What
Is,
“If
a
Woman
Inseminates
First,
She
Delivers
a
Male
Child,”
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
27,
1991
Our
sages
said
(Berachot
60),
“If
a
woman
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
male
child.
If
a
man
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
female
child,
as
was
said,
‘If
a
woman
inseminates,
she
delivers
a
male
child.’”
We
should
understand
what
this
implies
to
us
in
the
work,
so
we
will
know
how
to
behave.
It
is
known
that
the
work
that
is
given
to
us,
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds],
is
in
order
to
cleanse
Israel,
as
it
is
written
in
the
essay,
“Preface
to
the
Wisdom
of
Kabbalah,”
“It
is
known
that
‘cleansing’
is
derived
from
the
[Hebrew]
word
‘purifying.’
It
is
as
our
sages
said,
‘The
Mitzvot
were
only
given
for
the
purification
of
Israel.’”
Since
the
creatures
were
created
with
a
nature
of
a
desire
to
receive
for
oneself,
since
the
purpose
of
creation
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
for
this
reason,
He
created
in
the
creatures
a
desire
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure.
Since
this
is
in
disparity
of
form
from
the
Creator,
who
is
the
Giver,
we
were
given
work,
where
we
must
equalize
in
form
with
the
Creator,
so
we,
too,
must
correct
ourselves
so
that
all
that
we
do
will
be
in
order
to
bestow.
We
see
that
there
are
things
we
do
that
are
giving,
and
there
are
things
we
do
that
are
receiving.
For
example,
we
engage
in
Mitzvot
between
man
and
the
Creator,
and
Mitzvot
between
man
and
man,
which
are
usually
called
“acts
of
bestowal.”
Also,
we
perform
acts
of
reception
such
as
eating
and
drinking,
and
we
were
given
the
work
of
equivalence
of
form,
meaning
that
both
acts
of
bestowal
and
acts
reception,
we
must
perform
them
in
order
to
bestow.
It
is
known
that
there
is
an
inverse
relation
between
Kelim
[vessels]
and
lights.
That
is,
there
are
lights
that
are
called
“male,”
and
there
are
lights
that
are
called
“female.”
“Male”
means
wholeness,
and
“female”
means
lack,
when
the
degree
is
not
in
wholeness
with
the
light
that
it
received.
There
are
two
kinds
of
light:
1)
the
light
of
the
purpose
of
creation,
which
is
called
“complete
light,”
2)
the
light
of
the
correction
of
creation,
which
is
only
a
clothing
for
the
light
of
the
purpose
of
creation.
This
is
a
female,
meaning
incomplete,
but
only
a
means
to
achieve
wholeness.
The
first
light
is
called
“light
of
Hochma
[wisdom]”
or
“light
of
life,”
and
the
second
light
is
called
“light
of
Hassadim
[mercies],”
usually
referred
to
as
VAK
[Vav-Kzavot
(six
edges)].
This
means
that
it
still
lacks
the
first
three
Sefirot.
Therefore,
if
a
person
uses
the
female
Kelim,
namely
vessels
of
reception,
meaning
that
the
person
has
awakened
to
use
the
vessels
of
reception
in
order
to
bestow,
then
“she
delivers
a
male
child.”
That
is,
from
this
work,
light
of
Hochma
is
born,
a
complete
light,
the
light
of
life,
called
“male,”
since
this
light
belongs
to
the
purpose
of
creation,
since
the
Creator
created
the
vessels
of
reception,
called
“will
to
receive,”
for
the
light
of
the
purpose
of
creation.
It
is
written,
“If
a
woman
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
male
child.”
But
if
a
person
works
with
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
meaning
only
with
acts
of
bestowal,
he
can
work
in
order
to
bestow,
for
vessels
of
bestowal
are
called
“male.”
Then,
only
female
light
is
born
out
of
it,
since
light
of
Hassadim,
which
is
revealed
over
vessels
of
bestowal,
can
engender
only
the
light
of
Hassadim,
called
“VAK
without
GAR
[first
three],”
indicating
the
absence
of
GAR.
