What
It
Means
that
Esau
Was
Called
“A
Man
of
the
Field,”
in
the
Work
Article
No.
8,
1990
The
Zohar
says
(Toldot,
Item
75),
“It
is
written
here,
‘A
skillful
hunter,
a
man
of
the
field,’
and
it
is
written
there
(about
Nimrod),
‘He
was
a
mighty
hunter
before
the
Lord.’
As
there,
it
means
that
he
was
hunting
the
minds
of
people
and
misleading
them
to
rebel
against
the
Creator,
so
here,
‘A
man
of
the
field’
means
to
rob
people
and
to
kill
them.
Esau
said
that
he
was
in
the
field
to
pray,
like
Isaac,
as
it
is
written,
‘And
Isaac
went
out
to
stroll
in
the
field,’
and
hunting,
and
he
deceived
Isaac.”
We
should
understand
what
are
the
two
things
said
about
Esau,
meaning
what
is
the
difference
between
“a
skillful
hunter”
and
“a
man
of
the
field”
in
the
work.
We
should
also
understand
why
The
Zohar
says,
“a
man
of
the
field,
since
his
lot
is
not
in
an
inhabited
place,
but
in
a
desolate
place,
in
the
desert,
in
the
field,
and
this
is
why
he
is
called
‘a
man
of
the
field.’”
But
Noah,
too,
was
called
“a
man
of
the
earth,”
as
it
is
written,
“And
Noah,
man
of
the
earth,
began.”
Also,
it
is
written
about
Isaac
himself,
“And
Isaac
went
out
to
stroll
in
the
field,”
and
it
is
also
written
that
Isaac
said
about
Jacob
what
is
written,
“And
he
said,
‘See,
the
scent
of
my
son
is
as
the
scent
of
the
field
that
the
Lord
has
blessed.’”
Thus,
from
where
is
it
implied
that
with
Esau,
“a
man
of
the
field”
means
robbing
people
and
killing
them?
We
should
interpret
this
in
the
work.
It
is
written,
“Which
God
has
created
to
do.”
That
is,
the
Creator
created
the
world
with
the
aim
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
For
this
purpose,
He
created
something
new
called
a
“desire
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure.”
As
we
learned,
in
order
to
enjoy
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
He
wants
to
give,
the
pleasure
is
according
to
the
need
and
the
yearning
for
the
thing,
since
the
yearning
determines
the
measure
of
the
pleasure
that
one
can
derive
from
the
matter.
Therefore,
first
emerged
this
will
to
receive
existence
from
absence.
This
is
called
“which
God
has
created.”
“To
do”
is
the
correction
of
creation,
since
by
this
there
is
a
difference
between
the
Bestower
and
the
receiver.
Therefore,
there
is
the
matter
of
the
bread
of
shame,
namely
shame.
This
is
why
we
can
have
an
aim
to
bestow,
meaning
not
to
receive
despite
the
great
yearning
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure.
Still,
in
order
not
to
feel
shame,
work
was
given
to
the
created
beings.
It
is
called
“work”
because
it
is
against
the
nature
with
which
the
Creator
created
creation,
since
the
matter
of
the
purpose
of
creation
to
do
good
to
His
creations
means
that
anything
that
can
be
said
that
a
person
receives,
meaning
that
he
has
a
desire
to
receive,
comes
from
the
Creator,
who
created
this
nature.
Conversely,
not
receiving
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
the
Creator
wants
to
give,
this
we
attribute
to
the
creatures.
For
this
reason,
this
correction
not
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
unless
we
have
the
aim
to
bestow
is
called
“doing,”
and
the
creatures
must
do
this
although
it
is
against
nature.
This
will
to
receive
is
called
Malchut,
as
it
is
known
that
the
Kli
[vessel]
to
receive
the
lights
is
called
Malchut.
As
we
learn,
there
was
a
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
and
concealment
on
this
Malchut,
and
Malchut,
with
respect
to
the
will
to
receive
for
herself,
remained
without
light.
Only
when
it
is
possible
to
place
on
her
a
desire
in
order
to
bestow,
to
that
extent
the
Tzimtzum
and
concealment
depart
and
she
can
receive
the
abundance.
Otherwise,
Malchut
is
called
a
“vacant
space”
from
light.
