Come
unto
Pharaoh
-
1
Article
No.
19,
1985
“Come
unto
Pharaoh.”
This
is
perplexing.
Should
it
not
have
said,
“Go
unto
Pharaoh”?
The
Zohar
explains
(Bo,
item
36),
“But
He
allowed
Moses
into
rooms
within
rooms,
to
one
high
sea
monster.
…When
the
Creator
saw
that
Moses
was
afraid
…
the
Creator
said,
‘Behold,
I
am
against
you,
Pharaoh
King
of
Egypt,
the
great
monster
that
lies
in
the
midst
of
his
rivers.’
The
Creator
had
to
wage
war
against
him,
and
no
other,
as
you
say,
‘I
the
Lord,’
and
they
explained,
‘I,
and
no
emissary.’”
It
follows
that
“Come”
means
both
of
us
together.
To
interpret
this
in
the
work
of
the
Creator,
we
first
have
to
know
what
is
our
demand
for
engaging
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments].
That
is,
what
are
we
asking
in
return
for
it.
The
reward
should
be
clear—to
understand
that
it
is
worthwhile
for
us
to
relinquish
bodily
pleasures
if
we
understand
that
this
is
what
interferes
with
our
achieving
the
goal,
which
is
our
reward—to
achieve
the
sublime
goal
through
our
engagement
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
meaning
that
the
goal
is
a
reward
for
relinquishing
corporeal
pleasures.
Therefore,
we
should
know
that
the
main
reward
we
want
for
keeping
Torah
and
Mitzvot
is
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
which
is
equivalence
of
form,
as
in
“and
to
cleave
unto
Him.”
It
is
as
our
sages
said
(Baba
Batra,
16),
“The
Creator
has
created
the
evil
inclination,
He
has
created
for
it
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
This
is
the
Kli
[vessel]
in
which
we
can
receive
the
purpose
of
creation,
called
“doing
good
to
His
creations,”
which
is
called
“the
revelation
of
His
Godliness
to
His
creatures
in
this
world,”
as
it
is
written
in
the
essay,
Matan
Torah
[“The
Giving
of
the
Torah”].
It
is
known
that
the
heart
of
the
work
is
in
making
the
Kli.
But
the
filling,
which
is
the
abundance
poured
into
the
Kli,
comes
from
the
upper
one,
which
is
His
desire
to
benefit
His
creations.
Certainly,
from
His
perspective,
nothing
prevents
Him
from
giving
to
us,
and
all
the
deficiencies
we
feel
are
because
we
haven’t
the
Kelim
[vessels]
to
receive
the
abundance,
since
our
Kelim
come
from
the
shattering.
This
is
so
because
due
to
the
breaking
of
the
vessels
that
occurred
in
the
world
of
Nekudim,
the
Klipot
[shells/peels]
emerged,
which
receive
in
order
to
receive,
for
in
spirituality,
breaking
is
similar
to
breaking
a
vessel
in
corporeality.
With
a
physical
vessel,
if
it
is
broken
and
you
pour
into
it
some
liquid,
the
liquid
pours
out.
Likewise,
in
spirituality,
if
a
thought
of
will
to
receive
for
oneself
enters
the
Kli,
the
abundance
pours
out
to
the
external
ones,
meaning
outside
of
Kedusha
[holiness].
Kedusha
means
“for
the
Creator.”
Anything
outside
of
“for
the
Creator”
is
called
Sitra
Achra
[other
side],
namely
the
other
side
of
Kedusha.
This
is
why
we
say
that
Kedusha
means
to
bestow,
and
Tuma’a
[impurity]
means
to
receive.
For
this
reason,
we,
who
were
born
after
the
breaking,
desire
only
to
receive.
Therefore
we
cannot
be
given
abundance,
for
it
will
all
certainly
go
to
the
side
of
the
Sitra
Achra.
This
is
the
only
reason
why
we
are
far
from
receiving
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
the
Creator
has
prepared
for
us,
for
everything
that
He
may
give
us
will
not
stay
with
us,
but
will
be
lost,
as
our
sages
said,
“Who
is
a
fool?
He
who
loses
what
he
is
given.”
This
means
that
the
root
of
the
reason
we
lose
is
that
we
are
fools.
But
why
must
a
fool
lose
it
and
a
wise
keep
what
he
is
given?
We
should
interpret
that
a
fool
is
one
who
remains
with
his
nature,
which
is
self-love,
and
does
not
work
on
tactics
to
be
able
to
exit
the
will
to
receive.
Although
there
are
many
ways
and
tactics
to
exit
one’s
nature,
he
remains
as
naked
as
on
the
day
he
was
born,
without
another
clothing,
a
clothing
known
as
“the
will
to
bestow,”
for
with
a
clothing
of
bestowal
he
can
dress
the
delight
and
pleasure
he
should
receive.
However,
sometimes
a
person
begins
the
work
of
bestowal
and
explains
to
the
body
that
this
is
the
whole
purpose
of
the
work—to
receive
vessels
of
bestowal.
