Concerning
Above
Reason
Article
No.
21,
1986
Concerning
above
reason,
we
should
use
this
tool
both
between
friends
and
between
an
individual
and
the
Creator.
However,
there
is
a
difference
between
them.
Between
an
individual
and
the
Creator,
this
tool
must
remain
forever.
In
other
words,
one
must
never
underestimate
this
tool,
called,
“faith
above
reason.”
But
between
friends,
if
he
can
see
his
friend’s
virtue
within
reason,
it
is
all
the
better.
And
yet,
the
nature
of
the
body
is
to
the
contrary—it
always
sees
his
friend’s
fault
and
not
his
virtues.
This
is
why
our
sages
said,
“Judge
every
person
favorably.”
In
other
words,
although
within
reason
you
see
that
your
friend
is
wrong,
you
should
still
try
to
judge
him
favorably.
And
this
can
be
above
reason.
That
is,
although
logically
he
cannot
justify
him,
above
reason
he
can
justify
him
nonetheless.
However,
if
he
can
justify
him
within
reason,
this
is
certainly
better.
If,
for
example,
he
sees
that
the
friends
are
at
a
higher
degree
than
his
own,
he
sees
within
reason
how
he
is
in
utter
lowliness
compared
to
the
friends,
that
all
the
friends
keep
the
schedule
of
arriving
at
the
seminary,
and
take
greater
interest
in
all
that
is
happening
among
the
friends,
to
help
anyone
in
any
way
they
can,
and
immediately
implement
every
advice
for
the
work
from
the
teachers
in
actual
fact,
etc.,
it
certainly
affects
him
and
gives
him
strength
to
overcome
his
laziness,
both
when
he
needs
to
wake
up
before
dawn
and
when
he
is
awakened.
Also,
during
the
lesson,
his
body
is
more
interested
in
the
lessons,
since
otherwise
he
will
lag
behind
his
friends.
Also,
with
anything
that
concerns
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity],
he
must
take
it
more
seriously
because
the
body
cannot
tolerate
lowliness.
Moreover,
when
his
body
looks
at
the
friends,
it
sees
within
reason
that
they
are
all
working
for
the
Creator,
and
then
his
body,
too,
lets
him
work
for
the
Creator.
And
the
reason
why
the
body
helps
him
shift
to
in
order
to
bestow
is
as
mentioned—the
body
is
unwilling
to
tolerate
lowliness.
Instead,
everybody
has
pride,
and
he
is
unwilling
to
accept
a
situation
where
his
friend
is
greater
than
him.
Thus,
when
he
sees
that
his
friends
are
at
a
higher
level
than
his
own,
this
causes
him
to
ascend
in
every
way.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
our
sages
said,
“Counters’
envy
increases
wisdom.”
In
other
words,
when
all
the
friends
look
at
the
society
as
being
at
a
high
level,
both
in
thoughts
and
in
actions,
it
is
natural
that
each
and
every
one
must
raise
his
degree
to
a
higher
level
than
he
has
by
the
qualities
of
his
own
body.
This
means
that
even
if
innately
he
has
no
craving
for
great
desires
or
is
not
intensely
attracted
to
honor,
still,
through
envy,
he
can
acquire
additional
powers
that
he
doesn’t
have
in
his
own
nature.
Instead,
the
force
of
the
quality
of
envy
in
him
has
procreated
new
powers
within
him,
which
exist
in
the
society.
And
through
them,
he
has
received
those
new
qualities,
meaning
powers
that
were
not
installed
in
him
by
his
progenitors.
Thus,
now
he
has
new
qualities
that
society
has
procreated
in
him.
It
turns
out
that
a
person
has
qualities
that
his
parents
bequeathed
to
their
children,
and
he
has
qualities
that
he
acquired
from
the
society,
which
is
a
new
possession.
And
this
comes
to
him
only
through
bonding
with
the
society
and
the
envy
that
he
feels
toward
the
friends
when
he
sees
that
they
have
better
qualities
than
his
own.
It
motivates
him
to
acquire
their
good
qualities,
which
he
doesn’t
have
and
of
which
he
is
jealous.
