You
Stand
Today,
All
of
You
Article
19,
1984
The
interpreters
ask
about
the
words,
“You
stand
today,
all
of
you
...your
heads,
your
tribes,
your
elders
and
your
officers,
every
man
of
Israel.”
It
begins
with
the
plural
form,
“You”
[plural
form
in
Hebrew],
and
ends
in
singular
form,
“Every
man
of
Israel.”
The
author
of
the
book,
Light
and
Sun,
explains
that
by
using
plural
form
and
singular
form,
it
points
to
the
matter
of
love
of
friends.
Although
among
you
are
“heads,
tribes,”
etc.,
still
no
one
sees
greater
merit
in
himself
than
in
any
man
of
Israel.
Instead,
everyone
is
equal
in
that
no
one
complains
about
the
other.
For
this
reason,
from
above,
too,
they
are
treated
accordingly,
and
this
is
why
great
abundance
is
imparted
below.
It
is
our
way
to
study
everything
within
one
subject.
It
turns
out
that
a
person
should
take
upon
himself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
as
an
ox
to
the
burden
and
as
a
donkey
to
the
load,
which
are
mind
and
heart.
In
other
words,
all
of
one’s
work
should
be
in
order
to
bestow.
Accordingly,
if
one
works
in
order
to
bestow
and
does
not
wish
for
any
reward
in
return—except
to
serve
in
the
holy
work
without
hoping
to
be
given
any
addition
to
what
he
has—he
has
no
wish
even
for
additional
work.
In
other
words,
receiving
some
knowledge
that
he
is
walking
on
the
right
path
is
certainly
a
just
demand,
and
yet
he
relinquishes
even
that
because
he
wishes
to
go
with
his
eyes
shut
and
believe
in
the
Creator.
And
what
he
can,
he
does
and
he
is
content
with
his
lot.
And
he
even
feels
that
there
are
people
who
have
some
understanding
of
the
work
of
the
Creator,
while
he
sees
that
he
is
completely
empty.
In
other
words,
many
times
he
feels
a
good
taste
in
the
work,
and
at
times
he
feels
that
he
is
in
a
state
of
“Your
heads.”
In
other
words,
at
times
he
thinks
that
now
he
has
reached
a
degree
where
it
is
impossible
that
he
will
ever
decline
to
a
state
of
lowliness,
a
state
where
if
he
wishes
to
engage
in
the
work
of
God,
he
has
to
make
great
efforts
to
force
his
body.
At
that
time,
what
he
does
is
by
compulsion
because
he
has
no
desire
for
the
work,
and
the
body
only
wishes
to
rest
and
does
not
care
for
anything.
Instead,
at
that
time
he
feels
that
he
has
already
come
to
know
for
sure
that
there
is
nothing
else
in
the
world
except
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
and
then
he
certainly
finds
good
taste
in
the
work.
And
when
he
regards
his
previous
states,
he
cannot
understand,
now
that
he
is
in
a
state
of
ascent.
Hence,
by
all
calculations,
he
decides
that
now
it
is
impossible
that
he
will
ever
suffer
a
decline.
But
sometimes,
after
a
day,
an
hour,
or
a
few
minutes,
he
descends
to
such
a
state
of
lowliness
that
he
cannot
immediately
feel
that
he
has
fallen
from
his
uplifted
state
to
the
“depth
of
the
great
abyss.”
Rather,
at
times,
after
an
hour
or
two
he
suddenly
sees
that
he
has
fallen
from
the
highest
level,
meaning
from
his
previous
certainty
that
he
was
the
strongest
man,
and
he
is
like
any
man
of
Israel,
meaning
like
an
ordinary
person.
Then
he
begins
to
seek
advice
in
his
heart,
“What
should
I
do
now?”
“How
can
I
pick
myself
up
to
the
state
of
Gadlut
[greatness/adulthood]
that
I
had
before?”
At
that
time,
one
should
walk
on
the
path
of
truth—to
say,
“My
current
state,
being
in
utter
lowliness,
means
that
I
was
deliberately
thrown
out
from
above
to
know
if
I
truly
wish
to
do
the
holy
work
in
order
to
bestow,
or
if
I
wish
to
be
God’s
servant
because
I
find
it
more
rewarding
than
other
things.”
Then,
if
one
can
say,
“Now
I
want
to
work
in
order
to
bestow
and
I
do
not
want
to
do
the
holy
work
to
receive
some
gratification
in
the
work.
Instead,
I
will
settle
for
doing
the
work
of
holiness
like
any
man
of
Israel—praying
or
taking
a
lesson
on
the
daily
portion.
And
I
don’t
have
time
to
think
with
which
intent
I
study
or
pray,
but
I
will
simply
observe
the
actions
without
any
special
intent.”
