What
Is
the
Difference
between
General
and
Individual
in
the
Work
of
the
Creator?
Article
33,
1988
Our
sages
wrote
(Makot
24),
“Habakkuk
came
and
established
them
on
one:
As
it
was
said,
‘And
a
righteous
lives
by
his
faith.’”
This
means
that
the
fact
that
we
must
observe
all
of
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[commandments/good
deeds]
is
in
order
to
achieve
this
element,
which
is
faith.
That
is,
what
is
required
of
a
person,
that
he
must
achieve
wholeness,
is
to
come
to
faith
in
the
Creator.
This
means
that
once
he
has
achieved
faith,
he
is
a
complete
person.
We
must
understand
this
matter.
There
is
the
matter
that
a
person
must
engage
in
the
correction
of
creation,
since
because
man
was
created
with
a
nature
of
wanting
to
receive
for
himself,
which
is
opposite
in
form
from
the
Creator,
for
the
Creator
is
the
giver
and
through
disparity
of
form,
man
became
separated
from
the
Creator,
so
how
does
having
faith
help
him
if
he
is
still
separated
from
the
Creator?
Also,
why
did
they
say,
“Habakkuk
came
and
established
them
on
one:
‘And
a
righteous
lives
by
his
faith’”?
which
implies
that
if
he
has
faith
then
he
has
wholeness.
The
answer
is
that
we
must
know
that
there
is
an
important
matter
here,
which
is
a
key
issue
that
requires
much
attention
so
that
we
can
accept
this
as
the
gate
by
which
man
can
be
rewarded
with
complete
faith.
Otherwise,
he
will
have
only
partial
faith.
It
is
written
in
the
“Introduction
to
The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot”
(Item
14):
“Rather,
it
is
partial
faith.
Thus,
one
allots
oneself
out
of
the
measure
of
his
faith
in
the
Creator
only
one
hour
a
day
to
practice
Torah
and
work.
…The
third
does
not
neglect
even
a
single
moment.
…Thus,
only
the
faith
of
the
last
one
is
whole.”
In
order
for
a
person
to
be
rewarded
with
complete
faith,
he
must
first
emerge
from
self-love,
or
he
will
not
be
able
to
be
granted
with
complete
faith.
Otherwise,
he
will
not
be
given
from
above
the
possibility
to
have
complete
faith.
However,
this
is
for
man’s
benefit.
It
is
as
it
is
written
in
the
Sulam
(“Introduction
of
The
Book
of
Zohar,”
[with
the
Sulam
(Ladder)
Commentary],
Item
138):
“It
is
a
law
that
the
creature
cannot
receive
disclosed
evil
from
the
Creator,
for
it
is
a
flaw
in
the
glory
of
the
Creator
for
the
creature
to
perceive
Him
as
an
evildoer,
as
it
is
unbecoming
of
the
Complete
Operator.
Hence,
when
one
feels
bad,
denial
of
the
Creator’s
guidance
lies
upon
him
to
that
extent,
and
the
Operator
is
concealed
from
him.”
Therefore,
before
a
person
can
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
from
the
Creator,
he
cannot
achieve
faith.
The
condition
that
must
be
met
in
order
to
be
given
the
delight
and
pleasure
is
vessels
of
bestowal.
On
the
vessels
of
reception,
there
was
a
correction
not
to
use
them,
for
by
them
one
becomes
distant
from
the
Creator
due
to
the
disparity
of
form
between
them.
It
follows
before
faith,
a
person
must
be
rewarded
with
the
correction
of
the
Kelim
[vessels],
called
“correction
of
creation.”
It
is
as
Baal
HaSulam
wrote
there:
“Know
that
this
is
the
whole
difference
between
this
world,
before
the
correction,
and
the
end
of
correction.
Before
the
end
of
correction,
Malchut
is
called
‘the
tree
of
good
and
evil,’
since
the
Malchut
is
the
guidance
of
the
Creator
in
this
world.
