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by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato zt'l
Chapter 1 - Man's Duty in the World
with select commentaries
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Abbreviations used in this translation:
SR - Rabbi Yechezkel Sarna (1890–1969) (from hebrewbooks.org/41769)
ER - Rabbi Avraham Erlinger (from hebrewbooks.org/52042) (with author's permission)
SP - Rabbi Yosef Spinner (from hebrewbooks.org/51471) (with author's permission)
CS - Rabbi Moshe Chaim Shalenger (with author's permission)
MB - Mesilas Yesharim im Biruim (with author's permission)
NE - Netiv Eliezer by Rabbi Eliezer Lopian (with author's permission)
NH - Nefesh HaMesilah (with author's permission)
OG - Oros Genuzim by Rabbi Dovid Tzvi Hoffman (with author's permission) download
SO - Shaarei Orah, Vaadim by Rabbi Avigdor Miller (excerpts with book author's permission)
LS - Leket Sichot Mussar by Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Sher (1875–1952) (Vol.2, Kuntras Mesilat Yesharim, with permission of Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva (R.Shmuel Zacks), Bnei Brak. download hebrew original)
- Min - (level 1) for basic commentaries as relating to the plain meaning (Pshat).
- Med - (level 2) elaborates more into the theme.
- Max - (level 3) deeper in, including mystical excerpts from the Orot Genuzim commentary (Sod).
- Max+ - (level 4) more commentaries for those familiar with the text.
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*** CHAPTER 1 - MAN'S DUTY IN THE WORLD ***פרק 1 - בבאור כלל חובת האדם בעולמו
| The foundation of piety and the root of perfect service [of G-d] is for a man to clarify and come to realize as truth what is his obligation in his world and to what he needs to direct his gaze and his aspiration in all that he toils all the days of his life. | יסוד החסידות ושרש העבודה התמימה הוא שיתברר ויתאמת אצל האדם מה חובתו בעולמו ולמה צריך שישים מבטו ומגמתו בכל אשר הוא עמל כל ימי חייו. |
SP - "clarify..truth" - i.e. the clarifying itself is the root of piety...
Michtav M'Eliyahu 1:316 - "clarify" - without leaving any doubt whatsoever, not even a remote one. "come to realize as truth" - with bright clarity of heart (behirut halev) and not darkened by foolishness (timtum).
"for a man" - but it is impossible for one who is on the level of animal.
CS - "in his world" - not "in the world" to hint at what he wrote at the end of the book, namely, that each person needs to adapt according to his own particular situation and circumstances...
"in his world" - when a person leaves this world he goes to "Beit Olamo" - "the house of his world (eternal home)" (Kohelet 12:5). For through his actions here, one builds "his world" and this will be his eternal home. So for example, the mussar books say the punishment for jealousy is that one will have the jealousy in his soul forever. Rabbi Avigdor Miller zt'l would say that everything one sees and thinks about will be an eternal snapshot which will stand before him forever and ever in the afterlife (various books).
Alternatively, the sages taught (Sanhedrin Mishnah 4:5): "every man must say: the world was created for my sake, hence I must be upright, just, etc..". Thus in this sense the entire world is "his world" and his responsibility.
Translator - "to clarify" - the first step in the long journey of the Path of the Just begins when a person starts to look around and ask himself: what in the world is all this doing here and why am I here?! For various reasons, most people never get around to giving much thought to this. Even for religious people, many tend to be so caught up in the trees that they lose sight of the forest. In this chapter, Rabeinu gives us the "forest perspective" regarding why we are here and to what should we direct our gaze during our few dozen years in this world as G-d's guests.
"The Jewish Self" (Feldheim), Rabbi J. Kagan ch.1: "To many of us there comes a time when we are startled with the realization that we are alive and that our individual life is unique and precious, yet incomplete and temporary. We instinctively recognize that we must take responsibility for that life, to develop it within the confines of the limited time which we have. At this moment, we come of age.
Though this recognition can arise spontaneously, it is more often catalyzed by the arrival of a major crossroads in life. A graduation affords a moment's reflection on where we are going and why, as does a decision to marry. The thought of having children and the consideration of how to educate them can raise basic questions about who and what we are. Others, when squarely faced with their own mortality through illness or accident, find life. It is easier to awaken young, when shifts in direction are less wrenching and there is ample time to build upon decisions; however this realization is sufficiently compelling that it can bring radical changes in lifestyle and direction even to those who are older and established... (see there for much more)
LS - ch.1 - "and to what he needs to direct his gaze and his aspiration in all.." - i.e. that one has a "point of purpose" (nekuda tachlitit) in all of the deeds he toils in all of his life. The wise man is teaching us an important principle. For he did not write the foundation of the service of G-d is for one to know what is incumbent on him to do and toil in all of his days. But rather, he wrote the foundation is clarifying and establishing the goal of life and aspiration therein. For according to this establishing, one aligns all of his deeds and all of his toil. After he has established the goal in his heart and also he comes to realize its truth absolutely completely and he resolves to follow it, then, on its own, all his deeds will be aligned towards this purpose...
(see original Hebrew here for better understanding)
Ohr Yahel v.3, Lech Lecha - "all the days of his life" - a primary condition in man's service is to not forget his purpose, namely, that his goal be in front of his eyes always.. For the root cause of man's falling from his level and weakening of his motivation/strength in what he started - everything stemmed from his forgetting the goal that was before him. Due to this, all sorts of factors resulted which caused him to become idle from his service and to stray from the path...
SP - In the Vikuach he says:"the investigation needed for piety is first to truly know what is man's duty to his Creator.. and with what will we find His favor.. And after we know this, we can seek the means through which we may fulfill these duties and implant in our souls the traits conducive to this...
Shaarei Orah vol.1 sec. Chaim - "his obligation" - the foundation upon which all the service of G-d rests on is - clarity (behirut) of gratitude [to G-d]. According to the strength of this foundation will be the corresponding level of service of G-d, blessed be He. When a man contemplates that all that he has is a free gift from the Holy One, blessed be He, and it is totally impossible for him to ever pay this back, this will surely obligate him to feel great submission and to fulfill all the mitzvot and all the good character traits, and as written: "how can I repay G-d for all His favors upon me?" (Tehilim 116:12)... therefore it is worthwhile for a person to work for several weeks on feeling gratitude in the depths of his heart for one single particular thing and from that he will come to feel gratitude for the many things. The more one feels the kindness, the more he will feel the obligation of gratitude and being thankful.. it is obvious that the greatest obligation and the nearest one is to feel gratitude for life itself. Even though this is well known and familiar but the Mesilat Yesharim already wrote (intro) that the more familiar something is, the more people forget it (see there for more and also "Duties of the Heart" Gate#3).
Ohr Yahel 2:131 - "his obligation" - The Mesilat Yesharim lays down the premise, evident to every person of understanding, that a man is a baal chov (under debt) here in this world, just that he proclaims that it is incumbent on a person to know what is his debt in his world. But we, in our poverty [of spirit] must begin before this, namely, to strain and toil ourselves to realize that a man is indeed under debt in his world. Ah, we see countless people roaming around the streets and marketplaces all the days of their lives thinking that on the contrary the whole world owes them. Therefore, fortunate are the righteous who know that they are under debt in this world and it is incumbent on them to pay and return their debt to its Owner, and all that is in their hands, whether their bodies, their possessions, their money and everything else they have was not obtained by them in the street, but rather the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them this gift for a fixed time, namely, the duration of their time in this world and no more.
NH - the title of the first chapter is "b'biur klal chovat adam b'olamo" (literally: "general clarification of man's duty in his world"). i.e. the Ramchal clarifies in a general manner what is man's duty in his world. Thus, the first chapter in this book is a kind of concise summary of the whole Torah in a general manner. For the Torah also explains man's duty in his world. That is, there are two ways to say or write something. One can say them either in a detailed manner or in a general manner. Just like we find by the telling over of the Exodus from Egypt. One can tell it over at great length, with all the verses and Midrashim. Or, one can tell it over in only a few words: "we were slaves in Egypt, and G-d redeemed us from there out of love for us with miracles in order to sanctify us with His commandments". This summary also drills into us the moral lesson.
So too regarding man's duty in the world. The Torah depicts this in a detailed manner, while the first chapter of this book depicts man's duty in general manner.
It would seem that reading the detailed description gives more clarity than reading the summarized description. But in truth, this is not exactly true. It is explained in books that knowing the summary has very great importance.. For in knowing the summary, there is clarity and sharpness which one does not get from the detailed description. Like people say: "due to so many trees, one loses sight of the forest". For many times, when one reads a detailed description, he fails to have clarity in the general matter due to the many details, namely, he fails to see what comes out of all the combined details.
Therefore, for most people, even after reading the Torah many times, studying the first chapter of this book gives them great and important clarity regarding man's duty in his world, especially since this chapter is not only the summary of the whole written Torah, but it is also a summary of all of Torah including its Drash and Sod (Midrash and Kabala)...
Fortunate is he who reviews this chapter properly. We have summarized this chapter (to keep it in mind) by saying: "closeness to Him, besides this is worthlessness, mitzvot draw closer, lusts pull away, let every intent be to [draw closer to] G-d" (in Hebrew: kirvato hatov, zulat ze hevel, mitzvot mekarvot, taavot marchikot, kol pnia l'Ha-shem) . Fortunate is he who repeats this to himself many times every day.
First we establish the yearning of "closeness to Him, besides this is worthlessness". Afterwards, we establish the way: "mitzvot draw closer, lusts pull away", and afterwards we establish the driving force "every intent to G-d". To say this takes only a few seconds and through only a little effort one can review it many times during the day.
| Behold, what our sages, of blessed memory, have taught us is that man was created solely to delight in G-d and to derive pleasure in the radiance of the Shechina (divine presence). For this is the true delight and the greatest pleasure that can possibly exist. The place of this pleasure is, in truth, in Olam Haba (the World to Come). For it was created expressly for this purpose. | והנה מה שהורונו חכמינו זכרונם לברכה הוא, שהאדם לא נברא אלא להתענג על ה' ולהנות מזיו שכינתו שזהו התענוג האמיתי והעידון הגדול מכל העידונים שיכולים להמצא. ומקום העידון הזה באמת הוא העולם הבא, כי הוא הנברא בהכנה המצטרכת לדבר הזה. |
CS - "the place of this pleasure is, in truth, in the afterlife" - he added the term "in truth" to indicate that only in the afterlife can this pleasure be attained completely, in true perfection, without any deficiency... But this light shines also on a man in this world, according to the degree of clinging to G-d he attains through his service in Torah and mitzvot and according to his standing up to trials.
NE - "to delight in G-d" - pleasure seeking is implanted in man's nature and he has the ability to direct it towards "delight in G-d". For without this moving power, there is nothing which can budge man from his place due to the heaviness of his laziness...
Alei Shur 2:568 - "for this is the true delight" - thus to delight in G-d is "the true delight". This is a big chidush (teaching), that one can distinguish between a true delight and a non-true delight. For on first thought, it seems pleasure is a subjective taste and it is not at all relevant to ask whether it is a "true pleasure", as people say: "on taste and smell one cannot argue". Thus we learn here that there exists a "true pleasure" and it is solely "to delight in G-d".
