What
Is
“A
Road
Whose
Beginning
Is
Thorns
and
Its
End
Is
a
Plain”
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
37,
1989
It
is
written
in
Midrash
Tanchuma
(p
318b):
“Behold,
I
place
before
you.
It
is
written,
‘From
the
mouth
of
the
upper
one,
the
bad
and
the
good
will
not
emerge.’
Moses,
too,
set
before
them
two
ways—the
good
and
the
bad,
the
path
of
life
and
the
path
of
death,
a
blessing
and
a
curse.
There
is
an
allegory
about
an
old
man
who
sat
by
the
roadside
before
two
roads:
One,
whose
beginning
is
thorns
and
its
end
is
a
plain,
and
one
whose
beginning
is
a
plain
and
its
end
is
thorns.
He
sat
at
the
beginning
of
the
two
and
warned
passersby,
telling
them,
‘Although
you
see
that
this
one
begins
with
thorns,
take
it,
for
its
end
is
a
plain.’
Anyone
who
was
wise,
listened
to
him
and
took
it.
He
exerts
some,
but
he
goes
in
peace
and
comes
in
peace.
But
those
who
did
not
listen
to
him
went
and
failed
in
the
end.
Therefore
choose
life;
you
and
your
descendants.”
To
understand
this
in
the
work,
meaning
in
the
work
of
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds],
we
should
discern
two
ways:
1)
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake],
2)
Lishma
[for
Her
sake].
It
is
known
that
in
the
work,
we
should
discern
between
the
purpose
of
creation
and
the
correction
of
creation.
The
purpose
of
creation
is
for
man
to
achieve
wholeness,
meaning
to
be
rewarded
with
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
the
Creator
wishes
to
give
to
the
created
beings.
This
is
called
“His
desire
to
do
good
to
his
creations.”
Because
of
this,
all
created
beings
yearn
only
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure.
Therefore,
each
and
every
day,
a
person
yearns
anew
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure,
and
does
not
settle
for
what
he
had
in
the
past.
Rather,
each
day
a
person
begins
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure.
This
means
that
each
day,
a
person
must
receive
delight
and
pleasure.
Some
people
receive
pleasure
now
from
what
gave
them
delight
and
pleasure
in
the
past.
However,
if
they
cannot
receive
pleasure
from
the
past
now,
it
is
not
regarded
as
enjoying
the
past
now.
That
is,
a
person
must
feel
pleasure
every
day.
A
person
can
feel
pleasure
even
from
what
he
gained
yesterday,
or
he
can
feel
pleasure
today
because
yesterday
he
received
respect,
and
so
forth.
It
follows
that
“His
desire
to
do
good
to
His
creations”
must
mean
that
a
person
will
feel
each
day
anew
that
he
receives
pleasure.
However,
he
can
enjoy
only
from
the
pleasure
he
receives
in
the
present
from
both
the
past
and
from
the
future.
In
feeling
pleasure,
if
he
enjoys
in
the
present,
this
is
regarded
as
having
pleasure.
For
this
reason,
in
both
corporeality
and
spirituality,
a
person
must
feel
that
he
enjoys
life
now,
regardless
of
the
past
or
the
future.
Even
with
the
greatest
delight
and
pleasure,
if
he
does
not
feel
the
delight
and
pleasure
in
the
present,
he
could
die
because
of
the
torments
he
is
feeling
now
because
he
has
nothing
to
enjoy.
But
this
depends
on
the
level
of
suffering
he
is
feeling
now,
and
in
this,
meaning
in
the
measure
of
the
suffering,
no
two
people
are
the
same.
Yet,
all
people
must
feel
pleasure
in
the
present.
But
as
in
corporeality,
such
as
in
eating,
drinking,
and
sleeping,
some
people
need
to
eat
a
lot,
drink
a
lot,
and
sleep
a
lot,
etc.
Likewise,
in
feeling
pleasure,
there
are
differences
between
people
in
the
amount
of
need
to
feel
pleasure.
Some
people
need
to
feel
a
lot
of
it,
and
some
can
do
with
little.
But
they
are
equal
in
that
they
all
need
to
feel
pleasure
in
the
present.
If
they
cannot
provide
for
themselves
pleasure
in
the
present
from
what
they
had
in
the
past,
and
cannot
depict
for
themselves
some
future
pleasure
that
will
shine
in
the
present,
they
cannot
exist
in
the
world.
This
extends
from
the
fact
that
the
Creator’s
will
in
the
purpose
of
creation
was
His
will
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
For
this
reason,
each
day
we
are
given
one
hundred
blessings
to
bless,
as
our
sages
said
(Minchot
43),
“One
must
bless
one
hundred
blessings
every
day.
