WEDNESDAY PRAYER: HESED-TIKKUN CHATZOT תקון חצות – LESSON WITH RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN
READING: between after midnight and sunrise of Wednesday
From Love for the Created Beings to The Love for the Creator”, lesson 1, part 1
Lesson on: From the Love of Man to the Love of the Creator
1. Baal Hasulam. The Teaching of Kabbalah and its Essence
Since there is no act without some purpose, it is certain that the Creator had a purpose in the Creation set before us. And the most important thing in this whole diverse reality is the sensation given to the animals—that each of them feels its own existence. And the most important sensation is the noetic sensation, given to man alone, by which one also feels what is in one’s other—the pains and comforts. Hence, it is certain that if the Creator has a purpose in this Creation, its subject is man. It is said about him, “All of the Lord’s works are for him.” But we must still understand what was the purpose for which the Creator created this lot? Indeed, it is to elevate him to a Higher and more important degree, to feel his God like the human sensation, which is already given to him. And as one knows and feels one’s friend’s wishes, so will he learn the words of the Creator, as it is written about Moses, “And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” Any person can be as Moses. Undoubtedly, anyone who examines the evolution of Creation before us will see and understand the great pleasure of the Operator, whose operation evolves until it acquires that wondrous sensation of being able to converse and deal with one’s God as one speaks to one’s friend.
2. Baal Hasulam. The Freedom
The Torah and the Mitzvot were given only to purify Israel, to develop in us the sense of recognition of evil, imprinted in us at birth, which is generally defined as our self-love, and to come to the pure good defined as the “love of others,” which is the one and only passage to the love of God.
3. Rabash – 3. Article 410. Self-Love and Love of the Creator
There is self-love and there is love of the Creator, and there is a medium, which is love of others. Through love of others we come to the love of the Creator. This is the meaning of what Rabbi Akiva said, “Love your neighbor as yourself is a great rule in the Torah.” As Old Hillel said to the gentile who told him, “Teach me the whole Torah on one leg.” He said to him, “That which you hate, do not do to your friend. And the rest, go study.” This is so because through love of others we come to love the Creator, and then the whole Torah and all the wisdom are in his heart.
4. Baal Hasulam. Letter 60
Introduction:
Baal Hasulam wrote this letter as an answer to a question that was sent to him following the publication of the article “Matan Torah”, in which he elaborated that the commandment “love your friend as yourself” is the rule of the Torah concerning that a person should care for his friend no less than he cares for himself. The person who sent the question did not know the Rav (Baal Hasulam) at all, rather he encountered this article. The question was copied by the Rav and below it he wrote his answer. It appears from the form of the writing that he was preparing to publish it in future pamphlets.
The question:
If the main concern of the Torah is to care for people and no more, why is it that the entire Torah and the authors of the Talmud and the Poskim hardly speak about it? Did all they all neglect the main point and engaged in the trivial? In my opinion all his words concerning this matter are contrary to all that is accepted by the religion of Israel and by everything that has spread among us. In my opinion, this necessary force is a new building and a new method which he invented of his own. Of course I am writing (expressing) my own opinion. (M.L. Talk in Petach Tikva)
The Answer:
Apparently he did not study my words carefully, since I wrote only that there was a condition that was given before the reception of the Torah. However afterwards, from the time the calf was made, the package was separated because wars were made and the sons of Levi killed by the words of God three thousand men. Later on came the complaints about Moses and Aaron and the spies, and of course all those who did not add love and unity. Later, when they entered the land, there was no rest as well, and therefore there was no place to expect that anyone should keep this main commandment. But in order that the Torah will not be forgotten from Israel, they began to engage in the other mitzvot even though they neglected the main point, because they had no other choice.
Perhaps this is what the sages meant when they expounded on the destruction of the Second Temple, that there was no idolatry there, and that they were well versed in the Torah. And why was it destroyed? They said because of unfounded hatred. Perhaps they meant that they were unable to engage in the primary building of the Torah, which is “Love your friend as yourself.”
