What
Is
“There
Is
No
Blessing
in
an
Empty
Place”
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
15,
1988
It
is
written
in
The
Zohar
(Truma,
Item
525):
“This
table
stands
in
the
Temple
to
have
food
on
it,
and
to
extract
food
from
it.
Hence,
it
should
not
be
empty
even
for
a
moment.
The
other
table,
that
of
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side],
is
a
table
of
emptiness,
since
there
is
no
blessing
above
in
a
place
of
deficit
and
lack.
This
is
the
table
before
the
Creator.
The
table
on
which
a
man
blesses
before
the
Creator
should
also
not
be
empty
because
there
is
no
blessing
in
an
empty
place.”
We
should
understand
why
there
cannot
be
a
blessing
in
an
empty
place,
and
what
this
means
in
the
holy
work,
that
a
person
who
wants
to
receive
a
blessing
from
the
Creator
must
try
to
have
something,
for
only
in
this
manner
can
the
Creator
give
him
a
blessing.
Our
sages
said,
“The
cursed
does
not
cling
to
the
blessed.”
For
this
reason,
Abraham
did
not
want
to
take
the
daughter
of
Eliezer,
Abraham’s
slave.
Therefore,
when
a
person
prays
to
the
Creator
to
give
him
what
he
asks
of
Him,
and
when
a
person
prays
an
honest
prayer,
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart,
the
person
certainly
feels
deficient.
He
feels
that
he
is
more
deficient
than
the
entire
world.
Otherwise,
if
there
are
other
people
who
are
as
deficient
as
he,
this
is
no
longer
regarded
as
a
prayer
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart,
after
the
rule,
“a
shared
trouble—half
a
comfort.”
Hence,
his
lack
is
no
longer
complete
because
it
is
only
half
a
lack,
since
half
of
what
he
lacked
is
complemented
by
the
others.
For
this
reason,
he
has
only
half
a
Kli
[vessel]
to
receive
the
filling,
the
part
that
the
others
cannot
give
him
since
they
do
not
have
it.
Hence,
he
has
no
more
than
half
a
need
to
receive
filling.
For
this
reason,
the
prayer
that
a
person
asks
the
Creator
to
grant
him
his
wish
should
be
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart.
This
means
that
since
the
heart
is
called
“desire,”
if
the
desire
does
not
come
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart,
since
he
does
not
have
the
real
need
to
receive
the
filling,
his
prayer
is
therefore
not
accepted.
For
this
reason,
a
person
must
see
himself
as
the
worst
in
the
world,
and
the
matter
of
“a
shared
trouble—half
a
comfort”
will
not
pertain
to
him
because
he
is
worse
than
everyone,
as
it
is
known
that
satisfaction
in
life
is
not
necessarily
when
he
lacks
things
that
others
have
and
he
does
not.
Rather,
he
may
be
earning
more
than
others,
and
even
have
more
important
things
than
his
surroundings,
yet
he
may
still
not
be
satisfied
with
it.
Women
feel
this
more.
If
they
lack
something,
even
if
they
have
much
more
than
their
friends,
they
feel
deficient.
A
woman
might
say,
“I’d
rather
die,”
and
take
no
comfort
in
having
more
things
than
her
friends.
If
the
lack
touches
her
heart,
she
says
she
feels
more
miserable
than
the
entire
world.
The
reason
is
that
when
a
person
feels
a
real
lack,
it
does
not
comfort
him
that
others
also
do
not
have
it.
The
suffering
of
not
satisfying
the
desire
determines,
and
can
even
bring
a
person
to
commit
suicide.
Only
this
is
regarded
as
a
real
deficiency.
Here,
in
the
work,
if
he
sees
that
there
is
someone
who
is
similar
to
him
with
regard
to
the
desire
for
spirituality,
he
can
become
satisfied
by
way
of
“a
shared
trouble—half
a
comfort.”
For
this
reason,
he
might
fall
into
despair
because
he
accepts
the
situation
because
then
he
says
that
it
is
impossible
to
obtain
this
thing
that
he
understands
he
lacks,
for
after
several
attempts
when
he
began
the
work
but
failed,
he
promptly
decides
that
it
is
difficult
and
not
for
him.
And
the
reason
why
he
decides
promptly
is
that
the
desire
for
that
thing
has
weakened
in
him
because
he
received
a
filling
for
half
the
lack
in
the
form
of
“a
shared
trouble—half
a
comfort.”
