A
Congregation
Is
No
Less
than
Ten
Article
28,
1986
It
is
written
in
The
Zohar,
Nasso
(item
105):
“Rabbi
Elazar
started,
‘Why
have
I
come
and
there
is
no
man?’
How
beloved
are
Israel
by
the
Creator,
for
wherever
they
are,
the
Creator
is
among
them.
‘And
let
them
make
Me
a
Temple
and
I
will
dwell
among
them.’
Every
synagogue
in
the
world
is
called
a
‘Temple.’
‘And
I
will
dwell
among
them,’
since
the
Shechina
[Divinity]
comes
to
the
synagogue
first.
Happy
is
he
who
is
among
those
first
ones
in
the
synagogue,
since
by
them
what
is
completed
is
completed,
meaning
the
congregation,
which
is
no
less
than
ten.
Also,
the
ten
must
be
in
the
synagogue
at
once,
and
not
come
one
at
a
time,
since
all
ten
are
as
organs
of
one
body,
in
which
the
Shechina
resides,
for
the
Creator
has
made
man
at
once,
and
established
all
his
organs
together,
as
it
is
written,
‘He
has
made
you
and
established
you.’”
We
should
discern
in
the
above
words:
1)
Why
does
he
say,
“Wherever
Israel
are,
the
Creator
is
among
them”?
This
implies
that
there
is
no
need
for
a
special
place.
Afterwards
he
says,
“And
let
them
make
Me
a
Temple
and
I
will
dwell
among
them,”
meaning
specifically
in
the
synagogue.
2)
The
words,
“And
let
them
make
Me
a
Temple
and
I
will
dwell
among
them,”
imply
that
first
there
must
be
some
preparation,
meaning
“making
the
Temple,”
and
then
“I
will
dwell,”
and
not
just
like
that.
3)
What
is
the
question
that
he
asks,
“Why
have
I
come
and
there
is
no
man?”
If
you
say
that
the
Shechina
comes
to
the
synagogue
first,
of
course
there
is
still
no
one
there.
4)
It
is
difficult
to
understand
what
he
says,
“The
ten
must
be
in
the
synagogue
at
once,
and
not
come
one
at
a
time.”
Can
it
be
said
that
all
those
who
come
to
the
synagogue
should
wait
outside
until
ten
men
have
gathered,
and
then
they
will
all
enter
at
once?
We
have
never
seen
such
a
thing.
So
what
does
it
mean
that
they
must
not
come
one
at
a
time?
To
understand
the
above
we
will
explain
in
the
work
how
to
begin
the
order
of
the
work
in
a
manner
of
bestowal,
called
“not
in
order
to
receive
reward.”
First,
we
must
remember
two
things,
which
are
“giver”
and
“receiver.”
This
extends
from
His
desire
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
which
is
why
He
has
created
creatures—to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
He
wants
to
give
them.
This
receiver,
namely
the
Kli
[vessel]
that
the
Creator
created
in
which
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure,
is
called
“desire
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure.”
He
can
enjoy
this
to
the
extent
of
the
craving
for
it.
That
is,
the
Kli
in
which
we
receive
pleasure
is
called
“craving.”
We
attribute
these
Kelim
[vessels]
to
the
Creator.
That
is,
the
Kli
that
initially
received
from
the
Creator
is
called
Malchut,
or
Behina
Dalet
[Fourth
Phase
(discernment)],
which
means
that
it
is
a
craving
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure.
This
is
called
a
Kli
of
Ohr
Yashar
[Direct
Light].
This
is
the
Kli
that
was
used
prior
to
the
Tzimtzum
[restriction],
and
it
is
called
Malchut
de
Ein
Sof
[infinity/no
end].
Afterwards
there
was
a
correction
to
prevent
the
bread
of
shame,
since
there
is
a
rule
in
the
nature
that
the
Creator
has
created,
that
the
branch
wants
to
resemble
its
root.
Why
is
there
such
a
nature?
We
are
forbidden
to
ask
because
with
respect
to
the
Creator,
says
the
holy
Zohar,
“There
is
no
thought
or
perception
in
Him
at
all.”
This
means
that
the
lower
ones
cannot
attain
the
thoughts
of
the
Creator.
Everything
we
say
is
only
in
the
form
of
“By
Your
actions
we
know
You,”
meaning
we
speak
only
through
the
actions
that
appear
to
our
eyes,
from
what
we
see
and
can
explain,
but
not
before
the
act
that
appears
before
us.
