What
It
Means
that
the
Land
Did
Not
Bear
Fruit
before
Man
Was
Created,
in
the
Work
Article
No.
5,
1990
It
is
written
in
The
Zohar
(VaYera,
Item
1),
“Rabbi
Hiya
started,
‘The
buds
appeared
on
the
earth;
the
time
of
pruning
has
come.’
This
means
that
when
the
Creator
created
the
world,
He
placed
in
the
earth
all
the
power
it
deserves,
and
everything
was
in
the
land.
Yet,
it
did
not
bear
fruit
in
the
world
until
man
was
created.
When
man
was
created,
everything
appeared
in
the
world
and
the
land
revealed
the
fruits
and
forces
that
were
deposited
in
it.
And
then
it
was
said,
‘The
buds
appeared
on
the
earth,
the
time
of
pruning
has
come,
and
the
voice
of
the
turtledove
was
heard
in
our
land.’
This
is
the
speaking
of
the
Creator,
which
was
absent
in
the
world
before
man
was
created.
Once
man
is
present,
everything
is
present.”
We
should
understand
why
the
land
did
not
bear
its
fruit
before
man
was
created.
What
is
the
connection
between
the
earth
and
man,
where
if
there
is
no
man,
although
the
land
has
everything,
it
still
does
not
bear
its
fruits
before
there
is
man?
Also,
what
does
it
mean
that
before
man
was
created,
the
speaking
of
the
Creator
was
not
present
in
the
world?
After
all,
it
is
written
several
times,
“And
God
said,
‘Let
there
be
light.’”
We
should
interpret
this
in
the
work.
Our
sages
said
about
the
verse,
“In
the
beginning
God
created,”
that
it
is
for
Israel,
who
were
called
Resheet
[beginning],
as
it
is
written,
“The
sanctity
of
Israel,
the
Resheet
[beginning]
of
its
crop.”
This
means
as
it
is
written,
that
the
purpose
of
the
creation
of
the
world
was
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
That
is,
He
created
in
the
creatures
a
desire
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure,
and
in
this
desire,
meaning
that
this
desire
causes
him
to
yearn
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure.
By
this
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
a
person
can
derive
from
there
is
measured.
This
is
called
“the
work
of
the
Creator,”
meaning
that
He
created
a
desire
to
enjoy
for
the
pleasure
that
He
wants
to
give
them.
It
turns
out
that
nothing
is
missing
in
the
world;
there
is
abundance
that
belongs
to
the
will
to
receive.
That
is,
to
the
extent
that
He
wanted
to
give
delight
and
pleasure,
to
that
extent
He
created
a
Kli
[vessel]
for
this.
This
means
that
the
will
to
receive
is
not
greater
than
the
Creator
created
it,
so
he
can
receive
what
the
Creator
wants
to
give.
It
follows
that
the
delight
and
pleasure
are
present,
the
Kli
to
receive
is
present,
so
what
else
is
missing?
It
is
known
that
the
land
is
called
Malchut.
That
is,
the
desire
to
receive
the
abundance
from
the
Creator
is
called
Malchut.
This
means
that
Malchut
receives
the
abundance
for
the
souls,
as
for
this
reason
Malchut
is
called
“the
assembly
of
Israel,”
which
is
the
collection
of
the
souls.
It
follows
that
Malchut
already
received
all
the
light
for
the
souls.
The
question
is,
Why
do
the
creatures
not
receive
from
Malchut
the
abundance
she
received
for
the
creatures,
and
there
is
the
power
of
concealment
in
the
world,
so
the
voice
of
the
turtledove
is
not
heard
in
our
land,
meaning
that
the
speaking
of
the
Creator
is
not
heard
in
the
world,
but
rather
each
one
feels
the
concealment
and
there
is
a
lot
of
work
to
believe
in
His
Providence
over
the
created
beings,
and
the
delight
and
pleasure
are
not
revealed
in
the
world?
The
answer
is
that
it
is
because
the
Creator
did
not
want
there
to
be
shame.
For
this
reason,
there
was
a
correction,
called
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
and
concealment
so
the
upper
Providence
will
not
be
revealed.
Instead,
we
must
believe
that
the
Creator
leads
the
world
as
the
good
who
does
good.
This
causes
us
all
the
work,
that
we
must
exert
and
relinquish
the
will
to
receive
for
ourselves,
although
this
is
our
entire
reality.
In
other
words,
everything
that
we
relate
to
the
creatures
is
only
a
will
to
receive.
Yet,
it
is
forbidden
to
use
the
will
to
receive
as
it
emerged
by
nature,
but
we
must
go
above
nature.
