The
Difference
between
Charity
and
Gift
Article
24,
1986
It
is
written
(Proverbs,
15:27),
“He
who
hates
gifts
will
live.”
This
means
that
it
is
forbidden
to
receive
gifts,
for
it
causes
the
opposite
of
life.
Thus,
how
do
people
receive
gifts
from
one
another?
We
should
also
ask
about
what
the
Creator
said
to
Moses,
“I
have
a
good
gift
in
My
treasure,
and
its
name
is
Shabbat.
I
wish
to
give
it
to
Israel,
go
and
notify
them”
(Beitza,
p
16).
We
see
that
it
is
customary
that
one
can
ask
another
for
charity,
but
we
have
never
seen
someone
asking
another
for
a
gift.
For
example,
we
sometimes
see
that
before
Passover,
when
a
person
must
prepare
Matzot
[Passover
unleavened
bread]
and
wine
and
so
forth
for
Passover,
he
goes
to
the
collector
of
charity
or
to
some
wealthy
person
and
asks
him
to
help
him
prepare
groceries
for
Passover.
He
tells
him
of
his
dire
state
and
receives
what
he
asks.
However,
we
have
never
seen
anyone
approaching
his
friend
and
asking
for
a
gift.
For
example,
now
before
Passover,
his
wife
is
asking
him
to
buy
her
a
diamond
ring
that
is
worth
at
least
two
hundred
dollars.
He
tells
his
friend
that
since
he
is
in
financial
difficulties
and
cannot
buy
the
ring
she
wants,
he
wants
his
friend
to
give
him
the
money
as
a
gift
to
buy
his
wife
the
ring
for
Passover.
We
also
never
heard
that
in
any
town
there
is
a
collector
of
gifts,
meaning
that
there
will
be
a
collector
of
charity
in
town,
as
well
as
a
collector
of
gifts.
Rather,
the
usual
way
is
that
gifts
are
given
and
not
requested.
That
is,
when
someone
loves
another,
a
desire
to
please
him
awakens
in
him,
and
this
is
why
he
gives
him
a
gift.
It
is
impossible
to
speak
of
asking
for
gifts
or
a
special
place
in
town
were
gifts
are
given.
However,
we
should
understand
the
real
reason
why
we
do
not
ask
for
gifts,
and
do
ask
for
charity.
There
is
an
arrangement
in
every
town
to
help
the
needy
so
they
have
their
sustenance
and
can
exist
in
the
world.
Today
it
is
also
established
in
every
country
that
there
is
an
office
that
tends
to
those
in
need.
The
reason
is
very
simple:
There
is
a
difference
between
necessity
and
luxury.
Necessity
is
what
one
must
receive
in
order
to
be
able
to
exist.
Otherwise,
if
he
did
not
receive
the
necessary
assistance,
he
would
not
be
able
to
exist
in
the
world.
Our
sages
said
about
this
(Sanhedrin
37):
“Anyone
who
sustains
one
soul
from
Israel,
it
is
as
though
he
has
sustained
a
whole
world.”
This
pertains
to
necessity,
without
which
he
will
not
be
able
to
exist.
A
person
cannot
relinquish
this
and
not
ask
for
help,
for
“All
that
a
man
has
he
will
give
for
his
life.”
This
is
why
people
are
not
ashamed
to
ask
for
charity,
since
it
is
more
or
less
a
matter
of
life
and
death.
The
other,
meaning
the
giver,
also
understands
that
he
should
give
him
what
is
requested.
The
closer
the
matter
is
to
life
and
death,
the
more
openly
the
receiver
demands,
and
the
more
the
giver
takes
interest
in
the
receiver’s
situation.
Likewise,
the
farther
it
is
from
life
and
death,
the
more
coldly
the
giver
relates
to
the
state
of
the
receiver.
However,
everything
follows
the
track
of
necessity.
This
is
not
so
with
luxuries.
One
who
asks
for
luxuries
is
ashamed
to
ask.
And
the
giver,
too,
does
not
listen
to
one
who
is
asking
for
luxuries.
For
this
reason,
we
should
discern
between
charity
and
gift.
With
charity,
the
answer
to
the
request
of
the
receiver
comes.
That
is,
if
the
receiver
of
charity
asks
then
he
is
given.
