What
Is
“Do
Not
Slight
the
Blessing
of
a
Layperson”
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
24,
1989
The
Zohar
(Nasso,
Item
10)
says,
“Do
not
slight
the
blessing
of
a
layperson.”
This
is,
‘In
the
daytime,
the
Lord
will
command
His
mercy.’”
In
the
Megillah
(p
15)
he
says,
“Never
slight
the
blessing
of
a
layperson.”
We
should
understand
what
this
comes
to
teach
us
in
the
work
of
the
Creator,
meaning
when
we
learn
within
one
person,
what
is
the
meaning
of
“layperson.”
First,
we
need
to
understand
the
meaning
of
a
“layperson”
altogether.
In
Masechet
Megillah
(p
12b),
Rav
Kahana
said,
“It
follows
that
a
layperson
jumps
first.”
This
means
that
the
meaning
of
“layperson”
is
said
in
his
condemnation,
that
he
is
a
simple
person,
who
nonetheless
likes
to
show
himself
and
appear
as
wise.
Thus,
how
should
we
interpret
“the
blessing
of
a
layperson”
in
the
work?
Also,
we
need
to
understand
what
The
Zohar
says,
“Do
not
slight
the
blessing
of
a
layperson.”
This
is,
‘In
the
daytime,
the
Lord
will
command
His
mercy.’”
What
is
the
connection
between
the
blessing
of
a
layperson
and
His
mercy?
It
is
known
that
man’s
work
is
in
two
lines,
called
“two
writings
that
deny
one
another
until
the
third
writing
comes
and
decides
between
them.”
It
is
as
our
sages
said
(Sotah
47),
“The
left
always
pushes
away,
and
the
right
pulls
near.”
In
the
work,
we
should
interpret
“the
right
pulls
near.”
When
a
person
is
advancing
in
the
work
and
wants
to
be
in
a
state
nearing
the
Creator,
and
does
not
want
to
see
any
deficiency
in
himself
because
now
he
wants
to
engage
in
songs
and
praises
for
the
Creator,
and
if
he
sees
some
deficiency
in
himself
he
will
not
be
able
to
thank
the
Creator
with
all
his
heart
because
he
has
deficiencies
and
he
wants
the
Creator
to
fill
his
deficiencies.
It
follows
that
now
he
is
praying
for
the
Creator
to
fill
the
lacks.
Thus,
his
gratitude
is
already
deficient.
That
is,
in
the
midst
of
saying
thanks,
he
claims
that
the
Creator
has
not
given
him
everything
he
needs.
Therefore,
when
he
wants
to
engage
in
wholeness
so
that
the
thanks
he
gives
to
the
Creator
will
be
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart,
he
must
not
see
any
lack
in
himself.
However,
we
must
understand
how
a
person
can
say
that
he
has
no
lacks,
and
instead,
he
thanks
and
praises
the
Creator
that
he
is
working
for
the
Creator,
when
he
sees
that
his
work
is
full
of
flaws.
How
can
he
lie
when
he
sees
his
own
incompleteness
in
the
Torah
and
work?
The
answer
is
that
when
one
introspects
and
sees
his
lowliness,
that
he
is
worse
than
the
rest
of
the
people
in
skills
and
qualities,
and
yet
the
Creator
has
given
him
a
thought
and
desire
to
do
something
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds],
and
he
knows
that
this
service
is
worthless
and
sees
that
there
are
many
people
more
important
than
him,
yet
the
Creator
did
not
give
them
a
thought
or
desire
to
do
something
in
matters
of
Kedusha
[holiness],
and
He
did
give
him
a
thought
and
desire.
For
this
he
thanks
the
Creator
as
though
he
has
obtained
a
fortune
in
corporeality.
What
spirit
would
the
corporeal
things
yield
in
them?
From
this
depiction,
he
receives
joy
and
happiness
and
it
gives
him
satisfaction.
