What
Does,
“Everything
that
Comes
to
Be
a
Burnt
Offering
Is
Male,”
Mean
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
24,
1990
It
is
written
in
The
Zohar
(VaYikra,
Item
70),
“‘If
his
offering
is
a
burnt
offering.’
Rabbi
Hiya
started,
‘For
My
thoughts
are
not
your
thoughts.’
The
thought
of
the
Creator
is
superior
and
the
beginning
of
everything.
From
that
thought,
ways
and
paths
extend
to
devise
the
holy
name.
And
from
that
thought
emanate
the
written
Torah
and
the
oral
Torah,
which
is
Malchut.
Man’s
thought
is
the
beginning
of
everything.
Ways
and
paths
extend
from
that
thought
to
divert
one’s
ways
in
this
world
and
in
the
next
world,
and
from
that
thought
emerges
the
filth
of
the
evil
inclination
to
harm
oneself
and
all
others.
Also,
transgressions,
sins,
and
evil
doing
come
from
that
thought,
as
well
as
idolatry,
incest,
and
bloodshed.
It
is
written
about
that,
‘For
My
thoughts
are
not
your
thoughts.’”
In
Item
73,
it
says,
“Everything
that
comes
to
be
a
burnt
offering
is
male
and
not
female,
since
the
burnt
offering
rises
[“rises”
is
spelled
the
same
as
“offering”
in
Hebrew]
over
the
heart,
meaning
on
the
thought,
which
is
above
the
heart,
since
the
thought,
which
is
Hochma
[wisdom],
is
regarded
as
male
and
the
heart
as
female,
meaning
Bina
[understanding],
as
in
‘the
heart
understands.’”
We
should
understand
what
is
“the
thought
of
the
Creator”
in
the
work,
and
what
is
“the
thought
of
man”
in
the
work,
of
which
the
writing
says,
according
to
what
is
written
in
The
Zohar,
“for
My
thoughts
are
not
your
thoughts.”
We
should
also
understand
what
it
implies
to
us
when
he
says,
“a
burnt
offering
is
male,”
since
it
atones
for
the
thought,
which
is
male.
What
does
this
imply
to
us
in
the
work,
so
we
will
know
how
to
behave?
It
is
known
that
although
the
purpose
of
creation
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
for
the
creatures
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure,
in
order
to
bring
to
light
the
perfection
of
His
deeds,
a
correction
was
done,
called
“Tzimtzum
[restriction]
and
concealment,”
on
the
delight
and
pleasure.
Since
all
creations
were
created
with
a
desire
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure,
it
follows
that
man
cannot
do
anything
unless
he
knows
he
can
receive
delight
and
pleasure
from
that
thing.
Otherwise,
he
cannot
make
a
single
move,
since
it
will
contradict
the
root
of
the
creatures.
Sometimes,
when
a
person
does
act,
although
he
derives
no
pleasure
from
these
actions,
it
is
because
he
knows
that
by
this
he
will
receive
delight
and
pleasure
later,
which
he
will
be
given
in
return
for
his
work,
meaning
for
the
actions
he
took
and
in
which
he
took
no
pleasure.
Only
because
of
the
pleasure
he
will
receive
after
the
work,
it
gives
him
strength
to
do
the
work
from
which
he
does
not
enjoy
at
the
moment,
but
will
in
the
future.
Yet,
if
the
reward
is
not
certain,
he
has
no
power
to
work
when
he
does
not
enjoy
it.
For
example,
a
mother
feeds
her
children.
Although
it
is
work
to
buy
the
groceries
and
prepare
them
for
eating,
and
she
also
feeds
them,
we
should
discern
two
actions
here:
1)
actions
she
would
give
up,
2)
actions
she
does
not
intend
to
give
up.
Buying
groceries
and
preparing
them
for
eating,
she
would
give
up.
We
see
that
among
the
rich,
there
are
people
who
buy
the
groceries
and
there
is
a
cook.
This
shows
that
the
mother
can
do
without
them.
But
the
mother
looking
at
the
children
eating,
although
while
looking
at
the
children
eat,
the
mother
does
not
eat,
in
that
state
she
gives
up
on
herself
but
she
enjoys
seeing
the
children
eat.
It
will
never
occur
to
the
mother
to
think,
“What
do
I
get
out
of
watching
the
little
children
eat?”
She
does
not
want
“the
next
world”
for
this,
or
“this
world,”
since
she
derives
pleasure
from
this
act,
so
she
needs
no
reward.
