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Concerning the Goal
577. Concerning the Goal
February 26, 1977
The purpose of man’s work is to achieve the intention to bestow, for there is nothing to correct in the external action, since the Kli [vessel] that was created by the Creator will not undergo any change. Rather, all the changes should be in the intention, meaning that since the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations, He created a Kli for this purpose, called “desire and yearning to receive pleasure.”
However, in order not to have the bread of shame, but only through equivalence of form, a correction was made called Tzimtzum [restriction], so as not to receive unless it is in order to bestow. In other words, in the same Kli he had before, namely the will to receive, but with a different aim, meaning not to receive because he wants to satisfy his deficiency, but because of the Mitzvot [commandments] of the Creator, since He wants to do good to His creations. But for himself, he is willing to relinquish the pleasures.
It therefore follows that all the work is only on the aim to come to a person yearning to bestow. This is called “inner work,” which is something concealed, not apparent on the outside. It is man’s intention in the act that he performs.
However, in order to achieve the intention called “inner work,” we first need external work, which is actions, something visible, meaning that his work is apparent. Conversely, the intention is internal and concealed.
Therefore, the work in Torah and Mitzvot enables us to achieve the intention through these actions. This is why our sages said, “The Creator said, ‘I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.’” In other words, the Torah and Mitzvot spice up the evil inclination so it becomes tasty, for the evil inclination is called the “will to receive.”
For itself, it is tasteless, for the Tzimtzum is on it and it remains in the vacant space. But through the Torah and Mitzvot, he achieves the intention to bestow. Then, with this Kli, called “will to receive,” he receives all the delight and pleasure.
It therefore follows that the external actions are means by which he achieves the goal, which is the aim to bestow. Hence, we should know when we engage in externality that it is only a qualification to reach the internality, which is the goal.
Then, when he has the real intention, the actions themselves are regarded as internality, meaning that inner light dresses in the external acts of Torah and Mitzvot. That is, with respect to root and branch, the upper abundance dresses during the performing of Torah and Mitzvot, as explained in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar] in the introduction to The Zohar.