The Mesilat Yesharim continues "The place of this pleasure is, in truth, in Olam Haba", i.e. the enjoyment of the radiance of the Shechina... We immediately ask: if the place of pleasure (eden) is olam haba, where is the place of "delight" (taanug)? Behold, the Mesilat Yesharim does not mention it here, for he should have written: "the place of this delight and pleasure is in Olam Haba". We see from an inference (diyuk) of his words a tremendous chidush (teaching) - the place of "to delight in G-d" is in this world!... This is our job specifically in this world - to distinguish between (true and false) delights and lust to "delight in G-d!"...
|
But the path to arrive at the "desired haven" (Ps.107:30) of ours is this world. This is what our sages of blessed memory said: "this world is like a corridor before the World to Come" (Avot 4:16). The means that lead a person to this goal are the commandments which the blessed G-d commanded to us. The place of the performance of these commandments is only in this world. Therefore, man was first placed in this world so that through these means prepared for him here, he will be able to reach the place prepared for him, namely, the World to Come, there to be sated with the good which he acquired through these means. This is what our sages of blessed memory said "today to do them, and tomorrow to receive their reward" (Eruvin 22:1). |
אך הדרך כדי להגיע אל מחוז חפצנו זה, הוא זה העולם. והוא מה שאמרו זכרונם לברכה (אבות ד): העולם הזה דומה לפרוזדור בפני העולם הבא. והאמצעים המגיעים את האדם לתכלית הזה, הם המצוות אשר צונו עליהן האל יתברך שמו. ומקום עשיית המצוות הוא רק העולם הזה. על כן הושם האדם בזה העולם בתחלה כדי שעל ידי האמצעים האלה המזדמנים לו כאן יוכל להגיע אל המקום אשר הוכן לו, שהוא העולם הבא, לרוות שם בטוב אשר קנה לו על ידי אמצעים אלה. והוא מה שאמרו, זכרונם לברכה (עירובין כב א): היום לעשותם ומחר לקבל שכרם. |
NH - "this world is like a corridor" - that which every person needs to set as his goal in life is closeness to G-d. For closeness to Him is the only good. The path to reach this is that the sole goal of every deed one does be only to reach closeness to G-d. The way to progress in the path is that mitzvot draw close while lusts pull away.
SP - "corridor" - in the last (known) letter which the Ramchal sent to his disciples in Podwa, he wrote: "...one thing I ask, this I seek, let not laziness overcome you, and if the distractions of the times befall you - do not abandon your place. Remember that this world is a corridor to enter into the palace. Let this be your trust and the aspiration of your vision (mivtachechem u'magamat peneichem). Strengthen yourself and strengthen yourself..."
CS - "the commandments" - through them a connection is formed between man and the Creator.
SR - "the means which lead a person to this goal... clinging to G-d" - the purpose which is the reward and the perfection which is the end goal of the mitzva - both are the same thing, namely, clinging to G-d. This is what the sages said "May you see your world (afterlife) in your lifetime" (Berachot 17a). Special individuals merited this. In this way, one can serve G-d not on condition of receiving reward, for the mitzva and the reward are really the same thing. (for it leads to clinging to G-d which is the reward).
Daat Chachma U'Mussar 2:238 - "corridor" - in truth the corridor and the palace are the same. The difference between them is only in the measure of constriction (tzimtzum). For the secret of the corridor is constriction (tzimtzum) of the Shechina. But the understanding person truly recognizes and immediately sees the palace from inside the corridor. The corridor testifies on the palace...
LS - "the path to arrive at the desired haven is this world... the place of the performance of these commandments is only in this world" - there is to infer from his words. Why did he first write "the path to arrive at the desired haven is this world"?.. Behold, since he needs to write afterwards that the means are the commandments and "the place of the performance of these commandments is only in this world", thus it seems the first sentence ("the path to arrive at the desired haven is this world") is superfluous.
It seems that the intent of the wise man in mentioning first this world, i.e. the "corridor", is to say and hint that the way to arrive at the perfection of "to delight in G-d" is in the corridor (this world). There a man needs to train himself and habituate himself in this perfection of "to delight in G-d". Namely, that the corridor must be akin to the World to Come, which is the Palace. Only after he hinted this to us, and taught us that life in this world needs to be akin to the World to Come regarding "to delight in G-d", then he added and wrote that the means which bring to this purpose are the commandments. Namely, that the commandments train a person in this good path to always "delight in G-d" in this world. As reward for this, a person will merit to "delight in G-d" in the World to Come.
In truth though, what is said here is not just a matter of reward, but it goes even beyond this. The wise man is teaching us a great principle here regarding the teaching of our sages that this world is like a corridor before the world to come. Namely, that this world does not exist like an independent world which is not pertinent or connected to the World to Come after it. Rather, both worlds are connected to each other. This world is connected to the World to Come, such that it is impossible to merit life in the World to Come without the preparation required in this world. Just like it is impossible to enter the Palace without first passing through the corridor which serves as an entrance way to the Palace.
Therefore in order to merit the purpose and goal of life, namely, to delight in G-d and derive pleasure from the radiance of the Shechina in the world to come, a person needs to implant in his soul while still in this world the feelings of delighting in G-d, through Torah study and performing mitzvot which delight the soul. Through this, he will prepare his soul to merit to enter the palace and there delight in G-d, with the great delight of "the righteous sit with their crowns on their heads and derive pleasure from the radiance of the Shechina" like the language of the Talmud in Berachot 17a and like the Rambam (Teshuva 8:2) who explains that this crown refers to the knowledge one grasped during his life here through which he merited the life of the world to come.
This knowledge will be with him there in the world to come. From its power, he will increase to know and attain of the truth of G-d and of His wisdom and delight his soul from the radiance of His Shechina. According to the amount that a man merited to delight in G-d in this world, so too, G-d will grant him delight in the world to come.
(see original Hebrew here for better understanding)
| When you look further into the matter, you will see that true perfection lies only in clinging to G-d. This is what King David said "But as for me, closeness to G-d is my good" (Ps.73:28) and, "one thing I asked from G-d; that I seek, that I may dwell in G-d's house all the days of my life, to gaze on the pleasantness of G-d..." (Ps. 27:4). For only this is the good, while anything besides this that people consider good is really emptiness and mistaken worthlessness. | וכשתסתכל בדבר תראה כי השלמות האמיתי הוא רק הדביקות בו יתברך, והוא מה שהיה דוד המלך אומר (תהלים עג): ואני קרבת אלקים לי טוב. ואומר (שם כז): אחת שאלתי מאת ה' אותה אבקש שבתי בבית ה' כל ימי חיי וגו', כי רק זה הוא הטוב. וכל זולת זה שיחשבוהו בני האדם לטוב, אינו אלא הבל ושוא נתעה. |
ER - "true perfection is only clinging to G-d..." - at first reading it seems that all the commandments including the study of Torah are merely a means to cling to G-d. This is not like the view that Torah study itself is the purpose (Nefesh Hachaim). But it seems there is no contradiction... as the Nefesh Hachaim writes "by the mere toil and delving in the Torah one is clinging to G-d's will and word... however, before he begins to learn, he should think in fear of G-d so that his Torah study will be holy and pure." Thus the author brought the verse: "that I may dwell in G-d's house..." (which refers to Torah study), for the primary clinging to G-d is through Torah study...
Yirah V'Daat 1:26 - "King David said 'But as for me, closeness to G-d is my good'" - David was king. Thus he could have had everything. Even so, what did he consider "good"? Closeness to G-d.. "For only this is the good..."
SP - "true perfection (shelemus) is only clinging (deveikus) to G-d.." - it should be noted that the author started with perfection (shelemus) and continued with "clinging" (devekus). According to his words in various places, the explanation is that perfection (shelemus), clinging (deveikus), and the "true good" - all are basically the same matter. Namely, G-d is the "true good", which is the matter of His perfection. He wants to bestow this good and perfection to His creations (human beings). However to receive this good and perfection is only possible in a situation of "clinging". Hence, when he says the true perfection is only clinging to G-d, his intent is that through clinging to G-d it is possible to attain perfection and [true] good..
NE - here we enter into a new lofty and exalted concept - "Shlemut" (perfection). Despite that we are lumps of clay, implanted in a world of falsehood with all its lusts, a place where the Yetzer Hara has powerful dominion to obstruct and cause one to forget the service of the Creator, specifically here, the author calls to us that we must strive for Shlemut. And not just any Shlemut, but the "true Shlemut" - without imitation!.. For here in the world of falsehood, the Yetzer Hara shows us incessantly all sorts of "Shlemut" which are worthless and empty...
MB - the clinging mentioned here is not the "service of Devekut" (clinging), namely, working on creating a situation of clinging as a mitzvah in the Torah (as the Ramban explains in Devarim 11:22 on the verse "and to cling to Him"). Rather, here the author is referring to the "situation of clinging" (matzav shel devekut) itself. This situation is called that of the Adam Hashalem (whole/perfect man).
From Rabeinu's words in Daat Tevunot (sec. 24, and other places), we can understand a bit what is this Devekut. Here is a quote: "this Shelemut (perfection) is clear from scripture and reason, namely, that a man clings to His holiness and derives pleasure from grasping His glory without any block, separation or hindrance". End quote. We see from there that it is a situation of attainment (hasaga). See also in his book "Derech Chachma" chapter 3 where he explains that there is an iyun (in-depth thinking) "where the effects that immediately arise out of it is the attaining of the purpose (hasagat hatachlit)". After he explains what is this in-depth thinking, he ends off: "this is the iyun (in-depth study) of which G-d made dependent the Shelemut of a man. Through this he draws close and clings to Him a whole clinging". End quote. Thus, another indication that Shelemut and Devekut are a situation of attainment and understanding.
| For a person to attain this good, it is proper that he first exert himself strenuously to acquire it, namely, to exert himself to cling to the blessed G-d through the power of deeds whose consequence is this end. These deeds are the commandments. | אמנם לכשיזכה האדם לטובה הזאת, ראוי שיעמול ראשונה וישתדל ביגיעו לקנותה, והיינו שישתדל לידבק בו יתברך בכח מעשים שתולדתם זה הענין והם הם המצות. |
CS - "it is proper that he first exert" - for if a man receives the good without any exertion, a free gift from G-d, this is not perfect good. For true perfection is the absolute perfection of G-d. This perfection was not given to G-d by someone else. Granted no creation can attain this fully as a natural consequence of being a created being. Nevertheless, if one's perfection comes through his own exertion and free will - there is in this some tiny resemblance to G-d's perfection. For in this sense, man's perfection was not solely given to him by another. Rather it came also through his own labor.
NE - "exert himself strenuously" - there is here an important point. There is no obligation on a man to succeed in this world. Rather he should choose and employ the means which bring to truth and hold on to them in order to draw close to the Creator. And even if in the end he does not reach the purpose of Shlemut as he wished, he will receive his full reward, as our sages said: "whether one does a lot or a little, as long as he directs his heart to Heaven". For in the world of truth, the reward is not measured according to the success. Rather it is according to the will and effort. This is called hishtadlut (striving). Our job is only to strive and seek the good deeds and cling to them.
This striving must be strenuous, i.e. a work without interruption. Otherwise, it is not in the category of striving (hishtadlut), since the worldly conditions change daily, and every second. Therefore, the ways of Hishtadlut must also change corresponding to the changing circumstances...
SP - "through the power.." - the mitzvos are not just "means" as he wrote earlier. Rather, there is power in the actions and their resulting effects which lead to the matter of "clinging [to G-d]". Therefore one needs to exert himself to cling to Him through the mitzvos, namely to have intent at first to the matter of clinging, namely to "exert himself strenuously to acquire it", which means "to exert himself to cling to the blessed G-d through the power of actions whose consequence is this end". see The Way of G-d 1:2, 1:7
Maamar HaIkarim (Ramchal) - the primary purpose for creating man was so that he merit this true good. But the divine wisdom deemed that in attaining this true good, it is proper that man first be put to trial and stand up to it. For this purpose, G-d created good and evil so that he may despise evil and choose good. Good is holiness, which means a state of closeness to G-d, blessed be He, while evil is Tumah (impurity) which is a state of distance from Him.. It is in the power of man's deeds to rouse the supernal roots to draw down spiritual flow of G-d's holiness from the light of His goodness, or [to rouse] the opposite - spiritual flow of filth (zuhama) and Tumah. Behold, G-d designated channels which draw down the holiness and commanded us to be diligent in them. These are the mitzvot. Likewise he designated deeds which draw the filth and commanded us to refrain from them. These are the prohibitions... (see there).
| The Holy One, blessed be He, has put man in a place where the factors which distance him from the blessed G-d are numerous. These are the physical lusts which if he is drawn after them, behold, he draws away and goes ever further from the true good. | והנה שמו הקדוש ברוך הוא לאדם במקום שרבים בו המרחיקים אותו ממנו יתברך, והם הם התאוות החמריות אשר אם ימשך אחריהן הנה הוא מתרחק והולך מן הטוב האמיתי |
MB - "distance him" - i.e. they actively distance him from G-d. In "The Way of G-d" (Part 1, 3:2) the author writes: "if a person allows the physical to prevail, he will lower his body and also the soul along with it. Such a person will be unfit for Shelemut (perfection) and banished from it, G-d forbid"...