Hence,
if
the
taste
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds]
were
revealed,
as
our
sages
said,
that
the
613
Mitzvot
are
called
“613
Pekudin
[Aramaic:
deposits],”
as
is
explained
in
the
Sulam
[Ladder
commentary
on
The
Zohar],
in
each
Mitzva
[singular
of
Mitzvot]
there
is
a
special
light
that
shines
in
it,
if
this
were
revealed
and
they
would
not
have
to
believe
it,
the
whole
world
would
engage
only
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
However,
since
a
concealment
was
placed
on
the
delight
and
pleasure,
and
it
is
not
revealed
before
a
person
is
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal,
there
are
disturbances
from
the
body,
which
cry
out,
“Why
do
you
want
to
go
against
the
nature
with
which
the
Creator
created
man,
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure?
You
want
to
give
this
up?”
Although
a
person
promises
the
body
that
it
will
be
rewarded,
in
that
it
observes
the
commandments
of
the
Torah,
meaning
it
will
be
rewarded,
the
body
seemingly
asks,
“In
what
Kelim
[vessels]
will
I
receive
reward,
in
vessels
of
reception
or
in
vessels
of
bestowal?”
At
that
time,
if
the
person
says
to
it,
“You
will
receive
the
reward
in
vessels
of
reception,”
the
body
asks,
“Why
did
the
Creator
give
us
so
many
commandments?
After
all,
He
is
a
merciful
Father
and
is
good
and
does
good,
so
why
does
He
not
give
us
all
the
reward
He
wants
to
give
for
observing
all
613
Mitzvot
in
return
for
observing
half
of
the
613
Mitzvot?
Why
does
He
mind
if
He
gives
the
full
reward
for
observing
a
small
part
of
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot?
Also,
why
do
we
need
to
work
so
hard
to
observe
the
full
613
Mitzvot?”
This
is
similar
to
the
allegory
about
the
mother
who
feeds
her
children
with
food
and
drink,
but
she
must
buy
the
groceries
and
cook
them
and
so
forth,
which
she
would
forego.
What
she
does
not
forego
is
that
she
sees
and
looks
at
how
her
children
eat.
The
little
children,
she
herself
feeds
and
enjoys
it.
She
does
not
want
to
relinquish
this
work,
since
she
enjoys
the
work
itself
and
does
not
need
any
reward
for
this
work.
We
therefore
have
two
things:
1)
It
is
not
so
far
from
the
intellect.
That
is,
one
who
wants
to
receive
reward
in
vessels
of
reception
but
asks
why
the
Creator
wants
us
to
observe
so
many
Mitzvot,
meaning
that
He
should
have
given
all
the
reward
He
wants
to
give
for
observing
half
of
the
613
Mitzvot,
since
there
is
no
pleasure
in
the
work
he
is
doing,
but
rather
in
the
reward
he
will
receive
afterward,
this
is
regarded
as
“receiving
reward
in
the
next
world.”
That
is,
during
the
work,
he
feels
no
pleasure,
and
the
only
reason
he
wants
to
work
is
for
the
reward
that
will
come
later.
2)
We
can
discern
in
the
reward
that
he
wants
to
receive
the
reward
in
vessels
of
bestowal,
meaning
to
have
love
of
the
Creator
and
to
feel
that
he
is
serving
the
King.
It
follows
that
he
hopes
to
receive
a
reward,
and
he
will
receive
this
reward
later,
in
Kelim
[vessels]
that
are
in
this
world,
meaning
in
the
present.
Then,
when
he
is
rewarded
with
613
Pekudin,
when
he
receives
each
Mitzva
in
the
manner
of
“this
world,”
he
does
not
say,
“Why
were
we
given
so
many
Mitzvot?”
Likewise,
in
the
corporeal
world
there
is
no
one
who
is
angry
at
the
Creator
for
preparing
for
us
so
many
corporeal
pleasures.
In
the
same
way,
when
he
is
rewarded
with
613
Pekudin,
at
that
time
he
feels
in
each
Mitzva
a
different
taste
and
does
not
intend
to
relinquish
it.
But
there
is
a
big
flaw
here
while
working
in
the
form
of
613
Eitin
[Aramaic:
counsels],
meaning
when
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
are
only
“tips”
that
concern
how
to
receive
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
since
the
body’s
resistance
is
intense
because
it
is
completely
against
his
will
to
receive
with
which
man
was
born.
It
follows
that
they
(work
and
reward)
are
two
separate
discernments.
When
the
reward
is
in
vessels
of
reception,
he
has
fuel
because
he
can
receive
reward.