Also,
each
day,
one
must
say
four
Shema
readings
[text
that
is
read
four
times
a
day]:
‘Shema
of
offerings,’
‘Shema
of
Maker
of
Light,’
‘Evening
Shema,’
and
‘Shema
by
the
Bedside,’
as
well
as
to
pray
three
times
a
day.”
This
shows
that
in
spirituality
we
must
draw
a
unique
light
each
time,
which
pertains
to
the
work
that
one
is
doing.
The
reason
is
that
the
creatures
are
incapable
of
receiving
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
the
Creator
contemplated
giving
to
the
creatures
all
at
once,
due
to
the
correction
that
took
place,
which
is
called
Tzimtzum
[restriction].
For
the
creatures
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
in
vessels
of
bestowal
and
not
in
vessels
reception
in
order
to
receive,
according
to
the
work
of
the
creatures,
the
abundance
extends
down
to
them.
It
therefore
follows
that
when
a
person
begins
the
work,
since
by
nature
he
does
not
understand
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
do
any
movement
unless
it
is
for
his
own
sake,
Maimonides
says
that
we
must
begin
with
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
receive
reward,
since
a
person
cannot
understand
otherwise.
But
afterward,
a
person
is
shown
that
he
must
do
all
his
deeds
in
order
to
bestow.
Since
the
body
cannot
agree
to
this
path,
the
person
begins
to
ask,
“Why
can’t
I
work
like
the
rest
of
the
world,
whose
labor
is
all
about
the
acts,
and
who
have
no
work
on
the
aim
to
bestow?
But
when
I
am
told
that
I
must
walk
on
the
path
of
bestowal,
my
work
is
twofold.
That
is,
I
have
work
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
practice,
as
well
as
work
on
the
aim
to
bestow.
It
follows
that
I
have
twice
the
work
as
the
rest
of
the
world.
So,”
his
body
yells,
“What
do
you
want
from
my
life?!”
This
means
that
the
body
asks,
“Why
do
I
deserve
such
a
punishment,
more
than
other
people,
in
that
I
have
extra
work
that
the
general
public
does
not
do?
For
this
reason,”
says
the
body,
“I
will
not
let
you
work
even
in
action.
Even
though
you
cannot
aim
to
bestow,
I
have
no
interest
in
them
whatsoever.
Therefore,
I
will
object
to
your
actions
because
you
do
not
want
to
work
for
yourself.”
It
follows
that
if
a
person
wants
to
walk
on
the
path
of
truth,
he
should
make
three
discernments
in
his
work:
1)
Work
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
practice,
2)
Work
on
the
intention.
That
is,
he
does
not
want
any
reward
for
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
but
works
not
in
order
to
receive
reward.
3)
When
a
person
wants
to
work,
meaning
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
without
any
reward,
his
work
is
twofold:
on
the
action,
meaning
that
he
has
great
resistance
to
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
even
on
the
act
itself,
since
the
body
objects
to
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
without
any
reward.
It
follows
that
although
he
still
cannot
aim
to
bestow
during
the
work,
since
the
body
objects
to
these
intentions,
there
is
also
resistance
to
the
act
itself,
even
without
the
aim.
The
body
asks,
“What
are
you
doing?!
You
say
that
you
do
not
want
any
payment
for
your
work
in
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot.”
It
follows
that
he
not
only
has
work
on
the
aim,
which
does
not
happen
in
the
work
of
the
general
public,
but
he
has
twofold
work
in
the
act,
as
well,
as
it
is
more
difficult
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
practice.
Conversely,
the
bodies
of
those
who
work
in
the
manner
of
the
general
public
do
not
resist
the
work
in
practice
all
that
much,
since
there,
the
body
cannot
ask,
“What
is
this
work
for
you?”
because
it
gets
immediate
answers
when
he
says
to
it
that
he
believes
in
reward
and
punishment
so
he
is
not
working
for
nothing,
but
he
will
be
rewarded
for
his
labor.
But
with
those
who
want
to
work
on
the
path
of
truth,
meaning
in
order
to
bestow,
although
reward
and
punishment
apply
to
them,
as
well,
meaning
that
they,
too,
believe
in
reward
and
punishment
like
people
who
work
like
the
general
public,
yet,
their
reward
and
punishment
are
not
similar
to
one
another.
The
reward
and
punishment
of
the
general
public
is
in
self-benefit.
That
is,
they
believe
that
if
they
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
they
will
receive
reward
for
their
own
sake.
And
if
they
do
not,
they
will
be
punished
and
will
also
lose
the
reward
for
their
work.
