What
Is
Preparation
for
Reception
of
the
Torah?
-
1
Article
No.
18,
1987
The
writing
says,
“And
the
Lord
came
down
on
Mount
Sinai,
to
the
top
of
the
mountain.”
Concerning
the
people,
the
writing
says,
“And
they
stood
at
the
foot
of
the
mountain.”
We
should
understand
what
“came
down”
means
for
the
Creator,
which
means
a
descent,
lessening.
After
all,
this
was
at
the
time
of
the
giving
of
the
Torah,
so
why
should
this
be
regarded
as
a
descent
for
the
Creator,
as
this
was
a
time
of
joy?
Our
sages
said
about
“and
they
stood,”
that
it
teaches
that
“He
forced
the
mountain
on
them
like
a
vault”
and
said,
“If
you
accept
the
Torah,
very
well.
But
if
you
do
not,
there
will
it
be
your
burial”
(Shabbat
88).
He
asked
there
in
the
Tosfot,
“Forced
the
mountain
on
them
like
a
vault,”
although
they
had
already
preceded
doing
to
hearing.
There
are
many
answers
to
this
question,
but
we
should
also
understand
the
meaning
of
forcing
on
them
the
mountain
like
a
vault
in
the
work.
To
understand
the
above,
we
must
remember
the
known
rule
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli
[vessel].
That
is,
there
cannot
be
filling
without
a
lack.
It
is
impossible
to
enjoy
something
without
yearning
for
it,
and
yearning
for
something
is
called
“preparation,”
meaning
a
need.
The
need
for
something
determines
the
yearning,
and
the
level
of
the
pleasure
corresponds
to
the
level
of
the
yearning.
It
therefore
follows
that
prior
to
the
giving
of
the
Torah,
there
had
to
be
a
preparation
for
the
reception
of
the
Torah.
Otherwise,
there
could
not
be
joy
of
the
Torah.
That
is,
they
had
to
prepare
the
need
to
receive
the
Torah,
and
the
need
yields
the
above-mentioned
yearning.
According
to
the
level
of
the
yearning,
so
is
the
measure
by
which
we
can
enjoy
the
Torah.
However,
we
should
know
what
indeed
is
the
need
for
the
reception
of
the
Torah.
Our
sages
said
(Baba
Batra
16),
“The
Creator
created
the
evil
inclination,
He
has
created
for
it
a
spice.”
RASHI
interpreted
“Created
for
it
the
Torah
as
a
spice,”
which
cancels
thoughts
of
transgressions,
as
was
said
(Kidushin
30),
“If
you
encounter
this
villain,
pull
him
into
the
seminary.”
And
there,
in
Kidushin,
they
said,
“Thus
the
Creator
said
to
Israel:
‘I
have
created
the
evil
inclination,
and
I
have
created
for
it
the
spice
of
Torah.
If
you
engage
in
Torah,
you
will
not
be
given
into
its
hands,’
as
was
said,
‘and
if
you
do
well.’
‘But
if
you
do
not
engage
in
Torah,
you
will
be
given
into
its
hands,’
as
it
was
said,
‘Sin
crouches
at
the
door.’”
Accordingly,
we
see
that
the
Torah
is
a
correction
to
come
out
of
the
governance
of
the
evil
inclination.
This
means
that
one
who
feels
he
has
the
evil
inclination,
who
feels
that
the
evil
inclination,
with
all
the
counsels
it
gives
to
a
person
about
how
to
be
happy
and
enjoy
life,
aims
to
harm
him.
That
is,
it
obstructs
him
from
achieving
the
real
good,
called
“Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator.”
This
is
why
a
person
says
about
it
that
this
inclination
is
bad
and
not
good.
However,
it
is
very
difficult
for
a
person
to
say
about
it.
That
is,
the
evil
inclination
makes
him
understand
that
it
is
in
his
interest
to
see
to
his
enjoyment
in
life,
to
feel
pleasure
from
the
things
he
does,
meaning
that
all
his
actions
will
be
only
for
his
own
sake.
It
makes
him
understand
that
a
person
should
know
the
rule
that
all
the
counsels
it
gives
him
are
only
with
one
thing
in
mind:
his
own
benefit.
And
even
though
sometimes
it
says
that
he
should
do
something
for
another,
it
is
with
good
reason
that
it
tells
him
to
work
in
favor
of
another.
It
is
calculated
in
advance
that
this
act
will
later
yield
benefit
for
himself.
Therefore,
how
can
a
person
say
about
it
that
it
is
an
evil
inclination,
when
it
tells
him
to
believe
that
it
has
no
other
aim
but
his
own
good,
and
not
the
good
of
anyone
else?