CS - "these are the physical lusts" - they lead one in the opposite direction to the true good of clinging to G-d.
Ohr Yahel v.3 pg.22 - for the gross, physical power in man desires only physical things. Thus one who indulges in the physical pulls his will, which is his inner essence, into the physical.
Translator - in the book "The Jewish Self", Rabbi Jeremy Kagan explains how a person's beliefs and outlook is directly related to his experience of self. One sees the world the way he is. If one is immersed in the physical, he experiences his sense of self as an independent entity instead of an expression of the transcendent Divinity. i.e. he disconnects from experiencing G-d within. Thus automatically, he will distance from G-d and will adopt materialistic views on everything. see the book for more. This is the underlying root of atheism.
MB - "these are the physical lusts" - these are the underlying matters which distance one from G-d - the physical lusts. He did not write "these are the sins". Because the actual essence of the distancing is the physicality of this world. He explains this in many places in "The Way of G-d" (ex. Part 1, 4:1-3), so that when he defines the service of man, he writes (4:1-6): "man was placed in this world only to conquer his inclination and subjugate himself to his Creator through the power of his intellect - the opposite of the physical lusts..." End Quote. By guarding the commandments, one reaches this as he explained there. But the actual distancing agent is the physical.
MB - "if he is drawn after them" - he did not write "if he goes after them" which would imply he actively goes. Rather, there is no need to actively get up and go after evil. For it is enough to merely lack resisting of it in order to automatically be pulled into there. This is explained in "The Way of G-d" (Part 1, 4:1:2) - "the physical is first in man and its influence is very strong.. after birth he is almost entirely earthly and the intellect has almost no influence... even after maturity, the physical does not relinquish its ruling over him and inclining him to its matters..." see there.
Rabeinu Yonah - one who draws close to the nature of the physical and is drawn after his lusts and pleasures, then even if he does nothing forbidden, but nevertheless, he distances from the root and foundation of the soul. Further still, he also causes the soul to be drawn after the body and the physical and to detach (mesayef ota bemaaratza) it from its root and foundation, as written (Hosheah 4:11): "Lewdness and wine take away the heart" - (commentary to Avot 3:17)
| Thus, we see that man is truly placed in the midst of a raging battlefield. For all matters of this world, whether for the good or for the bad, are trials for a man. Poverty from one side versus wealth from the other. This is as Shlomo said: "Lest I be satiated, and deny You, and say, Who is G-d? or lest I be poor, and steal.." (Prov.30:9). Tranquility on one hand versus suffering on the other, until the battle is waged against him from the front and from the rear. | ונמצא שהוא מושם באמת בתוך המלחמה החזקה, כי כל עניני העולם בין לטוב בין לרע הנה הם נסיונות לאדם, העוני מצד אחד והעושר מצד אחד כענין שאמר שלמה (משלי ל): פן אשבע וכחשתי ואמרתי מי ה', ופן אורש וגנבתי וכו'. השלוה מצד אחד והיסורין מצד אחד, עד שנמצאת המלחמה אליו פנים ואחור. |
NE - "raging battlefield... for all matters of this world..." - the reason for the fierceness of this battle is "all matters of this world" direct and serves this purpose, i.e. there is no matter, not even the tiniest which does not have a connection and relation to this war. Therefore it is so intense...
SR - "front and rear" - "front" refers to a trial which is apparent such as poverty while "rear" refers to a trial which is not so apparent and is hidden behind him like the trial of wealth... This also includes the trial before an action and after an action (ex. becoming haughty).
NH - since the purpose of man's creation is for him to merit clinging to G-d in Olam Haba, and this clinging is attained through [standing up to] trials, therefore it follows that every detail and matter in this world is for the purpose of trials.. thus a man is in the midst of a raging battlefield. Every standing up to a trial and every effort purifies him with increased clinging to G-d and more joy.
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If he will be a man of valor, emerging from the battle victorious on all fronts - he will be the "Adam HaShalem" (whole/perfect man) who will merit to cling to his Creator and will emerge from this corridor to enter into the palace to enlighten in the Light of (eternal) Life. According to the extent that he conquered his inclination and lusts, and distanced from the factors which distance him from the good, and exerted himself to cling to G-d, to that extent will he attain it (the connection and cleaving to G-d - CS) and rejoice in it. |
ואם יהיה לבן חיל וינצח המלחמה מכל הצדדין, הוא יהיה האדם השלם אשר יזכה לידבק בבוראו ויצא מן הפרוזדור הזה ויכנס בטרקלין לאור באור החיים. וכפי השיעור אשר כבש את יצרו ותאוותיו ונתרחק מן המרחיקים אותו מהטוב ונשתדל לדבק בו, כן ישיגהו וישמח בו. |
MB - "if he will be a man of valor" - he did not write simply "if he will emerge [from the battle] victorious". Rather, one must first be a "man of valor" and only afterwards it is possible that he will be victorious.
CS - "all fronts" - only if he defeats his inclination in all situations can he merit to cling to G-d without interruption in this world thereby reaching perfection and the true good.
Alei Shur - Vol.2 pg.57, sec. Gadlut v'Shlemut - the first stage is hitmasrut (giving oneself over) to following all the mitzvot and good middot (character traits). The second stage is standing up to trials at all times. When a person attains both, he reaches Shelemut.
Translator - as we will see, the purpose of all the levels of the Path of the Just is to reach the final stage (Holiness) whereby a person can cling to G-d at all times. Then his soul will break out of the gravitational field of the physical which imprisons it and its light will burst through sanctifying everything he touches (see ch.26).
MB - "according to the extent (measure) that he conquered his inclination..." - this is an important point. The reward and perfection is not a general matter that one either merits or does not. Rather there is a measure of this reward and a person merits only in the precise amount according to his deeds. In "the Way of G-d" (2-2:7, he writes: "G-d's plan was that man himself should be the complete master of his own good, whether in general or in particular. In general, man can therefore not attain good unless he achieves this through his own effort. This is also true, regarding each particular element of this good. It is only granted exactly according to the individual's deeds. Each individual's ultimate level is therefore the result of his own choice and attainment". end quote.
SR - the cheshek (desire) and joy in G-d [in the afterlife] is only according to the amount of conquering the evil inclination and lusts (yetzer and taavot), as our sages said "according to the pain is the reward" (Avos 5:21). The "pain" is the conquering of the yetzer (evil inclination).
SP - in Derech Hashem Rabeinu writes: "the root of all the service is that a man turn always to his Creator, namely, that he knows and understands that he was created only to cling to his Creator. And he was placed into this world solely to conquer his inclination and subjugate (meshabed) himself to his Creator... and that he conduct all of his affairs to attain this purpose and not waver from it." end quote. There he is explaining the intent, the purpose of the service, whereas here he is explaining the purpose of this world.
NE - "enlighten in the Light of Life... to that extent will he attain it and rejoice in it" - the more he overcame and defeated his yetzer in this world, the world of action, the more the light of his soul will shine in Olam Haba, the world of reward. This is what is called "the light of life".
For there (in Olam Haba), there is no darkness of the physical which conceals the eternal light of the soul. Therefore, it shines with its true and pure light. But this light is not equal for every person. Rather, for each person, his soul will shine with a different light, whether in clarity or intensity. According to how much he purified himself and strove to remove the things which conceal this light here in this world, so too will he rejoice to see the radiance of his soul shining accordingly.
The term "hasaga" connotes attaining something else after an intentional effort to attain it. So too here, after he strove here by performing deeds through which one merits light, correspondingly, he will merit to behold the light of his soul when it shines in Olam Haba. This itself imbues in him tremendous joy on meriting to remove the dust of the deeds which prevent this light from shining out. And when he sees the light shining, he will rejoice.
Kochvei Ohr 9 - the purpose of G-d's will in all this seems to be that it is all for man's good. For in truth, the Holy One, blessd be He, does not need man's prayer. For nothing is concealed from Him. Therefore, it is known that the purpose of man's creation in this world is only in order to benefit him afterwards; to bequeath to him eternal life and eternal delight when he comes for reward in the world of recompense (gemul) - due to the fruit of the labor of his hands and toil in torah and mitzvot. This is explained at length in chapter 1 of the "Path of the Just", see there.
It seems that due to this comes the mitzvah: "guard yourself lest you forget the L-ord your G-d" (Devarim 8:11).
Rabeinu Yonah writes in Shaarei Teshuva (3:27): "through this [verse] we were exhorted to remember G-d, blessed be He, at all times". end quote
i.e. to not forget G-d, blessed be He, for even one second. For when the remembrance of G-d is in his heart always, he will walk in the just ways of G-d always, to guard the whole torah and the mitzvah, as written in the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 1:1, Rama): " 'I have set Hash-em before me always' (Tehilim 16:8) - this is the general principle of the torah and of the righteous.." see there.
But when the soul is imprisoned in the prison of the physical, and "the inclination of the heart of man is evil from his youth" (Gen.8:21), and his heart turns towards the physical pleasures, then man is liable to forget G-d and sway from the path of the torah and the mitzvah. Thus the divine wisdom saw to set a path for man to remember Him always. Namely, through man's asking for his needs everywhere he turns whether in secular or spiritual matters. For "if G-d did not help him, he would not be able to defeat his inclination which strengthens over him every day and seeks to slay him" (Sukkah 52b).
And G-d commanded man to pray to Him always and seek mercy before Him on his needs. This is the reason why man's eyes should be lifted always towards G-d and that the remembrance of Him be in man's heart always; not forgetting Him for even one second in order that man walk in His ways to guard the whole torah and mitzvah.
| If you look deeper into the matter, you will see that this world was created for man's use. But, behold man stands on a great balance. For if he is drawn after the world and distances from his Creator, behold, he corrupts himself and corrupts the world with him. But if he rules over himself and clings to his Creator, and uses the world only as an aid to serve his Creator - then he elevates himself and elevates the world with him. For all creations are greatly elevated when they serve the "Adam HaShalem" (whole/perfect man) who is sanctified with the holiness of the blessed G-d. |
ואם תעמיק עוד בענין תראה כי העולם נברא לשימוש האדם. אמנם הנה הוא עומד בשיקול גדול. כי אם האדם נמשך אחר העולם ומתרחק מבוראו, הנה הוא מתקלקל, ומקלקל העולם עמו. ואם הוא שולט בעצמו ונדבק בבוראו ומשתמש מן העולם רק להיות לו לסיוע לעבודת בוראו, הוא מתעלה והעולם עצמו מתעלה עמו. כי הנה עילוי גדול הוא לבריות כולם בהיותם משמשי האדם השלם המקודש בקדושתו יתברך |
LS - "if you will look further..." - Thus the things of this world are not completely against him as it appeared earlier: "The Holy One, blessed be He, has put man in a place where the factors which distance him from the blessed G-d are numerous. These are the earthly desires which if he is pulled after them, behold, he draws away and goes ever further from the true good." It is not so, rather it all depends on himself. If he is drawn after lusts, he moves away from G-d. But if he succeeds in clinging to G-d when using the worldly things, then, on the contrary, they are all joyful to help him.. Thus, "let the righteous man lay his head upon me". (see original hebrew for better understanding).
NE - "behold he (man) stands on a great balance" - the word "he" refers to man. For all pleasure and use of this world must be weighed by him without letup: whether this use and its consequences are in line with the will of G-d. Since the answer is not at all clear cut and simple, he calls this act a "great balance" (shikul gadol). For indeed the greatness of a man is measured and recognized by this weighing. Namely, how and when he does it. The more he does this, both in consistency and depth, the more we know that indeed a "great" man stands before us.
