Man
Is
Rewarded
with
Righteousness
and
Peace
through
the
Torah
Article
No.
3,
1986
In
The
Zohar
(Lech
Lecha,
item
1),
Rabbi
Aba
explains
why
Abraham
was
rewarded
with
the
Creator
telling
him
Lech
Lecha
[Go
forth]
more
than
all
his
contemporaries.
It
writes,
“Rabbi
Aba
started
and
said,
‘Listen
to
Me,
you
stubborn-hearted,
who
are
far
from
righteousness.’
‘Listen
to
Me,
you
stubborn-hearted’
means
how
hard
are
the
hearts
of
the
wicked.
They
see
the
trails
and
ways
of
Torah
and
do
not
look
at
them.
Their
hearts
are
hard
since
they
do
not
return
to
their
Master
in
repentance.
This
is
why
they
are
called,
‘Stubborn-hearted
who
are
far
from
righteousness,’
meaning
far
from
the
Torah,
and
hence
far
from
righteousness.”
Rabbi
Hizkiya
said,
“They
are
far
from
the
Creator.
And
because
they
are
far
from
the
Creator
they
are
called
stubborn-hearted.”
The
meaning
of
the
verse
is
“far
from
righteousness.”
Why?
It
is
because
they
do
not
wish
to
approach
the
Creator,
for
they
are
stubborn-hearted.
And
because
of
it,
they
are
far
from
righteousness.
Because
they
are
far
from
righteousness,
they
are
far
from
peace,
meaning
they
have
no
peace,
as
it
is
written,
“‘There
is
no
peace,’
said
the
Lord
to
the
wicked.”
What
is
the
reason?
It
is
because
they
are
far
from
righteousness,
hence
they
have
no
peace.
We
should
understand
why
when
Rabbi
Aba
says
that
being
far
from
righteousness
means
that
they
are
far
from
the
Torah,
and
therefore
far
from
righteousness.
On
the
one
hand,
he
says
that
righteousness
is
called
Torah,
and
then
he
says
that
by
moving
away
from
the
Torah
they
move
away
from
righteousness.
This
implies
that
the
Torah
is
the
reason
for
righteousness,
but
we
do
not
see
any
connection
between
Torah
and
righteousness.
We
see
that
the
nations
of
the
world
have
no
Torah,
as
our
sages
said,
“He
says
His
words
to
Jacob,”
and
still
they
give
Tzedakah
[righteousness/almsgiving].”
Does
giving
Tzedakah
require
believing
in
the
Creator
and
keeping
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments],
and
only
then
can
one
give
Tzedakah?
Rather,
he
says
that
they
are
far
from
Tzedakah
because
they
are
far
from
the
Torah.
He
also
said
that
because
they
are
far
from
the
Torah,
they
are
far
from
Tzedakah.
This
implies
that
the
Torah
is
the
reason
by
which
we
can
keep
Tzedakah.
That
is,
the
most
important
thing
for
us
is
to
achieve
Tzedakah.
How
can
we
achieve
such
a
high
degree?
Through
the
Torah.
Thus,
we
should
understand
the
greatness
and
importance
of
Tzedakah,
which
means
that
the
Torah
is
a
lower
degree
than
Tzedakah
because
through
the
Torah
we
can
achieve
Tzedakah.
We
need
to
understand
this.
Also,
it
is
difficult
to
understand
the
words
of
Rabbi
Hizkiya
in
what
he
adds
to
the
words
of
Rabbi
Aba
and
says,
“Who
are
the
stubborn-hearted?
Those
who
do
not
want
to
approach
the
Creator.
And
because
they
do
not
want
to
approach
the
Creator
they
are
far
from
Tzedakah.”
How
can
we
understand
this?
Does
this
mean
that
through
approaching
the
Creator
they
will
be
rewarded
with
a
higher
degree,
which
is
Tzedakah?
We
should
also
understand
why
Rabbi
Hizkiya
says,
“Since
they
are
far
from
Tzedakah,
they
are
far
from
peace.”
This
is
even
more
perplexing
because
once
he
has
clarified
for
us
the
importance
of
Tzedakah,
meaning
in
Rabbi
Aba’s
view,
Tzedakah
is
more
important
than
Torah,
and
in
Rabbi
Hizkiya’s
view,
Tzedakah
is
greater
than
approaching
the
Creator.
Now
he
comes
and
says
that
if
they
do
not
have
the
degree
of
Tzedakah,
they
cannot
achieve
the
degree
of
peace.
Thus,
we
should
understand
what
is
the
degree
of
peace.
It
is
implied
that
after
all
the
work
he
will
achieve
the
degree
of
peace.
That
is,
the
first
degree
is
either
Torah
or
approaching
the
Creator,
the
second
is
Tzedakah,
and
the
third
is
peace.
This
requires
clarification.