5. Рав Хаим Виталь, Книга Шаарей Кдуша, часть 2, Шаар Далет
Сказали наши Учителя (Авот 84): “Ненависть к творениям удаляет человека из этого мира”. И вот будто ненавидит Творца за то, что создал его. Сказано (Йома стр. 9: 72) : “Во Втором Храме были праведники и большие мудрецы, и был он разрушен из-за греха беспричинной ненависти, и не приходит конец, и не исчезает, а лишь по причине беспричинной ненависти, и хотя остальные прегрешения проходят над ними лишь в час их, но беспричинная ненависть в сердце всегда. И каждое мгновение преступает заповедь: не ненавидь, и отменяет заповедь делай (Ваикра, 18:19): “Возлюби ближнего, как самого себя”. И еще об этой заповеди сказано (Кдошим), что это главное правило Торы, которая целиком зависит от него. И Моше удостоился всех своих добродетелей лишь потому, что любил Исраэль и скорбел их скорбью, как сказали мудрецы: (Мидраш Раба, Шмот 81) “И скорбел их скорбью” и об отрывке (Шмот 32:32): “И вот не простишь ли Ты грех их? Если же нет, то сотри и меня”, и поэтому был уравновешен весь Исраэль
6. Rabash – 3. Article 270. Anyone with Whom the Spirit of the People Is Pleased – 2
It is impossible to achieve love of the Creator before a person is rewarded with love of people through “love your neighbor as yourself,” which Rabbi Akiva said is a great rule in the Torah. That is, by this a person accustoms himself to love people, which is love of others, and then he can achieve the degree of loving the Creator. By this we should interpret the above-said, “Anyone with whom the spirit of the people is content,” meaning that the spirit of the people is content with him, for he always engages in love of people, and always watches out for love of others. Then the spirit of the Creator is also pleased with him, meaning he enjoys making the spirit of the Creator, meaning bestowing upon the Creator. But it is not so with one who engages in love of self; then it is certain that the spirit of the Creator is also not pleased with him.
7. Baal Hasulam. Writings of the Last Generation
All of the anticipated reward from the Creator, and the purpose of entire creation, are Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, as in “A tower filled abundantly, but no guests.” This is what they who cling to Him with love receive. Naturally, first, one emerges from imprisonment, which is emerging from the skin of one’s body by bestowal upon others. Subsequently, one comes to the king’s palace, which is Dvekut with Him through the intention to bestow contentment upon one’s maker. Therefore, the bulk of commandments are between man and man. One who gives preference to the commandments between man and God is as one who climbs to the second degree before he has climbed to the first. Clearly, he will break his legs.
8. Rabash. Letter 66
The main thing that a person should do in the world is to make all his works be for the Creator. And since man was created with a quality of delighting only himself, to the point that it is impossible for him to do anything unless he sees that some good will come out of it for himself, then how can one work for the Creator? But the Creator has given us commandments between man and man, by which man accustoms himself to work in favor of his neighbor. By that he comes to a higher degree, to having the ability to work for the Creator as well. Otherwise, even though a person engages in Torah and Mitzvot, he cannot engage for the Creator. It therefore follows that if he engages only in Torah, and not in doing good, he cannot work in order to bestow because he lacks the quality of love of others. It therefore follows that although he engages in Torah and Mitzvot, if it is not for the Creator, it is as one who has no God, for if he truly had the sensation of Godliness, he would certainly be engaging in order to bestow. But if he had engaged in doing good, then he would have the quality of love of others, by which he would also come to love the Creator, and would have the ability to observe Torah and Mitzvot for the Creator. It turns out that a person should have the power and force to overcome his qualities, to turn them into being in favor of others, for by that he will later be rewarded with working with those qualities for the Creator. Because once a person has already been corrected in his qualities so he can work in favor of others, he can work on the matter of faith in the Creator, for then he is fit to be rewarded with faith, for then he already has equivalence of form, called, “Cleave onto his attributes,” as in, “As He is merciful, be you merciful.”