The
light
of
Hassadim
is
called
“clothing
light,”
meaning
that
within
the
light
of
Hassadim,
the
light
Hochma
will
dress
later.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words
“If
a
man
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
female
child.”
The
Zohar
says
(Tazria,
Item
60),
“Come
and
see,
when
the
Creator
is
with
the
assembly
of
Israel,
which
is
Malchut,
and
she
evokes
the
desire
for
him
first,
and
attracts
him
to
her
with
much
love
and
yearning,
Malchut
is
filled
with
the
Hassadim
of
the
male
from
the
right
side.
And
when
the
Creator
evokes
love
and
desire
first,
and
Malchut
awakens
later,
then
everything
is
in
the
form
of
female,
which
is
Malchut.”
We
should
understand
what
this
tells
us
in
the
work.
It
is
known
that
the
creatures
extend
from
Malchut.
Hence,
Malchut
is
called
“the
assembly
of
Israel,”
and
the
people
of
Israel
extend
from
Malchut.
Therefore,
The
Zohar
says
that
as
the
order
is
above,
so
it
extends
to
the
corporeal
branches.
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
that
when
a
person
awakens
to
the
Creator,
when
he
wants
the
Creator
to
bring
him
closer
to
Him,
meaning
he
wants
to
adhere
to
Him,
which
is
called
“equivalence
of
form,”
it
means
that
a
person
wants
to
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
but
he
cannot.
Therefore,
he
asks
the
Creator
to
give
him
the
strength,
called
“desire
to
bestow.”
When
one
yearns
for
this
force,
since
he
has
a
lack,
meaning
he
does
not
have
the
power
to
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
through
this
work
he
awakens
to
ask
the
Creator
to
give
him
this
power.
At
that
time,
he
is
given
from
above
the
power
of
the
desire
to
bestow,
which
is
a
second
nature.
This
is
called
“she
delivers
a
male
child,”
meaning
a
desire
to
bestow,
called
“male.”
This
is
considered
that
the
upper
one
has
given
the
lower
one
the
light
of
Hassadim,
where
Hesed
[mercy]
means
bestowing.
In
other
words,
the
work
of
yearning,
where
the
lower
one
feels
its
deficiency,
this
is
called
“a
prayer.”
That
is,
he
asks
the
Creator
to
fulfill
his
deficiency.
At
that
time,
the
satisfaction
of
the
lack
is
called
“male.”
It
is
written,
“and
she
evokes
the
desire
for
him
first,”
meaning
her
desire,
Malchut,
called
“will
to
receive.”
In
other
words,
her
desire
for
him,
to
adhere
to
him,
which
is
called
“equivalence
of
form,”
when
he
asks
the
desire
to
bestow,
this
is
called
Dvekut
[adhesion].
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words
“Malchut
is
filled
with
the
Hassadim
of
the
male
from
the
right
side.”
By
this
we
can
interpret
“If
a
woman
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
male
child,”
meaning
that
the
awakening
came
from
the
person.
However,
this
can
be
precisely
where
a
person
initially
did
not
have
a
desire
to
draw
near
to
the
Creator,
meaning
he
received
the
awakening
from
above,
since
there
is
the
matter
of
will
to
receive
for
spirituality,
meaning
we
can
feel
pleasure
in
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
We
already
said
in
previous
articles
that
there
are
three
discernments
to
make
in
this
pleasure
of
receiving
reward:
1)
He
will
be
rewarded
in
this
world
and
will
be
rewarded
in
the
next
world.
That
is,
he
observes
Torah
and
Mitzvot
because
he
will
be
rewarded,
paid.
In
other
words,
he
finds
no
taste
in
the
things
he
does,
but
he
observes
Torah
and
Mitzvot
because
he
will
be
rewarded
later,
so
he
enjoys
it
now.
