What
Is,
“A
Drunken
Man
Must
Not
Pray,
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
21,
1989
Our
sages
said
(Iruvin
64),
“A
drunken
man
must
not
pray.
And
if
he
prays,
his
prayer
is
an
abomination.”
This
means
that
it
is
better
if
he
does
not
pray
because
his
prayer
is
an
abomination.
But
what
does
“abomination”
mean?
We
find
the
word
“abomination”
in
relation
to
incest,
too.
In
general,
“abomination”
means
something
loathsome,
as
it
was
said,
“You
shall
not
eat
any
abomination,”
“Come
and
see
the
evil
abominations
they
are
committing
here,”
etc.
We
should
understand
this
in
the
work.
Why
is
it
better
if
he
does
not
pray
if
he
is
drunk,
since
this
is
loathsome?
The
Zohar
asks
(Shmini,
Item
61)
about
the
verse,
“Do
not
drink
wine
or
ale”:
“Rabbi
Hiya
opened,
‘and
wine
makes
man's
heart
glad.’
He
asks,
If
the
priest
should
be
happy
and
in
illumination
of
the
face
more
than
everyone,
why
is
he
forbidden
to
drink
wine?
since
there
is
joy
and
illumination
of
the
face
in
it.
However,
in
the
beginning,
wine
is
gladness
and
its
end
is
sadness.
And
the
priest
should
always
be
happy.
Moreover,
wine
comes
from
the
side
of
the
Levites,
since
the
Torah
and
the
wine
of
Torah
are
from
the
side
of
Gevura,
while
the
side
of
the
priests
is
Hesed.”
It
is
also
written
there
(Item
66),
“For
this
reason,
when
a
priest
enters
the
Temple
in
order
to
work,
he
is
forbidden
to
drink
wine,
since
his
actions
are
secretive
and
wine
reveals
secrets.
This
is
why
it
is
to
raise
the
voice,”
and
this
raising
of
the
voice
pertains
to
the
Levites.
We
should
understand
what
is
a
priest
in
the
work,
what
“The
priest’s
work
is
secretive”
means
in
the
work,
and
what
is
a
Levite.
Also,
why
do
the
Levites
need
to
raise
their
voices,
the
opposite
of
the
priests,
and
why
wine
is
gladness
in
the
beginning
and
sadness
in
the
end,
meaning
what
is
regarded
as
“beginning”
and
what
is
regarded
as
“end”?
First,
we
need
to
know
what
is
work.
It
is
known
that
there
are
two
manners
in
the
work
of
the
Creator:
1)
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake],
2)
not
in
order
to
receive
reward.
This
means
that
he
believes
in
the
Creator,
that
He
is
the
King
of
the
world,
and
to
the
extent
of
his
faith
in
the
greatness
of
the
Creator,
so
he
feels
that
it
is
a
great
privilege
to
serve
the
King.
But
with
what
can
he
serve
the
King
that
the
King
will
enjoy?
The
answer
is
that
we
must
believe
that
the
Creator
has
commanded
us
through
Moses
how
we
can
serve
Him:
He
has
given
us
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds],
as
well
as
faith
in
the
sages,
to
observe
everything
that
our
sages
added
to
us,
which
is
called
Mitzvot
de
Rabanan
[commandments
of
our
great
sages].
Also,
He
has
given
us
customs
to
follow,
which
they
have
given
us
to
observe.
By
observing
all
these,
it
is
in
order
to
bring
Him
contentment
by
observing
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
and
all
of
our
pleasure
is
in
having
this
great
privilege,
and
from
this
we
derive
our
entire
life.
That
is,
since
it
is
impossible
to
live
without
delight
and
pleasure,
which
extends
from
the
fact
that
the
purpose
of
creation
was
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
a
desire
and
yearning
to
receive
pleasure
was
therefore
imprinted
in
the
creatures,
or
else
a
person
cannot
exist
in
the
world.
For
this
reason,
all
the
creatures,
as
soon
as
they
are
born,
must
receive
pleasure.