For
this
reason
we
begin
to
speak
of
the
first
connection
between
the
Creator
and
the
creatures,
called
“His
desire
to
do
good
to
His
creations.”
Prior
to
this
we
cannot
speak
because
we
have
no
attainment
in
Him.
Hence,
we
only
see
that
in
nature,
the
branch
wants
to
resemble
its
root.
To
correct
this,
meaning
that
because
the
receiver
wants
equivalence
of
form
with
the
root,
and
if
it
were
to
receive
it
would
feel
unpleasantness,
the
Tzimtzum
occurred,
called
“not
wanting
to
receive
in
order
to
receive,”
but
to
receive
only
if
he
can
receive
it
in
order
to
bestow.
This
caused
us
not
to
be
able
to
receive
abundance
with
the
Kli
called
“desire
to
receive,”
but
rather
with
a
new
Kli,
called
“Ohr
Hozer”
[Reflected
Light].
It
means
that
the
Ohr
Yashar
is
regarded
as
the
abundance
that
the
Creator
gives
to
the
lower
ones,
and
Ohr
Hozer
is
the
opposite—that
which
the
lower
ones
wish
to
give
the
Creator.
For
this
reason,
Ohr
Yashar
is
called
“from
above
downward,”
meaning
that
the
upper
one,
the
Giver,
namely
the
Creator,
gives
to
the
lower
ones.
Conversely,
the
Ohr
Hozer
is
called
“from
below
upward,”
meaning
the
lower
one,
who
is
the
receiver,
wants
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator.
We
attribute
this
Kli,
called
“in
order
to
bestow,”
to
the
lower
one
because
the
lower
one
did
it
in
order
to
correct
itself,
since
it
wants
to
resemble
its
root.
It
is
as
we
learn,
that
in
the
world
of
Ein
Sof,
the
Kli
of
Malchut
received
the
light
in
the
Kli
of
Ohr
Yashar,
meaning
in
a
Kli
that
came
from
the
upper
one.
But
the
Kli
of
Ohr
Hozer
is
a
Kli
that
the
lower
one
should
make.
After
the
correction
to
receive
only
in
Kelim
of
Ohr
Hozer
was
made,
all
the
worlds
and
many
degrees
extended
from
it.
Because
this
Kli
extends
from
the
lower
one,
it
cannot
be
completed
at
once,
but
bit
by
bit,
according
to
the
strength
of
the
lower
ones.
Therefore,
since
many
Kelim
were
made,
the
lights
divide
into
many
degrees.
This
was
not
so
when
what
we
attribute
to
the
Creator,
called
“receiving
in
order
to
receive,”
illuminated
in
the
Kli.
The
Creator
created
this
Kli
at
once,
in
full,
so
naturally,
it
was
one
simple
light,
without
distinction
of
degrees.
It
is
as
he
writes
in
the
book,
Tree
of
Life
(presented
in
The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,
p
1):
“Know
that
before
the
emanations
were
emanated
and
the
creatures
created,
the
upper,
simple
light
had
filled
the
whole
of
reality.
However,
everything
was
one,
simple
light,
completely
equal,
and
it
is
called
‘the
light
of
Ein
Sof.’”
The
reason
is
that
since
we
attribute
this
Kli
to
the
Creator,
it
is
completed
in
whole,
hence
they
received
one
light,
without
distinction
of
degrees.
But
the
Kli
that
we
attribute
to
the
lower
one
cannot
be
completed
at
once.
Rather,
all
the
work
we
must
exert
in
is
only
one—to
make
a
Kli
called
Ohr
Hozer.
This
means
that
the
lower
one
wants
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure
from
the
Creator
only
because
he
wants
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator,
and
this
is
called
Ohr
Hozer
[Reflected
Light].
When
the
lower
one
realizes
that
he
has
no
desire
to
receive
for
himself,
but
that
he
wants
to
delight
the
Creator,
he
calculates
what
he
can
give
to
the
Creator
that
the
Creator
will
enjoy.
At
that
time
he
sees
that
he
can
give
only
one
thing
that
will
delight
the
Creator.
Since
the
purpose
of
creation
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
and
the
Creator
wants
to
give
delight
and
pleasure
to
the
creatures,
he
says,
“I
want
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure
because
I
want
to
please
the
Creator.”
