What
Is
the
Preparation
to
Receive
the
Torah
in
the
Work?-2
Article
No.
29,
1989
Our
sages
said
(Shabbat,
p
87),
In
the
matter
of
preparation,
which
was
there,
at
the
time
of
the
giving
of
the
Torah,
that
there
was
the
matter
of
the
kingdom
of
priests,
and
the
Mitzva
[commandment/good
deed]
of
limiting,
and
the
matter
of
abstention.
This
was
for
the
general
public.
There
are
people
who
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[plural
of
Mitzva]
in
general,
meaning
only
in
practice.
That
is,
they
mean
that
the
Creator
commanded
us
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
and
in
return
for
obeying
Him,
He
will
reward
us
for
the
labor
or
relinquishing
many
things
that
the
body
craves.
This
is
a
great
effort
for
us
not
to
obey
what
the
body
demands,
yet
we
try
to
observe
the
voice
of
the
Creator,
meaning
what
the
Creator
wants.
That
is,
we
annul
our
will
before
the
will
of
the
Creator.
In
return
for
this,
He
will
reward
us
in
this
world
and
in
the
next
world,
as
was
said,
“Happy
are
you
in
this
world,
and
happy
are
you
in
the
next
world.”
This
is
the
work
of
the
general
public.
And
then
there
is
the
work
of
individuals.
They
want
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
individually.
That
is,
they
do
not
care
what
the
general
public
does;
they
want
to
know
why
the
Creator
commanded
us
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
Is
He
deficient,
needing
someone
to
do
Him
a
favor
and
observe
his
Torah
and
Mitzvot?
Rather,
it
must
be
that
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
He
has
given
us
is
for
our
sake.
Then,
they
begin
to
think
and
pay
attention,
what
benefit
will
come
out
of
this
to
the
created
beings
if
they
observe
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
That
is,
what
they
lose
by
not
observing,
and
what
they
gain
by
observing
what
the
Creator
has
commanded
us.
This
is
as
our
sages
said
(Avot,
Chapter
2),
“Be
careful
with
a
light
Mitzva
as
with
a
grave
one,
for
you
do
not
know
the
reward
for
the
Mitzvot,
and
consider
the
cost
of
a
Mitzva
compared
to
its
reward,
and
the
reward
for
a
transgression
(the
joy
you
experience
in
the
transgression)
compared
to
its
cost.”
Therefore,
when
they
begin
to
think
about
the
benefit
of
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
meaning
who
gains
from
this,
they
see
what
our
sages
said
(Avot,
Chapter
1),
“Be
as
slaves
serving
the
rav
[great
one]
not
in
order
to
receive
reward,
and
the
fear
of
heaven
will
be
upon
you.”
This
means
that
the
fact
that
we
must
work
not
in
order
to
receive
reward
means
that
it
is
because
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
is
not
for
the
Creator,
that
He
needs
to
be
served.
If
this
were
true
and
He
needed
our
work,
He
would
certainly
have
to
pay,
just
as
we
work
for
someone
in
this
world.
If
a
person
needs
the
work
of
an
employee,
he
certainly
pays,
as
this
is
how
the
world
works.
Since
our
sages
said
to
work
not
in
order
to
receive
reward,
the
reason
must
be
that
this
work
is
for
us,
meaning
for
our
sake.
Thus,
how
can
we
say
that
one
who
does
some
work
for
his
own
sake,
meaning
that
he
needs
the
work,
but
someone
only
gave
us
the
work-plan
so
we
would
know
how
to
work
so
it
results
in
a
complete
product
that
we
will
enjoy,
can
we
say
that
the
person
who
he
gave
him
the
work-plan
should
also
pay
him
for
his
work?
In
our
world,
we
see
the
opposite:
A
person
has
to
pay
for
the
work-plan
he
has
given
us,
and
the
one
who
gave
the
work-plan
does
not
pay
the
person
for
working
according
to
the
work-plan
he
has
received.
This
is
similar
to
one
who
wants
to
build
a
house.
He
goes
to
an
engineer
to
make
a
work-plan
for
him.
Then,
who
has
to
pay?
Is
it
the
engineer
to
the
person
who
received
the
work-plan
or
does
the
person
pay
the
engineer
for
giving
him
a
work-plan
by
which
he
can
build
himself
a
house?
Clearly,
the
person
pays
the
engineer.
According
to
the
above,
it
is
clear
that
the
Creator
has
given
us
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
correct
ourselves,
so
we
will
have
a
structure
of
Kedusha
[holiness].
Thus,
who
needs
to
pay
for
the
plan?
