What
Is
“A
Lily
Among
the
Thorns,”
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
22,
1991
It
is
written
in
The
Zohar
(Ki
Tissa,
Items
31-32),
“‘As
a
lily
among
the
thorns,
so
is
my
wife
among
the
daughters.’
The
Creator
wished
to
make
Israel
similar
to
what
is
above,
so
there
would
be
one
lily
in
the
earth
that
is
like
the
lily
above,
which
is
Malchut.
And
the
fragrant
lily,
finer
than
all
the
lilies
in
the
world,
is
only
one
that
grows
among
the
thorns.
This
one
smells
as
it
should,
which
are
seventy
souls,
and
brought
them
among
the
thorns,
which
are
the
Egyptians.
At
that
time,
the
lily
blossomed
among
them.
When
the
Creator
wished
to
pick
out
the
lily
from
among
them,
the
thorns
dried
out
and
were
thrown
away
and
were
corrupted
until
they
were
regarded
as
nothing.”
We
should
understand
what
it
implies
to
us
in
the
work
when
a
person
must
be
similar
to
the
upper
lily,
and
why
specifically
when
one
is
among
the
thorns,
he
is
regarded
as
more
select
and
finer
than
the
rest
of
the
people,
as
it
is
written,
“This
is
why
seventy
souls
went
down
to
Egypt,
so
as
to
become
finer.”
Baal
HaSulam
said,
Why
is
Malchut
called
“a
lily”?
It
is
because
a
person
can
assume
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
only
by
overcoming
the
will
to
receive
in
him,
since
it
comes
and
asks
a
person
when
he
wants
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
meaning
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
himself,
“What
is
this
work
for
you?”
That
is,
“What
will
you
get
out
of
wanting
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator?”
It
is
written
in
the
Passover
Haggadah
[narrative],
“The
answer
is,
‘Blunt
his
teeth.’”
This
means
that
we
must
not
argue
with
it,
but
blunt
its
teeth,
meaning
we
have
to
overcome
it
by
force.
That
is,
when
it
comes
with
its
questions
(we
must
remember
that
it
comes
with
these
questions
precisely
when
one
wants
to
work
in
order
to
bestow;
then
there
is
room
to
ask
“Why?”
But
when
a
person
works
in
order
to
receive
reward,
this
wicked
one
has
nothing
to
ask),
we
must
not
reply
or
contemplate
what
to
answer
it.
Instead,
we
must
know
that
it
is
a
waste
of
time
to
want
to
find
answers
to
its
questions.
Rather,
when
it
comes
and
asks,
a
person
should
immediately
treat
it
with
force
and
overcome
it
with
force,
and
not
by
arguments.
Since
each
time,
even
once
a
person
has
overcome
it,
it
is
still
not
impressed
by
it,
and
each
time
a
person
wants
to
do
something
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
it
comes
with
its
questions,
there
are
numerous
“blunt
its
teeth”
here.
This
is
why
Malchut
is
called
“a
lily.”
In
other
words,
when
a
person
wants
to
be
rewarded
with
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
called
“faith,”
he
must
undergo
a
process
of
many
“blunt
its
teeth,”
which
is
why
Malchut
is
called
“lily.”
He
said
that
this
is
the
meaning
of
“To
the
victor
on
lilies,”
meaning
that
the
victory
comes
specifically
through
lilies.
According
to
the
above,
we
can
interpret
the
meaning
of
“as
a
lily
among
the
thorns,”
and
why
it
is
that
specifically
when
she
is
among
the
thorns,
she
is
finer
than
other
lilies.
We
should
know
what
thorns
are
in
the
work.
In
corporeality,
the
thorns
prick
the
lily,
but
what
does
this
imply
in
the
work?
It
means
that
when
the
wicked
comes
and
asks
“What
is
this
work
for
you?”
with
these
questions,
it
pricks
man’s
thoughts
and
heart,
and
makes
a
person
suffer.
As
thorns
prick
in
corporeality,
so
the
questions
prick
the
person.