2)
He
feels
a
good
taste
while
observing
the
Mitzvot,
since
it
illuminates
for
him,
he
enjoys
serving
the
King,
and
this
is
his
reward.
He
believes
what
he
heard
from
books
and
from
authors
that
there
is
pleasure
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
and
he
also
received
some
awakening
from
above
and
began
to
feel
that
there
can
be
good
taste
in
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
more
than
in
the
pleasures
of
this
world.
3)
He
sees
what
our
sages
said
about
Dvekut:
“Cling
unto
Him,
cling
unto
His
attributes.
As
He
is
merciful,
so
you
are
merciful.”
For
this
reason,
he
awakens
to
work
as
a
giver
and
sees
that
this
is
out
of
one’s
hands.
At
that
time,
he
begins
to
yearn
for
the
Creator
to
give
him
the
power
to
be
able
to
do
everything
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
considered
that
the
person
feels
that
he
is
regarded
as
a
woman,
a
female,
meaning
immersed
in
self-love,
and
at
that
time
he
receives
from
above
the
quality
of
“male,”
and
he
is
rewarded
with
a
second
nature
called
“desire
to
bestow.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words
“If
a
woman
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
male
child.”
That
is,
from
above,
he
is
given
Hesed,
which
is
male.
But
“If
a
man
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
female
child.”
It
is
written,
“And
when
the
Creator
evokes
love
and
desire
first,
and
Malchut
awakens
later,
then
everything
is
in
the
form
of
female,
Malchut.”
Similarly,
it
is
written,
“If
a
woman
inseminates
first,
what
is
the
reason?
We
learned
that
it
is
because
the
lower
world
is
akin
to
the
upper
world,
and
one
is
like
the
other.”
We
should
interpret
this
in
the
work,
that
if
the
man
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
female.
The
Creator
is
called
“man,”
and
the
man
is
called
“female,”
since
he
derives
from
Malchut.
For
this
reason,
if
the
awakening
comes
from
above,
meaning
that
when
the
Creator
brings
a
person
closer,
the
person
begins
to
feel
the
greatness
and
importance
of
the
Creator.
At
that
time
he
feels
that
if
he
is
connected
to
the
Creator,
he
will
feel
pleasure
when
near
the
Creator.
Then,
a
person
begins
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
because
he
feels
some
vitality
in
this.
It
follows
that
the
whole
cause
that
obligates
him
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
is
the
pleasure
he
feels
now
by
the
awakening
of
the
“man,”
meaning
the
Creator.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“If
a
man
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
female
child.”
That
is,
from
this
work,
when
a
person
works
because
he
received
an
awakening
from
above,
only
a
female
can
be
born.
It
is
known
that
a
female
in
spirituality
means
“receiving
and
not
bestowing.”
We
should
interpret
here
in
the
work
that
then
a
person
builds
his
work
on
the
basis
of
receiving
pleasure
from
this
work,
and
this
is
what
causes
him
to
work.
This
is
called
“female,”
meaning
that
then
a
person
works
on
the
basis
called
“will
to
receive
spirituality.”
However,
he
does
not
have
the
strength
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
since
his
entire
basis
is
built
on
the
pleasure
he
received
from
above
by
the
awakening
from
above.
At
that
time,
a
person
is
born
with
the
quality
of
a
female,
which
is
the
desire
to
receive
spirituality
in
order
to
receive.
However,
he
cannot
work
in
order
to
bestow,
as
it
is
written,
“If
a
man
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
female
child,”
meaning
receiving
and
not
giving.
Therefore,
if
a
person
is
rewarded,
he
is
shown
from
above
that
man
must
work
in
order
to
bestow,
but
he
cannot
work
in
order
to
bestow.
For
this
reason,
he
suffers
a
descent
because
he
is
still
unable
to
work
on
the
basis
of
bestowal.
That
is,
when
he
sees
that
he
should
work
in
order
to
bestow
and
not
for
his
own
sake,
he
suffers
a
descent
because
he
sees
that
this
is
not
for
him.