This
causes
him
to
later
have
ears
to
hear
things
toward
which
previously
his
ears
were
deaf.
Now,
through
the
joy,
all
his
organs
have
become
alert
and
understand
and
contemplate
everything,
since
the
joy
that
came
to
him
through
the
joy
of
Mitzva
[singular
of
Mitzvot]
causes
him
that
in
corporeality,
too,
he
will
be
a
completely
different
person
now.
All
this
came
to
him
because
he
appreciated
matters
in
Kedusha.
However,
one
must
believe
that
even
though
he
appreciates
the
importance
of
Kedusha
with
all
his
might,
he
still
has
not
come
to
give
the
measure
of
importance
where
there
is
the
real
importance,
because
no
person
can
evaluate
the
measure
of
importance
of
the
Kedusha,
and
only
those
who
have
ascended
know
how
to
appreciate
a
spiritual
matter.
Our
sages
knew
what
importance
to
attribute
to
spirituality,
as
our
sages
said
(Berachot
7),
“Rabbi
Zira
said,
‘The
reward
of
learning
is
in
running.’”
RASHI
interpreted
that
the
reward
of
people
who
run
to
hear
a
lesson
from
a
sage
is
mainly
the
reward
for
running,
since
most
of
them
do
not
understand.
The
MAHARSHA
interprets
that
“The
wise
do
not
need
the
learning,
for
they
already
know
the
laws,
as
was
said,
that
in
any
case,
their
reward
is
the
running,”
meaning
the
reward
for
running.
“Abaye
said,
‘The
reward
of
the
Kallah
[Shabbat
before
a
pilgrim
festival]
is
in
the
squeezing.’”
RASHI
interpreted,
“On
a
Shabbat
before
the
pilgrimage,
everyone
gathers
to
hear
the
laws
of
the
pilgrimage.”
The
meaning
is
that
although
there
are
people
who
do
not
understand
the
laws,
they
still
have
reward
for
standing
pressed
together.
The
MAHARSHA
says
about
this,
too,
“If
the
listener
is
a
wise
disciple
and
has
no
need
for
this,
he
has
the
reward
for
squeezing.”
Accordingly,
we
can
see
how
our
sages
appreciated
the
importance
of
spirituality,
for
they
said,
“Even
if
people
do
not
understand
what
the
sage
is
saying,
they
still
have
reward
in
that
they
run
to
hear
the
sage’s
words.”
Moreover,
we
see
that
the
MAHARSHA
says,
that
even
those
who
are
themselves
wise
disciples
and
know
the
laws
on
their
own,
still,
if
they
come
to
listen
to
the
sage’s
words,
they
have
reward.
And
certainly,
reward
is
given
only
for
work.
It
follows
that
a
person
should
be
happy
that
he
has
been
rewarded
with
the
work
of
the
Creator.
Even
if
he
comes
to
the
seminary
or
the
synagogue
and
does
not
learn,
he
has
the
reward
for
walking,
meaning
that
it
is
defined
as
work
of
the
Creator.
The
evidence
of
this
is
that
there
is
reward
for
this
work.
It
follows
that
when
a
person
walks
on
the
right
line
and
wants
to
engage
in
work
of
singing
and
praising
the
Creator,
he
must
see
that
he
has
wholeness.
That
is,
he
must
appreciate
his
lowliness
and
how
the
Creator
has
given
him
a
desire
and
yearning
at
least
to
walk
to
the
seminary,
although
he
understands
nothing,
and
to
say,
“I
cannot
appreciate
the
importance
of
my
fortune
that
the
Creator
has
chosen
me
for
at
least
some
service.”
He
should
be
happy
as
though
he
has
struck
a
fortune
in
corporeality,
how
he
would
be
happy.
That
joy
gives
him
the
strength
to
believe
in
the
Creator,
that
He
is
good
and
does
good.