He
suffers
torments,
meaning
that
these
questions
distance
him
from
the
work,
since
one
cannot
always
overcome
his
questions
and
he
begins
to
see
that
he
is
declining
from
the
Kedusha
[holiness],
since
normally,
these
questions
come
during
an
ascent,
when
a
person
understands
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
work
in
order
to
bestow.
But
suddenly,
he
comes
with
his
questions
and
one
must
overcome
it.
At
that
time,
a
person
comes
and
asks
for
help
from
the
Creator
to
help
him,
since
he
sees
that
by
himself,
he
cannot
overcome
it.
It
follows
that
he
always
needs
heaven’s
mercy.
As
it
is
written
in
The
Zohar,
the
help
that
comes
from
above
is
regarded
as
a
soul
that
he
receives
each
time.
This
is
regarded
that
the
help
he
receives
from
above
is
light
that
gives
one
the
power
to
overcome
the
evil
in
him.
It
was
said
about
this,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.”
By
this
we
can
interpret
the
words
“As
a
lily
among
the
thorns,”
and
a
lily
that
is
more
fragrant
and
finer
than
all
the
other
lilies
in
the
world
is
only
one
that
grew
among
the
thorns.
In
other
words,
because
she
is
among
the
thorns,
they
prick
her,
meaning
the
kingdom
of
heaven.
When
a
person
takes
upon
himself
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
this
is
called
“a
lily.”
At
that
time,
the
wicked
comes
with
his
questions
of
“What
is
this
work
for
you?”
and
pricks
the
kingdom
of
heaven
in
his
heart.
Each
time,
he
must
overcome
and
pray
and
ask
for
help.
By
this,
the
lily
becomes
fragrant,
for
fragrance
is
as
it
is
written,
“And
they
smelled
in
the
fear
of
the
Creator,”
which
is
finer
than
all
the
lilies
in
the
world,
who
have
no
thorns
to
prick
them.
Those
lilies
are
not
as
fine
as
the
lily
that
is
among
the
thorns.
This
comes
to
teach
us
that
one
should
not
be
alarmed
when
the
wicked
keeps
coming
to
him
and
asks
the
question,
“What
is
this
work
for
you?”
and
he
cannot
overcome
it.
It
is
not
as
one
sometimes
thinks,
that
these
thoughts
come
to
him
because
he
is
unfit
for
the
work
of
the
Creator.
On
the
contrary,
the
fact
that
the
wicked
comes
to
him
is
because
from
above,
they
want
to
help
him
attain
upper
Kedusha
[holiness].
This
is
why
he
is
given
these
disturbances,
so
as
to
have
a
need
to
ask
for
help.
Therefore,
when
one
sees
that
he
is
unfit
by
nature
to
be
able
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
his
work
at
that
time
is
to
increase
his
prayers
to
the
Creator
to
help
him
from
above,
so
he
can
work
in
order
to
bestow.
Conversely,
an
ordinary
lily—meaning
other
people,
who
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds]
in
order
to
receive
reward—although
this
is
also
regarded
as
a
lily,
meaning
that
the
body
does
not
agree
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
even
in
order
to
receive
reward,
and
it
requires
labor
and
effort,
since
we
must
believe
in
reward
and
punishment,
to
which
the
body
objects,
but
because
it
is
not
against
nature,
since
his
work
is
for
his
own
benefit,
the
lily
in
his
heart,
which
is
called
“kingdom
of
heaven,”
is
not
regarded
as
feeling
that
there
are
thorns
that
prick
her.
Therefore,
although
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake]
is
an
important
thing,
this
is
called
a
mere
“lily,”
since
she
does
not
suffer
pricks
from
the
thorns.
Therefore,
he
has
no
need
to
pray
to
the
Creator
to
help
him
overcome.
Naturally,
he
also
does
not
extend
Kedusha
from
above,
by
which
he
will
receive
help
from
above.
For
this
reason,
he
is
called
a
mere
“lily.”
But
a
“lily
among
the
thorns”
is
finer
than
all
the
other
lilies
in
the
world
because
the
pricks,
meaning
the
sufferings
she
suffers
from
the
wicked,
cause
him
to
receive
new
powers
from
above
each
time,
and
by
this
his
soul
grows.
