What
Are
Dirty
Hands
in
the
Work
of
the
Creator?
Article
No.
21,
1987
The
Zohar
says
in
Balak
(Item
43)
about
the
verse,
“When
they
come
to
the
tent
of
meeting,
they
shall
wash
in
water
and
will
not
die”:
We
learn
from
this
verse
that
“One
who
is
not
concerned
with
this
and
appears
before
the
King
with
dirty
hands
must
die.
What
is
the
reason?
It
is
because
man’s
hands
are
at
the
top
of
the
world,
where
he
(The
Hassid
Rabbi
Shmaiah)
said
that
every
filth
and
every
dirt
goes
up
to
the
Sitra
Achra
because
the
Sitra
Achra
feeds
on
that
filth
and
dirt.
This
is
why
the
Hassid,
Rabbi
Shmaiah,
said
that
one
who
blesses
with
dirty
hands
must
die.”
We
should
understand
why
this
prohibition
is
so
grave
that
one
who
blesses
the
Creator,
who
does
something
good,
if
his
hands
are
dirty
he
must
die.
Can
this
be?
That
is,
if
he
did
not
bless
the
Creator,
he
would
not
have
to
die.
But
if
he
blesses
the
Creator
but
his
hands
are
unclean
then
he
deserves
death
for
it.
And
we
should
also
understand
why
he
says
that
man’s
hands
are
at
the
top
of
the
world.
What
does
this
imply
to
us
in
the
work
of
the
Creator?
It
is
known
that
our
purpose
in
the
work
of
the
Creator
is
to
achieve
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
which
is
equivalence
of
form,
as
our
sages
said,
“As
He
is
merciful,
so
you
are
merciful.”
This
is
all
that
we
must
do.
In
other
words,
the
reward
for
all
the
labor
that
we
do
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments]
should
be
that
we
will
be
rewarded
with
vessels
of
bestowal,
which
are
Kelim
[vessels]
of
Dvekut.
Beyond
that,
the
Creator
gives
everything.
It
is
known
that
from
the
perspective
of
the
Creator,
the
purpose
of
creation
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
meaning
for
the
creatures
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure.
However,
in
order
for
the
delight
and
pleasure
to
be
complete
when
the
lower
ones
receive,
and
so
as
not
to
have
shame
in
them,
to
establish
this
there
was
a
judgment
that
it
is
forbidden
to
receive
any
pleasure
in
order
to
receive,
but
rather
in
order
to
bestow.
And
since
by
nature,
man
is
born
with
a
will
to
receive
in
order
to
receive,
and
it
is
known
that
it
is
hard
to
go
against
nature,
this
causes
us
work
and
labor
when
we
want
to
begin
to
walk
on
the
path
of
bestowal
and
to
avoid
receiving
anything
in
vessels
of
reception,
but
rather
in
vessels
of
bestowal,
called
“receiving
in
order
to
bestow.”
It
therefore
follows
that
for
the
Kelim
to
be
ready
to
receive
the
upper
abundance,
they
must
be
in
equivalence
of
form
with
the
light.
If
they
are
not,
there
is
a
judgment
because
of
the
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
that
was
placed,
whereby
that
Kli
[vessel]
must
remain
in
an
empty
space.
For
this
reason,
all
of
our
labor
is
to
provide
for
ourselves
clean
Kelim,
called
Ohr
Hozer
[Reflected
Light].
This
means
that
as
the
Creator
wants
to
bestow
upon
the
creatures,
the
creatures
want
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator.
In
other
words,
there
is
the
Ohr
Yashar
[Direct
Light],
meaning
that
the
abundance
that
comes
from
the
Creator
to
the
lower
ones
is
called
Yashar
[straight/direct],
meaning
that
the
intention
of
creation
to
do
good
to
His
creations
was
about
this.
This
is
called
Ohr
Yashar.
However,
when
Malchut
of
Ein
Sof
[infinity]
received
the
Ohr
Yashar,
she
desired
Dvekut,
called
“equivalence
of
form.”
For
this
reason,
Malchut
does
not
receive
more
Ohr
Yashar
than
she
has
Ohr
Hozer.
In
other
words,
the
measuring
she
does
on
how
much
abundance
to
receive
by
looking
at
how
much
she
can
aim
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator,
which
is
called
“light
that
returns
to
the
Creator.”
