhered to the Creator.

This is the meaning of the Torah being all the names of the Creator, which belong to the created beings. And by their merit, the created being attains the Mind that does everything, since the Creator looked in the Torah when He created the world, and one achieves illumination through creation and forever adheres to that Mind; thus, he is adhered to the Creator.

Now we understand why the Creator showed us His tools of craftsmanship, for do we need to create worlds? But from the above-mentioned, we gather that the Creator has shown us His conducts so we may know how to adhere to Him, which is “cleave unto His attributes.”