Why
Is
the
Torah
Called
“Middle
Line”
in
the
Work?-2
Article
No.
19,
1990
It
is
written
in
The
Zohar
(Yitro,
Item
293),
“The
Tanna
Rabbi
Yehuda
says,
‘The
Torah
was
given
on
the
side
of
Gevura.’
Rabbi
Yosi
said,
‘Thus,
the
Torah
is
on
the
left
side.’
He
told
him,
‘She
returned
to
the
right,
as
it
is
written,
‘On
his
right,
a
fiery
law
unto
them.’
And
it
is
written,
‘Your
right,
O
Lord,
glorious
in
power.’’
Thus,
we
find
that
left
is
included
in
the
right,
as
it
is
written,
‘On
his
right,
a
fiery
law,’
and
the
right
in
the
left,
as
it
is
written,
‘Your
right,
O
Lord,
glorious
in
power.’
Thus,
Gevura,
which
is
left,
is
included
in
the
right.”
It
follows
that
the
Torah
is
the
middle
line,
as
it
includes
both
lines—right
and
left.
It
is
also
written
(Item
235),
“On
the
third
month,
on
this
month,
Uriel
governs,
since
Nissan,
Iyar,
Sivan
correspond
to
HGT—Michael
governs
Hesed,
Gabriel
on
Gevura,
and
Uriel
on
Tifferet.
And
this
is
the
meaning
of
“A
whole
man,”
who
is
called
Jacob,
who
is
Tifferet.
Also,
“Whole”
is
from
the
word
“wholeness.”
It
is
written
(Item
242),
“And
was
given
on
the
third
month,
to
the
third
people,
who
were
included
in
three
degrees,
meaning
three
patriarchs,
the
triple
Torah,
which
is
Torah
[Pentateuch],
Prophets,
and
Hagiographa,
and
it
is
all
one.”
Thus,
the
Torah
is
considered
the
middle
line.
It
is
also
written
(Item
296),
“‘And
the
whole
people
saw
the
voices.’
It
asks,
the
writing
says,
‘Saw,’
but
it
should
have
said,
‘Heard.’
He
replies,
‘So
we
learned.
These
voices
were
engraved
in
darkness,
cloud,
and
mist,
and
they
appear
in
them
as
a
body
appears.’”
We
should
understand
what
it
means
to
us
in
the
work
that
the
Torah
consists
of
right
and
left.
Also,
what
does
it
mean
that
the
Torah
was
given
on
the
third,
who
is
Jacob,
a
whole
man,
who
is
called
“Wholeness.”
And
what
does
it
mean
that
they
were
engraved
in
darkness,
cloud,
and
mist,
which
is
the
body,
where
the
voices
are
engraved.
It
is
known
that
in
the
order
of
the
work,
first
one
must
take
upon
oneself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
and
then
he
should
learn
Torah.
This
is
so
because
if
he
does
not
have
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
we
should
ask,
“Whose
Torah
is
he
learning?”
because
first,
one
must
believe
in
the
Giver
of
the
Torah,
and
then
he
can
observe
the
Torah.
Thus,
the
kingdom
of
heaven
is
called
Assiya
[action],
meaning
that
he
takes
upon
himself
to
go
above
reason.
In
other
words,
although
one’s
reason
may
come
to
him
with
many
questions,
he
answers
them,
“You
are
asking
me
questions
within
reason,
and
I’m
going
above
reason,
from
a
place
where
reason
cannot
reach,
attain,
or
understand,
which
is
called
‘faith.’
Thus,
there
is
no
place
to
all
the
questions
you
are
asking
me.”
This
is
called
“right,”
that
he
believes
that
the
Creator
watches
over
the
world
as
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
Although
when
he
looks
at
the
world,
he
has
many
questions,
he
goes
above
reason
and
says,
“They
have
eyes
and
see
not.”
Instead,
he
thanks
and
praises
the
King
for
giving
everyone
only
good.
This
is
called
“right,”
Hesed,
meaning
that
the
guidance
of
the
world
is
in
Hesed
[grace/mercy].