It
is
known
that
the
main
reward
we
hope
to
receive
in
return
for
the
work
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
is
only
to
receive
that
Ohr
Hozer,
as
it
is
said
in
the
preface
to
the
book
Panim
Meirot
uMasbirot
(Item
3):
“Know
that
the
Masach
[screen]
in
the
Kli
of
Malchut
is
the
root
of
the
darkness
by
the
force
of
detaining
that
exists
in
the
Masach
on
the
upper
light,
not
to
expand
in
Behina
Dalet.
This
is
also
the
root
of
the
labor
in
order
to
receive
reward
because
labor
is
an
act
that
is
not
desirable,
as
the
worker
is
content
only
when
he
rests.
However,
because
the
landlord
pays
his
salary,
he
revokes
his
will
before
the
will
of
the
landlord.
You
should
know
that
there
is
not
a
thing
or
a
conduct
in
this
world
that
is
not
rooted
in
the
upper
worlds,
from
which
branches
spread
into
the
lower
worlds.
It
follows
that
the
power
of
detaining
in
the
Masach
is
equal
to
the
level
of
the
labor,
and
the
salary
that
the
landlord
gives
to
the
worker
is
rooted
in
the
Ohr
Hozer
that
emerges
through
a
Zivug
de
Hakaa
whereby
through
the
Masach,
a
root
for
the
Ohr
Hozer
is
made,
and
all
the
benefit
in
this
comes
to
her
because
of
the
above-mentioned
detainment.”
We
therefore
see
that
one
must
make
an
effort
in
order
to
receive
reward.
What
is
the
reward
we
hope
for?
The
reward
is
that
we
will
obtain
vessels
of
bestowal.
That
is,
through
the
labor,
which
is
the
root
of
the
Masach,
when
we
detain
ourselves
from
receiving
into
our
will
to
receive,
meaning
for
our
own
sake,
what
do
we
want
in
return
for
this
detainment?
We
want
the
Creator
to
give
us
a
desire—that
we
will
want
to
please
the
Creator.
This
means
that
we
give
our
desire
to
the
Creator
and
we
do
not
want
to
use
it.
In
return
for
this,
He
will
give
us
His
desire.
That
is,
as
the
Creator’s
desire
is
to
bestow
upon
the
creatures,
He
will
give
us
the
desire
to
bestow
contentment
upon
Him,
and
this
will
be
our
reward.
In
other
words,
we
want
Him
to
change
the
Kelim
we
have
by
nature,
called
“receiving
in
order
to
receive.”
What
we
have
we
relinquish,
and
receive
in
return
the
vessels
of
bestowal.
This
is
as
our
sages
said
(Avot,
Chapter
2,
4),
“Revoke
your
will
before
His
will
so
that
He
will
revoke
the
will
of
others
before
your
will.”
This
means
that
a
person
should
revoke
his
will
to
receive,
which
is
the
Masach
we
spoke
of
earlier,
being
the
root
of
the
labor
and
what
detains
the
will
to
receive
before
the
will
to
bestow,
for
the
will
to
bestow
is
called
“the
will
of
the
Creator,”
and
it
revokes
the
desire
for
self-benefit
before
the
Creator’s
benefit.
However,
man
has
no
power
to
go
against
nature.
Our
sages
said
about
this,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided,”
so
he
may
revoke
the
will
of
others.
In
other
words,
all
the
desires
that
awaken
in
the
body
and
resist
his
having
the
ability
to
engage
in
the
desire
to
bestow—the
Creator
does
this.
In
other
words,
the
Creator
gives
him
the
ability
to
revoke.
It
was
said,
“so
that
He
will
revoke
the
will
of
others
before
your
will”:
You
want
to
engage
in
the
desire
to
bestow
but
you
cannot;
your
reward
will
be
that
you
will
receive
assistance
from
the
Creator.
This
means
that
in
order
for
the
Creator
to
revoke
the
will
of
others,
meaning
the
will
to
receive,
which
is
the
will
of
others,
and
not
of
Kedusha
[sanctity],
a
person
must
first
begin
this
work,
and
then
the
Creator
gives
him
the
assistance
required
for
it.
This
is
so
for
the
known
reason
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli
[vessel].”
That
is,
nothing
comes
from
above
unless
there
is
a
desire
below,
since
the
desire
is
called
the
need
for
it.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
our
sages
said,
“Revoke
your
will,”
meaning
the
will
to
receive,
“before
His
will,”
meaning
before
the
will
of
the
Creator,
for
the
will
of
the
Creator
is
to
bestow.