NE - "and uses the world only as an aid to serve his Creator" - every person has a natural desire in his heart to conquer the whole world, i.e. to transform the entire world into a place for his enjoyment only! Even though in the moment of truth, he will admit that this is neither practical nor rational. But nevertheless this does not prevent him from trying, to strive hard with body and soul to conquer as much as he can. Against this, he comes to teach us, that one must be in the category of "uses the world", to select and take only his essential needs from the world..
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This is like what our sages of blessed memory said regarding the light which G-d stored away for the righteous (Chagiga 12a): "when G-d saw the light which He stored away for the righteous, He rejoiced, as written: 'the light of the righteous rejoices' (Prov.13:9). And regarding the "stones of the place" which Yaakov took and placed under his head the Midrash says (Chulin 91b): "Rabbi Yitzchak says: 'this teaches us that they gathered together in one place, each one saying: let the righteous man lay his head upon me'" (to become elevated thus - CS). |
והוא כענין מה שאמרו חכמינו זכרונם לברכה בענין האור שגנזו הקדוש ברוך הוא לצדיקים וזה לשונם (חגיגה יב): כיון שראה הקדוש ברוך הוא אור שגנזו לצדיקים, שמח, שנאמר (משלי יג): אור צדיקים ישמח. ובענין אבני המקום שלקח יעקב ושם מראשותיו אמרו (חולין צב): אמר רבי יצחק: מלמד שנתקבצו כולן למקום אחד והיתה כל אחת אומרת, עלי יניח צדיק ראשו. |
| Our sages roused us to this fundamental principle in Midrash Kohelet saying: "see the work of G-d.." (Ecc. 7:13), "when the Holy One, Blessed be He, created Adam, He took him and led him to pass before all the trees of the Garden of Eden and said to him: 'see how beautiful and excellent are my works. All that I have created, I have created for your sake. Be careful that you do not become corrupt and destroy My world." | והנה על העיקר הזה העירונו זכרונם לברכה במדרש קהלת (רבה, ז) שאמרו, זה לשונם: ראה את מעשה האלהים וגו' (קהלת ז), בשעה שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא את אדם הראשון, נטלו והחזירו על כל אילני גן עדן ואמר לו, ראה מעשי כמה נאים ומשובחים הן, וכל מה שבראתי בשבילך בראתי, תן דעתך שלא תקלקל ותחריב את עולמי. |
NE - for your sake - for of all the creations, only man has the ability and potential to perfect and elevate the world, to bring it closer to its [ultimate] purpose.
MB - "destroy My world" - in his book "Daat Tevunot" he writes (sec.14): "regarding generally what is the service [of G-d], we already explained it is to remove the lacking in the world, namely, this evil which is currently found and which is destined to be destroyed. On man is this burden to strive to destroy it from the world.."
Shaarei Ramchal - Hakdama l'Maamar HaVikuch - The primary will of G-d in His world is that all matters of the world be Tikunim Mamash (rectifications) and matters of holiness. This is the root of all that was, is, and will be in this world. For the divine will desired (chashak) to draw man close, to imbue man and cling to him. G-d specifically chose man for he is the most cherished [creation]. The reason is clear, since man alone truly serves G-d. He fights a war with the evil inclination and honors G-d more than all other creations. For since they don't have an evil inclination, the honor of G-d does not elevate so much from their service as it does from the service of man.
Because man must stand up against all the difficult wars which his evil inclination wages against him, and all this for the service of G-d and for the honor of His Name, and all out of his own free will. Unlike the other creations which don't have free will. Thus the divine will created this being and gave him this service. Due to this, G-d cherishes him and loves him very much. Therefore, G-d placed great ways and wondrous laws for this man, so that he rectifies himself and his place, namely, this world. Thus the Shechina (Divine presence) conducts this man and all that depends on him with an exceedingly great and deep providence. G-d's intent is to sanctify him and all that depends on him, and to remove the obstruction, namely, the evil which weighed on him, and which caused him all this great effort and heavy war...
| The general principle of this matter: man was not created for his state in this world, but rather, for his state in the World to Come. Only that his state in this world is a means towards his state in the World to Come, which is his ultimate purpose. | כללו של דבר, האדם לא נברא בעבור מצבו בעולם הזה אלא בעבור מצבו בעולם הבא, אלא שמצבו בעולם הזה הוא אמצעי למצבו בעולם הבא שהוא תכליתו. |
| Hence, you will find many statements of our sages, of blessed memory, all along similar lines, comparing this world to a place and time of preparation while the next world is compared to a place of rest and eating what has already been prepared. For instance they said: "this world is like a corridor" (Avos 4:16), as I wrote earlier; "today for their performance and tomorrow [for receiving their reward]..." (Avodah Zara 3a); "He who toiled on friday will eat on the Sabbath" (Koheles Raba 1:15); "this world is like the shore and the next world like the sea..", and many other statements along the same lines. | על כן תמצא מאמרי חכמינו ז"ל רבים כולם בסגנון אחד מדמים העולם הזה למקום וזמן ההכנה, והעולם הבא למקום המנוחה ואכילת המוכן כבר, והוא מה שאמרו, העולם הזה דומה לפרוזדור, כמו שאמרו ז"ל: היום לעשותם ומחר לקבל שכרם (ע"ז ב). מי שטרח בערב שבת, יאכל בשבת. העולם הזה דומה ליבשה, והעולם הבא לים וכו' (ק"ר א). וכאלה רבים על זה הדרך. |
(long but important commentaries here)
NE - "hence, you will find many statements of our sages" - there is a clear connection between worldly deeds and life in the World to Come.. These analogies are coming to explain and clarify this special connection and similarity between this world and the next..
NE - "this world to a place and time of preparation" - the first analogy is brought from a very basic part of life - eating. For it is an important and essential need. For this need people toil and strive, "turning the world upside down" in order to establish their livelihoods. And even if we refer to the essential need for eating, we will find that a man dedicates a large portion of his years to this matter. Likewise, we can see it is a large part of happy occasions (semachot, ex.wedding) - "seudat mitzva" (meal of mitzvah).
Likewise for the Sabbath and Holidays part of the mitzvot of the day is in eating a meal. When we contemplate the matter of a meal, we find a clear line differentiating between the time and place of preparation and the time and place of eating and enjoying the meal. The analogy here is on the latter.
NE - "while the next world is compared to a place of rest and eating what has already been prepared" - as understood by every intelligent person, that the more the meal is important, the more its preparation is done with greater detail and attention. For the preparation of a weekday meal is not like that of a Sabbath meal and further to a Yom Tov meal or a wedding meal.. Likewise the time of preparation for a simple meal can sometimes be "almost nothing", unlike that for an important Holiday meal. For then, the more important the meal, the lengthier the time of preparation.
So too regarding our matter, we should put to heart to prepare much in quantity and quality during our designated time in this fleeting world. Likewise one should use every moment of his life to add more preparations in all manners so everything will be arranged and ready for the day he will be summoned to pass on to the world in which he will be able to enjoy and eat the fruits of his preparation which spring from the power of his deeds in the world of preparation.
NE - "this world is like a corridor" - before this, he spoke of the time and place of preparation. No sane person would eat an important meal in the place of preparation and cooking (back-kitchen). Now he is adding that this is not possible also from the aspect of the purpose. For the place of preparation (this world) is designed for preparing oneself for the primary place. Therefore one should not grant more importance than necessary to the corridor.
All of the importance of the "corridor" is that it leads to and brings one to the palace. Therefore, it does not contain all the comforts and furnishings inside the palace. Thus only a fool would put all his aspirations into the corridor while ignoring the palace.
Translator - it is said that one who invests too much in this world is like a passenger on a train who becomes comfortable and begins to make a nice table, a tablecloth, etc. After some time, the train stops and he is forced to step out and leave it all behind.
NE - "today for their performance and tomorrow [for receiving their reward]..." - Moshe Rabeinu emphasized many times that the mitzvot we were commanded in are "today" - our time living in this world... just like every day of the year ends at evening time, such that its daylight is only for a limited time, namely, until nightfall. So too, our life in this world is perforce for a limited time and all the mitzvot we were commanded in are only for this limited time. Therefore, we must strive to squeeze in as many mitzvot as we can in this short time period in our domain, especially when we don't know when our time here is up and we will be called to leave this world and stand before the heavenly Beit Din..
"Today" also connotes renewal, namely, that we [view them as if we] received the gift of mitzvot only "today". It is something new, not old. And when one receives something new, there is special attention and sensation, for it was received today! Even though we know we are only here for a limited time, but nevertheless, the memory of the days already passed can darken the splendor of the mitzvot and diminish our longing and enthusiasm to do them. Thus, we must drill into our consciousness that in all of Olam Haba there is not the means to fulfill even a single tiny mitzva which is very easy to fulfill in this world. This is the emphasis here - "not tomorrow to do them", tomorrow (in Olam Haba), it will be possible to delight in the radiance of the Shechina but not to fulfill even a single mitzva..
NE - "today for their performance and tomorrow [for receiving their reward]..." - after explaining that the fulfillment of mitzvot is only in this world and this has become clear and felt, the prophet informs us that the reward (literally "wages") for the mitzvot is certain and true, despite that the time of payment is tomorrow. But just like "tomorrow" always follows "today", so too after "today" whose essence, existence, and purpose is "to do them" (the mitzvot), certainly "tomorrow" will come, whose essence, existence and purpose is "to receive their reward" (of the mitzvot).
This analogy is taken from the life of a worker who comes to work for an employer out of knowledge and hope that his wages will be paid in full in proper time... and our sages taught "your Employer is trustworthy to pay you the reward" (Avot 2:6). This reward is already prepared for us to receive for fulfilling the mitzvot faithfully, as the prophet Isaiah said: "behold, He brings his reward with Him as He comes" (Isaiah 40:10). Gan Eden is already prepared and the reward, namely, to derive pleasure from the radiance of the Shechina exists already before a man was born and before he fulfills the mitzvot! All we need to do is strengthen ourselves to rectify our deeds in order to merit this.
NE - "He who toiled on friday will eat on the Sabbath" - here he brings a Halachic analogy, which is a fact in the world. As long as it is Erev Shabbat (friday), all work is permitted. But when the Sabbath enters, every [observant] Jew stops from all work.. it is clear to every intelligent person that it does not matter what the reason one has for not toiling friday, the result is the same - he does not have what to eat on the Sabbath! (provided he has no neighbors, etc to help him). This is especially painful if this was due to being lax or lazy. Then the pain will be multiplied over many times...
NE - "this world is like the shore and the next world like the sea.." - if until now, we could perhaps push ourselves and find some sort of way out rationalizing that there is still hope and it is not so terrible, behold, in this analogy, it is certainly quite clear.
For if the sailors and seamen do not prepare food and water that will be enough for all the days they will spend at sea, then they are placing themselves willingly into a great trouble and true ordeal which will be a very real danger. For everyone understands that there is no food at sea (besides fish which need to be cooked) nor drinkable water. And if they don't toil and consider beforehand how much is needed, behold, their demise is more likely than their survival! i.e. it is not enough to know that one must take provisions for the trip, rather, one must calculate and check very well the amount needed for every person.
Likewise, one must be concerned for proper storage conditions so that the food does not spoil. For without this, all their effort will be for nothing, since between the water and the sky, they will not be able to obtain what was available on dry land.
So too here! If we don't take with us merits of mitzvot and good deeds which draw us close to clinging to G-d, we will not be able to attain this Shelemut (perfection) in Olam Haba. Likewise, if a man was lax and did not become wise in Torah here in this world, there in Olam Haba, he will certainly be unable to hope for this (except for supporters of Torah who merited this under certain conditions).
If we don't put heart to cling to the blessed Creator, we will not have the opportunity to do so there. Therefore, he who contented himself here to be "satisfied with little" on everything connected to spirituality, behold, in the world of truth, he will be shown what level he could have reached according to the abilities G-d endowed him with. Woe to that shame, woe to that humiliation and deep pain for having lost such precious pearls!