This
is
similar
to
a
person
who
loses
something
and
is
searching
for
it.
There
is
a
rule
concerning
how
much
time
he
must
dedicate
to
searching
for
the
object:
It
depends
on
the
value
of
the
object.
If
the
object
is
very
valuable,
he
will
dedicate
a
lot
of
time
to
look
for
it.
If
it
is
less
so,
he
will
dedicate
less
time.
It
is
likewise
here
in
the
work.
If
it
is
very
important
to
him
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
he
does
not
give
up
immediately,
but
persists
and
searches
for
ways
to
come
to
this.
This
is
not
so
if
he
sees
that
there
are
other
people
who
do
not
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments]
with
the
intention
to
achieve
Lishma
[for
Her
sake],
but
settle
for
observing
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
as
Maimonides
says,
that
the
secret
of
having
to
work
Lishma
is
not
to
be
revealed
to
everyone,
and
they
feel
that
by
observing
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
as
they
were
brought
up,
they
are
happy
with
it
and
do
not
search
for
other
ways,
and
this
is
what
pleases
them.
This
is
the
reason
that
even
if
they
receive
some
awakening
that
they
must
search
for
the
real
intention
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
that
desire
is
not
so
important
to
them.
Hence,
they
searched
several
times
for
the
way
to
walk
in
the
path
of
bestowal,
and
since
they
do
not
find
it
easily
and
have
no
real
lack,
they
begin
to
walk
in
the
path
of
Lishma,
and
then
leave
it
and
follow
the
masses.
However,
we
should
understand
the
words
of
Maimonides
when
he
says,
“Until
they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom,
they
are
taught
that
secret
bit
by
bit.”
We
should
understand
what
it
means
when
he
says
that
they
are
taught
that
secret.
What
secret
are
they
revealed
when
they
are
told
that
they
must
work
Lishma?
Who
does
not
know
that
we
must
serve
the
Creator
as
it
is
written,
“And
you
shall
love
the
Lord
your
God
with
all
your
heart,
and
with
all
your
soul,
and
with
all
your
might”?
We
say
this
four
times
a
day:
in
the
readings,
Shema
de
Korbanot,
Shema
de
Yotzer
Ohr,
Shema
de
Arvit,
and
Shema
al
Hamita
[four
times
the
Shema
text
is
read
during
the
day].
Even
children
say
the
Shema
reading.
Thus,
everyone
knows
that
we
must
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
so
what
is
the
secret
that
is
revealed
to
them,
which
there
was
no
need
to
reveal
to
them
before
“they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom”?
We
should
also
understand
the
measure
of
“gain
knowledge.”
How
do
you
measure
their
knowledge
so
as
to
know
that
now
it
is
possible
to
reveal
to
them
the
secret
of
Lishma,
which
was
not
so
before?
And
also,
what
does
it
mean,
“and
gain
much
wisdom”?
We
should
understand
what
is
“wisdom”
and
what
is
“much
wisdom.”
We
should
interpret
that
wisdom
and
knowledge
are
what
they
received
from
the
teachers
in
the
beginning
of
the
study,
when
they
were
taught
in
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake].
That
is,
by
believing
in
the
Creator
and
in
the
sages,
they
will
be
rewarded,
and
if
they
do
not,
they
will
be
punished.
It
follows
that
they
understand
that
by
observing
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
and
loving
the
Creator
“with
all
your
heart,”
He
will
reward
us,
and
the
reward
will
be
that
we
will
receive
reward
for
observing
everything
He
has
commanded
us.
In
other
words,
in
order
not
to
feel
shame
upon
receiving
the
pleasure,
He
has
given
us
commandments
to
follow,
and
He
pays
us
for
the
effort.
In
this
way,
they
will
not
receive
something
for
free,
but
rather
a
payment
for
the
effort
of
working
for
Him.
In
this
way,
there
will
be
no
matter
of
shame.
Now
we
can
understand
what
are
“knowledge”
and
“wisdom.”
It
is
what
they
received
in
the
beginning
of
their
learning,
when
they
could
not
understand
more
than
the
reward
accepted
in
Kelim
[vessels]
of
self-love.
That
is,
they
still
did
not
have
the
wisdom
and
knowledge
to
understand
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
do
something
in
that
which
is
not
for
one’s
own
benefit,
since
they
did
not
see
what
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself
would
gain
from
this.