For
this
reason,
a
person
has
a
lot
of
work
to
come
to
feel
that
his
will
to
receive
is
bad,
to
the
extent
that
a
person
will
know
with
absolute
certainty
that
he
has
no
greater
enemy
in
the
world
than
the
receiver
in
him,
as
King
Solomon
would
call
it,
“enemy.”
It
is
as
it
is
written,
“If
your
enemy
is
hungry,
feed
him
bread.”
It
is
very
difficult
for
a
person
to
determine
once
and
for
all
that
he
is
bad
and
wants
only
to
fail
him
from
walking
on
the
good
path,
which
is
the
very
opposite
of
the
way
of
the
receiver,
since
the
path
of
truth
is
only
to
bestow,
while
the
receiver
wants
only
to
receive.
It
follows
that
here
is
where
one
must
choose
if
he
is
to
be
called
“good”
or
“bad.”
Our
sages
said
about
it
(Nida),
“Rabbi
Hanina
Bar
Papa
says,
‘That
angel
appointed
over
pregnancy
is
called
Laila
[Hebrew:
night].
It
takes
a
drop
and
places
it
before
the
Creator
and
says
to
Him:
‘Master
of
the
world,
what
shall
become
of
this
drop?
Will
it
be
a
mighty
one
or
a
weakling,
a
wise
one
or
a
fool,
rich
or
poor?’
But
‘wicked
or
righteous’
it
did
not
say.
Rather,
this
was
given
to
man’s
choice.’”
We
should
interpret
that
choice
means
to
determine,
decide,
and
name
the
receiver
in
a
person,
or
that
it
is
truly
a
good
inclination
because
it
tends
to
man’s
benefit
and
is
not
distracted
for
even
a
minute
into
caring
for
others
whatsoever.
For
this
reason,
it
is
worthwhile
to
listen
to
it,
since
it
cares
only
for
his
own
benefit,
meaning
that
he
will
be
happy.
Therefore,
it
should
be
trusted
and
not
veer
off
from
it
to
the
right
or
to
the
left,
but
carry
out
all
its
commandments
and
not
deviate
from
it
one
bit.
There
is
also
the
opposite
view,
that
it
is
indeed
bad
because
by
listening
to
it
and
engaging
in
self-love,
we
become
remote
from
the
Creator
due
to
disparity
of
form.
Then
the
quality
of
judgment
is
on
a
person,
which
was
done
by
the
correction
of
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
that
was
done
on
the
light
of
doing
good
to
His
creations.
For
this
reason,
the
name
of
the
Creator,
The
Good
Who
Does
Good,
cannot
be
revealed
where
there
is
self-love.
And
for
this
reason,
a
person
must
decide
once
and
for
all
that
self-love
is
the
real
bad
and
harm-doer
for
a
person.
However,
the
question
is,
from
where
can
one
receive
the
strength
to
make
a
choice
to
say
about
the
receiver
that
it
is
so
bad
as
to
say
that
from
this
day
forward
he
will
not
listen
to
it?
The
truth
is
that
this,
too,
requires
help
from
the
Creator
to
show
him
the
truth,
that
the
receiver
for
himself
is
man’s
real
wicked
one
and
enemy.
When
a
person
comes
to
feel
this,
he
is
immune
from
sinning.
Then,
all
the
concealments
and
punishments
are
removed
from
him
because
when
he
already
knows
that
this
is
the
angel
of
death,
he
will
certainly
run
away
from
death.
This
is
the
time
when
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
is
in
the
purpose
of
creation
can
be
revealed.
At
that
time
a
person
comes
to
attain
the
Creator,
who
is
called
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
what
is
written
(Genesis
8:21),
“And
the
Lord
said
in
His
heart,
‘I
will
curse
no
more
the
earth
because
of
man,
for
the
inclination
of
a
man's
heart
is
evil
from
his
youth.’”
Nachmanides
interpreted
“in
His
heart”
as
not
revealing
the
matter
to
the
prophet
at
that
time.
And
Even
Ezra
adds
and
says,
“Afterward,
He
revealed
His
secret
to
Noah.”
It
is
difficult
to
understand
that
verse,
for
did
the
Creator
see
only
now
that
“the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart
is
evil
from
his
youth”
and
before
this,
He
did
not
know?
In
the
work,
we
should
interpret
that
the
Creator
now
disclosed,
after
all
the
work
that
a
person
has
put
into
awakening
to
achieve
the
truth,
meaning
to
really
know
why
he
was
born
and
what
goal
he
should
achieve,
so
now
the
Creator
disclosed
to
him
that
the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart,
which
is
the
receiver,
is
evil
from
his
youth.