The
only
difference
between
small
and
great
is
in
the
clothing.
That
is,
the
pleasure
must
be
dressed
in
something.
Hence,
according
to
one’s
maturing,
the
dresses
for
a
person
change
accordingly.
For
example,
a
child
enjoys
games,
and
when
he
matures,
he
changes
the
dresses.
Likewise,
a
person
begins
to
do
the
holy
work
in
order
to
derive
pleasure
in
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
We
must
promise
him
a
reward
in
return
for
his
work,
just
as
in
corporeal
work.
Although
a
person
derives
great
pleasure
from
rest,
he
relinquishes
it
and
goes
to
work
because
the
work
will
give
him
a
reward,
meaning
things
he
will
enjoy.
This
pleasure,
which
he
receives
from
the
work,
comes
in
two
ways:
1)
Payment,
called
“salary.”
Through
the
salary,
he
will
be
able
to
buy
things
that
will
give
him
pleasure.
2)
Some
people
work
not
in
order
to
receive
a
salary
for
their
work,
but
for
respect.
This
is
what
they
enjoy
and
what
gives
them
fuel
for
work.
It
is
the
same
in
the
holy
work.
Some
work
in
order
to
receive
reward
or
respect
for
their
work.
In
this,
too,
there
are
two
manners:
1)
The
created
beings
will
give
them
money
or
respect.
2)
They
want
the
Creator
to
give
them
money
and
respect,
etc.,
in
return
for
their
work.
As
The
Zohar
writes,
they
want
the
Creator
to
give
them
the
next
world
in
return
for
their
work.
All
this
is
called
“in
order
to
receive
reward.”
However,
those
who
want
to
work
only
in
order
to
bestow,
whose
motivation
is
that
they
are
serving
the
King,
as
The
Zohar
says
(“Introduction
of
the
Book
of
Zohar,”
Item
191),
“Fear,
which
is
the
most
important,
is
when
one
fears
one’s
Master
because
He
is
great
and
ruling,
the
essence
and
the
root
of
all
the
worlds,
and
everything
is
considered
nothing
compared
to
Him…
And
he
will
place
his
will
in
that
place,
which
is
called
‘fear.’”
Here,
in
this
work,
begins
the
main
heaviness,
since
a
person
must
muster
motivation
not
from
what
is
generally
accepted,
which
the
general
public
can
understand,
that
he
receives
reward
in
return
for
work.
That
is,
the
work
is
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
but
he
receives
the
reward
from
something
else,
and
only
this,
that
he
hopes
to
receive
the
reward,
obligates
him
to
work.
That
is,
according
to
the
reward
he
hopes
to
receive,
he
measures
himself
in
the
work,
meaning
how
much
effort
to
exert
in
the
work,
according
to
the
reward
he
will
receive.
But
those
who
want
to
work
for
no
reward
at
all,
but
in
order
to
bring
contentment
to
their
Maker,
their
measurement
is
the
greatness
of
the
Creator.
That
is,
to
the
extent
that
a
person
assumes
the
greatness
of
the
King,
to
that
extent
he
has
the
energy
to
work.
It
is
written
(“Introduction
to
The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,”
Item
14),
that
there
is
partial
faith,
where
each
one
has
a
certain
measure
of
faith
that
determines
how
much
effort
he
should
put
into
the
work
of
the
Creator.
This
is
as
he
says
in
The
Zohar
about
the
verse,
“Her
husband
is
known
at
the
gates,
each
according
to
what
he
assumes
in
his
heart.”
This
means
that
each
person
has
a
measure
of
greatness
of
the
Creator,
and
the
greatness
of
the
Creator
in
a
person
is
according
to
what
he
assumes
in
his
heart.
That
is,
there
is
no
measure
to
the
greatness
of
the
Creator
so
that
one
can
have
the
real
measure
of
the
greatness
of
the
Creator,
as
it
is
written,
“His
greatness
is
unsearchable.