However,
they
did
understand
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
because
they
would
have
wisdom.
They
believed
that
they
would
receive
reward,
which
is
the
wisdom
and
knowledge
that
they
have
gained—that
it
is
worthwhile
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
for
self-benefit.
It
therefore
follows
that
“much
wisdom”
means
that
they
can
understand
by
receiving
the
knowledge
to
understand
something
new.
This
is
called
“until
they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom.”
In
other
words,
now
they
see
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
work
for
the
Creator
and
not
for
themselves.
But
prior
to
this,
they
did
not
have
the
wisdom
or
knowledge
to
understand
that
it
was
possible
not
to
work
for
self-benefit.
It
follows
that
the
prohibition
on
revealing
the
secret
of
Lishma
at
the
beginning
of
the
learning
does
not
mean
that
it
is
forbidden,
but
that
it
is
impossible,
since
they
would
not
be
able
to
understand
this.
Therefore,
they
must
be
given
a
reason
for
which
it
is
worthwhile
to
work.
Hence,
when
“they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom,”
they
can
hear
the
secret
that
they
were
forbidden
to
hear
before.
That
is,
even
if
they
had
been
told
that
the
real
work
is
the
work
of
bestowal,
it
would
have
remained
a
secret
to
them
because
they
would
not
be
able
to
understand
it
whatsoever.
Rather,
after
they
“gain
knowledge,
they
are
taught
that
secret
bit
by
bit.”
“Bit
by
bit”
means
that
they
begin
to
understand
that
it
is
worthwhile
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
one’s
own
sake.
For
this
reason,
we
should
interpret
“until
they
gain
knowledge”
as
pertaining
to
the
view
of
Torah,
which
is
the
opposite
of
the
view
of
landlords.
The
view
of
landlords
is
to
work
so
that
all
the
profits
will
be
in
his
own
domain.
That
is,
he
wants
to
be
the
landlord
of
all
the
work
he
does,
meaning
do
everything
for
his
own
benefit.
Its
opposite
is
the
view
of
Torah,
as
our
sages
said,
“The
Torah
exists
only
in
one
who
puts
himself
to
death
over
it.”
We
interpreted
that
this
means
that
he
must
put
his
self
to
death,
meaning
the
will
to
receive
for
himself,
and
cling
to
Him,
which
our
sages
interpreted
as
“Cling
onto
His
attributes;
as
He
is
merciful,
so
you
are
merciful.”
In
other
words,
a
person
must
achieve
a
level
of
annulment
of
the
desire
for
self-love,
and
his
only
aim
is
to
love
the
Creator.
That
is,
everything
he
does
should
be
only
with
the
aim
to
bestow.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
“until
they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom,”
when
they
can
already
hear
the
secret
of
the
work
of
bestowal,
and
because
they
can
understand
that
this
work
is
real
work
because
they
want
to
work
for
the
Creator
and
not
for
themselves.
Now
we
will
explain
what
we
asked,
How
do
we
know
that
they
already
have
much
wisdom,
as
he
said,
“Until
they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom”?
As
Baal
HaSulam
said,
this
knowledge
and
wisdom
come
to
them
from
above,
as
awakening
from
above.
Yet,
how
do
we
know
this?
The
answer
is
that
since
these
people
received
an
awakening
from
above,
they
cannot
live
in
peace,
but
search
from
place
to
place
for
who
will
be
able
to
guide
them
toward
achieving
the
work
of
bestowal.
By
searching
for
a
way
to
go
forward,
and
having
no
satisfaction
in
their
regular
work,
it
is
a
sign
that
he
has
received
knowledge
and
awakening
from
above.
That
person,
when
he
is
told
that
there
is
the
matter
of
having
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
will
be
able
to
understand
this
secret,
since
he
already
has
the
discernment,
“until
they
gain
knowledge.”
Hence,
since
he
has
the
knowledge
to
understand,
it
is
no
longer
a
secret,
for
a
secret
is
as
long
as
we
do
not
know,
contrary
to
when
we
do
know.
However,
Maimonides
says,
“And
they
are
taught
that
secret
bit
by
bit.”
We
should
interpret
that
we
cannot
understand
at
once
that
the
essence
of
the
work
is
to
engage
in
order
to
bestow.