9. Baal Hasulam. The Arvut, 22
The impression that comes to a person when engaging in Mitzvot between man and God is completely the same as the impression he gets when engaging in Mitzvot between man and man. He is obliged to perform all the Mitzvot Lishma (for Her name), without any hope for self-love, meaning that no light or hope returns to him through his trouble in the form of reward or honor, etc. Here, in this exalted point, the love of the Creator and the love of his friend unite and actually become one.
10. Baal Hasulam. Matan Torah, 15
The words of Hillel Hanasi to the proselyte, that the essence of the Torah is, “Love thy friend as thyself,” and the remaining six hundred and twelve Mitzvot are but an interpretation of it. And even the Mitzvot between man and God are regarded as a qualification of that Mitzva, which is the final aim emerging from the Torah and Mitzvot, as our sages said, “The Torah and Mitzvot were given only so as to cleanse Israel” (Item 12). This is the cleansing of the body until one attains a second nature defined as “love for others,” meaning the one Mitzva: “Love thy friend as thyself,” which is the final aim of the Torah, after which one immediately attains Dvekutwith Him.
But one must not wonder why it was not defined in the words: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). It is because indeed, with respect to a person who is still within the nature of Creation, there is no difference between the love of God and the love of his fellow person.
This is because anything that is not him is unreal to him. And because that proselyte asked of Hillel Hanasi to explain to him the desired outcome of the Torah, so his goal would be near, and he would not have to walk a long way, as he said, “Teach me the whole Torah while I am standing on one leg;” hence, he defined it for him as love of his friend because its aim is nearer and is revealed faster (Item 14), since it is mistake-proof and is demanding.
11. VaYikra 19:18
You shalt not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
14. Baal Hasulam. Letter 26
The Torah is divided into two parts: a part for worshipping the Creator, such as Tefillin, Shofar, and studying Torah, and a part for working with people, such as robbery, theft, fraud, and slander. Indeed, the part between man and man is the real work, and the part between man and the Creator is the reward and the delights spread out across the king’s table. However, “All that the Lord has worked was for His sake,” so the part of working with people should be in the king’s place, too, meaning “to raise Divinity from the dust.” In that there is a healing dust to the potion of death that is cast between man and the Creator. This is the meaning of “He gives grace to the poor,” in the Torah and Mitzvot between man and man, and between man and the Creator. “…to those who love Me and keep My commandments,” to make them do all the work in the designated area. They are the ones with the grace of holiness, and “they will inherit twofold in their land,” for not only are they not working so hard for people, they are delighted all their lives by the grace of the Creator.
15. Baal Hasulam. Introduction to TES, 68-69
To understand that, we must first acquire genuine understanding in the nature of the love of God itself. We must know that all the inclinations, tendencies, and properties instilled in a person, with which to serve one’s friends, all these tendencies and natural properties are required for the work of God. To begin with, they were created and imprinted in man only because of their final role, which is the ultimate purpose of man, as it is written, “he that is banished, be not an outcast from him.” One needs them all so as to complement oneself in the ways of reception of abundance, and to complement the will of God. This is the meaning of, “Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory” (Isaiah 43:7), and also “The Lord hath made all things for His own purpose” (Proverbs 16:4). However, in the meantime, man has been given a whole world to develop and complete all these natural inclinations and qualities, by engaging in them with people, thus yielding them suitable for their purpose. It is written, “One must say, ‘The world was created for me,’” because all the people in the world are required for a person, as they develop and qualify the attributes and inclinations of every individual to become a fit tool for His work. Thus, we must understand the essence of the love of God from the properties of love by which one person relates to another. The love of God is necessarily given through these qualities, since they were only imprinted in humans for His name to begin with.
