What
Is
a
Groom’s
Meal?
Article
No.
12,
1989
Our
sages
said
(Berachot
6),
“Anyone
who
enjoys
the
meal
of
a
groom
and
does
not
delight
him
breaches
in
five
voices.”
We
should
understand
why
this
meal
is
called
“the
groom’s
meal”
and
not
“the
bride’s
meal.”
In
the
Torah
we
find
in
regard
to
Jacob,
that
Lavan
[Laban]
made
the
meal
and
not
Jacob,
as
it
is
written
(Genesis
29:22),
“And
Lavan
gathered
all
the
men
of
the
place
and
made
a
feast.”
Concerning
the
dances
at
the
wedding,
we
see
the
opposite:
Our
sages
did
not
say,
“How
does
one
dance
before
the
groom?”
but
“How
does
one
dance
before
the
bride?”
(Ketubot
16b).
These
are
their
words:
“How
does
one
dance
before
the
bride?
Beit
Shammai
say,
‘The
bride
as
she
is.’
And
Beit
Hillel
say,
‘Beautiful
and
graceful
bride’!
Beit
Shammai
said
to
Beit
Hillel:
‘If
she
were
lame
or
blind,
does
one
say
of
her,
‘Beautiful
and
graceful
bride’?
But
the
Torah
said,
‘Keep
far
from
a
false
matter.’’
Said
Beit
Hillel
to
Beit
Shammai:
‘According
to
your
words,
if
one
has
made
a
bad
purchase
in
the
market,
should
one
praise
it
in
his
eyes
or
criticize
it?
Surely,
one
should
praise
it
in
his
eyes.
Therefore,
the
Sages
said,
‘Always
should
the
disposition
of
man
be
pleasant
with
people.’’”
To
understand
these
two
phrases,
we
should
interpret
this
in
the
work.
The
bride
means
the
time
of
the
exile,
a
time
of
working
in
concealment
of
the
face,
when
the
love
of
the
Creator
and
the
glory
of
the
greatness
of
the
Creator
do
not
shine
for
him
and
are
ever
before
him,
and
he
will
not
fall
from
his
degree
but
always
ascend
ever
higher.
Instead,
the
person
is
in
concealment
of
the
face,
called
“the
time
of
exile.”
This
means
that
he
is
still
under
the
control
of
the
“nations
of
the
world,”
which
is
the
will
to
receive
for
himself.
This
means
that
as
long
as
he
did
not
emerge
from
the
authority
of
the
will
to
receive,
the
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
and
concealment
are
still
over
him.
Each
time
he
must
overcome
the
concealment,
see
the
Creator’s
guidance,
say
that
He
is
really
good
and
does
good,
and
everything
he
receives
from
the
Creator
is
only
good.
Naturally,
he
should
be
thankful
and
praise
the
Creator
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart
for
giving
him
abundance.
In
this
respect,
sometimes
he
has
the
power
to
overcome
what
he
sees
and
say
as
it
is
written,
“They
have
eyes
and
see
not.”
But
this
is
only
during
the
ascent.
But
afterward,
thoughts
of
the
will
to
receive
come
to
him
and
demand
to
see
and
agree
above
reason
that
this
is
really
so,
that
all
that
he
is
receiving
from
the
Creator
is
good.
The
body
does
not
let
him
believe
this
and
he
falls
from
his
degree.
Although
he
knows
that
the
way
to
emerge
from
a
state
of
descent
is
through
prayer,
at
that
time
he
does
not
have
the
strength
to
pray.
Although
there
is
a
rule
that
for
anything
that
a
person
needs
he
should
pray
to
the
Creator,
so
he
should
also
pray
for
his
inability
to
pray.
But
sometimes,
he
does
not
have
the
strength
to
pray
even
for
this.
Hence,
in
that
state,
a
person
is
in
utter
decline.
However,
sometimes
a
person
deteriorates
to
the
point
where
he
forgets
and
does
not
feel
that
he
is
in
decline.
As
we
have
said
several
times,
a
person
falls
so
low
that
he
remains
unconscious.
That
is,
at
that
time
he
is
unaware
that
he
is
at
the
“netherworld.”