Then,
when
you
begin,
according
to
the
labor
you
will
give
in
order
to
revoke
the
will
to
receive,
to
that
extent,
the
need
to
ask
the
Creator
to
help
you
will
form,
and
then
you
receive
a
complete
desire
and
need
for
His
help.
Saying
“Revoke
your
will”
means
that
a
person
should
begin
to
revoke
the
will
to
receive
“before
His
will,”
meaning
before
the
desire
to
bestow,
which
is
the
Creator’s
will.
“So
that
He
will
revoke
the
will
of
others
before
your
will”
means
that
once
you
have
a
desire
and
need
for
the
desire
to
bestow,
but
you
cannot
revoke
the
will
to
receive,
the
assistance
comes
from
above,
meaning
it
“revokes
the
will
of
others,”
which
are
not
of
Kedusha,
pertaining
to
the
will
to
receive.
“Before
your
will”
means
that
now
your
will
is
to
be
in
Kedusha,
for
the
work
to
be
in
order
to
bestow.
Now
a
person
receives
this
strength,
meaning
comes
out
of
the
governance
of
the
will
of
others,
meaning
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side],
which
is
only
to
receive
and
not
to
bestow,
and
now
he
uses
the
vessels
of
bestowal.
According
to
the
above,
we
can
interpret
what
we
asked
about
what
The
Zohar
said,
“Man’s
hands
are
at
the
top
of
the
world.”
What
does
this
imply
in
the
work?
It
is
known
that
hands
imply
man’s
vessels
of
reception.
This
comes
from
the
verse,
“For
the
hand
attains.”
It
is
as
was
said
(Ketubot
83a),
“My
hand
is
removed
from
her,”
meaning
that
he
removes
himself
from
ownership
over
the
field.
“[The
hands]
are
at
the
top
of
the
world”
means
that
the
existence
of
the
world
depends
on
the
hands,
which
are
man’s
vessels
of
reception.
In
other
words,
the
purpose
of
creation,
which
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
should
be
received
in
man’s
hands.
In
other
words,
if
the
hands,
which
are
man’s
vessels
of
reception,
are
fine,
meaning
clean,
and
have
equivalence
of
form
with
the
Creator,
meaning
that
they
are
in
order
to
bestow,
under
such
conditions,
the
upper
abundance
expands
to
the
lower
ones.
However,
if
the
hands,
namely
the
vessels
of
reception,
are
not
clean,
it
is
necessary
to
stop
the
upper
abundance
from
coming
to
the
lower
ones,
since
the
vessels
of
reception
do
not
belong
to
Kedusha,
but
only
to
the
Klipot
[shells/peels].
It
is
known
that
all
the
lower
branches
follow
the
upper
roots.
For
this
reason,
in
corporeality,
too,
when
a
person
wants
to
place
something
in
some
Kli,
he
cleans
the
Kli
and
washes
it
with
water.
If
the
Kli
is
too
dirty,
he
uses
a
detergent
to
clean
the
Kli.
Otherwise,
he
will
spoil
the
food
or
drink
or
clothes
that
he
will
place
in
the
Kli.
If
he
places
expensive
clothes,
he
even
cleans
the
suitcase,
all
in
order
to
avoid
spoiling
the
things
or
the
food.
If
he
does
not
follow
the
correct
order
and
places
objects
or
food
in
dirty
Kelim
[vessels],
everything
goes
to
the
outer
ones.
This
means
that
a
person
takes
everything
in
his
hands
and
gives
them
to
the
outer
ones,
meaning
throws
out
the
food
and
the
objects
and
does
not
keep
them
in
the
house.
It
is
likewise
in
the
ways
of
the
work:
If
a
person’s
hands
are
unclean
and
can
spoil
the
abundance
to
the
point
that
he
takes
the
abundance
and
transfers
it
to
the
outer
ones,
meaning
if
his
Kelim
are
dirty
with
the
will
to
receive
for
himself,
which
is
in
oppositeness
of
form
from
Kedusha,
the
abundance
goes
to
the
Klipot.
It
is
so
because
he
places
the
abundance
that
had
to
be
in
Kelim
of
Kedusha—which
are
vessels
of
bestowal—into
the
Klipot,
by
which
the
Klipot
grow
much
stronger.
Now
we
will
understand
why
it
says,
“Every
filth
and
every
dirt
goes
up
to
the
Sitra
Achra
because
the
Sitra
Achra
feeds
on
that
filth
and
dirt.”
As
we
explained,
dirt
and
filth
are
vessels
of
reception
for
one’s
own
benefit.
