What
Is,
“He
Who
Is
Without
Sons,”
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
35,
1989
Our
sages
said
(Masechet
Nedarim
64),
“Any
person
without
sons
as
regarded
as
dead.”
The
Zohar
(Pinhas,
Item
92)
writes,
“A
man
without
sons
is
called
‘barren,’
and
his
wife
is
called
‘barren.’
Likewise,
Torah
without
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds]
is
called
‘barren.’
For
this
reason,
we
learn
that
it
is
not
the
learning
that
is
most
important,
but
the
act.”
Also
in
The
Zohar
(Item
91),
it
says,
“The
Torah
is
called
‘a
tree,’
as
it
is
written,
‘It
is
a
tree
of
life
for
they
who
hold
it.’
Also,
man
is
a
tree,
as
it
is
written,
‘For
man
is
the
tree
of
the
field,’
and
the
Mitzvot
in
the
Torah
are
as
fruits.”
In
other
words,
since
the
Torah
and
man
are
called
“tree,”
therefore,
as
a
tree
that
does
not
bear
fruit
is
akin
to
a
barren
person,
who
begets
nothing,
so
man
and
the
Torah
are
called
“barren”
if
they
have
no
sons.
We
should
understand
this.
We
can
understand
that
a
man
and
a
tree
who
do
not
bear
are
called
“barren.”
But
if
a
person
learns
Torah
but
does
not
observe
the
Mitzvot
of
the
Torah,
why
is
the
Torah
called
“barren”?
Why
is
it
the
fault
of
the
Torah
if
a
person
does
not
want
to
observe
the
Mitzvot
in
the
Torah?
In
this
regard,
he
references
what
our
sages
said,
“Great
is
the
learning
that
leads
to
action.”
This
means
that
the
Torah
should
lead
to
action,
and
if
it
does
not,
it
is
as
though
the
Torah
is
to
blame
for
not
leading
to
action.
Thus,
it
is
as
though
the
fault
does
not
lie
with
the
person,
but
with
the
Torah.
Can
this
be?
To
understand
the
above
said,
we
should
first
understand
the
whole
issue
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot
that
the
Creator
gave
us,
and
for
which
we
bless
Him
for
this
gift,
as
we
say,
“Who
has
chosen
us
from
among
all
the
nations
and
has
given
us
His
law
[in
Hebrew:
Torah].”
We
understand
the
matter
of
Torah
in
two
ways,
as
it
is
written
in
The
Zohar
(“Introduction
of
The
Book
of
Zohar,”
“General
Explanation
for
All
Fourteen
Commandments
and
How
They
Divide
into
the
Seven
Days
of
Creation”):
“The
Mitzvot
in
the
Torah
are
called
Pekudin
[commands/deposits],
as
well
as
613
Etzot
[counsels/tips].
The
difference
between
them
is
that
in
all
things
there
is
Panim
[anterior/face]
and
Achor
[posterior/back].
The
preparation
for
something
is
called
Achor,
and
the
attainment
of
the
matter
is
called
Panim.
Similarly,
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
there
are
‘We
shall
do’
and
‘We
shall
hear.’
When
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
as
‘doers
of
His
word,’
prior
to
being
rewarded
with
hearing,
the
Mitzvot
are
called
‘613
Etzot,’
and
are
regarded
as
Achor.
When
rewarded
with
‘hearing
the
voice
of
His
word,’
the
613
Mitzvot
become
Pekudin,
from
the
word
Pikadon
[deposit].
This
is
so
because
there
are
613
Mitzvot,
and
in
each
Mitzva
[singular
of
Mitzvot],
the
light
of
a
unique
degree
is
deposited,
and
this
is
the
Panim
of
the
Mitzvot.”
Yet,
we
should
know
and
understand
the
matter
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
general,
how
“doing”
pertains
there,
and
what
is
the
meaning
of
“hearing.”
That
is,
if
hearing
is
the
most
important,
for
what
purpose
does
one
need
to
begin
the
order
of
the
work
as
“doers
of
His
word,”
which
is
called
Achor?
Why
do
we
not
begin
with
Panim,
called
Pekudin,
right
away?
It
seems
as
though
this
work
is
pointless.
It
is
known
that
there
are
two
matters
before
us:
the
purpose
of
creation
and
the
correction
of
creation.
