What
Is,
“Return,
O
Israel,
Unto
the
Lord
Your
God,”
in
the
Work?
Article
2,
1991
The
writing
says,
“Return,
O
Israel,
unto
the
Lord
your
God,
for
you
have
failed
in
your
iniquity.
Take
with
you
words
and
return
to
the
Lord.
Say
unto
Him:
‘Remove
all
iniquity
and
take
good,
and
we
will
pay
with
the
fruit
of
our
lips.’”
We
should
understand
the
connection,
for
it
is
implied
that
since
“you
have
failed
in
your
iniquity,”
therefore,
“return
to
the
Lord
your
God.”
Also,
what
is,
“Say
unto
Him:
‘Remove
all
iniquity’”?
And
we
should
also
understand
what
our
sages
said,
“Great
is
repentance,
for
it
reaches
unto
the
throne,
as
it
was
said,
‘unto
the
Lord
your
God’”
(Yoma
86).
It
is
known
that
in
the
work,
we
should
make
two
discernments:
1)
that
which
pertains
to
the
general
public.
Their
work
is
in
practice
and
they
do
not
work
on
the
intention,
meaning
to
aim
that
it
will
be
in
order
to
bestow.
For
this
reason,
in
terms
of
practice,
everyone
thinks
that
they
are
fine.
Each
one
believes
that
it
is
impossible
to
be
a
perfect
human
being,
so
in
general,
he
thinks
that
he
is
complete,
and
when
he
looks
at
his
friends
he
sees
their
faults,
that
they
are
not
all
right.
He,
on
the
other
hand,
is
fine.
Although
he
is
lacking
something,
he
excuses
himself
with
the
verse,
“There
is
not
a
righteous
man
on
earth
who
will
do
good
and
will
not
sin.”
Therefore,
he
has
faults,
as
well,
and
he
is
careful
with
the
quality
of
lowliness,
as
our
sages
said,
“Be
very,
very
humble.”
Although
he
sees
that
he
is
higher
than
the
rest
of
the
people,
he
has
faith
in
the
sages
and
believes
above
reason
that
he,
too,
is
probably
lowly,
meaning
that
he
is
worse
than
the
rest
of
the
people.
However,
to
him,
this
is
faith
above
reason.
It
follows
that
when
those
who
belong
to
the
general
public
engage
in
Torah,
they
cannot
feel
that
they
have
iniquities
or
that
they
are
worse
than
other
people.
Rather,
in
general,
they
are
happy
with
their
work.
Therefore,
come
month
of
Elul
[last
month
in
Hebrew
calendar]
and
the
Ten
Penitentiary
Days,
which
is
the
time
to
make
repentance,
they
have
a
lot
of
work
to
find
iniquities
within
them
on
which
they
must
repent.
Otherwise,
they
might
be
judged
in
the
courthouse
of
above
and
could
be
punished
for
their
actions.
They
understand
that
it
is
possible
that
the
reward
that
they
think
they
deserve
might
not
happen,
meaning
that
they
will
be
rewarded
less.
But
punishments?
This
is
out
of
the
question,
since
they
know
about
themselves
that
they
have
much
Torah
and
many
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds].
Conversely,
those
who
work
in
the
individual
manner,
who
want
to
be
rewarded
with
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
and
who
understand
that
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
they
are
observing
are
merely
in
the
form
of
613
counsels
by
which
to
adhere
to
the
Creator,
meaning
so
they
will
have
only
one
concern—how
to
bring
contentment
to
the
Maker
and
to
have
no
concern
for
themselves.
The
body
certainly
resists
this
and
presents
just
arguments
why
what
it
says
is
correct.
It
begins
to
present
him
with
evidence
from
the
whole
world
that
no
one
is
walking
on
such
a
path
of
annulling
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself
and
working
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
That
person
wants
to
overcome
the
iniquities
that
the
will
to
receive
brings
him
thoughts
that
contradict
faith,
which
is
Pharaoh’s
argument,
who
said,
“Who
is
the
Lord
that
I
should
obey
His
voice?”
