And
the
Children
Struggled
within
Her
Article
No.
9,
1985
“And
the
children
struggled
within
her.”
According
to
RASHI’s
interpretation,
“Our
sages
explained
it
as
running,
when
she
would
pass
by
the
doors
of
Torah
of
Shem
and
Ever,
Jacob
was
running
and
wiggling
to
come
out.
When
she
passed
by
doors
of
idol-worship,
Esau
was
wriggling
to
come
out.”
Baal
HaSulam
said
that
this
is
the
order
of
the
work.
The
beginning
of
the
work
is
called
Ibur
[impregnation],
when
a
person
begins
to
work
on
the
path
of
truth.
When
he
passes
by
the
doors
of
Torah,
the
Jacob
in
a
person
awakens
and
wishes
to
walk
on
the
path
of
Torah.
When
he
walks
by
the
doors
of
idol-worship,
the
Esau
in
a
person
awakens
to
come
out.
We
should
interpret
his
words.
Man
consists
of
vessels
of
reception
by
nature,
called
“self-love,”
which
is
the
evil
inclination,
and
also
consists
of
a
point
in
the
heart,
which
is
his
good
inclination.
When
he
begins
to
work
in
bestowal,
it
is
regarded
as
Ibur,
form
the
word,
Avra
[passed].
This
is
why
he
experiences
ascents
and
descents
and
is
unstable.
He
is
influenced
by
the
environment
and
is
unable
to
overcome.
For
this
reason,
when
one
moves
to
an
environment
where
people
engage
in
work
that
is
alien
to
us,
meaning
self-love,
the
self-love
in
a
person
awakens
and
comes
out
from
concealment
to
disclosure,
and
takes
control
over
the
body.
At
that
time
one
is
unable
to
do
anything
except
that
which
concerns
his
receiver.
When
he
passes
through
an
environment
where
people
engage
in
work
of
bestowal,
the
Jacob
in
him
awakens
and
comes
out
from
concealment
to
disclosure.
At
that
time
works
of
bestowal
govern
the
body.
That
is,
at
that
time,
when
he
looks
back
and
sees
how
before
he
has
reached
the
state
he
is
in
he
was
so
immersed
in
self-love,
he
cannot
understand
how
can
one
be
so
low
and
derive
satisfaction
from
such
base
things
that
are
inappropriate
for
an
adult
to
build
his
house
among
lowly
and
despicable
desires
and
thoughts.
He
is
insulted
by
these
desires
and
thoughts
where
his
house
once
was.
But
later,
when
he
passes
by
the
doors
of
idol-worship,
meaning
when
he
comes
to
an
environment
that
engages
in
self-love,
the
Esau
in
him
reawakens
and
wriggles
to
come
out.
This
continues
in
the
worker
repeatedly,
day
after
day.
One
who
works
harder
may
go
through
these
changing
states
each
and
every
hour.
“And
she
said,
‘If
it
is
so,
then
why
me?’
And
she
went
to
inquire
of
the
Lord.”
RASHI
interprets
“And
she
went
to
inquire”
to
mean
Shem’s
seminary,
to
inquire
the
Lord
so
as
to
tell
her
what
shall
become
of
her.
And
what
was
the
reply?
The
verse
says,
“The
Lord
said
to
her,
‘Two
nations
are
in
your
womb,
and
two
peoples
will
be
separated
from
your
abdomen,
and
one
people
shall
be
stronger
than
the
other,
and
the
older
shall
serve
the
younger.’”
RASHI
interprets
“one
people
shall
be
stronger
than
the
other”
to
mean
that
they
will
not
be
of
equal
greatness;
when
one
rise,
the
other
falls.
He
also
says,
“She
is
laid
waste;
Tzor
is
filled
only
by
the
ruin
of
Jerusalem.”
To
understand
the
Creator’s
answer
to
her,
as
it
is
written,
“The
Lord
said
to
her,”
we
need
to
explain
that
it
was
said
that
these
two
forces
must
exist,
as
it
is
known
that
the
creature
is
the
vessel
of
reception,
called
Esau.
But
afterwards
comes
the
second
force,
called
Jacob,
which
is
the
desire
to
bestow.
Each
wants
to
rule
alone,
and
this
is
the
struggle
between
Esau
and
Jacob.