At
that
time,
he
will
reenter
the
holy
work
because
now
he
wishes
to
be
God’s
servant
without
any
preconditions.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“You
stand
today,
all
of
you,”
meaning
everything
you
went
through,
all
the
states
you
have
experienced—whether
states
of
Gadlut
or
states
of
less
than
Gadlut,
which
were
considered
intermediate
or
so.
You
take
all
those
details
and
you
do
not
compare
one
degree
to
another
because
you
do
not
care
for
any
reward,
but
only
for
doing
the
Creator’s
will.
He
has
commanded
us
to
observe
Mitzvot
[commandments]
and
to
study
Torah,
and
this
is
what
we
do,
like
any
common
man
of
Israel.
In
other
words,
the
state
he
is
in
right
now
is
as
important
to
him
as
when
he
thought
he
was
in
a
state
of
Gadlut.
At
that
time,
“The
Lord
your
God
makes
with
you
this
day.”
This
means
that
then
the
Creator
makes
a
covenant
with
him.
In
other
words,
precisely
when
one
accepts
His
work
without
any
conditions
and
agrees
to
do
the
holy
work
without
any
reward,
which
is
called
“unconditional
surrender,”
this
is
the
time
when
the
Creator
makes
a
covenant
with
him.
Baal
HaSulam
explained
the
matter
of
making
a
covenant:
When
two
people
see
that
they
love
each
other,
they
make
a
covenant
between
them
that
their
love
will
always
endure.
And
he
asked,
“If
they
love
each
other
and
understand
that
this
love
will
never
leave
them,
why
this
covenant?
Why
do
they
make
this
covenant,
meaning
for
what
purpose?”
In
other
words,
what
do
they
gain
by
this
making
of
a
covenant?
Is
it
only
a
ritual
or
is
it
for
some
benefit?
He
said
that
the
matter
of
making
a
covenant
is
that
now
they
understand
that
it
is
in
their
interest
for
each
to
love
the
other
because
of
reasons
they
can
now
see—that
each
one
feels
the
other
and
cares
only
for
his
well-being—so
they
make
a
covenant.
And
as
now
neither
has
any
complaints
against
his
friend,
or
they
would
not
make
the
covenant,
they
tell
each
other,
“It
is
worthwhile
for
us
to
make
a
covenant
once
and
for
all.”
In
other
words,
if
there
is
ever
a
state
where
one
will
have
complaints
against
the
other,
they
will
both
remember
the
covenant
that
they
made
when
love
was
revealed
between
them.
Similarly,
even
though
they
currently
do
not
feel
the
love
as
they
did
then,
they
still
evoke
the
old
love
and
do
not
look
at
the
state
they
are
currently
in.
Instead,
they
go
back
to
doing
things
for
each
other.
This
is
the
benefit
of
the
covenant.
Thus,
even
when
the
love
that
was
between
them
has
lost
its
fancy,
because
they
made
the
covenant,
they
have
the
strength
to
reawaken
the
shining
love
that
they
had
before.
In
this
way,
they
usher
each
other
back
into
the
future.
It
follows
that
making
the
covenant
is
for
the
future.
It
is
like
a
contract
that
they
sign
that
they
will
not
be
able
to
regret
when
they
see
that
the
ties
of
love
are
not
as
they
were,
that
this
love
gave
them
great
pleasure
while
they
were
doing
good
to
each
other,
but
now
that
love
has
been
corrupted,
they
are
powerless
and
none
can
do
anything
for
the
other.
But
if
they
do
wish
to
do
something
for
their
friends,
they
must
consider
the
making
of
the
covenant
that
they
had
before,
and
out
of
that
they
should
rebuild
the
love.
It
is
like
a
person
who
signs
a
contract
with
his
friend,
and
the
contract
connects
them
so
they
cannot
part
from
one
another.
It
follows
that,
“You
stand
today,
all
of
you.”
In
other
words,
he
thinks
of
details,
“Your
heads,
your
tribes,
your
elders
and
your
officers,
every
man
of
Israel.”
This
means
that
of
all
the
high
degrees
that
he
had,
it
is
now
considered
for
him
that
he
is
in
a
state
of
“Every
man
of
Israel,”
and
he
assumes
that
state,
as
when
he
was
in
a
state
that
he
considered
good.
He
says,
“Now
I
do
my
part,
and
I
agree
that
the
Creator
will
give
me
what
He
wants,
and
I
have
no
criticism.”
At
that
time,
he
is
rewarded
with
making
a
covenant.
In
other
words,
the
connection
remains
forever
because
the
Creator
made
a
covenant
with
him
for
all
eternity.
According
to
the
above,
we
should
interpret
the
verse,
“The
secret
things
belong
to
the
Lord
our
God,
but
the
things
that
are
revealed
belong
to
us
and
to
our
sons
forever,
that
we
may
do
all
the
words
of
this
law.”