And
the
more
abundance
he
can
receive—meaning
that
he
feels
the
greatest
pleasure
from
the
abundance
that
he
receives—the
Creator
will
certainly
enjoy
this
more.
This
is
similar
to
a
person
who
invited
over
an
important
person.
The
man
and
his
household
toiled
all
day
and
all
night
so
that
the
important
guest
would
enjoy
the
food.
When
the
guest
ate
the
meal,
which
cost
him
great
efforts,
and
in
which
he
did
everything
to
delight
the
guest,
at
the
end
of
the
meal
he
asked
the
guest,
“What
do
you
say
about
our
meal?
Did
you
ever
taste
a
meal
like
this?”
He
replied
to
him:
“To
tell
you
the
truth,
I
don’t
care
what
I
eat.
I
never
regarded
the
pleasure
I
can
derive
from
food,
so
I
wouldn’t
mind
if
you
prepared
a
simpler
meal,
since
I
hear
from
you
that
you
put
great
efforts
into
it.”
When
the
landlord
hears
this,
what
pleasure
does
he
have
from
giving
him
a
big
meal?
The
lesson
is
that
if
a
person
receives
delight
and
pleasure
from
the
Creator
because
he
wants
to
delight
the
Creator
by
helping
Him
carry
out
the
purpose
of
creation—that
the
Creator
wants
to
delight
His
creatures—but
he
says
that
he
derives
no
joy
from
the
delight
and
pleasure
he
receives
from
the
Creator,
then
what
contentment
is
he
bringing
to
the
Creator
by
saying
that
he
doesn’t
feel
any
taste
in
His
delight
and
pleasure,
and
that
to
him
it
is
all
the
same?
It
therefore
follows
that
if
one
can
try
to
constantly
increase
what
he
is
receiving
from
the
Creator
and
appreciate
the
King’s
gift,
there
is
a
reason
for
it:
He
can
say
to
the
Creator,
“I
am
receiving
great
pleasure
from
You
because
I
know
that
only
with
this
I
can
delight
You,
and
this
is
why
I
want
to
receive
plentiful
pleasures.”
However,
we
must
remember
that
after
the
sin
of
the
tree
of
knowledge
that
Adam
HaRishon
sinned,
man
became
as
dust,
receiving
in
order
to
receive.
This
extends
from
the
worlds
ABYA
de
Tuma’a
[impurity],
as
it
is
written
in
the
“Introduction
to
the
Book
of
Zohar”
(item
25),
“It
is
incumbent
upon
man
to
receive
strength
from
above
by
the
merit
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments],
so
he
can
bestow,
and
this
is
called
‘Israel,’
meaning
Yashar-El
[straight
to
the
Creator].
This
means
that
all
his
thoughts
and
desires
are
only
to
bring
contentment
to
the
Creator.
But
if
he
still
does
not
have
this
desire,
it
is
considered
that
the
person
is
in
exile
among
the
nations
of
the
world,
who
enslave
him
to
work
only
for
self-love,
which
is
‘receiving
in
order
to
receive.’
This
pertains
to
the
Klipot
[shells/peels],
and
not
to
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity],
as
it
is
written,
‘You
will
be
holy
for
I
am
holy.’
This
means
that
as
the
Creator
is
only
about
bestowal,
your
intention
will
also
be
only
to
bestow.”
But
the
opposite
of
that,
meaning
when
his
intention
is
not
to
bestow,
it
is
regarded
as
the
opposite
of
Israel.
Rather,
it
is
called
“straight
to
the
nations
of
the
world,”
since
they
are
opposite
in
form
from
the
Creator,
whose
desire
is
only
to
bestow.
But
if
in
this
place
there
is
Yashar-El—where
he
is
in
equivalence
of
form
with
the
Creator—meaning
that
there
is
no
other
authority
there,
in
that
place
comes
the
instilling
of
the
Shechina,
as
it
is
written,
“Wherever
I
mention
My
name,
I
will
come
to
you
and
bless
you.”
This
means
that
the
Creator
says,
“If
I
can
say
that
only
My
name
is
in
this
place,
and
the
creature’s
authority
is
not
upon
it,
since
the
lower
one
wants
only
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator,
then
“I
will
come
to
you
and
bless
you,”
meaning
that
on
this
place
I
instill
My
Shechina.