From
this,
it
extends
that
afterward,
two
systems
were
made,
as
in
“God
has
made
one
opposite
the
other.”
In
other
words,
just
as
there
is
ABYA
of
Kedusha
[holiness],
opposite
it
there
is
ABYA
of
Tuma’a
[impurity].
Malchut
has
several
names:
“land,”
“earth,”
“sea,”
and
“dust,”
depending
on
what
she
receives.
In
this
Malchut,
called
“earth,”
the
man
is
extended,
as
it
is
written,
“And
the
Lord
God
created
the
man
dust
off
the
earth.”
This
is
the
Malchut
of
whom
it
was
said,
“All
was
from
the
dust.”
It
was
said
in
The
Zohar
(Tzav,
Item
173),
“All
was
from
the
dust,
even
the
wheel
of
the
sun.”
This
means
that
when
we
speak,
we
speak
only
of
lights
clothed
in
the
Kelim
[vessels],
as
it
is
known
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli,
and
all
the
Kelim
extend
from
Malchut,
who
is
the
will
to
receive.
This
means
that
all
we
speak
of
is
only
of
Malchut,
who
is
the
will
to
receive,
which
is
either
in
Kedusha
or
in
Klipa
[shell/peel].
The
only
difference
is
that
the
Kedusha
does
not
use
the
will
to
receive
unless
it
can
place
on
it
a
desire
that
works
in
order
to
bestow,
or
it
restricts
itself
from
using
the
will
to
receive.
Conversely,
the
Klipa
wants
to
use
the
will
to
receive
in
order
to
receive.
This
means
that
when
it
is
said
that
a
person
is
using
vessels
of
bestowal,
it
does
not
mean
that
the
vessels
of
bestowal
are
doing
something,
since
there
are
no
vessels
of
bestowal
in
the
will
to
receive,
as
all
of
creation
is
regarded
as
only
a
desire
to
receive,
as
it
is
known
that
other
than
the
will
to
receive,
we
attribute
everything
to
the
Creator.
Creation
is
called
“existence
from
absence,”
and
this
pertains
specifically
to
the
lack
that
the
Creator
created.
However,
when
we
say
that
a
person
is
using
the
desire
to
bestow,
it
means
that
the
will
to
receive
is
not
using
its
own
quality,
but
the
Creator’s
desire,
Whose
wish
is
only
to
bestow
and
not
receive
anything.
According
to
the
above,
we
can
understand
the
meaning
of
the
“field”
that
was
said
about
Esau,
who
is
called
“a
man
of
the
field.”
We
see
that
Isaac,
too,
went
out
to
the
field,
and
it
is
also
written
about
Jacob
that
Isaac
said,
“See,
the
scent
of
my
son
is
as
the
scent
of
the
field
that
the
Lord
has
blessed.”
This
means
that
a
“field”
means
Malchut,
which
is
the
will
to
receive,
and
there,
there
is
the
matter
of
the
choice
whether
to
correct
it
into
working
in
order
to
bestow,
which
is
called
Kedusha.
It
is
about
this
that
Isaac
said,
“as
the
field
that
the
Lord
has
blessed.”
If
we
do
not
correct
it
into
working
in
order
to
bestow,
but
engage
in
receiving
in
order
to
receive,
this
is
called
“a
man
of
the
field,”
which
is
a
Klipa,
as
was
said,
“a
man
of
the
field,
in
order
to
rob
people
and
kill
them.”
This
pertained
to
Esau.
But
concerning
Isaac,
it
is
written,
“And
Isaac
went
out
to
stroll
in
the
field.”
He
went
to
correct
the
field,
which
is
Malchut,
to
correct
so
that
the
quality
of
Malchut,
which
is
a
desire
to
receive,
will
work
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
called
“correcting
the
world
with
the
kingdom
of
Shadai.”
It
is
known
that
the
name
Shadai
means
Yesod,
and
Yesod
is
called
Yesod
Tzadik
[righteous],
who
is
the
Bestower.
The
intention
is
to
correct
Malchut,
who
is
reception,
so
she
becomes
like
the
quality
of
Yesod,
meaning
aiming
to
bestow.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“Isaac
went
out
to
stroll
in
the
field.”