Thus,
through
the
society,
he
gains
new
qualities
that
he
adopts
by
seeing
that
they
are
at
a
higher
degree
than
his,
and
he
is
envious
of
them.
This
is
the
reason
why
now
he
can
be
greater
than
when
he
didn’t
have
a
society,
since
he
acquires
new
powers
through
the
society.
However,
this
can
be
said
if
he
truly
sees
the
friends
at
a
higher
degree
than
his
own.
But
at
the
same
time,
the
evil
inclination
shows
him
the
lowliness
of
the
society
and
makes
him
think,
“On
the
contrary,
this
society
that
you
wish
to
bond
with
is
not
for
you.
They
are
many
degrees
below
your
own.
Thus,
from
such
a
society,
not
only
will
you
gain
nothing,
but
rather,
even
the
inborn
forces
that
you
have,
which
are
small,
are
larger
than
those
within
this
society.
“Thus,
you
should
in
fact
stay
away
from
them.
And
if
you
do
want
to
bond
with
them,
at
least
see
that
they
all
obey
you,
meaning
follow
your
understanding
of
how
the
society
should
behave:
how
they
sit
when
they
gather,
how
they
study,
and
how
they
pray.
In
other
words,
either
they
are
all
serious,
and
God
forbid
that
they
should
even
smile
or
ever
discuss
the
friends’
worldly
matters—if
they
make
a
living,
or
how
they
make
a
living,
easily
or
with
difficulties,
if
he
has
a
job
where
he
doesn’t
suffer,
or
has
a
difficult
landlord
who
gives
him
a
hard
time,
or
if
his
co-workers
don’t
mock
him
for
being
orthodox,”
etc.
All
those
matters
are
of
no
importance
and
it
is
a
waste
thinking
about
them,
for
they
are
only
corporeal
matters.
He,
on
the
other
hand,
came
to
partake
in
an
assembly
of
Israel
for
a
noble
purpose,
which
is
to
be
a
true
servant
of
the
Creator.”
It
follows
that
when
he
wishes
to
forget
about
his
corporeality—when
in
fact,
his
corporeality
deeply
concerns
him
and
he
lets
it
go
and
does
not
want
to
remember—the
friends
come
and
begin
to
discuss
their
friends’
corporeality.
And
he
does
not
care
about
his
friends’
corporeality,
since
now
he
wants
spirituality,
“So
why
are
the
friends
suddenly
messing
up
my
mind
with
mundane
stuff
which
is
of
no
concern
to
me
at
all?
Is
this
why
I
want
to
forget
about
my
corporeality,
to
make
time
to
think
about
the
friends’
corporeality,
can
this
be?”
Thus,
“You’d
better
listen
to
me
and
stay
away
from
them,”
his
body
tells
him,
“And
you
will
certainly
be
more
successful.
Why
mess
up
your
mind
with
such
nonsense?”
Therefore,
when
the
body
shows
him
the
inferiority
of
his
friends,
what
can
he
answer
his
body
when
it
comes
with
arguments
of
a
righteous
one?
In
other
words,
the
body
doesn’t
advise
him
to
turn
away
from
the
society
because
the
body
is
suggesting
that
he
be
wicked.
On
the
contrary,
the
body
tells
him,
“By
staying
away
from
the
society,
you
will
be
righteous
and
you
will
think
only
about
your
spirituality,
and
when
necessary,
of
your
corporeality,
as
well.”
Therefore,
if
a
person
believes
that
without
a
society
it
is
impossible
to
advance
and
achieve
love
of
the
Creator,
since
this
is
the
springboard
for
exiting
self-love
and
entering
love
of
the
Creator,
he
has
no
other
choice
but
to
go
above
reason.
He
should
tell
his
body,
“The
fact
that
you
see
that
they
are
not
really
at
the
degree
of
craving
to
attain
the
love
of
the
Creator
as
you
desire
it—meaning,
since
you
are
my
body,
I
see
in
you
that
you
are
holier
than
the
rest
of
the
bodies
of
the
friends,
since
you
wish
to
be
a
servant
of
the
Creator.