However,
he
always
has
exertion
since
the
reward
he
receives
is
in
“the
next
world,”
meaning
not
now
but
some
other
time,
when
he
comes,
he
will
receive
reward.
In
other
words,
he
looks
at
the
reward
he
will
receive
later.
It
follows
that
he
would
be
happier
if
he
received
a
greater
reward
for
less
work,
since
he
is
looking
at
the
reward.
It
turns
out
that
he
always
has
exertion
because
to
him,
the
reward
is
the
reason
that
compels
him
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
This
is
similar
to
the
corporeal
world:
When
we
are
paid
for
the
work,
the
work
is
only
a
means.
If
he
could
receive
the
reward
for
less
work,
certainly,
each
one
would
choose
a
place
that
gives
more
reward
for
less
work.
Conversely,
when
a
person
is
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal,
the
concealment
and
Tzimtzum
that
were
placed
on
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
are
lifted
from
him
and
he
is
rewarded
with
613
Pekudin.
That
is,
in
each
Mitzva
that
he
performs,
he
obtains
the
taste
in
the
Mitzva.
It
follows
that
the
reward
is
in
this
world,
meaning
in
the
present
state
that
a
person
is
in.
Certainly,
it
cannot
be
said
that
a
person
should
relinquish
the
work,
since
the
work
itself
is
the
place
to
receive
the
reward.
It
follows
that
in
“vessels
of
bestowal,”
the
613
Mitzvot
are
considered
“rest,”
and
not
“work
and
labor.”
According
to
the
above,
we
should
interpret
what
The
Zohar
says
about
the
verse,
“for
My
thoughts
are
not
your
thoughts.”
We
asked,
What
does
this
imply
to
us
in
the
work
when
it
says
that
ways
and
paths
extend
from
the
thought
of
the
Creator
“to
devise
the
holy
name,”
whereas
from
the
thought
of
man
extend
“the
filth
of
the
evil
inclination
to
harm
oneself
and
all
others.
Also,
transgressions,
sins,
and
evil
doing
come
from
that
thought,
as
well
as
idolatry,
incest,
and
bloodshed.”
The
text
says
about
this,
“for
My
thoughts
are
not
your
thoughts.”
The
“thought
of
the
Creator”
refers
to
the
thought
of
creation,
which
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
That
is,
He
wants
only
to
bestow
abundance
upon
the
creatures.
For
this
reason,
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
that
He
has
given
us
to
do,
we
must
say
that
His
intention
is
not
that
we
will
give
Him
this
work
and
He
will
accept
it.
After
all,
His
desire
is
only
to
bestow.
This
is
why
he
says
that
from
the
thought
of
the
Creator
“ways
and
paths
extend
to
devise
the
holy
name.”
We
should
understand
the
meaning
of
“to
devise
the
holy
name.”
According
to
what
we
learn,
the
purpose
of
creation
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
It
follows
that
the
“holy
name”
of
the
Creator
is
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
Because
that
name
is
hidden
from
the
creatures
as
long
as
they
do
not
have
vessels
of
bestowal,
we
were
given
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
as
Eitin,
meaning
counsels
by
which
to
obtain
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
as
our
sages
said,
“The
light
in
it
reforms
him.”
It
follows
that
our
work
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
is
not
because
He
needs
us
to
observe
His
Mitzva.
Rather,
the
created
beings
observe
His
Mitzvot,
for
by
this
the
created
beings
correct
themselves
so
they
can
be
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“to
devise
the
holy
name,”
for
by
this,
each
one
will
feel
that
the
name
of
the
Creator
is
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
But
(from)
man’s
thoughts
extend
“the
filth
of
the
evil
inclination”
because
man,
who
is
a
“created
being,”
existence
from
absence,
thinks
only
about
how
to
receive
and
not
bestow.
Although
this
is
the
root
of
man,
concealment
and
Tzimtzum
were
placed
on
that
will
to
receive,
which
is
why
the
evil
inclination
extends
from
this
thought
in
man.
In
other
words,
when
a
person
must
perform
acts
of
bestowal
in
order
to
have
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
called
“equivalence
of
form,”
that
desire
depicts
to
a
person
depictions
that
he
will
suffer
by
giving
of
his
strength
to
others.
Therefore,
when
a
person
wants
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
with
the
aim
to
bestow
and
not
receive
anything
that
concerns
his
own
benefit,
this
thought
depicts
to
him
how
he
will
suffer.