That
is,
the
Creator
leads
the
world
only
with
Hassadim
[mercies].
And
he
says
about
that,
“I
will
bless
You
every
day.”
However,
there
is
an
evil
Yetzer
[inclination]
in
a
person.
Baal
HaSulam
interpreted
it
as
being
from
the
word
Tziur
[drawing].
In
other
words,
it
shows
a
person
bad
images
of
the
guidance
of
the
Creator,
of
how
the
Creator
is
behaving
with
the
world.
It
also
gives
an
image
of
the
lowliness
of
the
work
in
general,
which
is
called
“Shechina
[Divinity]
in
the
dust.”
Thus,
how
can
one
overcome
and
walk
on
the
path
of
the
“right,”
called
“wholeness,”
and
be
able
to
say,
“Only
goodness
and
mercy
shall
follow
me
all
the
days
of
my
life”?
Our
sages
said
about
that,
“The
Creator
said,
‘I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.’”
It
follows
that
the
Torah
that
he
engages
in
is
so
it
will
be
a
spice,
meaning
that
through
the
Torah,
he
will
be
able
to
overcome
the
evil
and
walk
on
the
path
of
Hesed,
called
“right.”
In
that
regard,
it
can
be
said
that
the
Torah
was
given
on
the
right,
named
after
the
action.
In
other
words,
it
qualifies
a
person
to
walk
on
the
right
path.
This
is
called
“the
first
discernment
in
the
Torah,”
where
“right”
is
called
“wholeness,”
when
he
feels
no
lack
at
all.
The
second
discernment
in
the
Torah
is
the
left,
called
Hochma
[wisdom].
This
is
considered
the
wisdom
of
the
Torah.
In
other
words,
once
he
already
has
the
right,
which
is
Hesed,
meaning
faith
above
reason,
and
he
believes
in
the
Creator—that
the
Creator
leads
the
world
as
The
Good
Who
Does
Good—he
is
rewarded
with
the
giver
of
the
Torah,
called
“the
wisdom
of
the
Torah,”
as
it
is
written,
“The
Torah
comes
out
of
wisdom.”
In
other
words,
once
he
believes
that
there
is
the
giver
of
the
Torah,
this
is
the
time
to
be
rewarded
with
the
Torah.
It
is
known
that
the
Torah
comes
out
of
Hochma,
and
this
discernment
can
be
called
“left,”
meaning
it
comes
after
a
person
has
been
rewarded
with
the
right,
which
is
faith
above
reason,
called
“covered
Hassadim.”
However,
when
speaking
of
a
time
when
there
is
already
disclosed
Hochma,
called
“left,”
there
is
another
issue,
called
“middle
line,”
which
means
that
the
Hochma
must
be
clothed
in
Hassadim.
Prior
to
that,
there
is
a
big
distance
between
Hassadim,
which
are
called
“right,”
and
Hochma,
regarded
as
“left.”
It
is
as
our
sages
said,
“One
who
learns
Torah
Lishma
[for
Her
sake]”
means
that
he
is
learning
Torah
with
the
aim
to
be
rewarded
with
Lishma
through
the
Torah,
that
his
intention
in
the
Torah
that
he
is
learning
is
to
achieve
the
degree
of
Hesed,
meaning
to
have
the
power
to
do
everything
in
order
to
bestow,
which
is
called
Hesed.
It
is
as
our
sages
said,
“Who
is
a
Hassid
[pious/follower]?
He
who
says,
‘What’s
mine
is
yours
and
what’s
yours
is
yours,’
who
wants
nothing
for
himself.”
Afterwards,
when
he
is
rewarded
with
Hesed
through
the
Torah,
“He
is
shown
the
secrets
of
the
Torah”
(Avot,
Chapter
6:1).
This
is
already
called
“left.”
At
that
time,
this
left
must
be
incorporated
in
the
right.
This
means
that
the
light
of
Hochma,
which
is
left,
is
clothed
in
Hassadim,
which
is
right,
and
this
is
called
Torah,
the
middle
line
between
the
right
and
the
left.
This
is
why
it
is
considered
that
the
Torah
consists
of
Hesed
and
Gevura.