Only
once
he
recovers,
he
sees
that
he
is
at
the
lowest
point
and
does
not
even
have
the
power
to
pray.
At
that
time,
a
person
must
brace
himself
and
say,
“Now
I
can
say
wholeheartedly,
‘The
song
of
ascents;
from
the
depths
I
have
called
upon
You,
Lord,’
since
it
is
impossible
to
be
lower
in
the
ground
than
I
am.
”
Certainly,
if
he
asks
from
a
state
of
truth,
and
at
that
time
sees
that
unless
the
Creator
helps
him,
he
is
lost,
he
will
see
that
he
cannot
do
anything
by
himself.
Therefore,
then
he
should
tell
the
Creator,
“I
cannot
even
pray
for
You
to
save
me.
Therefore,
only
You
can
save
me.”
Then
he
says,
“From
the
narrow
place,
I
have
called
on
the
Lord;
answer
me
in
the
wide
expanse,
Lord.”
Through
the
descents
and
ascents,
a
need
and
lack
for
the
Creator’s
help
form
in
a
person.
Then,
each
time,
Kelim
[vessels]
manifest
in
man
for
the
Creator
to
fill.
It
is
written
in
the
Sulam
[commentary
on
The
Zohar]
(“Introduction
of
The
Book
of
Zohar,”
Item
125):
“The
days
of
the
exile
are
called
‘night,’
since
this
is
the
time
of
the
concealment
of
His
face
from
the
children
of
Israel.
At
that
time,
all
the
powers
of
separation
control
the
servants
of
the
Creator.
Yet,
precisely
at
that
time,
the
bride
bonds
with
her
husband—through
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds]
of
the
righteous,
who
at
that
time
are
regarded
as
the
‘supporters
of
the
Torah.’
All
the
sublime
degrees
called,
‘secrets
of
the
Torah,’
are
revealed
by
them,
since
this
is
why
they
are
called
those
who
make
them,
for
they
seemingly
make
the
Torah.”
We
see
that
“bride”
is
the
name
of
the
work
during
the
exile,
when
there
is
concealment
of
His
face.
At
that
time,
all
the
powers
of
separation
control
a
person,
meaning
that
thoughts
come
to
him
that
cause
him
to
feel
separated
from
the
Creator.
At
that
time,
he
faces
a
dilemma:
1)
Either
he
runs
from
the
work
and
becomes
completely
separated
from
the
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity],
or
2)
He
does
all
that
he
can
in
order
for
the
Creator
to
help
him
be
saved
from
these
thoughts.
That
is,
the
Creator
will
illuminate
His
face,
and
then
there
will
be
no
place
for
the
control
of
the
powers
of
separation.
This
means
that
he
need
not
pray
that
these
thoughts
will
depart
from
him.
Instead,
he
should
ask
the
Creator
will
shine
His
face
to
him,
that
He
will
not
hide
His
face
from
him.
That
is,
if
he
prays
to
the
Creator
that
these
thoughts
will
depart
from
him,
then
he
has
gained
nothing
from
the
powers
of
separation,
and
he
will
return
to
the
state
he
was
in
before
the
thoughts
of
the
powers
of
separation
came
to
him.
Thus,
he
has
not
gained
a
thing.
This
is
regarded
as
suffering
in
vain.
But
if
he
asks
the
Creator
to
shine
His
face
to
him
so
that
the
powers
of
separation
will
surrender,
then
he
has
risen
in
degree
by
being
rewarded
with
the
nearness
of
the
Creator.
It
follows
that
“bride”
is
the
work
of
“accepting
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,”
regarded
as
“faith
in
the
Creator.”
Opposite
this
are
forces
of
separation,
which
do
not
let
a
person
believe
in
the
Creator
above
reason.
Rather,
according
to
how
the
external
mind
mandates,
so
the
forces
of
separation
separate
a
person
from
the
Creator.
Hence,
there
are
ascents
and
descents
in
these
states,
since
the
whole
basis
of
the
faith
is
above
reason.
In
consequence,
the
powers
of
separation
have
room,
meaning
they
do
not
allow
a
person
to
go
against
reason.