But
those
who
work
in
the
way
of
the
individuals,
their
reward
is
that
the
Creator
gives
them
the
privilege
of
working
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
their
own
sake.
All
of
their
pleasure
is
in
being
able
to
bring
contentment
to
the
Creator,
and
the
punishment
is
if
they
stay
under
the
governance
of
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself.
This
is
their
whole
punishment.
They
believe
in
what
our
sages
said,
that
the
Creator
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
That
is,
they
learn
in
order
to
receive
reward,
which
is
that
they
will
emerge
from
the
control
of
the
evil
inclination,
which
is
the
will
to
receive
only
for
themselves,
and
will
be
able
to
work
solely
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Certainly,
on
such
an
aim,
the
body,
which
is
the
desire
to
receive
for
one’s
own
sake,
must
resist
giving
one
the
powers
to
be
able
to
uproot
it
from
the
world.
It
is
as
our
sages
said
with
regard
to
King
David
about
the
verse,
“And
my
heart
is
slain
within
me.”
Our
sages
said
that
David
killed
the
evil
inclination
by
fasting.
Naturally,
even
to
the
act—when
a
person
still
cannot
aim
in
order
to
bestow—the
body
immediately
resists
and
does
not
let
him
make
a
single
move,
since
the
body
knows
he
wants
to
use
those
actions
in
order
to
kill
it,
as
said
about
King
David.
It
follows
that
even
when
actions
are
without
the
aim,
the
body
already
shows
great
resistance.
The
only
way
is
that
in
everything
he
wants
to
do,
he
must
have
the
Creator’s
help.
That
is,
for
every
little
thing
a
person
wants
to
do
on
the
path
of
individuals,
he
must
ask
the
Creator
to
help
him
do
them.
Yet,
we
must
know
that
the
fact
that
the
person
must
ask
the
Creator
for
every
single
thing
he
wants
to
do
because
it
is
difficult
for
him,
this
is
a
great
correction
by
which
one
gains
the
need
to
always
pray
to
the
Creator.
In
other
words,
a
person
has
what
to
pray
for.
Otherwise,
it
might
happen
that
a
person
will
not
need
the
Creator’s
help.
Therefore,
a
person
gains
in
that
he
is
always
connected
to
the
Creator
in
that
he
needs
Him.
Otherwise,
a
person
might
do
the
best
deeds,
but
the
deeds
will
not
obligate
him
to
remember
the
Creator
while
performing
the
act,
although
he
goes
to
do
good
deeds.
This
can
be
because
he
has
been
brought
up
this
way,
and
it
can
also
be
without
remembering
who
commanded
him
to
do
so,
but
simply
out
of
habit.
Conversely,
when
it
is
hard
for
him
to
do
those
deeds,
he
must
ask
the
Creator
to
help
him.
It
follows
that
during
the
act,
he
remembers
the
Creator
because
he
is
asking
Him
for
help
to
do
the
act.
This
is
a
great
benefit
that
a
person
should
pay
attention
to
the
fact
that
he
has
something
that
reminds
him
that
there
is
a
Creator
in
the
world
and
we
must
serve
Him.
According
to
the
above,
we
can
understand
what
we
asked,
What
is
a
road
whose
beginning
is
thorns
and
whose
end
is
a
plain,
in
the
work?
The
thing
is
that
there
are
two
ways
in
the
work
of
the
Creator:
1)
for
one’s
own
benefit,
2)
for
the
Creator’s
benefit.
The
way
of
self-benefit
is
called
“whose
beginning
is
a
plain,”
since
the
body
does
not
resist
it
so.
Because
the
body
believes
in
reward
and
punishment,
it
agrees
to
work
although
it
exerts
itself
in
this
work.
But
when
it
looks
at
the
reward,
this
work
is
regarded
as
“whose
beginning
is
a
plain,”
meaning
that
the
body
understands
that
this
way
is
acceptable
because
it
is
for
one’s
own
sake.
But
“its
end
is
thorns.”
That
is,
in
the
end,
he
sees
that
he
cannot
feel
His
Providence
as
The
Good
Who
Does
Good,
as
it
is
written
(“Introduction
of
The
Book
of
Zohar,”
Item
138),
“As
long
as
the
receivers
have
not
been
completed
so
they
can
receive
His
complete
benevolence,
which
He
had
contemplated
in
our
favor
in
the
thought
of
creation,
the
guidance
must
be
in
the
form
of
good
and
bad,
reward
and
punishment.
It
is
so
because
our
vessels
of
reception
are
still
tainted
with
self-reception.
When
we
use
the
vessels
of
reception
contrary
to
how
they
were
created,
we
necessarily
sense
evil
in
the
operations
of
Providence
in
relation
to
us.”