This itself is Gehinom, as written in holy books. For the fire of shame and regret burns within him eternally. For every moment he remembers and recognizes what was in his ability to attain but he lost it due to his foolishness!... To save us from this, the author gave us five analogies which penetrate deep inside our innards, from all walks of life, in order to drill into our consciousness and inner being that in actuality, we are living here for a limited time which has a purpose and a goal, namely, to amass as much merit which brings us to clinging to G-d as possible, and to prepare our souls for the real reward of Olam Haba. Thus we will truly and correctly view our actual preparations here in this world and that we have no escape from the great standing where we will be shown, without any favoritism, our true level.
CS - until now his words regarding this world and the next were based on the teachings of the sages. He will now bring two arguments from reason to show that it is not possible to [reasonably] think that this world and its pleasures are the purpose of creation.
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Indeed, you can see that no rational person can possibly believe that the purpose of man's creation is for his existence in this world. For what is man's life in this world? Who is truly happy and content in this world? "The days of our life are 70 years, and if by strength, 80 years, yet their span is but toil and trouble" (Ps.90:10). How many sorts of distress and sicknesses, pain and burdens, and after all that death! Not one in a thousand can be found to whom this world has granted plenty of pleasures and true contentment. And even such a person, if he reaches the age of a hundred years, already [is as one who already] passed and disappeared from the world. Furthermore, if the purpose of man's creation were for the sake of this world, it would not have been necessary to imbue him with such a lofty and exalted soul, greater even than the angels themselves. |
ותראה באמת שכבר לא יוכל שום בעל שכל להאמין שתכלית בריאת האדם הוא למצבו בעולם הזה, כי מה הם חיי האדם בעולם הזה, או מי הוא ששמח ושליו ממש בעולם הזה. ימי שנותינו בהם שבעים שנה ואם בגבורות שמונים שנה ורהבם עמל ואון, (תהלים צ). בכמה מיני צער וחלאים ומכאובים וטרדות, ואחר כל זאת, המות. אחד מני אלף לא ימצא שירבה העולם לו הנאות ושלוה אמיתית. וגם הוא, אילו יגיע למאה שנה כבר עבר ובטל מן העולם. ולא עוד אלא שאם תכלית בריאת האדם היה לצורך העולם הזה, לא היה צריך מפני זה שתנופח בו נשמה כל כך חשובה ועליונה שתהיה גדולה יותר מן המלאכים עצמם. |
NE - "disappeared from the world" - for he becomes hard of hearing, weak, etc., and people stay away from him due to difficulty communicating with him and other matters.
ER - the Nefesh Hachaim (Shaar 1 ch.10) explains that from the perspective of level, holiness, and attainment (mahuto, kedushato, v'hasagato) an angel is incomparably greater than man. But from the perspective of the ability to grow and from the connection to [affect] the upper worlds, a man is vastly greater than the angels.
NE - "such a lofty (elyona) soul" - this word (elyona) has double meaning. One, regarding its source above. The source of the soul is in the Creator, blessed be He (chelek Eloka mimaal). Secondly, regarding human grasp. For it is impossible for human beings to grasp the vast holiness of the soul, "breathed" into us through the Ein Sof (infinite G-d). However, there is a tiny crumb of the soul's power in our domain [to grasp], namely, if we consider the power of thought (koach hamachshava) implanted in us creatures of clay bodies. Indeed, in the blink of an eye, this power of thought can take us to realms far away in time and space. This is merely a small power of the powers of the soul! But from this, we can get a tiny glimpse of the loftiness of the holy soul which dwells within us. Then the question immediately arises and screams out onto the sky: "what is this soul with such great powers doing in life of this world, engaged in material, bodily matters?!"
NE - "angels" - an angel does not have the ability to change. Even if the angel excels in serving his Maker, he remains at his station and level. Unlike man - if he serves his Creator as he was commanded and perfects himself in piety and perfect service, and distances from things which impede his clinging to G-d, then he will ascend the levels of holiness and purity, level after level, virtue after virtue, until he can ascend higher than the angels. If this power is found in man, the question becomes stronger, multiplied many times over - "what connection is there between such a lofty soul to lowly, physical life of this world?!"
Kovetz Sichot 1:69 - just like there is a duty to respect others and recognize their worth, so too a man is under duty to recognize his own worth.. Every person must feel proud of the divine image within him.
| Especially so, when the soul finds no satisfaction whatsoever from all the pleasures of this world. This is what our sages teach us in Midrash Koheles: " 'but the soul will not be fulfilled' (Koheles 6:7) - What is this analogous to? To the case of a common peasant who married the king's daughter. Even if he brought her all that the village possessed, it would be as nothing to her. For she is the king's daughter. So too with the soul, if you would bring to her all the pleasures of this world, they would be like nothing to her. For she is from higher worlds" (Koheles Raba 6:7). | כל שכן שהיא אינה מוצאה שום נחת רוח בכל עינוגי זה העולם. והוא מה שלמדונו זכרונם לברכה במדרש קהלת, זו לשונם (קהלת רבה ו): וגם הנפש לא תמלא, משל למה הדבר דומה, לעירוני שנשא בת מלך, אם יביא לה כל מה שבעולם, אינם חשובים לה כלום, שהיא בת מלך כך הנפש, אילו הבאת לה כל מעדני עולם, אינם כלום לה, למה שהיא מן העליונים. |
SR - "For the soul does not love this world at all. On the contrary, it despises it" - all this is before he chooses good and stands in a situation of doubt. But after he chooses good, our sages said "better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world [than all the bliss of the afterlife]" (Avos 4:17). Then as Rabeinu writes "this world will not be something despised to his soul, but rather beloved and cherished by it".
Translator: i.e. he will live in bliss in this world as the Chovot Halevavot writes (Gate 8): "and when you do this (spiritual accounting) with a faithful heart and a pure soul, your mind will become illuminated, and you will see the path to all of the exalted qualities... and you will reach the status of one treasured by G-d... You will not part from a permanent joy in this world and in the next..."
Tiferet Tzvi 268 - "the soul finds no satisfaction" - a man who spends an entire night at a bar, drunken and silly, and grants his body all the pleasures of this world, when he wakes up the next day, a spirit of gloom will rest on him, a great feeling of sadness and emptiness, as written "and its end is that joy turns to sorrow" (Mishlei 14:13). On the other hand, a man who toiled and strained greatly to help his fellow.. even though his body feels crushed and broken due to the great strain and toil, nevertheless, his spirit feels very elevated and he feels happy... All this stems from the secret of the lofty soul in a man. This pleasure comes from his satiating his soul with spiritual food which satiates and delights it. But one who [only] delights his body with worldly delights - joy does not rest on him for he fed only his body, not his soul.
| Likewise our sages of blessed memory taught us: "against your will were you formed, and against your will were you born" (Avot 4:22). For the soul does not love this world at all. On the contrary, it despises it. If so, certainly, the Creator, blessed be His Name, would never have created something for a purpose which is against its nature and despised by it! | וכן אמרו רבותינו זכרונם לברכה (אבות ד): על כרחך אתה נוצר ועל כרחך אתה נולד. כי אין הנשמה אוהבת העולם הזה כלל אלא אדרבא מואסת בו. אם כן ודאי לא היה בורא הבורא יתברך בריאה לתכלית שהוא נגד חוקה ונמאס ממנה. |
NE - "against your will were you formed" - the formation of man in the womb is through taking a soul out from the "repository of souls". This place is holy and pure and thus, the soul has no desire or will to leave there and come to a physical body connected with Tumah (spiritual impurity). Against its will, the Malach (angel) takes it from there by G-d's command and implants it in the body, waiting there until the time of birth, and then:
NE - "and against your will were you born" - while the fetus is in the mother's womb, he merits to learn the entire Torah, and even merits to gaze from one end of the world to another (Nidah 30b). Evidently, under these conditions, he has neither desire nor want to leave and pass on to a lower place. But at the time of birth, without asking or consulting with him, he goes out to the world against his will (thus he bursts out in crying). We see from here just how much the soul does not desire life in this world, and all its existence here is against its will!
NE - "For the soul does not love this world at all" - here he explains the matter. For "love" is a situation of emotional connection between the two (Ahava=love has gematria (numerical value) of 13 = Echad=One). Here this does not at all happen in the least due to what we explained earlier, namely, since the source of the soul is a lofty and pure place, it does not find any matter or purpose in the vanities of this world. Rather:
NE - "on the contrary, it despises it" - there is a case where one person does not love a certain thing or a certain person but does not hate him. Sometimes, he hates the person such that they have no contact or conversation. But there is an even worse case, where he is disgusted by the other such that he does not want to be in his company and even tries hard to not find himself near him. And if it happens that they find themselves in the same room, he turns his eyes away in order to not make eye contact or look at his face. To this extent does the soul want to distance from this world! This is the explanation of what our sages said: "against your will..", for in truth, there is no will or connection whatsoever between the holy soul and this lowly world which contains all sorts of tumah and disgusting things.
NE - "if so, certainly, the Creator, blessed be His Name, would never have created something for a purpose which is against its nature and despised by it!" - after explaining the enmity between the holy soul and this world which is disgusting in its eyes, it is now clear without any doubt whatsoever. Thus, he writes: "if so, certainly...", for the conclusion is clear and unavoidable that: "the Creator, blessed be His Name, would never have created something...", for He is the Source of absolute good. Certainly then, the creation of the soul and its implanting in the body is for some great good..
| Rather, man's creation was for his state in the world to come. Therefore, this soul was placed in him, for it befits the soul to serve G-d; and through it a man will be rewarded in proper time and place. Thus this world will not be something despised to his soul, but rather beloved and cherished by it. This is evident. | אלא בריאתו של האדם, למצבו בעולם הבא היא. ועל כן ניתנה בו נשמה זאת, כי לה ראוי לעבוד, ובה יוכל האדם לקבל השכר במקומו וזמנו, שלא יהיה דבר נמאס אל נשמתו בעולם הזה, אלא אדרבא נאהב ונחמד ממנה, וזה פשוט. |
NE - "and through the soul a man will be rewarded.." - every container is made suitably to what it needs to contain, such as a box for holding fruit, a balloon for gas, or a bottle for liquids. Thus, the great reward reserved for us for fulfilling the mitzvot and distancing from sin, must be received by a receptacle suitable for this... Therefore G-d reserved for us true eternal reward whose holiness is forever. But since the body is limited and ephemeral, it is not suitable for containing the eternal reward. Rather, only the soul which is unbounded and everlasting - it is built for receiving the everlasting spiritual reward.
| Behold, after knowing all this, we will immediately realize the grave obligation of the commandments upon us and the preciousness of the Divine service which lies in our hands. For these are the means which lead us to the true perfection. Without them, this state will not be attained in the least. | והנה אחר שידענו זה, נבין מיד חומר המצוות אשר עלינו ויקר העבודה אשר בידינו, כי הנה אלה הם האמצעים המביאים אותנו אל השלמות האמיתי, אשר בלעדם לא יושג כלל. |
NE - "which lies in our hands" - as we mentioned, in order to acquire and internalize the service of G-d, namely, "yirah shamayim" (fear of G-d), which grows from the soil of good character traits, we must invest great effort, both in body and soul, without laxness or pause. For lack of attention, even for a small moment can cause one to lose much ground. One can even lose many years of work in only one second!
For yirah and middot (fear of G-d and good character traits) are compared to glass vessels on a tray placed in a man's hands. With one small momentary forgetting, all the vessels can fall down and shatter completely (Chagigah 15). This is what he wrote here: "which lies in our hands". We must not take this lightly, but rather like a very expensive object in one's hands whereby a man remembers it always due to its importance.
| It is known that a purpose is not attained without the combined contribution of all the means found and employed to achieve it. According to the capacity of the means and their use will be the resulting achievement of purpose and any slight deviation found in the employed means will be very noticeable in the end result derived from their combined contributions. This is self-evident. | ואולם ידוע כי אין התכלית מגיע אלא מכח קיבוץ כל האמצעים אשר נמצאו ואשר שימשו להגיעו. וכפי כח האמצעים ושימושם, כן יהיה התכלית הנולד מהם. וכל הפרש קטן שימצא באמצעים, תבחן תולדתו בבירור ודאי בהגיע זמן התכלית הנולד מקיבוץ כולם, כמו שכתבתי, וזה ברור. |
NE - "combined contribution" - such as regarding preparing a tasty dish. It only comes out properly if one includes all its ingredients in proper amount, time and manner. Likewise, it must be prepared properly such as cooking or baking at the right temperature. Otherwise, the intended dish will botch or be flawed. Without a doubt, it is also so regarding preparing one's soul for its important state. It must be done only through the right tools and proper use for this purpose.