We
should
understand
what
this
verse
comes
to
tell
us.
We
cannot
say
that
it
comes
to
tell
us
that
we
do
not
know
what
is
hidden
and
only
the
Creator
knows.
We
cannot
say
that
because
without
the
verse,
we
do
not
know
what
is
hidden
from
us.
Thus,
what
does
the
verse
come
to
tell
us?
It
is
known
that
there
is
a
thing
that
is
hidden
and
a
thing
that
is
revealed.
It
means
that
the
active
part
of
what
we
do
is
when
we
can
see
whether
or
not
we
are
doing
it.
And
if
the
body
does
not
wish
to
perform
the
Mitzva
[commandment],
there
is
a
tactic—one
can
force
oneself,
meaning
that
he
is
compelled
to
do
the
Mitzva
against
his
will.
It
turns
out
that
coercion
is
relevant
with
revealed
things.
The
hidden
thing
is
the
intention
in
the
Mitzva.
This,
one
cannot
see,
meaning
what
the
other
one
intends
while
doing.
It
is
the
same
with
the
person
himself,
the
one
who
acts.
He,
too,
cannot
know
if
he
is
not
fooling
himself
during
the
act.
He
thinks
that
he
has
no
other
goal
and
that
he
is
completely
dedicated
to
the
Creator.
But
with
the
action,
called
“the
revealed
part,”
it
is
irrelevant
to
speak
of
a
person
lying
to
himself,
that
he
thinks
that
he
is
wearing
Tefillin
[phylacteries]
when
in
truth,
it
is
not
Tefillin.
Similarly,
a
woman
cannot
lie
to
herself
saying
that
she
lights
the
Sabbath
candles
when
in
fact
she
isn’t.
But
with
intention,
it
can
be
said
that
one
lies
to
oneself.
He
thinks
that
he
is
working
Lishma
[for
Her
sake]
when
in
fact
he
is
entirely
in
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake].
Also,
there
cannot
be
coercion
because
one
cannot
coerce
one’s
thought
into
thinking
what
he
wants
to.
Regarding
things
that
belong
to
emotion
or
knowledge,
a
person
is
powerless.
He
cannot
force
his
mind
to
understand
differently
than
it
does
or
feel
differently
than
how
he
feels.
Now
we
can
understand
the
above
matter—that
all
that
is
left
for
us
is
the
practical
part.
This
is
called
“The
things
that
are
revealed
belong
to
us
and
to
our
sons
forever,
that
we
may
do
all
the
words
of
this
law.”
We
are
commanded
to
perform
the
action,
meaning
it
is
the
deed
that
we
are
commanded
to
do,
even
coercively.
But
as
for
the
intention,
called
“the
hidden
part,”
in
that,
no
man
has
any
view
or
governance.
Thus,
what
should
we
do
to
keep
the
hidden
part,
as
well?
Here
all
that
one
can
do
is
test,
meaning
examine
himself
to
see
if
he
is
truly
doing
everything
in
order
to
bestow,
or
whether
the
body
resists
the
aim
to
bestow.
He
feels
that
he
is
removed
from
it
to
the
extent
that
there
is
nothing
he
can
do
alone,
since
whatever
he
plans
to
do,
all
the
tactics
to
be
able
to
aim
in
order
to
bestow
do
not
help
him.
It
is
about
that
that
the
verse
comes
to
tell
us
that
this
matter
of
Lishma,
called
“the
hidden
part,”
belongs
to
the
Lord
our
God.
In
other
words,
only
the
Creator
can
help
him,
while
there
is
absolutely
no
possibility
that
he
himself
would
realize
it.
It
is
not
in
the
hands
of
man
because
it
is
above
nature.
This
is
why
the
verse
says,
“The
secret
things
belong
to
the
Lord
our
God,”
meaning
that
it
belongs
to
Him,
that
the
Creator
should
provide
this
force
called
“to
bestow.”
This
is
why
our
sages
said
(Kidushin
30),
“Man’s
inclination
overpowers
him
every
day
and
seeks
to
put
him
to
death,
as
it
is
said,
‘The
wicked
watches
the
righteous,
and
seeks
to
slay
him.’
And
if
the
Creator
did
not
help
him,
he
would
not
overcome
it,
as
it
is
said,
‘The
Lord
will
not
leave
him
in
his
hand.’”
The
matter
of
seeking
to
slay
him
means
that
it
wishes
for
man
to
do
everything
in
order
to
receive,
which
is
regarded
as
being
separated
from
the
Life
of
Lives.
Naturally,
one
remains
a
beast.
This
is
why
our
sages
said,
“The
wicked
are
called
‘dead’
while
they
are
alive.”