It
is
written
likewise
about
Jacob,
that
Jacob
said,
“See,
the
scent
of
my
son
is
as
the
scent
of
the
field
that
the
Lord
has
blessed.”
In
other
words,
Isaac
saw
that
Jacob
corrected
Malchut,
so
it
was
possible
to
see
the
blessing
of
the
Creator
on
the
field,
which
is
Malchut.
However,
we
should
understand
why
The
Zohar
speaks
of
the
field
in
a
reproving
manner
with
respect
to
Esau.
We
should
interpret
that
it
is
because
it
is
written,
“a
skillful
hunter,”
and
then
it
is
written,
“a
man
of
the
field.”
It
interprets
that
“a
skillful
hunter”
is
from
Nimrod,
for
Nimrod
was
“a
mighty
hunter
before
the
Lord.”
The
Zohar
interprets
that
it
means
that
“he
was
hunting
the
minds
of
people
and
misleading
them
to
rebel
against
the
Creator.”
We
should
understand
the
difference
between
a
skillful
hunter
and
a
man
of
the
field.
According
to
what
we
learn,
there
is
a
difference
between
the
mind
and
the
heart.
The
mind,
Baal
HaSulam
explains,
refers
to
faith
above
reason.
The
heart
means
the
desire
in
the
heart,
which
works
only
for
its
own
sake.
That
is,
for
its
own
sake
means
that
a
person
is
willing
to
do
any
work
in
the
world
as
long
as
he
sees
that
the
reward
he
will
receive
in
return
for
his
effort
is
worthwhile.
It
follows
that
when
it
says
“a
skillful
hunter”
or
“a
man
of
the
field,”
they
are
two
things,
which
in
the
work,
are
called
“mind”
and
“heart.”
Now
we
can
understand
that
if
the
writing
says
about
Esau
that
he
was
a
skillful
hunter,
and
we
learn
from
Nimrod
what
hunting
means,
that
he
hunted
the
minds
of
people
and
misled
them
to
rebel
against
the
Creator,
this
is
a
flaw
in
the
mind,
meaning
in
faith.
From
this
we
know
how
to
interpret
“a
man
of
the
field.”
It
means
that
as
he
flawed
the
mind,
he
also
flawed
the
heart.
This
is
why
we
interpret
“a
man
of
the
field”
to
mean
self-love,
meaning
that
his
field
was
about
robbing
people
and
killing
them.
He
was
supposed
to
choose
the
good
for
the
field,
so
there
would
be
blessing
there.
Yet,
he
did
the
opposite,
extending
death
and
killing
into
that
field.
In
the
work,
we
should
interpret
that
since
man
was
created
with
a
desire
to
receive,
and
must
correct
it
into
working
in
order
to
bestow,
in
order
to
be
able
to
correct,
meaning
to
have
a
choice,
meaning
that
a
person
will
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds]
in
order
to
bestow
and
not
for
his
own
sake,
a
Tzimtzum
and
concealment
were
made,
where
man
must
begin
the
work
in
the
form
of
faith
above
reason,
since
within
reason,
the
concealment
has
been
placed.
This
is
when
the
work
on
the
choice
begins,
meaning
that
a
person
must
accept
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
which
is
a
burden,
as
in,
“as
an
ox
to
the
burden.”
In
other
words,
although
the
body
does
not
agree
to
do
anything
unless
it
sees
what
is
done
with
its
work,
since
this
is
the
nature
with
“God
has
created
to
do,”
that
man
must
see
what
he
is
doing,
meaning
what
is
done
with
his
work.
He
must
see
who
enjoys
the
work
he
is
doing.
Therefore,
when
a
person
engages
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
he
wants
to
see
who
received
his
work.
Since
a
concealment
and
hiding
were
made,
for
the
purpose
of
correction,
a
person
does
not
see
or
feel
who
receives
his
work,
and
he
must
believe
above
reason
that
the
Creator
receives
his
work.
But
the
body
does
not
want
to
believe.
For
this
reason,
we
were
given
this
work
“as
an
ox
to
the
burden.”
In
other
words,
as
the
ox
works
by
coercion
and
must
obey
what
its
owner
wants,
man
must
not
ask
the
body
if
it
wants
to
take
upon
itself
the
burden
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
Rather,
he
must
force
it
and
believe
in
the
sages
that
such
is
the
path
of
truth.