It
follows
that
charity
comes
by
an
awakening
of
the
lower
one
because
he
feels
his
deficiency.
That
is,
when
he
sees
that
he
cannot
exist
in
the
world
without
the
giver’s
help,
the
receiver
is
not
ashamed
but
goes
and
despises
himself
before
the
giver,
since
he
has
no
other
choice.
But
a
gift
comes
entirely
from
the
giver.
That
is,
if
the
giver
awakens
to
do
something,
to
reveal
the
love
to
his
loved
one,
he
sends
him
a
gift.
It
therefore
follows
that
a
gift
comes
by
the
awakening
of
the
bestowing
upper
one,
but
charity
comes
by
an
awakening
of
the
receiver.
One
who
receives
the
charity
should
go
to
the
giver
and
make
him
see
the
need
for
the
charity
that
he
is
asking
of
him.
To
the
extent
that
the
receiver
can
clarify
the
need
that
he
will
come
for
his
aid,
and
to
the
extent
that
he
can
make
him
see
that
it
is
a
complete
must,
then
he
receives
what
he
is
asking
of
the
giver.
However,
the
main
reason
is,
as
we
learn,
that
when
we
must
use
anything
that
is
not
in
the
root
we
feel
unpleasantness
about
it,
as
he
says
(The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,
Part
One,
Histaklut
Pnimit
[Inner
Reflection],
item
19),
“It
is
known
that
the
nature
of
every
branch
is
equal
to
its
root.
Therefore,
every
conduct
in
the
root
is
desired
and
loved
and
coveted
by
the
branch,
as
well,
and
any
matter
that
is
not
in
the
root,
the
branch,
too,
removes
itself
from
them,
does
not
tolerate
them,
and
hates
them.”
It
turns
out
that
there
is
no
reception
in
our
root.
Therefore,
when
one
must
receive
he
feels
shame,
which
is
unpleasantness,
because
it
does
not
exist
in
our
root.
For
this
reason,
when
one
needs
one’s
friend’s
help,
if
it
is
necessary,
we
say
that
there
is
no
choice
because
nothing
is
more
important
than
saving
one’s
life.
However,
there
are
many
discernments
concerning
risk
to
life.
Therefore,
anything
that
is
necessary
makes
us
suffer
the
shame
and
ask
for
help.
But
necessity
is
not
the
same
for
everyone.
Each
person
has
a
different
measure.
That
is,
what
one
person
may
consider
luxury,
another
may
consider
necessity.
Thus,
it
is
difficult
to
determine
the
boundary
on
what
is
considered
luxury
and
what
is
considered
necessity.
Although
we
can
say
about
something
one
wants
that
you
can
live
without,
that
it
is
luxury,
if
one
cannot
live
without
it,
it
is
necessity.
But
this,
too,
cannot
be
a
one
hundred
percent
accurate
gauge.
For
example,
our
sages
wrote
(Ketubot,
p
67b),
“A
man
came
to
Rabbi
Nehemiah
and
told
him,
‘What
do
you
eat?’
He
replied,
‘Red
meat,
and
antique
wine.
Do
you
want
to
have
lentils
with
me?’
He
had
lentils
and
died.”
We
see
from
the
story
that
although
everyone
agrees
that
red
meat
and
antique
wine
are
certainly
luxuries,
to
this
man
they
were
such
a
necessity
that
because
of
it
he
died.
We
also
see
there,
in
the
words
of
our
sages,
“Our
sages
taught,
‘sufficient
for
his
need,
whatever
he
lacks’
(Deuteronomy,
15).
‘Sufficient
for
his
need’:
You
command
me
to
sustain
him
but
you
do
not
command
me
to
enrich
him.
‘Whatever
he
lacks’:
even
a
horse
to
ride
and
a
servant
to
run
before
him.
It
was
said
about
Old
Hillel
that
once
he
took
for
a
poor
man
who
grew
up
wealthy
a
horse
to
ride
on
and
a
servant
to
run
before
him.
Once,
he
could
not
find
a
servant
to
run
before
him
so
he
ran
before
him
three
miles.”
We
can
therefore
see
that
according
to
the
words
of
our
sages
about
the
verse,
“whatever
he
needs,”
that
even
a
horse
to
ride
on
and
a
servant
to
run
before
him
fall
into
the
category
of
necessity,
and
not
luxury,
since
here
we
are
speaking
of
a
poor
man,
as
the
Gemarah
writes,
that
Hillel
took
a
poor
man
who
grew
up
wealthy.