By
this
we
should
interpret
what
we
asked,
why
concerning
a
bride
our
sages
said,
“How
does
one
dance
before
the
bride?”
Concerning
dancing,
we
see
that
when
we
dance,
a
person
goes
up
and
down,
and
sometimes
falls
to
the
east,
to
the
west,
to
the
north,
and
to
the
south.
That
is,
the
falls
during
the
dance
are
to
all
six
directions.
The
falls
come
so
that
the
person
will
feel
the
need
for
the
Creator’s
help.
That
is,
it
was
done
on
purpose,
so
that
the
person
will
not
be
able
to
emerge
from
the
control
of
the
nations
of
the
world
within
him
by
himself,
without
the
Creator’s
help.
But
why
does
the
Creator
want
a
person
to
ask
for
His
help?
It
is
as
Baal
HaSulam
said,
since
a
person
does
not
have
the
need
and
urgency
to
obtain
Nefesh-Ruach-Neshama
(NRN),
which
the
Creator
wants
to
give
to
a
person,
and
since
man
is
content
with
little,
by
asking
for
help,
the
help
that
the
Creator
gives
him
is
NRN,
as
it
is
written
in
The
Zohar,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.
And
it
says,
‘With
what
is
he
aided?
With
a
holy
soul.’”
This
means
that
each
time
he
wants
to
be
more
cleansed,
he
is
given
help
through
a
higher
soul.
It
follows
that
according
to
the
request
for
help
from
above,
this
is
the
cause
that
he
will
receive
a
higher
degree
each
time,
and
by
this
he
will
receive
his
NRN.
For
this
reason,
the
Creator
wanting
that
we
ask
for
His
help
causes
us
to
have
to
extend
a
higher
degree
each
time.
Now
we
can
understand
why
they
asked
about
the
bride,
“How
does
one
dance
before
the
bride?”
and
not
before
the
groom.
This
is
because
dancing
means
ascents
and
descents
that
apply
during
the
exile,
called
“concealment
of
His
face,”
when
the
powers
of
separation
govern.
However,
the
question
is,
What
causes
the
existence
of
ascents
and
descents?
In
this
there
is
a
dispute
between
Beit
Shammai
and
Beit
Hillel.
Beit
Shammai
say
“the
bride
as
she
is.”
That
is,
to
the
extent
of
the
flavor
that
he
feels
in
the
work,
he
should
overcome
and
say,
“Even
if
I
do
not
feel
its
importance,
I
still
take
upon
myself
the
kingdom
of
heaven
with
faith
above
reason.”
And
to
say,
“Since
I
want
to
work
and
serve
the
King,
it
does
not
matter
to
me
what
flavor
I
feel
in
this
work.”
Rather,
it
should
all
be
above
reason.
That
is,
a
person
should
say
that
he
agrees
to
do
the
holy
work
“Even
if
I
remain
with
this
flavor
my
entire
life.”
This
is
called
“the
bride
as
she
is.”
As
Baal
HaSulam
said
(in
the
essay,
“Order
of
the
Work”),
we
should
believe
only
with
faith
that
the
Creator
is
the
guide.
That
is,
although
faith
has
lower
importance
than
his
understanding
within
reason,
he
chooses
to
walk
in
this
path.
Moreover,
he
is
not
going
above
reason
because
he
has
no
choice.
Rather,
even
if
he
is
given
knowledge,
he
chooses
to
go
above
reason.
This
is
called
“the
bride
as
she
is.”
In
other
words,
he
takes
upon
himself
the
kingdom
of
heaven
even
though
he
has
no
feeling
of
importance,
as
one
should
feel
when
serving
a
great
and
important
King.
Yet,
he
does
not
mind
what
he
is
feeling,
but
takes
upon
himself
everything
with
great
joy.
Yet,
since
everything
is
above
reason,
there
are
ascents
and
descents
in
this
work.
Therefore,
during
the
work
in
a
state
of
a
bride,
there
are
ascents
and
descents,
which
are
called
“dances.”
