What
Are
the
Two
Discernments
before
Lishma?
Article
No.
11,
1988
The
Zohar,
Exodus,
asks
about
the
verse,
“These
are
the
names
of
the
sons
of
Israel
who
are
coming
to
Egypt
with
Jacob;
they
came
each
one
with
his
household.”
Why
does
it
begin
with
Israel
and
end
with
Jacob?
It
explains
there
in
relation
to
the
upper
degrees.
We
should
understand
the
meaning
of
the
two
degrees
during
the
period
of
preparation,
too,
before
a
person
is
rewarded
with
Lishma
[for
Her
sake]:
“Israel”
implies
wholeness,
since
Israel
is
Li-Rosh
[a
Rosh
(head)
unto
me],
and
Jacob
is
a
smaller
degree.
The
order
is
that
a
person
begins
the
work
of
the
Creator
in
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake].
At
that
time
the
work
he
does
is
in
practice,
meaning
without
the
intention,
which
should
be
to
bestow.
Therefore,
in
the
practice,
a
person
sees
that
he
is
making
good
progress,
and
each
day
his
possessions
of
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds]
increase.
A
person
feels
that
he
is
in
a
state
of
ascent,
since
he
sees
that
he
is
rising
in
degree,
meaning
he
sees
that
he
is
accumulating
more
each
time.
In
that
state
he
receives
vitality
in
his
work
from
the
Surrounding
Light,
which
shines
for
everyone,
meaning
the
light
that
shines
for
the
whole
of
Israel,
as
it
is
explained
(in
The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,
Part
1)
that
the
Surrounding
Light
shines
even
for
the
vessels
of
reception.
Conversely,
the
Inner
Light
shines
specifically
to
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
since
the
first
restriction,
which
was
over
Behina
Dalet
[Phase
4],
not
to
receive
light
within
it,
caused
the
light
to
depart
from
the
Kli
[vessel],
for
the
light
was
shining
in
the
interior.
Concerning
the
Surrounding
Light,
it
is
explained
in
Panim
Masbirot
that
“The
fourth
is
the
Surrounding
Light
itself,
since
now
Ein
Sof
[infinity/no
end]
illuminates
bestowal
from
its
place
in
remoteness
from
the
place.
That
is,
since
the
point
of
desire
of
Behina
Dalet
has
been
diminished
and
contained
no
will
to
receive,
she
lost
her
vessel
of
reception
and
could
not
receive
within
her
the
light
of
Ein
Sof
as
before,
and
the
middle
point
became
removed
from
the
light.
For
this
reason,
we
call
this
“Removal
of
place
to
Ein
Sof.”
This
means
that
the
light
of
Ein
Sof
shines
as
surrounding
even
in
places
where
the
Kli
is
still
unfit
to
receive
in
order
to
bestow.
Rather,
this
is
called
“restricted
illumination.”
Conversely,
the
Inner
Light
shines
abundant
bestowal,
as
explained
there.
For
this
reason,
in
the
state
of
Lo
Lishma,
a
person
feels
that
he
is
regarded
as
Israel.
But
when
a
person
wants
to
begin
the
work
of
bestowal,
meaning
to
have
Kelim
to
receive
Inner
Light,
when
he
wants
to
emerge
from
self-love,
then
he
comes
into
the
exile
in
Egypt.
That
is,
then
a
person
sees
how
he
is
remote
from
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator
in
equivalence
of
form.
Instead,
whether
in
mind
or
in
heart,
the
Klipa
[shell/peel]
of
Egypt
governs.
In
that
state,
he
sees
that
he
is
far
from
being
Israel.
Instead,
he
is
in
a
state
of
Jacob,
a
state
of
Katnut
[smallness/infancy]
from
the
words
Akev
[heel]
and
Sof
[end].
In
other
words,
he
is
in
utter
lowliness,
seeing
that
each
day,
he
is
farther
from
the
Creator
and
has
no
grip
on
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity].
This
is
called
the
“exile
in
Egypt.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
Pharaoh
coming
to
a
person
and
asking,
“Who
is
the
Lord
that
I
should
obey
His
voice?”
That
is,
each
time,
thoughts
of
Pharaoh
come
and
ask
him
this
question,
and
a
person
has
but
one
counsel,
to
cry
out
to
the
Creator
to
help
him
out
of
these
thoughts,
which
are
a
concealment
that
hides
the
faith
in
the
Creator.
This
is
also
called
Metzar-Mi
[narrow/distress-who],
when
Mitzraim
[Egypt]
ask,
“Who
is
the
Lord
that
I
should
obey
His
voice?”
This
is
Metzar-Yam
[narrow-sea].