It
follows
that
the
person
failed
in
the
iniquity
of
heresy.
The
more
a
person
strengthens,
the
more
it
comes
and
prevails
over
the
person.
That
is,
as
much
as
one
wants
to
believe
that
the
Creator
watches
over
the
world
in
a
manner
of
good
and
doing
good,
the
body
shows
him
the
opposite.
Naturally,
he
is
always
failing
and
sees
that
this
is
endless
and
he
is
in
ascents
and
descents,
and
he
does
not
know
what
to
do
against
it.
The
writing
says
about
this,
“Return,
O
Israel,
unto
the
Lord
your
God.”
And
why
must
it
be
“unto
the
Lord
your
God”?
It
is
because
“You
have
failed
in
your
iniquity.”
That
is,
since
you
have
failed
in
your
iniquity,
meaning
the
iniquity
of
faith,
and
now
you
feel
that
you
are
the
lowliest
person
in
the
world,
since
the
thoughts
and
desires
that
you
have
are
the
lowest
in
the
world,
and
you
feel
that
you
are
utterly
removed
from
spirituality.
In
other
words,
the
secular
do
not
say
that
they
are
far
from
spirituality
because
they
do
not
even
believe
that
there
is
spirituality
in
the
world.
The
same
goes
for
the
religious,
who
believe
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot—they
do
not
feel
that
they
are
removed,
since
each
one
feels
that
he
is
more
or
less
fine.
And
if
they
see
some
faults
in
themselves,
they
are
certain
to
have
an
excuse
for
it.
And
especially,
a
person
sees
that
the
whole
world
leads
a
tranquil
life,
while
he
is
in
a
state
where
he
is
full
of
failures
and
iniquities,
and
he
sees
no
way
out
of
that
state.
Therefore,
he
has
no
other
counsel
besides
“Return,
O
Israel.”
A
person
must
return
to
the
Creator
and
not
retreat
from
Him
until
he
is
rewarded
with
the
Creator
being
“your
God.”
That
is,
until
he
is
rewarded
with
complete
faith.
Otherwise,
he
will
remain
in
the
failures.
For
this
reason,
a
person
must
try
to
do
all
that
he
can
until
there
is
mercy
on
him
from
above
and
he
is
given
the
power
called
“desire
to
bestow.”
According
to
the
above,
we
can
understand
what
is
written,
“Take
with
you
words.”
That
is,
these
words
that
the
body
speaks
to
you
and
claims
that
it
is
not
worthwhile
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
take
these
words
when
you
return
to
the
Creator.
Say
to
Him:
“Remove
all
iniquity,”
since
these
words
that
the
body
tells
us,
we
cannot
overcome.
Take
these
words
when
you
return
to
the
Creator.
It
says
“all”
because
only
You
are
all
mighty;
You
can
give
us
a
second
nature,
called
“desire
to
bestow.”
You
will
remove
the
iniquity,
meaning
that
You
can
accept
our
iniquity
and
correct
it,
for
only
You
are
the
carrier
of
our
iniquity,
while
we
are
completely
powerless.
However,
we
believe
that
all
those
words
that
the
body
speaks
to
us,
You
gave
it
these
words,
and
You
must
have
sent
them
to
us,
and
it
is
certainly
for
our
best.
Therefore,
“Say
unto
Him:
‘Remove
all
iniquity
and
take
good.’”
That
is,
take
this
good
that
You
sent
us.
In
other
words,
those
words
that
the
body
argued
against
the
Creator,
You
must
give
another
nature,
called
“desire
to
bestow,”
for
otherwise
we
are
lost,
since
we
are
full
of
failures.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“And
we
will
pay
with
the
fruit
of
our
lips.”