It
is
certainly
we,
since
without
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
which
is
our
plan
for
a
structure
of
Kedusha,
it
would
be
utterly
impossible
to
build
us
a
structure
of
Kedusha.
This
is
as
our
sages
said,
“If
not
for
My
covenant
day
and
night,
I
would
not
put
the
ordinances
of
heaven
and
earth.”
That
is,
without
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
namely
the
ordinances
of
heaven
and
earth,
which
is
the
structure
of
the
world,
it
would
not
be
able
to
exist.
Rather,
specifically
if
we
build
the
world
according
to
the
Torah,
the
world
can
exist.
From
this
we
understand
that
although
we
have
nothing
with
which
to
pay
the
Creator
for
giving
us
the
plan
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
and
we
can
only
thank
and
praise
for
it,
we
should
not
ask
for
a
reward
in
return
for
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
that
He
should
pay
for
our
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
meaning
for
using
His
plan
to
build
for
ourselves
the
house.
People
who
understand
this
are
regarded
as
“walking
in
the
work
of
the
Creator
on
the
path
of
individuals.”
They
have
a
different
perspective
on
the
issue
of
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
compared
to
the
way
that
the
general
public
understands
the
observance
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot—that
the
Creator
should
pay
them
for
following
the
laws
of
the
Torah,
which
is
the
Creator’s
work-plan.
They
understand
that
the
Creator
wants
them
to
follow
the
plan
He
has
given
them,
and
that
it
is
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Therefore,
He
should
pay
for
this
work
of
following
His
plan.
This
is
as
our
sages
said
(Midrash
Rabbah,
Portion
1:1),
“Another
interpretation:
Amon
is
a
craftsman
[Uman].
The
Torah
says,
‘I
was
the
working
tool
of
the
Creator.’
When
a
flesh
and
blood
king
builds
a
palace,
he
builds
it
not
with
his
own
skill
but
with
the
skill
of
an
architect.
And
the
architect
does
not
build
it
out
of
his
head,
but
employs
plans
and
diagrams
(which
are
books
containing
various
diagrams
of
buildings
by
which
the
craftsman
makes
a
plan
how
to
build
the
palace).
So
God
looked
into
the
Torah
and
created
the
world.”
We
should
understand
what
this
comes
to
teach
us
about
the
way
of
the
work,
how
there
was
the
creation
of
the
world,
that
the
Creator
looked
into
the
Torah,
meaning
that
the
Torah
is
the
plan
by
which
He
created
the
world.
It
is
known
that
the
purpose
of
creation
was
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
This
was
the
reason
for
the
creation
of
the
world.
For
this
reason,
the
Creator
created
in
the
creatures
a
desire
and
yearning
to
receive
pleasures,
and
without
pleasure,
it
is
impossible
to
exist.
As
we
see,
one
who
commits
suicide,
it
is
because
he
cannot
see
that
he
will
get
pleasure
anywhere
now,
which
is
called
“the
present,”
and
he
also
does
not
see
that
in
the
future,
he
will
be
able
to
receive
pleasure.
Instead,
he
sees
that
the
world
has
grown
dark
on
him
and
does
not
shine
for
him.
Then
he
has
no
other
option
but
to
commits
suicide
because
he
thinks
that
by
this
he
will
escape
the
torments.
For
this
reason,
the
fact
that
a
person
always
wants
to
receive
pleasures
is
the
nature
that
the
Creator
created,
that
each
created
being
aspires
only
to
receive
pleasures.
We
must
know
that
everything
we
call
the
“evil
inclination”
is
only
this
quality
called
“desire
to
receive
pleasure
in
order
to
satisfy
the
yearning.”
The
reason
why
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself
is
called
“evil
inclination”
is
explained
with
respect
to
the
correction
of
creation
that
was
done.
That
is,
when
the
creature
receives
from
the
Creator,
there
is
disparity
of
form
in
this,
which
results
in
a
person
being
ashamed
to
receive
for
himself
from
his
friend.
For
this
reason,
a
person
is
ashamed
to
eat
the
bread
of
shame.
It
follows
that
if
a
person
would
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
in
vessels
of
reception,
he
would
feel
unpleasantness
while
receiving
the
abundance.
Hence,
there
as
a
correction
that
as
long
as
one
does
not
revoke
the
Kelim
[vessels]
of
the
desire
to
receive
for
himself,
he
cannot
receive
delight
and
pleasure.
It
follows
that
the
only
obstructor
on
receiving
the
delight
and
pleasure
is
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself.
This
is
why
this
will
to
receive
is
the
evil
inclination.