In
that
state,
he
is
always
in
doubt.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“who
are
coming
to
Egypt,”
meaning
Metzar-Koh
[narrow/distress-Creator].
“With
Jacob”
means
that
they
have
come
to
the
degree
of
Akev
[heel],
the
Sof
[end]
and
conclusion
of
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity],
which
they
felt
in
the
Koh
[Creator]
when
they
had
to
take
upon
them
the
kingdom
of
heaven.
They
regretted
not
being
able
to
do
so
because
of
the
questions
of
Pharaoh,
King
of
Egypt,
who
governed
them
with
the
“who”
and
“what”
questions,
which
are
regarded
as
“mind”
and
“heart,”
meaning
“Who
is
the
Lord
that
I
should
obey
His
voice,”
and
“What
is
this
work
for
you?”
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“From
the
narrow
place,
I
called
on
Koh
[the
Lord].”
The
prayer
is
because
they
suffer
troubles
from
the
Egyptians,
as
it
is
written,
“And
they
cried
out
to
the
Lord
in
their
distress;
He
will
save
them
from
their
afflictions.”
It
is
known
that
Tzar
[narrow/distressing]
means
narrow
in
Hassadim
[mercies].
That
is,
they
could
not
engage
in
bestowal.
In
other
words,
when
they
wanted
to
take
upon
themselves
the
kingdom
of
heaven—called
Koh—in
order
to
bestow,
they
felt
narrowness
[also
troubles],
that
they
could
not
do
anything
in
Hesed
[mercy].
The
difference
between
bestowing
and
working
in
order
to
receive
is
great.
When
we
want
to
use
the
vessels
of
reception,
we
can
derive
delight
and
pleasure
from
the
fact
that
sparks
of
light
were
placed
in
the
Klipot
[shells/peels],
called
“vessels
of
reception,”
from
the
beginning,
so
that
the
world
would
exist.
For
this
reason,
when
a
person
wants
to
use
the
vessels
of
reception,
he
has
a
place
from
which
the
pleasures
called
“slim
light”
extend
and
shine
in
the
world
so
it
may
exist.
But
when
a
person
does
not
want
to
use
the
vessels
of
reception,
but
he
has
not
obtained
vessels
of
bestowal,
he
is
in
an
uncomfortable
state.
He
still
does
not
have
the
place
from
which
to
draw
delight
and
pleasure.
Hence,
when
he
wants
to
work
in
bestowal
and
receive
delight
and
pleasure
in
vessels
of
bestowal,
since
he
still
does
not
have
vessels
of
bestowal,
when
he
feels
the
exile
he
cries
out,
“From
the
narrow
place,
I
have
called
on
Koh
[the
Lord];
answer
me
in
the
wide
expanse,
Koh.”
“Wide”
means
expansive
in
Hassadim,
when
the
Creator
helps
him
with
the
quality
of
Hassadim,
meaning
gives
him
vessels
of
bestowal.
This
is
regarded
as
emerging
from
the
exile
in
Egypt
and
entering
redemption,
in
that
now
he
can
work
in
order
to
bestow
because
he
already
feels
the
importance
of
the
greatness
of
the
Creator,
since
he
has
vessels
of
bestowal,
called
“equivalence
of
form.”
This
is
so
because
when
the
Creator
gives
him
the
expansion
of
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
the
Tzimtzum
[restriction]
and
concealment
are
removed
from
him,
which
he
had
through
the
power
of
the
control
of
the
Klipa
of
Egypt
with
their
questions
and
dominations.
Now,
however,
he
receives
the
kingdom
of
heaven
not
as
something
“narrow,”
as
before,
but
“expansively.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
“Answer
me
in
the
wide
expanse,
Koh.”
At
that
time
it
is
regarded
that
he
has
been
rewarded
with
work
Lishma.
It
follows
that
we
should
make
two
discernments
in
the
work
even
before
we
achieve
Lishma.
The
first
is
Israel,
when
he
feels
that
he
has
wholeness,
as
in
Li-Rosh
[a
head
unto
me].
This
applies
to
the
work
of
the
general
public,
at
which
time
he
receives
the
general
surrounding,
which
shines
from
afar.
That
is,
even
when
a
person
is
still
remote
from
the
Creator,
meaning
he
is
still
immersed
in
his
will
to
receive
for
himself,
even
in
this
Lo
Lishma
there
are
pleasures
that
are
mixed
together
with
his
work.
These
are
pleasures
he
receives
from
other
people
who
respect
and
honor
him,
etc.,
which
he
receives
from
people
because
they
know
that
he
is
working
for
the
Creator.