We
find
that
Tzedakah
is
called
“faith,”
as
it
is
written
about
Abraham,
“And
he
believed
in
the
Lord,
and
He
regarded
it
for
him
as
righteousness.”
Thus,
because
faith
is
regarded
as
Tzedakah,
we
can
already
know
the
importance
of
Tzedakah.
It
is
not
as
it
seems
literally.
Rather,
Tzedakah
implies
faith.
What
is
faith?
It
is
regarded
as
Tzedakah?
We
see
that
one
who
gives
Tzedakah
[almsgiving]
to
the
poor
does
not
expect
the
poor
to
repay
him
in
some
way
for
the
almsgiving
he
has
given
him.
It
is
especially
so
with
concealed
almsgiving;
he
certainly
does
not
plan
to
receive
anything
in
return.
Therefore,
Tzedakah
means
that
he
is
doing
something
without
any
reward.
But
since
the
faith
we
should
take
upon
ourselves
must
be
without
anything
in
return,
it
means
that
we
must
believe
in
the
greatness
of
the
Creator,
which
holy
Zohar
calls,
“For
He
is
great
and
ruling.”
He
is
to
have
no
thought
that
he
is
taking
upon
himself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
and
by
this
he
will
receive
from
Him
some
reward.
Rather,
he
is
working
entirely
in
order
to
bestow.
This
is
why
faith
is
called
Tzedakah,
to
interpret
for
us
the
form
that
the
faith
we
are
taking
on
ourselves
should
have.
However,
we
must
pay
attention
to
how
we
achieve
such
faith,
which
is
in
order
to
bestow.
Our
nature
is
only
to
receive
and
not
to
bestow.
Therefore,
what
can
one
do
in
order
to
achieve
bestowal?
He
is
telling
us
that
it
is
done
precisely
through
the
Torah,
as
our
sages
said
(Kidushin
30),
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination,
I
have
created
for
it
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
In
the
“Introduction
to
the
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot”
(item
11)
he
says,
“However,
we
find
and
see
in
the
words
of
the
sages
of
the
Talmud
that
they
have
made
the
path
of
Torah
easier
for
us
more
than
the
sages
of
the
Mishnah.
This
is
because
they
said,
‘One
should
always
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
even
Lo
Lishma,
and
from
Lo
Lishma
he
will
come
to
Lishma.’
That
is,
the
light
in
it
reforms
him.
Thus,
they
have
provided
us
with
a
new
means
instead
of
the
penance
presented
in
the
above-mentioned
Mishnah,
Avot:
the
‘Light
in
the
Torah.’
It
bears
sufficient
power
to
reform
one
and
bring
him
to
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
Lishma.”
By
this
we
will
understand
the
words
of
Rabbi
Aba,
who
said
that
“far
from
Tzedakah”
means
that
they
are
moving
away
from
the
Torah,
hence
they
are
far
from
Tzedakah.
We
asked,
“Is
the
Torah
the
reason
for
achieving
Tzedakah?
Is
it
impossible
to
give
Tzedakah
without
Torah?”
The
thing
is
that
Tzedakah
refers
to
faith.
It
is
impossible
to
achieve
real
faith
before
one
has
equivalence
of
form
with
the
Creator,
meaning
that
all
of
one’s
actions
are
only
in
order
to
bestow
contentment
upon
the
Creator.
He
says
in
the
“Introduction
of
the
Book
of
Zohar”
(item
138):
“It
is
a
law
that
the
creature
cannot
receive
disclosed
evil
from
the
Creator,
for
it
is
a
flaw
in
the
glory
of
the
Creator
for
the
creature
to
perceive
Him
as
an
evildoer.
Hence,
when
one
feels
bad,
to
the
same
extent,
denial
of
the
Creator’s
guidance
lies
upon
him,
and
the
Operator
is
concealed
from
him.”
The
reason
is
that
before
a
person
is
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal
he
is
unfit
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
from
Him.
It
follows
that
he
feels
bad
and
therefore
cannot
be
awarded
real
faith
before
he
has
corrected
the
evil
in
him,
called
“receiving
in
order
to
receive.”
It
follows
that
through
the
Torah,
which
reforms
him,
meaning
that
by
receiving
vessels
of
bestowal
he
will
be
rewarded
with
faith,
which
is
called
Tzedakah,
which
is
“faith
because
He
is
great
and
ruling,”
and
not
that
the
basis
of
his
faith
is
in
order
to
receive
some
reward.
Now
we
will
understand
what
we
asked
about
the
words
of
Rabbi
Hizkiya,
where
he
explains
the
meaning
of
“stubborn-hearted.”
He
explains
that
because
they
move
away
from
the
Creator,
they
move
away
from
Tzedakah.
We
asked,
“Can
approaching
the
Creator
be
a
reason
that
we
will
have
the
ability
to
do
Tzedakah?
What
is
the
connection
between
them?”
It
is
written
in
the
Sulam
[commentary
on
The
Zohar],
“Rabbi
Hizkiya
does
not
dispute
Rabbi
Aba.