However,
how
can
it
be
revoked,
as
it
is
written,
“Annul
your
will
before
His
will”?
He
is
the
Torah,
as
our
sages
said,
“The
Creator
said,
‘I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.’”
This
means
that
the
Creator
says,
“The
fact
that
I
created
the
will
to
receive
pleasure,
and
that
this
is
the
nature
of
creation,
as
was
said,
that
creation
is
called
‘existence
from
absence,’
means
that
a
new
thing
was
created
here.”
This
was
said
about
this
will
to
receive.
The
Creator
said,
“I
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
That
is,
through
“the
light
in
it
reforms
him.”
It
therefore
follows
that
if
there
were
no
Torah,
there
would
not
be
existence
to
the
world,
for
because
of
the
concealment
and
hiding
that
was
because
of
the
correction
of
the
world,
the
creatures
would
have
had
to
remain
in
the
dark,
without
light.
Naturally,
there
would
be
no
existence
to
the
world.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
Creator
looking
in
the
Torah,
meaning
that
the
Torah
is
the
work-plan.
That
is,
according
to
this
plan,
the
world
will
be
built
through
the
Torah
and
there
will
be
existence
to
the
world.
This
is
called
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
Concerning
the
study
of
Torah,
our
sages
said
(Hagigah
13),
“A
word
of
Torah
is
not
to
be
given
to
an
idol-worshipper,
as
was
said,
‘He
did
not
do
so
for
any
nation,
and
let
them
not
know
the
ordinances.’”
We
should
understand
the
meaning
of
idol-worshippers
in
the
work.
In
the
work,
we
learn
everything
in
one
body,
as
it
is
written
in
The
Zohar,
that
man
is
a
small
world.
Thus,
what
are
idol-worshippers
in
the
work,
and
what
is
Israel
in
the
work?
We
already
said
that
Israel
means
that
he
wants
all
his
actions
to
be
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
his
own
sake.
This
is
called
Yashar-El
[straight
to
the
Creator],
meaning
that
all
his
actions
are
directly
to
the
Creator.
The
idol-worshipper
is
the
complete
opposite:
All
his
actions
are
for
his
own
sake.
That
is,
he
wants
two
authorities.
This
means
that
he
wants
to
extract
delight
and
pleasure
from
the
authority
of
the
Creator
into
his
own
authority.
In
other
words,
he
wants
there
to
remain
two
authorities
in
the
world—the
authority
of
the
Creator
and
his
own
authority.
This
is
called
“idol-worshipping,”
which
is
work
that
is
foreign
to
us.
“Israel”
means
that
he
is
working
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
meaning
that
he
is
considered
a
“worker
of
the
Creator,”
whose
actions
are
all
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
But
if
a
person
works
for
his
own
sake
and
not
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
this
is
regarded
as
his
work
being
idol-worship
and
not
work
for
the
Creator.
It
follows
that
the
whole
difference
between
idol-worshippers
and
Israel
in
the
work
is
that
“Israel”
means
that
he
wants
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
and
although
he
is
still
enslaved
to
the
evil
inclination
and
cannot
subdue
it,
because
he
is
walking
on
the
path
that
leads
to
working
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
he
is
already
regarded
as
“Israel,”
since
he
wants
to
achieve
this
degree.
But
when
a
person
wants
to
work
in
a
state
of
“Israel,”
which
we
said
is
regarded
as
working
in
the
state
of
“individuals,”
then
all
the
bad
in
a
person
stands
against
him.
That
is,
before
he
decided
to
go
as
“Israel”
and
his
work
was
in
the
manner
of
the
general
public,
he
looked
at
the
things
he
was
doing
and
believed
that
for
every
single
action
he
would
receive
a
reward—a
reward
of
this
world
and
a
reward
of
the
next
world.
It
was
easy
for
him
to
do
good
deeds
because
this
was
not
against
the
evil
inclination,
called
“will
to
receive
for
himself.”
But
now
that
he
wants
to
work
in
order
to
annul
his
own
authority
and
leave
only
one
authority
in
the
world—the
authority
of
the
Creator—the
will
to
receive
for
himself
objects
to
this.
Then
comes
the
wicked’s
question,
who
asks,
“What
is
the
work
for
you?
The
fact
that
you
want
to
work
not
for
your
own
sake,
what
will
you
get
out
of
it?”
There
is
no
answer
to
this,
but
as
it
is
written,
“Blunt
its
teeth.”
It
follows
that
then
a
person
needs
help
in
order
to
be
able
to
emerge
from
the
control
of
the
evil
inclination.