16. Baal Hasulam. The Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings
Even if we see that there are two parts to the Torah: The first – Mitzvot between man and God, and the second – Mitzvot between man and man, they are both one and the same thing. This means that the actual purpose of them and the desired goal are one, namely Lishma. It makes no difference if one works for one’s friend or for the Creator. That is because it is carved in us by the nature of creation that anything that comes from the outside appears empty and unreal.
Because of that we are compelled to begin with Lo Lishma. Rambam says, “our sages said: ‘One should always study the Torah, and even Lo Lishma, because from Lo Lishma one comes to Lishma.’ Therefore when teaching the young, the women and the illiterate, they are taught to work out of fear and in order to be rewarded, until they accumulate knowledge and gain wisdom. Then they are told that secret little by little and they are accustomed to that matter with ease until they attain and know Him and serve Him with love.” Thus, when one completes one’s work in love and bestowal for one’s fellow person and comes to the highest point, one also completes one’s love and bestowal for the Creator. In that state there is no difference between the two, for anything that is outside one’s body, meaning one’s self-interest is judged equally – either to bestow upon one’s friend or bestow contentment upon one’s Maker.
This is what Hillel Hanasi assumed, that “Love thy friend as thyself” is the ultimate goal in the practice. That is because it is the clearest form to mankind. We should not be mistaken with deeds, for they are set before one’s eyes. We know that if we precede the needs of our own, it is bestowal. For that reason Hillel does not define the goal as “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might,” because they are indeed one and the same thing. It is so because one should also love one’s friend with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, because that is the meaning of the words “as thyself.” After all one certainly loves oneself with all one’s heart and soul and might, but with regards to the Creator, one may deceive oneself; and with one’s friend it is always spread out before his eyes.
17. Baal Hasulam. The Arvut. 27
The work in Torah and Mitzvot is expressed in the words, “and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests.” A kingdom of priests means that all of you, from youngest to oldest, will be like priests. Just as the priests have no land or any corporeal possessions because the Creator is their domain, so will the entire nation be organized so that the whole earth and everything in it will be dedicated to the Creator only. And no person should have any other engagement in it but to keep the Mitzvot of the Creator and to satisfy the needs of his fellow person. Thus he will lack none of his wishes, so that no person will need to have any worry about himself. This way, even mundane works such as harvesting, sowing, etc. are considered to be precisely like the work with the sacrifices that the priests performed in the Temple. How is it different if I keep the Mitzva of making sacrifices to the Creator, which is a positive Mitzva, or if I can keep the positive Mitzva, “Love thy friend as thyself”? It turns out that he who harvests his field in order to feed his fellow person is the same as he who sacrifices to the Creator. Moreover, it seems that the Mitzva, “Love thy friend as thyself,” is more important than he who makes the sacrifice, as we have shown above (Items 14, 15). Indeed, this is not the end of it yet, because the whole of the Torah and the Mitzvot were given for the sole purpose of cleansing Israel, which is the cleansing of the body (see Item 12), after which he will be granted the true reward, which is Dvekut with Him, the purpose of Creation.
18. Degel Machaneh Ephraim, VaEtchanan
It is written, “The Lord is one and Israel are one”; hence, they are adhered to the Creator, since it befits the One to cling to the one. And when is this? It is when Israel are bundled and attached together in complete unity. At that time, they are regarded as one, and the Creator is upon them, for He is one.
But when their hearts divide and they are apart from one another, they cannot be adhered to the One and the Creator is not on them. Rather, another God is on them. This is implied in the verse, “And you who are adhered,” meaning when you are adhered and united with each other, “You are alive every one of you.” When they are in one unity. Then it befits the One to cling to the one, and the one Creator is upon them.
19. Rabash – 2. Letter 34
It is said in Rosh Hashanah prayer [Hebrew New Year’s Eve service], “And they shall all become one society.” In that state, it will be easier “To do Your will wholeheartedly.”