Rather,
he
interprets
more
than
him.”
We
asked,
“But
Rabbi
Hizkiya’s
explanation
is
even
more
difficult
to
understand!”
According
to
what
we
explained
above,
Rabbi
Hizkiya
explains
more
what
it
means
that
they
are
called
“stubborn-hearted,”
for
which
they
are
far
from
Tzedakah,
since
regarding
what
Rabbi
Aba
says,
that
they
have
moved
away
from
the
Torah,
they
think
that
they
simply
need
to
learn
Torah
and
by
this
they
will
be
rewarded
with
Tzedakah,
called
“faith.”
However,
Rabbi
Aba’s
intention
is
that
through
Torah
they
will
achieve
equivalence
of
form,
called
“vessels
of
bestowal,”
since
they
cannot
achieve
real
faith
before
they
have
vessels
of
bestowal,
as
it
is
written
in
the
Sulam
(“Introduction
of
the
Book
of
Zohar”).
This
is
why
Rabbi
Hizkiya
elaborates
more
and
says
more
simply
that
“stubborn-hearted”
are
those
who
move
away
from
the
Creator.
That
is,
they
do
not
want
to
approach
the
Creator
because
they
are
stubborn-hearted,
therefore
they
are
far
from
Tzedakah.
This
is
as
we
said
above,
that
it
is
impossible
to
be
rewarded
with
faith,
which
is
Tzedakah,
before
we
are
rewarded
with
nearing
the
Creator,
called
equivalence
of
form,
which
are
vessels
of
bestowal.
Perhaps
that
reason
why
Rabbi
Aba
does
not
interpret
the
same
as
Rabbi
Hizkiya
is
that
Rabbi
Aba
wants
to
tell
us
two
things
at
once,
meaning
the
reason
and
the
advice.
The
reason
why
they
have
no
faith
is
that
they
have
no
vessels
of
bestowal.
The
advice
for
this
is
to
engage
in
Torah,
where
by
the
light
of
Torah
they
will
be
awarded
equivalence
of
form,
regarded
as
all
their
actions
being
only
to
bestow.
At
that
time
they
will
be
rewarded
with
Tzedakah,
which
is
real
faith.
And
concerning
Rabbi
Hizkiya’s
addition
that
through
Tzedakah
they
will
be
rewarded
with
peace,
we
asked,
“If
Tzedakah
is
such
a
great
thing,
which
refers
to
faith,
then
what
is
peace?
It
implies
that
peace
is
even
more
important!”
We
should
interpret
that
peace
is
the
completion
of
the
work.
Before
one
is
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal,
he
has
no
room
for
faith.
Once
he
has
vessels
of
bestowal
and
has
been
rewarded
with
faith,
he
obtains
the
purpose
of
creation,
which
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
This
means
that
then
he
feels
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
the
Creator
has
created
to
do
good
to
His
creations.
At
that
time
one
is
rewarded
with
peace.
But
before
one
has
been
rewarded
with
Tzedakah,
which
is
faith,
on
the
basis
of
vessels
of
bestowal,
he
does
not
have
the
Kelim
to
obtain
the
delight
and
pleasure,
since
the
good
is
lacking
the
correction
of
not
being
the
bread
of
shame,
for
which
there
was
the
correction
of
Tzimtzum
Aleph
[first
restriction].
Only
when
the
creatures
have
that
correction,
called
“vessels
of
bestowal,”
there
will
be
a
place
where
the
light
of
the
Creator
(which
is
to
benefit
His
creations)
can
be
present.
Prior
to
this
he
is
in
strife
with
the
Creator,
as
he
says
in
the
Sulam
(“Introduction
of
the
Book
of
Zohar,”
item
175):
“Peace,
too,
complained
that
he
was
all
strife
because
he
cannot
engage
in
Mitzvot
[commandments]
in
order
to
bestow,
but
with
a
mixture
of
self-pleasing.”
By
this
he
is
always
in
strife
with
the
Creator,
since
he
thinks
he
is
a
complete
righteous
and
does
not
feel
his
faults
at
all.
That
is,
he
does
not
feel
that
his
entire
engagement
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
is
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake],
and
he
is
angry
at
the
Creator
for
not
rewarding
him
as
much
as
a
complete
righteous
should
be
rewarded.
Thus,
we
see
that
before
one
is
rewarded
with
Tzedakah,
which
is
faith
in
the
Creator
on
the
basis
of
vessels
of
bestowal,
which
brings
one
to
approach
the
Creator,
it
is
impossible
to
have
peace.
It
follows
that
the
end
of
the
work,
when
the
goal
is
achieved,
is
when
we
achieve
the
degree
of
peace.
That
peace
cannot
be
achieved
before
we
go
through
the
preliminary
stages,
which
are
approaching
the
Creator,
then
faith,
called
Tzedakah,
and
finally
the
goal,
which
is
called
“peace.”