Rather,
there
are
ups
and
downs
in
this
understanding
because
this
work
is
against
nature.
For
this
reason,
once
a
person
understands
that
we
must
work
Lishma,
the
body
overcomes
him
and
argues
that
we
must
work
for
our
own
sake
and
not
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“bit
by
bit.”
That
is,
this
awareness,
that
he
should
know
once
and
for
all,
does
not
come
at
once,
but
one
at
a
time.
In
order
to
be
rewarded
with
working
in
order
to
bestow,
a
person
cannot
achieve
this
by
himself.
Rather,
this
requires
help
from
the
Creator.
Our
sages
said
about
this,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.”
This
means
that
one
who
wishes
to
purify
himself
from
vessels
of
reception
and
work
in
bestowal,
receives
assistance
from
the
Creator.
However,
one
who
seeks
help
from
the
Creator,
his
prayer
should
be
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart.
That
is,
the
lack
he
feels,
that
he
cannot
do
something
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
but
only
for
his
own
sake,
this
is
the
desire
of
the
entire
heart,
and
he
has
no
need
whatsoever
for
the
Creator
to
help
him,
except
for
this,
since
he
feels
that
if
he
cannot
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
but
only
for
himself,
he
does
not
consider
this
“life.”
By
such
a
feeling,
he
feels
that
he
is
the
worst
and
lowliest
man
in
the
world.
Although
he
sees
that
there
are
people
in
the
world
who
are
respected
for
having
much
Torah
and
many
good
deeds,
although
he
does
not
see
that
they
are
working
Lishma,
yet,
they
feel
no
deficiency
in
themselves.
Hence,
he
can
say
to
the
Creator
that
He
must
help
him
achieve
Lishma
because
he
is
the
worst
in
the
world.
The
reason
he
needs
to
feel
that
his
state
is
worse
and
he
suffers
more
than
the
entire
world,
is
that
otherwise
he
will
not
have
a
complete
Kli
for
the
Creator
to
fill.
This
is
called
“the
bottom
of
the
heart.”
Since
the
Creator
is
complete,
when
He
gives
to
a
man
inside
his
Kli,
that
Kli
should
also
be
complete,
meaning
a
complete
desire
without
any
mixture
with
another
desire.
Therefore,
when
a
person
sees
that
there
are
others
who
do
not
engage
Lishma,
yet
do
not
feel
that
they
are
in
such
a
bad
state,
and
“a
troubled
shared—half
a
comfort,”
they
complement
half
his
lack
with
their
filling.
Then,
he
does
not
need
the
Creator
to
help
on
only
half
a
lack.
It
follows
that
he
has
only
half
a
Kli,
but
the
Creator
gives
His
filling
only
in
a
complete
Kli,
meaning
on
a
complete
lack.
For
this
reason,
when
he
sees
that
there
are
people
who
have
less
life
than
he
does,
and
he
sees
that
they
can
live
although
they
do
not
have
such
a
need
for
the
work
of
bestowal,
and
in
any
case
he
is
not
worse
than
they
are,
for
this
reason,
his
lack
is
filled
by
the
others.
But
if
he
sees
that
he
is
worse
than
they,
in
that
he
cannot
deceive
himself
and
say
that
he
is
doing
something
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
it
follows
that
only
then
he
is
unable
to
receive
assistance
from
others.
Hence,
he
feels
that
he
has
a
real
lack,
meaning
that
he
is
suffering
more
than
everyone
from
not
being
able
to
work
in
order
to
bestow.
According
to
the
above,
we
should
interpret
what
our
sages
said
(Avot,
Chapter
1),
“Be
not
as
slaves
serving
the
great
one
in
order
to
receive
reward.”
We
should
interpret
that
when
you
come
to
pray
to
the
Creator
to
grant
your
wishes,
your
desire
should
not
be
to
receive
reward,
meaning
half
a
filling,
that
you
pray
that
He
will
satisfy
only
half
your
lack,
since
half
of
the
lack
has
already
been
filled
by
the
others,
as
in
“A
trouble
shared—half
a
comfort,”
since
he
does
not
feel
that
his
state
is
the
worst
in
the
world.
But
when
he
sees
that
his
state
is
worse
than
the
entire
world,
he
does
not
receive
any
filling
from
the
public.