And
certainly,
what
we
give
to
the
poor
is
called
“charity,”
meaning
necessity.
Even
when
it
is
a
horse
to
ride
on
and
a
servant
to
run
before
him,
it
is
still
regarded
as
necessity.
Thus,
we
cannot
put
a
limit
on
where
“necessity”
ends
and
“luxury”
begins.
It
therefore
follows
that
the
poor
man
can
ask
to
be
given,
as
charity,
what
others
regard
as
luxury.
This
means
that
we
said
that
the
poor
man
asks
for
charity
does
not
feel
shame
because
to
him
the
charity
is
necessary.
However,
we
cannot
discern
between
charity
and
gift,
which
is
considered
luxury.
Rather,
it
depends
on
the
nature
of
the
person.
Each
person
has
his
own
gauge
to
determine
necessity
and
luxury—because
he
can
live
without
it.
When
a
poor
man
does
not
have
the
courage
to
ask
of
another,
it
falls
under
the
definition
of
a
gift,
which
comes
to
him
only
as
an
awakening
of
the
giver.
However,
who
can
determine
if
what
one
asks
of
one’s
friend
falls
under
the
category
of
charity
or
gift?
Only
the
Creator
knows
one’s
measure—that
thus
far
it
is
considered
necessity,
and
henceforth
it
is
considered
luxury.
Now
we
will
speak
of
those
terms
in
matters
of
work.
We
need
to
discern
during
the
prayer,
when
a
person
asks
the
Creator
to
help
him
in
the
work,
if
he
is
asking
the
Creator
for
charity,
meaning
necessity,
without
which
he
tells
the
Creator
that
his
life
is
pointless,
meaning
that
he
feels
bare
and
destitute,
without
Torah
and
without
Mitzvot
[commandments].
He
feels
that
there
is
not
a
spark
of
truth
in
him,
and
all
his
actions
are
built
on
hypocrisy
and
lies.
That
is,
the
whole
foundation
on
which
he
builds
his
building
of
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity]
is
one
of
self-love.
He
feels
that
each
day
he
is
regressing,
where
he
should
have
progressed.
But
he
sees
the
opposite,
meaning
that
when
he
started
the
work
of
holiness
he
felt
more
importance
in
Torah
and
work,
and
this
was
why
he
took
upon
himself
Torah
and
work—since
it
was
worthwhile
to
retreat
from
the
vanities
of
this
world
and
cling
to
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
for
it
would
bring
him
happiness
and
meaning
to
life,
and
he
was
very
excited.
But
now
he
does
not
understand
where
he
took
those
forces.
That
is,
now,
if
someone
told
him,
“Drop
it
all,
retreat
from
the
vanities
of
this
world,
and
begin
to
work
the
work
of
holiness,”
there
is
no
doubt
that
he
would
not
be
able
to
listen
to
him
in
his
current
state,
both
intellectually
and
emotionally.
He
should
certainly
tell
himself
that
then
he
had
faith
and
confidence,
but
now
he
is
far
from
all
those.
It
turns
out
that
the
whole
time
he
was
engaged
in
the
work
it
was
in
order
to
draw
closer
to
the
truth,
which
is
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
to
which
he
yearned.
But
now
he
has
retreated
ten
degrees,
meaning
now
he
lacks
the
zeal
for
the
Torah
and
the
importance
of
Torah.
It
is
even
more
so
with
prayer:
He
has
no
desire
for
prayer
because
the
body
tells
him,
“What
will
you
get
from
praying?
You
can
see
for
yourself
that
the
more
you
want
to
work,
the
lower
you
become,
so
why
do
I
need
this
work?”
Thus,
how
can
one
exert
where
he
sees
that
he
cannot
move
one
step
forward?
Man
enjoys
rest
and
is
incapable
of
relinquishing
rest
unless
he
knows
that
he
will
have
greater
pleasure
or
something
more
required.
At
that
time
he
has
a
reason
to
relinquish
the
rest,
though
not
without
a
reward.
Therefore,
when
he
sees
that
his
work
did
not
earn
him
anything
from
of
what
he
thought
he
would
earn,
he
loses
the
strength
to
work
and
remains
powerless.