When
his
intention
is
not
the
benefit
of
the
Creator,
this
is
really
the
Sitra
Achra,
meaning
the
“other
side,”
which
does
not
belong
to
Kedusha.
Kedusha
is
called
“bestowal,”
as
was
said,
“You
will
be
holy,
for
I
am
holy,”
which
means
that
as
the
Creator
gives,
likewise,
the
creatures
should
engage
only
in
giving.
It
therefore
turns
out
that
if
a
person
works
in
order
to
receive
and
not
in
order
to
bestow,
he
is
providing
for
the
Sitra
Achra,
for
they
are
only
about
reception
and
not
about
bestowal.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
verse,
“Every
filth
and
every
dirt
goes
up
to
the
Sitra
Achra,”
who
are
sustained
only
by
the
vessels
of
reception.
This
is
as
he
says
in
The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot
(Part
11,
Ohr
Pnimi):
“Even
on
weekdays,
the
Melachim
[kings]
and
the
Klipot
take
their
nourishments
from
Atzilut,
as
a
thin
light.
This
is
done
by
the
iniquities
of
the
lower
ones,
who
always
cause
lights
of
Hassadim
to
retire
from
illumination
of
Hochma
and
descend
to
the
Klipot
for
their
nourishment,
and
even
more
than
is
necessary
for
them.”
It
is
also
written
there,
“Yet,
the
whole
grip
of
the
Sitra
Achra,
which
can
be
on
the
day
of
Shabbat,
for
when
a
person
moves
from
the
private
domain
to
the
public
domain,
he
causes
lights
of
Hassadim
to
spread
from
Atzilut
to
the
place
of
BYA,
and
they
must
spread
without
illumination
of
Hochma.
Because
of
this,
they
die,
and
as
a
result,
there
is
the
matter
of
‘He
who
desecrates
her
shall
be
put
to
death.’
Because
they
cause
the
exit
of
the
lights
from
the
domain
of
Atzilut
and
retire
from
illumination
of
Hochma,
their
punishment
is
to
die.
This
is
the
meaning
of
‘He
who
desecrates
her
shall
be
put
to
death.’”
Accordingly,
we
see
that
through
the
iniquities,
they
cause
spreading
of
Kedusha
to
the
Klipot,
and
all
the
sins
come
only
from
the
will
to
receive.
By
this
they
cause
death
in
the
lights
of
Hassadim.
For
this
reason,
the
punishment
in
terms
of
the
work
is
death,
as
he
says,
“He
who
desecrates
her
shall
be
put
to
death.”
This
is
why
it
was
said,
“one
who
blesses
with
dirty
hands,”
whose
vessels
of
reception
are
unclean
so
as
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
but
are
dirty
with
the
will
to
receive,
“must
die,”
since
he
caused
death
in
the
light
of
Hassadim.
Hence,
when
a
person
blesses
the
Creator,
meaning
when
he
wants
to
extend
blessings,
but
his
hands
are
dirty
with
the
will
to
receive
in
order
to
receive,
and
the
abundance
he
wishes
to
draw
will
all
go
to
the
Klipot,
which
are
called
“dead,”
at
that
time
a
person
is
in
a
state
of
“The
wicked
in
their
lives
are
called
‘dead.’”
In
other
words,
although
he
wants
to
extend
life,
which
is
called
“in
their
lives,”
he
is
still
in
the
state
of
“wicked.”
That
is,
he
does
not
want
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
but
for
his
own
sake,
and
this
is
separation
from
the
Kedusha.
Also,
the
wicked
are
called
“dead”
because
they
cause
the
abundance
to
go
to
the
Klipot,
as
he
says
about
the
verse,
“He
who
desecrates
her
shall
be
put
to
death.”
Therefore,
when
a
person
wants
to
walk
on
the
path
of
truth,
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
bestow,
what
should
he
do?
The
advice
for
this
is
to
first
of
all
aim
before
every
action,
which
reward
he
expects
for
the
actions
he
is
about
to
do.
At
that
time
he
needs
to
tell
himself,
“Since
I
want
to
serve
the
Creator,
and
since
I
cannot,
since
the
will
to
receive
within
me
will
not
let
me,
hence,
through
the
actions
I
am
about
to
do,
the
Creator
will
give
me
the
real
desire
to
bring
contentment
to
the
Creator,
and
I
believe
in
our
sages,
who
said,
‘The
Creator
wanted
to
refine
Israel,
therefore
He
gave
them
plentiful
Torah
and
Mitzvot.’”