It
turns
out
that
it
is
called
“death”
when
his
intention
is
to
receive.
This
is
considered
separation.
To
be
rewarded
with
Dvekut
[adhesion],
meaning
to
be
granted
the
strength
to
bestow—to
have
such
a
thing—only
the
Creator
can
give
it
to
him;
it
is
not
in
man’s
power
to
obtain.
This
is
why
our
sages
said,
“Man’s
inclination
overpowers
him
every
day
and
seeks
to
slay
him,
and
if
the
Creator
did
not
help
him,
he
would
not
overcome
it,
as
it
is
said,
‘The
Lord
will
not
leave
him
in
his
hand.’”
From
what
we
explained,
we
can
understand
the
verse,
“The
secret
things
belong
to
the
Lord
our
God,
but
the
things
that
are
revealed
belong
to
us
and
to
our
sons.”
Thus,
only
the
act
is
for
us
to
do,
but
the
hidden
part
is
for
the
Creator
to
do.
However,
there
is
still
something
for
us
to
do
about
the
hidden,
so
the
Creator
will
give
us
the
hidden
part.
This
follows
the
rule
that
everything
requires
an
awakening
from
below.
There
is
a
rule
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli
[vessel],
meaning
there
is
no
fulfillment
without
a
deficiency.
You
cannot
insert
anything
unless
there
is
a
vacancy,
and
then
you
put
in
whatever
you
want.
But
if
there
is
no
cavity,
no
empty
place,
how
can
we
insert
anything?
Therefore,
first
we
should
see
that
we
do
not
have
the
vessel
of
bestowal,
called
“desire
to
bestow,”
and
that
this
is
our
light.
As
we
explained
in
previous
articles,
our
primary
reward
is
to
obtain
the
desire
to
bestow,
called
“Reflected
Light,”
as
it
is
said,
“The
whole
reward
that
we
hope
for
is
the
Reflected
Light”
(General
Preface
to
the
Tree
of
Life).
Therefore,
if
the
desire
to
bestow
is
called
“the
light,”
then
this
deficiency,
when
one
sees
that
he
does
not
have
the
power
to
bestow,
is
called
“a
Kli.”
He
feels
that
this
is
what
he
is
missing,
meaning
he
sees
what
he
is
losing
by
not
having
this
power
called
“the
power
of
bestowal.”
Hence,
his
deficiency
is
built
in
him
according
to
his
sensation.
This
is
called
“a
Kli”
and
“a
vacancy,”
for
here—where
he
lacks
the
power
of
bestowal—there
is
room
for
this
filling
to
enter.
This
is
called
“the
arrival
of
the
light
into
the
Kli.”
However,
we
should
know
that
receiving
this
Kli
requires
a
lot
of
work.
We
have
Kelim
[plural
of
Kli],
called
“deficiencies,”
which
we
wish
to
fill.
They
are
called
“Kelim
of
self-love,”
meaning
that
we
wish
to
receive
fulfillment.
These
are
very
important
Kelim
because
they
come
from
the
side
of
the
Creator,
who
created
them
existence
from
absence
because
He
wishes
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
meaning
that
He
wishes
to
give
fulfillment.
Yet,
how
is
it
possible
to
give
fulfillment
if
there
is
no
vacancy
in
which
to
place
the
filling?
For
this
reason,
He
created
these
Kelim
existence
from
absence
to
place
the
delight
and
pleasure
in
them.
It
turns
out
that
this
is
the
essence
of
the
Kli
that
the
Creator
created.
However,
because
this
Kli
is
called
a
“desire
to
receive,”
it
wished
to
have
equivalence
of
form,
called
“Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator.”
This
is
why
this
Kli
was
disqualified
from
being
a
Kli
for
reception
of
the
upper
abundance.
Now
there
is
a
need
for
a
new
Kli
for
reception,
which
dresses
in
the
former
Kli,
where
only
by
both—by
clothing
the
will
to
bestow
within
the
will
to
receive—will
this
Kli
befit
reception.
The
previous
Kli,
called
“desire
to
receive,”
came
from
the
Emanator.
The
lower
one
has
no
part
in
the
work
of
the
desire
to
receive,
although
everything
comes
from
the
Emanator.
Similarly,
the
second
Kli,
called
“desire
to
bestow,”
comes
only
from
the
Emanator,
as
well,
and
the
lower
one
cannot
add,
just
as
in
the
first
Kli,
called
“desire
to
receive.”
However,
the
difference
is
that
the
vessel
of
bestowal
must
first
have
a
demand
from
the
lower
one,
who
seeks
of
the
Creator
to
be
given
the
new
Kli.
This,
the
first
Kli
did
not
have
because
it
came
to
him
without
any
awakening
on
the
part
of
the
lower
one.