He
looks
at
himself
and
says
that
if
anyone
would
come
to
him
and
say,
“Know
that
in
a
little
while,
some
months
or
years,
you
will
come
to
a
state
of
despair,
meaning
that
you
will
have
no
progress,
but
to
the
contrary,
that
each
year
you
will
be
lowlier
than
you
feel
now,
for
now
you
are
lowly,
therefore
you
want
to
begin
the
true
work
so
as
to
achieve
the
true
goal
for
which
you
were
created.
Therefore,
I
am
telling
you
that
you
are
wasting
your
efforts,
since
I
know
many
people
who
thought
as
you
do—that
if
you
only
make
a
small
effort
you
will
immediately
see
results,
meaning
some
progress
in
the
true
work.”
I
would
reply
to
him:
“You
belong
to
the
spies
who
slandered
the
land
of
Israel.
It
is
just
as
the
holy
Zohar
interprets
(Shlach,
item
63),
‘And
they
returned
from
touring
the
land.’
‘Returned’
means
they
returned
to
the
evil
side,
returned
from
the
path
of
truth.
They
said,
‘What
have
we
got
so
far?
We
have
yet
to
see
good
in
the
world.
We
have
labored
in
Torah
but
the
house
is
empty,
and
who
will
be
awarded
that
world
and
come
inside
it?
It
would
be
better
if
we
did
not
toil
so
much.’
They
told
him,
and
he
said,
etc.,
‘We
labored
and
toiled
to
know
the
part
of
that
world,
as
you
advised
us.
And
it
is
also
flowing
with
milk
and
honey.
That
upper
world
is
good,
as
we
know
from
the
Torah,
but
who
can
be
rewarded
with
it?’”
That
is,
now
he
says
that
after
some
time
of
work,
if
these
thoughts
had
come
to
him
in
the
beginning
of
the
work,
when
he
took
upon
himself
that
he
must
exit
the
ordinary
situation,
called
“going
by
rote,”
and
be
a
true
servant
of
the
Creator,
he
would
tell
these
thoughts:
“You
are
messengers
of
the
spies.
This
is
why
you
come
to
me,
to
stop
me
from
entering
the
land
of
Kedusha,
called
‘holy
work.’”
He
would
not
listen
to
them.
But
now
he
sees
that
he
himself
is
feeling
the
argument
of
the
spies,
and
now
it
seems
to
him
that
these
are
not
arguments
of
the
spies,
but
his
own
arguments,
meaning
that
he
feels
that
everything
he
feels
is
true.
As
we
have
said
above,
the
question
that
awakens
is
“What
is
the
truth?”
Was
he
at
a
higher
degree
in
the
beginning
of
the
work
than
he
is
now
after
several
years
of
work
and
labor?
If
so,
what
can
be
said
about
such
a
state?
All
his
work
was
in
vain.
And
not
only
in
vain,
since
in
vain
means
that
he
did
not
gain
anything,
and
he
is
in
the
same
state
as
before
he
entered
the
work
of
holiness
in
order
to
bestow.
But
here
it
is
not
so.
Rather,
he
has
lost
and
declined
from
his
previous
state.
That
is,
he
is
lacking
the
importance
and
zeal
for
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
the
energy
and
confidence
he
had.
When
he
looks
at
himself
today,
he
is
in
a
state
of
“I
could
not
care
less.”
So
it
seems
as
though
one
should
say
that
he
has
declined
from
his
previous
state,
when
he
began
his
work.
But
in
truth,
it
is
not
so.
There
is
a
rule
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli
[vessel].
This
means
that
the
Creator
does
not
satisfy
the
lower
one’s
need
if
he
does
not
have
a
real
need.
A
need
does
not
mean
that
he
does
not
have
something.
It
is
as
I
wrote
in
the
allegory
(Article
no.
6,
Tav-Shin-Mem-Vav),
that
there
were
elections
in
the
country
to
elect
a
president.
There
were
two
candidates
for
presidency,
and
several
lobbyists,
each
of
whom
wanted
the
president
he
supported
to
be
elected.
In
the
end
one
was
chosen,
and
now
there
was
a
calculation
regarding
the
deficiency.
Someone
felt
that
he
was
not
the
president,
since
in
the
end
there
is
only
one
president.