But
when
a
person
begins
to
calculate
how
much
he
earned
in
spirituality
through
the
labor
he
has
already
given,
and
begins
to
see
that
he
did
not
advance,
although
what
he
sees
is
true
according
to
his
attainment,
in
that
state,
he
is
separated
from
the
Kedusha
[holiness]
because
in
that
state,
he
is
slandering
His
Providence
and
cannot
say
that
the
guidance
of
the
Creator
is
in
the
form
of
good
and
doing
good.
It
follows
that
by
this
he
becomes
more
remote
from
the
Kedusha.
That
is,
to
the
extent
that
he
sees
that
he
is
deficient,
and
sees
all
that
he
is
lacking,
and
that
he
has
prayed
to
the
Creator
several
times
but
the
Creator
did
not
give
him
anything
for
his
plea,
he
immediately
blemishes
the
belief
that
“You
hear
the
prayer
of
every
mouth.”
It
follows
that
in
this
state,
he
says
that
now
he
is
walking
on
the
path
of
truth
and
does
not
want
to
deceive
himself
that
he
is
a
person
who
has
wholeness,
and
he
is
certain
that
the
road
he
is
marching
is
true.
However,
a
person
cannot
make
ways
for
himself,
but
must
accept
the
path
that
our
sages
have
arranged
for
us.
About
such
matters,
Baal
HaSulam
asked
about
what
we
say
(in
“You
Have
Chosen
Us”),
“And
lifted
us
from
among
all
the
tongues.”
Yet,
there
is
only
one
tongue
in
the
world,
that
of
the
evil
inclination.
Thus,
it
should
have
said,
“And
lifted
us
from
all
the
tongue.”
What
is
the
meaning
of
“all
the
tongues,”
in
plural
form?
He
said
that
there
are
holy
angels
and
there
are
impure
angels.
That
is,
sometimes,
the
evil
inclination
prevents
us
from
doing
something
good
through
a
power
that
incites
us
and
says
that
we
have
no
need
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
since
we
will
not
gain
anything
from
this.
Sometimes
it
comes
to
us
and
tells
us,
“You
should
not
do
this;
it
will
only
interfere
with
your
engagement
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot.”
It
follows
that
it
says
to
us
the
opposite,
that
he
wants
us
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
which
is
why
he
advises
us
not
to
do
what
we
want
to
do,
or
learn,
or
think,
etc.
It
follows
that
when
a
person
should
walk
on
the
“right
line,”
the
holy
angel
comes
to
him
and
tells
him,
“Look
at
your
baseness,
see
how
you
are
devoid
of
Torah
and
devoid
of
faith,
and
you
are
also
lacking
in
observing
Mitzvot.”
He
lowers
him
to
the
netherworld
and
speaks
to
him
like
a
holy
angel.
And
what
happens?
In
the
end,
the
person
falls
into
a
descent
and
cannot
think
of
doing
anything
in
Kedusha.
For
this
reason,
when
he
must
walk
on
the
right
line,
he
must
fight
against
all
those
who
object
to
the
wholeness
of
the
right,
and
believe
above
reason
that
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side]
speaks
to
him
dressed
as
a
holy
angel.
However,
afterward
a
person
must
shift
to
the
other
side,
called
“left
line,”
where
great
care
is
required.
He
must
be
ready,
when
he
sees
his
past,
that
he
is
full
of
flaws,
to
have
the
ability
to
pray
for
the
flaws.
Otherwise,
it
is
forbidden
to
begin
the
work
on
the
left,
as
it
is
written
in
The
Zohar,
that
it
is
“forbidden
to
raise
the
hands
without
prayer
and
plea.”
“Raising
the
hands”
means
that
he
looks
in
his
hands,
meaning
what
spirituality
he
already
has
in
his
hands,
if
he
has
advanced
a
bit
or
not.
It
is
forbidden
to
look,
except
in
a
way
that
he
is
willing
to
make
an
honest
prayer
and
plea
right
away.
