32. Man’s Greatness Is According to His Work
It is written that Rabbi Yosi says, “It is not man’s place that honors him; it is rather man who honors his place, for we find that on Mount Sinai, as long as the Shechina [Divinity] was on it, the Torah said, ‘neither shall flocks or cattle graze before that mountain.’ When the Shechina departed from it, the Torah said, ‘When the ram's horn sounds a long blast, they shall come up the mountain.’ We also find concerning the Tent of Meeting in the desert that as long as it stood, the Torah said, ‘Send away from the camp every leper.’ When the curtain was rolled up, the leaking and the lepers were permitted therein” (Taanit 21b).
To understand this, we must interpret the meaning of “place,” meaning the Creator, as it is written, “Blessed is the Place.” Tzon [flock] comes from the word Yetzia [exit]. Bakar [cattle] comes from Mevaker [criticizing]. “Shall come up” means ascending in degree.
The explanation is that it is known that the reward is only according to the sorrow, meaning that a person cannot receive the gifts of the Creator before he adjusts his actions to be for the sake of the Creator.
It is known that upon the revelation of the light of the Creator, when the Creator shines to a person and gives him awakening in Torah and work, there is no room for choice because the pleasure forces a person to engage in that which gives him pleasure. For this reason, at that time there is no place for choice.
In such a state, he is not obligated to believe in the Creator to such an extent that he says that without faith he will not do this, since what affirms the matter is another cause, which is the pleasure. This is called Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], since it is not faith that causes this action, but the pleasure determines it for him and motivates him to work and increase his good deeds.
Hence, although the Creator has given him a great awakening for Torah and work, he cannot ascend in degrees of truth by this, since “he acquired truth,” meaning that the degree of truth must be acquired. Only by labor in acceptance of the burden of the kingdom of heaven voluntarily is one rewarded with climbing the degrees of truth, each time to a higher level. This is the meaning of “It is all according to the action.”
By this we can understand the words, “It is not man’s place that honors him.” That is, it is not for this, if a person has been rewarded with some awakening. It follows that the Creator honored him; by this a person becomes respected, since an awakening that comes from above will finally depart from him because he still lacks the qualification to be fit to receive for the sake of the Creator and not for his own pleasure.
“It is rather man who honors His place.” Specifically by this, when one makes an effort during the choice and wants to honor His place, meaning the Creator, only then does one become honored. That is, through his work, a person becomes a vehicle for the throne. However, it is not during an awakening from above, which is regarded as the Creator honoring the person.
He brings evidence from Mount Sinai, that as long as the Shechina was on it, “neither shall flocks or cattle graze before that mountain.” The exits, when a person exits the work, is because of his criticism of Providence. At that time he should make a choice on these states. During the awakening there is not ascent because he is not making any effort of his own, since now he is in an awakening from above, and he is not making any effort to ascend to states where he should make a choice.
This is why it is written, “When the ram's horn sounds a long blast,” meaning after the departure of the Shechina, “they shall come up the mountain.” Precisely after this there is a place for the “What,” meaning places where he could not endure the test and could not enter the Kedusha [holiness]. Now he has a place where he can overcome them because he can make a choice.
This clarifies the evidence from the Tent of Meeting, “When the curtain was rolled up, the leaking and the lepers were permitted therein.” RASHI interpreted “the curtain was rolled up,” that they were rolling along as they were traveling. A “leper” pertains to slander. In ethics, “slander” pertains to slandering Providence.
Also, in ethics, “leaking” is as they said, “a cemented cistern that does not lose a drop.” This means that as long as one has not completed the measure of labor that he must exert, as much as he may take upon himself the burden of Torah, he immediately forgets and turns astray again.
It follows that any drop of fear of heaven that he takes upon himself leaks off from him. But once he is rewarded with permanent faith, he is called “a cemented cistern that does not lose a drop.”
Man’s heart is called “a cistern.” Sud [lime] is from the word Yasad [established], as in “for so the King established.” (RASHI interprets it as Yesod [foundation], so he established and commanded.) When man’s heart is corrected with the foundation of faith, when all he wants is because “for so the King established,” the King of the world, at that time the heart is called “a cemented cistern that does not lose a drop” of fear of heaven.
It is called “a drop” because man was created from this drop, since “You are called ‘man’” pertains to one who has fear of heaven, as it is written, “Fear God and observe His commandments” (Berachot 6b).
Precisely when the curtain was rolled up, the leaking and lepers were permitted in there. This means that then they were given an opportunity, since precisely at the time of concealment there is room for work, and one can make a choice and take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven permanently to be rewarded with the quality of “a cemented cistern that does not lose a drop.”
It follows from all the above that only a person himself must work in order to make a choice. Afterward, the Creator gives him everything that was intended in creation, which is to do good to His creations.