This
is
why
she
is
finer
than
all
the
lilies
in
the
world.
It
follows
that
one
should
be
careful
not
to
say
when
he
sees
the
wicked
always
coming
to
him
with
questions
called
“thorns,”
which
prick
the
lily
in
his
heart,
he
should
not
say
that
this
is
a
sign
that
he
is
unworthy
of
this
work
of
bestowal
because
it
is
not
for
him,
since
he
sees
that
he
hasn’t
the
strength
to
overcome
the
evil.
Rather,
one
should
believe
that
every
person
has
the
strength
to
work
and
achieve
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
as
our
sages
said,
“One
should
always
see
oneself
as
half
guilty,
half
innocent.”
That
is,
according
to
the
measure
of
the
good
within
him,
so
is
the
measure
of
bad.
Otherwise,
a
person
cannot
subdue
the
bad,
as
it
is
more
than
the
good.
We
must
believe
in
our
sages,
who
said
so,
and
it
is
so
precisely
so
that
one
will
be
able
to
decide
to
the
side
of
merit.
Therefore,
always,
in
whatever
situation,
the
bad
does
not
have
more
power
than
the
good
within
him.
This
is
why
they
said,
“If
he
performs
one
Mitzva
[sing.
of
Mitzvot],
happy
is
he,
for
he
has
sentenced
himself
and
the
whole
world
to
the
side
of
merit.”
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
what
is
written,
“The
rich
shall
not
give
more
and
the
poor
shall
not
give
less
than
half
a
shekel.”
We
should
understand
what
this
implies
to
us
in
the
work.
We
must
know
that
we
were
given
the
choice,
as
it
is
written,
“Behold,
I
have
set
before
you
today
life
and
good,
and
death
and
bad,
and
you
shall
choose
life,
so
that
you
and
your
descendants
will
live.”
It
is
known
that
choice
means
that
a
person
can
decide
which
is
better
for
him.
This
can
be
said
when
both
are
equal
and
he
does
not
know
which
to
choose.
At
that
time,
we
are
given
the
commandment
to
choose,
as
our
sages
said,
that
one
must
see
oneself
as
“half
guilty,
half
innocent,”
and
then
we
can
talk
about
choice.
This
means
that
one
who
sees
that
he
is
not
succeeding
in
the
work
and
wants
to
escape
the
campaign
since
he
sees
that
he
cannot
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
because
he
was
born
with
worse
qualities
than
others,
and
he
also
sees
that
he
has
a
weak
character
and
therefore
hasn’t
the
strength
to
overcome
the
evil
in
him,
the
text
teaches
us
about
this
that
one
has
no
more
bad
in
him,
but
according
to
the
measure
of
the
good.
In
other
words,
if
a
person
sees
that
he
has
a
weak
character
or
worse
qualities
than
another
person,
he
must
know
that
the
bad
in
him
does
not
have
more
power
than
the
good
in
him;
they
are
ever
equal,
fifty-fifty.
Therefore,
if
he
sees
that
one
person
has
better
qualities
than
his,
he
should
not
say
that
it
is
easier
for
him
to
work
than
for
him,
and
this
is
why
the
other
one
is
working.
Rather,
one
should
know
that
every
person
has
bad
according
to
the
measure
of
the
good
that
he
has.
Hence,
if
the
other
has
better
qualities,
he
also
has
worse
qualities
than
the
other,
since
the
bad
and
the
good
are
ever
equal
in
strength.
The
verse
says
about
this,
“The
rich
shall
not
give
more
and
the
poor
shall
not
give
less
than
half
a
shekel,
to
give
a
donation
to
the
Lord,
to
make
atonement
for
your
souls.”
“The
rich”
means
that
even
if
one
is
rich
in
knowledge
and
good
qualities,
he
will
not
give
more
than
half
a
shekel
because
“half”
means
a
lack,
which
one
gives
as
a
contribution
to
the
Creator,
so
that
He
will
satisfy
his
lack,
as
was
said,
that
“a
prayer
makes
half.”