This
is
why
RASHI
interpreted,
“When
one
rises
the
other
falls;
Tzor
was
filled
only
by
the
ruin
of
Jerusalem.”
That
is,
she
was
told
that
we
must
clearly
know—either
the
will
to
receive
governs,
or
the
will
to
bestow
governs.
They
cannot
both
exist
together.
Therefore,
we
must
decide
once
and
for
all
that
it
is
not
worthwhile
to
dwell
in
abominable
and
lowly
thoughts
and
desires.
Then,
when
one
sees
that
one
cannot
overcome
one’s
will
to
receive,
it
is
regarded
as
seeing
that
he
is
nothing,
worthless,
except
that
then
he
sees
that
even
though
he
has
already
realized
that
the
will
to
receive
is
the
harm-doer,
he
still
cannot
overcome
it.
This
is
why
specifically
then
he
sees
that
he
needs
heaven’s
mercy,
that
without
His
help
it
is
impossible
to
come
out
of
the
governance
of
the
will
to
receive.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
our
sages
said
(Kidushin
30),
“Man’s
inclination
overcomes
him
every
day.
Were
it
not
for
the
Creator’s
help,
he
would
not
overcome
it.”
This
pertains
specifically
to
one
who
has
begun
the
work
and
has
done
everything
he
could.
At
that
time
he
does
not
need
to
believe
that
only
the
Creator
can
help
him
because
now
he
sees
that
there
is
no
tactic
or
ploy
that
he
has
not
tried,
and
nothing
helped
him.
Only
the
Creator
helped
him.
Only
then
can
he
understand
that
only
the
Creator
helps.
Thus,
what
is
the
difference
between
him
and
another?
As
He
helped
him,
he
can
also
help
others.
For
this
reason,
there
is
no
reason
to
be
proud
over
others,
since
it
is
not
his
strength.
But
those
who
have
not
begun
the
holy
work,
which
is
only
to
bestow
and
not
to
receive,
they
do
not
see
that
only
the
Creator
helped
them.
Instead,
they
say,
“My
strength
and
the
power
of
my
hand
has
done
this
riches.”
Naturally,
they
have
something
with
which
to
boast
over
others
who
are
not
working
as
they
do.
At
that
time
it
follows
that
the
difference
between
good
and
bad
is
not
so
great,
since
his
good
is
also
built
on
a
basis
of
self-love.
And
although
he
engages
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments],
the
struggle
between
Jacob
and
Esau
is
still
not
apparent
then,
and
naturally,
he
does
not
need
help
from
above
to
save
him
from
the
will
to
receive,
have
mercy
on
him,
and
give
him
the
Kli
[vessel]
of
the
desire
to
bestow,
since
he
sees
that
by
nature
he
cannot
work
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
so
because
he
does
not
think
that
one
needs
to
work
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
be
awarded
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
and
the
matter
of
bestowal
does
not
interest
him
at
all.
Therefore,
it
cannot
be
said
that
when
one
rises,
the
other
falls.
However,
when
one
wishes
to
walk
on
the
path
of
bestowal,
this
is
when
the
matter
of
“struggling”
begins.
Afterwards,
one
should
do
what
one
can,
and
then
he
comes
to
a
state
where
he
sees
the
truth—that
he
cannot
help
himself.
Afterwards
he
sees
that
he
has
no
choice,
and
he
needs
heaven’s
mercy.
Then
the
words
of
our
sages,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided,”
come
true.
We
should
understand
what,
“And
the
older
shall
serve
the
younger,”
comes
to
tell
us.
We
should
interpret
that
it
is
not
enough
that
he
has
been
rewarded
with
the
good
inclination
being
the
ruler,
and
the
evil
inclination
being
powerless
to
resist
it,
which
is
regarded
as
being
able
to
serve
the
Creator
only
with
the
good
inclination.
Rather,
one
needs
to
achieve
the
degree
of
wholeness,
as
our
sages
said,
“‘And
you
shall
love
the
Lord
your
God
with
all
your
heart,’
with
both
your
inclinations,”
where
the
evil
inclination
is
also
used
to
serve
the
Creator.
This
can
be
interpreted
only
in
a
manner
that
first
we
need
to
know
what
is
the
evil
inclination.