The
purpose
of
creation
is
that
His
desire
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
meaning
that
the
created
beings
will
receive
from
Him
delight
and
pleasure.
For
this
reason,
He
created
in
the
creatures
a
desire
to
receive
pleasure.
In
order
to
calm
the
yearning
that
exists
in
the
created
beings,
this
Kli
[vessel],
namely
the
desire
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure,
comes
from
the
Creator
because
He
created
it
for
His
purpose,
for
without
yearning
for
something,
it
is
impossible
to
enjoy
it.
It
is
known
that
the
whole
pleasure
from
something
can
be
received
only
according
to
the
yearning
for
it.
This
is
the
measure
of
the
pleasure,
and
it
does
not
matter
what
a
person
wants,
but
the
yearning
for
something
makes
it
important.
Therefore,
this
Kli
that
comes
from
the
Creator
has
completeness.
That
is,
wherever
a
person
sees
that
he
can
elicit
pleasure
from
something,
he
promptly
does
all
that
he
can
to
obtain
the
pleasure.
But
the
Kli
that
the
creatures
must
make
is
in
oppositeness
of
form
from
the
Kli
of
the
Creator,
and
this
is
very
difficult
to
do
because
it
contradicts
the
quality
of
the
Kli
that
the
Creator
created.
A
person
cannot
create
this
Kli,
as
our
sages
said,
“Man’s
inclination
overcomes
him
every
day,
and
were
it
not
for
the
help
of
the
Creator,
he
would
not
overcome
it.”
The
question
is,
If
a
person
cannot
overcome
it,
what
must
he
do
if
only
the
Creator
can
give
the
overcoming
over
the
evil
inclination?
The
answer
is
that
a
person
must
begin
the
overcoming,
meaning
he
must
see
that
he
has
a
desire
to
defeat
the
evil
inclination.
If
a
person
has
no
desire
to
defeat
it,
how
can
he
be
given
help?
Help
means
that
a
person
wants
something
that
is
difficult
to
obtain.
Then
it
can
be
said
that
he
is
given
help
to
obtain
what
he
wants.
But
when
a
person
has
no
desire,
how
can
we
say
that
we
are
helping
him
get
something
that
makes
him
suffer?
“Help”
means
that
a
person
is
given
help
so
he
will
enjoy,
not
that
he
is
given
help
so
he
will
suffer.
For
this
reason,
if
a
person
truly
wants
to
do
the
work
of
the
Creator
in
Lishma
[for
Her
sake],
which
is
in
order
to
bestow,
he
must
want
to
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
When
a
person
truly
wants
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
the
body
begins
to
show
its
might,
that
it
wants
a
person
to
do
everything
specifically
for
one’s
own
sake,
and
resists
this
work
with
all
its
might,
presenting
him
with
all
the
arguments
of
the
spies
that
it
is
right.
Then,
if
someone
comes
and
helps
him,
that
person
will
be
happy
with
this
help
and
will
be
very
grateful
for
the
help.
Then
it
can
be
said
that
he
is
receiving
help
from
above,
as
our
sages
said,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.”
Yet,
if
a
person
did
not
begin
this
work,
two
things
are
missing:
1)
He
thinks
that
he
does
not
need
help,
that
he
can
do
this
if
he
wants
to,
that
he
is
a
man.
Therefore,
he
has
no
need
for
help.
It
follows
that
he
has
no
Kli
for
the
light.
2)
If
he
did
not
exert
in
order
to
achieve
the
state
of
“All
your
works
will
be
for
the
sake
of
heaven,”
then
he
does
not
even
want
to
be
given
the
strength
not
to
work
for
his
own
sake
but
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Instead,
he
wants
to
work
for
his
own
sake.
If
he
hears
that
by
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
he
will
have
nothing
for
his
own
sake,
he
regards
it
as
a
curse,
not
as
a
blessing.
For
this
reason,
he
must
begin
this
work
on
his
own.
Then,
he
gradually
acquires
a
desire
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
and
the
procession
of
ascents
and
descents
begins
for
him.
That
is,
once
he
sees
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
and
once
he
surrenders
to
the
argument
of
the
body,
which
asks,
“What
is
this
work
for
you?”
Working
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Through
the
ascents
and
descents,
he
begins
to
understand
the
benefit
in
working
in
order
to
bestow,
and
what
he
loses
if
he
cannot
emerge
from
self-love.