By
this
we
will
understand
what
we
asked
about
the
holy
Zohar’s
saying
that
wherever
they
are,
the
Creator
is
among
them,
which
implies
that
there
is
no
need
for
a
special
place.
Afterwards
it
says
as
it
is
written,
“And
let
them
make
Me
a
Temple
and
I
will
dwell
among
them,”
meaning
precisely
in
a
Temple,
and
not
just
anywhere.
We
should
interpret
his
saying
“wherever
they
are”
to
mean
wherever
“they,”
meaning
Yashar-El,
are
present,
where
the
meaning
of
Yashar-El
is
straight
to
the
Creator,
who
are
in
equivalence
of
form
with
the
Creator.
That
is,
as
the
Creator
gives
mercy,
they,
too,
want
only
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator.
And
since
there
is
equivalence
of
form,
to
that
extent
the
Tzimtzum
is
removed.
Hence
in
this
place
there
is
the
Shechina.
This
is
called,
“And
let
them
make
Me
a
Temple,”
as
it
is
written,
“You
will
be
holy
for
I
the
Lord
am
holy.”
It
follows
that
“Israel”
and
“Let
them
make
Me
a
Temple”
are
one
thing.
That
is,
saying,
“And
let
them
make
Me
a
Temple”
is
preparation
and
great
work
to
make
the
place,
which
is
the
desire,
as
Baal
HaSulam
said,
that
in
spirituality,
“place”
means
desire,
meaning
a
desire
of
Kedusha,
which
is
in
order
to
bestow
contentment
upon
the
Creator.
This
is
called
“Israel,”
Yashar-El.
Now
we
will
explain
the
second
question,
what
is
the
question
that
he
asks,
“Why
have
I
come
and
there
is
no
man?”
Certainly,
if
he
says
that
the
Shechina
comes
to
the
synagogue
first,
of
course
there
is
still
no
one
there,
so
why
does
he
say,
“Why
have
I
come
and
there
is
no
man”?
However,
first
we
need
to
understand
what
“man”
means.
We
should
interpret
“man”
to
mean
as
it
is
written,
“Happy
is
the
man
who
did
not
walk
in
the
counsel
of
the
wicked.”
That
is,
there
is
“man”
and
there
is
“beast.”
“Beast”
means
one
who
is
immersed
in
self-love
and
does
what
beasts
do.
It
follows
that
the
meaning
of
“Why
have
I
come”
means
that
I
have
come
before
you.
However,
that,
too,
needs
explanation:
How
can
we
say
that
the
Creator
came
to
the
synagogue
first,
if
“The
whole
earth
is
full
of
His
glory?”
Thus,
what
does
it
mean
that
the
Creator
comes
to
the
synagogue
before
the
people
who
are
praying?
We
should
interpret
that
it
is
as
Baal
HaSulam
interpreted
the
verse,
“Before
they
call,
I
will
answer.”
It
means
that
when
a
person
goes
to
pray,
it
happens
because
I
have
given
him
a
thought
and
desire
to
come
to
the
synagogue
to
be
a
man.
In
the
end,
I
find
him
in
the
synagogue
praying
for
self-love,
like
a
beast.
It
follows
that
when
he
says,
“Why
have
I
come,”
it
means
“Why
have
I
given
him
a
desire
to
go
to
the
synagogue,
so
he
will
pray
for
matters
of
Kedusha,
which
is
a
Temple,
and
to
be
Israel,
and
in
the
end
“there
is
no
man.”
Instead,
I
see
that
everyone
is
praying
for
beastly
needs.
Now
we
will
explain
what
we
asked
about
his
saying
that
there
must
be
ten
in
the
synagogue
at
once,
and
not
come
one
at
a
time.
We
asked,
“Should
they
all
wait
outside
until
ten
men
have
gathered,
and
then
they
will
all
enter
together?
Have
we
ever
seen
such
a
thing?”
He
brings
evidence
from
the
Creator,
“For
man,
the
Creator
has
made
him
at
once.”
But
we
should
also
understand
the
evidence
itself.
To
interpret
this
we
must
first
understand
why
we
need
specifically
ten
men
present
in
the
synagogue,
or
the
Shechina
will
not
be
able
to
be
there.
He
gives
a
reason,
that
“a
congregation
is
no
less
than
ten.”
We
should
also
understand
this—why
specifically
ten
and
not
more
or
less.