This is so because while there is not just one society, it is difficult to work wholeheartedly. Instead, part of the heart remains for its own benefit and not for the benefit of the Creator. It is said about it in Midrash Tanhuma, “‘You stand today,’ as the day at times shines and at times darkens, so it is with you. When it is dark for you, the light of the world will shine for you, as it is said, ‘And the Lord shall be unto you an everlasting light.’ When? When you are all one society, as it is written, ‘Alive everyone of you this day.’ Usually, if someone takes a pile of branches, can he break them all at once? But if taken one at a time, even a baby can break them. Similarly, you find that Israel will not be redeemed until they are all one society, as it is said, ‘In those days and at that time, says the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the sons of Judah together.’ Thus, when they are united, they receive the face of Divinity.” I presented the words of the Midrash so that you don’t think that the issue of a group, which is love of friends, relates to Hassidism. Rather, it is the teaching of our sages, who saw how necessary was the uniting of hearts into a single group for the reception of the face of Divinity.
20. Likutey Halachot [Assorted Rules], Hoshen Mishpat, “Rules of the Guarantor”
It is impossible to observe the Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds] unless through Arvut [mutual responsibility], when each one becomes responsible for his friend. Since the essence of observance of the Torah, which is the desire, is through unity, anyone who wishes to take upon himself the burden of Torah and Mitzvot, which is primarily by overcoming the desire, must be included in the whole of Israel in great unity. For this reason, at the time of the reception of the Torah, they immediately became responsible for one another because they were regarded as one. Precisely by each being responsible for his friend, which is the quality of unity, specifically by this can they observe the Torah. Without it, it would not be possible to observe the Torah whatsoever, since the heart of observing the Torah, which is the desire, is through unity, when all are regarded as one. It follows that specifically through Arvut, which is when everyone are regarded as one, is the heart of observing the Torah, since the essence of love and unity is in the desire, when each one is pleased with his friend and there is no disparity of desire among them, and all are included in one desire, by which they are included in the upper desire, which is the complete unity.
21. Baal Hasulam. The Arvut, 17
This is to speak of the Arvut (Mutual Guarantee), when all of Israel became responsible for one another. Because the Torah was not given to them before each and every one from Israel was asked if he agreed to take upon himself the Mitzva (precept) of loving others in the full measure, expressed in the words: “Love thy friend as thyself” (as explained in Items 2 and 3, examine it thoroughly there). This means that each and every one in Israel would take it upon himself to care and work for each member of the nation, and to satisfy all their every needs, no less than the measure imprinted in him to care for his own needs. And once the whole nation unanimously agreed and said, “We shall do and we shall hear,” each member of Israel became responsible that nothing shall be missing from any other member of the nation. Only then did they become worthy of receiving the Torah, and not before. With this collective responsibility, each member of the nation was liberated from worrying about the needs of his own body and could keep the Mitzva, “Love thy friend as thyself” in the fullest measure, and give all that he had to any needy person, since he no longer cared for the existence of his own body, as he knew for certain that he was surrounded by six hundred thousand loyal lovers, who were standing ready to provide for him.
22. Baal Hasulam. Matan Torah, 16
If six hundred thousand men abandon their work for the satisfaction of their own needs and worry about nothing but standing guard so their friends will never lack a thing, and moreover, that they will keep it with a mighty love, with their very heart and soul, in the full meaning of the Mitzva, “Love thy friend as thyself,” then it is beyond doubt that no man of the nation will need to worry about his own well being. Because of that, he becomes completely free of securing his own survival and can easily keep the Mitzva, “Love thy friend as thyself,” obeying all the conditions given in Items 3 and 4. After all, why would he worry about his own survival when six hundred thousand loyal lovers stand by, ready with great care to make sure he lacks nothing of his needs? Therefore, once all the members of the nation agreed, they were immediately given the Torah, because now they were capable of keeping it.
