575. The Purity of the Work
“Come and see, He replied, ‘He was a bastard, for Tziv’on came unto his mother and begot a bastard.’ And he came in this way because of the spirit of impurity that clung to him” (The Zohar, VaYishlach, Item 264).
It is known that when he comes and asks “Who” or “What,” and wants to reply to this question, he “replied,” from the words “You shall not reply unto your neighbor [a false testimony],” meaning that he testifies that he has found Eymim [horrors]. Eymim is from the word Yomam [daytime], which is lights and pleasures in servitude.
It follows that he testifies that his work is in the will to receive, called Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], since all his work is because he receives great pleasures, and if he did not have pleasures, he would not work at all.
However, we must know that all created beings were created only for His glory. It follows that the evil inclination, too, is the messenger of the Creator. Hence, by coming to him with its questions, it sorts out the source and foundation of his work. And since the work is a result of the desire, the thought and the desire are called “father,” and the work is called “offspring.”
Thus, he came to ask about his father, meaning who is causing him the work. This is the meaning of “Who found the waters… for Tziv’on his father,” meaning that he testifies that the cause of the work is the Lo Lishma called Tziv’on, meaning Tzviut [hypocrisy] and not truth, called Lishma [for Her sake].
The Zohar asks how he had the ability to continue in the work thus far if his intention was founded on falsehood. However, there was a mixture here, meaning “Tziv’on came unto his mother.”
“Mother” is called “the point in the heart,” which yearns for the work of the Creator. It is an organ of the Shechina [Divinity], called “mother of the children.” However, Tziv’on came unto her, namely the Lo Lishma, called for the sake of the will to receive, which is the body, and Tziv’on makes him think that it is worthwhile to work in order to be delighted with spiritual pleasures in which it is possible to receive more pleasure than in corporeal pleasures.
There is a mixture of one kind with that which is not its kind here. For this reason, the offshoot of this is a bastard, since the point in the heart should unite with the desire to bestow and not with the will to receive. It follows that the causes of the work, called “father and mother,” are one kind with that which is not its kind. For this reason, he begets a bastard.
“Replied” was born from Tziv’on, his father. It follows that with his questions, he caused him to beget an offshoot, called “replied,” meaning his testimony. This means that specifically the question causes him to beget a bastard.
The rule is that a bastard does not give birth, for offspring means the work. Hence, he can no longer continue the work because now it has been revealed to him that all his work is Lo Lishma, whereas before, he thought that he was working Lishma.
It follows that this revelation did him much good, for now he can aim his eyes and heart on correcting his state so as to be rewarded with coming to the real Dvekut [adhesion], and his only thought will be to bestow contentment upon the Creator.
This is the meaning of The Zohar continuing there, “And yet, every person who walks by the ways of the Creator and fears Him does not fear them.” “The ways of the Creator” is called above reason, whether in mind or in heart. “Does not fear them” means he is not afraid of the questions of “Who” and “What.”
This is the meaning of what is written in The Zohar, “Rabbi Yitzhak said, ‘Likewise, all those desolate mountains are their dwelling places. And it is written about all those who engage in Torah, ‘The Lord shall keep you from all evil.’’” Harim [Mountains] are things that stand in the middle of the way and do not let one keep going in order to reach the goal. These are Hirhurim [thoughts], foreign thoughts that delay man’s work.
This is the meaning of “Ascended up the mountain,” meaning that they went into those mountains “and they were ruined” meaning lost all their attainment. This is why it said, “desolate mountains are their dwelling places,” meaning that it brings them nothing but ruin. This is not so for those who walk on the path of the Creator. These ascend on the mountain of the Creator, as it is written, “Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord … He who has clean hands and a pure heart,” meaning mind and heart that are both in bestowal and faith above reason.