“I
see
that
you
are
advising
me
to
leave
the
friends
because
their
bodies
already
display
their
inferiority
and
they
haven’t
the
strength
to
conceal
their
improper
traits,
since
people
normally
hide
the
evil
in
them
from
one
another
so
that
others
will
respect
them
because
they
have
prominent
qualities.
But
here,
their
evil
is
so
great
that
they
are
unable
to
overcome
the
evil
and
hide
it
so
that
others
will
not
see
them.
Thus,
from
my
perspective,
they
are
certainly
ignoble.
“However,
without
a
society
I
will
not
gain
anything,
despite
all
my
good
qualities.
Thus,
above
reason,
I
will
keep
what
our
sages
said
(Avot,
Chapter
4),
‘Be
very,
very
humble.’
In
other
words,
I
must
go
above
reason
and
believe
that
they
are
standing
at
a
higher
degree
than
mine.
And
then,
to
the
extent
of
my
faith,
I
will
be
able
to
receive
encouragement
and
strength
from
the
society
and
receive
from
them
what
the
society
can
give.”
It
follows
that
the
only
reason
he
is
accepting
the
love
of
friends
above
reason
is
because
of
necessity,
for
lack
of
other
options,
but
within
reason
he
sees
that
he
is
right.
However,
it
is
precisely
here,
meaning
concerning
friends,
that
within
reason
is
more
important
than
the
degree
of
above
reason.
This
is
so
because
in
truth,
when
a
person
wishes
to
bring
himself
closer
to
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
through
the
work
that
he
wishes
to
do
only
in
order
to
bestow,
the
evil
begins
to
appear
in
him.
And
the
matter
of
recognition
of
evil
is
not
an
intellectual
matter.
Rather,
it
is
a
sensation
in
the
heart.
This
means
that
he
should
feel
about
himself
that
he
is
worse
and
lower
than
the
whole
world.
And
if
he
hasn’t
come
to
feel
it,
but
thinks
that
there
is
someone
who
is
still
worse
than
he,
then
he
probably
has
not
obtained
recognition
of
evil.
In
other
words,
the
evil
is
still
hidden
in
his
heart
and
still
hasn’t
been
disclosed
in
him.
This
is
so
because
it
is
possible
to
see
evil
only
when
he
has
some
good.
For
example,
it
is
impossible
to
detect
any
dirt
in
the
house
if
it
is
dark.
But
when
you
turn
on
a
lamp,
you
can
see
that
there
is
dirt
there.
Also,
if
one
does
not
do
good
deeds,
does
not
engage
in
Torah
and
prayer,
and
wish
to
draw
near
the
Creator,
he
has
no
light
to
illuminate
his
heart
and
to
allow
him
to
see
the
evil
in
his
heart.
It
turns
out
that
the
reason
why
he
is
still
not
seeing
that
there
is
more
evil
in
his
heart
than
in
all
of
the
friends
is
that
he
needs
more
good.
For
this
reason,
he
thinks
that
he
is
more
virtuous
than
his
friends.
It
therefore
turns
out
that
his
seeing
that
his
friends
are
worse
than
he
comes
from
his
lack
of
the
light
that
will
shine
for
him,
so
he
will
see
the
evil
in
himself.
Thus,
the
whole
matter
of
evil
that
is
in
man
is
not
in
finding
the
evil,
since
everyone
has
this
evil,
called
“will
to
receive
in
order
to
receive,”
which
is
self-love.
Instead,
the
difference
is
entirely
in
the
disclosure
of
the
evil.
In
other
words,
not
every
person
sees
and
feels
that
self-love
is
bad
and
harmful,
since
a
person
doesn’t
see
that
engagement
in
satisfying
his
will
to
receive,
called
“self-love,”
will
harm
him.
Yet,
when
he
begins
to
do
the
holy
work
on
the
path
of
truth,
meaning
when
he
wishes
to
achieve
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
so
all
his
actions
will
be
for
the
Creator,
by
that
he
receives
a
little
more
light
that
shines
for
him
each
time,
and
then
he
begins
to
feel
self-love
as
a
bad
thing.