One
generation
shall
praise
Your
works
to
another.”
We
learn
that
the
matter
of
“one
generation
to
another”
in
the
work
is
in
the
same
person,
meaning
each
state
is
called
a
“generation.”
Thus,
during
an
ascent,
a
person
has
a
certain
measure
of
greatness
of
the
Creator.
During
a
descent,
a
person
has
a
different
measure
of
greatness
of
the
Creator.
This
is
called
“One
generation
to
another.”
This
means
that
through
these
generations,
meaning
through
the
ascents
and
descents,
when
a
person
calculates
how
much
he
appreciates
His
greatness
in
those
two
states,
and
he
strengthens
himself
in
the
work,
by
this
he
is
later
rewarded
with
“will
praise
Your
works.”
That
is,
he
sees
that
even
the
states
of
descent
were
for
better
and
not
for
worse.
This
is
so
because
a
person
can
evaluate
something
only
from
its
opposite,
as
was
said,
“As
the
advantage
of
the
light
from
within
the
darkness,”
as
Baal
HaSulam
explains
(Shamati,
Essay
No.
34,
“As
the
Advantage
of
the
Light
from
within
the
Darkness”
[“The
Profit
of
a
Land”]).
It
follows
that
“One
generation
to
another”
means
that
from
both
together
we
come
to
the
state,
“will
praise
Your
works.”
Through
these
states,
which
are
repeated
every
time,
and
there
can
be
several
states,
called
“generations,”
each
day,
from
all
those
“many
generations”
we
achieve
wholeness.
However,
it
is
provided
we
do
not
escape
the
campaign
in
the
middle
of
the
work.
Accordingly,
we
see
that
in
order
to
have
fuel
to
work
in
order
to
bestow
and
not
receive
any
reward,
but
the
work
itself
will
be
the
reward,
we
must
believe
in
Him,
meaning
believe
in
His
greatness.
We
must
make
great
efforts
to
obtain
faith
in
the
greatness
of
the
Creator.
Without
faith
in
the
greatness
of
the
Creator,
there
is
no
power
to
work
in
order
to
bestow.
That
is,
precisely
when
we
feel
the
greatness
of
the
Creator,
a
person
is
ready
to
work
without
any
reward.
Instead,
the
work
itself
is
the
reward,
since
serving
a
great
King
is
more
valuable
to
him
than
any
fortune
in
the
world,
compared
to
this
service,
that
the
Creator
permits
him
to
come
in
and
serve
Him.
Hence,
we
must
focus
all
our
thoughts
on
how
to
come
to
feel
the
greatness
of
the
Creator,
and
then
everything
follows
that
point.
It
is
known
that
when
we
begin
the
work,
we
must
begin
on
the
right
line,
called
“wholeness.”
That
is,
a
person
should
try
to
believe
above
reason
as
much
as
possible,
and
say
that
although
he
can
only
do
a
small
service
in
Kedusha
[holiness],
he
should
believe
that
it
is
very
important
and
he
does
not
have
the
brains
to
appreciate
the
importance
of
the
matter.
This
is
as
our
sages
said,
“Walks
and
does
not
do,
the
reward
for
walking
is
in
his
hand.”
This
means
that
one
should
appreciate
even
a
tiny
contact
with
spirituality,
in
whatever
manner.
The
Creator
accepts
everything
and
registers
it
under
that
person’s
account,
and
penny
by
penny
join
into
a
great
amount.
This
is
as
it
is
written
in
Baal
HaSulam’s
essay,
“The
Order
of
the
Work,”
that
we
should
address
the
work
to
the
Creator
and
believe
that
He
accepts
our
work,
and
it
makes
no
difference
how
this
works
seems.
That
is,
the
Creator
takes
everyone
into
consideration
if
he
does
something
in
the
work,
and
it
makes
no
difference
what
aim
a
person
has
at
the
time,
but
the
Creator
takes
everything
into
the
account.