We
should
say
that
all
the
people
in
the
country
have
a
lack,
for
we
must
say
that
they
are
not
presidents.
However,
we
should
distinguish
the
amount
of
pain
they
feel
at
not
being
presidents.
We
should
say
that
although
ordinary
citizens
are
not
presidents,
they
do
not
feel
any
deficiency
about
it.
Those
who
engaged
in
making
someone
a
president,
but
another
president
was
elected,
are
in
pain
because
of
this
deficiency
that
the
one
they
worked
for
did
not
become
president.
However,
the
one
who
really
suffers
is
that
person
who
thought
that
he
would
be
made
president,
who
exerted
to
win
the
elections,
to
make
his
countryfolk
elect
him,
but
in
the
end
his
rival
was
elected.
He
feels
the
real
suffering.
We
can
say
about
him
that
he
had
the
real
need
to
be
a
president
because
he
has
exerted
for
it,
and
according
to
the
efforts
he
has
exerted,
to
that
extent
he
feels
the
suffering.
It
therefore
follows
that
here,
in
the
work
of
the
Creator,
in
the
beginning
of
his
work
he
had
energy
and
confidence,
and
great
importance
for
Torah
and
prayer
because
at
that
time
he
had
grace
of
holiness,
and
felt
that
the
work
of
the
Creator
is
important.
However,
this
was
still
not
considered
a
“deficiency”
that
the
Creator
will
satisfy,
a
deficiency
is
called
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
since
the
lack
and
pain
of
not
having
Dvekut
with
the
Creator
was
still
not
felt
in
him
as
he
has
not
exerted
for
it
because
he
has
just
begun
the
work.
But
after
a
long
period
of
time
of
making
efforts
and
not
achieving
satisfaction
of
his
deficiency,
torments
and
pain
begin
to
form
in
him
because
he
has
made
efforts
but
sees
no
progress
in
his
work.
At
that
time
the
thoughts
begin
to
come
one-by-one.
Sometimes
it
is
with
sparks
of
despair,
and
sometimes
he
grows
stronger,
but
then
he
sees
once
more
that
he
has
fallen
from
his
state,
and
so
on
repeatedly.
Finally,
a
real
deficiency
forms
in
him,
which
he
has
obtained
through
exertion
in
ascents
and
descents.
These
ascents
and
descents
leave
him
with
pain
each
time
at
not
having
been
granted
Dvekut
with
the
Creator.
Finally,
when
the
cup
of
labor
has
been
filled
sufficiently,
it
is
called
a
Kli.
Then
the
filling
of
it
comes
from
the
Creator,
since
now
he
has
a
real
Kli.
It
follows
that
his
seeing
that
now—after
several
years
of
work—he
has
retreated,
this
happens
deliberately
so
he
will
ache
at
not
having
Dvekut
with
the
Creator.
It
turns
out
that
each
time
he
must
see
that
he
is
approaching
the
making
of
the
Kli,
called
“real
deficiency.”
That
is,
his
gauge
of
Katnut
[infancy/smallness]
and
Gadlut
[adulthood/greatness]
of
the
deficiency
is
to
the
extent
of
the
suffering
he
feels
at
not
having
the
filling,
which
is
called
here
“Dvekut
with
the
Creator,”
where
all
he
wants
is
only
to
bring
contentment
to
the
Creator.
Before
the
deficiency
is
completed,
it
is
impossible
for
the
filling
to
come
in
full.
It
is
known
that
what
comes
from
above
is
always
complete.
Thus,
the
deficiency
should
be
full,
as
well,
meaning
that
he
will
feel
pain
and
deficiency
at
not
having
anything.
That
is,
he
should
feel
that
he
has
no
Torah,
no
work,
and
no
fear
of
heaven.
Although
in
practice,
he
engages
in
Mitzvot,
learns
Torah,
gets
up
before
dawn,
and
is
careful
with
the
slight
and
serious
things,
and
if
other
people
did
what
he
does
they
would
regard
themselves
as
complete
righteous,
but
he
feels
that
he
is
completely
empty.
This
is
so
because
he
wants
to
be
rewarded
with
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
and
for
this
one
must
have
one
thought,
meaning
that
all
his
works
will
be
in
order
to
bestow,
and
he
sees
he
is
very
far
from
this.
Therefore,
he
tells
himself,
“What
am
I
gaining
by
engaging
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot?