It
is
a
gradual
process.
Each
time
he
sees
that
this
is
what
obstructs
him
from
achieving
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
he
sees
more
clearly
each
time
how
it—the
will
to
receive—is
his
real
enemy,
just
as
King
Solomon
referred
to
the
evil
inclination
as
“an
enemy.”
It
is
written
about
it,
“If
your
enemy
is
hungry,
feed
him
bread,
for
you
will
heap
burning
coals
on
his
head.”
We
therefore
see
that
in
truth,
a
person
should
feel
that
he
is
worse
than
others
because
this
is
indeed
the
truth.
And
we
should
also
understand
what
our
sages
said,
“Counters’
envy
increases
wisdom.”
This
is
precisely
within
reason.
But
above
reason,
his
friend’s
merit
is
not
evident
enough
to
say
that
he
is
envious
of
his
friend,
so
it
would
cause
him
to
work
and
toil
because
his
friend
compels
him,
due
to
envy.
Baal
HaSulam
interpreted
a
phrase
by
Rabbi
Yohanan,
“The
Creator
saw
that
righteous
were
few.
He
stood
and
planted
them
in
each
and
every
generation,”
as
it
is
said,
“For
the
pillars
of
the
Earth
are
the
Lord's,
and
He
has
set
the
world
upon
them.”
RASHI
interprets,
“Spread
them
through
all
the
generations,”
to
be
a
basis,
sustenance,
and
a
foundation
for
the
existence
of
the
world
(Yoma
78b).
“Few”
means
that
they
were
growing
fewer.
Hence,
what
did
He
do?
“He
stood
and
planted
them
in
each
and
every
generation.”
Thus,
by
planting
them
in
each
generation,
they
would
multiply.
We
should
understand
how
they
would
multiply
if
He
planted
them
in
each
and
every
generation.
We
should
understand
the
difference
between
all
the
righteous
being
in
a
single
generation,
and
being
scattered
through
all
the
generations,
as
is
understood
from
the
words
of
RASHI’s
commentary,
that
by
spreading
them
throughout
the
generations
the
righteous
would
increase.
He,
Baal
HaSulam,
said,
“By
having
righteous
in
each
generation,
there
will
be
room
for
people
who
do
not
have
the
innate
qualities
to
achieve
Dvekut
with
the
Creator.
However,
by
bonding
with
the
righteous
that
will
be
in
each
generation,
through
adhering
to
them,
they
will
learn
from
their
actions
and
will
be
able
to
acquire
new
qualities
through
the
righteous
that
will
be
in
each
generation.
This
is
why
He
spread
the
righteous
in
each
generation,
so
that
in
this
way
the
righteous
will
increase.”
And
as
was
said,
the
same
can
be
obtained
by
adhesion
of
friends—new
qualities
by
which
they
will
be
qualified
to
achieve
Dvekut
with
the
Creator.
And
all
this
can
be
said
while
he
sees
the
merits
of
the
friends.
At
that
time,
it
is
relevant
to
say
that
he
should
learn
from
their
actions.
But
when
he
sees
that
he
is
better
qualified
than
they
are,
there
is
nothing
he
can
receive
from
the
friends.
This
is
why
they
said
that
when
the
evil
inclination
comes
and
shows
him
the
lowliness
of
the
friends,
he
should
go
above
reason.
But
certainly,
it
would
be
better
and
more
successful
if
he
could
see
within
reason
that
the
friends
are
at
a
higher
degree
than
his
own.
With
that
we
can
understand
the
prayer
that
Rabbi
Elimelech
had
written
for
us,
“Let
our
hearts
see
the
virtues
of
our
friends,
and
not
their
faults.”
However,
between
an
individual
and
the
Creator,
it
is
a
whole
other
matter.
In
other
words,
above
reason
is
better.
This
means
that
if
he
takes
upon
himself
faith
above
reason,
his
work
is
in
the
right
direction.
This
is
not
so
within
reason,
although
a
person’s
intellect
grasps
differently.