He
cannot
say
that
he
gives
more
powers
than
half
by
having
good
qualities,
but
rather
precisely
half,
for
the
above
reason
that
corresponding
to
the
good
that
he
has,
he
also
has
more
bad
than
another
person.
It
follows
that
one
never
gives
more
than
half.
Likewise,
“The
poor
shall
not
give
less.”
This
means
that
one
who
is
poor
in
knowledge
and
in
good
attributes,
and
he
prevails
and
does
not
escape
the
campaign,
the
Creator
helps
him.
He,
too,
should
not
say
that
he
makes
less
efforts
than
another
person,
since
he
sees
that
he
is
poor
in
knowledge.
Therefore,
when
the
Creator
helps
him
and
brings
him
closer
to
Him,
he
should
not
say
that
he
has
given
less
than
half
the
forces
of
the
work
in
order
to
overcome
the
bad
in
him.
Rather,
he,
too,
gave
half,
since
the
bad
in
him
was
also
not
so
powerful
that
it
was
said
that
the
filling
was
more
than
the
lack
of
the
forces
in
the
bad.
Rather,
it
is
always
fifty-fifty,
as
it
is
written,
“The
poor
shall
not
give
less
than
half
a
shekel.”
That
is,
the
good
and
the
bad
are
always
equal.
Therefore,
a
person
cannot
say
that
he
is
incapable
of
this
work,
since
he
should
give
more
powers
than
others.
Rather,
a
person
never
gives
more
than
half
a
shekel.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“to
give
a
contribution
to
the
Lord.”
That
is,
the
contribution
that
one
should
give
to
the
Creator
is
only
half,
meaning
the
lack
that
a
person
feels
that
the
Creator
will
help
give
the
filling.
What
is
the
filling?
Answer:
The
filling
is
always
that
which
a
person
needs.
Hence,
when
one
begins
the
work,
he
should
obtain
a
lack
for
the
Creator
to
help
him
have
the
desire
to
bestow,
as
this
is
the
heart
of
the
work,
to
obtain
this
desire.
It
follows
that
half
means
the
necessity
for
the
matter,
to
feel
how
much
he
needs
to
obtain
this
desire,
meaning
to
obtain
suffering
at
not
having
the
desire
to
bestow,
to
know
the
loss
at
not
having
the
desire
to
bestow.
To
the
extent
that
he
knows
what
he
is
losing,
to
that
extent
he
can
feel
how
happy
he
would
be
if
he
had
the
desire
to
bestow.
By
this
he
obtains
half
a
thing,
meaning
the
Kli
[vessel]
for
the
Creator
to
satisfy
his
lack
by
giving
him
from
above
a
second
nature
called
“desire
to
bestow.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“half
a
shekel,
to
give
a
contribution
to
the
Lord.”
In
other
words,
a
person
should
know
that
he
can
only
give
half,
as
in
“a
prayer
makes
half.”
One
must
know
that
he
cannot
give
a
full
shekel,
which
is
light
and
Kli,
meaning
the
need
for
the
desire
to
bestow,
and
to
be
able
to
do
everything
in
order
to
bestow.
Rather,
the
half
shekel
belongs
to
man’s
work,
to
give
only
the
deficiency,
while
the
filling
belongs
to
the
Creator.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“go
give
a
contribution
to
the
Lord,
to
make
atonement
for
your
souls.”
In
other
words,
by
giving
a
contribution
to
the
Lord,
which
is
the
half,
the
Creator
gives
the
other
half,
called
“desire
to
bestow,”
which
is
a
second
nature,
and
by
this
a
person
makes
atonement
for
his
soul,
by
being
able
to
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Therefore,
after
one
is
rewarded
with
the
Creator
giving
the
desire
to
bestow,
a
person
is
rewarded
with
permanent
faith,
as
it
is
written
(“Introduction
of
The
Book
of
Zohar,”
Item
138),
that
we
must
be
thankful
to
the
Creator
for
rewarding
us
with
nearing
Him.