Beit
Hillel
say
that
the
dance
is
not
necessarily
as
is
the
view
of
Beit
Shammai,
who
say
that
we
must
say,
“the
bride
as
she
is,”
meaning
that
he
takes
it
upon
himself
although
she
is
of
little
importance
to
him,
and
that
only
in
this
way
are
there
ascents
and
descents,
called
“dances.”
Rather,
in
our
view,
we
need
not
be
so
strict
about
those
workers
who
want
to
take
upon
themselves
faith
in
a
way
that
it
is
of
such
little
importance.
Instead,
we
should
accept
the
faith
in
a
way
that
he
will
not
regard
what
he
is
feeling,
but
he
should
say
that
the
bride
is
indeed
beautiful
and
graceful
(“graceful”
means
that
a
thread
of
Hesed
[grace,
but
also
mercy]
is
extended
on
her).
What
he
does
not
feel
is
because
he
is
still
unworthy
of
feeling,
but
afterward
he
will
really
see
her
beauty,
how
beautiful
and
graceful
she
is.
And
yet,
since
now
he
does
not
have
this
feeling,
there
is
the
matter
of
ascents
and
descents,
which
is
called
“dances”
in
the
work.
It
follows
that
this
applies
only
when
the
work
is
in
a
state
of
“bride.”
This
is
why
our
sages
said
“How
does
one
dance
before
the
bride?”
and
did
not
say
“How
does
one
dance
before
the
groom?”
But
when
speaking
of
a
meal,
it
is
called
“a
groom’s
meal”
and
not
“a
bride’s
meal”
because
a
meal
is
as
our
sages
said
(Avoda
Zarah,
p3),
“He
who
labors
on
the
eve
of
Shabbat
[Sabbath],
eats
on
Shabbat.
But
he
who
did
not
labor
on
the
eve
of
Shabbat,
from
where
will
he
eat
on
Shabbat?”
since
the
Shabbat
is
“the
conclusion
of
the
making
of
heaven
and
earth.”
Shabbat
is
a
time
of
reception
of
delight
and
pleasure,
which
is
the
final
purpose
of
creation.
For
this
reason,
Shabbat
is
called
“the
conclusion
of
the
making
of
heaven
and
earth.”
The
giving
of
delight
and
pleasure
pertains
to
the
groom,
which
refers
to
the
Creator,
who
gives
delight
and
pleasure
to
the
creatures.
The
Creator
is
called
“groom”
after
what
our
sages
said
(Yevamot
63),
“descend
in
degree
and
choose
a
wife.”
A
“groom”
means
he
must
descend
to
a
lower
degree
and
receive
a
wife,
as
it
is
written
in
the
book
Matan
Torah
[The
Giving
of
the
Torah],
“And
the
Lord
descended
to
the
top
of
the
mountain.”
With
respect
to
the
descent,
the
Creator
was
a
groom,
from
the
word,
“descending
in
degree.”
We
should
interpret
the
meaning
of
descent
with
regard
to
the
Creator.
As
is
explained
in
the
words
of
the
ARI,
in
order
for
the
created
beings
to
be
able
to
receive
His
light,
there
were
many
restrictions
and
diminutions
of
the
light
until
it
was
suitable
for
the
attainment
of
the
lower
ones.
If
the
light
is
too
big,
the
lower
ones
will
not
be
able
to
receive
His
abundance
because
“they
annul
before
the
light
as
a
candle
before
a
torch.”
For
the
Creator,
this
is
called
“descended,”
as
in
descending
from
His
greatness.
In
other
words,
the
lower
ones
are
unfit
to
see
His
greatness.
Rather,
each
according
to
his
ability,
to
that
extent
the
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
is
lifted
from
him
and
the
light
appears.
In
this
respect,
the
Creator
is
called
“groom,”
when
He
takes
the
people
of
Israel
as
a
bride,
to
give
her
everything
she
needs,
as
it
is
written
in
the
Ketubah
[a
formal
letter
outlining
the
groom’s
responsibilities
to
the
bride]
that
the
groom
gives
to
the
bride:
“I
will
labor
and
respect
and
feed
and
provide
and
sustain
and
clothe
you.”
In
other
words,
when
the
Creator
takes
the
people
of
Israel
as
a
bride,
He
will
give
her
everything
she
needs.