Sometimes,
this
descent
causes
him
to
escape
the
campaign.
If
he
is
rewarded,
he
recovers
and
begins
to
see
what
it
means
that
one
must
work
in
order
to
bestow.
He
sees
that
it
is
out
of
man’s
hands,
and
then
he
begins
to
pray
to
the
Creator
to
help
him
emerge
from
the
control
of
self-love
with
which
man
was
born,
and
asks
the
Creator
to
help
him.
This
is
regarded
as
a
person
having
to
ask
for
the
exile
of
the
Shechina
[Divinity],
meaning
how
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven.
This
is
difficult,
as
it
extends
from
the
governance
of
the
nations
of
the
world
over
man’s
personal
quality
of
Israel.
And
also,
one
should
pray
for
the
general
public,
that
all
of
Israel
will
be
able
to
work
for
the
Kedusha
[holiness],
called
“kingdom
of
heaven.”
This
discernment,
when
one
works
for
Malchut,
is
called
“If
a
woman
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
male
child.”
But
“If
a
man
inseminates
first,
she
delivers
a
female
child.”
For
this
reason,
one
should
not
sit
and
wait
to
receive
an
awakening
from
above.
Rather,
in
any
state
one
is
in,
he
should
start
and
awaken,
so
the
Creator
will
help
him.
Concerning
the
prayer,
we
should
know
that
when
a
person
prays
to
the
Creator
to
help
him,
we
should
discern
between
prayer
and
request.
A
“prayer”
means
that
a
person
prays
the
order
of
the
prayers
that
our
sages
have
arranged
for
us.
A
“request”
is
when
a
person
asks
privately.
This
is
how
prayer
and
request
are
interpreted.
We
can
explain
this,
since
what
our
sages
established,
a
person
should
say
with
his
mouth.
That
is,
even
if
he
does
not
mean
that
the
Creator
will
hear
what
he
says
in
the
phrasing
of
the
prayer,
it
is
still
considered
a
prayer,
since
we
say
what
they
said,
and
to
them,
these
were
holy
words.
For
example,
after
the
Eighteen
Prayer,
a
person
says
a
prayer,
“My
soul
shall
be
as
dust
to
all.”
Certainly,
a
person
does
not
want
the
Creator
to
grant
his
prayer.
Nevertheless,
a
person
says
it
in
the
phrasing
of
the
prayer
as
a
Segula
[virtue/merit/remedy].
That
is,
as
a
Segula,
saying
“My
soul
shall
be
as
dust
to
all”
can
help
even
for
obtaining
sustenance,
and
so
forth.
This
is
so
because
all
the
prayers
that
our
sages
established
are
holy
names,
which
is
a
Segula
for
everything,
meaning
it
helps
with
everything.
But
the
meaning
of
the
words
that
a
person
thinks,
which
is
according
to
what
one
thinks,
he
should
know
that
these
prayers
are
above
our
mind.
Rather,
they
are
all
holy
names.
We
use
them
as
Segula,
for
by
them
we
have
connection
with
the
Creator.
This
is
why
we
have
to
say
all
the
prayers
with
the
mouth,
since
in
the
heart,
we
do
not
understand.
Therefore,
when
we
say
this
with
the
mouth,
we
have
connection
with
what
they
said,
since
what
they
said
was
all
with
the
holy
spirit,
and
they
are
founded
on
the
holy
names.
Baal
HaSulam
said
that
although
it
is
customary
that
when
we
want
to
pray
for
a
sick
person,
the
order
is
that
in
the
Eighteen
Prayer,
when
we
say,
“Heal
us,
Lord,
and
we
will
be
healed,”
it
is
because
the
general
public
can
understand
only
according
to
the
meaning
of
the
words,
but
in
truth,
he
said
that
we
can
mention
the
sick
person,
that
the
Creator
will
send
him
a
cure,
even
in
the
blessing,
“And
to
the
slanderers,”
since
all
the
blessings
in
the
Eighteen
are
holy
names.