My
whole
calculation
was
that
through
this
I
will
achieve
Dvekut
with
the
Creator.
Yet,
I
do
not
see
that
I
have
moved
one
bit
closer.
On
the
contrary!”
Thus,
this
person
is
not
asking
for
luxuries,
but
only
for
necessity,
to
have
something
with
which
to
revive
his
soul
with
some
spirituality
so
he
will
not
be
immersed
in
self-love.
It
turns
out
that
he
feels
that
he
is
completely
devoid
of
spirituality.
However,
other
people
do
not
have
this
feeling
of
being
far
from
spirituality.
Rather,
we
see
that
the
rest
of
the
people,
if
they
can
pray
each
day
in
a
Minyan
[a
minimum
of
ten
participants
in
a
prayer]
they
feel
complete.
It
is
even
more
so
with
people
who
come
to
study
their
daily
page
after
work—they
feel
themselves
as
whole,
and
have
no
demand
of
the
Creator
to
help
them
have
the
strength
to
walk
on
the
path
of
the
Creator.
Rather,
they
pray
for
the
Creator
to
help
them
continue
their
routine.
Thus,
they
are
already
satisfied
with
life.
Even
more
so,
those
“whose
Torah
is
their
work”
certainly
feel
whole
and
always
praise
the
Creator
for
giving
them
the
mind
and
desire
not
to
sit
among
the
idle.
Although
they
pray
to
the
Creator
to
help
them
with
the
matter
of
Lishma
[for
Her
sake],
which
they
had
heard
existed,
they
regard
it
as
luxury.
They
observe
the
essence
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
but
do
not
have
this
matter
of
working
Lishma.
It
is
true
that
one
should
engage
Lishma,
but
this
pertains
to
a
chosen
few.
Thus,
even
when
they
pray
that
the
Creator
will
grant
them
with
learning
Torah
Lishma,
they
regard
it
as
luxury
and
not
as
necessity,
for
thank
God
they
feel
that
they
are
among
the
chosen
ones
in
the
nation,
that
they
are
in
the
“light
of
the
vanities
of
Torah,”
and
for
them,
“their
Torah
is
their
craft.”
Thus,
it
turns
out
the
same,
that
two
people
ask
the
Creator
to
grant
them
their
requests.
We
should
discern
between
them
not
by
the
prayer,
but
by
the
reason
for
the
prayer:
one
wants
it
because
his
soul
desires
luxuries,
so
he
is
asking
for
a
gift.
But
it
is
impolite
to
ask
for
gifts.
Therefore,
his
request
cannot
be
granted
since
one
does
not
ask
for
presents,
but
it
comes
only
from
the
giver,
meaning
that
the
giver
awakens
to
give
the
gift
to
the
receiver.
For
this
reason
it
turns
out
that
the
lower
one
is
full
of
grievances
at
the
Creator
for
not
hearing
his
prayer,
since
he
is
praying
for
gifts
each
day
but
he
is
not
being
heard.
Therefore,
he
argues
that
there
is
something
wrong,
God
forbid,
with
the
upper
one.
But
the
upper
one
argues
that
the
lower
one
is
wrong,
since
he
is
crying
about
receiving
presents.
What
he
thinks
he
needs
is
only
a
luxury
to
him.
Therefore,
if
he
corrects
himself
and
sees
the
truth,
meaning
that
he
demand
necessity,
which
is
charity,
then
charity
is
given
by
the
awakening
of
the
lower
one,
as
it
is
customary
for
the
poor
to
ask.
And
the
more
the
request
is
necessity,
the
more
it
is
accepted.
This
is
what
is
explained
above
(Ketubot,
p
67b),
that
meat
and
wine
may
be
luxuries
for
every
person,
but
for
the
one
who
came
to
Rabbi
Nehemiah
it
was
necessity.
The
evidence
is
that
he
gave
him
lentils
to
eat
and
he
died.
By
this
we
will
understand
why
we
see
that
once
a
person
has
made
great
efforts
to
achieve
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
in
the
end
he
sees
that
he
has
become
worse
than
when
he
began
to
do
the
holy
work
to
correct
himself.
That
is,
it
is
as
though
the
corrections
he
had
made
were
in
vain,
useless,
but
to
the
contrary.