That
is,
it
cannot
be
said
that
now
he
sees
that
the
inclination
has
become
bad.
Rather,
it
is
evil
from
his
youth.
However,
until
now
he
could
not
determine
that
it
was
really
evil;
therefore,
the
person
was
in
states
of
ascent
and
descent.
In
other
words,
at
times
he
would
listen
to
the
inclination
and
say
that
from
now
on
I
will
know
that
this
is
my
enemy
and
everything
it
advises
me
to
do
is
to
my
detriment.
But
afterwards,
the
esteem
of
the
inclination
rises
again
and
once
again
he
listens
to
it
and
works
for
it
wholeheartedly,
and
so
on
and
so
forth.
He
feels
that
he
is
as
“a
dog
returning
to
its
vomit.”
That
is,
he
has
already
determined
that
it
was
unfit
for
him
to
listen
to
it
because
all
the
nourishments
that
the
inclination
gives
him
are
but
food
fit
for
beasts
and
not
for
man.
But
all
of
a
sudden,
he
returns
to
animal
food
and
forgets
all
the
decisions
and
views
he
had
before.
Afterward,
when
he
regrets,
he
sees
that
he
has
no
other
way
but
for
the
Creator
to
make
him
see
that
the
inclination
that
is
called
“evil”
really
is
evil.
Then,
once
the
Creator
has
given
him
this
knowledge,
he
does
not
go
astray
again
but
asks
the
Creator
to
give
him
the
strength
to
overcome
it
each
and
every
time
the
inclination
wants
to
fail
him,
so
he
will
have
the
strength
to
overcome
it.
It
therefore
follows
that
the
Creator
should
give
him
both
the
Kli
[vessel]
and
the
light,
meaning
both
the
awareness
that
the
inclination
is
evil
and
there
is
a
need
to
emerge
from
under
its
reign,
and
the
correction
for
this
is
the
Torah,
as
it
is
written,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination,
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
Accordingly,
the
Creator
gave
him
both
the
need
for
the
Torah,
as
well
as
the
Torah.
This
is
regarded
as
the
Creator
giving
him
the
light,
as
well
as
the
Kli.
According
to
the
above,
we
should
interpret
the
above
verse,
“And
the
Lord
said
in
His
heart.”
The
interpreters
interpreted
that
not
revealing
the
matter
to
the
prophet
is
regarded
as
“in
His
heart.”
Afterward,
He
revealed
His
secret.
What
is
the
secret?
That
the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart
is
evil
from
his
youth.
Thus,
the
order
is
that
first
one
must
see
by
himself
and
choose
and
determine
that
the
name
of
the
inclination
in
his
heart
is
“evil.”
Afterward,
he
sees
that
he
is
unable
to
determine
resolutely
that
he
will
not
go
back
on
his
word
and
say
that
the
inclination
is
a
good
thing
and
it
is
worthwhile
to
listen
to
it,
and
so
on
and
so
forth.
At
that
time,
it
is
regarded
that
the
Creator
says
“in
His
heart,”
that
the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart
is
evil
from
his
youth,
but
to
one
who
engages
in
choice,
the
Creator
still
did
not
reveal
that
secret
that
the
inclination
is
called
“evil”
because
it
is
evil.
This
is
done
in
order
to
give
man
room
for
choice
and
to
determine
that
it
is
evil.
But
afterwards,
when
a
person
sees
that
he
cannot
say
that
it
is
utterly
evil,
but
regrets
every
time,
then
comes
the
state
where
he
cries
out
to
the
Creator,
“Help
me!”
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
Even
Ezra
says,
“Afterward,
He
revealed
His
secret
to
Noah.”
It
means
that
Noah
is
called
“serving
the
Creator.”
That
is,
when
the
Creator
reveals
to
a
person
that
the
inclination
is
evil
from
his
youth,
which
is
nothing
new
that
the
evil
inclination
is
evil,
“but
I
did
not
tell
you.
Now
that
I
am
telling
you
this
secret,
that
Man’s
inclination
is
evil,
you
can
be
certain
that
you
will
no
longer
listen
to
it,
since
I
myself
revealed
this
to
you.
Therefore,
I
will
no
longer
curse,”
since
there
will
not
be
any
need
for
more
punishments,
since
everything
will
be
okay,
as
it
is
said,
“And
I
will
strike
no
more
all
the
living,
as
I
had
done.”
This
means
that
before
the
Creator
disclosed
that
the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart
is
evil,
there
had
to
be
ascents
and
descents.