This
is
why
he
said
that
when
we
say
the
prayers
that
they
said,
we
have
a
connection
with
them,
meaning
with
their
prayers,
namely
connection
with
their
intentions.
This
is
not
so
with
a
request.
This
is
when
a
person
feels
what
he
is
lacking.
This
is
specifically
in
the
heart,
meaning
that
it
does
not
matter
what
he
says
with
his
mouth,
since
“requesting”
means
that
a
person
asks
for
what
he
needs,
and
all
of
man’s
needs
are
not
in
the
mouth,
but
in
the
heart.
Therefore,
it
does
not
matter
what
a
person
says
with
his
mouth.
Rather,
the
Creator
knows
the
thoughts.
Hence,
what
is
heard
above
is
only
what
the
heart
demands
and
not
what
the
mouth
demands,
since
the
mouth
has
no
deficiency
that
must
be
satisfied.
Hence,
when
a
person
comes
to
pray
he
should
prepare
for
the
prayer.
What
is
this
preparation?
It
is
written
“Prepare
for
your
God,
Israel”
(Shabbat
10).
He
says
there
that
preparation
is
something
each
one
does
according
to
his
understanding.
We
should
interpret
that
concerning
the
preparation
that
each
one
does,
it
is
in
order
to
know
what
to
ask,
since
one
must
know
what
to
ask.
That
is,
a
person
has
to
know
what
he
needs.
This
means
that
a
person
can
ask
for
many
needs,
but
normally,
we
ask
for
what
we
need
the
most.
For
example,
when
a
person
is
in
prison,
all
his
concerns
are
about
the
Creator
freeing
him
from
imprisonment.
Although
sometimes
a
person
has
no
income,
and
so
forth,
he
still
does
not
ask
the
Creator
for
income,
too,
although
he
needs
it,
since
then
he
suffers
most
from
being
in
prison.
For
this
reason,
a
person
asks
for
the
thing
he
needs
the
most,
meaning
he
asks
about
that
which
pains
him
the
most.
Therefore,
when
a
person
comes
to
pray
to
the
Creator
to
help
him,
he
should
first
prepare
and
examine
himself
to
see
what
he
has
and
what
he
needs,
and
then
he
can
know
what
to
ask
of
the
Creator
to
help
him.
It
is
written,
“From
the
depths
I
have
called
upon
You,
Lord.”
“Depth”
means
that
a
person
is
at
the
very
bottom,
as
was
said,
“at
the
bottom
of
Sheol,”
meaning
that
his
lack
is
below
and
he
feels
that
he
is
the
lowliest
of
all
humans.
In
other
words,
he
feels
so
far
from
Kedusha,
more
than
everyone
else,
meaning
that
no
one
feels
the
truth,
that
his
body
has
nothing
to
do
with
Kedusha.
For
this
reason,
those
people,
who
do
not
see
the
truth
of
how
far
they
are
from
Kedusha,
can
be
content
with
their
work
in
holiness,
while
he
suffers
from
his
situation.
Therefore,
this
person,
who
criticized
himself
and
wants
to
see
the
truth,
this
person
can
say,
“From
the
depths
I
have
called
upon
You,
Lord,”
meaning
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart.
This
is
called
“a
prayer
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart,”
on
the
part
of
the
receiver.
That
is,
he
examined
himself
and
saw
his
fault.
However,
when
the
person
prepares
himself
for
prayer,
he
must
pay
attention
to
the
Giver.
This
is
the
hardest,
since
there
is
a
rule
that
anything
that
depends
on
faith,
the
body
does
not
agree
to
it.
Since
a
person
prays
to
the
Creator,
he
must
believe
that
the
Creator
“hears
the
prayer
of
every
mouth,”
even
when
the
person
is
unworthy
of
the
Creator
granting
his
wishes.
This
is
as
we
say
in
the
prayer
between
man
and
man.