It
follows
that
the
first
state
is
when
he
wants
to
reach
the
degree
of
Lishma,
meaning
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
considered
that
a
person
is
in
exile,
governed
by
the
evil
inclination.
At
that
time
he
needs
the
Torah.
This
is
called
“learning
Torah
in
order
to
achieve
Lishma,”
meaning
that
he
believes
in
what
our
sages
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
It
is
called
“Torah
in
the
form
of
right,”
meaning
Hesed,
in
order
to
bestow.
And
when
he
has
already
attained
the
degree
of
Lishma,
a
second
state
arises
and
he
is
rewarded
with
the
revelation
of
the
secrets
of
the
Torah.
Thus,
after
he
has
been
rewarded
with
the
Giver,
meaning
that
there
is
a
Giver
in
the
world,
there
comes
a
state
where
the
Giver
gives
the
person
the
Torah.
But
there
is
more.
He
needs
a
third
state,
called
“Hochma
having
to
be
included
in
the
right,”
which
is
called
Hassadim.
This
is
so
because
the
Torah
comes
out
of
Hochma,
which
means
that
the
Torah
comes
out
of
Hochma
and
must
be
clothed
in
light
of
Hassadim.
Also,
Hassadim
are
called
“action,”
and
Torah
is
called
“Hochma.”
One’s
Torah
must
not
be
more
than
one’s
actions.
Our
sages
said
about
that
(Avot,
Chapter
3:12),
“Anyone
whose
Hochma
[wisdom/knowledge]
is
greater
than
his
actions,
his
Hochma
does
not
persist.”
It
also
follows
that
the
Torah,
which
is
called
Hochma,
illuminates
as
the
middle
line.
This
is
considered
that
the
Torah
consists
of
Hesed
and
Gevura,
that
she
contains
both.
There
are
two
discernments
to
make
in
regard
to
one
who
is
learning
Torah
Lishma:
1)
He
sees
that
he
has
no
connection
with
doing
things
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Instead,
he
sees
that
he
is
under
the
governance
of
the
evil
inclination,
which
claims,
“She
is
all
mine.”
It
does
not
let
him
do
anything
in
order
to
bestow.
Rather,
where
he
sees
that
there
will
be
self-benefit,
he
can
work.
But
if
he
does
not
see
any
benefit
for
his
will
to
receive,
he
has
no
energy
to
work.
Put
differently,
he
measures
according
to
what
his
will
to
receive
will
gain.
When
a
person
tries
to
emerge
from
its
dominion,
as
it
is
written
in
the
essay,
“What
Does
It
Mean
that
the
Speaking
of
Shabbat
Will
Not
Be
as
the
Speaking
of
a
Weekday,
in
the
Work?”
(Beshalach,
Article
No.
18,
Tav-Shin-Nun,
1989/90),
“To
the
extent
that
one
tries
to
emerge
from
enslavement
and
exile,
he
sees
that
he
is
placed
in
darkness,
cloud,
and
mist.”
In
that
state,
he
sees
the
opposite
of
what
our
sages
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
In
other
words,
the
evil
in
him
has
grown
too
strong,
meaning
he
never
dreamed
that
if
he
began
to
work,
toil,
and
do
good
deeds
with
the
aim
to
achieve
Lishma,
that
now
he
sees
the
opposite—that
he
never
thought
he
could
fall
into
such
baseness.
Indeed,
this
came
to
him
from
the
state
of,
“For
I
have
hardened
his
heart.”
And
although
the
reason
he
is
now
in
lowliness
comes
from
above,
in
the
sensation
of
the
lower
one,
who
feels
in
the
dark—that
nothing
shines
for
him—he
is
tasting
the
taste
of
exile,
even
though
it
is
coming
from
above.
With
the
above
said,
we
can
interpret
what
we
asked,
“What
does
it
mean
that
The
Zohar
says,
‘These
voices
were
engraved
in
darkness,
cloud,
and
mist,
and
they
appear
in
them.’”