Also,
there
is
the
discernment
of
“and
as
a
donkey
to
the
load,”
meaning
it
is
the
quality
of
the
heart.
In
other
words,
a
person
must
work
not
in
order
to
receive
reward.
Therefore,
when
the
body
is
told
to
work
without
any
reward,
this
work
is
a
load
to
it
and
the
body
wants
to
take
off
this
load,
which
man
wants
it
to
suffer.
In
other
words,
the
body
understands
that
it
can
carry
a
load
even
for
a
doubtful
reward
for
this
work.
But
if
it
is
told,
“Work
and
carry
loads
without
any
reward,”
it
wants
to
get
rid
of
this
work
every
moment.
Then
it
was
said,
“as
a
donkey
to
the
load.”
That
is,
a
person
must
walk
in
this
direction
even
though
the
body
disagrees.
It
follows
that
the
labor
is
in
two
manners:
1)
as
an
ox
to
the
burden,
2)
as
a
donkey
to
the
load.
If
a
person
walks
on
the
path
of
Esau,
the
person
is
called
“a
skillful
hunter,
a
man
of
the
field.”
That
is,
he
lacks
faith,
which
is
called
“a
skillful
hunter,”
like
Nimrod,
when
the
body
wants
to
rebel
against
the
faith
in
the
Creator,
which
blemishes
the
quality
of
“mind.”
Also,
he
is
“a
man
of
the
field,”
meaning
he
robs
people.
This
means
that
he
robs
the
“man”
in
him
and
he
remains
as
a
beast,
knowing
only
himself
and
not
others.
It
is
written,
“a
man
of
the
field,
to
rob
people
and
to
kill
them.”
This
means
that
if
he
robs
the
man
in
him
and
enters
the
state
of
a
“beast,”
which
is
the
desire
to
receive
for
oneself,
then
he
is
in
a
state
of
“The
wicked
in
their
lives
are
called
‘dead,’”
since
they
are
separated
from
the
Life
of
Lives.
This
is
called
“heart.”
Baal
HaSulam
said
that
in
truth,
the
quality
of
the
heart
is
man’s
primary
quality,
meaning
that
this
is
the
root,
that
he
does
not
want
to
believe
because
man
has
more
pleasure
when
he
sees
and
feels.
Therefore,
he
does
not
want
to
degrade
himself
and
walk
with
his
eyes
shut
and
believe
all
that
our
sages
said.
Yet,
the
primary
basis
is
faith
in
the
sages,
as
it
is
written
(Shabbat
31),
“There
is
a
tale
about
a
foreigner
who
came
to
Shammai
and
said,
‘How
many
laws
[Torah]
do
you
have?’
He
replied,
‘Two,
the
written
Torah
and
the
oral
Torah.’
He
said
to
him,
‘I
believe
you
about
the
written
Torah,
and
I
do
not
believe
you
about
the
oral
Torah.
Convert
me,
so
as
to
teach
me
the
written
Torah.’
He
rebuked
him
and
ejected
him
with
a
rebuke.
He
came
to
Hillel:
‘Convert
me.’
On
the
first
day,
he
said
to
him,
‘Aleph,
Bet,
Gimel,
Dalet.’
The
following
day
he
reversed
[them]
to
him
(such
as
Tav,
Shin,
Reish,
Kof).
He
said
to
him,
‘But
yesterday,
did
not
say
them
to
me
thus?’
He
said
to
him:
‘Do
you
not
trust
me?
So
trust
me
with
the
oral
too.’”
RASHI
interprets
“Do
you
not
trust
me?”
as
“How
do
you
know
that
this
is
Aleph
and
this
is
Bet?
But
since
I
taught
you
and
you
trusted
me,
‘trust
me
with
the
oral
too.’”
From
this
we
see
that
Hillel
told
him
without
faith
in
the
sages
there
is
nothing.
However,
faith
is
an
argument
of
the
intellect.
That
is,
a
person
says,
“If
I
did
not
have
to
believe
above
reason,
but
everything
would
be
within
reason,
I
would
progress
without
any
breaks.”