We
want
that
where
we
are,
instead
of
our
lips,
where
lips
is
considered
the
end
of
the
matter,
meaning
outside
of
Kedusha
[holiness],
therefore
since
we
are
outside
of
Kedusha
because
of
our
desires,
we
ask
You
to
“pay
with
the
fruit
of
our
lips.”
That
is,
where
we
are
in
the
lips,
at
the
end,
we
want
to
be
whole
with
fruits,
where
“fruits”
means
fertilization
and
multiplication
with
good
deeds.
According
to
the
above,
we
can
understand
what
our
sages
said,
“Great
is
repentance,
for
it
reaches
unto
the
throne.”
That
is,
those
people
who
belong
to
the
general
public
do
not
feel
that
they
have
failures
in
the
iniquity,
called
“the
first
iniquity,”
since
they
feel
that
they
have
faith
and
they
are
fine.
Although
they
have
only
partial
faith,
as
is
explained
(“Introduction
to
The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,”
Item
14),
they
do
not
feel
it.
For
this
reason,
they
think
that
they
are
complete.
Conversely,
those
who
belong
to
the
individuals,
who
want
there
to
be
only
one
authority,
the
singular
authority,
who
want
to
annul
their
self-authority
called
“will
to
receive,”
and
to
have
only
the
authority
of
the
Creator
revealed
in
the
world,
they
feel
how
the
body
objects
to
this.
They
want
to
repent,
to
return
to
the
Creator,
and
this
repentance
reaches
unto
the
throne.
However,
we
should
understand
the
meaning
of
the
throne
in
the
work.
It
is
known
that
Malchut
is
called
“the
throne,”
as
it
is
written
in
the
“Introduction
of
The
Book
of
Zohar”
(Item
31),
“There
are
two
discernments
in
the
throne:
1)
Covering
the
King,
as
it
is
written,
‘He
made
darkness
His
hiding
place,’
for
which
it
is
called
Kisse,
from
the
word
Kissui
[covering/hiding].
2)
She
reveals
the
glory
of
Malchut
in
the
worlds,
as
it
is
written,
‘And
on
the
Kisse
[throne]
was
a
figure
with
the
appearance
of
a
man.’”
The
thing
is
that
we
must
believe
that
the
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
and
concealment
that
took
place
are
a
correction
for
the
creatures.
In
other
words,
specifically
by
the
concealment
and
covering
that
were
made,
the
creatures
will
achieve
their
completion.
We
must
believe
above
reason
that
the
guidance
by
which
the
Creator
leads
the
world
is
one
of
good
and
doing
good.
The
reason
we
do
not
see
that
the
guidance
of
good
and
doing
good
is
concealed
from
us,
we
must
believe
that
in
truth,
the
guidance
truly
is
of
good
and
doing
good,
but
there
is
a
cover
on
this,
which
covers
it.
Although
the
body
objects
to
this,
and
to
believing
above
reason,
for
it
claims,
“The
judge
has
only
what
his
eyes
see,”
the
person
wants
to
overcome
the
arguments
of
the
body.
This
is
hard
work
and
comprises
ascents
and
descents.
When
a
person
cries
out
to
the
Creator
to
help
him
be
able
to
take
upon
himself
this
covering,
meaning
to
be
able
to
believe
that
Providence
really
is
in
the
manner
of
good
and
doing
good,
except
he
has
still
not
been
rewarded
with
seeing
it,
through
this
work
he
becomes
a
chariot
to
the
throne.
In
other
words,
he
takes
upon
himself
this
throne
although
it
is
truly
a
concealment.
At
that
time,
that
chair
[Kisse]
becomes
the
throne,
meaning
he
is
rewarded
with
the
Shechina
sitting
on
the
throne.
It
follows
that
to
the
extent
that
previously
he
was
in
the
form
of
a
Kisse,
which
is
concealment,
when
he
was
as
“Shechina
in
the
dust,”
now
it
has
become
the
throne.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
saying
that
the
throne
covers
the
King,
as
in,
“He
made
darkness
His
hiding
place.”