In
other
words,
our
nature
is
the
will
to
receive
for
ourselves.
It
follows
that
when
a
person
is
told
we
must
relinquish
the
will
to
receive
for
ourselves,
there
is
not
an
organ
in
us
that
will
be
able
to
understand
this.
The
body
begins
to
ask
the
“Who”
and
“What”
questions,
meaning
demands
an
intellectual
answer
if
the
Creator
truly
hears
each
and
every
one
who
asks
of
Him.
The
body
argues
to
a
person,
“You
see
that
you
have
asked
the
Creator
many
times
to
help
you
with
what
you
think
you
need.
Until
now,
you
see
that
you
have
received
no
answer
to
the
prayer.
Therefore,
why
do
you
say
each
day,
‘For
You
hear
the
prayer
of
every
mouth’?
If
this
is
so,
why
is
He
not
helping
you?”
It
follows
that
reason
asserts
that
the
body
is
right,
meaning
that
it
is
making
a
reasonable
and
sensible
argument.
We
must
answer
the
body
about
this
that
we
are
going
above
reason.
That
is,
although
reason
asserts
that
the
Creator
does
not
accept
the
prayer
of
every
mouth,
meaning
that
he
can
explain
the
fact
that
the
Creator
is
not
answering
him
as
because
he
is
still
unfit
to
receive
the
salvation
from
the
Creator,
but
in
truth,
the
Creator
does
hear
the
prayer
of
Israel.
It
is
only
to
you
that
He
does
not
want
to
answer
the
prayer
you
made,
since
you
are
not
regarded
as
Israel.
The
body
asks
once
more,
“You
see
that
we
must
believe
that
‘You
hear
the
prayer
of
every
mouth,’
as
we
say
in
the
prayer,
‘For
You
hear
the
prayer
of
every
mouth.’
Thus,
the
Creator
should
have
heard
your
prayer,
as
well.
Moreover,
if
He
does
not
hear
the
prayer
of
every
mouth,
then
why
do
you
need
to
pray?”
Then,
when
a
person
comes
to
such
a
state,
he
can
say
that
he
is
going
above
reason.
That
is,
although
reason
is
very
important,
and
he
sees
that
the
body
speaks
with
reason,
but
a
person
should
say
that
we
must
go
above
reason.
That
is,
we,
too,
see
contradictions,
such
as
that
many
times
he
prayed
but
received
no
answer
for
his
prayer.
But
then,
when
he
overcomes
and
goes
above
reason,
this
is
called
“faith
above
reason.”
Likewise,
when
a
person
must
relinquish
the
quality
of
the
heart
and
say,
“I
relinquish
the
self-benefit
and
care
only
for
the
benefit
of
the
Creator,”
of
course
this
is
above
reason.
In
other
words,
above
reason
means
that
a
person
should
say
that
to
him,
faith
is
at
a
higher
level
than
reason.
For
this
reason,
he
obeys
the
voice
of
faith
and
not
the
voice
of
reason.
This
is
against
reason,
since
we
see
that
we
were
given
reason
and
we
measure
every
person
according
to
the
level
of
his
intellect,
as
it
is
written,
“A
man
will
be
praised
according
to
his
mind”
(Proverbs
12),
and
one
who
has
more
reason
is
a
more
important
person.
Therefore,
when
we
are
told
that
we
must
go
above
reason,
it
is
against
our
reason.
For
this
reason,
when
a
person
comes
to
a
state
where
the
body
begins
to
ask
the
“Who”
and
“What”
questions,
then
begins
the
real
work.
Then
we
must
ask
for
the
help
of
the
Creator
to
give
us
the
strength
not
to
hear
these
questions
of
Pharaoh
and
the
wicked
one,
which
are
“Who”
and
“What.”
It
was
said
about
this,
“Were
it
not
for
the
help
of
the
Creator,
he
would
not
overcome
it,”
since
a
person
cannot
emerge
from
their
control
by
himself
and
say,
“I
am
going
above
reason,”
since
it
is
against
nature.
According
to
the
above,
we
can
interpret
what
we
asked,
What
is
the
connection
between
the
land
that
did
not
bear
its
fruit
before
man
was
created?
In
the
work,
man
is
regarded
as
one
who
has
emerged
from
the
control
of
the
quality
of
a
beast.
A
“beast”
means
one
who
is
immersed
in
self-benefit,
like
a
beast,
and
man
means
one
in
whom
there
is
fear
of
heaven
and
works
because
of
fear,
which
The
Zohar
calls
“Because
He
is
great
and
ruling,”
where
he
works
only
because
of
the
greatness
of
the
Creator
and
does
not
care
for
his
own
benefit,
but
for
the
benefit
of
the
Creator.