The
answer
is
that
in
truth,
he
went
a
great
deal
forward,
but
we
should
discern
between
progress
toward
the
light
and
progress
toward
the
Kli.
Human
nature
is
to
regard
progress
toward
the
light,
since
light
is
all
that
man
wants.
It
follows
that
things
that
do
not
illuminate
do
not
interest
him
at
all,
for
what
will
it
give
him
if
he
has
a
great
deficiency?
There
is
a
rule
that
man
wants
things
that
bring
him
pleasure,
so
when
he
wants
to
know
if
he
has
advanced,
he
examines
how
much
closer
he
is
to
the
light.
But
the
truth
is
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli.
Therefore,
first
he
must
advance
toward
the
Kli.
That
is,
there
is
such
a
thing
as
advancing
in
deficiency.
In
the
beginning
of
his
work
his
deficiency
was
not
revealed
to
him
and
he
craved
the
light,
although
then,
too,
he
had
a
deficiency—that
he
did
not
have
light.
But
this
is
similar
to
what
people
do:
Sometimes
a
person
loses
some
important
object
that
is
worth
one
hour
of
his
work
according
to
what
he
earns
per
day.
If,
for
example,
he
makes
eight
dollars
a
day,
he
will
not
work
for
less
than
one
dollar
an
hour.
Rather,
rest
will
be
more
important
to
him.
But
if
he
loses
an
object
that
is
worth
one
dollar,
he
will
search
for
it
two
hours
until
he
finds
it.
This
brings
up
the
question:
“Why
did
he
just
work
an
hour
to
earn
half
a
dollar?”
The
answer
is
that
there
is
a
difference
between
denying
profit
and
losing
from
the
capital.
What
he
possesses
and
then
loses,
even
if
it
is
a
small
thing,
it
is
important
to
him
because
he
had
already
had
it
but
then
lost
it.
This
is
not
so
with
something
that
he
did
not
obtain.
A
great
thing
is
worth
exerting
for,
but
otherwise
rest
is
more
important
to
him.
The
same
rule
applies
to
us.
When
he
had
a
desire
to
achieve
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
that
deficiency
is
called
“prevention
of
profit.”
That
is,
he
is
deficient
that
perhaps
he
will
not
profit,
so
he
goes
to
work.
But
this
is
still
not
considered
a
real
deficiency,
fit
for
clothing
the
upper
abundance.
But
if
he
has
already
invested
several
years
of
work
it
is
like
losing
from
the
capital.
That
is,
he
has
lost
several
years
of
work
without
gaining
anything.
Then
this
deficiency
is
regarded
as
such
because
this
deficiency
creates
in
him
torments
and
pains.
Thus,
we
see
that
the
great
efforts
he
has
made,
thinking
that
soon
the
Creator
will
help
him
and
he
will
be
rewarded
with
Dvekut
with
Him,
so
he
was
advancing
concerning
the
desire
for
Dvekut
because
of
the
great
efforts
he
has
made,
so
the
more
he
sees
that
he
is
exerting,
the
more
he
sees
the
opposite—that
the
body
resists
the
matter
of
bestowal
altogether.
At
that
time
the
understanding
that
he
needs
His
help
forms
in
him.
Then,
he
is
not
asking
for
luxuries,
but
wants
to
be
a
simple
Jew
who
believes
in
the
Creator,
that
He,
the
blessed
One,
His
name
is
the
“Good
Who
Does
Good.”
He
wants
to
praise
the
Creator
and
say
to
Him:
“Blessed
is
He
who
said,
‘Let
there
be
the
world,’”
just
so,
without
any
great
attainments
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
with
intentions,
but
very
simply
to
be
able
to
praise
the
Creator
and
thank
Him
for
creating
him.
Since
now
he
sees
that
he
does
not
even
have
the
desire
for
Torah
and
work
he
had
when
he
began
to
work,
it
is
for
two
reasons,
which
are
one:
1)
The
reason
he
began
to
assume
the
burden
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot
was
built
on
vessels
of
reception.
Initially,
the
body
longed
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
because
he
felt
that
he
could
receive
from
spirituality
more
satisfaction
in
life,
meaning
that
the
will
to
receive
would
have
what
to
receive,
since
corporeal
pleasures
did
not
give
him
satisfaction
in
life.
But
now
that
he
has
begun
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
his
body
resists
it.
