The
Whole
of
the
Torah
Is
One
Holy
Name
Article
No.
22,
1985
It
is
written
in
The
Zohar
(Shmini,
item
1):
“Rabbi
Yitzhak
started,
‘The
whole
Torah
is
one
holy
name
of
the
Creator,
and
the
world
was
created
in
the
Torah,’
which
was
His
tool
of
craftsmanship
for
creating
the
world.”
It
is
written
there
in
item
two:
“Man
was
created
in
the
Torah,
as
it
is
written,
‘And
God
said,
‘Let
us
make
man…’
It
is
written
in
plural
form.
He
said
to
her,
‘You
and
I
will
establish
him
in
the
world.’
Rabbi
Hiya
said,
‘The
written
Torah,
which
is
ZA,
and
the
oral
Torah,
which
is
Malchut,
established
man.’’”
We
see
three
things
here:
1)
the
whole
Torah
is
one
holy
name;
2)
the
world
was
created
with
the
Torah;
3)
man
was
created
with
the
Torah.
Our
sages
said
about
Beresheet
[in
the
beginning]
that
it
is
because
the
Torah
is
called
Resheet
[beginning],
and
because
Israel
were
called
Resheet,
for
the
creation
of
the
worlds
was
in
order
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
meaning
for
the
souls,
so
the
souls
would
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure.
It
follows
that
from
the
perspective
of
the
Creator
it
is
to
bestow,
and
all
that
the
creatures
need
is
to
receive.
We
already
learned
that
to
have
equivalence
of
form
the
creatures
must
obtain
the
Kli
[vessel]
called
“desire
to
bestow.”
But
since
we
do
not
have
the
desire
to
bestow
by
nature,
we
need
something
to
give
us
that
force
called
“desire
to
bestow.”
That
force,
which
the
lower
one
receives,
so
as
to
be
able
to
bestow,
is
through
the
Torah,
since
“the
light
in
it
reforms
him.”
It
follows
that
as
Resheet
is
Israel,
we
also
need
the
Torah
so
we
can
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure.
Therefore,
the
Torah
is
also
called
Resheet
because
one
does
not
work
without
the
other.
We
know
the
words
of
The
Zohar
that
“the
Torah
and
Israel
and
the
Creator
are
one.”
Accordingly,
by
Israel’s
exertion
in
Torah
they
are
rewarded
with
the
Creator,
meaning
with
the
“names
of
the
Creator.”
It
follows
that
we
should
discern
two
things
in
the
Torah:
1)
the
light
of
Torah,
which
comes
in
order
to
reform
him.
This
is
the
correction
of
the
Kelim
[vessels].
2)
Obtaining
the
light
of
Torah,
which
is
the
“holy
names,”
called
the
“revelation
of
His
Godliness
to
His
creatures
in
this
world”
(see
in
the
essay
Matan
Torah
[“The
Giving
of
Torah”]).
It
therefore
follows
that
when
we
study
Torah
we
should
discern
the
two
above
matters:
1)
to
extend
light
so
it
will
create
for
us
vessels
of
bestowal.
It
is
impossible
to
obtain
these
Kelim
[vessels]
without
the
light
of
Torah.
Therefore,
what
does
he
expect?
To
be
rewarded
for
studying
Torah.
His
only
desire
is
to
obtain
that
Kli,
called
“vessel
of
bestowal.”
This
is
precisely
once
he
has
begun
the
work
of
bestowal
and
has
made
great
efforts
to
be
able
to
do
things
only
with
the
intention
to
bestow.
Only
then
can
he
come
to
know
that
the
will
to
receive
that
was
installed
in
him
by
nature
cannot
be
cancelled.
At
that
time
he
begins
to
understand
that
he
needs
“heaven’s
mercy,”
and
only
the
Creator
can
help
him
be
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal,
and
this
help
comes
from
the
light
of
Torah.
For
this
reason,
during
the
study
we
must
always
pay
attention
to
the
purpose
of
the
study
of
Torah,
meaning
what
we
should
demand
from
the
study
of
Torah.
At
that
time
we
are
told
that
first
we
must
ask
for
Kelim,
meaning
to
have
vessels
of
bestowal,
called
“equivalence
of
form,”
by
which
the
restriction
and
concealment
that
were
placed
on
the
creatures
are
removed.