In
other
words,
every
person
knows
and
understands
that
if
he
didn’t
have
to
believe,
but
His
Providence
were
revealed
throughout
the
world,
meaning
to
all
the
creatures,
the
whole
world
would
certainly
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
and
there
would
be
no
place
for
secular
people.
Rather,
everyone
would
be
orthodox.
However,
His
Providence
is
not
revealed
to
the
lower
ones.
Instead,
they
must
believe.
Yet,
faith
is
a
difficult
thing,
since
the
Creator
gave
us
intellect
and
reason
to
see
each
thing
according
to
our
own
eyes.
We
consider
everything
that
concerns
human
relations
according
to
our
best
judgment,
and
there
is
nothing
that
will
give
us
distinctions
except
our
minds,
as
our
sages
said,
“A
judge
has
only
what
his
eyes
see”
(Baba
Batra
131).
It
follows
that
we
conduct
all
our
matters
within
reason,
not
above
reason.
And
for
this
reason,
when
a
person
begins
with
the
work
of
the
Creator
and
he
is
told
that
he
must
assume
faith
above
reason,
he
begins
to
think:
“But
I
see
that
the
Creator
gave
us
reason
so
as
to
understand
everything
according
to
the
intellect,
meaning
according
to
the
way
our
minds
grasp.
Thus,
how
can
I
take
upon
myself
something
that
is
against
my
mind?”
It
is
a
very
difficult
thing
for
the
body
to
understand
that
it
is
in
its
interest
to
do
the
work
of
holiness
in
above
reason.
Above
reason
applies
to
both
mind
and
heart.
This
is
why
not
every
person
can
enter
the
work
of
holiness
in
the
form
of
bestowal,
which
is
work
above
reason.
Therefore,
when
teaching
the
rest
of
the
world
the
work
of
the
Creator,
the
order
is
as
Maimonides
said,
that
they
begin
in
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
name]
until
they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom,
and
then
they
are
told
that
the
essence
of
the
work
is
in
order
to
bestow,
which
is
called,
“work
for
the
Creator.”
However,
we
should
understand
why
above
reason
is
better.
The
contrary
seems
to
make
more
sense—that
if
serving
the
Creator
were
clothed
within
reason,
more
people
would
come
and
want
to
be
servants
of
the
Creator.
Baal
HaSulam
said
about
it
that
one
should
not
think
that
when
the
Creator
gives
us
His
work
in
the
form
of
above
reason,
it
is
a
low
degree.
Rather,
we
should
believe
that
it
is
a
very
high
degree,
for
only
by
that
does
one
have
a
chance
to
be
able
to
work
in
order
to
bestow.
Otherwise,
he
would
have
to
fall
into
in
order
to
receive.
Therefore,
although
more
people
would
be
serving
if
the
work
had
been
within
reason,
they
would
never
be
able
to
achieve
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
which
is
the
work
in
order
to
bestow.
Hence,
although
there
would
be
an
increase
in
quantity,
in
terms
of
quality,
it
would
be
impossible
for
man
to
be
able
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
the
Creator
wishes
to
give
to
the
creatures,
according
to
His
desire—to
do
good
to
His
creations.
Thus,
for
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
the
creatures
will
receive
to
be
flawless,
meaning
to
avoid
having
the
bread
of
shame,
there
was
the
correction
of
the
Tzimtzum
[restriction]—that
the
upper
abundance
would
not
shine
unless
it
was
where
there
is
equivalence
of
form.
This
is
considered
that
the
creatures
receive
the
abundance
in
vessels
of
bestowal.
And
when
there
are
no
vessels
of
bestowal
in
the
creatures,
they
must
remain
in
the
dark,
which
is
called,
“they
will
die
without
wisdom.”
However,
we
should
know
that
although
there
is
the
light
of
Torah
in
Lo
Lishma,
as
well,
of
which
our
sages
said,
“One
should
always
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
Lo
Lishma
because
from
Lo
Lishma
we
come
to
Lishma,
since
the
light
in
it
reforms
him,”
afterwards,
one
must
reach
Lishma.