23. Noam Elimelech, Likutei Shoshana
One must always pray for his friend, as one cannot do much for himself, for “One does not deliver oneself from imprisonment.” But when asking for his friend, he is answered quickly. Therefore, each one should pray for his friend, and thus each works on the other’s desire until all of them are answered. This is why it was said, “Israel are Arevim [responsible/sweet] for one another,” where Arevim means sweetness, as they sweeten for each other by the prayers they pray for one another, and by this they are answered.
24. Rabash – 3. Article 217. Run My Beloved
It is a great rule that the person himself is called “a creature,” meaning only he alone. Other than him it is already considered the holy Shechina. It follows that when he prays for his contemporaries, it is considered that he is praying for the holy Shechina, who is in exile and needs all the salvations. This is the meaning of eternity, and precisely in this matter, the light of mercy can be revealed. Another reason we should pray only for the general public is the need to disclose the light of mercy, which is the light of bestowal. It is a rule that it is impossible to receive anything without equivalence. Rather, there must always be equivalence. Hence, when he evokes mercy on himself, it follows that he is engaged in reception for himself. And the more he prays, not only is he not preparing the Kli [vessel] of equivalence, but on the contrary, sparks of reception form within him. It turns out that he is going the opposite way: While he should prepare vessels of bestowal, he is preparing vessels of reception. “Cleave unto His attributes” is specifically “As He is merciful, so you are merciful.” Hence, when he prays for the public, through this prayer he engages in bestowal. And the more he prays, to that extent he forms vessels of bestowal, by which the light of bestowal, called “merciful,” can be revealed.
25. Rabash. Article 19 (1990). “WHY IS THE TORAH CALLED “MIDDLE LINE” IN THE WORK?-2”
One must believe as was said above, that “there is none else besides Him,” meaning that it is the Creator who compels him to do the good deeds, but since he is still unworthy of knowing that it is the Creator who commits him, the Creator dresses Himself in dresses of flesh and blood, through which the Creator performs these actions. Thus, the Creator acts in the form of Achoraim [posterior]. In other words, the person sees people’s faces but he should believe that behind the faces stands the Creator and performs these actions. That is, behind the man stands the Creator and compels him to do the deeds that the Creator wants. It follows that the Creator does everything, but the person regards what he sees and not what he should believe.
26. Baal Hasulam. Shamati 67. Depart from Evil
Ohe who thinks that he is deceiving his friend, is really deceiving the Creator, since besides man’s body there is only the Creator. This is because it is the essence of creation that man is called “creature” only with respect to himself. The Creator wants man to feel that he is a separated reality from Him; but except for that, it is all “the whole earth is full of His glory.” Hence, when lying to one’s friend, one is lying to the Creator; and when saddening one’s friend, one is saddening the Creator. For this reason, if one is accustomed to speak the truth, it will help him with respect to the Creator.
27. Rabash – 1. Article 13 (1986). Come Unto Pharaoh – 2
We should know that we were given love of friends to learn how to avoid blemishing the King’s honor. In other words, if he has no other desire except to give contentment to the King, he will certainly blemish the King’s honor, which is called “Passing on Kedusha [holiness] to the external ones.” For this reason, we mustn’t underestimate the importance of the work in love of friends, for by that he will learn how to exit self-love and enter the path of love of others. And when he completes the work of love of friends, he will be able to be rewarded with love of the Creator.