Naturally,
when
he
prays
that
the
Creator
will
grant
his
wish,
he
has
a
complete
Kli
with
a
lack.
This
is
not
so
when
he
receives
a
reward
from
others,
for
Pras
[reward]
comes
from
the
verse,
“Paras
[cut
in
half]
at
dawn
and
Paras
at
twilight.”
Now
we
can
interpret
what
we
asked
if
there
is
no
blessing
on
an
empty
place,
this
is
because
the
cursed
does
not
cling
to
the
blessed.
For
this
reason,
he
cannot
receive
filling
for
his
prayer,
since
the
blessing
cannot
come
into
a
place
of
curse,
as
in
the
words
of
The
Zohar.
According
to
what
we
explained,
the
prayer
is
not
regarded
as
a
real
prayer
unless
he
feels
that
he
is
the
worst
person
in
the
world,
and
that
there
is
no
one
else
in
the
world
who
suffers
like
he
does
from
the
evil
within
him.
It
follows
that
he
is
called
“cursed,”
and
how
can
he
receive
filling
for
his
lack,
since
“the
blessed
does
not
cling
to
the
cursed.”
The
answer
is
that
“cursed”
is
regarded
as
the
opposite
of
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity].
Kedusha
is
blessing
and
life,
and
in
a
lack,
there
is
nothing
that
can
have
some
life
in
it,
since
the
poor
has
nothing
from
which
to
receive
vitality,
as
our
sages
said,
“The
poor
is
regarded
as
dead.”
For
this
reason,
they
said
in
The
Zohar
that
a
table
on
which
a
person
blesses
before
the
Creator
must
also
not
be
empty,
since
there
is
no
blessing
in
an
empty
place.
However,
when
a
person
reflects
on
whether
he
is
truly
as
he
feels,
that
the
fact
that
he
cannot
do
anything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
is
truly
a
state
of
evil
and
lowliness,
that
there
could
not
be
worse
than
him.
If
so,
the
question
is,
What
is
the
merit
that
he
has,
in
that
he
was
rewarded
with
seeing
the
truth,
while
others
were
not
rewarded,
but
rather
think
they
are
complete?
Although
they,
too,
feel
that
they
still
do
not
have
real
wholeness,
they
still
feel
that
they
are
standing
above
the
general
public,
since
they
have
Torah
and
work,
except
they
need
to
add
a
little
more
in
quantity.
But
in
quality,
although
they
understand
that
there
is
more
to
add,
it
is
not
so
bad;
there
are
worse
people.
They
believe
that
there
is
always
more
to
add,
but
they
can
do
without
the
addition
to
what
they
have.
Thus,
why
does
that
person
feel
that
he
really
has
nothing?
Who
revealed
to
him
this
secret
that
we
must
work
Lishma
and
that
he
is
still
far
from
it?
For
this
reason,
he
suffers
and
feels
that
he
is
poor,
that
he
has
nothing,
and
many
times
he
thinks
he
would
be
better
off
dead.
He
sees
that
he
is
no
better
than
others,
but
what
is
the
reason
that
he
was
rewarded
with
seeing
the
truth?
He
says
that
knowing
this
must
have
come
to
him
from
above,
and
not
from
his
own
powers.
Hence,
now
he
sees
that
the
Creator
is
more
considerate
with
him
than
with
others.
It
follows
that
on
this,
that
He
has
revealed
to
him
from
above
the
truth,
which
is
what
Maimonides
says,
that
this
secret
is
not
revealed
until
they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom,
now
a
person
sees
that
from
above,
the
secret
of
having
to
work
Lishma
has
been
revealed
to
him.
Now
he
prays
that
the
Creator
will
bring
him
closer
and
will
give
him
the
assistance,
as
our
sages
said,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.”
That
is,
he
already
has
something
and
he
is
no
longer
regarded
as
having
an
empty
table,
for
the
fact
that
he
came
to
purify,
meaning
knowing
that
he
feels
the
need
for
the
work
Lishma,
is
itself
regarded
as
a
blessing,
meaning
that
a
person
has
been
rewarded
with
knowing
the
truth.
About
this,
about
knowing
this,
a
person
should
thank
the
Creator.
This
is
called
“a
blessing.”
On
this
there
can
be
a
blessing
from
above,
for
it
is
not
an
empty
thing—that
the
person
has
been
rewarded
with
knowing
that
we
must
walk
on
the
path
of
bestowal.