But
Baal
HaSulam
said
that
in
truth,
the
will
to
receive—that
a
person
wants
to
work
only
for
his
own
sake,
like
a
beast—is
the
reason
why
he
cannot
believe.
This
means
that
when
a
person
claims
that
it
is
difficult
for
him
to
go
above
reason,
it
stems
from
self-love,
which
is
the
beast
in
man.
This
is
all
that
interferes.
For
this
reason,
two
forces
are
required,
the
mind
and
the
heart,
as
it
is
written,
“As
an
ox
to
the
burden
and
as
a
donkey
to
the
load.”
Hence,
if
we
correct
the
field,
meaning
Malchut,
who
is
called
“will
to
receive
for
oneself,”
whether
in
mind
or
in
heart,
it
is
called
“the
field
that
the
Lord
has
blessed,”
which
was
said
about
Jacob.
And
likewise,
it
is
written
about
Isaac,
“And
Isaac
went
out
to
stroll
in
the
field,”
which
is
the
correction
of
Malchut.
But
Esau,
who
is
called
“a
man
of
the
field,”
in
the
action,
it
seems
as
though
he
is
going
to
correct
the
field,
but
in
the
intention,
which
is
called
“in
order
to
bestow,”
which
is
the
whole
correction
of
Malchut,
there
is
room
for
one
to
deceive
oneself,
since
this
is
something
that
is
given
to
the
heart,
and
it
is
not
apparent
from
the
outside
that
it
is
possible
to
monitor.
This
is
not
so
with
actions,
which
are
revealed
outwards,
a
person
can
check
whether
or
not
he
is
deceiving
himself.
This
is
why
The
Zohar
interprets,
“And
Esau
said
that
he
was
in
the
field
in
order
to
pray,
like
Isaac,”
as
it
is
written,
“And
Isaac
went
out
to
stroll
in
the
field,
and
hunting,
and
he
deceived
Isaac.”
This
means
that
he
went
into
the
field
in
order
to
pray,
meaning
he
entered
the
field
in
order
to
correct
it,
like
Isaac,
but
“hunting,”
meaning
that
he
hunted,
like
Nimrod,
who
misled
people’s
minds
to
rebel
against
the
Creator.
By
this,
Esau
misled
himself,
as
well,
and
from
this
extends
the
robbing,
too,
as
it
says,
“to
rob
people.”
This
is
as
our
sages
said
about
Adam
HaRishon.
They
said
that
he
was
a
thief
in
that
he
ate
from
the
tree
of
knowledge,
meaning
took
it
out
from
the
singular
authority,
meaning
the
authority
of
the
Creator.
In
other
words,
everything
must
be
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
and
by
eating
from
the
tree
of
knowledge,
he
fell
into
his
own
authority,
meaning
wanted
to
receive
everything
for
his
own
sake.
It
is
likewise
with
Esau,
who
entered
the
field,
meaning
to
correct
Malchut.
Externally,
it
did
not
show
that
he
was
not
working
in
order
to
bestow.
Externally,
Esau
said
as
it
is
written,
that
he
entered
in
order
to
pray,
like
Isaac,
meaning
to
correct
the
field,
which
is
Malchut.
Yet,
he
deceived
himself,
meaning
that
the
intention
that
should
have
been
for
the
singular
authority,
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
was
“in
order
to
rob
people.”
That
is,
as
Adam
HaRishon
stole
and
was
a
thief,
so
did
Esau
do
everything
for
his
own
sake.
This
is
called
“robbing
people.”
Therefore,
a
person
who
begins
to
do
the
holy
work,
meaning
to
turn
everything
into
Kedusha,
must
be
careful
with
the
externality,
so
he
does
not
deceive
himself
while
performing
the
actions,
which
is
work
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake].
He
must
tell
his
body,
“I
am
engaging
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
Lo
Lishma,
and
by
this
I
want
to
come
to
aim
Lishma
[for
Her
sake].”
He
believes
in
the
words
of
our
sages,
who
said,
“One
should
always
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
Lo
Lishma,
and
from
Lo
Lishma,”
I
want
to
come
to
Lishma.
He
believes
with
faith
in
the
sages,
who
said,
“The
light
in
it
reforms
him,”
and
he
will
be
rewarded
with
it.