28. Rabash -1. Article 6 (1984). “LOVE OF FRIENDS – 2”
By which substance can one be brought to acquire a new quality that he must bestow, and that reception for self is faulty? This is against nature! Though at times, one receives a thought and desire that he must abandon self-love, which comes to us by hearing of it from friends and books, it is a very small force, which does not always shine for us so we can constantly appreciate it and say that this is the rule for all the Mitzvot in the Torah.Thus, there is but one counsel: Several individuals must come together with the desire to abandon self-love, but without the sufficient force and appreciation for bestowal to become independent, without help from the outside. Now, if these individuals annul before one another, since each of them has at least potential love of the Creator, though they cannot actually keep it, then by each joining the society and annulling oneself before it, they become one body. For example, if there are ten people in that body, it has ten times more power than a single person does. However, there is a condition: When they gather, each of them should think that he has now come for the purpose of annulling self-love. It means that he will not consider how to satisfy his will to receive now, but will think as much as possible only of the love of others. This is the only way to acquire the desire and the need to acquire a new quality, called “the will to bestow.” And from love of friends one can reach love of the Creator, meaning wanting to give contentment to the Creator. It turns out that only in this does one obtain a need and understanding that bestowing is important and necessary, and this comes to him through love of friends. Then we can talk about fear, meaning that one is afraid that he will not be able to bestow contentment to the Creator, and this is called “fear.” Hence, the primary basis upon which the building of sanctity can be erected is the rule of “Love thy friend.” By that, one can acquire the need to bestow contentment upon the Creator. After that, there can be fear, meaning fear of perhaps not being able to give contentment to the Creator. When actually past that gate of fear, he can come to faith, because faith is the vessel for instilling the Shechina [Divinity], as it is explained in several places. We thus find that there are three rules before us: The first rule is that of Rabbi Akiva, being “Love thy friend as thyself.” Prior to that, there is nothing that provides a person with the fuel enabling him to modify his situation even a bit, as this is the only way to exit from self-love toward love of man, and the feeling that self-love is a bad thing. Now we come to the second rule, which is the fear. Without fear, there is no room for faith, as Baal HaSulam says. Finally, we come to the third rule, which is faith. After all the above-mentioned three rules have been acquired, one comes to sense the purpose of creation, which is to do good to His creations.
29. Baal Hasulam. The Peace
From the perspective of empirical reason—out of the practical history unfolding before our very eyes–that there is no other cure for humanity but the acceptance of the commandment of Providence: bestowal upon others in order to bring contentment to the Creator in the measure of the two verses. The first is “love thy friend as thyself,” which is the attribute of the work itself. This means that the measure of work to bestow upon others for the happiness of society should be no less than the measure imprinted in man to care for his own needs. Moreover, he should put his fellow person’s needs before his own, as it written in the article, “Matan Torah” (Item 4). And the other verse is, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” This is the goal that must be before everyone’s eyes when laboring for one’s friend’s needs. This means that he labors and toils only to be liked by the Creator, that He said and they do His will. And if you wish to listen, you shall feed on the fruit of the land, for poverty and torment and exploitation shall be no more in the land, and the happiness of each and every one shall rise ever higher, beyond measure. But as long as you refuse to assume the covenant of the work for the Creator in the fullest measure, nature and its laws will stand ready to take revenge. And as we have shown, it will not let go until it defeats us and we accept its authority in whatever it commands.
30. Baal Hasulam. Writings of the Last Generation
The basis of my entire commentary is the will to receive that is imprinted in every creature, and which is disparity of form to the Creator. Thus, the soul has separated from Him as an organ is separated from the body, since disparity of form in spirituality is like a separating axe in corporeality. It is therefore clear that what the Creator wants from us is equivalence of form, at which time we cleave to Him once more, as before we were created. Our sages said: “Cleave unto His attributes; as He is merciful, etc.” It means that we are to change our attribute, which is the will to receive, and adopt the attribute of the Creator, which is only to bestow, so that all our actions will be only to bestow upon our fellow person and benefit them as best as we can. By that we come to the goal of cleaving unto Him, which is equivalence of form. What one is compelled to do for oneself, namely the necessary minimum for one’s self and one’s family’s sustenance, is not considered disparity of form, as “Necessity is neither condemned nor praised.” This is the great revelation that will only be revealed entirely in the days of the Messiah. When this teaching is received, we will be rewarded with complete redemption.