Here
he
receives
the
pleasure
of
“slim
light,”
which
is
given
to
corporeal
pleasures,
which
are
generally
called
“envy,”
“lust,”
and
“honor.”
Because
of
it,
they
feel
themselves
as
whole,
as
Israel.
The
second
discernment
is
when
he
begins
to
enter
the
work
of
Lishma.
At
that
time
he
begins
to
go
down
to
the
exile
in
Egypt,
and
the
body
begins
to
betray
the
person
and
does
not
let
him
do
this
work
by
asking
all
kinds
of
questions
that
cannot
be
answered
within
reason,
while
above
reason,
a
person
cannot
always
overcome
it.
At
that
time
he
begins
to
feel
ascents
and
descents
because
each
time,
he
is
shown
from
above
what
is
the
work
of
bestowal
and
not
for
his
own
sake.
Although
every
person
understands
this,
when
it
comes
from
above,
when
he
is
given
the
understanding,
he
comes
to
feel
it.
This
is
when
the
work
with
“mortar
and
bricks”
begins,
when
they
feel
the
hardships
of
the
enslavement
of
the
exile.
According
to
the
above,
we
should
interpret
“And
the
king
of
Egypt
died.”
This
pertains
to
the
work
for
their
own
sake,
called
the
“Klipa
of
the
King
of
Egypt.”
They
have
stopped
working
for
him,
meaning
they
felt
that
working
for
themselves,
called
“the
control
of
the
king
of
Egypt,”
is
regarded
as
death.
Instead,
they
took
upon
themselves
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
but
then
they
had
no
power
to
work
because
the
king
of
Egypt
governed
them.
It
follows
that
they
do
not
want
to
work
for
their
own
sake,
yet
cannot
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
verse,
“And
the
children
of
Israel
sighed
from
the
work,
and
they
cried
out,
and
their
cry
rose
up
to
God
from
the
work.”
That
is,
what
is
the
meaning
of
“and
they
cried
out”?
It
is
that
“their
cry
rose
up”
pertained
to
“God
from
the
work.”
That
is,
the
fact
that
they
wanted
their
work
to
be
for
the
sake
of
God
and
not
for
their
own
sake,
but
could
not
do
the
work,
this
was
their
cry.
It
is
known
that
there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli.
In
other
words,
it
is
impossible
to
give
something
to
someone
by
force,
as
it
is
known
that
there
is
no
coercion
in
spirituality.
Therefore,
when
a
person
regrets
and
suffers
pain
and
suffering
from
not
being
able
to
emerge
from
self-love
and
work
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
he
cries
out
to
the
Creator
to
help
and
give
him
what
he
wants.
That
is,
if
the
Creator
gives
him
this:
the
ability
to
revoke
his
own
authority
and
annul
before
the
authority
of
the
Creator,
for
he
wants
only
the
singular
authority
to
be
in
the
world,
namely
the
authority
of
the
Creator;
this
is
his
only
salvation.
This
is
considered
that
he
has
a
Kli
and
a
need
for
the
Creator’s
help.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“And
God
heard
their
groaning.”
That
is,
once
they
had
a
Kli,
which
is
a
desire
and
need
to
have
the
ability
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
then
comes
the
time
when
“God
heard
their
groaning,”
meaning
that
then
the
redemption
began—delivering
them
from
under
the
afflictions
of
Egypt.
However,
it
is
known
that
we
must
walk
on
two
lines,
meaning
on
the
right
line,
too.
This
means
that
a
person
must
thank
the
Creator
for
letting
him
see
what
he
was
lacking.
In
other
words,
the
fact
that
his
suffering
is
from
being
remote
from
the
love
of
the
Creator,
that
these
are
his
troubles
and
pains,
whereas
other
people,
the
Creator
does
not
give
them
this
suffering,
but
their
troubles
and
suffering
are
from
being
unable
to
satisfy
their
corporeal
needs,
which
pertain
to
self-love,
meaning
that
they
are
as
beasts
and
have
no
idea
of
anything
other
than
self-reception.
For
this
they
were
in
gladness
and
gratitude
to
the
Creator.
However,
this
is
hard
work,
since
the
left
line
cancels
the
right
line.
Hence,
there
is
always
new
work
to
rebuild
it.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words,
“And
they
made
their
lives
bitter
with
hard
work
with
mortar
and
with
bricks.”
Their
work
was
with
Homer
[mortar],
meaning
on
the
left
line,
when
they
saw
the
gravity
of
their
situation,
how
remote
they
were
from
the
love
of
the
Creator.
Afterward,
the
work
on
the
right
line
is
to
be
in
gladness
because
the
Creator
showed
them
the
truth
about
the
state
that
they
are
in.
This
is
called
Levenim
[bricks].