For
this
reason,
the
person,
too,
should
certainly
think
about
everything
that
is
something
in
the
work
of
the
Creator,
and
a
person
should
derive
delight
and
joy
from
everything,
in
that
he
has
the
privilege
of
having
any
contact
with
spirituality.
A
person
must
give
many
thanks
to
the
Creator
for
rewarding
him
with
anything
in
spirituality,
as
was
said,
that
even
if
he
walks
but
does
not
do,
the
reward
for
walking
is
in
his
hand.
Thus,
one
must
thank
the
Creator
for
at
least
rewarding
him
with
going
to
the
synagogue.
When
a
person
thanks
the
Creator
for
this,
and
not
merely
thanks,
but
he
should
be
happy
with
it,
this
is
called
“right,”
wholeness,
and
this
is
the
quality
of
Hesed
[mercy],
the
right
line.
In
other
words,
he
says
that
the
Creator
has
dealt
mercy
with
him
by
permitting
him
to
do
something
in
spirituality.
This
quality
is
called
“priest,”
meaning
that
he
is
regarded
as
doing
the
holy
work.
When
a
person
walks
on
the
right
line,
he
can
always
be
happy,
called
“desiring
mercy.”
That
is,
he
is
content
with
his
lot,
with
what
he
has,
and
does
not
slander
the
Creator.
In
other
words,
when
a
person
is
happy,
there
is
no
room
for
slander
since
when
he
is
happy,
he
has
no
complaints
to
the
Creator
that
He
does
not
treat
him
as
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
In
that
state,
a
person
is
regarded
as
“blessed.”
It
is
written
in
the
essay,
“Faith
in
His
Rav
[Teacher],”
this
is
when
a
person
can
be
awarded
a
high
degree
because
“the
blessed
cling
to
the
blessed.”
But
when
a
person
slanders,
even
if
he
wants
the
Creator
to
give
him
spirituality
and
not
corporeality,
there
is
still
no
difference
between
them.
Rather,
when
he
has
complaints
and
discontent
with
his
situation,
and
he
cannot
say
that
the
Creator
treats
him
as
The
Good
Who
Does
Good,
this
is
considered
slander,
and
the
prohibition
on
slander
is
known
to
all.
Therefore,
when
a
person
walks
on
the
right
line
and
slanderous
thoughts
come
to
him,
he
should
reject
them
and
say
that
it
is
forbidden
to
listen
to
slander.
He
should
do
all
that
he
can
to
repel
and
expel
from
himself
all
the
bad
thoughts
that
slander,
although
when
these
thoughts
come
to
a
person,
they
say,
“We
are
not
foreign
thoughts.
On
the
contrary,
we
want
you
not
to
deceive
yourself,
but
to
see
that
the
state
of
your
work
is
incorrect
and
fix
it.
Thus,
we
bring
good
thoughts
about
the
person.”
At
that
time,
he
should
say,
“If
you
are
saying
this
for
my
sake,
why
don’t
you
come
to
me
when
I
am
on
the
left
line?”
meaning
when
a
person
concludes
that
he
should
be
walking
and
not
standing
in
one
state.
“Right”
means
that
he
is
content
with
little.
But
it
is
known
that
two
are
required,
and
to
tell
me
where
I
am
wrong.
“Instead,
precisely
when
I
want
to
walk
on
the
right
line,
you
come
to
me.
Hence,
I
do
not
want
to
listen
to
you.”
This
is
called
“the
wholeness
of
the
right.”
This
quality
is
always
in
wholeness,
since
he
is
content
with
his
lot,
and
is
not
interested
in
anything
but
to
give
many
thanks
to
the
Creator.
This
quality
is
considered
a
“priest,”
and
it
is
perpetual
happiness.
However,
this
work
is
regarded
as
concealed,
meaning
it
does
not
reveal
its
wholeness
outward.
This
is
called
“covered
Hassadim
[mercies],”
meaning
that
he
cannot
show
its
importance
outward
because
he
has
nothing
to
show
to
the
external
ones,
for
they
will
immediately
ask
him,
“What
are
you
looking
at?