This
is
as
it
is
written
(Psalms
68:32-33),
“Sing
to
God,
kingdoms
of
the
earth,
sing
praises
to
the
Lord,
Selah.
To
Him
who
rides
upon
the
highest,
ancient
heavens;
He
will
speak
forth
with
His
voice,
a
mighty
voice.”
We
should
interpret
that
the
“kingdoms
of
the
earth”
are
those
who
have
been
rewarded
with
faith,
called
Malchut,
and
the
quality
of
“Earth.”
“Sing
to
God,”
they
should
sing
for
the
Creator
awarding
them
with
the
quality
of
faith.
Also,
Malchut
is
called
God,
as
it
is
written,
“Sing
praises
to
the
Lord,
Selah.
To
Him
who
rides
upon
the
highest,
ancient
heavens;
He
will
speak
forth
with
His
voice,
a
mighty
voice.”
We
should
understand
why
they
must
sing
to
the
Creator
and
thank
Him.
Does
the
Creator
need
flesh
and
blood
to
thank
Him?
The
answer
is
that
the
created
beings
should
know
that
all
that
they
have
is
what
the
Creator
gave
them
in
order
to
thereby
achieve
the
love
of
the
Creator.
Through
love
of
the
Creator,
they
will
always
be
in
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
as
it
is
written
(“Introduction
of
The
Book
of
Zohar,”
Item
138),
that
then
they
attain
Him
as
doing
good.
And
if
they
do
not
attain
Him
as
doing
good,
then
they
must
be
under
the
governance
of
heresy,
since
“It
is
a
law
that
the
creature
cannot
receive
disclosed
evil
from
Him,
for
it
is
a
flaw
in
the
glory
of
the
Creator
for
the
creature
to
perceive
Him
as
an
evildoer,
as
it
is
unbecoming
of
the
Complete
Operator.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“He
will
speak
forth
with
His
voice,
a
mighty
voice.”
In
other
words,
the
creatures
must
sing
and
thank
Him
for
letting
them
hear
the
voice
of
the
Creator.
That
is,
by
feeling
that
the
Creator
has
given
them
the
quality
of
Malchut,
called
“permanent
faith,”
by
their
feeling
that
it
comes
from
the
Creator,
this
adds
to
them
the
love
of
the
Creator,
as
it
is
written,
“He
will
speak
forth
with
His
voice.”
And
what
will
He
say
with
His
voice?
Answer:
“a
mighty
voice.”
The
RADAK
interpreted
that
He
will
speak
forth
against
the
enemies
with
His
voice,
which
is
a
mighty
voice.
It
is
known
that
in
the
work,
the
enemies
are
the
will
to
receive
that
awakens
each
time
to
receive
in
order
to
receive.
They
are
man’s
enemies
because
they
prevent
a
person
from
receiving
the
delight
and
pleasure.
Therefore,
one
should
believe
that
the
fact
that
one
has
been
rewarded
with
faith
in
the
Creator
comes
from
the
Creator.
By
this
he
is
rewarded
with
the
voice
of
the
Creator
subduing
the
enemies,
meaning
that
the
will
to
receive
surrenders
and
in
its
stead
comes
the
desire
to
bestow,
and
now
he
wants
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
This
comes
from
the
voice
of
the
Creator,
as
it
is
written,
“The
voice
of
the
Lord
is
powerful”
(Psalms
29:4).
We
should
interpret
that
the
voice
of
the
Lord
gives
power
to
man
to
subdue
the
enemies.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written
(there),
“Give
strength
to
God.”
The
RADAK
interprets
“Give
strength”—with
words.
Give
Him
the
strength
since
His
strength
has
done
your
vengeance
against
the
enemies,
and
not
by
your
own
force.
We
should
interpret
his
words,
“with
words,”
meaning
they
said
that
all
the
strength
of
the
force,
the
Creator
alone
did
it.
That
is,
the
fact
that
you
see
that
your
enemies,
meaning
the
will
to
receive
has
surrendered
before
you,
it
is
not
man’s
force,
but
only
the
force
of
the
Creator.