Thus,
“its
end
is
thorns.”
“Thorns”
means
that
this
way
inflicts
pain,
meaning
that
after
all
the
work
that
one
has
exerted
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
he
still
does
not
feel
His
Providence
as
good
and
doing
good.
This
causes
him
the
matter
of
reward
and
punishment
in
his
work.
That
is,
the
fact
that
His
guidance
is
in
the
form
of
good
and
evil,
from
this
extends
reward
and
punishment,
as
it
is
written
there
in
the
Sulam
[Baal
HaSulam’s
commentary
on
The
Zohar],
“Hence,
when
one
feels
bad,
denial
of
the
Creator’s
guidance
lies
upon
him
and
the
superior
Operator
is
concealed
from
him
to
that
same
extent.
This
is
the
greatest
punishment
in
the
world.
“Thus,
the
sensation
of
good
and
evil
in
relation
to
His
guidance
brings
with
it
the
sensation
of
reward
and
punishment,
for
one
who
exerts
not
to
part
from
faith
in
the
Creator
is
rewarded
even
when
he
tastes
a
bad
taste
in
Providence.
And
if
he
does
not
exert,
he
will
be
punished
because
he
is
separated
from
faith
in
the
Creator.”
According
to
the
above,
we
can
understand
what
we
asked,
What
is
a
way
whose
beginning
is
a
plain
and
whose
end
is
thorns
in
the
work?
It
means
that
the
way
that
the
general
public
works,
in
order
to
receive
reward,
“its
beginning
is
a
plain.”
That
is,
the
body
does
not
resist
this
way
because
it
is
told,
“You
must
believe
in
reward
and
punishment
for
your
own
benefit.”
That
is,
if
it
observes
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
the
self-benefit
will
gain.
And
if
it
does
not
observe,
the
self-benefit
will
lose.
A
person
can
understand
this
because
this
is
man’s
inherent
Kli
[vessel],
called
“will
to
receive
for
oneself.”
But
“its
end
is
thorns.”
That
is,
in
the
end,
he
does
not
achieve
wholeness,
the
reward
of
seeing
that
His
Providence
is
in
the
form
of
good
and
doing
good.
Instead,
he
is
placed
under
the
governance
of
good
and
evil.
It
follows
that
although
“He
alone
does
and
will
do
all
the
deeds,”
this
is
nonetheless
hidden
from
those
who
feel
good
and
evil,
since
at
the
time
of
“bad,”
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side]
is
given
the
power
to
conceal
His
guidance
and
the
faith
in
Him,
as
written
in
the
Sulam.
Thus,
they
will
“die
without
wisdom.”
This
is
called
“its
end
is
thorns.”
Conversely,
the
way
“whose
beginning
is
thorns
and
its
end
is
a
plain”
means
that
those
who
want
to
walk
on
the
path
of
truth
and
achieve
the
degree
of
bestowing
contentment
to
the
Maker,
its
beginning
is
thorns,
since
when
a
person
wants
to
work
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
himself,
the
body
objects
to
every
single
thing
he
does,
and
each
time,
he
must
overcome
anew,
and
every
time
he
overcomes
and
the
body
resists,
it
stings
him
and
afflicts
him
like
thorns.
It
follows
that
the
way
he
is
walking
is
as
though
walking
on
thorns,
and
each
time,
he
wants
to
escape
from
the
campaign.
But
“Anyone
who
is
wise,
listens
to
him.”
That
is,
one
who
has
faith
in
the
sages
listens
to
him.
“He
takes
it.
He
exerts
some,
but
he
goes
in
peace
and
comes
in
peace,”
as
it
is
written,
“For
her
ways
are
ways
of
pleasantness
and
all
her
paths
are
peace,”
since
afterward,
when
he
is
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal,
he
walks
in
a
way
that
is
on
a
plain.
This
is
as
it
is
written,
“When
the
Lord
favors
man’s
ways,
even
his
enemies
will
make
peace
with
him,”
since
then
he
is
rewarded
with
the
delight
and
pleasure
found
in
the
thought
of
creation,
which
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
When
they
are
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal,
it
is
written
there
in
the
Sulam,
“At
that
time,
His
private
Providence
will
be
revealed
throughout
the
world,
since
now,
once
the
evil
and
the
punishments
have
become
benefits
and
merits,
it
will
be
possible
to
attain
their
Doer,
for
they
have
now
become
fitting
for
the
work
of
His
hands.
Now
they
will
praise
and
bless
Him,”
as
it
is
written,
“Therefore
choose
life;
you
and
your
descendants.”