What
Are
Commandments
that
a
Person
Tramples
with
His
Feet
Article
No.
33,
1986
It
is
written
in
the
portion,
Ekev
[Because]:
“And
it
shall
come
to
pass
that
because
you
listen
…
the
Lord
your
God
will
keep
with
you
the
covenant
and
the
mercy
that
He
has
sworn
to
your
fathers.”
RASHI
interprets
“And
it
shall
come
to
pass
that
because
you
listen”:
“If
you
keep
the
light
Mitzvot
[commandments]
that
a
person
tramples
with
his
feet.
You
will
listen
and
the
Lord
will
keep,
etc.,
will
keep
His
promise.”
We
should
understand
the
Creator’s
stipulation:
“If
you
keep
the
light
Mitzvot,
I
will
keep
the
promises
I
have
given
to
the
fathers.
Otherwise,
I
cannot
keep
them.”
Surely,
the
conditions
that
the
Creator
wants
are
not
similar
to
a
flesh
and
blood
king,
who
presents
stipulations
in
favor
of
the
giver.
Surely,
here
they
are
in
favor
of
the
creatures,
meaning
that
otherwise
they
cannot
receive
what
he
has
promised.
Therefore,
we
should
understand
the
condition
of
light
Mitzvot.
To
understand
the
condition
we
must
first
understand
the
promise
that
the
Creator
promised
the
fathers.
Clearly,
this
does
not
pertain
to
corporeality,
for
the
promise
was
certainly
for
the
Creator
to
give
the
people
of
Israel
that
they
will
be
rewarded
with
the
purpose
of
creation,
called
“doing
good
to
His
creations,”
which
is
that
the
souls
will
obtain
the
root
of
their
souls,
regarded
as
the
five
parts
of
the
soul,
called
NRNHY.
In
order
for
the
souls
to
obtain
what
has
been
prepared
for
them
to
receive,
and
in
order
not
to
feel
the
bread
of
shame
while
receiving
the
delight
and
pleasure,
we
were
given
the
work
called
“work
of
bestowal.”
This
means
that
first,
one
must
accustom
himself
in
this
work.
In
order
to
have
room
for
choice,
meaning
to
be
able
to
choose
the
intention
with
which
he
observes
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
there
had
to
be
a
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
and
concealment,
for
then
there
is
room
for
choice.
However,
if
the
pleasure
were
revealed
then
he
would
have
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
receive.
He
would
do
everything
to
satisfy
his
self-love
because
it
cannot
be
said
that
he
does
everything
in
order
to
bestow,
since
when
there
is
disclosure
of
light,
the
pleasure
is
greater
than
all
the
corporeal
pleasures.
In
corporeality
we
see
a
rule:
The
smaller
the
pleasure—in
order
to
relinquish
the
pleasure—the
less
work
there
is.
Also,
it
cannot
be
said
that
the
pleasure
he
receives
is
with
the
intention
only
to
bestow
if
he
cannot
relinquish
it.
That
is,
he
must
be
certain
that
if
he
cannot
aim
to
bestow
he
will
be
willing
to
give
up
the
pleasure.
Therefore,
the
smaller
the
pleasure
the
easier
it
is
to
give
it
up.
This
is
why
we
were
given
the
concealment
on
the
taste
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot
and
were
given
a
taste
for
corporeal
pleasures.
We
must
believe
in
the
words
of
the
holy
Zohar
that
every
delight
and
pleasure
that
exists
in
corporeal
things
is
only
a
thin
light,
meaning
a
very
faint
light
compared
to
the
light
of
the
pleasure
that
is
dressed
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
For
this
reason,
there
is
a
reality
where
one
exercises
on
corporeal
pleasures
and
afterwards
he
can
come
out
of
the
Tzimtzum
and
concealment
to
some
extent,
for
he
can
already
choose
and
say
that
he
is
receiving
this
delight
and
pleasure
only
because
he
wants
to
bestow.
Afterwards,
if
he
passes
the
trial
and
receives
the
small
discernment
he
has
attained
in
the
work
of
the
Creator,
he
is
given
a
bigger
degree
on
which
to
aim
to
bestow.
Thus
he
goes
from
degree
to
degree
until
he
attains
all
his
NRNHY
from
the
root
of
his
soul.
And
the
NRNHY
that
a
person
attains
is
the
613
ways
of
the
Torah,
which
are
the
613
Mitzvot
in
the
Torah
and
the
seven
Mitzvot
of
our
great
sages,
which,
in
Gematria,
are
620
names
that
one
can
attain.
It
is
written
in
the
book,
A
Sage’s
Fruit:
Letters
of
Baal
HaSulam
(Letter
no.