We
should
interpret
that
these
voices
are
the
voice
of
the
Torah,
which
comes
to
give
strength
so
one
can
act
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
called
“the
second
discernment
of
Lishma,”
meaning
darkness,
cloud,
and
mist,
which
is
the
need
and
the
Kli
[vessel]
to
obtain
the
voice
of
Torah.
Two
discernments
come
from
above,
which
is
called
Lishma:
1)
The
Kli,
meaning
the
darkness.
This
is
the
need—when
he
can
no
longer
tolerate
the
darkness.
2)
The
light,
meaning
the
power.
This
is
the
voice,
the
voice
of
Torah,
which
gives
him
the
strength
to
aim
in
order
to
bestow,
the
light
that
reforms
him.
This
is,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
In
other
words,
the
voice
of
Torah
“spices”
the
evil
inclination
with
the
ability
to
intend
Lishma.
This
is
why
it
is
written,
“These
voices
were
engraved
in
darkness,
cloud,
and
mist,
and
they
appear
in
them
as
it
appears
in
a
body.”
This
means
that
if
they
previously
had
Kelim
[vessels],
which
are
called
“darkness”
and
“a
place
of
lack,”
then
the
voice
of
Torah
could
enter
the
darkness
and
illuminate.
But
when
there
is
no
dark
place,
meaning
when
he
still
does
not
feel
the
deficiency
of
not
being
able
to
do
anything
in
order
to
bestow,
it
cannot
be
said
that
the
light
comes
and
illuminates,
since
the
light
has
nowhere
to
enter.
This
belongs
to
the
discernment
of
right,
meaning
Hesed.
That
is,
he
has
already
obtained
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
and
Hesed
is
called
“bestowal,”
when
he
acts
mercifully
with
others.
In
that
respect,
he
has
already
completed
the
Kelim.
Afterward
begins
the
third
discernment,
when
he
is
rewarded
with
the
secrets
of
the
Torah,
called
“left.”
Since
this
light
comes
in
vessels
of
reception,
it
must
certainly
be
in
order
to
bestow.
Yet,
even
though
he
has
already
been
rewarded
with
being
a
receiver
in
order
to
bestow,
it
is
still
considered
left,
since
the
correction
of
clothing
the
Hochma
in
Hassadim
is
missing
here.
Otherwise,
it
will
be,
“His
Hochma
is
greater
than
his
actions.”
Here
begins
the
matter
of
the
middle
line,
where
Hochma
is
clothed
in
Hassadim.
That
is,
the
left,
called
“vessels
of
reception
that
receive
Hochma,”
will
be
clothed
in
Hassadim.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“The
Torah
comes
from
the
right,
which
is
Hesed,
and
comes
to
the
left,
which
is
Gevura.
This
is
called
‘disclosure
of
Hochma.’”
However,
the
right
must
be
mingled
with
the
left,
and
the
left
with
the
right.
This
is
considered
that
the
Torah
is
called
“middle,”
meaning
comprising
Hochma
and
deeds,
as
we
said
that
his
Hochma
must
not
be
more
than
his
deeds.
Baal
HaSulam
explained
the
verse,
“And
the
whole
people
saw
the
voices.”
It
is
known
that
“voice”
means
Hesed,
which
comes
from
“hearing,”
which
is
called
Bina.
“Seeing”
is
called
Hochma,
as
it
is
written,
“The
eyes
of
the
congregation
are
the
sages
of
the
congregation.”
Also,
Hochma
that
shines
in
vessels
of
reception
requires
keeping,
so
as
not
to
receive
them
in
order
to
receive.
Hence,
clothing
of
Hassadim
must
be
extended
to
it,
called
“voice”
and
“hearing.”
Therefore,
the
words,
“And
the
whole
people
saw
the
voices”
mean
that
they
saw
that
they
received
the
light
of
Hochma
when
it
is
clothed
in
a
voice,
in
Hesed.
This
is
why
it
is
written
that
they
saw
the
Hochma
when
it
was
clothed
in
voices,
meaning
in
Hassadim.
This
is
called
“middle
line,”
comprising
Hochma
and
Hassadim.