That
is,
if
there
are
nine
men
there,
it
is
not
regarded
as
a
congregation,
and
if
there
are
eleven,
it
does
not
add
anything,
as
it
is
said
about
testimony:
“two
as
one
hundred
and
one
hundred
as
two”
(Shavuot,
p
42).
Rather,
it
is
specifically
ten,
as
our
sages
said
(Sanhedrin,
39),
“In
every
ten
there
is
Shechina.”
It
is
known
that
Malchut
is
called
“tenth.”
It
is
also
known
that
the
receiving
Kli
is
also
called
“the
Sefira
Malchut,”
who
is
the
tenth
Sefira,
receiving
the
upper
abundance.
She
is
called
“will
to
receive,”
and
all
the
creatures
extend
only
from
her.
For
this
reason,
a
congregation
is
no
less
than
ten,
since
all
the
corporeal
branches
extend
from
the
upper
roots.
Therefore,
according
to
the
rule,
“There
is
no
light
that
does
not
have
ten
Sefirot,”
in
corporeality,
something
is
not
considered
a
congregation
that
can
be
regarded
as
important
unless
there
are
ten
men
there,
such
as
the
upper
degrees.
Now
we
can
understand
the
meaning
of
ten,
when
the
Creator
asks,
“Why
have
I
come
and
there
is
no
man?”
It
pertains
to
“man”
and
not
to
“beast,”
referring
to
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
which
is
the
tenth
Sefira,
meaning
we
must
pray
for
the
exile
of
the
Shechina,
which
the
holy
Zohar
calls,
“Shechina
in
the
dust.”
Thus,
the
meaning
will
be
that
if
the
Creator
does
not
find
ten
there,
it
means
that
“I
have
come
first
and
have
given
you
a
desire
and
awakening
to
come
to
the
synagogue,
to
ask
for
prayer
for
the
exile
of
the
Shechina,
who
is
called
‘ten,’
which
is
the
tenth
Sefira,
and
I
did
not
find
anyone
to
pray
for
the
tenth.
Instead,
I
find
everyone
praying
for
things
that
pertain
to
beasts
and
not
to
people.”
Similarly,
we
should
interpret
what
he
says,
“They
must
all
be
at
once,
and
not
one
at
a
time.”
We
should
interpret
that
we
need
the
reception
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
to
be
at
once,
and
not
to
say,
“Today
I
want
to
take
upon
myself
a
little
bit
of
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
meaning
only
when
I
am
at
the
synagogue.
Afterwards,
when
I
go
home,
I
want
to
enjoy
self-love.”
That
is,
he
says
that
he
agrees
to
work
in
order
to
bestow
some
of
the
time,
but
not
to
give
all
his
time
only
for
the
glory
of
heaven.
Rather,
when
one
takes
upon
oneself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
he
must
ask
the
Creator
to
make
it
forever,
and
not
only
when
he
is
at
the
synagogue.
We
can
interpret
that
having
to
have
ten
present
at
the
synagogue
at
once
and
not
come
one
at
a
time
means
that
he
should
not
say,
“Now
I
am
assuming
a
little
bit
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
and
later
some
more.”
Rather,
each
acceptance
of
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
should
be
at
once,
meaning
at
once
over
his
entire
life,
and
not
today
some
and
tomorrow
some
more.
Therefore,
if
assuming
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
is
over
a
complete
thing,
then
although
he
later
descends
from
his
degree,
since
his
acceptance
was
complete,
called
“ten
at
once,”
where
“at
once”
means
over
his
entire
life,
many
pennies
join
into
a
great
amount,
until
he
is
rewarded
with
faith,
which
is
the
permanent
kingdom
of
heaven.
This
was
not
so
while
assuming
the
kingdom
of
heaven
was
only
partial,
meaning
that
he
received
the
kingdom
of
heaven
only
for
the
time
being
and
not
permanently.
It
follows
that
this
is
incomplete,
so
how
can
he
join
them
into
the
great
amount
until
he
is
rewarded
with
permanent
faith?
Therefore,
when
one
takes
upon
oneself
the
burden
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven,
he
should
see
that
it
is
a
complete
thing.
This
is
why
he
says
that
they
should
be
in
the
synagogue
at
once,
meaning
once
and
for
all.
That
is,
he
wants
the
reception
of
the
kingdom
of
heaven
to
be
forever.