This
is
called
“a
groom’s
meal,”
when
the
Creator,
who
is
the
groom,
from
the
words,
“of
inferior
degree,”
nourishes
and
provides
for
the
created
beings.
That
is,
He
must
lower
Himself
so
as
to
give
each
one
according
to
his
attainment,
as
because
of
this,
all
the
restrictions
took
place,
and
from
this
comes
the
whole
matter
of
multiplicity
of
names.
Clearly,
when
a
person
receives
delight
and
pleasure
from
the
Creator,
it
cannot
be
said
that
in
that
state,
during
the
reception
of
the
abundance,
there
will
be
ascents
and
descents.
This
is
only
when
a
person
is
in
a
state
of
concealment
of
the
face,
when
he
must
overcome
what
he
feels
and
say
that
the
Creator
is
good
and
does
good,
and
one
cannot
always
do
so.
But
during
the
reception
of
the
delight
and
pleasure,
it
is
impossible
to
have
states
of
descent,
which
are
called
“dances.”
This
is
why
they
did
not
say,
“How
does
one
dance
before
the
groom?”
since
the
Creator
is
called
a
“groom”
when
He
takes
the
“bride,”
when
there
is
union
between
the
groom
and
the
bride,
and
union
means
“equivalence
of
form.”
That
is,
when
the
people
of
Israel
as
a
whole,
or
a
single
individual,
achieves
equivalence
of
form,
this
is
called
“union.”
At
that
time,
the
concealment
of
the
face
departs
and
each
one
receives
the
revelation
of
the
face
of
the
Creator.
This
is
called
“a
groom’s
meal.”
This
is
why
they
said
that
there,
with
the
groom,
the
work
is
received
in
a
different
way
at
that
time,
meaning
that
we
must
delight
the
groom.
However,
we
should
understand
what
our
sages
said
(Berachot
7),
“Anyone
who
enjoys
the
meal
of
a
groom
and
does
not
delight
him
breaches
in
five
voices.
But
if
he
delights
him,
what
is
his
reward?
Rabbi
Yehoshua
Ben
Levi
said,
‘He
is
rewarded
with
the
Torah,
which
was
given
in
five
voices.’”
We
should
understand
what
the
groom’s
meal
symbolizes
in
the
work,
that
anyone
who
enjoys
a
groom’s
meal
must
delight
him.
In
corporeality,
it
is
difficult
to
understand
why
we
need
to
delight
the
groom.
Is
he
not
already
happy?
Who
forced
him
to
be
a
groom?
Of
course
he
is
happy,
as
it
is
written,
“As
the
joy
of
a
groom
with
a
bride.”
In
corporeality,
there
are
certainly
answers
to
this,
but
what
does
this
imply
to
us
in
the
work?
The
thing
is
that
it
is
known
that
all
of
our
work
is
to
achieve
equivalence
of
form
through
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
That
is,
we
must
come
to
a
state
where
all
of
our
work
should
be
in
order
to
bring
contentment
to
the
Maker,
and
not
to
ourselves.
The
state
of
this
work
is
called
“bride,”
meaning
that
there
are
ascents
and
descents
there,
called
“dances.”
Afterward,
when
he
completes
this
work
on
the
part
of
the
lower
one,
it
is
regarded
as
“Everything
that
is
in
your
hand
and
in
your
strength
to
do,
do.”
At
that
time
it
is
called
“the
conclusion
of
the
work.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
“bride,”
as
it
is
written,
“When
Moses
concluded,”
which
is
the
conclusion
of
the
work
from
the
perspective
of
the
lower
one.
At
that
time
a
person
is
rewarded
with
permanent
faith.
That
is,
he
has
come
to
a
degree
where
“All
your
work
is
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.”
For
this
reason,
the
abundance
he
receives
at
that
time
from
above,
which
is
called
“the
King’s
meal,”
he
must
receive
the
abundance
in
order
to
bestow
and
not
for
his
own
sake.