When
a
person
overcomes
and
does
not
escape
the
campaign,
but
overcomes
and
increases
his
prayer
that
the
Creator
will
help
him
and
give
him
the
help
required
to
be
able
to
emerge
from
receiving
for
himself,
then
he
needs
great
overcoming
to
believe
that
the
Creator
will
help
him.
That
is,
he
must
believe
that
everything
he
sees,
that
it
is
harder
to
emerge
from
the
control
of
the
receiver,
and
sees
that
each
time,
he
begins
to
see
that
his
evil
is
worse
than
that
of
others,
at
that
time
he
must
say
that
now
the
Creator
will
certainly
help
him
because
“Now
I
have
come
to
know
the
truth,
that
without
the
Creator’s
help,
it
is
impossible.”
All
the
actions
he
contemplated
doing
so
as
to
help
him
emerge
from
the
control
of
the
receiver
did
not
help
him.
On
the
contrary,
the
receiver
grew
stronger
and
shows
greater
resistance
to
the
work
in
order
to
bestow.
At
that
time,
a
person
must
overcome
and
not
yield
to
the
counsel
of
the
spies,
but
overcome
above
reason
that
the
Creator
will
help,
as
our
sages
promised
us,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.”
However,
from
where
can
one
receive
the
strength
to
overcome
so
he
can
have
faith
in
the
sages?
This
is
only
by
the
power
of
the
Torah.
It
is
as
our
sages
said,
“The
Creator
said,
‘I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.’”
That
is,
through
the
Torah,
he
receives
the
power
to
overcome
during
the
war,
when
he
must
acquire
Kelim
[vessels]
of
darkness
so
that
afterwards
he
will
have
the
discernment,
“As
the
advantage
of
the
light
from
within
the
darkness.”
It
follows
that
the
Torah
sustains
him
during
the
work
until
the
Creator
knows
he
has
Kelim
that
are
suitable
to
receive
the
light,
and
then
he
is
rewarded
with
613
Pekudin.
However,
during
the
work,
while
he
still
has
spies,
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
are
called
613
Etzot,
meaning
613
counsels
how
to
be
saved
from
the
spies.
Hence,
when
a
person
engages
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
he
should
aim
that
the
reward
he
wants
for
his
work
will
be
the
strength
to
fight
against
the
spies.
It
follows
that
he
wants
the
Torah
to
give
him
this
reward.
If
he
does
not
receive
this
strength,
then
the
Torah
is
like
a
tree
that
does
not
bear
fruit,
or
a
person
who
has
no
sons.
In
other
words,
the
Torah
did
not
beget
for
him
the
sons,
which
are
the
powers
to
fight
against
the
spies.
When
the
Torah
does
give
him
this
strength,
it
is
called
“a
tree
that
bears
fruit,”
and
it
is
like
a
person
who
has
sons.
By
this
we
will
understand
what
we
asked,
Why
is
man
like
a
tree?
It
means
that
both
must
yield
fruit.
And
as
the
tree
must
be
given
what
it
needs
in
order
for
it
to
bear
fruit,
which
is
called
“tilling
the
land,”
so
man
must
give
himself
the
nourishments
he
needs
in
order
to
be
able
to
achieve
the
goal,
called
613
Pekudin
[deposits],
meaning
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
with
the
aim
that
the
light
in
it
will
reform
him.
Thus,
we
need
action,
which
is
to
turn
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself,
which
is
man’s
tool
of
action,
into
vessels
of
bestowal.
This
is
called
“turning
the
vessels
of
reception
into
vessels
of
bestowal.”
This
is
called
“action.”
That
is,
since
man
is
unable
to
do
this
action,
then
as
the
Creator
gave
us
vessels
of
reception,
He
should
give
us
vessels
of
bestowal.
However,
“there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli,”
as
said
above,
“there
is
no
filling
without
a
lack.”
For
this
reason,
a
person
must
work
and
execute
all
the
tactics
at
his
disposal
in
order
to
satisfy
that
need.
To
the
extent
of
his
work,
he
receives
a
need
for
the
Creator
to
help
him
in
this.
At
that
time
the
Creator
gives
these
tools
of
action
called
“vessels
of
bestowal.”
This
is
done
through
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
since
“the
light
in
it
reforms
him.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“Which
God
has
created
to
do.”
As
Baal
HaSulam
said,
“created”
means
something
new,
existence
from
absence.