In
other
words,
he
should
come
to
work
above
reason
in
mind
and
heart.
But
between
a
man
and
his
friend,
if
he
can
work
in
love
of
friends
within
reason,
meaning
if
he
tries
to
see
the
friends
as
being
at
a
higher
level
of
holiness
than
himself,
this
is
certainly
better.
In
other
words,
if
he
sees
within
reason
that
the
friends
are
closer
to
Dvekut
with
the
Creator
than
he,
it
is
certainly
better
than
if
he
had
to
believe
above
reason.
Thus,
in
truth,
he
sees
that
he
is
at
a
higher
degree
than
the
friends.
Within
reason,
he
always
sees
the
friends
as
low.
However,
he
believes
above
reason
that
he
should
say—because
it
is
a
Mitzva
[commandment/good
deed]—that
he
should
believe
that
it
is
not
as
he
sees
it.
Certainly,
if
he
can
see
within
reason
that
the
friends
are
at
degrees
of
holiness,
it
is
all
the
better.
Similarly,
we
can
interpret
the
verse
(Samuel,
16:7),
“But
the
Lord
said
to
Samuel,
‘Do
not
look
at
his
appearance
or
at
the
height
of
his
stature,
because
I
have
rejected
him;
for
it
is
not
as
man
sees,
for
man
looks
to
the
eyes,
but
the
Lord
looks
to
the
heart.’”
We
therefore
see
that
when
the
Creator
sent
Samuel
to
anoint
one
of
the
sons
of
Yishai
[Jesse],
Samuel
understood
by
what
he
saw
in
his
eyes
that
Eliav,
son
of
Yishai,
was
fit
to
be
the
king
of
Israel
instead
of
King
Saul,
but
the
Creator
disagreed
with
his
perception.
In
the
end,
they
brought
David,
who
was
herding
the
cattle,
and
David
was
red-headed
with
fair
eyes
and
good
appearance,
“And
the
Lord
said,
‘Arise,
anoint
him;
for
this
is
he.’”
What
does
that
teach
us?
There
are
two
things
that
we
see
here:
1)
From
the
perspective
of
Samuel,
he
understands
Eliav’s
virtues—according
to
his
mind—as
being
fit
to
be
king
over
Israel.
But
the
Creator
told
him,
“No,
do
not
follow
your
own
reason,”
since
when
concerning
the
Creator,
reason
is
worthless.
Rather,
since
the
Creator
wanted
to
enthrone
a
king,
this
is
called
“between
an
individual
and
the
Creator,”
where
there
is
no
room
for
reason,
“For
My
thoughts
are
not
your
thoughts,
neither
are
My
ways
your
ways.”
Rather,
what
did
the
Creator
tell
him?
“For
it
is
not
as
man
sees,
for
man
looks
to
the
eyes,
and
the
Lord
looks
to
the
heart.”
According
to
the
above,
we
can
interpret
that
“For
man
looks
to
the
eyes”
is
good
between
a
person
and
his
friend.
In
that
case,
it
is
good
if
one
can
go
within
reason,
that
it
is
in
accord
with
what
one
sees.
This
is
not
so
with,
“And
the
Lord
looks
to
the
heart.”
In
other
words,
concerning
matters
of
the
Creator,
it
is
above
reason
and
one
must
not
look
according
to
his
own
eyes,
but
above
reason.
Thus,
two
discernments
must
be
made
here:
1)
Between
a
person
and
the
Creator,
above
reason
is
better;
2)
between
a
person
and
his
friend,
within
reason
is
better.
This
is
why
the
Creator
told
him,
“Do
not
look
at
his
appearance,”
since
following
his
eyes
is
good
between
a
man
and
his
friend.
If
you
can
see
the
friend’s
merits
within
reason,
it
is
all
the
better.
But
this
is
not
so
here,
when
I
want
to
anoint
him
as
king.
This
operation
belongs
to
Me.
I
want
him
as
king.
This
is
called
“between
a
person
and
the
Creator.”
Here,
the
proper
work
is
above
reason,
since
precisely
in
this
way
it
is
possible
to
achieve
reception
in
order
to
bestow.