In
other
words,
the
throne
does
not
shine
and
is
in
a
state
of
darkness.
We
must
overcome
the
darkness
and
say,
“They
have
eyes
but
they
will
not
see.”
It
follows
that
in
the
period
of
Kisse,
that
state
is
called
“for
you
have
failed
in
your
iniquity.”
In
the
state
of
Kisse,
a
person
has
ascents
and
descents,
and
he
does
not
see
that
this
work
will
ever
end.
Rather,
it
is
a
perpetual
to
and
fro,
since
during
the
concealment,
it
is
difficult
for
a
person
to
overcome
and
say
that
the
Creator
behaves
in
a
manner
of
good
and
doing
good.
Therefore,
that
person
must
repent,
meaning
that
from
the
Kisse,
which
is
“He
made
darkness
His
hiding
place,”
the
second
state
of
the
Kisse
will
appear,
when
it
reveals
the
glory
of
Malchut
in
the
world,
as
it
is
written,
“And
on
the
Kisse
[throne],
high
up,
was
a
figure
with
the
appearance
of
a
man.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“Great
is
repentance,
for
it
reaches
unto
the
throne.”
That
is,
repentance
must
be
that
a
person
must
be
rewarded
with
the
second
discernment
in
the
meaning
of
Kisse,
which
is
the
throne.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“Return,
O
Israel,
unto
the
Lord
your
God.”
We
should
interpret
that
the
meaning
of
“For
you
have
failed
in
your
iniquity”
is
that
when
a
person
wants
to
repent,
meaning
he
is
separated
from
the
Creator
because
of
the
will
to
receive,
which
is
opposite
in
form
from
the
Creator,
and
he
wants
to
connect
with
the
Creator,
to
have
equivalence
of
form,
he
sees
that
“The
concealed
things
belong
to
the
Lord
our
God.”
In
other
words,
when
he
wants
to
do
something
for
the
Creator,
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
it
is
a
“hidden”
taste.
In
other
words,
the
flavor
of
the
work
is
hidden
from
him.
Conversely,
when
he
works
for
his
own
benefit,
called
“for
us
and
for
our
children,”
the
flavor
is
revealed
to
us.
In
other
words,
“concealed”
and
“revealed”
pertain
to
the
taste.
This
means
that
when
a
person
works
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
called
“to
the
Lord
our
God,”
the
taste
in
the
work
is
concealed.
But
when
it
is
for
one’s
own
sake,
called
“for
us
and
for
our
children,”
the
taste
is
called
“revealed,”
meaning
the
taste
of
the
work
is
revealed.
It
follows
that
this
causes
our
failures,
as
it
is
written,
“For
you
have
failed
in
your
iniquity.”
Hence,
there
is
no
other
way
but
to
return
to
the
Creator,
as
was
said
about
it,
“Remove
all
iniquity
and
take
good.”
According
to
the
above,
we
should
interpret
what
is
written
in
the
blessing
for
the
food:
“May
we
find
grace
and
good
understanding
in
the
eyes
of
God
and
man.”
We
should
understand
why
we
must
ask
the
Creator
to
be
liked
by
people.
What
does
it
mean
that
people
should
respect
us
and
honor
us?
What
does
this
have
to
do
with
the
work?
Rather,
we
ask
the
Creator
to
be
liked
by
the
Creator,
and
what
do
we
want
from
Him?
To
give
us
the
quality
of
“man,”
since
by
nature,
man
was
created
with
a
desire
to
receive,
called
Malchut,
which
is
the
name
BON,
which
is
“beast”
in
Gematria.
For
this
reason,
we
ask
to
be
liked
by
God,
so
He
will
give
us
the
quality
of
“man,”
as
our
sages
said,
“You
are
called
‘man,’
and
not
the
nations
of
the
world.”
Man
is
MA
in
Gematria,
which
is
a
giver.