However,
after
all
his
arguments
with
the
body,
the
body
tells
him,
“You
cannot
change
the
nature
that
the
Creator
has
created.
And
since
creation
is
regarded
as
‘existence
from
absence,’
it
is
only
in
the
form
of
desire
to
receive,
so
how
dare
you
say
that
you
can
change
the
nature
that
the
Creator
has
created?”
It
was
said
about
this,
“Come
unto
Pharaoh,”
meaning
we
will
go
together.
I
will
go
with
you
so
that
I
will
change
the
nature,
and
all
I
want
is
that
you
will
ask
Me
to
help
you
change
your
nature
and
invert
it
from
a
desire
to
receive
into
a
desire
to
bestow,
as
our
sages
said
(Sukkah,
52),
“Man’s
inclination
overpowers
him
every
day,
and
were
it
not
for
the
Creator’s
help,
he
would
not
have
overcome
it.”
However,
we
should
understand
why
the
Creator
needs
him
to
ask
of
Him.
This
is
suitable
for
flesh
and
blood,
who
want
the
honor
of
being
asked,
so
as
to
know
that
he
has
helped
him.
But
how
can
such
a
thing
be
said
about
the
Creator?
However,
the
rule,
“there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli,”
means
that
it
is
impossible
to
give
to
someone
a
filling
if
he
has
no
desire.
As
long
as
there
is
no
desire
for
something,
if
you
give
him,
he
will
have
no
taste
in
it.
Therefore,
he
will
not
be
able
to
appreciate
it
and
will
not
keep
it
from
being
stolen.
That
is,
there
are
people
who
do
understand
the
importance
of
the
matter
and
will
take
it
from
him.
This
is
why
a
person
should
ask
for
the
Creator’s
help,
so
that
if
he
is
given
some
illumination
from
above
he
will
know
how
to
keep
it
from
the
external
ones
stealing
it
from
him,
for
they
do
know
the
value
of
any
illumination
of
Kedusha.
For
this
reason,
when
a
person
asks
of
the
Creator
to
help
him—and
a
true
request
begins
precisely
when
one
sees
that
a
person
is
unable
to
help
himself—then
he
knows
for
certain
that
there
is
no
other
choice
but
to
ask
the
Creator
to
help
him.
Otherwise,
he
will
remain
separated
from
Kedusha
and
will
have
no
way
out
of
the
state
of
self-love.
Therefore,
when
the
Creator
helps
him,
he
already
knows
it
is
a
valuable
asset
that
must
be
guarded
carefully
so
the
external
ones
do
not
take
it.
Likewise,
the
ARI
says
(The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,
Part
7,
p
495),
“This
is
the
meaning
of
the
pursuit
of
the
evil
inclination
and
Sitra
Achra
to
make
the
righteous
sin
and
to
cling
to
Kedusha.
It
is
because
they
have
no
vitality
other
than
through
them.
When
the
good
and
Kedusha
increase,
their
lives
proliferate.
Hence,
from
now
on
do
not
wonder
why
the
evil
inclination
chases
man
so
as
to
make
him
sin.”
Thus,
to
keep
from
losing
what
he
is
given,
one
must
first
make
great
efforts,
for
something
that
comes
to
a
person
through
labor
causes
him
to
keep
the
thing
and
not
lose
it.
But
during
the
exertion,
when
a
person
sees
that
the
work
is
still
far
from
finished,
he
sometimes
escapes
the
campaign
and
falls
into
despair.
At
that
time
he
needs
great
strengthening,
to
believe
that
the
Creator
will
help
him,
and
the
fact
that
help
has
not
arrived
is
because
he
has
not
given
the
required
quantity
and
quality
of
labor
for
preparing
the
deficiency
in
order
to
receive
the
filing,
as
it
is
said
(“Introduction
to
the
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,”
item
18),
“And
if
one
practices
Torah
and
fails
to
remove
the
evil
inclination
from
himself,
it
is
either
that
he
has
been
negligent
in
giving
the
necessary
labor
and
exertion
in
the
practice
of
Torah,
as
it
is
written,
‘I
have
not
labored
but
found,
do
not
believe,’
or
perhaps
one
did
put
in
the
necessary
amount
of
labor,
but
has
been
negligent
in
the
quality.”
Therefore,
we
should
pay
attention
to
“Come
unto
Pharaoh”
and
believe
through
the
worst
possible
states,
and
not
escape
the
campaign,
but
rather
always
trust
that
the
Creator
can
help
a
person
and
give
him,
whether
one
needs
a
little
help
or
a
lot
of
help.
In
truth,
one
who
understands
that
he
needs
the
Creator
to
give
him
a
lot
of
help,
because
he
is
worse
than
the
rest
of
the
people,
is
more
suitable
for
his
prayer
to
be
answered,
as
it
is
written,
“The
Lord
is
near
to
the
brokenhearted,
and
saves
the
crushed
in
spirit.”