Normally,
there
should
be
two
conditions
when
one
asks
a
favor
from
another:
1)
His
friend
must
have
what
he
wants,
so
if
he
asks
him,
he
will
be
able
to
give
him
because
he
has
it.
2)
His
friend
must
have
a
kind
heart.
Otherwise,
his
friend
might
have
what
he
asks,
but
will
not
want
to
give
it
because
he
is
not
a
merciful
person.
Likewise,
between
man
and
the
Creator,
these
two
conditions
must
be
met,
as
well,
as
our
sages
said
(Hulin
7b),
“Israel
are
holy.
Some
want
and
do
not
have,
some
have
and
do
not
want.”
We
should
interpret
this
in
the
work.
The
Creator
has
what
he
wants,
meaning
what
a
person
asks—that
the
Creator
will
bring
him
closer
and
give
him
the
privilege
of
serving
Him.
In
other
words,
a
person
wants
the
Creator
to
give
him
the
desire
to
bestow.
At
that
time,
he
believes
that
the
Creator
has
the
power
to
give
man
the
desire
to
bestow.
However,
the
Creator
does
not
want,
since
He
sees
that
the
person
is
still
incapable
of
it
because
he
still
does
not
have
a
real
desire
for
it,
since
he
thinks
that
he
has
already
prayed
many
times
to
the
Creator
to
satisfy
his
wish
and
give
him
the
filling,
namely
the
desire
to
bestow.
But
because
“as
the
advantage
of
the
light
from
within
the
darkness,”
the
person’s
awakening
from
below
is
still
incomplete,
and
the
person
must
still
labor
in
order
to
understand
the
great
gift
called
“desire
to
bestow,”
which
he
is
asking
of
the
Creator.
This
is
called
“He
has
but
He
does
not
want
to
give.”
However,
the
person
is
considered
holy
because
he
is
asking
the
Creator
to
take
him
as
a
servant
of
the
Creator.
Sometimes,
a
person
asks
the
Creator
to
bring
him
closer
and
give
him
a
good
taste
in
Torah
and
in
prayer.
Then,
if
he
tastes
sweetness
in
Torah
and
work,
he
will
agree
to
serve
the
Creator.
But
to
learn
and
pray
and
observe
all
613
Mitzvot
with
all
their
details
and
precisions
just
like
that,
when
he
feels
no
taste
in
this?
A
person
says
he
cannot
do
this.
Therefore,
he
asks
the
Creator
to
grant
his
wish.
To
the
Creator,
this
is
called
“Israel
are
holy.
Some
want
and
do
not
have.”
This
means
that
the
Creator
wants
to
give
to
the
person
the
flavors
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
but
“He
does
not
have.”
That
is,
these
things
do
not
exist
in
the
Creator,
in
vessels
of
reception,
that
it
is
possible
to
give
this
to
a
person
in
his
vessels
of
reception.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“the
Creator
cannot
give
him,”
since
the
Creator
has
no
vessels
of
reception.
Rather
with
the
Creator,
everything
is
in
vessels
of
bestowal.
Since
a
person
wants
the
Creator
to
give
him
everything
in
man’s
vessels
of
reception,
since
he
claims
that
he
wants
to
enjoy
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
and
this
is
why
he
asks
the
Creator
to
satisfy
his
deficiency,
to
the
Creator,
this
is
called
“He
wants
to
give
to
the
man
what
the
man
wants,
and
He
wants
to
give
because
of
His
desire
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
But
because
the
person
asks
the
Creator
to
give
him
everything
in
man’s
vessels
of
reception,
the
Creator
does
not
have
this.”
Rather,
the
Creator
has
only
the
desire
to
bestow.
For
this
reason,
although
a
person
cannot
receive
from
the
Creator,
he
is
still
called
“holy,”
since
he
wants
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
Hence,
when
a
person
comes
to
pray,
he
should
first
prepare
in
order
to
know
for
what
to
pray.