This
refers
to
the
will
to
receive,
which
is
something
new
because
before
He
created
it,
there
was
no
concept
of
reception
in
reality.
It
follows
that
the
Creator
created
the
will
to
receive,
and
the
creatures
must
turn
it
into
a
desire
to
bestow.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“do,”
to
make
of
it
a
desire
to
bestow.
Yet,
we
cannot
change
the
work
of
creation,
and
if
the
Creator
created
it
in
such
a
way
that
the
will
to
receive
is
what
operates,
how
can
it
be
changed?
The
answer
is
that
man
must
seek
advice
how
to
come
to
the
desire
for
it.
This
is
called
“doing.”
Although
we
said
that
a
person
cannot
do
this,
but
the
Creator
Himself
must
do
this,
since
we
cannot
change
the
work
of
creation,
it
is
still
named
after
the
person.
We
can
understand
this
through
what
Baal
HaSulam
said
about
the
verse,
“will
give
wisdom
to
the
wise.”
He
asked,
“It
should
have
said,
‘will
give
wisdom
to
the
fools.’”
He
replied
that
“wise”
is
he
who
seeks
wisdom
although
he
still
does
not
have
it,
for
a
fool
does
not
seek
wisdom,
as
was
said,
“The
fool
will
not
desire
wisdom.”
For
this
reason,
when
a
person
seeks
advice
and
tactics
how
to
obtain
vessels
of
bestowal,
this
is
called
“doing,”
as
was
said,
“to
do.”
By
this
we
can
interpret
what
is
written,
“It
is
not
the
learning
that
matters
most,
but
the
work.”
The
Zohar
brings
evidence
that
if
he
has
no
Mitzvot
but
only
Torah,
he
is
called
“barren”
and
the
Torah
is
called
“barren,”
since
the
Torah
has
no
fruits,
which
are
Mitzvot,
and
man
has
no
sons.
This
implies
what
our
sages
said,
“Any
person
without
sons
is
regarded
as
dead.”
When
we
speak
of
work,
this
will
mean
that
one
who
has
no
Mitzvot
is
considered
“barren,”
as
The
Zohar
likens
him
to
the
Torah,
when
it
says
“tree
of
life.”
Also,
“Man
is
a
tree
of
the
field”
means
that
the
Torah
being
called
“barren”
if
he
has
no
Mitzvot
was
said
about
the
person.
That
is,
a
person
must
know
that
for
him,
the
Torah
is
barren
if
the
Torah
he
is
learning
does
not
lead
him
to
Mitzvot.
The
Zohar
says
about
this,
“For
this
reason,
we
learn
that
it
is
not
the
learning
that
is
most
important,
but
the
act.”
Hence,
if
the
Torah
does
not
have
the
Mitzvot
of
the
Torah,
the
Torah
is
considered
barren.
By
this
we
can
interpret
what
we
asked,
Why
is
the
Torah
called
“barren”
is
a
person
has
no
Mitzvot?
The
Torah
is
called
“barren”
with
respect
to
him
because
“it
is
not
the
learning
that
is
most
important,
but
the
act.”
That
is,
since
the
Creator
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice,”
it
means
that
for
a
person
to
be
able
to
defeat
the
evil
in
him,
it
takes
the
light
of
Torah.
Thus,
one
who
learns
Torah
but
does
not
intend
for
the
Torah
to
bring
him
the
light,
so
he
can
do
his
actions
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
which
is
against
the
evil
inclination,
for
the
evil
in
man
wants
to
work
specifically
for
one’s
own
sake,
and
resists
with
all
its
might
to
aim
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
and
it
cannot
be
defeated.
For
this
reason,
the
Creator
has
given
us
the
counsel
of
the
power
of
the
Torah,
meaning
that
the
Torah
should
give
us
the
strength,
through
the
light
in
it,
which
reforms
him.
This
means
that
the
Torah
turns
the
bad
in
a
person
into
good,
meaning
that
through
the
Torah,
he
can
obtain
the
vessels
of
bestowal.
This
is
called
“action,”
as
was
said,
“Which
God
has
created
to
do.”
It
therefore
follows
that
if
the
Torah
does
not
give
the
assistance
it
is
meant
to
give,
it
is
regarded
that
the
Torah
is
barren
in
that
person.