We
must
know
that
the
essence
of
the
evil
in
us
is
the
will
to
receive,
from
which
all
the
bad
things
come
to
us,
namely
bad
thoughts
and
desires.
The
will
to
bestow
brings
us
all
the
good
things,
which
are
our
good
thoughts
and
desires.
Therefore,
when
the
good
inclination
governs
a
person,
namely
the
desire
to
bestow,
upper
abundance
pours
upon
us
from
above,
meaning
that
by
this,
abundance
of
Hassadim
[mercies]
comes
from
above.
However,
we
must
know
that
this
is
only
the
correction
of
creation.
That
is,
to
have
equivalence
of
form,
we
must
aim
everything
for
the
Creator,
so
we
will
have
equivalence
of
form,
called
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator.
However,
the
purpose
of
creation
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
meaning
for
the
lower
ones
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure
from
the
Creator,
and
not
to
bestow
upon
Him
contentment,
as
though
the
Creator
needs
the
lower
ones
to
give
Him
something.
Therefore,
when
the
creatures
wish
to
receive
something
from
the
Creator,
they
must
use
their
vessels
of
reception,
which
is
the
evil
inclination.
Otherwise,
who
will
receive
the
pleasure?
The
receiver
of
the
pleasure
is
only
the
craving
for
that
thing.
The
craving
for
pleasures
is
called
“will
to
receive.”
It
follows
that
at
that
time
one
must
use
the
evil
inclination,
but
with
a
correction
placed
on
it,
called
“in
order
to
bestow.”
It
follows
that
then
he
serves
the
Creator
with
the
evil
inclination,
too.
The
evil
inclination
is
called
“older”
because
it
was
born
first.
Likewise,
when
a
person
is
born
the
evil
inclination
comes
first,
and
the
good
inclination
comes
after
thirteen
years.
Therefore,
when
a
person
works
with
the
will
to
receive
in
order
to
bestow,
it
is
considered
that
he
loves
the
Creator
with
all
his
heart,
meaning
with
both
his
inclinations.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
verse,
“and
the
older
shall
serve
the
younger,”
meaning
that
the
will
to
receive,
called
“older,”
will
serve
the
younger,
meaning
serve
the
desire
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator.
It
follows
that
the
desire
to
bestow
will
be
the
ruler.
Sometimes
the
desire
to
bestow
uses
vessels
of
bestowal,
called
“vessels
of
Jacob,”
and
then
it
is
regarded
as
serving
the
Creator
with
the
good
inclination.
Sometimes
it
uses
the
vessels
of
reception,
and
then
it
is
regarded
as
serving
the
Creator
also
with
the
evil
inclination.
All
this
was
said
to
her
in
Shem’s
seminary,
as
it
is
written,
“The
Lord
said
to
her.”
By
this
we
will
understand
what
Ben
Zoma
said
(Avot
deRabbi
Natan,
Chapter
23),
“Who
is
the
hero
of
heroes?
He
who
turns
his
enemy
into
his
friend.”
In
Masechet
Avot
(Chapte
4),
“Ben
Zoma
says,
‘Who
is
a
hero?
He
who
conquers
his
inclination.’”
We
should
understand
the
difference
between
referring
to
a
“hero”
when
he
says,
“Who
is
a
hero?
He
who
conquers
his
inclination,”
and
the
interpretation
he
gives
to
“hero
of
heroes,”
when
he
says
“He
who
turns
his
enemy
into
his
friend.”
According
to
the
above
we
should
interpret
the
words
of
Ben
Zoma,
that
a
hero
means
“and
one
people
shall
be
stronger
than
the
other,”
as
RASHI
interpreted,
“When
one
rises,
the
other
falls.”
This
is
called
a
“hero,”
who
has
surrendered
the
evil
in
him,
and
only
the
good
inclination
governs,
meaning
that
he
is
serving
the
Creator
only
with
the
good
inclination.
A
“hero
of
heroes”
is
regarded
as
“and
the
older
shall
serve
the
younger.”
This
means
that
the
“older,”
meaning
the
evil
in
him,
“will
serve
the
younger,”
namely
serve
the
desire
to
bestow.
At
that
time
he
will
be
serving
the
Creator
also
with
the
evil
inclination,
and
then
he
keeps
the
verse,
“With
all
your
heart,”
meaning
with
both
your
inclinations.