In
other
words,
at
that
time
he
must
be
willing
to
say
that
this
pleasure
he
receives
is
not
because
he
wants
to
delight
himself,
but
because
he
wants
to
delight
the
Creator,
because
the
Creator
created
the
world
in
order
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
If
he
does
not
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure,
His
intention
will
not
be
carried
out.
By
his
enjoyment
now,
the
Creator
is
enjoying
from
His
purpose
being
revealed
in
practice.
It
follows
that
by
this
he
observes
what
our
sages
said,
“Anyone
who
enjoys
the
meal
of
a
groom
and
does
not
delight
him,”
but
he
does
delight
Him.
Indeed,
we
should
understand
the
following:
1)
How
can
we
delight
the
groom?
2)
Why
do
we
need
to
delight
the
groom?
In
the
work,
how
can
it
be
said
that
the
people
of
Israel
should
delight
the
Creator?
Can
such
a
thing
be
said
about
the
Creator,
that
He
needs
our
joy,
that
we
will
delight
Him?
3)
Why
does
he
breach
in
five
voices
if
he
does
not
delight
him?
Why
specifically
the
five
voices?
4)
Anyone
who
delights
him
is
rewarded.
What
is
his
reward?
Rabbi
Yehoshua
Ben
Levi
said,
“He
is
rewarded
with
the
Torah,
which
was
given
in
five
voices.”
We
should
understand
this,
too.
Every
person
knows
that
the
reward
is
in
the
next
world.
Why
does
he
say
that
the
Torah
is
the
reward?
It
appears
to
mean
the
opposite,
as
it
is
written
in
Tanna
Devei
Eliyahu:
“Anyone
who
recites
rules
each
day
is
guaranteed
to
have
the
next
world.”
It
follows
that
the
reward
we
receive
for
the
Torah
is
the
next
world.
But
here,
Rabbi
Yehoshua
Ben
Levi
says
that
the
reward
is
the
Torah.
As
was
said,
all
of
our
work
is
that
through
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
a
person
should
aim
that
by
this,
he
will
achieve
equivalence
of
form,
as
it
is
written,
“As
He
is
merciful,
so
you
are
merciful.”
That
state
is
called
a
“bride.”
Everything
we
receive
from
the
Creator,
whether
corporeality
or
spirituality,
but
rather
any
pleasure
we
receive
from
the
Creator,
is
called
“a
groom’s
meal.”
That
is,
everything
that
a
person
enjoys
is
called
“a
meal.”
For
this
reason,
all
the
pleasures
that
a
person
receives
from
the
Creator
are
called
“a
groom’s
meal.”
By
receiving,
a
person
comes
into
disparity
of
form,
which
causes
separation,
and
on
this
discernment
there
were
Tzimtzum
and
concealment
so
the
light
of
His
face
is
not
revealed
in
a
place
of
separation.
The
Creator
gives
him
something
to
enjoy,
and
by
the
Creator
giving
him
something,
he
should
receive
from
this
an
ascent
in
degree.
That
is,
he
should
be
closer
to
Kedusha,
since
now
he
is
better
qualified
to
believe
that
the
Creator
is
good
and
does
good.
Because
of
it,
he
had
to
take
upon
himself
to
love
the
Creator,
since
He
nourishes
and
provides.
The
evidence
to
this
is
that
now
he
received
nourishment.
The
body
exists
and
leads
a
happy
life
not
necessarily
from
eating
and
drinking.
Rather,
a
person
also
needs
nourishments
that
pertain
to
man’s
spirit,
meaning
respect,
knowledge,
and
service
of
the
Creator.
Each
one,
according
to
his
own
spirit,
needs
things
that
will
lift
his
spirit.
All
this
is
called
“nourishments.”
For
this
reason,
any
pleasure
that
a
person
receives
from
the
Creator
will
reasonably
bring
a
person
nearer
to
Kedusha.
But
in
fact,
by
this
one
grows
farther
due
to
the
disparity
of
form
resulting
from
the
reception
of
the
pleasure.
For
this
reason,
if
a
person,
while
receiving
the
pleasure
from
the
Creator,
tries
to
delight
the
King
by
receiving
in
order
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator,
and
his
joy
is
from
trying
to
aim
to
bestow
contentment
upon
his
Maker,
by
this
he
obtains
a
Kli
[vessel]
of
bestowal
with
which
he
delights
the
Creator
because
the
purpose
of
creation
is
to
do
good.