And
a
person
who
receives
the
Torah
without
the
assistance
it
is
meant
to
give,
both
the
person
and
the
Torah
are
called
“barren,”
meaning
they
engender
nothing.
Now
we
can
interpret
what
our
sages
said
(Nedarim
81),
“Why
do
wise
disciples
not
yield
wise
disciples
from
their
sons?
Because
they
do
not
bless
in
the
Torah
first.”
The
reason
for
this
is
very
difficult
to
understand.
We
see
that
even
simple
landlords
say
the
blessing
of
the
Torah
when
they
are
invited
for
the
reading
of
the
Torah
[on
the
Sabbath
service].
They,
too,
say
the
blessing.
So
how
can
it
be
that
wise
disciples
do
not
bless
in
the
Torah
first?
According
to
the
above-said,
we
should
interpret
learning
Torah
and
not
aiming
why
are
they
learning
prior
to
the
learning
of
Torah,
meaning
what
they
want
to
achieve
in
return
for
engaging
in
Torah,
since
nothing
is
done
unless
to
bring
them
some
benefit.
The
answer
is
that
they
did
not
bless
in
the
Torah
first.
That
is,
they
did
not
have
the
initial
intent
that
the
Torah
will
bring
them
blessing,
and
blessing
means
bestowal.
In
other
words,
they
did
not
intend
for
the
Torah
to
give
them
Kelim
of
blessing,
meaning
vessels
of
bestowal.
This
is
why
their
Torah
cannot
deliver
sons
that
will
be
recognizable
as
wise
disciples.
Instead,
the
Torah
they
learn
does
not
yield
for
them
Mitzvot,
which
are
acts
of
bestowal;
they
remain
barren,
and
their
Torah
is
barren.
In
other
words,
these
wise
disciples
who
are
learning
Torah
do
not
beget
their
sons,
meaning
the
acts
called
Mitzvot,
that
it
will
be
evident
that
they
come
from
wise
disciples,
meaning
that
they
are
good
deeds,
called
“acts
of
bestowal”
that
the
light
of
Torah
engendered.
This
is
called
“Wise
disciples
do
not
yield
wise
disciples
from
their
sons,”
meaning
it
is
not
evident
by
their
actions
that
they
had
to
be
born
by
the
light
of
Torah,
which
is
called
“wise
disciple.”
That
is,
they
learn
Torah
and
the
light
of
Torah
should
yield
actions,
meaning
that
all
his
actions
will
be
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
to
be
rewarded
with
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
to
adhere
to
the
Life
of
Lives.
Why
do
they
not
have
it?
It
is
because
“they
did
not
bless
in
the
Torah
first.”
That
is,
prior
to
learning
Torah,
they
did
not
aim
their
minds
that
they
are
going
to
learn
in
order
to
the
light
of
Torah
to
bring
them
the
Segula
[remedy/power/quality]
that
it
will
reform
them.
Accordingly,
we
can
understand
what
our
sages
said,
“Any
person
without
sons
as
regarded
as
dead,”
since
sons
are
Mitzvot,
meaning
that
all
the
Mitzvot
he
does
are
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
called
Dvekut
with
the
Life
of
Lives.
Naturally,
if
he
has
no
vessels
of
bestowal,
he
is
separated
from
the
Life
of
Lives,
and
is
therefore
regarded
as
dead,
as
our
sages
said,
“The
wicked
in
their
lives
are
called
‘dead.’”
Now
we
can
understand
what
our
sages
said
about
the
verse,
“Zion,
no
one
demands
her,
meaning
that
a
demand
is
required.”
This
means
that
Zion
is
called
Malchut
[kingdom/kingship],
meaning
the
kingdom
of
heaven.
This
means
that
all
of
one’s
actions
should
be
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
his
own
sake,
as
it
is
written,
“I
remember
God
and
I
moan
when
I
see
every
city
built
on
its
ruins,
and
the
city
of
God
lowered
to
the
bottom
of
the
netherworld.”
That
is,
that
which
concerns
his
own
benefit
is
fine,
and
everyone
tries
that
this
will
be
in
utter
completeness.
But
the
“city
of
God,”
which
is
the
holy
work,
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
this
work
is
one
of
lowliness.
This
requires
the
light
of
Torah.
That
is,
one
who
learns
Torah,
before
he
learns,
he
must
demand
of
the
Torah
to
give
him
this
light
so
he
can
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.