At
that
time,
his
only
choice
is
what
the
Creator
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
It
follows
that
now
is
the
real
time
when
a
person
needs
the
help
of
the
Torah
to
pull
him
out
of
the
control
of
the
evil
inclination.
According
to
the
above,
what
should
one
prepare
in
himself
in
order
to
receive
the
Torah?
It
is
the
need
for
the
Torah,
and
a
need
is
called
a
Kli
[vessel].
There
cannot
be
filling
without
a
lack.
This
is
similar
to
a
person
asking
his
friend
when
he
invites
him
to
come
in
the
evening
for
a
meal
that
he
has
prepared
for
him,
“How
should
I
prepare
myself
for
eating
at
your
place?”
He
will
probably
tell
him,
“Be
careful
not
to
eat
at
home
before
you
come
to
me
because
then
you
will
not
be
able
to
eat
at
my
place.”
Likewise,
in
order
to
receive
the
Torah,
a
person
must
prepare
himself—to
have
a
need
called
a
Kli,
that
the
Torah
can
fill.
This
applies
specifically
when
he
wants
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
for
then
he
encounters
the
resistance
of
the
body,
which
yells,
“What
is
this
work
for
you?”
But
a
person
believes
in
the
sages,
who
said
that
only
the
Torah
can
deliver
a
person
from
the
control
of
the
evil
inclination.
This
can
be
said
only
of
those
who
want
to
be
“Israel,”
meaning
Yashar-El
[straight
to
the
Creator].
They
see
that
the
evil
inclination
does
not
let
them
emerge
from
their
control,
and
then
they
have
a
need
to
receive
the
Torah
so
the
light
of
the
Torah
will
reform
them.
Now
we
can
understand
what
our
sages
said,
“A
word
of
Torah
is
not
to
be
given
to
an
idol-worshipper,
as
was
said,
‘He
did
not
do
so
for
any
nation,
and
let
them
not
know
the
ordinances,’”
since
they
have
no
need
for
the
Torah.
One
who
does
work
that
is
foreign
to
us,
meaning
for
his
own
sake,
can
live
without
the
Torah,
for
he
does
not
need
the
help
of
the
Torah.
Only
Israel—those
who
want
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator—need
the
light
of
Torah,
for
“the
light
in
it
reforms
him.”
That
is,
it
is
impossible
to
defeat
the
evil
within
him
without
the
Torah.
By
this
we
can
interpret
what
our
sages
said,
“The
Torah
exists
only
in
one
who
puts
himself
to
death
over
it.”
We
should
understand
the
word
“exists.”
What
does
it
tell
us?
We
should
interpret
this
according
to
what
our
sages
said,
“The
Creator
said,
‘I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.’”
That
is,
the
Torah
should
be
a
spice.
In
whom
is
this
so,
since
“There
is
no
light
without
a
Kli,
no
filling
without
a
lack”?
For
this
reason,
they
said
that
those
who
want
to
put
their
selves
to
death,
meaning
want
to
put
to
death
the
will
to
receive
for
their
own
sake,
and
want
to
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
see
that
they
cannot
do
this
on
their
own.
To
them
the
Creator
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
But
in
those
who
do
not
want
to
annul
themselves
and
want
there
to
be
two
authorities—meaning
that
man’s
authority
will
remain
and
the
Creator
will
give
them
and
they
will
extract
the
delight
and
pleasure
at
His
disposal
and
hand
it
over
to
the
receivers—the
Torah
does
not
exist.
That
is,
the
Torah
does
not
become
a
spice
for
them,
since
they
do
not
want
it
to
be
a
spice,
and
if
there
is
no
desire
and
need,
which
are
the
Kli,
there
is
no
light.
Now
we
can
understand
why
it
is
forbidden
to
teach
Torah
to
idol-worshippers
in
the
work.
It
means
that
one
who
is
practicing
work
that
is
foreign
to
us,
meaning
works
for
himself,
since
the
Torah
is
for
the
evil
inclination,
so
that
one
who
wants
to
revoke
it
but
cannot,
it
was
said
about
him,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
But
one
who
wants
to
work
for
his
own
sake—which
is
idol-worship—has
no
need
for
the
Torah.
Therefore,
if
he
learns
Torah,
the
Torah
will
not
exist
in
him
in
terms
of
what
the
Torah
is
meant
to
give.
Thus,
what
is
the
preparation
for
the
reception
of
the
Torah?
The
need
for
the
help
of
the
Torah.
And
this
is
done
by
wanting
to
aim
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Then
we
need
the
Torah
to
give
the
help.