It
is
as
our
sages
said
about
the
verse,
“In
the
end
of
the
matter,
fear
God
and
observe
His
commandments,
for
this
is
the
whole
of
man.
What
is
‘for
this
is
the
whole
of
man’?
Rabbi
Elazar
said,
‘The
whole
world
was
created
only
for
this’”
(Berachot
6).
It
follows
that
man
is
regarded
as
one
in
whom
there
is
the
fear
of
heaven.
And
what
is
the
fear
of
heaven?
That
is,
what
is
fear?
It
is
as
he
says
(“Introduction
of
The
Book
of
Zohar,”
Item
191),
“Both
the
first
fear
and
the
second
fear
are
not
for
his
own
benefit,
but
only
for
fear
that
he
will
decline
in
bringing
contentment
to
his
Maker.”
According
to
the
above,
we
already
know
the
meaning
of
Adam.
It
is
one
who
has
fear
of
heaven,
who
is
afraid
that
perhaps
he
will
not
be
able
to
do
everything
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
called
“man.”
A
“beast”
is
the
opposite:
one
who
cares
only
for
one’s
own
benefit,
as
it
is
written
(Ecclesiastes
3),
“Who
knows
the
spirit
of
man,
whether
it
goes
upward,
and
the
spirit
of
the
beast,
whether
it
goes
downward
to
the
earth?”
We
should
interpret
that
“spirit
of
man”
goes
upward
means
that
everything
he
does
is
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
This
is
called
“upward,”
when
his
intention
is
that
everything
will
be
only
in
order
to
bestow.
From
this
man
derives
contentment.
The
“spirit
of
the
beast”
is
that
in
everything
he
does,
he
wants
it
all
for
“downward,”
meaning
“down
to
the
earth,”
which
is
worldliness,
for
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself
is
called
“earth.”
When
that
person
does
things,
he
sees
that
it
will
be
only
for
his
own
benefit.
From
this
he
derives
spirit,
meaning
his
contentment.
That
is,
he
will
enjoy
his
actions
only
if
it
yields
benefit
for
himself.
If
he
sees
that
the
will
to
receive
cannot
enjoy
it,
he
will
not
have
strength
to
work.
If
he
must
work
for
some
reason,
then
he
is
not
in
a
good
mood
at
all.
Now
we
can
understand
the
connection
between
man
and
earth.
We
asked,
What
does
it
mean
that
the
earth
did
not
bear
its
fruit
in
the
world
before
man
was
created
although
all
the
power
it
deserved
and
everything
was
already
in
the
land?
The
thing
is
that
in
the
work,
“land”
is
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
which
is
the
assembly
of
Israel,
who
receives
abundance
for
the
created
beings,
since
all
the
souls
come
from
her.
From
the
perspective
of
the
Creator,
everything
is
already
corrected
in
the
best
possible
way.
It
is
as
he
says
(“Introduction
to
The
Book
of
Zohar,”
Item
13),
“The
thing
is
that
by
the
very
thought
to
create
the
souls,
His
thought
completed
everything,
for
He
does
not
need
an
act,
as
do
we.
Instantaneously,
all
the
souls
and
all
the
worlds
that
are
destined
to
be
created
emerged
filled
with
all
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
the
souls
were
intended
to
receive
at
the
end
of
correction,
after
the
will
to
receive
in
the
souls
has
been
fully
corrected
and
has
been
turned
into
pure
bestowal.
This
is
so
because
in
His
eternalness,
past,
present,
and
future
are
as
one.”
By
this
we
should
interpret
the
connection
between
man
and
the
earth,
which
is
that
if
man
is
present,
the
earth
bears
its
fruit.
The
“earth”
means
the
will
to
receive
that
has
been
fully
corrected.
From
the
perspective
of
the
Creator,
everything
has
been
completed
in
utter
perfection
and
there
is
nothing
to
add
to
it,
as
he
says,
“Instantaneously,
all
the
souls
emerged
filled
with
all
the
delight
and
pleasure.”
However,
in
order
for
the
creatures
to
enjoy
the
fruits
of
Malchut,
which
she
received,
Malchut,
which
is
called
“land,”
does
not
give
this
to
the
created
beings
before
they
correct
the
will
to
receive
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
due
to
the
correction
that
took
place,
so
there
will
be
in
them
the
matter
of
equivalence
of
form.