17):
“It
is
written
in
Tree
of
Life,
‘The
worlds
were
created
only
to
disclose
the
names
of
the
Creator.’
Thus,
you
see
that
since
the
soul
came
down
to
clothe
this
filthy
substance,
it
could
no
longer
cleave
to
its
root,
to
its
own
world,
as
it
was
in
its
root
before
it
came
to
this
world.
Rather,
it
must
increase
its
stature
620
times
more
than
how
it
previously
was
in
the
root.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
entire
perfection,
the
entire
NRNHY
up
to
Yechida,
for
which
Yechida
is
called
Keter,
implying
the
number
620.”
Now
we
can
see
what
is
the
promise
that
the
Creator
has
promised
to
the
fathers,
and
how
it
is
possible
to
attain
such
wholeness.
That
question
is
asked
from
two
sides:
1)
The
need
for
this
great
wholeness.
We
know
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli
[vessel],
meaning
no
filling
without
a
lack.
This
brings
up
the
question,
“How
can
we
have
this
feeling
that
we
need
to
obtain
the
NRNHY?”
According
to
what
we
explained,
all
the
corporeal
pleasures
that
the
whole
world
is
chasing
are
nothing
more
than
a
tiny
spark
compared
to
the
pleasure
in
Kedusha
[sanctity],
and
when
one
is
rewarded
with
having
even
a
tiny
illumination
of
Kedusha
he
will
feel
great
satisfaction
with
it.
So
who
will
tell
him
that
he
is
still
deficient
to
the
point
that
he
must
obtain
the
light
of
Yechida,
or
he
will
feel
that
he
has
not
yet
achieved
wholeness?
Who
will
notify
this
to
him?
2)
How
can
one
overcome
such
great
pleasures
and
say
that
if
he
cannot
aim
the
reception
of
these
pleasures
to
the
Creator
then
he
gives
up
the
pleasures?
From
where
will
he
find
such
strength?
After
all,
we
see
that
even
in
corporeal
pleasures,
of
which
we
said
that
they
are
but
a
thin
light,
sparks
that
have
fallen
into
the
Klipot,
it
is
difficult
to
overcome
them
and
say
that
we
relinquish
these
pleasures
if
we
cannot
aim
in
order
to
bestow.
And
since
concerning
corporeal
pleasures
we
see
that
they
divide
into
great
pleasures
and
small
ones,
it
is
all
the
more
so
in
spirituality,
where
there
are
many
degrees
and
discernments.
So
the
question
is
from
where
will
one
take
such
great
powers
to
overcome?
To
understand
the
two
above
questions,
1)
From
where
will
he
take
the
need
for
greatness,
and
2)
From
where
will
he
take
the
strength
to
give
up
the
pleasures
so
he
can
be
sure
that
the
pleasures
he
is
taking
are
only
in
order
to
bestow
contentment
upon
his
Maker,
we
should
precede
with
the
words
of
our
sages
(Kidushin,
30):
“Rabbi
Shimon
Ben
Levi
said,
‘Man’s
inclination
overcomes
him
every
day
and
seeks
to
put
him
to
death,’
as
it
was
said,
‘The
wicked
watches
the
righteous
and
seeks
to
put
him
to
death,
and
if
the
Creator
did
not
help
him,
he
would
not
overcome
it,
as
it
is
said,
‘The
Lord
will
not
leave
him
in
his
hand.’”
We
said
that
there
are
two
questions
here:
1)
If
man
has
been
given
the
evil
inclination,
why
is
he
unable
to
overcome
it,
but
the
Creator
helps
him?
After
all,
choice
means
that
a
person
can
overcome,
but
here
it
implies
that
one
has
no
choice
to
overcome,
but
only
with
the
Creator’s
help.
By
himself,
he
cannot
overcome
it.
This
brings
up
the
question,
“Why
did
the
Creator
not
give
man
the
strength
to
overcome
it?”
2)
If
man
cannot
overcome,
why
does
it
say
that
the
Creator
helps
him?
This
means
that
a
person
must
begin
to
overcome
and
see
that
he
cannot
overcome,
and
then
the
Creator
helps
him.
Why
does
the
Creator
not
help
him
as
soon
as
the
evil
inclination
comes
to
him?
What
does
it
add
to
us
that
a
person
begins
the
work,
since
he
cannot
prevail
anyway?
Therefore,
why
does
the
Creator
have
to
wait
until
a
person
begins
the
work
and
then
the
help
arrives.
What
is
the
benefit
from
losing
time
by
the
Creator
waiting
for
a
person
to
begin
the
work?