We
see
that
you
are
happy
and
content
with
your
lot,
so
do
show
us
what
you
have,
what
possessions
have
you
acquired
in
spirituality,
for
which
you
are
happy.”
He
answers
them,
“I
am
content
with
my
share.”
But
they
tell
him,
“We
see
that
you
have
nothing
real
in
spirituality,
yet
you
are
still
happy.
Thus,
you
are
fooling
yourself.”
And
what
is
the
truth?
He
says,
“I
am
going
above
reason,
so
I
have
no
need
to
answer
the
questions
you
are
asking
me
within
reason.”
However,
we
must
know
that
“external
ones”
does
not
mean
other
bodies.
Rather,
the
person
himself
consists
of
many
thoughts,
as
it
is
written
in
The
Zohar,
“Man
is
a
small
world
and
consists
of
all
the
nations
of
the
world.”
Now
we
will
explain
what
is
a
Levite,
why
he
raises
his
voice,
contrary
to
a
priest,
whose
work
is
secretive,
meaning
above
reason.
Since
there
is
wholeness
there,
he
can
always
be
in
gladness.
The
Levites
are
“left,”
which
is
illumination
of
Hochma,
and
Hochma
comes
in
vessels
of
reception.
Conversely,
Hassadim,
which
are
regarded
as
a
priest,
come
in
vessels
of
bestowal.
Vessels
of
reception
require
constant
guarding
so
they
will
not
be
taken
after
the
Kelim
[vessels]
that
engage
in
reception.
Their
guarding
is
that
they
also
draw
Hassadim,
and
these
Hassadim
look
after
the
intention
to
keep
it
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
called
“receiving
in
order
to
bestow.”
As
soon
as
he
is
taken
after
the
act,
which
is
reception,
he
falls
from
his
degree,
since
he
becomes
separated
from
Kedusha.
Hence,
the
work
of
the
Levites
is
with
a
raised
voice,
meaning
that
illumination
of
Hochma
shines
there,
called
“revealing
the
Hassadim.”
Revealing
is
called
“raising
the
voice,”
since
it
is
revealed
outward,
in
vessels
of
reception.
This
is
why
he
says
that
in
the
beginning
it
brings
joy,
and
its
end
is
sadness.
We
asked,
What
are
the
“beginning”
and
“end”?
“Beginning”
means
when
he
is
mingled
with
Hassadim.
At
that
time
he
can
use
the
Hochma,
too.
But
in
the
end,
when
his
Hassadim
ends,
as
much
as
he
was
mingled
with
Hassadim,
he
remains
with
the
core,
meaning
only
with
Hochma.
At
that
time,
it
is
impossible
to
use
Hochma
without
Hassadim,
and
this
brings
him
sadness
because
he
always
needs
the
clothing
of
Hassadim,
but
he
does
not
have
it.
Conversely,
a
“priest,”
who
must
always
be
content,
should
walk
only
on
the
right
line,
which
is
Hesed,
for
“he
desires
Hesed
[mercy],”
and
he
is
happy
with
his
share
and
has
no
need
for
Gadlut
[greatness,
adulthood].
Naturally,
he
can
always
be
in
gladness.
This
is
similar
to
what
was
written
(The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,
Part
14).
It
is
written
there
that
there
are
two
discernments:
1)
blessing,
2)
freedom,
which
is
carved.
He
interprets
there
in
Ohr
Pnimi
[Inner
Light]
that
“covered
Hassadim
are
called
‘free,’”
when
he
lacks
nothing
because
he
needs
nothing.
For
this
reason,
he
feels
himself
free,
that
he
has
no
enslavement
by
something
he
needs
to
receive.
It
follows
that
he
is
enslaved
to
nothing.
This
is
so
precisely
when
he
is
content
with
his
share,
and
this
is
called
a
“priest,”
whose
work
is
secretive
and
he
does
not
reveal
what
he
has
outwardly.