Otherwise,
he
will
fall
into
receiving
in
order
to
receive,
which
causes
separation
and
remoteness
from
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity].
However,
here
arises
a
question,
after
one
has
decided
to
go
above
reason
and
not
look
at
all
the
questions
that
the
body
begins
to
ask.
When
he
begins
to
work
on
the
path
of
bestowal
and
faith
above
reason,
and
overcomes
the
obstacles—the
questions
that
the
body
brings
him
from
the
world
over—and
closes
his
eyes
and
doesn’t
wish
to
look
at
anything
that
contradicts
the
mind
and
heart,
but
has
decided
to
go
only
above
reason,
after
this
decision,
sometimes
he
suddenly
brings
great
excuses
that
the
body
must
agree
with.
Thus,
he
sees
that
now
he
is
going
within
reason.
But
what
can
he
do
when
now
he
sees,
through
the
excuses
he
received
from
above,
that
he
tells
himself,
“What
can
I
do
now
that
I
have
no
place
where
I
can
work
above
reason?
I
see
now
that
everything
I
do
in
order
to
bestow
is
how
it
should
be.”
Thus,
he
no
longer
has
any
questions
about
serving
the
Creator,
which
force
him
to
work
above
reason.
But
since
the
work
is
primarily
above
reason,
what
can
he
do
when
he
is
in
such
a
state?
Baal
HaSulam
said
that
when
a
person
is
rewarded
with
some
disclosure
from
above
and
now
he
feels
that
it
is
worthwhile
being
a
servant
of
the
Creator,
it
follows
that
thus
far
he
had
work
in
the
form
of
above
reason:
the
body
disagreed
with
this
work
and
he
always
had
to
overcome,
and
needed
the
Creator
to
give
him
strength
above
reason.
But
now
he
no
longer
needs
the
help
of
the
Creator,
since
now
he
feels
that
he
has
a
basis
on
which
to
build
his
structure.
In
other
words,
he
already
has
support
on
which
to
rely.
Thus,
now
he
is
blemishing
the
faith
that
he
was
using
before,
since
now
he
can
already
say,
“Thank
God
I
am
rid
of
the
burden
of
faith,
which
was
a
burden
and
load
to
me.”
But
now
I
already
have
a
basis
within
reason
because
now
I
have
received
some
awakening
from
above
so
that
the
body
agrees
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
keep
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
It
turns
out
that
by
that
he
is
blemishing
the
faith.
And
Baal
HaSulam
said
that
at
that
time,
one
must
say,
“Now
I
see
that
the
real
way
is
actually
to
go
above
reason.
And
the
evidence
of
that
is
the
fact
that
now
I
have
been
rewarded
with
some
illumination
from
above,
only
because
I
have
taken
it
upon
myself
to
go
above
reason.
This
is
why
I
was
rewarded
with
the
Creator
bringing
me
a
little
closer
to
Him
and
giving
me
some
awakening
from
above.”
And
this
illumination
that
he
has
now
received
gives
him
an
answer
to
all
the
questions.
It
turns
out
that
this
testifies
to
the
above
reason.
Thus,
what
should
I
do
now
so
I
will
continue
with
above
reason?
There
is
only
to
reinforce
and
to
start
looking
for
ways
to
dress
his
work
in
above
reason.
It
turns
out
that
by
that,
he
did
not
blemish
his
faith
at
all,
since
he
was
walking
in
it
before
he
was
rewarded
with
any
illumination
from
above,
since
even
now
he
is
not
receiving
the
illumination
as
a
foundation
on
which
to
build
the
structure
of
his
work.
Rather,
he
is
taking
the
illumination
as
a
testimony
that
he
is
on
the
right
track,
that
he
is
in
faith
above
reason.
Only
in
this
form
of
work
does
the
Creator
bring
a
person
closer
to
Him
and
gives
him
room
to
draw
nearer
to
Him,
since
this
nearing
will
not
let
him
fall
into
the
vessels
of
reception,
which
are
called
“within
reason,”
since
the
Creator
sees
that
he
is
trying
to
go
only
above
reason.