Who
gains
from
this
loss
of
time?
After
all,
the
Creator
should
have
given
the
help
as
soon
as
the
evil
inclination
comes
to
a
person,
before
a
person
begins
the
work.
Why
should
He
wait
for
a
person
to
start
the
work
and
then
the
Creator
will
help
him?
The
thing
is,
as
we
said
in
the
previous
articles,
that
the
Tzimtzum
and
restriction
were
in
order
to
correct
the
world.
Otherwise
there
would
not
be
any
possibility
for
man
to
be
able
to
even
begin
the
work
of
overcoming
self-love,
since
by
nature,
the
will
to
receive
controls
him,
and
this
is
the
axis
of
Creation.
What
comes
afterwards
is
only
a
correction,
to
correct
the
will
to
receive.
It
turns
out
that
the
will
to
receive
is
the
main
thing,
and
the
rest
of
the
things
that
come
later
are
only
to
correct
it.
It
follows
that
the
will
to
receive
remains,
but
corrections
are
added
to
it.
However,
who
is
the
one
who
undergoes
all
the
corrections?
It
must
be
the
will
to
receive.
It
is
known
that
even
when
we
say
that
there
is
a
degree
that
wants
the
desire
to
bestow,
it
still
means
that
it
does
not
use
the
will
to
receive
that
there
is
in
the
degree,
but
overcomes
its
desire
and
engages
in
the
desire
to
bestow.
It
follows
that
the
corrections
that
one
should
do
are
only
on
his
vessels
of
reception,
meaning
to
place
on
it
the
intention
to
bestow.
And
since
the
greater
the
pleasure,
the
more
difficult
it
is
to
give
it
up
and
say
that
if
he
cannot
aim
to
bestow
he
does
not
want
to
receive
the
pleasure,
therefore
two
things
must
be
corrected
here:
1)
Aviut
[coarseness],
meaning
will
to
receive,
so
it
is
not
too
big,
namely
that
the
lower
one
cannot
overcome.
For
this
reason,
he
must
be
given
smaller
lust.
Afterwards,
when
seeing
that
he
can
overcome
a
small
pleasure,
he
is
given
a
greater
pleasure.
If
we
see
that
he
can
overcome
this
pleasure,
he
is
given
a
greater
pleasure,
etc.,
but
how
do
we
arrange
it?
Therefore,
man
was
given
the
work
in
faith
above
reason,
which
man
slights,
from
the
word
“flippant”
[in
Hebrew].
This
means
that
a
person
does
not
respect
this
work
and
considers
the
time
he
must
serve
with
faith
as
a
state
of
lowliness.
That
is,
he
understands
that
this
work
is
for
women
and
children,
but
not
for
intelligent
and
acute
people.
Conversely,
they
must
understand
everything
they
see
happening
in
the
world,
so
it
corresponds
with
their
view
and
spirit.
And
when
they
need
to
do
something
but
do
not
see
that
it
is
to
their
benefit,
how
can
they
agree
to
do
things
that
are
fit
for
fools,
meaning
people
who
do
not
scrutinize
their
thoughts
or
actions?
For
this
reason,
they
always
try
to
avoid
such
matters.
If
they
sometimes
happen
to
work
above
reason
because
they
have
no
choice,
since
reason
is
far
away
from
them,
they
constantly
wait
for
when
they
can
be
freed
of
such
states.
After
all,
it
is
unbecoming
of
us
to
live
in
the
air,
when
the
intellect
does
not
understand
everything
he
does
as
necessary
for
what
he
wants
to
achieve,
and
he
wants
to
achieve
a
degree
where
he
is
among
the
prominent
ones
in
the
public.
When
he
looks
at
the
public,
how
they
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
without
any
criticism,
he
says
about
them
that
they
can
observe
everything
enthusiastically
and
be
meticulous
with
every
detail
because
they
have
no
sense
of
criticism.
This
is
why
they
can
be
like
that,
with
eyes
closed.
That
is,
if
they
had
some
brains
they
would
be
like
me.
That
is,
I
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
but
I
see
that
this
work
is
unworthy
of
me.
However,
I
do
not
have
a
choice
since
otherwise
I
will
have
no
connection
with
Judaism,
and
therefore
for
me
everything
will
be
forced
and
involuntary.
For
this
reason,
as
long
as
I
forget
that
I
am
going
above
reason
I
can
do
everything
like
the
rest
of
the
people.
But
when
I
get
the
thoughts
about
the
basis
on
which
my
Judaism
is
built,
and
I
have
to
reply
to
my
body
that
it
is
only
as
in,
“The
earth
hangs
on
nothing,”
I
cannot
overcome
and
say
that
the
foundation
of
Judaism
is
based
precisely
on
faith
above
reason.