This
delights
the
Creator,
since
now
the
Creator
can
give
delight
and
pleasure
to
man,
since
man
is
now
able
to
receive
in
order
to
bestow.
Then
the
verse
“The
Lord
delights
in
His
works”
comes
true,
meaning
with
the
work
of
creation,
for
His
will
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
Because
of
the
Tzimtzum,
the
Creator
had
to
hide
Himself
from
His
creations.
But
when
a
person
aims
while
receiving
the
pleasure
to
receive
it
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
this
gives
pleasure
to
the
Creator
from
giving
to
the
creatures.
It
follows
that
from
every
pleasure
he
receives
with
the
aim
to
benefit
the
Creator,
it
creates
within
him
a
Kli
called
“receiving
in
order
to
bestow.”
When
that
Kli
grows
in
him,
after
each
giving,
what
will
be
his
reward
from
the
growth
of
the
Kelim
[vessels]?
That
they
will
be
in
order
to
bestow.
His
reward
will
be
that
he
will
later
be
rewarded
with
the
Torah,
called
“the
names
of
the
Creator,”
since
now
what
he
receives
will
be
in
order
to
bestow.
It
follows
that
the
reward
will
be
the
Torah,
as
Rabbi
Yehoshua
Ben
Levi
said.
That
is,
what
will
happen
once
a
person
has
been
rewarded
with
a
degree
where
he
can
delight
the
King?
When
he
wants
only
to
bring
contentment
to
his
Maker?
And
what
is
his
reward?
It
does
not
mean
that
the
person
should
receive
reward
for
delighting
the
Creator.
Rather,
he
says
that
his
reward
is
that
he
can
please
the
King.
How
does
he
please
the
King?
By
receiving
the
Torah.
Doing
good
to
His
creations
is
the
benefit
that
the
Creator
wants
to
give
to
the
created
beings;
it
is
the
revelation
of
His
Godliness
to
the
creatures.
This
is
called
“Torah,”
meaning
“Torah,
as
in
the
names
of
the
Creator.”
It
follows
that
his
reward
is
that
the
Creator
can
give
him
the
Torah,
as
the
Creator
enjoys
this
giving
and
it
pleases
Him.
It
follows
that
“Anyone
who
enjoys
the
meal
of
a
groom
and
does
not
delight
him”
means
that
he
is
still
immersed
in
self-love
and
cannot
say
that
everything
he
does
is
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Then,
the
Creator
cannot
give
the
Torah,
as
it
will
all
go
to
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side].
This
is
why
they
said
that
he
“breaches
in
five
voices.”
It
is
known
that
five
Behinot
[discernments]
contain
all
the
worlds
and
all
the
degrees,
which
appear
as
the
names
of
the
Creator.
These
are
the
tip
of
the
Yod,
and
the
four
letters,
Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey.
In
the
worlds,
they
are
called
AK
and
ABYA,
and
in
the
souls
they
are
called
Nefesh,
Ruach,
Neshama,
Haya,
and
Yechida.
Thus,
the
meaning
of
“breaches
in
five
voices”
is
that
he
causes
the
five
abovementioned
Behinot
not
to
manifest
because
they
are
not
trying
to
achieve
the
intention
that
all
the
actions
are
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
self-benefit.
This
is
considered
that
where
he
should
work
to
delight
the
Creator,
he
is
concerned
only
with
delighting
himself.
By
this,
he
prevents
the
upper
abundance
from
manifesting.
It
follows
that
man
causes
the
prevention
of
abundance
below.
This
is
considered
that
where
man
should
have
exerted
to
make
the
glory
of
heaven
revealed—which
is
called
“the
revelation
of
His
Godliness
to
His
creations,”
which
is
the
purpose
of
creation—man
is
doing
things
that
cause
the
glory
of
the
Creator
not
to
be
revealed.
Instead,
the
glory
of
the
Sitra
Achra
is
revealed
and
the
Shechina
[Divinity]
is
in
the
dust.