It
turns
out
that
as
long
as
a
person
has
not
achieved
the
degree
of
“man,”
which
is
regarded
as
bestowing
upward,
as
in
“the
spirit
of
man
goes
upward,”
meaning
that
“man”
means
that
everything
he
does
is
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
while
the
spirit
of
the
beast
“goes
downward,”
meaning
for
his
own
benefit,
Malchut,
which
is
called
“earth,”
cannot
show
the
delight
and
pleasure
she
received
for
the
created
beings.
The
Zohar
says,
“The
buds
appeared
on
the
earth,”
meaning
that
everything
was
in
the
earth,
but
it
did
not
bear
fruit
in
the
world
until
man
was
created.
Before
the
created
being
achieved
the
quality
of
“man,”
the
Creator
does
not
see
any
fruits
from
Malchut,
which
is
called
“earth.”
Now
we
can
understand
what
we
asked
about
The
Zohar
saying
that
“the
voice
of
the
turtle
dove
was
heard
in
our
land”
is
the
speaking
of
the
Creator,
who
was
not
present
in
the
world
before
man
was
created,
though
it
is
written
many
times
in
the
Torah,
“And
God
said,”
before
man
was
created.
The
meaning
is
that
before
a
person
achieves
the
degree
of
“man,”
meaning
emerges
from
the
state
of
a
beast,
the
“man”
is
in
concealment
and
it
is
impossible
to
hear
the
voice
of
the
Creator.
This
is
regarded
as
the
“speaking
of
the
Creator
was
not
present
in
the
world
before
the
quality
of
man
was
created.”
Only
afterward,
when
a
person
achieves
the
degree
of
“man,”
he
hears
the
“speaking
of
the
Creator.”
The
“speaking
of
the
Creator”
is
called
Torah,
and
then
he
is
rewarded
with
the
Torah,
which
is
called
“the
names
of
the
Creator.”
This
is
called
the
“speaking
of
the
Creator.”
It
is
not
that
the
Torah
is
a
wisdom,
as
with
other
wisdoms.
Rather,
the
Torah
is
the
speaking
of
the
Creator.
Not
easily
can
one
achieve
the
degree
of
“man”
and
emerge
from
the
quality
of
a
beast.
This
is
so
because
in
the
work
of
the
Creator,
one
is
always
in
oppositeness
of
form,
and
only
out
of
two
extremes,
a
middle
line
is
born.
It
is
as
it
is
written
in
the
poem
by
the
ARI,
“Right
and
left,
and
in
between
them
a
bride.”
This
means
that
through
the
right
and
the
left,
which
are
two
opposites,
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
called
“bride,”
is
born.
It
is
known
that
Malchut
is
called
“faith.”
To
be
rewarded
with
faith,
we
must
first
emerge
from
the
state
of
a
beast,
called
“self-love,”
as
was
said
that
the
spirit
of
the
beast
goes
downward.
Downward
means
decreasing
in
importance,
which
is
the
quality
of
a
beast,
which
can
only
work
for
its
own
sake.
While
the
creature
is
still
under
the
control
of
the
will
to
receive
for
himself,
he
can
receive
only
partial
faith.
This
means
that
he
has
descents
and
ascents.
During
the
descents,
he
loses
the
power
of
faith
because
the
descent
comes
to
him
due
to
some
flaw,
and
all
the
flaws
come
to
the
creature
while
he
is
immersed
in
self-love.
For
this
reason,
there
is
a
correction
for
the
creature
so
as
not
to
blemish
the
King:
He
loses
the
faith
in
the
existence
of
the
King,
as
explained
in
the
“Introduction
of
The
Book
of
Zohar”
(Item
138,
beginning
with
the
words,
“It
is
a
law”).
Since
there
is
a
rule
that
a
person
cannot
walk
on
one
leg,
but
only
on
two
legs,
this
points
to
spirituality,
too.
“Right”
implies
wholeness.
That
is,
the
first
beginning,
when
the
creature
wants
to
begin
the
work
of
the
Creator,
is
that
he
must
believe
in
the
Creator.
It
does
not
matter
how
much
faith
he
has,
but
with
whatever
faith
he
has,
he
can
already
begin
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds],
and
each
day
he
adds
as
much
as
he
can.
However,
this
state
is
not
regarded
as
“right,”
but
as
“one
line.”
This
is
called
“still
of
Kedusha
[holiness].”
From
this
still
emerge
all
other
degrees,
called
“vegetative,”
“animate,”
and
“speaking,”
as
it
is
written
(Ecclesiastes
3),
“All
was
from
the
dust.”
The
Zohar
interprets,
“even
the
wheel
of
the
sun”
(Tzav,
Item
173).
That
is,
everyone
must
begin
in
still
of
Kedusha.
However,
we
should
know
that
as
with
the
corporeal
still,
a
person
does
not
need
to
make
efforts
in
order
for
the
still
to
be
revealed.