To
the
extent
that
this
is
so
he
begins
to
feel
the
holiness
and
begins
to
have
a
taste
for
the
work
of
the
Creator.
At
that
time
he
can
be
happy
because
Kedusha
[holiness]
yields
joy,
for
the
light
of
doing
good
to
His
creations
shines
there.
But
if
he
has
not
yet
decided
that
he
should
always
walk
on
the
path
of
bestowal,
as
our
sages
said,
“all
your
works
will
be
for
the
Creator,”
this
is
regarded
as
“preparation
of
the
Kelim”
to
be
fit
for
reception
of
the
upper
abundance.
He
wants
to
be
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal
through
the
study,
as
our
sages
said,
“The
light
in
it
reforms
him.”
And
once
he
has
been
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal,
he
comes
to
a
degree
called
“attainment
of
the
Torah,”
which
is
the
“names
of
the
Creator,”
as
The
Zohar
calls
it:
“The
Torah,
the
Creator,
and
Israel
are
one.”
By
this
we
will
understand
what
is
written
there
in
The
Zohar,
item
2:
“Man
was
created
in
the
Torah.”
We
should
understand
the
connection
between
the
Torah
and
man
that
we
can
say
that
man
was
created
from
the
Torah.
First,
we
must
bring
the
words
of
our
sages
(Yevamot,
61):
“Rabbi
Shimon
Ben
Yochai
would
say,
‘The
graves
of
idol-worshippers
are
not
defiled
in
the
tent,
as
it
was
said,
‘And
you,
you
are
My
flock,
the
flock
of
My
pasture;
you
are
man;
you
are
called
‘man,’
and
the
idol-worshippers
are
not
called
‘man.’’’”
We
need
to
know
what
the
discernment
of
“man”
is,
meaning
what
is
the
degree
of
“man”
that
idol-worshippers
cannot
be
called
“man.”
Our
sages
said
about
the
verse
(Berachot
212b):
“‘In
the
end
of
the
matter,
all
having
been
heard,
fear
God,’
what
is
‘for
this
is
the
whole
man’?
Rabbi
Elazar
said,
‘The
Creator
said,
‘The
whole
world
was
created
only
for
this.’’”
It
follows
that
man
is
someone
in
whom
there
is
fear
of
heaven.
Since
man
was
created
with
the
evil
inclination,
which
removes
him
from
fear
of
heaven,
what
is
the
advice
that
we
can
say
that
by
this
he
will
be
awarded
fear
of
heaven?
To
this
comes
the
answer
that
through
Torah
he
will
be
able
to
defeat
the
evil
inclination,
as
our
sages
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice,
for
the
light
in
it
reforms
him.”
Accordingly,
we
can
interpret
that
“Man
was
created
by
the
Torah,”
since
the
reason
why
the
discernment
of
“man”
can
emerge
is
specifically
through
the
Torah.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“Man
was
created
in
the
Torah.”
In
this
way
we
can
interpret
what
he
wrote
there
in
the
holy
Zohar,
“The
world
was
created
in
the
Torah.”
This,
too,
is
difficult
to
understand.
What
is
the
connection
between
the
Torah,
which
is
a
spiritual
thing,
and
the
Torah
being
called
the
“names
of
the
Creator”?
How
does
the
corporeal
world
extend
from
it?
According
to
the
above,
we
can
resolve
that
“the
world
was
created”
refers
to
the
whole
world,
meaning
a
world
in
which
there
are
souls,
for
the
purpose
of
creation
was
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
to
the
souls,
for
the
creatures
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure.
Since
the
creation
of
the
world
refers
to
the
will
to
receive,
in
order
to
have
equivalence
of
form
between
branch
and
root,
there
was
the
Tzimtzum
[restriction],
meaning
concealment,
so
the
upper
light,
which
is
delight
and
pleasure,
will
not
be
revealed.
Thus,
how
can
the
world
exist,
so
they
can
receive
and
not
die,
as
it
occurred
in
the
breaking
of
the
vessels,
which
broke
and
died
because
they
could
not
aim
to
bestow?
