HOCHMA: TIKKUN CHATZOT תקון חצות – LESSON WITH RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN
Standing between Heaven and Earth
Standing between Heaven and Earth – Selected Excerpts from the Sources
1. RABASH, Article No. 21, “Sanctification of the Month”
A person must take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven on the lowest quality, and say about it that to him, even that state, the lowest that can be, meaning one that is entirely above reason, when he has no support from the mind or the feeling, so he can build its foundations on it, and at that time, he is seemingly standing between heaven and earth and has no support, for then everything is above reason, then a person says that the Creator sent him this state, where he is in utter lowliness, since the Creator wants him to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven in this manner of lowliness.
At that time, because he believes above reason, he takes upon himself that the situation he is in now comes to him from the Creator, meaning that the Creator wants him to see the lowest possible state that can be in the world.
And yet, he must say that he believes in the Creator in all manners. This is considered that he has made an unconditional surrender.
2. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 113, “The Eighteen Prayer”
When one finds himself standing between heaven and earth, he is not asking the Creator for something redundant, but only for the light of faith, for the Creator to open his eyes so he can take upon himself the quality of faith. This is called “raising the Shechina from the dust.” This prayer is accepted from “every mouth.” That is, whatever state a person is in, if he asks to revive his soul with faith, his prayer will be answered.
This is called “with mercy,” when one’s prayer is only to be pitied from above so he can sustain his vitality. This is the meaning of what is written in The Zohar, that a prayer for the poor is immediately accepted. That is, when it is for the Shechina, it is immediately accepted.
3. RABASH, Article No. 29 (1986), “Lishma and Lo Lishma”
Now that he sees that he is far from spirituality, he begins to think, “What is really required of me? What should I do? What is the purpose I should achieve?” He sees that he has no power to work, and finds himself in a state of “between heaven and earth.” Then, man’s only strengthening is that only the Creator can help, but by himself, he is doomed.
It was said about this (Isaiah, 4:31): “Yet those who hope for the Lord will gain new strength,” meaning those people who hope for the Creator. This means that they who see that there is no one else in the world who can help them regain strength each time. It follows that this descent is actually an ascent, meaning that this descent that they feel allows them to rise in degree, since “there is no light without a Kli.”
4. RABASH, Article No. 15 (1989), “What Is ‘The Righteous Become Apparent through the Wicked,’ in the Work”?
In order for a person to progress on the path of the Creator, to be rewarded with all his work being for the sake of the Creator, and now he feels that he is in a state of ascent, what more should he do? For this reason, the Creator leads His world with wicked. That is, at that time the Creator gives him thoughts of wicked—that it is not worthwhile to work for Him, but only for himself. By this, he suffers a descent and thinks that the descent he has received is not because it was given to him so he would advance in the path of the Creator, to be rewarded with knowledge of Kedusha [holiness]. Rather, he thinks that he regressed because he cannot work in the manner of individuals, but needs to work like the general public. And since he has departed from the general public, he is left empty handed from here and from there, since he cannot return to the general public.
For this reason, in that state, a person stands between heaven and earth, and feels that his situation is worse than that of the rest of the people. At that time, he can ask the Creator with all his heart, and pray as it is written, “Pardon me, O Lord, for I am wretched. Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed, and You, O Lord, how long?”
5. RABASH, Article No. 226. ”The Ark Carries Its Carriers”
The meaning of the ark, meaning faith, carrying its carriers. It means that the faith gives strength to the carriers, who took upon themselves the heavy task. They come to a state where they think that they cannot carry the burden of faith, and think that they are carrying the faith, meaning that they do not see that it is within human capability to carry the ark on the shoulders of faith, which is a burden, called “ark,” “will be carried on the shoulder.”
But we must know that faith gives man strength. It gives man vitality, regarded as “the living carries itself.” This means that according to the human intellect, it is impossible to achieve such a degree that is removed from any discernment of the will to receive, whether in mind or in heart. And yet, it gives strength, as in “the living carries itself,” which carries a person, as in “the ark carries its carriers.”
Then, when one is rewarded with this and has this reality, he calls this “finding,” and he thought that he will always remain in a state of “between heaven and earth.” At that time, he sees that even in such a state it can still impart eternal life upon him.
6. RABASH, Article No. 10, “Jacob Went Out”
“The exit of the righteous from the place leaves an impression.” It means that only then, through the exit of the righteous, when he thinks, “Now that I feel good taste in the work, I no longer need to work above reason,” it causes him the exit of the righteous from the place. This creates in him an impression, so he will know how to keep himself from exiting the work of above reason from here on. As I heard from Baal HaSulam, when a person says, “Now that he has support and no longer stands between heaven and earth,” he must fall from his degree because then he flaws the discernment of above reason.
It therefore follows that precisely the departure of the degree he had leaves an impression on him so he will know how to be careful next time and will not blemish the faith above reason, but always justify Providence.
7, Baal Hasulam, Shamati, Article No. 233, “Pardon, Forgiveness, and Atonement”
From the very place where the wicked fail, the righteous will walk. This is because when coming to a place where there is no support, the Sitra Achra [other side] has a hold in that place. Then the wicked fail in them. This wicked, who cannot go above reason, falls because he has no support. Then he remains between heaven and earth, since they are wicked, and can only do things within reason, by way of “evil eye, of haughty eyes.”
But the righteous are considered “my eyes are not haughty, nor my heart lofty,” and they will walk in it. It follows that it turns into blessings. Thus, by attributing all the suffering to Providence and taking everything above reason, it creates within him the proper Kelim [vessels] to receive blessings.
8. RABASH, Article No. 15 (1989), What Is, “What Is ‘The Righteous Become Apparent through the Wicked,’ in the Work”?
A person must believe that the Creator hears the prayer of every mouth, meaning even the worst mouth in the world, of which there cannot be lowlier and worse in the world. Still, the Creator hears him, as our sages said, “He who comes to purify is aided.”