In
other
words,
we
ask
to
be
liked
by
the
Creator
so
He
will
give
us
the
quality
of
“man.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words
“May
we
find
grace
in
the
eyes
of
God
and
man,”
so
He
will
give
us
the
quality
of
man.
It
follows
that
man
should
pray
for
only
one
thing—for
the
Creator
to
bring
him
closer.
“Closeness”
in
spirituality
is
called
“equivalence
of
form.”
That
is,
he
wants
the
Creator
to
give
him
the
desire
to
bestow,
called
“second
nature.”
By
this
we
should
interpret
what
is
written
(Psalms
147),
“who
heals
the
brokenhearted.”
We
should
understand
what
it
means
that
the
Creator
heals
the
brokenhearted.
The
thing
is
that
it
is
known
that
the
essence
of
man
is
the
heart,
as
our
sages
said,
“The
Merciful
one
wants
the
heart.”
The
heart
is
the
Kli
[vessel]
that
receives
the
Kedusha
from
above.
It
is
as
we
learn
about
the
breaking
of
the
vessels,
that
if
the
Kli
is
broken,
everything
you
put
in
it
will
spill
out.
Likewise,
if
the
heart
is
broken,
meaning
the
will
to
receive
controls
the
heart,
abundance
cannot
enter
there
because
everything
that
the
will
to
receive
receives
will
go
to
the
Klipot
[shells/peels].
This
is
called
“the
breaking
of
the
heart.”
Hence,
a
person
prays
to
the
Creator
and
says,
“You
must
help
me
because
I
am
worse
than
everyone,
since
I
feel
that
the
will
to
receive
controls
my
heart,
and
this
is
why
nothing
of
Kedusha
can
enter
my
heart.
I
want
no
luxuries,
only
to
be
able
to
do
something
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
and
I
am
utterly
incapable
of
this,
so
only
You
can
save
me.”
By
this
we
should
interpret
what
is
written
(Psalms
34),
“The
Lord
is
near
to
the
brokenhearted.”
That
is,
those
who
ask
the
Creator
to
help
them
so
their
heart
will
not
be
broken
and
will
be
whole,
this
can
happen
only
if
a
person
has
been
rewarded
with
the
desire
to
bestow.
For
this
reason,
he
asks
the
Creator
to
give
him
the
desire
to
bestow,
since
he
sees
that
he
lacks
nothing
in
the
world
but
the
ability
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
It
follows
that
he
is
asking
only
the
nearness
of
the
Creator,
and
there
is
a
rule,
“measure
for
measure.”
Hence,
the
Creator
brings
him
closer.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“The
Lord
is
near
to
the
brokenhearted.”
According
to
the
above,
we
can
understand
what
is
written
there:
“Keeps
all
his
bones,
not
one
of
them
broken.”
Man’s
bone
[in
Hebrew,
Etzem
means
both
“bone”
and
“essence”]
is
the
heart,
the
desire
in
the
heart.
The
desires
in
man’s
heart
constantly
change
through
the
ascents
and
descents,
and
the
Creator
guards
their
desires
so
that
the
will
to
receive
will
not
mingle
into
the
desires
of
Kedusha.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“not
one
of
them
broken.”
In
other
words,
since
the
will
to
receive
causes
the
breaking
of
the
vessels,
when
the
Creator
keeps
him,
meaning
brings
a
person
closer,
called
“equivalence
of
form,”
by
giving
him
a
second
nature
called
“desire
to
bestow,”
this
is
regarded
as
the
Creator
keeping,
as
in
the
verse,
“The
Lord
keeps
the
fools.”
In
other
words,
one
who
feels
that
he
is
a
fool,
that
he
is
mindless,
should
keep
himself
from
falling
until
the
control
of
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side],
called
“will
to
receive
for
oneself.”
He
asks
the
Creator
to
keep
him.
It
follows
that
the
person
gives
the
awakening
from
below,
which
is
called
“a
desire”
and
a
Kli,
and
then
the
Creator
gives
him
the
light.