This
means
that
the
fact
that
he
wants
to
walk
on
the
path
of
bestowal,
he
does
not
feel
this
as
luxury,
as
an
addition
to
the
work.
Rather,
he
feels
this
as
the
core.
That
is,
the
essence
of
man’s
work
is
that
we
were
given
Torah
and
Mitzvot
to
cleanse
Israel
with
them.
He
does
not
see
any
progress
in
this
cleansing.
On
the
contrary,
each
time,
he
sees
how
far
he
is
from
the
work
of
bestowal,
and
sees
that
now
he
is
more
immersed
in
self-love.
It
therefore
follows
that
now
he
has
in
his
prayer
a
life
that
he
has
received
from
above,
and
for
which
he
must
thank
the
Creator.
This
is
regarded
that
he
already
has
a
blessing,
and
the
upper
blessing
has
something
on
which
to
be.
This
is
no
longer
regarded
as
an
empty
thing.
It
can
be
said
about
this,
“Serve
the
Lord
with
gladness.”
This
raises
the
question,
How
can
one
be
glad
when
he
should
pray
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart?
which
means
that
he
has
nothing,
so
how
can
he
be
glad?
The
answer
is
that
he
believes
that
his
praying
to
the
Creator
will
bring
him
closer
to
working
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
and
that
this
is
the
essence
of
man’s
work,
and
he
received
this
from
above.
This
awareness
can
make
it
possible
to
be
in
gladness
that
he
has
been
rewarded
with
understanding
the
truth
of
what
he
lacks
and
for
what
to
pray.
Now
we
see
that
man
should
receive
life
from
the
present,
from
what
he
has
now.
This
is
regarded
as
the
table
on
which
a
person
blesses
before
the
Creator
is
not
empty,
as
said
in
The
Zohar.
That
is,
he
has
something
from
which
to
receive
life,
as
it
is
written,
life
and
blessing.
And
what
he
asks
is
that
he
wants
to
receive
and
enjoy
the
future.
That
is,
a
person
receives
vitality
from
what
he
can
be
glad
about
now,
and
this
is
regarded
as
living
from
the
present.
That
is,
when
can
we
say
that
he
has
nourishment
from
the
present?
If
he
knows
how
to
appreciate
the
fact
that
the
Creator
has
given
him
the
knowledge
of
the
truth.
At
that
time
he
sees
that
the
Creator
is
indeed
considerate
with
him
and
watches
over
him
to
see
that
he
walks
in
the
path
of
truth.
If
he
can
believe
this
then
he
has
nourishment,
he
nourishes
himself
from
the
fact
that
he
has
life.
And
a
person
can
see
his
measure
of
faith
according
to
the
gratitude
he
gives
to
the
Creator
for
this.
This
means
that
if
he
cannot
thank
the
Creator
for
the
lack
that
the
Creator
has
shown
him,
it
is
for
lack
of
faith
that
the
Creator
watches
over
him
with
Private
Providence.
You
could
ask,
If
he
can
be
glad
and
believe
that
the
Creator
guides
him
in
Private
Providence,
why
should
he
pray
to
the
Creator?
Moreover,
if
he
thanks
the
Creator
for
the
lack,
how
can
he
then
pray
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart
and
say
that
he
is
suffering
from
being
far
from
the
Creator?
One
contradicts
the
other.
If
he
has
joy
in
the
present
and
receives
vitality
from
this,
what
should
he
ask
about
the
future,
that
the
Creator
will
grant
his
wishes?
The
answer
is
that
we
say
that
the
fact
that
a
person
is
happy
stems
from
the
fact
that
he
has
come
to
know
the
truth
that
on
the
path
of
bestowal,
which
is
the
essence
of
our
work,
he
has
not
even
begun.
Therefore,
it
pains
him
that
he
is
remote.
And
if
he
does
not
suffer
from
his
remoteness
from
the
Creator
and
he
is
still
immersed
in
self-love,
what
kind
of
truth
is
this,
that
we
can
thank
the
Creator
for
revealing
the
truth
to
us—that
we
are
at
the
bottom
of
the
pit,
the
place
of
Klipot
[shells/peels]
and
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side].
By
knowing
this,
the
Creator
saves
him
from
death.