That
is,
he
does
not
need
the
possessions
to
be
revealed
outwardly,
but
believes
above
reason
that
everything
he
has
is
enough.
However,
the
Levites
belong
to
the
left,
meaning
Hochma,
which
is
“the
wine
of
Torah.”
The
Torah
should
actually
be
revealed
because
the
Torah
should
be
with
knowledge,
for
Daat
[knowledge]
is
called
the
“middle
line,”
which
decides
between
right
and
left,
meaning
that
he
will
not
take
more
Hochma
than
he
has
Hassadim.
If
he
wants
to
receive
more
Hochma
than
Hassadim,
it
is
considered
“drinking
more
wine
than
he
can.”
At
that
time
he
becomes
“drunk”
and
loses
his
Daat,
called
the
middle
line,
which
weighs
to
see
that
he
does
not
have
more
Hochma
than
Hassadim.
By
this
we
should
interpret
what
our
sages
said,
“A
drunken
man
must
not
pray.
And
if
he
prays,
his
prayer
is
an
abomination.”
That
is,
when
he
loses
the
Daat,
which
is
the
middle
line,
and
he
prays
to
be
given
more
Hochma
than
Hassadim,
this
is
called
“abomination,”
for
it
is
loathsome
because
he
prays
to
the
Creator
to
give
him
Hochma
without
Hassadim,
which
will
go
to
the
external
ones
and
not
to
Kedusha.
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
what
our
sages
said
(VaYikra
Rabbah
1:15),
“Any
wise
disciple
in
whom
there
is
no
Daat,
a
carcass
is
better
than
him.”
That
is,
he
receives
more
Hochma
than
Hassadim.
It
follows
that
there
is
no
middle
line
in
him,
called
Daat,
which
decides
between
“right”
and
“left.”
As
was
said,
“a
carcass
is
better
than
him,”
meaning
he
is
loathsome
since
there
is
no
Daat
in
him,
and
he
is
considered
a
“drunk”
who
“drank
more
wine
than
he
should,”
meaning
more
than
Hassadim.
When
he
prays
in
this
way
to
be
given
Torah,
called
“wine
of
Torah,”
his
prayer
is
an
abomination,
meaning
that
he
is
regarded
as
loathsome.
We
can
understand
this
as
our
sages
said
(Avot,
Chapter
3),
“Anyone
whose
wisdom
is
more
than
his
actions,
what
is
he
like?
a
tree
whose
branches
are
many
and
roots
are
few,
and
the
wind
comes
and
uproots
it.”
That
is,
action
is
called
“right,”
Hesed,
and
he
need
not
understand
with
his
knowledge
and
intellect
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
do
the
holy
work
in
order
to
bestow.
Instead,
he
can
go
above
reason,
although
the
reason
comes
to
him
with
Pharaoh’s
questions,
who
asks,
“Who
is
the
Lord
that
I
should
obey
His
voice,”
or
the
wicked
man’s
question,
who
asks,
“What
is
this
work
for
you?”
To
this
he
replies
to
them
that
he
is
going
above
reason.
This
is
called
“an
act,”
since
he
does
not
answer
them
with
wisdom
and
intellect.
Rather,
he
answers
them
that
he
is
working
in
practice,
and
not
in
theory,
and
this
is
all
of
his
joy,
that
he
maintains
faith
above
reason.
Afterward,
when
he
is
rewarded
with
Hochma,
he
does
not
want
to
use
the
Hochma
as
support,
and
say,
“Now
I
no
longer
need
faith
because
I
have
the
intellect
as
a
basis.”
This
is
called
“His
knowledge
is
more
than
his
actions.”
However,
he
receives
the
Hochma
because
the
Creator
wants
him
to
receive.
He
receives,
but
not
for
his
own
sake.
If
he
wants
to
receive
Hochma
more
than
his
actions,
this
is
called
“drunk”
and
his
prayer
is
an
abomination.
Thus,
everything
should
be
with
reason,
which
is
the
middle
line,
so
there
is
no
more
left
than
right.