Otherwise,
he
will
fall
into
despair
and
sadness
and
melancholy,
and
will
have
to
escape
the
campaign.
It
follows
that
where
he
should
have
received
from
the
left
line
a
place
for
prayer,
that
this
is
the
only
reason
he
should
move
to
the
left
line,
hence,
if
he
cannot
be
certain
that
he
can
make
an
instantaneous
prayer,
he
should
remain
on
the
right
line
until
he
is
certain
that
by
this
he
will
have
the
strength
to
pray
that
the
Creator
will
help
him,
and
he
will
believe
that
“The
Lord
hears
the
prayer
of
every
mouth.”
Otherwise,
it
is
forbidden
because
in
that
state,
he
cannot
give
thanks
and
also
cannot
pray
to
the
Creator
to
deliver
him
from
that
state.
When
a
person
is
in
a
state
where
he
begins
to
slander
Providence,
he
immediately
loses
the
power
of
prayer
because
the
body
does
not
believe
that
the
Creator
“hears
the
prayer
of
every
mouth.”
It
follows
that
he
remains
empty
handed
both
ways.
For
this
reason,
he
must
stay
on
the
right
line
and
not
enter
the
left
line.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
our
sages
said
(Yoma
16),
“Any
turn
you
take
should
be
only
through
the
right.”
The
meaning
of
“any”
is
“generally.”
That
is,
generally,
a
person
should
walk
on
the
right
line.
It
is
permitted
to
walk
on
the
left
line
only
when
he
is
certain
he
will
be
able
to
pray
for
his
deficiencies.
Otherwise,
he
must
remain
on
the
right
until
he
feels
that
he
is
ready
for
it.
Therefore,
if
thoughts
that
he
is
at
fault
have
awakened
in
him
against
his
will,
and
how
can
he
speak
words
of
Torah
and
prayer
to
the
Creator
when
his
thoughts
tell
him,
“You
are
filthy!
How
are
you
not
ashamed
to
engage
in
matters
of
Kedusha?!”
About
this,
a
person
(must)
say
that
it
is
written,
“I
am
the
Lord,
who
dwells
with
them
in
the
midst
of
their
Tuma’a
[impurity].”
That
is,
even
though
I
am
in
the
lowest
possible
baseness,
I
still
believe
what
is
written,
that
the
Creator
dwells
even
in
the
worst
lowliness.
However,
He
is
not
among
the
proud,
as
our
sages
said,
“Anyone
who
is
proud,
the
Creator
says,
‘I
and
he
cannot
dwell
in
the
same
abode.’”
For
this
reason,
when
a
person
feels
whole,
according
to
the
right
line,
when
he
appreciates
his
lowliness
and
says
that
nonetheless,
the
Creator
has
given
him
some
grip
on
Kedusha,
and
that
“some,”
compared
to
the
Kedusha
that
a
person
should
attain,
that
“some”
is
called
“layperson.”
But
if
he
says
according
to
his
lowliness,
“I
thank
and
praise
the
Creator
for
this,”
it
can
be
said
about
this
what
is
written,
“I
am
the
Lord,
who
dwells
with
them
in
the
midst
of
their
Tuma’a.”
When
he
is
happy
about
this,
he
can
be
rewarded
with,
“The
Shechina
[Divinity]
is
present
only
out
of
joy.”
It
follows
that
through
this
lowliness,
that
because
the
Creator
has
given
him
some
grip
on
Kedusha,
he
can
climb
the
rungs
of
holiness
if
he
only
takes
from
this
the
joy
and
appreciates
it.
Then,
a
person
can
say,
“Raise
the
poor
from
the
dust,”
“He
will
raise
the
destitute
from
the
litter.”
That
is,
when
a
person
feels
his
lowliness,
that
he
is
meager,
meaning
poor,
as
our
sages
said
(Nedarim
41),
“Abaye
said,
‘In
our
tradition,
there
is
no
poor
but
in
knowledge.’”