Through
the
Torah,
whose
light
reforms,
they
will
receive
vessels
of
bestowal,
and
with
these
Kelim
they
will
be
able
to
receive
abundance
and
pleasure
and
exist
because
they
will
be
able
to
receive
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“The
world
was
created
with
the
Torah.”
The
creation
of
the
world,
which
was
in
order
to
“do
good
to
His
creations,”
was
immediately
with
the
intention
to
bestow,
and
this
was
done
by
the
Torah.
It
follows
from
all
the
above
that
we
must
always
consider
the
goal,
which
is
to
“do
good
to
His
creations.”
If
the
evil
inclination
comes
to
a
person
and
asks
him
all
of
Pharaoh’s
questions,
he
should
not
reply
with
lame
excuses,
but
say,
“Now,
with
your
questions,
I
can
begin
with
the
work
of
bestowal.”
This
means
that
we
should
not
say
about
the
questions
of
the
evil
inclination
that
it
came
to
us
in
order
to
lower
us
from
our
degree.
On
the
contrary,
now
it
is
giving
us
a
place
to
work,
by
which
we
will
ascend
on
the
degrees
of
wholeness.
That
is,
any
overcoming
in
the
work
is
called
“walking
in
the
work
of
the
Creator,”
since
each
penny
joins
into
a
great
amount.”
That
is,
all
the
times
we
overcome
accumulate
to
a
certain
measure
required
to
become
a
Kli
for
the
reception
of
the
abundance.
Overcoming
means
taking
a
part
of
a
vessel
of
reception
and
adding
it
to
the
vessels
of
bestowal.
It
is
like
the
Masach
[screen],
which
we
must
place
on
the
Aviut
[coarseness].
It
follows
that
if
one
has
no
will
to
receive,
one
has
nothing
on
which
to
place
a
Masach.
For
this
reason,
when
the
evil
inclination
brings
us
foreign
thoughts,
this
is
the
time
to
take
these
thoughts
and
raise
them
above
reason.
This
is
something
one
can
do
with
everything
one’s
soul
desires.
He
should
not
say
that
now
he
has
received
rejection
from
the
work.
Rather,
he
should
say
that
he
was
given
thoughts
and
desires
from
above
so
as
to
have
room
to
admit
them
into
Kedusha
[holiness].
It
therefore
follows
that
it
is
to
the
contrary:
because
he
is
brought
closer
from
above,
he
was
sent
work.
It
was
said
about
this:
“The
ways
of
the
Lord
are
straight;
righteous
walk
in
it
and
transgressors
fail
in
it.”
That
is,
if
he
is
rewarded,
he
receives
an
ascent
by
it.
If
he
is
not
(rewarded),
he
receives
by
it
a
descent
in
spirituality.
The
order
of
descents
is
gradual,
each
according
to
his
order.
Normally,
a
person
forgets,
meaning
he
forgets
that
there
is
the
matter
of
work
at
all,
that
he
must
yearn
for
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator.
Instead,
all
the
energy
he
had
goes
into
corporeal
things,
meaning
that
at
that
time
he
finds
more
flavor
in
corporeal
things.
That
is,
while
he
was
connected
to
the
work
of
the
Creator,
he
was
slightly
removed
from
corporeal
things.
This
means
that
he
did
not
appreciate
(corporeal
things)
as
something
to
consider.
But
when
he
begins
to
veer
off
from
the
work,
every
corporeal
thing,
which
he
regarded
as
unimportant,
becomes
so
important
to
him
that
the
smallest
thing
becomes
a
great
disturbance
to
him,
and
blocks
him
in
the
middle
of
the
way,
and
he
cannot
move
forward.
Sometimes,
during
the
descent
he
has
received,
he
remembers
that
there
is
such
a
thing
as
spiritual
work.
When
he
remembers
it
he
is
saddened,
and
this
sadness
makes
him
want
only
to
sleep.
That
is,
he
wants
to
remove
himself
from
the
situation
he
is
in,
and
he
thinks
that
through
sleep
he
will
forget
about
his
situations.
Sometimes
he
gives
up
altogether,
meaning
he
says,
“I
don’t
see
any
progress
in
me.
On
the
contrary,
as
much
as
I
exert—and
I
should
have
made
some
progress,
according
to
the
efforts
I
have
made
in
order
to
obtain
something
in
spirituality—I
see
that
I
keep
going
backwards.