Therefore,
one
should
not
say
that
he
is
unfit
for
the
Creator
to
bring
him
closer,
but
that
the
reason
is
that
he
is
idle
in
his
work.
Instead,
one
should
always
overcome
and
not
let
thoughts
of
despair
enter
his
mind,
as
our
sages
said
(Berachot,
10),
“Even
if
a
sharp
sword
is
placed
on
his
neck
he
should
not
deny
himself
of
mercy,”
as
it
was
said
(Job,
13),
“Though
He
slay
me,
I
will
hope
for
Him.”
We
should
interpret
the
“sharp
sword
placed
on
his
neck”
to
mean
that
even
though
one’s
evil,
called
“self-love,”
is
placed
on
his
neck
and
wants
to
separate
him
from
Kedusha
by
showing
him
that
it
is
impossible
to
exit
this
authority,
he
should
say
that
the
picture
he
sees
is
the
truth.
However,
“He
should
not
deny
himself
of
mercy,”
for
at
that
time
he
must
believe
that
the
Creator
can
give
him
the
mercy,
meaning
the
quality
of
bestowal.
That
is,
by
himself,
it
is
true
that
one
cannot
exit
the
authority
of
self-reception.
But
from
the
perspective
of
the
Creator,
when
the
Creator
helps
him,
of
course
He
can
bring
him
out.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“I
am
the
Lord
your
God,
who
took
you
out
from
the
land
of
Egypt
to
be
your
God.”
This
is
what
we
say
in
the
Shema
reading—which
is
assuming
of
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven—that
we
must
know
that
the
Creator
is
the
one
who
brings
one
out
of
the
authority
of
reception,
called
“separation,”
and
admits
one
into
Kedusha.
At
that
time,
“to
be
your
God”
is
kept
true,
for
then
one
is
regarded
as
“people
of
Israel,”
and
not
as
“people
of
the
earth.”
Our
sages
said
about
it
(Pesachim,
118):
“Rabbi
Yehoshua
Ben
Levi
said,
‘When
the
Creator
said
to
Adam
HaRishon,
‘Thorns
and
thistles
it
shall
grow
for
you,’
his
eyes
teared.
He
said
to
Him,
‘Master
of
the
world,
will
I
and
my
donkey
eat
from
the
same
trough?’
Because
He
had
told
him,
‘By
the
sweat
of
your
brow
you
will
eat
bread,’
his
mind
was
promptly
eased.’”
However,
we
should
understand
Adam
HaRishon’s
argument,
who
inquired
about
the
Creator’s
action,
why
he
deserved
to
eat
from
the
same
trough
as
the
donkey.
This
is
a
just
complaint.
The
evidence
of
this
is
that
the
Creator
advised
him
to
eat
bread.
Were
this
not
a
just
complaint,
the
Creator
would
not
have
accepted
his
argument.
This
argument,
saying,
“Will
I
and
my
donkey
eat
from
the
same
trough,”
is
difficult
to
understand.
What
is
his
advantage?
After
all,
our
sages
said
(Sanhedrin,
38),
“Our
sages
said,
‘The
man
was
born
on
the
eve
of
Shabbat
[Sabbath]
so
that
should
he
become
arrogant,
he
will
be
told,
‘the
mosquito
came
before
you
in
the
work
of
creation.’’”
Accordingly,
if
a
mosquito
came
before
him,
then
what
is
the
complaint
about
eating
from
the
same
trough
as
the
donkey?
However,
we
should
interpret
that
after
the
sin
he
fell
into
self-love.
It
follows
that
he
has
become
similar
to
a
donkey,
who
understands
nothing
but
self-love.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“His
eyes
teared
and
he
said,
‘Will
I
and
my
donkey
eat
from
the
same
trough,”
meaning
from
the
same
discernment
of
self-love?
This
is
why
he
was
given
the
advice,
“By
the
sweat
of
your
brow
you
will
eat
bread.”
Bread
is
regarded
as
man’s
food.
That
is,
through
labor
in
“By
the
sweat
of
your
brow
you
will
eat
bread,”
which
is
man’s
food,
he
emerges
from
being
“the
people
of
the
earth,”
and
is
then
called
“the
people
of
Israel,”
which
is
Yashar-El
[straight
to
the
Creator].
But
Egypt—which
was
the
people
of
Israel
in
exile,
for
Egypt
is
called
“a
nation
that
is
akin
to
a
donkey”—means
that
the
aim
is
only
for
self-love.
For
this
reason,
at
that
time
the
salvation
to
Israel
was
that
the
Creator
took
them
out
of
Egypt.
This
is
the
meaning
of
needing
to
intend
upon
the
acceptance
of
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
“I
am
the
Lord
your
God,
who
took
you
out
from
the
land
of
Egypt,
to
be
your
God,”
for
precisely
by
the
force
of
God
can
we
come
out
of
Egypt
and
be
rewarded
with
“to
be
your
God.”