That
is,
it
has
been
handed
down
from
our
father,
a
custom
from
our
forefathers
that
“there
is
no
poor
but
in
knowledge.”
This
is
why
he
says
that
he
is
meager,
meaning
poor,
for
he
has
no
knowledge
of
Kedusha—he
is
called
“poor
and
meager.”
Then,
if
there
is
any
grip
on
Kedusha,
even
though
he
is
poor,
he
says,
“Raises
the
poor
from
the
dust.”
That
is,
he
says
a
prayer,
for
even
though
he
is
poor,
the
Creator
still
raised
him.
“He
raises
the
destitute
from
the
litter.”
Although
he
feels
that
he
is
destitute,
the
Creator
still
lifted
him,
and
for
this,
he
praises
the
Creator.
If
there
is
any
grip
on
Kedusha,
we
can
already
praise
and
thank
the
Creator.
We
can
interpret
what
is
written
(Psalms
97),
“Be
glad
in
the
Lord,
you
righteous
ones,
and
give
thanks
to
the
memory
of
His
holy
name.”
We
should
interpret
that
“righteous”
is
one
who
says
that
the
Creator
is
righteous,
since
any
grip
that
he
has
on
Kedusha,
he
immediately
says,
“The
Lord
is
righteous”
in
that
He
gives
one
who
is
as
poor
and
destitute
as
him
some
grip
on
spirituality.
These
are
called
“righteous,”
as
it
is
written,
“Who
is
righteous?
He
who
justifies
his
Maker.”
The
measure
of
grip
on
spirituality
is
that
he
can
say
about
it,
“I
am
happy
with
it.”
The
verse
says,
“And
give
thanks
to
the
memory
of
His
holy
name,”
meaning
they
thank
“the
memory
of
His
holy
name,”
the
fact
that
they
remember
His
holiness—for
this
they
thank
and
praise.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“Give
thanks
to
the
memory
of
His
holy
name.”
That
is,
if
they
merely
remember
the
Holy
name,
for
this
alone
they
already
thank
the
Creator,
meaning
on
the
mere
remembering,
they
are
immediately
awakened
to
thank
the
Creator.
But
one
who
has
some
pride
and
says
that
“The
rest
of
the
people,
who
have
no
brains,
can
come
to
be
servants
of
the
Creator
without
any
intellect
and
reason,
but
a
man
like
me,
who
has
brains
and
is
not
as
stupid
as
other
people,”
he
says,
“If
the
Creator
wants
me
to
work
for
Him,
He
must
be
considerate
with
me
and
give
me
the
taste
of
Torah
and
prayer.
Otherwise,
I
will
serve
the
way
I
understand
it
and
not
the
way
You
require.”
It
is
written
about
this,
“The
Lord
is
King,
He
dresses
in
pride.”
That
is,
the
Creator
behaves
toward
such
people
a
garment
of
pride
and
is
not
impressed
with
them,
and
they
remain
with
nothing
but
their
pride.
This
is
why
it
is
written,
“The
Lord
is
high
and
the
low
will
see.”
With
his
lowliness,
a
man
can
see.
But
one
who
is
high,
who
considers
himself
higher
than
others,
is
called
“And
the
high
from
afar,”
meaning
he
moves
afar
from
Kedusha.
Now
we
can
understand
what
we
asked,
What
is
“Do
not
slight
the
blessing
of
a
layperson”?
It
means
that
when
a
person
feels
that
he
is
a
layperson,
that
he
has
only
a
slight
contact
with
Kedusha,
which
is
considered
“layperson”
compared
to
the
wholeness
that
one
should
achieve,
still,
when
he
blesses
and
thanks
the
Creator,
“Do
not
slight
it.”
Rather,
a
person
must
appreciate
it
as
though
he
has
obtained
a
fortune
and
thank
and
bless
the
Creator
as
though
he
has
attained
true
wholeness.