If
he
agrees
to
remain
separated
from
the
Creator
and
derives
satisfaction
from
this,
then
he
is
still
in
a
state
of
“secret,”
for
Lo
Lishma
is
called
“the
potion
of
death,”
since
he
wants
to
remain
in
that
state.
It
follows
that
even
the
gratitude
he
gives
to
the
Creator
is
not
the
truth,
since
he
still
does
not
know
the
secret
that
the
wicked
in
their
lives
are
called
“dead”
because
they
are
separated
from
the
Life
of
Lives
and
want
to
remain
in
Lo
Lishma.
Rather,
precisely
to
the
extent
that
he
asks
about
the
future,
that
the
Creator
will
deliver
him
from
the
governance
of
self-love,
that
now
the
Creator
has
told
him
the
secret
that
the
essence
of
the
work
is
Lishma,
and
he
suffers
from
this
and
wants
the
Creator
to
help
him
as
soon
as
possible,
then
it
can
be
said
that
he
is
happy
that
the
Creator
has
revealed
to
him
the
truth.
Hence,
we
should
understand
these
two
opposites
in
one
subject:
One
is
in
the
present,
that
he
has
achieved
the
recognition
of
evil,
and
from
this
state
he
must
escape,
and
the
satisfaction
of
the
deficiency
is
in
the
future.
It
follows
that
the
blessing
in
the
beginning
is
because
he
has
come
to
know
the
truth,
and
from
this
he
must
derive
joy
in
the
present.
This
is
called
“serve
the
Lord
with
gladness.”
Afterward,
there
is
a
blessing,
meaning
in
the
future,
that
he
will
receive
the
filling,
that
the
Creator
will
give
him
the
assistance,
as
our
sages
said,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.”
This
is
what
it
means
that
when
a
person
comes
to
pray,
he
should
not
be
in
a
state
of
cursed,
but
be
in
a
state
of
blessed.
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
what
our
sages
said,
“One
should
always
establish
the
praise
of
the
Creator
and
then
pray”
(Berachot
32).
That
is,
before
the
prayer,
he
should
see
that
he
is
not
an
empty
Kli,
but
that
he
has
blessing
from
receiving
from
the
Creator
the
awareness
of
the
truth—that
we
must
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
our
own
sake.
He
thanks
the
Creator
for
letting
him
know
for
what
to
pray.
It
is
written,
“establish
the
praise
of
the
Creator.”
Which
praise
should
he
say?
The
answer
is
that
it
is
for
the
Creator
revealing
to
him
the
truth
he
did
not
have,
and
that
he
will
not
deceive
himself
that
he
is
fine,
like
the
general
public
thinks.
Instead,
the
Creator
has
revealed
to
him
that
he
is
missing
an
essential
thing,
and
if
he
prays
for
it,
meaning
if
he
knows
the
great
need
to
know
what
he
really
lacks,
as
he
understands
now,
then
he
has
a
Kli
that
the
Creator
can
fill,
since
now
he
is
giving
a
prayer
from
the
bottom
of
the
heart.
This
is
called
“a
complete
Kli.”
A
person
needs
to
know
that
in
fact,
he
does
not
need
anything
but
the
ability
to
be
able
to
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
since
only
then
he
will
be
able
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure,
since
the
Creator
created
the
world
only
for
this
purpose—to
do
good
to
His
creations.
According
to
the
above,
we
can
interpret
the
words
of
The
Zohar
where
it
says,
“The
other
table,
that
of
the
Sitra
Achra,
is
a
table
of
emptiness.”
As
we
explained
concerning
the
table
of
Kedusha,
which
The
Zohar
calls
“The
table
on
which
a
man
blesses
before
the
Creator
should
not
be
empty
because
there
is
no
blessing
in
an
empty
place,”
this
is
so
because
the
cursed
does
not
cling
to
the
blessed.
The
table
is
a
place
on
which
we
receive
the
blessing
of
the
Creator.
Hence,
Kedusha
means
that
he
believes
that
the
Creator
has
given
him
the
knowledge
what
to
ask.
This
is
a
great
blessing
when
we
know
the
reason
for
the
illness.
This
is
not
so
with
the
Sitra
Achra.
That
is,
when
a
person
asks
the
Creator
to
grant
his
wishes
and
send
him
a
blessing,
but
does
not
believe
that
the
Creator
has
given
him
room
to
pray,
this
is
the
Sitra
Achra,
which
is
unlike
Kedusha.