And
specifically
now
I
can
keep
the
commandment
of
faith,
since
now
I
see
that
I
have
no
basis.
But
usually,
a
person
falls
and
lies
under
the
weight
of
these
questions.
Indeed,
this
is
the
question
of
Pharaoh,
King
of
Egypt,
who
said,
“Who
is
the
Lord
that
I
should
obey
His
voice?”
For
this
reason
a
person
says
that
the
path
of
faith
that
the
Creator
has
given
us
to
work
on,
this
way
will
never
succeed.
And
if
the
Creator
had
only
listened
to
me
He
would
have
let
us
work
on
the
basis
of
knowledge,
and
not
on
faith.
Certainly
many
people
would
join
in
keeping
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
But
in
this
way,
of
faith,
there
are
many
people
who
even
though
they
began
this
work,
they
escaped
from
the
campaign.
Baal
HaSulam
said
that
the
Creator
chose
that
we
should
walk
in
the
path
of
faith
not
because
man
is
of
inferior
degree,
so
he
cannot
be
guided
except
by
the
path
of
faith.
Rather,
this
is
the
most
successful
way.
This
is
why
the
Creator
has
chosen
this
way,
so
they
will
take
upon
themselves
the
order
of
their
work,
by
which
they
will
be
able
to
achieve
the
goal
called
“doing
good
to
His
creations,”
so
the
creatures
will
receive
delight
and
pleasure
and
will
also
be
in
complete
Dvekut,
meaning
in
equivalence
with
the
Creator.
And
although
the
creatures
do
not
understand
it,
this
is
the
truth.
It
therefore
follows
that
although
faith
is
a
slight
and
lowly
matter,
and
we
interpreted
that
slight
comes
from
flippancy,
meaning
that
it
is
not
appreciated,
it
is
still
the
way
by
which
we
can
succeed
in
achieving
the
goal.
By
this
we
will
understand
what
RASHI
interpreted,
“If
you
observe
the
light
Mitzvot
[commandments]
that
a
person
tramples
with
his
feet,
You
will
listen;
about
this.”
That
is,
he
referred
to
faith,
which
a
person
tramples
with
his
heels.
You
will
listen
about
this
and
then
you
will
have
the
Kelim
[vessels/tools]
to
reach
the
goal.
This
is
what
RASHI
interpreted:
“And
keep;
will
keep
his
promise.”
This
means
that
the
condition
He
has
set
is
not
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
as
is
the
way
of
flesh
and
blood,
who
set
conditions
in
favor
of
the
giver.
But
with
the
Creator,
the
condition
to
observe
the
light
Mitzvot
aim
for
man’s
sake,
for
precisely
by
this
one
can
achieve
wholeness
and
be
rewarded
with
what
has
been
prepared
for
him
by
the
thought
of
creation.
Now
we
can
explain
what
we
asked:
1)
Why
does
the
Creator
not
help
a
person
when
the
evil
inclination
overcomes
him,
but
waits
until
a
person
begins
the
work
to
overcome,
and
then
helps
him,
as
our
sages
said,
“if
the
Creator
does
not
help
him”?
It
is
akin
to
a
person
carrying
a
heavy
load
that
he
does
not
have
the
strength
to
carry,
so
he
asks
for
help
and
people
come
and
help
him.
But
when
he
does
not
ask
for
help,
no
one
comes
to
help
him.
This
can
be
said
between
man
and
man.
But
why
should
the
Creator
wait
for
a
person
to
begin
the
work
and
cry
out
to
the
Creator
to
help
him
when
the
Creator
knows
that
he
cannot
overcome
the
evil
inclination
by
himself,
since
the
Creator
did
not
give
him
the
strength
for
it?
2)
What
is
the
reason
that
the
Creator
did
not
give
him
the
strength
to
overcome
by
himself,
but
seemingly
told
him,
“I
have
given
you
the
choice
to
overcome
the
evil
inclination”?
We
should
say
that
the
Creator
did
give
him
the
strength
to
overcome
the
evil,
and
at
the
same
time
we
say
that
without
the
Creator’s
help
a
person
cannot
overcome
it.
It
follows
that
these
two
matters
contradict
one
another.