But
when
a
person
is
in
an
ascent,
he
thinks
that
he
no
longer
needs
the
Creator’s
help,
since
now
he
has
a
basis
of
feeling,
which
he
called
“knowledge.”
In
other
words,
now
he
knows
for
what
purpose
he
is
working.
His
work
is
no
longer
above
reason
because
he
has
a
basis
to
rely
on,
meaning
this
feeling
that
he
feels
that
this
state
is
good
for
him.
On
this
basis
he
determines
the
work.
At
that
time,
he
is
immediately
thrown
from
above
and
it
is
as
though
he
is
asked,
“Where
is
your
wisdom?
You
said
that
you
already
know
on
what
the
work
relies.”
Thus,
as
long
as
one
thinks
of
himself
as
a
fool,
meaning
that
the
basis
of
the
work
is
above
reason,
and
that
he
needs
the
help
of
the
Creator,
the
person
says,
“Unless
the
Lord
builds
the
house,
they
who
labored
in
it
worked
in
vain.”
Specifically
in
this
way,
the
Creator
is
called
“The
Lord
is
the
keeper
of
Israel.”
By
this
we
understand
what
it
means
that
the
person
is
in
trouble
in
the
work.
The
answer
is
that
it
is
known
that
“narrow”
means
lack
of
Hassadim
[mercies/plural
of
Hesed].
Hence,
when
a
person
sees
that
he
cannot
do
anything
in
order
to
bestow,
this
is
considered
being
unable
to
act
in
Hesed,
unless
for
his
own
benefit.
He
sees
that
in
the
state
he
is
in,
he
will
never
be
rewarded
with
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
and
he
regrets
it.
What
can
one
do?
One
cannot
do
anything
but
cry
out
to
the
Creator,
and
the
Creator
hears.
“From
all
their
troubles
[also
“narrowness”],”
meaning
from
every
state,
when
he
is
in
a
state
of
“narrowness,”
which
is
lack
of
Hassadim,
when
he
cannot
overcome
his
actions,
the
Creator
saves
him,
as
it
is
written,
“From
all
their
troubles,
He
saves
them.”
When
it
is
written,
“He
has
no
troubles,”
it
means
that
he
does
not
regret
that
he
cannot
do
something
in
order
to
bestow.
Therefore,
he
has
no
Kli
for
the
Creator
to
save
him
because
he
feels
that
he
is
fine
where
he
is.
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
what
our
sages
said
(Hulin
133),
“Anyone
who
teaches
an
unworthy
disciple
falls
to
Hell.”
We
should
understand
this,
since
it
is
written,
“The
Creator
said,
‘I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.’
Thus,
one
who
has
evil
inclination
and
cannot
overcome
it,
He
said,
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
So
we
see
that
we
should
learn
Torah
even
when
we
are
unworthy.
We
should
interpret
this
as
Baal
HaSulam
said
about
what
is
written,
“will
give
wisdom
to
the
wise.”
It
should
have
said
“to
the
fools.”
The
answer
is
that
one
who
searches
wisdom,
although
he
still
does
not
have
it,
he
is
already
called
“wise,”
since
he
desires
to
be
wise.
We
should
also
interpret
here
that
one
who
wants
to
be
worthy
is
already
called
“a
worthy
disciple.”
That
is,
one
who
wants
to
learn
Torah
because
he
wants
to
be
worthy
is
already
called
“worthy,”
for
because
he
feels
that
he
is
far
from
serving
the
Creator,
since
he
can
work
only
for
his
own
sake,
which
is
being
unworthy,
and
he
wants
to
be
worthy
but
is
unsuccessful,
it
was
said
to
them:
“The
Creator
said,
‘I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.’”
For
this
reason,
we
should
interpret
“It
is
forbidden
to
teach
the
Torah
to
an
unworthy
disciple”
that
one
who
wants
to
be
a
worthy
disciple
may
learn.