It
follows
from
all
the
above
that
concerning
above
reason,
there
is
a
difference
between
a
person-and-the-Creator
and
a
person-and-his-friend.
Between
a
person
and
his
friend,
if
he
can
see
the
friends’
merits
within
reason
it
is
better.
But
if
within
reason
he
sees
only
the
friends’
faults,
he
has
no
choice
but
to
go
above
reason
and
say,
“What
I
see,
hear,
and
feel
is
all
wrong
and
untrue.
It
is
impossible
that
I
was
mistaken
about
the
friends
I
have
chosen
to
bond
with,
meaning
that
I
miscalculated.
“That
is,
I
thought
that
I
would
grow
richer
in
spirituality
through
them,
since
they
had
possessions
that
I
did
not.
Hence,
if
I
were
to
bond
with
them,
I
could
rise
to
a
higher
degree
than
I
thought.
But
now
I
see
that
in
fact,
I
am
discerning
otherwise.
And
I
heard
that
Baal
HaSulam
said
that
the
only
thing
that
can
help
a
person
emerge
from
self-love
and
be
rewarded
with
the
love
of
the
Creator
is
the
love
of
friends.
Hence,
I
have
no
choice
but
to
bond
with
those
friends,
although
in
my
view,
it
would
be
better
for
me
to
stay
away
from
them
and
not
bond
with
them.
However,
I
have
no
choice
and
I
must
believe
above
reason
that
indeed,
all
the
friends
are
at
a
high
degree,
but
I
cannot
see
their
virtue
with
my
eyes.
This
is
why
he
must
believe
above
reason.
But
when
he
sees
the
merit
of
the
friends
within
reason,
he
can
certainly
derive
great
benefits
from
the
friends.
But
what
can
he
do?
He
has
no
choice.
However,
it
is
a
different
order
between
a
person
and
the
Creator.
In
a
place
where
one
can
go
above
reason,
it
is
better.
Therefore,
where
one
can
be
assisted
from
within
reason,
being
rewarded
with
some
illumination
from
above,
then
he
can
say,
“Now
I
see
that
it
is
worthwhile
being
a
servant
of
the
Creator
because
I
feel
a
good
taste
in
the
work.”
It
follows
that
he
took
this
feeling—that
he
finds
meaning
in
the
work—as
a
basis
and
foundation
upon
which
to
build
his
Judaism.
And
now
that
he
understands
with
his
reason
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
keep
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
his
whole
foundation
is
built
on
this
condition.
This
means
that
when
he
finds
meaning
in
the
work,
he
should
obey
the
voice
of
the
Creator.
Thus,
if
he
does
not
find
meaning
in
the
work,
he
cannot
keep
the
Mitzvot
of
the
Creator.
It
is
known
that
assuming
the
kingdom
of
heaven
must
be
done
“With
all
your
heart
and
with
all
your
soul.”
In
other
words,
even
if
He
takes
one’s
soul
from
him,
meaning
even
if
he
has
no
livelihood,
not
even
Nefesh,
he
is
still
committed
to
being
a
servant
of
the
Creator
and
to
not
present
any
conditions
before
the
Creator,
telling
Him,
“If
you
do
as
I
wish,
according
to
what
I
understand
that
I
need—meaning
that
I
feel
a
lack
in
this,
and
if
You
satisfy
my
need—I
promise
to
be
a
servant
of
the
Creator.
But
if
You
do
not
satisfy
all
my
wishes—those
I
understand
that
I
need—I
cannot
take
upon
myself
everything
that
You
command
me
through
Moses.”
However,
one
should
assume
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
without
any
conditions,
meaning
even
above
reason.
Moreover,
one
must
say,
“Our
having
to
work
above
reason
is
not
because
the
Creator
cannot
give
us
reason.”
Rather,
we
must
believe
that
it
is
all
to
our
benefit.
It
turns
out
that
between
a
person
and
the
Creator
we
should
try
to
keep
it
above
reason,
and
if
he
receives
some
reason,
he
should
do
as
mentioned
above.