We
will
understand
these
two
questions
with
the
two
questions
we
asked:
1)
When
a
person
is
rewarded
with
the
smallest
degree
in
spirituality,
he
feels
in
it
greater
pleasure
than
all
the
corporeal
pleasures,
as
in
the
words
of
the
ARI,
that
all
the
great
pleasures
we
find
in
corporeal
pleasures—which
we
see
that
the
whole
world
is
chasing
these
pleasures
and
receive
through
them
satisfaction
in
their
lives—all
the
pleasure
in
them
extends
from
Kedusha,
where
through
the
breaking
of
the
vessels
and
the
sin
of
Adam
HaRishon
with
the
tree
of
knowledge,
holy
sparks
fell
into
the
Klipot
[shells/peels].
The
holy
Zohar
calls
this
light,
“thin
light,”
which
descended
in
order
to
sustain
the
Klipot.
All
the
corporeal
pleasures
extend
from
this,
and
the
smallest
degree
in
spirituality,
which
is
Kedusha,
where
the
essence
of
the
light
is
found,
he
is
certain
to
derive
satisfaction
from
this
and
will
have
no
need
for
Gadlut
[greatness/adulthood].
Thus,
who
will
tell
him
that
he
needs
Gadlut?
2)
From
where
will
he
take
such
great
powers
that
he
will
be
able
to
receive
the
great
pleasures
in
order
to
bestow,
or
else
he
will
be
willing
to
relinquish
them?
It
follows
that
since
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli,
meaning
no
filling
without
a
deficiency,
for
this
reason
a
person
must
begin
the
work.
When
he
wants
to
overcome
the
evil
inclination
but
cannot,
he
becomes
deficient.
When
he
sees
that
he
cannot
overcome
he
asks
the
Creator
for
help.
At
that
time
the
Creator
can
give
the
filling
because
he
already
has
a
Kli
to
receive
the
filling.
The
reason
that
the
Creator
did
not
give
him
the
strength
to
overcome
by
himself
is
that
when
a
person
has
some
filling,
he
settles
for
what
he
has.
Then
a
person
has
no
need
to
be
rewarded
with
NRNHY
of
the
soul
by
the
Creator
helping
him,
as
it
is
written
in
the
holy
Zohar,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.
And
he
asks,
‘With
what
is
he
aided?’
He
replies,
‘With
a
holy
soul.’
When
he
is
rewarded
he
is
given
Nefesh.
When
he
is
rewarded
more
he
is
given
Ruach.”
It
follows
that
receiving
help
from
above
causes
him
to
need
to
extend
his
NRNHY.
That
is,
each
time
he
wants
to
overcome
his
evil
but
cannot,
the
Creator
helps
him
with
a
holy
soul.
But
if
the
person
could
overcome
by
himself,
from
where
would
he
have
a
need
to
ask
the
Creator
to
give
him
a
higher
degree
than
the
one
he
has?
But
now
that
he
is
asking
the
Creator
to
help
him,
he
is
not
asking
for
degrees.
Rather,
he
is
simply
asking
the
Creator
not
to
be
under
the
control
of
the
evil.
It
turns
out
that
the
reason
why
a
person
wants
the
Creator
to
help
him
have
the
strength
to
aim
in
order
to
bestow
and
not
be
in
the
domain
of
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side],
but
that
he
wants
to
be
in
the
domain
of
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity],
meaning
that
his
only
wish
will
be
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator,
and
this
is
all
he
needs,
and
not
any
high
degrees,
but
simply
to
serve
the
Creator
and
not
himself,
this
is
the
force
he
asks
of
the
Creator.
When
the
Creator
helps
him,
the
holy
Zohar
says
it
with
the
help
of
a
holy
soul.
Each
help
is
through
a
soul
that
the
Creator
gives
him.
Therefore,
by
this
he
goes
from
degree
to
degree
until
he
attains
the
completion
of
the
soul,
called
NRNHY.
Now
we
understand
what
our
sages
said,
“Man’s
inclination
overcomes
him
every
day.”
This
brings
up
the
question,
“Why
does
he
need
to
overcome
the
evil
inclination
every
day
if
he
has
already
received
help
from
the
Creator
and
has
defeated
it?
Why
does
it
need
to
come
to
a
person
once
again?
And
for
what
purpose
does
it
come
each
day?”
With
the
above
we
understand
that
since
through
the
help
he
receives
from
the
Creator,
he
receives
a
soul,
then
each
overcoming,
when
a
person
wants
to
overcome
and
be
purer,
he
thereby
receives
a
soul.
This
is
why
these
overcomings
cause
man
to
be
able
to
attain
the
NRNHY
of
his
soul.
And
the
second
question,
“From
where
will
he
take
strength
to
overcome?”
It
is
not
by
his
own
strength.
Rather,
this
is
the
help
that
the
Creator
gives
so
he
can
overcome
it.
It
follows
that
through
one
thing
there
is
correction
of
two
things.