That
is,
in
the
beginning
of
the
work
you
had
vitality,
but
in
order
to
walk
on
the
right
path,
you
had
to
strike
all
the
living,
meaning
I
took
from
you
the
vitality
you
had
in
the
work,
and
you
descended
from
there
to
a
state
of
lowliness
because
you
have
evil,
which
is
the
evil
inclination.
Then
there
can
be,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination,
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
But
before
he
has
this
evil
inclination,
he
feels
the
necessity
for
the
Torah.
For
this
reason,
only
after
the
Creator
revealed
the
secret
that
the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart
is
evil
can
there
be
the
giving
of
the
Torah,
since
there
is
no
light
without
Kelim
[vessels],
and
only
where
there
is
a
need
it
is
possible
to
give
him
what
he
needs.
However,
the
Creator
revealing
to
him
that
the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart
is
evil
is
also
called
“light,”
meaning
filling,
and
there
is
no
filling
without
a
lack.
For
this
reason,
a
person
cannot
be
rewarded
with
the
Creator
revealing
the
bad
to
him
before
he
has
a
need
for
it,
since
there
is
a
rule
that
it
is
not
man’s
way
to
act
needlessly,
and
it
is
even
more
so
with
the
Creator,
who
does
not
do
anything
needlessly.
Accordingly,
from
where
can
one
receive
the
need
for
the
Creator
to
reveal
to
him
the
above-mentioned
secret?
For
this
reason,
one
needs
to
begin
the
work
and
know
that
his
receiver
is
his
evil,
and
he
must
escape
from
its
ruling,
and
everything
he
does
in
Torah
and
in
prayer,
or
when
he
engages
in
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds],
it
is
to
try
to
make
all
these
actions
bring
him
the
recognition
of
evil.
When
he
feels
that
he
is
bad
and
wants
to
perform
acts
of
bestowal,
he
begins
to
receive
vitality.
When
he
falls
from
his
degree,
he
loses
the
vitality.
It
is
the
Creator
Himself
who
makes
him
fall
from
His
degree,
since
he
still
does
not
see
the
real
evil
in
him.
But
through
the
descents
he
has
each
time,
he
asks
the
Creator
to
reveal
to
him
once
and
for
all
that
the
will
to
receive
is
evil
and
not
to
be
taken
after
it.
It
follows
that
the
descents
he
has,
come
to
him
from
the
Creator,
as
it
is
written,
“And
I
will
strike
no
more
all
the
living,”
to
receive
from
Him
the
vitality
in
the
Torah
and
work
and
to
remain
without
any
vitality
of
Kedusha
[sanctity/holiness]
because
man
has
already
been
completed
with
the
need
for
the
Creator
to
help
him
recognize
the
evil
permanently,
so
as
not
to
yearn
once
more
to
listen
to
the
voice
of
the
evil.
It
is
so
because
man
has
come
to
the
need
for
the
Creator
to
help
him,
since
now
he
sees
that
it
is
impossible
that
he
will
ever
be
fond
of
the
evil
inclination
and
want
to
listen
to
it,
and
will
go
astray
again
endlessly.
This
is
the
reason
why
he
needs
the
Creator
now,
to
help
him
know
that
the
inclination
within
him
is
bad,
and
is
the
reason
why
he
cannot
achieve
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
the
Creator
has
created
for
the
creatures.
This
is
why
a
person
has
many
descents,
for
by
this
a
desire
forms
within
him
to
yearn
for
the
Creator
to
help
him
feel
that
the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart
is
evil.
Now
we
can
understand
what
we
asked:
What
is
the
preparation
for
the
reception
of
the
Torah?
The
answer
is—the
evil
inclination.
When
a
person
knows
that
he
has
evil
in
him,
which
is
after
the
Creator
has
informed
him
this,
a
new
need
is
born
in
a
man:
how
to
defeat
it.
Yet,
this
can
be
only
through
Torah,
as
our
sages
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination,
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
This
is
the
preparation
for
the
reception
of
the
Torah.
That
is,
the
need
for
the
Torah
is
called
“the
preparation
for
the
reception
of
the
Torah.”
By
this
we
will
understand
what
we
asked
about
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“And
the
Lord
came
down
on
Mount
Sinai,
to
the
top
of
the
mountain.”
What
is
“the
top
of
the
mountain,”
and
how
can
a
descent
be
said
about
the
Creator?
It
is
known
that
in
spirituality,
the
name
is
according
to
the
action,
as
it
is
written
about
Manoah
with
the
angel
who
said,
“Why
do
you
ask
for
my
name?”
Rather,
it
is
according
to
the
action.
For
example,
an
angel
who
heals
will
be
called
Angel
Refael
[the
Creator’s
healing],
and
so
forth.
