323. Discernments in a Spiritual Kli [vessel]
End of Rosh Hashanah, September 30, 1981
Malchut of the upper one becomes a Keter to the lower one.
The still, in itself, has wholeness.
The vegetative must have a place in which to annul inside the still.
Afterward, it can grow in the Masach [screen] that comprises love and fear.
“Love” and “fear” are regarded as two angels serving a person in order to achieve the goal.
Returning the AHP into ten Sefirot is called “ten days of repentance” [Ten Penitential Days].
There is still that has a vital force, but all are unable to make any individual movement. Rather, they have a general movement. Those who want to be in the quality of “vegetative” must put an end on the “still,” meaning they do not want to accept the reason that vitalizes the “still of Kedusha [holiness],” which is the quality of going by rote.
This means that the only thing that obligates a person to walk in the path of the Creator is the environment, that the environment brought him up to behave in this manner, namely as it obligates him. But for themselves, they have wholeness, called “the whole of Israel,” and a surrounding [light] shines in them, called “illumination from afar.” That is, although they are remote due to disparity of form, a general illumination nonetheless shines in them.
But one who puts a stop on it and does not want to follow the collective, but wants to be a “vegetative,” to have his own movement and not be dependent on the general public, when he is a Sof [end], called “Malchut of the upper one,” regarded as the previous state becoming Keter to the lower one, this end that he puts on the “still” is the root to entering the next degree, called “vegetative.”
As there cannot be any growth until the seed rots and disappears in the still, so he should be lost in the “still,” meaning not to feel his own existence, namely not to feel any vitality in the “still.” One who sets a place for his prayer, at that time, individual movement begins to grow in him, called “vegetative.” However, in order for a plant to bud, there must be plowing and other works.
The Masach at the Rosh [head] contains love and fear. This means that by having a Masach and raising Ohr Hozer [Reflected Light], he calculates that however much he can receive in order to bestow he will receive, and the amount of abundance that if he receives it, he will not be able to aim to bestow, he will not receive it.
We must know the meaning of Ohr Hozer. According to what is explained in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, since he feels great pleasure in wanting to bestow upon the Creator, and at that time he sees what can be said, that with this action that he will do, he will be able to delight the Creator, he sees that since the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, therefore, when he receives the pleasures of the Creator, he thereby delights Him.
This is called “receiving delight and pleasure in order to bring contentment to his Maker,” and this is called “love.” Out of the love of the Creator, he receives the pleasure, and the part that the Masach said not to receive—since he does not want to be far from the Creator due to disparity of form—is called “fear,” as explained in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar].
By this we understand what is written in The Zohar, “My name with Yod-Hey is ‘Do not do.’” He is afraid to receive, so as not to become separated from the Creator because of disparity of form. This is the large part that the Masach cannot receive in order to bestow.
This is why Yod-Hey is considered GAR, and that light is called Ohr Makif [Surrounding Light]. The small part that he does receive is called Ohr Pnimi [Inner Light], and this is why it is called “This is My memory, with Vav-Hey, it is the 248 ‘to do,’” which is what we should receive. This is called “love.” However, on the part that he cannot aim in order to bestow, there should be fear that he might not be able to aim in order to bestow and might come into disparity of form.