With
the
above
said,
we
will
understand
what
we
asked,
“What
does
it
mean
that
he
says
that
the
Torah
was
given
on
the
third,
which
is
Tifferet,
which
is
the
meaning
of
“A
whole
man,”
Jacob,
who
is
Tifferet,
and
whole
means
wholeness?
We
asked,
“What
is
wholeness,
that
Jacob
is
called
‘A
whole
man?’”
The
answer
is
that
the
Torah
is
the
middle
line
and
Jacob
is
the
middle
line,
comprising
right
and
left,
hence
there
is
wholeness.
In
other
words,
there
is
a
mingling
of
Hochma
and
Hassadim.
In
the
work,
this
means
that
a
person
should
consist
of
both
actions—called
Hassadim—and
of
Hochma,
since
it
is
forbidden
for
his
Hochma
to
be
more
than
his
deeds.
However,
one
should
believe
that
“there
is
none
else
besides
Him,”
that
the
Creator
does
everything.
In
other
words,
as
Baal
HaSulam
said,
before
each
action
one
should
say
that
man
was
given
only
choice,
since
“If
I
am
not
for
me,
who
is
for
me?”
Thus,
everything
depends
on
one’s
choice.
However,
after
the
fact,
one
should
say
that
everything
is
private
Providence,
and
that
one
does
nothing
on
his
own.
We
should
interpret
this
as
the
Ari
writes
(Talmud
Eser
Sefirot,
Part
13,
Item
152),
“There
is
the
matter
of
Se’arot
[hairs],
which
cover
the
light,
so
they
do
not
enjoy
the
light
as
long
as
they
are
unworthy,
since
they
might
blemish.”
The
thing
is
that
we
must
believe
that
the
Creator
gave
us
a
desire
and
yearning
to
do
good
deeds.
And
as
long
as
one
is
unworthy,
he
must
not
feel
that
the
Creator
compels
him
to
do
good
deeds.
This
is
why
the
Creator
hides
Himself
in
dresses,
and
this
dressing
is
called
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake].
In
other
words,
sometimes
the
Creator
hides
Himself
in
a
clothing
of
friends.
For
example,
there
is
a
situation
where
a
person
does
not
want
to
get
up
and
learn
before
dawn.
So
the
Creator
hides
Himself
in
a
dressing
of
friends
and
he
gets
out
of
bed,
even
though
he
is
tired,
since
a
thought
came
to
his
mind
that
it
is
not
nice
to
the
friends
that
they
all
come
to
learn,
and
he
is
not,
since
then
everyone
will
look
at
his
lowliness.
Hence,
he
gets
up
and
goes
to
the
seminary
and
learns.
It
follows
that
he
does
not
have
the
energy
to
get
out
of
bed
because
of
the
commandment
of
the
Creator,
so
the
Creator
does
not
force
him
to
go
to
the
seminary,
since
if
this
were
the
reason,
he
would
be
lying
in
bed.
But
the
friends
do
obligate
him.
And
similar
to
this
example
are
all
other
things
when
a
person
acts
Lo
Lishma.
Although
there
are
many
degrees
in
Lo
Lishma,
we
will
speak
of
this
example.
Here
we
should
look
at
the
person
who
is
going
to
learn
and
to
observe
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds]
not
because
the
Creator
commits
him.
In
other
words,
if
it
were
because
of
the
commandment
of
the
Creator,
he
would
not
have
the
strength
to
overcome
the
body
and
to
compel
it
to
do
good
deeds.
However,
because
of
people,
he
does
have
the
strength
to
do
good
deeds.
Thus
we
see
what
importance
there
can
be
in
the
Lo
Lishma.
Yet,
one
must
believe
as
was
said
above,
that
“there
is
none
else
besides
Him,”
meaning
that
it
is
the
Creator
who
compels
him
to
do
the
good
deeds,
but
since
he
is
still
unworthy
of
knowing
that
it
is
the
Creator
who
commits
him,
the
Creator
dresses
Himself
in
dresses
of
flesh
and
blood,
through
which
the
Creator
performs
these
actions.
Thus,
the
Creator
acts
in
the
form
of
Achoraim
[posterior].