Rather,
the
still
develops
according
to
the
development
of
nature.
In
other
words,
if
a
person
does
not
spoil
the
corporeal
still,
it
develops.
For
example,
if
a
person
does
not
spoil
the
earth
or
takes
out
stones
from
the
earth,
the
still
develops.
It
is
the
same
with
the
still
of
Kedusha.
If
he
does
not
spoil
his
actions,
his
still
of
Kedusha
develops.
However,
it
does
not
require
any
intention
or
thought
in
order
to
continue
his
quality
of
still
of
Kedusha.
Conversely,
if
he
wants
to
acquire
the
quality
of
“vegetative,”
we
see
that
in
corporeality,
the
vegetative
already
requires
special
treatment.
It
needs
to
be
given
food,
meaning
water
and
sun,
and
to
fix
the
still
from
which
the
vegetative
will
grow,
namely
plowing
and
so
forth.
Also,
other
plants,
which
do
not
belong
to
the
plant
that
the
person
wants
to
grow
out
of
the
still,
must
be
removed,
so
in
corporeality,
weeds
that
have
intermingled
are
uprooted.
Likewise,
in
the
vegetative
of
Kedusha,
we
must
dedicate
thought
and
desire
to
nursing
this
still,
meaning
plowing.
That
is,
we
must
turn
the
will
to
receive
in
us
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
and
then
it
is
relevant
to
speak
of
work
in
“right”
and
“left.”
That
which
was
previously
one
line,
which
is
the
act,
a
person
must
use
it
as
the
“right
line,”
meaning
that
he
should
appreciate
the
simple
act
and
say
that
he
is
grateful
to
the
Creator
for
rewarding
him
with
doing
simple
works
in
utter
simplicity,
and
to
say
that
he
is
not
worth
even
this—that
the
Creator
gave
him
the
present
of
serving
Him
in
simplicity.
At
the
same
time,
he
must
shift
to
the
left
line,
meaning
criticize
himself
if
he
is
truly
working
for
the
Creator
or
for
himself,
meaning
for
his
own
benefit
and
not
for
the
benefit
of
the
Creator.
He
should
pray
for
this,
that
he
is
so
immersed
in
self-love.
Sometimes,
he
sees
that
he
cannot
pray
that
the
Creator
will
help
him
and
deliver
him
from
the
governance
of
self-love.
Sometimes,
he
is
even
in
a
worse
state—that
he
does
not
even
want
to
pray
the
Creator
will
bring
him
out
of
self-love.
On
the
contrary,
he
wants
the
Creator
to
help
him
satisfy
his
will
to
receive
for
himself
with
every
possible
satisfaction.
This
is
called
“left,”
since
in
spirituality,
something
that
requires
correction
is
called
“left.”
It
follows
that
there
are
two
opposites
here.
On
one
hand,
a
person
is
told
that
the
order
of
the
work
is
that
a
person
should
try
to
observe
the
one
line
to
the
fullest.
That
is,
as
when
the
creature
was
in
a
state
of
still,
called
“one
line,”
and
felt
himself
as
whole
and
was
happy
and
glad
because
he
knew
that
he
had
wholeness
and
all
he
needed
to
add
was
quantity.
But
the
reason
was
that
he
had
no
idea
about
the
vegetative.
He
thought
that
the
still
is
the
wholeness
that
man
must
do.
Therefore,
he
felt
high
spirited
because
of
the
feeling
of
wholeness
and
he
could
not
understand
why
all
the
creatures
were
not
as
smart
as
him.
But
now
that
he
has
a
notion
of
the
quality
of
“vegetative,”
he
no
longer
has
the
wholeness
of
the
one
line.
For
this
reason,
now
he
must
make
great
efforts
to
be
able
to
appreciate
and
derive
vitality
from
the
right,
as
he
received
from
it
while
being
in
one
line.
The
reason
for
this
is
that
the
left
line
makes
him
see
that
this
is
not
wholeness.
Indeed,
why
do
we
need
to
walk
on
the
right
line?
The
answer
is
that
this
is
the
truth.
That
is,
a
person
should
indeed
consider
the
little
bit
of
grip
he
has
on
Kedusha
as
a
great
fortune,
and
this
is
the
time
to
thank
the
Creator.
Afterward,
he
should
return
to
the
left
line,
for
this
is
also
true,
that
we
must
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Out
of
those
two,
from
the
wholeness
and
importance
of
the
right,
and
from
the
lack
of
the
left,
a
person
is
rewarded
with
the
middle
line.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“Right
and
left,
and
in
between
the
bride.”