With
that
power
of
depiction,
it
prevents
a
person
from
achieving
Dvekut
with
the
Creator.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words
“From
that
thought
emerges
the
filth
of
the
evil
inclination,”
as
Baal
HaSulam
said
about
what
our
sages
said,
“The
serpent
came
over
Eve
and
cast
filth
within
her.”
He
said
that
Zuhama
[filth]
is
Zu-Ma
[what
is
this?],
meaning
that
in
every
matter
of
Kedusha
[holiness],
the
serpent,
which
is
the
evil
inclination,
comes
and
says
to
a
person,
“What
is
this?”
meaning
“What
will
you
get
out
of
wanting
to
work
and
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
your
own
sake?”
It
follows
that
“for
My
thoughts
are
not
your
thoughts”
means
that
the
thought
of
the
Creator
is
to
bestow,
while
the
thought
of
man
is
only
to
receive.
Now
we
can
understand
what
we
asked,
What
does
it
imply
to
us
when
The
Zohar
says,
“a
burnt
offering
is
male,”
since
it
atones
for
the
thought,
which
is
male,
since
a
thought
is
Hochma
and
is
considered
male,
and
the
heart,
which
is
Bina
[understanding],
is
female,
as
in
“the
heart
understands.”
Our
sages
said,
“The
eye
sees
and
the
heart
covets.”
We
should
understand
what
the
“eye”
implies.
It
is
known
that
eyes
are
called
Hochma
[wisdom],
meaning
thought,
and
the
thought
is
considered
male.
It
is
said
about
it
in
The
Zohar
that
when
a
person
must
take
upon
himself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
this
faith
that
a
person
believes
is
called
“mind.”
That
thought
impacts
the
heart,
and
then
the
heart
begins
to
covet
this
thing
that
came
as
a
thought
in
his
mind.
In
that
sense,
the
eye
is
called
“a
thought.”
The
wisdom,
what
he
sees
and
likes,
is
what
he
gives
to
the
heart;
hence,
the
heart
covets
the
thing
that
is
in
the
mind.
According
to
the
above,
the
thought
of
the
Creator
is
to
bestow.
We
should
interpret
about
this
as
our
sages
said
(Avot,
Chapter
2:1),
“Know
what
is
above
you;
an
eye
that
sees.”
We
should
interpret
that
man
should
know
what
is
above
him,
meaning
what
is
above
his
thought,
that
there
is
the
thought
of
the
Creator
there,
which
is
called
“an
eye
that
sees.”
It
is
as
The
Zohar
says,
that
“eye”
is
called
“thought,”
and
thought
is
called
“wisdom,”
which
is
male.
As
we
learned,
the
light
of
Hochma
comes
from
the
Giver
to
the
receiver.
Hence,
man
must
resemble
the
“eye”
of
above
and
be
a
giver
to
the
Creator.
This
is
called
“equivalence
of
form,”
and
it
is
called
“faith
in
the
Creator.”
It
is
called
“mind,”
meaning
a
thought
that
man
should
be
in
equivalence
of
form
with
the
Creator.
This
is
as
it
is
written
in
the
essay,
“A
Speech
for
the
Completion
of
The
Zohar”:
“Similarly,
all
your
actions
will
be
to
bestow
and
to
benefit
others.
Thus,
you
will
equalize
your
form
with
the
form
of
the
qualities
of
the
Creator,
and
this
is
spiritual
Dvekut.
There
is
a
discernment
of
‘mind’
and
a
discernment
of
‘heart’
in
the
above-mentioned
equivalence
of
form.
The
engagement
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
bestow
contentment
upon
one’s
Maker
is
equivalence
of
form
in
the
mind.
This
is
because
the
Creator
does
not
think
of
Himself—whether
He
exists
or
whether
He
watches
over
His
creations,
and
other
such
doubts.
Similarly,
one
who
wishes
to
achieve
equivalence
of
form
must
not
think
of
these
things,
as
well,
when
it
is
clear
that
the
Creator
does
not
think
of
them,
since
there
is
no
greater
disparity
of
form
than
that.
Hence,
anyone
who
thinks
of
such
matters
is
certainly
separated
from
Him.”
It
therefore
follows
that
if
a
person
believes
in
“Know
what
is
above
you;
the
eye
sees,”
“know”
means
Daat
[knowledge],
and
Daat
means
connection
and
Dvekut.
“What
is
above
you,
an
eye
that
sees,”
meaning
that
the
eye
of
the
Creator,
which
is
Hochma
[wisdom],
and
“know”
refers
to
Dvekut,
when
a
person
adheres
to
“above
you,”
which
is
the
“mind,”
meaning
faith.