In
other
words,
the
person
sees
people’s
faces
but
he
should
believe
that
behind
the
faces
stands
the
Creator
and
performs
these
actions.
That
is,
behind
the
man
stands
the
Creator
and
compels
him
to
do
the
deeds
that
the
Creator
wants.
It
follows
that
the
Creator
does
everything,
but
the
person
regards
what
he
sees
and
not
what
he
should
believe.
For
this
reason,
a
person
says
that
he
is
doing
the
deeds
Lo
Lishma,
as
with
the
example
of
the
friends
who
commit
him.
Also,
it
does
not
have
to
be
friends.
Rather,
everyone
has
his
own
external
clothing,
which
suits
him.
Hence,
when,
for
instance,
one
comes
to
the
synagogue
because
the
friends
committed
him
to
come,
he
says,
“The
Creator
was
the
reason
that
he
went
to
learn,
but
the
Creator
only
dressed
in
a
clothing
of
friends.”
Thus,
now
he
thanks
the
Creator
for
being
the
reason.
It
follows
that
when
a
person
did
the
deed
Lo
Lishma,
when
the
Creator
was
not
the
reason
that
compelled
him
to
perform
the
Mitzva
[singular
of
Mitzvot],
but
he
acted
because,
for
instance,
the
friends
ordered
him
and
he
had
to
obey,
one
must
believe
that
he
did
this
because
the
Creator
commanded
him
to
observe
the
Mitzva,
and
he
had
to
obey
what
the
Creator
commanded
him
to
do.
However,
the
Creator
hid
Himself
in
a
clothing
of
Lo
Lishma,
such
as
the
friends,
so
that
through
this
clothing
he
would
think
that
he
must
obey
the
voice
of
Lo
Lishma.
But
in
truth,
one
must
believe
that
it
was
all
the
Creator’s
doing.
Thus,
after
he
performs
the
Mitzva,
he
should
say
that
it
was
the
Creator
who
acted
behind
the
clothing
of
Lo
Lishma.
It
follows
that
then
one
should
thank
the
Creator
for
giving
him
the
desire
to
observe
His
commandments
through
this
clothing.
With
the
above
said
we
can
understand
the
great
importance
of
Lo
Lishma.
That
is,
it
is
not
as
one
thinks—that
he
does
everything
for
the
Lo
Lishma.
Rather,
he
is
doing
everything
because
the
Creator
commanded
him,
except
he
was
still
not
rewarded
with
feeling
that
the
Creator
is
actually
the
commander.
For
this
reason,
a
person
thinks
that
the
Lo
Lishma
is
the
commander,
and
hence
the
act
is
not
so
important
in
his
eyes.
However,
if
he
believes
that
“there
is
none
else
besides
Him,”
as
was
written
in
previous
articles
in
this
portion,
then
in
truth,
he
is
observing
the
commandments
of
the
Creator,
and
he
should
appreciate
his
actions
in
Lo
Lishma.
And
one’s
imagination
that
he
is
only
observing
an
act
in
Lo
Lishma
is
only
because
he
was
not
rewarded
yet
with
feeling
that
he
is
observing
the
King’s
commandment
and
that
he
is
serving
the
King.
Hence,
if
he
believes
that
the
Lo
Lishma
is
truly
the
Creator
committing
him
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
then
he
can
give
thanks
to
the
Creator
for
dressing
in
a
clothing
of
Lo
Lishma.
And
from
this,
one
can
come
to
appreciate
the
importance
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot
even
Lo
Lishma.
Our
sages
said
about
this:
“And
they
collect
from
a
person
knowingly,”
meaning
Lishma,
and
“Unknowingly,”
meaning
Lo
Lishma.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
that
the
Se’arot
[hairs],
meaning
the
Lo
Lishma,
cover
the
light,
so
they
will
not
be
fed
by
the
light
as
long
as
they
are
unfit
for
it.
In
other
words,
the
Se’arot
are
a
clothing,
and
under
that
clothing,
the
light
stands
and
shines.
But
in
the
meantime,
the
light
is
covered.