This
is
as
the
RADAK
says,
“His
strength
has
done
your
vengeance
against
the
enemies,
and
not
by
your
own
force.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“over
Israel,
His
pride
and
His
strength
is
in
the
skies.”
As
the
RADAK
says,
“The
pride
and
greatness
of
the
Creator
is
seen
and
apparent
over
Israel,
since
He
fights
the
enemies
for
them
with
pride
and
strength.”
It
is
as
The
Zohar
says,
“When
the
Creator
wished
to
pick
out
the
lily
from
among
them,
the
thorns
dried
out
and
were
regarded
as
nothing.”
That
is,
he
did
this
by
the
might
of
the
Creator,
meaning
surrendered
all
the
enemies.
In
other
words,
the
fact
that
the
will
to
receive
surrendered
and
now
the
desire
to
bestow
governs
the
person,
this
is
“over
Israel,
His
pride.”
In
other
words,
the
pride
and
greatness
of
the
Creator
is
seen
and
apparent
over
Israel,
meaning
that
the
desire
to
bestow
controls,
and
this
does
not
come
by
man’s
power,
but
by
the
power
of
the
Creator.
This
means
that
it
is
apparent
that
it
came
from
the
Creator
in
that
His
help
comes
by
being
rewarded
with
greater
light
each
time,
that
His
help,
says
The
Zohar,
is
as
“a
new
soul.”
Thus,
now
it
is
evident
that
it
came
from
the
Creator.
We
should
interpret
the
reason
that
a
person
cannot
achieve
the
vessels
of
bestowal
by
himself.
The
answer
is
that
if
a
person
could
achieve
vessels
of
bestowal
by
himself,
he
would
be
content
with
little
and
would
feel
himself
as
a
complete
human
being.
He
would
remain
in
his
Katnut
[infancy/smallness],
since
he
would
have
no
need
to
go
forward
because
he
really
is
doing
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
There
is
a
rule
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli,
meaning
a
need.
But
when
a
person
himself
cannot
obtain
vessels
of
bestowal
and
must
ask
the
Creator
to
help
him,
the
person
needs
His
help.
By
this,
he
receives
from
the
Creator
new
help
each
time,
and
all
her
help
is
part
of
his
soul.
By
this
he
is
rewarded
with
receiving
the
NRNHY
in
the
root
of
his
soul.
A
person
must
be
cautious
to
take
upon
himself
the
burden
of
kingdom
of
heaven
unconditionally.
This
is
called
“unconditional
surrender.”
That
is,
one
need
not
say,
“If
the
Creator
gives
me
a
good
taste
in
Torah
and
prayer,
I
will
be
able
to
do
the
holy
work.
Otherwise,
I
cannot
be
a
servant
of
the
Creator.”
This
is
as
it
is
written
in
The
Zohar
(Truma,
Item
710),
and
we
learned
that
this
is
the
meaning
of
the
verse,
“‘Lift
up
a
song
for
Him
who
rides
through
the
prairies,’
which
are
Netzah
and
Hod,
which
are
thighs.
They
do
not
bear
fruit;
it
is
all
like
the
willows
in
the
palm
branch.”
It
is
known
that
the
willows
in
the
Lulav
[palm
branch
used
festively
on
Sukkot]
imply
that
the
work
should
be
done
in
the
manner
of
willows.
Although
the
willows
have
neither
taste
nor
smell,
as
Baal
HaSulam
said
of
what
is
written
(in
Hoshaana),
“To
entertain
You
with
the
willows
of
the
brook.”
That
is,
even
if
he
feels
no
flavor
in
the
work,
and
it
is
like
the
willows
of
the
brook,
devoid
of
taste
or
smell,
during
the
work,
they
should
be
to
man
as
great
entertainments.
This
is
called
“unconditional
surrender,”
and
this
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“rejoice
before
Him,”
meaning
be
happy
as
though
they
have
great
attainments.
This
is
the
meaning
of
entertainment
before
the
Creator,
and
thus
we
should
believe.