Likewise,
when
the
Creator
sends
healing
to
a
person,
the
Creator
is
called
“Healer
of
the
sick.”
According
to
the
above,
the
Creator
revealing
to
man
that
the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart
is
evil
is
regarded
as
the
Creator
revealing
to
a
person
in
what
state
of
descent
the
man
was
born,
as
it
was
written,
“evil
from
his
youth,”
meaning
from
the
day
he
was
born.
Then,
the
Creator
is
named
after
the
action,
showing
to
the
man
his
lowly
state,
and
this
is
called
“And
the
Lord
came
down
on
Mount
Sinai.”
We
find
two
wordings
here:
1)
Regarding
the
Creator,
it
is
written,
“And
the
Lord
came
down
on
Mount
Sinai,
to
the
top
of
the
mountain.”
2)
Regarding
the
people,
it
is
written,
“And
they
stood
at
the
foot
of
the
mountain.”
We
must
understand
what
is
a
“mountain.”
The
word
Har
[mountain]
comes
from
the
word
Hirhurim
[thoughts],
which
is
man’s
intellect.
Anything
that
is
in
the
intellect
is
regarded
as
“in
potential.”
Afterward,
it
can
expand
into
actual
fact.
Accordingly,
we
can
interpret
“And
the
Lord
came
down
on
Mount
Sinai,
to
the
top
of
the
mountain,”
as
the
thought
and
intellect
of
man,
meaning
that
the
Creator
informed
all
the
people
that
the
inclination
of
a
man’s
heart
is
evil
from
his
youth.
After
the
Creator
informed
them
in
potential,
meaning
at
the
top
of
the
mountain,
that
which
was
in
potential
expanded
in
actual
fact.
For
this
reason,
the
people
came
to
actually
feel
and
everyone
now
sensed
the
need
for
the
Torah,
as
it
is
written,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
spice
of
Torah.”
Now
they
said,
by
actually
feeling,
that
they
were
forced
to
receive
the
Torah,
meaning
without
choice,
since
they
saw
that
if
they
received
the
Torah
they
would
have
delight
and
pleasure,
and
if
not,
there
it
would
be
their
burial.
In
other
words,
if
we
remain
in
our
current
state,
our
lives
will
not
be
lives
but
they
will
be
our
burial
place.
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
“And
the
Lord
came
down
to
the
top
of
the
mountain”
to
mean
that
once
the
Creator
informed
them
on
the
mountain,
in
the
intellect,
that
the
evil
is
man’s
heart,
and
once
this
has
been
set
in
their
minds,
in
their
thoughts
and
intellect,
it
immediately
operated,
as
it
is
written,
“And
they
stood
at
the
foot
of
the
mountain.”
In
other
words,
the
descent
that
was
on
the
mountain
operated
on
them
and
they
stood
at
the
foot
of
the
mountain,
meaning
the
above
descents
controlled
them.
It
follows
that
“forced
the
mountain
on
them
like
a
vault”
means
the
descent
and
the
information
they
received
on
the
mountain,
meaning
with
the
thought
about
them
that
now
they
will
have
to
receive
the
Torah
because
this
mountain,
meaning
this
descent,
causes
them
the
need
to
receive
the
Torah,
so
they
can
overcome
the
evil
in
their
hearts.
The
meaning
of
“forced
…
on
them”
is
that
the
reason
that
now
they
must
receive
the
Torah
and
they
have
no
other
choice
is
the
mountain,
meaning
the
information
they
received
in
the
thought
and
intellect
that
they
are
in
a
state
of
descent
because
they
have
evil
in
the
hearts.
This
is
like
a
vault,
meaning
that
it
is
coercive
and
they
have
no
choice.
This
is
regarded
as
the
mountain
controlling
them
at
the
bottom.
Accordingly,
we
should
ask
what
does
it
mean
that
through
the
miracle
on
Purim,
our
sages
said,
“kept
and
received”?
It
is
that
thus
far
coercively,
henceforth
willingly
(Shabbat
88).
It
said,
“Raba
said,
‘Nevertheless,
the
generation
received
it
in
the
days
of
Ahasuerus,’
as
it
is
written,
‘The
Jews
kept
and
received.’”
RASHI
interpreted
that
it
was
for
the
love
of
the
miracle
that
was
done
for
them.
We
should
explain
this
as
it
is
written
in
the
“Introduction
to
the
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot”
(p
41):
“There
is
conditional
love,
where
because
of
the
pleasure
he
feels
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
he
keeps
them.
But
there
is
a
higher
degree
called
‘unconditional
love,’
that
because
of
the
miracle,
they
took
upon
themselves
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
without
anything.”