The
body
agrees
to
labor
where
it
can
gain.
But
now
that
he
has
told
the
body,
“Keep
Torah
and
Mitzvot
and
by
that,
meaning
by
keeping
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
you
will
be
able
not
to
give
the
body
any
pleasure
or
reward
for
your
work.”
Because
of
it,
when
the
body
hears
that
it
will
have
reward
for
itself,
but
that
its
reward
will
be
to
have
the
strength
not
to
give
the
body
any
reward
for
its
work,
this
is
the
reason
why
now
he
has
no
strength
to
work
as
he
did
before
he
began
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
when
the
body
expected
greater
pleasures
than
what
it
received
from
corporeal
pleasures.
Therefore,
for
this
he
had
fuel
and
did
not
encounter
any
preventions
from
the
body,
since
the
body
expected
the
desire
to
receive
to
gain
more
pleasures
now.
However,
we
must
know
that
the
body
has
no
other
language,
that
it
should
want
to
work
the
holy
work.
Our
sages
said
about
this,
“One
should
always
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake]
for
by
that
he
will
come
to
Lishma
[for
Her
sake].”
It
follows
that
the
beginning
of
his
entrance
to
the
work
was
just
fine.
That
is,
we
must
promise
the
body
that
God
forbid
that
we
should
blemish
its
will
to
receive.
On
the
contrary,
by
keeping
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
the
will
to
receive
will
have
real
satisfaction
in
life,
and
his
will
to
receive
will
feel
that
specifically
by
keeping
Torah
and
Mitzvot
he
will
feel
that
throughout
the
world,
he
is
the
happiest
man
in
his
generation.
But
after
he
has
begun
the
work
and
begun
to
know
that
the
main
thing
is
to
achieve
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
called
“doing
everything
in
order
to
bestow,”
the
body
begins
to
resist
this
work.
However,
there
is
great
benefit
in
this
resistance
of
the
body,
since
by
this
a
person
develops
a
great
deficiency,
meaning
he
suffers
from
being
far
from
Dvekut
with
the
Creator.
At
that
time,
the
more
he
regrets,
the
more
he
becomes
needy
of
the
Creator’s
help,
since
then
he
sees
that
he
cannot
exit
self-love
by
himself,
but
only
the
Creator
Himself
can
help
him.
This
is
not
a
matter
of
understanding,
but
a
matter
of
feeling.
It
is
as
it
is
written
(Psalms,
127),
“If
the
Lord
does
not
build
the
house,
they
who
built
it
labored
in
it
in
vain.”
It
follows
that
one
should
believe
that
all
the
twists
and
turns
that
have
brought
him
to
his
current
state
were
so
he
would
have
the
ability
to
give
an
honest
prayer
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart.
However,
the
evil
inclination
brings
man
opposite
views,
so
where
one
can
ask
the
Creator
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart,
meaning
when
the
mind
and
heart
have
come
to
a
decision
that
now
only
the
Creator
can
help
him,
because
now
he
can
pray
a
true
prayer,
the
evil
inclination
comes
and
brings
him
to
despair,
as
the
spies
argue.
We
can
say
about
this,
“The
ways
of
the
Lord
are
straight;
the
righteous
walk
in
them
and
the
wicked
fail
in
them.”
With
the
above-said
we
will
understand
what
we
asked
about
the
verse,
“He
who
hates
gifts
will
live.”
It
does
not
mean
that
he
should
not
receive
gifts.
However,
if
he
hates
the
gifts
because
he
wants
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
therefore
he
hates
being
a
receiver
but
receives
the
gifts
because
the
Creator
wants
it.
This
is
called
“receiving
in
order
to
bestow,”
since
he
would
not
awaken
the
Creator
to
give
him
luxuries.
Rather,
he
is
asking
the
Creator
for
necessity.
And
it
makes
no
difference
whether
for
another
it
is
regarded
as
luxury,
since
each
one
works
according
to
one’s
own
feeling,
and
does
not
mind
what
his
friend
has.
If
later
the
Creator
gives
him
a
gift,
he
receives
it
in
order
to
bestow.
It
follows
that
if
a
person
asks
the
Creator
to
give
him
vessels
of
bestowal,
it
depends
on
a
person’s
character.
That
is,
we
can
say
that
for
one
it
is
luxuries
and
for
another
it
is
necessity.