According
to
the
rule,
“The
eye
sees
and
the
heart
covets,”
meaning
that
the
thought,
which
is
“male,”
gives
to
the
heart,
which
is
“coveting
and
desire,”
then
as
the
thought,
which
is
“faith,”
has
equivalence
with
the
Creator,
the
heart,
too,
which
is
the
will
to
receive,
does
not
want
to
use
its
own
quality,
which
is
reception,
but
rather
to
be
influenced
by
the
thought
and
wants
to
be
a
giver
like
the
thought.
It
follows
that
if
a
person
is
complete
with
equivalence
of
form
in
the
“mind,”
it
influences
the
heart,
so
the
heart,
too,
will
be
as
in
“All
your
works
will
be
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.”
This
is
as
we
explained
about
what
our
sages
said,
“Anyone
in
whom
there
is
fear
of
heaven,
his
words
are
heard.”
This
means
that
anyone
who
assumes
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
which
is
faith,
the
body
hears
his
words,
meaning
that
the
whole
body
obeys
his
voice
for
the
above
reason
that
if
the
thought
is
faith
above
reason,
equivalence
of
form,
then
the
thought,
which
is
male,
influences
the
heart,
which
is
female,
as
it
is
written,
“The
heart
understands.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
The
Zohar
says,
“Bina
is
the
heart,”
and
she
is
female.
Therefore,
if
it
is
a
burnt
offering,
it
is
male.
He
says
that
the
reason
is
that
a
burnt
offering
comes
to
atone
for
the
thought,
which
is
male,
Hochma.
That
is,
if
a
person
sinned,
meaning
blemished
his
thought,
which
is
faith
above
reason,
he
must
correct
what
he
has
blemished.
Since
faith
is
discerned
as
“the
eye
sees,”
which
is
“wisdom
of
above,”
meaning
that
the
thought
of
the
Creator
is
His
desire
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
meaning
to
bestow
upon
the
lower
ones,
and
that
person
blemished
this,
meaning
he
does
not
believe
that
there
is
a
leader
to
the
world,
who
watches
over
the
creations
as
The
Good
Who
Does
Good,
and
man
must
praise
and
thank
the
Creator,
if
a
person
does
not
believe
that
the
Creator
is
the
Giver,
called
“male,”
the
person
must
bring
a
male
offering,
which
is
its
corresponding
discernment,
which
he
blemished.
For
this
reason,
the
blemish
of
the
thought
is
very
serious,
since
this
is
the
whole
matter
of
the
purpose
of
creation.
When
a
person
does
not
believe
this,
it
is
regarded
that
he
sinned
and
blemished
the
thought,
and
must
make
the
correction
in
the
same
discernment.
According
to
the
above,
we
should
interpret
what
The
Zohar
says
about
the
words,
“If
his
offering
is
a
burnt
offering,”
“for
My
thoughts
are
not
your
thoughts.”
He
says,
“Also,
the
written
Torah
and
the
oral
Torah,
which
is
Malchut,
were
emanated
from
that
thought.”
We
should
interpret
that
in
the
work,
Malchut
means
“the
kingdom
of
heaven,”
which
is
faith,
while
“Oral
Torah”
is
called
Torah.
In
other
words,
it
is
impossible
to
be
rewarded
with
the
Torah
if
one
has
not
been
rewarded
with
faith,
as
our
sages
said,
“It
is
forbidden
to
teach
idol-worshippers
the
Torah.”
But
once
he
has
been
rewarded
with
faith,
he
can
be
rewarded
with
the
Torah.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“from
that
thought,”
meaning
from
the
thought
of
creation,
which
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
extend
faith
and
Torah.
That
is,
the
fact
that
we
were
given
faith,
where
everyone
asks
why
He
placed
a
concealment
on
His
guidance
and
we
need
faith
for
this,
the
answer
is
that
this,
too,
is
in
order
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
called
“in
order
to
bring
to
light
the
perfection
of
His
deeds.”
It
follows
that
when
we
are
adhered
to
His
thought,
we
have
everything.
This
is
unlike
what
man’s
thought
says,
but
from
that
thought
emerge
transgressions,
sins,
and
evil
deeds,
as
it
is
written,
“for
My
thoughts
are
not
your
thoughts.”
Therefore,
man
must
exert
to
focus
all
his
work
on
being
only
in
Dvekut
with
His
thought,
and
believe
that
He
watches
over
the
world
as
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
When
he
has
this
faith,
he
will
be
rewarded
with
everything.