It
must
be
that
this
work,
meaning
work
of
bestowing,
is
not
for
me
because
I
am
unfit
for
it.”
Usually,
people
say,
“I
have
a
weak
character
so
I
haven’t
the
strength
to
overcome
my
desires.”
Sometimes
they
become
smarter
and
say,
“I
don’t
see
anyone
who
was
awarded
anything
in
spirituality.”
So
after
all
his
arguments
with
his
body,
the
body
makes
him
see
that
he
is
one
hundred
percent
right,
which
brings
him
into
a
state
where
he
wants
to
escape
the
campaign,
reenter
the
corporeal
world
like
everyone
else,
and
not
be
smarter
than
everyone,
but
go
with
the
flow.
And
most
of
all,
he
is
certain
it
cannot
be
any
different
from
what
he
has
decided.
What
does
the
Creator
do?
Once
(one)
has
forgotten
everything,
he
suddenly
receives
some
awakening
from
the
Creator
and
a
longing
for
spirituality
begins
to
seep
into
his
heart
again.
He
begins
to
work
persistently
once
more,
and
the
force
of
confidence
works
within
him,
as
though
he
is
certain
to
be
rewarded
with
nearing
the
Creator.
He
forgets
all
the
promises
he
has
made
with
a
clear
mind
and
precise
calculation
to
the
point
that
he
regretted
the
beginning,
meaning
that
his
heart
regretted
ever
getting
into
this
mess
called
the
“work
of
bestowal.”
He
was
one
hundred
percent
certain
that
his
calculation
was
one
hundred
percent
right,
but
the
awakening
from
above
he
has
received
now
makes
him
forget
it
all.
The
reason
is
that
so
is
the
order
of
the
real
work:
from
above
they
want
to
show
him
that
man
is
nothing,
with
all
of
his
intellect,
unless
he
asks
the
Creator
to
help
him.
If
this
happens,
meaning
that
he
knows
for
certain
that
it
is
impossible
that
he
will
be
able
to
come
out
of
the
state
he
is
in,
under
the
rule
of
self-love,
called
“exile
in
Egypt,”
which
applies
both
in
mind
and
in
heart.
However,
if
a
person
only
says
and
does
not
feel
one
hundred
percent
that
he
cannot
do
anything,
then
the
real
nearing
does
not
come
from
above.
Rather,
what
happened
before
repeats
itself,
namely
that
thoughts
and
desires
from
the
body
come
to
him
once
more,
and
he
begins
the
old
arguments
once
more,
and
falls
into
those
states
again,
and
decides
once
more
to
escape
the
campaign,
and
makes
the
above
decisions
once
again.
Later,
an
awakening
from
above
comes
to
him
once
more,
which
is
called
a
“call,”
when
he
is
being
called
upon,
and
there
is
a
desire
to
bring
him
closer
to
the
Creator
once
again.
But
then,
if
he
does
not
exert
in
the
opportunity
he
is
given,
the
same
order
as
before
repeats
itself.
This
is
similar
to
what
we
find
in
The
Zohar
(Tazria,
item
6):
“‘Her
price
is
far
above
pearls.’
It
should
have
said
‘worth,’
that
it
is
harder
to
buy
her
than
pearls.
Why
does
it
say
‘price’?
He
replies
that
she
sells
and
turns
over
to
other
nations
all
those
who
do
not
fully
cling
to
her
and
are
not
whole
with
her,
as
you
say,
‘And
the
children
of
Israel
abandoned
the
Lord,
and
He
sold
them
to
the
hand
of
Sisera.’
And
then
they
are
all
far
from
those
high
and
holy
pearls,
which
are
the
secrets
and
the
internality
of
the
Torah,
for
they
will
have
no
share
in
them.
This
is
why
it
is
written,
‘For
her
price
is
far
above
pearls.’”
Therefore,
we
must
not
be
frightened
at
the
body
sometimes
showing
us
dark
colors.
Rather,
we
must
always
be
strengthened
above
reason
and
not
heed
the
body’s
advice,
which
tells
us
about
separation
from
Kedusha.
Rather,
we
must
overcome
with
true
prayer
and
we
are
certain
to
be
saved
and
come
out
from
the
slavery
of
the
rule
of
Egypt
and
be
rewarded
with
redemption.