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It is obvious therefore, that we must be meticulous to the utmost degree in the manner of observance of the commandments and the service of G-d just as the merchants of gold and precious gems are meticulous to the utmost precision in weighing them due to their precious value. For the fruits of the commandments is the true perfection and the eternal preciousness of which there is nothing more precious. To summarize what we have learned, the primary [purpose] of man's existence in this world is solely to fulfill the commandments, serve [G-d] and stand up to trials. |
מעתה ודאי הוא, שהדקדוק שידקדק על ענין המצות והעבודה, מוכרח שיהיה בתכלית הדקדוק כאשר ידקדקו שוקלי הזהב והפנינים לרוב יקרם, כי תולדתם נולדת בשלמות האמיתי והיקר הנצחי שאין יקר למעלה ממנו.
נמצינו למדים, כי עיקר מציאות האדם בעולם הזה הוא רק לקיים מצוות ולעבוד ולעמוד בנסיון |
SR - "stand up" - i.e. not occasionally but rather always.
"For the fruits of the commandments is the true perfection"
Rambam - Igeret Teyman - "There is no comparison between our religion and the other religions who wish to imitate us. It is like the difference between a living, aware, human being versus a statue cut out of wood or moulded from metal, i.e. from silver or gold, or chiseled from a block of stone or marble until it was in the form of a man. The fool who does not recognize divine wisdom and does not know sculpturer skill sees the statue in its superficial appearance of man and thinks it is the same as a man. For he does not know the interior of both. But the wise man, who knows the interior of each one knows that the interior of the statue has no wisdom while the interior of man has wondrous true wisdom and engineering which reflects divine wisdom. When he studies the muscles, tendons which cause his movements, and the various organs, etc. and his joints, etc. etc. everything in its proper place and function... So too, is the difference between the fool who does not know the inner meaning of the holy writings and the commandments. When he wants to compare our religion with that of other fake religions thinks there is some similarity between them. For he sees in both of them things permitted and forbidden, procedures and ceremonies, etc. But if he knew the interior of the divine religion (Judaism), that it contains things which lead to perfection of man and protection from the opposite, and to virtuous traits and perfect wisdoms, for the masses according to their ability and the special individuals according to theirs... while those religions who would pretend to be like ours have no internal content, only stories and imaginations invented by their founders for his own glory.. until the matter is a joke and a mockery just like people laugh when they see an ape dressed up to act like a human being..."
NH - "to summarize what we have learned... (till end of chapter)" - this piece is perhaps the most important one in the book. Here he summarizes what comes out of the entire first chapter and this is a summary of the foundations of Torah. In this piece he presents the elevated way of life which brings one to eternal happiness.
It is proper to emphasize what the Ramchal wrote in the introduction. Namely, that the main benefit from the book is not attained by a one time reading. But rather, specifically through fixed, diligent study. The explanation is as follows: the main goal is to change one's understanding of heart (havanat halev), not the understanding of intellect. And in order for the matters to be absorbed properly, many reviews are necessary. Thus the importance of this piece is that it summarizes the elevated way of life in a concise, orderly, and clear manner. When one presents to his heart things short, concise, and clear, the heart drinks them thirstily, and the review is pleasant and joyful.
The Ramchal brings here three points: the goal, the external means, and the internal means. The goal is the delight of clinging to G-d in Olam Haba. The external means are the deeds, namely, that all of one's deeds are either mitzvah or hechsher mitzva (preparing a mitzva). The internal means is the intent (kavana), namely, that in every deed one does, whether mitzva or hechsher mitzva, one has intent to draw close to the Creator, blessed be He...
It is proper to emphasize that the Ramchal's intent is not that one should not move on to chapter two until he fulfills what is written in chapter one. For chapter one is a general clarification of man's duty in his world and it does not have guidance how to contend with one's evil inclination and other obstacles to merit this elevated way of life.
The following chapters guide a person step by step on how to acquire this level after level until one reaches tremendous love of G-d and great pleasure in mitzvot and holy things...
Thus the first step and first level to approach this elevated way of life, is the knowledge that it it is worthwhile to reach this way of life. This is the main part of Torah brings to watchfulness, etc...
| The pleasures of this world should only be used for aiding and assisting him, so that he will have tranquility and peace of mind in order to free his heart for this service incumbent upon him. | והנאות העולם אין ראוי שיהיו לו אלא לעזר ולסיוע בלבד לשיהיה לו נחת רוח וישוב דעת למען יוכל לפנות לבו אל העבודה הזאת המוטלת עליו |
OG - the author deemed it vitally important to make known to us that one who wishes to fulfill his duty in his world properly, must free himself from the mistaken view that there is importance to this world. The purpose is Olam Haba. This world and its colorful pleasures were created only to put man in a situation of trial. G-d created man from the physical and "breathed" into him a holy soul, a chelek Eloka mima-al (part of the divine), in order that he have free will, so to speak, similar to G-d's free will. This is what is meant by "G-d created man in His image.." (Gen. 1:26)... The existence of evil is only temporary (for the purpose of creating an environment where human free will can function)... when the time will pass, evil will disappear and we will merit to see a different world....
Alei Shur 2:302 - the great principle - know that all of your thoughts, words, and deeds are eternal! Everything endures forever, whether for kindness (reward) or for staff (punishment) in the World to Come.. A person's portion in the world to come is built from all that he thought, said, and did in this world. There, the external garment is peeled off.. One's actions here reveal his inner being - evil or good. In the World to Come, an evil interior acts as a barrier between him and the radiance of the Shechina, while a good interior rests the radiance on him. We are eternal!
SR - until now he spoke about "man's duty in his world". From here until the end of the chapter, he speaks about to what he should "place his vision and aspiration"
| Thus it is proper that all of a man's intent be solely to the blessed Creator and that all of his actions great or small have no other purpose than to draw closer to G-d, blessed be He, and to break down all the barriers separating him from his Master, which are all the matters of physicality and the things dependent on them, until he is drawn towards the blessed G-d like iron is drawn to a magnet. | ואמנם ראוי לו שתהיה כל פנייתו רק לבורא יתברך, ושלא יהיה לו שום תכלית אחר בכל מעשה שיעשה אם קטן ואם גדול אלא להתקרב אליו יתברך ולשבור כל המחיצות המפסיקות בינו לבין קונו, הן הנה כל עניני החומריות והתלוי בהם, עד שימשך אחריו יתברך ממש כברזל אחר אבן השואבת. |
CS - "drawn like a magnet" - This occurs automatically once the barriers which prevented this are removed through the natural power of the soul which inherently longs to draw close to its Creator and cling to His light.
OG - these words are a summary of the entire book.
Translator - the author is bringing some very lofty concepts here, similar to those in the final chapter. Perhaps we can say from this that the beginning of the journey is similar to the end. Namely, to start the journey along the Path of the Just, one must aspire to make himself holy and not veer from this motive all the time. This is somewhat like the old saying "if one does not aspire to become a general, he cannot even be a simple soldier".
CS - "earthly elements and the things dependent on them" - such as chasing after a livelihood [excessively], or after social status. The bad midot (traits) also stem from material elements drawing a person towards the material, ex. selfishness, laziness or the like.
SP - in "the Way of G-d (1-4:6)" Rabeinu writes: "the root of all the service is that a man turn always to his Creator, namely, that he knows and understands that he was created only to cling to his Creator..." And in 4:11 "the true purpose of all the commandments is to turn us toward G-d, draw closer to Him and thus be enlightened by His light.. this is the true purpose of all the commandments".
SR - "to draw closer to G-d" - even though clinging to G-d [at all times] is the goal of all the levels, nevertheless, regarding the aspiration which is the duty of every person, each one can merit it according to his level - even an am haaretz (unlearned person).
Kovetz Sichot 1:141 - "no other purpose than to draw closer to G-d" - this purpose must stand before a person's eyes always and it should be the essence and intent of every act and deed. Whatever I do must be examined with one single calculation (cheshbon): "does this draw me closer to the Creator or the opposite?" If this distances me, I am obligated to flee from it as from fire. If the opposite, all of my strength and desires needs to be employed towards pursuing and seeking the means which draw me close to G-d, blessed be He. If a person adopts this approach in all the ways of his life and lives by its light - he will free himself from the life of vanity and will tread the path of truth towards the goal and purpose of life.
Alei Shur 2:250 - "magnet" - when this force begins to work in a man, he no longer needs to be pulled to the service of G-d with iron chains. Rather, on his own, he lusts for it. For then he has tasted the service... We must know this and yearn to taste the taste of a mitzva. For then, we will have broken out of the gravitational field of the evil inclination and drawn closer to the gravitational field of the Holiness.
Rabbi Mendel Weinbach zt'l: "The Imerei Tal brings the Zohar of how important it is to learn torah b'simcha (with joy). the yetzer tov and yetzer hara are not static forces. They're capable of growing in power. It all depends whether you do a mitzva b'simcha and thus increase the power of the yetzer tov or ch''v find diversions of the yetzer hara and do that b'simcha and give him power." (ohr.edu/2154)
Shaarei Orah vol.1 pg.22, sec. "choose life - l'shem shamayim" - ...in truth what is the primary intent one should have in his thought for all his matters? To do this act "l'shem shamayim". The Chovot Halevavot writes (Gate 5, ch.6): "therefore, my brother, strive that all of your actions be devoted only to the blessed Creator, so that your exertion will not be for nothing, and your efforts not for falsehood".
This is what we pray for (in kedushas uba ltzion) "to do Your will wholeheartedly so that we not toil for nothing" (ulaasot retzoncha belevav shalem lemaan lo niga larik velo neled lebehala), and likewise (birkot shema) "unify our heart to love and fear Your Name and we will not be shamed forever" (veyached levavenu leahava ulyira et Shimcha velo nevosh lolam vaed). Hence, in order to be saved from eternal shame and so that our toil not be for nothing, the deeds must be done wholeheartedly (b'yichud halev), namely, the thought that he is choosing to do this deed "l'shem shamayim" (for the sake of Heaven, i.e. G-d). Thus unity of heart (yichud halev) is primary. For it makes every deed into an acquisition of wholeness (kinyan shel shelemut).
Behold, "unity of heart" means intent of heart in his deeds both generally and particularly. This is the thought that he is choosing to do the deed l'shem shamayim. This unity of heart is the primary point in all of a man's deeds and on this depends the quality of all mitzvot and deeds. And even without doing any specific deed, the very intent of unifying his heart to Gd is more valuable than anything...
Even the smallest thought that one intends l'shem shamayim or that he is choosing to do that which grants him life - this is already meriting a great priceless treasure. And according to what he increases in contemplating the importance and greatness of the matters of the mitzva and love of the mitzva, correspondingly the quality of the mitzva will increase.
For example, one needs to put to heart and contemplate before every performance of a mitzva that the primary perfection is in the doing of mitzvot, and that in every mitzva, he adds a bit more shelemut [to himself], and that this is the main success in life. And he must know that because of this, there are many, many impediments to doing mitzvot than there are stumbling blocks which bring to sin. Because on sins it is possible to repent and rectify but for the loss of a mitzva, one cannot ever rectify it. Therefore, the Mesilat Yesharim, whose words are measured and exact, writes on delaying a mitzva (ch.5): "For there is no danger like its danger". For the main eternity is through the mitzvot....
We also find that a lacking in unity of heart and intent damages the entire quality of an act. Shimon Hatzadik never ate the offering of a Nazir Tameh? Why? Perhaps the Nazir regretted his vow thereby bringing chulin to the azara (profane animal in the temple courtyard) (Nedarim 9b). Behold, it is obvious that it is surely not actually chulin, for the Nazir's regret would not help to exempt him from the obligation to bring a korban (offering), but only because his intent was not favorable, Shimon Hatzadik considered the korban to be like bringing Chulin to the Azara.