This
is
called
“the
Shechina
in
exile
under
the
nations
of
the
world”
within
each
person.
That
is,
instead
of
trying
to
make
The
Good
Who
Does
Good
be
revealed,
and
the
concealment
to
be
removed
by
aiming
to
bestow,
he
causes
the
nations
of
the
world
in
him
to
rise
ever
higher.
The
nations
of
the
world
is
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself.
When
we
work
for
it,
it
gains
strength
and
its
quality
manifests.
Then,
Israel
in
man
descends
below
it,
and
this
is
called
“breaching
in
five
voices.”
But
if
we
work
in
order
to
bestow,
Kedusha
gains
power
and
controls.
“One
who
enjoys
the
meals
of
a
groom
and
his
intention
is
to
delight
him,
it
means
that
his
reward
is
that
he
was
given
the
privilege
of
delighting
the
Creator.
The
sign
of
the
reward,
meaning
the
way
to
know
that
his
aim
is
truly
to
delight
the
Creator,
is
as
Rabbi
Yehoshua
Ben
Levi
said,
that
“his
reward
is
the
Torah.”
If
he
is
rewarded
with
the
Torah,
meaning
if
his
aim
is
really
only
to
please
the
King,
and
this
is
his
only
reward,
the
Tzimtzum
and
concealment
are
naturally
removed
from
him,
and
he
must
be
rewarded
with
the
revelation
of
the
light
of
His
face.
This
is
called
“the
Torah
of
His
names,”
called
“the
revelation
of
His
Godliness
to
His
creatures.”
It
follows
that
“bride”
means
work
of
faith,
meaning
acceptance
of
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven.
But
here
there
is
a
matter
of
ascents
and
descents,
meaning
what
a
person
should
give
to
the
Creator,
which
is
unconditional
surrender.
In
other
words,
a
person
should
accept
faith
above
reason
even
though
he
has
no
feeling
and
no
excitement
over
taking
upon
himself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven.
Nevertheless,
he
should
agree
with
that
state
and
say
that
this
must
be
the
will
of
the
Creator
that
he
will
work
and
serve
Him
in
this
lowliness,
so
he
does
not
mind
what
elation
he
feels
about
this
faith
because
about
himself,
meaning
his
own
benefit,
he
has
no
concern,
but
only
about
the
benefit
of
the
Creator.
If
He
wants
him
to
remain
in
that
state,
he
accepts
this
unconditionally.
This
is
called
“unconditional
surrender.”
In
that
regard,
faith
is
called
“below,”
meaning
that
it
is
of
inferior
importance
for
man.
It
is
as
it
is
written
in
the
book
A
Sage’s
Fruit:
“Faith
means
below,
since
it
is
of
low
importance.
For
this
reason,
when
faith
is
thrown
to
the
ground,
meaning
when
the
greatness
of
faith
is
not
valued,
it
becomes
a
serpent.
In
other
words,
in
that
state,
a
person
becomes
worse
than
when
he
began
the
work
on
faith.
Prior
to
this,
he
was
regarded
as
sacred
still
and
did
not
lack
faith.
But
now
that
he
has
begun
to
take
upon
himself
faith
above
reason,
his
faith
is
unimportant
because
his
reason
does
not
let
him
believe
without
reason.
Therefore,
he
falls
into
the
Klipa
[shells/peels]
of
the
serpent.
Hence,
when
he
wishes
to
enter
Kedusha,
he
grabs
it
by
the
tail,
where
“tail”
is
the
last
discernment
in
everything.
In
other
words,
he
accepts
faith
with
all
its
lowliness,
meaning
above
reason.
At
that
time
it
becomes
a
scepter.
He
interprets
there
that
in
the
hands
of
the
redeemer
was
a
scepter.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
“faithful
shepherd,”
who
has
a
scepter
in
his
hand
to
direct
the
hearts
of
Israel
to
their
father
in
heaven.
Conversely,
the
groom
is
the
giver.
Considering
what
the
Creator
does,
His
quality
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
This
is
why
it
is
called
“the
groom’s
meal,”
as
they
said,
“Anyone
who
enjoys
the
meal
of
a
groom.”