Likewise we find intent of heart also touches on Halacha for even though the mitzva of Yibum precedes Chalitza, nevertheless, today Chalitza takes precedence. Why? Lest he is not careful that his intent be l'shem shamyim (Yevamot 39b). Thus we see that a lacking of intent l'shem shamayim blocks a preference in order of a mitzva. Furthemore, Aba Shaul there goes so far as to maintain that it is near to be that the child (born from yibum today) is a Mamzer. Thus we see just how much everything depends on intent.
We see just how much thought acts on the value of a mitzva, and that this is the central point which determines the essence of all a man's actions. The need to train oneself to have intent in his deeds or at least to have intent of mind in everything that he is doing it l'shem shamayim......
This also applies when refraining from forbidden things. The thought of "l'shem shamayim" acquires for him great reward, even for forbidden things he would anyway have refrained from by himself... The proof of this is what our sages taught (Torat Kohanim 20:128, brought by Rashi in Vayikra 20:26):
Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah says: How do we know that a person should not say, "I find pork disgusting", or "It is impossible for me to wear a mixture [of wool and linen]," but rather, one should say, "I indeed wish to, but what can I do-my Father in heaven has imposed these decrees upon me?"...your very distinction from the other peoples must be for My Name, separating yourself from transgression and accepting upon yourself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven". end quote.
See, the verse there is talking of things which a person's nature despises (ex.insects). Thus that which one should say "I indeed wish to" obviously does not mean one should desire this. Rather, the explanation is that one should not refrain only because one's nature despises it, but rather he should join to it the intent of "l'shem shamayim"...
When we say to have intent l'shem shamayim, one must know it is a general term which includes many levels and many details. For there are many details one can have intent in his deeds, and all are included in the general term "l'shem shamayim", and according to the greatness and depth of intent will be the corresponding reward.
For example, when one sits to eat, behold, there are many intents he can have. The Shulchan Aruch (231) brings the reason of "in order that he be healthy to serve G-d". The Rambam writes another reason: so that his body be healthy and strong so that his soul be clear to know G-d. Certainly, the two are not arguing. Only that there are many levels in this. And every person should strive to climb in this. Likewise, one can have intent to eat in order to fulfill certain mitzvot such as to bless the grace after meals, and other mitzvot which depend on eating.... do not think the intent is to ignore the pleasure of the food. For either way he feels the good taste of the food. But the matter is that it is proper to join the intent in this. To contemplate that he feels in his senses the "who sustains the whole world with favor and kindness". Through this, he merits wondrous merit... I remember once having an important guest for the Sabbath and before every eating (achila) he said verbally "l'kavod shabbos" (in honor of the Sabbath)...
We spoke of an extremely important matter which does not need great toil, only habituating one's thoughts. It is known that which is easier is more obligatory (see menachot 43b regarding onesh halavan). And this is among the easiest things and its merit is wondrous. On the other hand, the loss in omitting this is dreadful and horrible. It is literally something which tears one's heart to pieces, on those people who do not know to have intent in their deeds and most of their lives passes without intent. It is an eternal loss.
(see there for much more).
Yad HaKetana 7:3 - the wisest of all men said: "know Him in all your ways, and He will straighten your paths" (Mishlei 3:6). His intent includes several matters.
Firstly, recognize and know G-d in all your matters and deeds. That is to say, when you eat recognize and know G-d, blessed be He, by contemplating His immense wisdom in creating this food and in composing this food so that it will be proper and suited to the body's makeup. Likewise, the power in the living body to digest it into the blood and transform it and incorporate it into itself. And further, wonder of wonders far deeper, that the food sustains and strengthens the spiritual powers, and through it the nefesh (soul) and sechel (intellect) is maintained in the body. So too, in marital relations, consider the powerful force G-d implanted, to desire and want such a disgusting matter, and in imbueing the wondrous power in the seed to form another such wondrous creature. So too, contemplate every deed and matter. Through this, you will recognize and know G-d always and remember Him.
Secondly, in "know Him in all your ways": in all one's matters and deeds, to very, very much put to heart this deed or matter whether it is done according to the ways of the torah and the commandments which G-d taught us, and whether it contains any rebellion or transgression of His command, chalila. There is a difference between fulfilling the command of a judge versus the command of a king or the greatest King. Therefore, in doing this deed according to your recognition of His infinite power and greatness which is beyond comprehension, so too should be your watchfulness and guarding to the utmost detail so that it contains no trace of rebellion against the command of such a great and wise Being as this. This is the meaning of "know Him".
Further in "know Him in all your ways". After you sanctify yourself through the previous two levels, you will merit to ascend further to a very lofty level. Namely, you will contemplate every matter and deed, that they are all solely through G-d's power, blessed be He. And all their power and acts are solely through His power. For G-d alone created, formed and made everything. Without His power, all that is found is on its own nothingness and non-existence. Furthermore, this power is being continuously bestowed always, without any interruption. Through this G-d sustains and vivifies all. Without this flow of His power always, nothing would continue to exist. For immediately, in the blink of an eye, they would all return to nothingness and non-existence as before their creation. When you contemplate all this and you recognize the wonders of the Creator's greatness, you will be enclothed with fear and fright of His glorious majesty, and there will strengthen within you much longing and great yearning to [do] His will and serve Him, blessed be He.
You will be disgusted by the vanities and illusory pleasures and enjoyments of your body and will cast them away. Nothing will be left within you except the pleasures and enjoyments in doing His will, blessed be He. You will not do any deed or thing in your matters nor move any movement. Rather, everything for His honor and will, blessed be He. This is the meaning of "know Him in all your ways, and He will straighten your paths".
The explanation is that "way" (derech) is a wide and well used road which everyone uses. On the other hand, "path" (Orach) is a narrow path which the masses do not tread through. Thus in all your "ways", namely, the necessary affairs and matters of your body which you must walk always such as eating, drinking, marital relations, and the others. Do not do them for your own pleasure. But rather, for His honor and will, blessed be He, who created you to do these matters. Thus, these deeds are His will [in and of themselves] and in order that you preserve your body and matters to His service and commandments. This is the meaning of "know Him". From this, you will reach the level that even in your other matters, you will not move any one of your movements unless it is for His honor and will. Certainly, this level cannot be reached without divine help. This is the meaning of "and He will straighten your paths".
The meaning of "straighten" is as follows. One who walks to a destination will see many countless roads. Thus he who walks waywardly errs and does not reach his desired destination. But if at his destination place there is a large monument or a high banner visible from very far, and the traveller can lookout and fix his eyes only on this monument in order to walk towards it. Then, for every road he chooses even the very crooked ones, certainly he will eventually arrive at his desired destination. For this banner will straighten him to it.
It is exactly the same here. All his days, a man walks towards his final abode and end purpose. But the roads in this world are countless, and the man walks waywardly and errs greatly in some road from reaching his desired destination. Therefore, the wisest of all wise men gave us an advice and revealed to us and showed us the banner, that we may direct our gaze in all our matters and deeds towards His honor and will, blessed be He. And even if we walk crookedly, nevertheless, this banner will straighten us to Him, blessed be He. So that we reach Him and cling to Him so that our souls be bound in the light of life. This is the deeper meaning of what our sages said (Berachot 63b): " 'know Him in all your ways, and He will straighten your paths', Rava said: 'this applies even for a sin'". Contemplate this!
Put to heart very very much the intent of what we explained in this verse. Habituate yourself very very much to have it on your tongue. Chisel it in your heart. And our sages already said (Berachot 63b): "on what small teaching depends the entire torah? 'know Him in all your ways, and He will straighten your paths'". And our sages said: "let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven" (Avot 2:12).
Our great teacher (Rambam) already spoke extensively on this in the fifth of his "Shmonei Perakim", and spoke much on its importance... (see there for more).
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And anything that he deems to be a means serving to drawing close to G-d, he will chase after it, grab hold of it, and not let it go. And anything which he deems to be detrimental to this, he should flee from it as one flees from fire, similar to what is written: "my soul clings after You, Your right hand upholds me" (Ps. 63:9). |
וכל מה שיוכל לחשוב שהוא אמצעי לקורבה הזאת, ירדוף אחריו ויאחז בו ולא ירפהו. וכל מה שיוכל לחשוב שהוא מניעה לזה, יברח ממנו כבורח מן האש, וכענין שנאמר (תהלים סג): דבקה נפשי אחריך בי תמכה ימינך |
NE - "as one flees from fire" - one does not need to be a great scholar nor be tremendously sharp, nor even a big tzadik (righteous man). Rather, it is enough that he has sense in his head in order to flee from fire... just like a man understands to distance himself from danger, and only children and those lacking intelligence will not try to save themselves. So too here, since this world contains a great danger and one is liable to get sucked into it and lose the closeness to G-d, therefore one must use his faculty of reason to identify the danger and flee from it.
CS - "my soul clings after You" - hence by nature, the soul longs to cling to its Creator.
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For his coming to this world is only for this purpose, namely, to attain this closeness, by rescuing his soul from whatever hindrance and detriment to it. Behold, after we have known this general principle and clarified its veracity, we must investigate on its details, according to its stages, from beginning to end as Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair arranged in his teaching which we brought in the introduction. These steps are "watchfulness", "zeal", "cleanliness", "separation", "purity", "piety", "humility", "fear of sin", "holiness". Now we will clarify them one by one, with G-d's help. |
, כיון שביאתו לעולם אינה אלא לתכלית הזה, דהיינו, להשיג את הקירבה הזאת במלטו נפשו מכל מונעיה ומפסידיה. והנה אחר שידענו והתברר אצלנו אמיתת הכלל הזה, יש לנו לחקור על פרטיו לפי מדרגותיהם מתחלת הדבר ועד סופו, כמו שסדרם רבי פינחס בן יאיר במאמר שלו שהבאנו כבר בהקדמתנו, והם: הזהירות, הזריזות, הנקיות, הפרישות, הטהרה, החסידות, הענווה, יראת החטא והקדושה. ועתה נבארם אחד אחד בסייעתא דשמיא. |
Translator - "only for this purpose" - in "The Way of G-d" (1:4), the author writes: "the root of all the matter of Divine service is for a man to always turn to his Creator. That is, to know and understand that he was created solely to cling to his Creator and was placed in this world solely to conquer his inclination and subjugate himself to his Creator through the power of his intellect - the opposite of the physical lust and its tendency, and that he guides all his deeds towards attaining this goal and not veer from it". end quote.
SP - he did not mention the levels of "Torah", "holy spirit", and "revival of the dead" for these are not traits.
OG - (Kabalistic) Torah is the first level. It comes from the power of the Sefira of Malchut. When a man begins to toil in Torah study, and puts to heart that only through Torah will he know his obligation in his world, and only through Torah will he attain his personal salvation and likewise the salvation and rectification of the entire world - then he will merit to enter the path to the Gate of Righteousness, namely, the three levels above Malchut - Watchfulness (Hod), Zeal (Netzach), and Cleanliness (Yesod).
Translator - "For his coming to this world is only for this purpose" - there is a famous teaching from one of the early acharonim (sages) that "Daas Balei Batim is opposite of Daas Torah" (the view of laymen is opposite that of torah). The reason being the Balei Batim are focused mainly on this world while the Daat Torah is focused on Olam Haba. One can keep the Sabbath, kosher, and even study dafyomi. But if his focus is on money and other worldly benefits, he will see everything wrong. This is often the main point of contention between the Rav of a community and his Baalei Batim.
OG - "Torah" was not counted here as it is inside all the other levels as we explained earlier. The levels of "holy spirit", and "revival of the dead" are not extra levels but gifts granted by G-d for one who toiled and reached the level of "holiness". Hence, really there are 10 levels corresponding to the 10 sefiros, "Torah", the motor and root of all the levels and the other nine levels.
OG - Torah is the foundation of the service of the pious man. Just like in the foundation of a building there are two fundamentals, namely, (1) The taller the building, the more the engineers must prepare a deeper and firmer foundation. (2) The taller the building, the more a small deviation in the foundation will result in a very great deviation in the upper floors of the building. According to this, in the building of the service of G-d which is infinite for the servant of G-d is commanded to resemble His G-d in deeds and traits (which is endless). Hence, he must have a strong foundation, well aligned towards the divine plan...
OG - we have already explained that Torah is the basis of all levels in the "Path of the Just". Here, we learn that one of the foundations of the Torah is the knowledge that this world is a place of preparation for the world to come, i.e. the world after this one.. The intent is in the world after the resurrection. Hence, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair taught us in the Beraitha that in the beginning of one's journey as a servant of G-d, it is his duty to clarify for himself and come to realize as truth that his duty in this world is to cling to G-d through the study of Torah and fulfilling the mitzvot in this world, in order that he will merit to arise in the resurrection in the World to Come. This fundamental principle must follow a person all the days of his life. And he must not lose focus of this (hesech daat), regardless of what level he is holding; even if he has ascended to the level of Piety or the highest levels of lofty holiness...
OG - (Kabalistic) earlier in the Beraitha of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair we wrote that Torah, the foundation and root of the nine subsequent levels, draws its power from the Sefira of Malchus. Let us expand on this deep matter a bit. The Sefiros are "spiritual lights" which the Holy One blessed be He created (heatzil). They are built like chain links in such a way that each one receives light from the one above it and transfers of its own light to the sefira below it. The nine sefiros divide into 3 groups whereby each group is grouped into 3 divisions Kindliness (chesed), Judgment (din), Compassion (rachamim). In each group, the "left" sefira draws it power from "Judgment". It defines (magbil) and limits (metzamtzem) the light of the "right" sefira which draws it power from "Kindliness". Hence, the ninth sefira, Yesod (foundation), the lowest of the nine sefiros, collects all the lights of "kindliness" (chesed), and in the same measure, all the lights of the tzimtzum (limiting). Hence, the sefira of Yesod receives from all the sefiros above it. From one side, a collection of the lights of kindliness and holiness, and from the other side, a collection of the tzimtzum (limiting) and darkness. Due to this, a man stands in a situation of trial whether he will turn and cling to the emptiness and darkness or to the holiness and truth, to know that "H-ashem is the [Almighty] G-d" (Kings 18:39), "there is none besides Him" (Ein od Milvado) (Deut.4:35).
All of this flow is sent by the Sefira of Yesod to the Malchus which is bottommost in the arrangement of the sefiros. The malchus collects all the flow but it is alone and has no sefira below it to transfer its flow. For this, specifically the yichud of Malchus, since it is last and furthest from the Ein Sof than all the sefiros - only it has the power to remove the concealment from the world through revealing G-d's malchus (kingdom). Hence, its name Malchus. Furthermore, the Malchus is the connection between G-d and the creation. This primary connection is through Keneset Yisrael (the congregation of Israel), through the hashraas haShechina (resting of the divine presence) on them, namely, when they do the will of G-d, they mashpia (flow lights of) devekut (clinging) to G-d to the Sefira of Malchus, and from it, this flow ascends to the sefira above it until this reaches the Ein Sof (infinite G-dliness). Then, G-d immediately returns holy light to His treasured people... This is what Rabbi Pinchas Ben Yair teaches us, that Torah draws its power from Malchus. For specifically it is the foundation and root for rectifying a man and the world...
In summary, the sefira of malchus is not like the other sefiros above it. For the nine sefiros are divine traits which G-d created to shine on us the way to cling to Him. But the Malchus is not a divine trait. Rather it is the "Keter Malchus", it connects to the Keter of the world below it, and so on,... Hence, the sefira of Malchus is the "construction crane" to coronate G-d on us and the world. Thus the Torah which comes from the lights of Malchus is the root to nourish the tree of service of G-d, whose roots are on the ground and its head reaches to the heavens (see "the Knowing Heart" (Daat Tevunot) section 158)...
Now that the Ramchal explained the level of Torah which corresponds to the sefira of Malchut, he leads us to the first gate, the gate of righteousness which includes the levels of "watchfulness", "zeal", and "cleanliness" corresponding to the sefirot of "Hod", "Netzach", and "Yesod" respectively.
Various Additions
Ohr Yechezkel 3:239 - To an intelligent and understanding person, it is clear and evident that the primary pleasure is spiritual pleasure. And as the Chovot Halevavot writes that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed the reward of the World to Come to the prophets. For since they had developed a taste of wisdom, they knew and understood spiritual pleasure. It is told of a certain Torah sage in the last generation who said that if he were told that the pleasure of the World to Come awaiting him was nothing more than the Talmud he was currently learning, that would be enough for him, and that he does not need more pleasure than this. For he experienced the great pleasure and wealth in wisdom and he knew that there is no greater wealth than this. In having attained great wisdom and knowing that when he toils in Torah, he fulfills the word of G-d, behold, there is no greater pleasure than this. And certainly, the Vilna Gaon, of blessed memory, felt boundless spiritual pleasure when toiling in the Torah and therefore it was enough for him to eat only two olive size pieces of bread per day for the spiritual pleasure satiated him...
Mother of All Sins
Ohr Yechezkel 4:52 - one must recognize and know that, primarily, man was not created for this world, but rather for the life of the World to Come. When he recognizes this, all the [evil] traits, jealousy, lust and honor, which fill his aspirations and hopes will diminish. For the cause of all these traits stems from the longing for this world which fills our lives. In our times, the desire for this world fills all our aspirations and thoughts, and we do not know that the longing for this world is the mother of all sins... For when a person aspires to attain of this world, behold, he aspires to fulfill the lusts of the body and this has no connection to the service of the soul.
Everything is a Trial
Zichron Meir 156 - "tranquility on one hand versus suffering on the other" - in his words there is a big chidush (novel idea), even tranquility (shalva) which is neither poverty nor wealth nor suffering, rather contentment, i.e. not lacking anything and not preoccupied with work, nor with any pain - such a person is also under a difficult trial. Why? Because one who lacks nothing feels himself too much (i.e. becomes hyper-sensitive). One time he feels as if he needs to eat, and afterwards to drink, and afterwards to stroll a bit, and afterwards he feels tired and needs to rest. He feels a bit cold or a bit hot, weakness or the like. Thus he is distracted all day and has no time for good deeds.
According to the Mesilat Yesharim, there is no reason to procrastinate matters of Teshuva (repentance) and good deeds (for one with a hard life) hoping to wait until his situation changes to good or that it will not be so hard. For in truth, "all matters are trials for a man". There is no situation that will not be a trial. Thus he will go from mud to mud and there is no solution other than to be valiant and stand up to the trials and overcome one's situation. And if in the end, he does not succeed and become Whole, he should not deceive himself thinking he is not capable. Rather, it is because he does not really want, for "nothing can stand up before strong will".
Short Essay - Standing up to Trials
Kovetz Sichot 1:88 - we are always in a situation of trial. The rich man with his wealth, the poor man with his poverty. Each of them has trials and through them a man is built. The initial building of the Jewish people was with the ten trials of Avraham our forefather who stood up to all of them. So too for each and every individual, his life is full of trials. Every impediment, every factor which causes one to forego the divine service is a trial. "G-d tries the righteous" (Tehilim 11:5). Without any letup, a person is tested to clarify and establish his spiritual standing. To what extent trials are a primary service of man, the verse reveals to us: "for G-d has come in order to test you" (Ex.20:17)... Always, at all times, every level, every situation, a person stands before trials and must strengthen himself and vanquish them... There is no escape from trials. The Creator tests everyone. And that which we pray "do not bring us to a trial" (veal tevienu lidey nisayon), the intent is for a trial which is above our powers so that we do not stumble. But trials are a necessary part of human life...
Kovetz Sichot 1:53 - emunah (faith) needs to be strong like a rock. So that no power in the world can budge it... but the way of the wicked is that a tiny place to err is enough for them to deny and close their eyes from seeing the true reality. When Pharaoh saw the power of the sorcerers who likewise did like Moshe with their sorcery, it was enough for him to close his eyes and not see how the staff of Aharon swallowed the snakes made by the sorcerers. Already he does not care. The main thing is he has what to hold on to in order to deny. Thus is man's nature, and G-d does not prevent this. Whoever wants to err, let him come and err. This is the test of life in this world. Every person must strengthen himself and overcome this... The entire purpose of one's life in this world is only to fulfill mitzvot and stand up to trials.
Kovetz Sichot 29 - behold the situation of the Jewish people in every generation obligates them to strengthen themselves and not pay attention to what seems that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not listen to our prayers and that on the contrary new troubles arise. For this is one of the trials which G-d puts on the Jewish people to test whether they will stand in their faith despite His hiding His face from them. He who rebels against the Holy One, blessed be He, for not saving the Jewish people (during WWII), behold, this is nothing but not standing up to this trial of "hiding of the face" (see Deut.32:20).
Drawing Close to G-d
Chachma U'Mussar 1:31 - thus the greatest success for a man in this world is to become close to G-d and we need not desire anything else, only closeness to Him for it is the absolute good. One who is close to Him is automatically close to all good, and who does not desire good? Behold, the attribute of the Holy One blessed be He is that He loves everyone. For without this, the world would not endure. Thus love of all of G-d's creatures is drawing close to G-d, for how could a lump of clay possibly draw close to [the infinite] G-d.. In their holiness, our sages taught us with what can a person draw close to Him: "cling to His ways, just like He is merciful, be merciful...." (Sota 14a) And there is no more revealed attribute of G-d than love of all of G-d's creatures (ahavat habriot)...
Short Essay - Mistaken Worthlessness
Michtav M'Eliyahu 1:39 "for only this is the good, while anything besides this that people consider good is really emptiness and mistaken worthlessness" - a parable (mashal) is a story of some things which never occurred and never will occur. All the benefit in it, all the truth and reality of it, is only in how much it aids the reader to understand the lesson (nimshal). What will we then say about a man who leaves the Beit Midrash with only the parable?
This weakness of holding strong to the [imaginary] parable and abandoning the [reality of] the lesson (nimshal) is more common in a man's life than he thinks.
A child plays with his toys, a broken box becomes a boat. He himself becomes the captain. When he is occupied in this, the imagination becomes in his eyes like the actual reality. Rabbi Yisrael Salanter zt'l said that one who steals a toy from a child is as one who sinks the boat and destroys the properties of an adult.
An adult already abandoned toys like these. But how much imagination is there still in that which he yearns for! Behold a man seeks honor, and even for someone to whom it is clear that he is not pursuing honor, nevertheless, he feels pleasure if people appear to esteem him and feels pain if his esteem in their eyes is less than what he thinks he deserves.
Some people delude themselves to imagine things. For example, he who buys honor with money. Everyone knows, and sometimes even he himself knows, that others don't really seek to honor him, but rather they seek to attain some of his money. They are only pretending to see in him good qualities. But nevertheless, he seduces himself to enjoy this swap, external honor for actual importance. This imaginary honor instead of real importance.
So too for all the longings of this world. People seek wealth and imagine that if only they would attain it, they would be happy. One needs only to glance at a newspaper to know that the rich also have pains and worries, anger and suffering, like everyone else. And even if they are spared from the worries of the poor man, nevertheless they have others, even bigger worries in their place as our Sages of blessed memory said: "more possessions more worries" (Avot 2). And if they are free of work - idleness brings to shiamum (derangement, Ketubot 59a), and even to zima (immorality)... Where is the happiness?
The primary reason a person lusts for all sorts of worldly pleasure is only because he wants to quiet down, in the way of imagination and swapping, the feeling of lacking he finds within himself. In truth this is nothing but spiritual hunger, the longing of the soul for its station of Shlemut (perfection). Nothing in this world can satisfy this hunger. Therefore "no man dies attaining even half of his lusts", "he who attains one hundred wants two hundred" (Kohelet Rabba 1:34), for imaginations do not satisfy.
Hence, even adults play with toys, only that the adult is more stubborn than the child. Anything he is shown serves to him as further proof of the validity of his error and he strives harder to delude his eyes to the truth of his fantasies and to view them as reality.