As
long
as
the
receivers
have
not
been
completed
so
they
can
receive
His
whole
benevolence,
which
He
had
contemplated
in
our
favor
in
the
thought
of
creation
(meaning
that
while
our
vessels
of
reception
have
not
been
corrected
to
work
in
order
to
bestow,
He
cannot
give
us
the
delight
and
pleasure
because
it
will
all
go
to
the
Klipot
[shells/peels]),
the
guidance
must
be
in
the
form
of
good
and
bad,
and
reward
and
punishment.
It
is
so
because
our
vessels
of
reception
are
still
tainted
with
self-reception,
which
is
very
restrictive
in
its
quality,
and
also
separates
us
from
the
Creator.
Thus,
the
complete
benefit,
in
the
great
measure
He
had
contemplated
for
us,
is
absent.”
Accordingly,
we
see
that
indeed,
this
element,
which
is
faith,
is
the
most
important.
We
asked,
How
can
it
be
said
that
faith
is
wholeness,
since
we
also
need
the
correction
of
creation,
called
“obtaining
vessels
of
bestowal?”
Otherwise,
the
abundance
cannot
come
to
the
lower
ones
because
of
the
disparity
of
form.
The
answer
is
that
in
general,
we
must
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
obtain
vessels
of
bestowal.
It
is
as
our
sages
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice,
for
the
light
in
it
reforms
him.”
It
follows
that
the
first
discernment
in
the
order
of
the
work
is
to
reform
the
evil,
called
“will
to
receive
for
oneself,”
meaning
that
he
will
have
the
strength
to
use
everything
in
order
to
bestow.
However,
we
should
discern
here
that
in
order
to
come
to
know
that
the
will
to
receive
is
called
“evil,”
we
need
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
Before
a
person
realizes
that
the
receiver
is
called
“evil,”
how
can
he
be
reformed?
It
is
as
we
said
in
previous
essays,
that
our
sages
said,
“Why
is
the
Torah
called
Tushia
[gumption/resourcefulness]?
It
is
because
it
Mateshet
[drains/exhausts]
man’s
strength.”
We
asked,
but
they
said,
“If
his
head
aches,
let
him
engage
in
Torah.
If
his
belly
aches,
let
him
engage
in
Torah,
as
was
said,
‘It
is
a
healing
to
all
his
flesh’”
(Iruvin
54).
According
to
what
Baal
HaSulam
said,
the
Torah
is
called
a
“potion.”
That
is,
sometimes
it
is
a
potion
of
life,
and
sometimes
it
is
a
potion
of
death.
He
said
that
a
medical
potion
heals
those
who
are
sick.
But
if
a
healthy
person
took
medical
potions
he
would
become
sick.
That
is,
when
the
Torah
comes
to
one
who
has
a
need,
it
can
heal
him.
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
that
first
a
person
must
learn
Torah,
in
order
to
see
that
he
is
sick.
This
is
why
they
said
that
the
Torah
exhausts
a
person’s
strength.
That
is,
through
the
Torah,
he
can
come
to
see
that
the
“man”
in
him
is
weak
and
has
no
strength
to
overcome.
At
that
time
he
sees
that
he
is
sick
in
spirituality.
Through
the
Torah,
he
comes
to
the
recognition
of
evil,
as
The
Zohar
says
about
the
verse,
“Or
make
his
sin
known
to
him,”
which
means
that
the
Torah
notifies
him
that
he
has
sinned.
If
the
Torah
does
not
notify
him,
a
person
cannot
know
or
feel
that
receiving
for
oneself
is
called
“bad”
due
to
the
disparity
of
form
between
him
and
the
Creator.
Knowing
that
disparity
of
form
causes
separation
has
to
come
from
above,
through
the
Torah.
Hence,
we
should
say
that
the
order
is
that
1)
he
observes
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
achieve
recognition
of
evil,
and
2)
he
observes
Torah
and
Mitzvot
because
“the
light
in
it
reforms
him.”
This
is
the
time
when
he
receives
strength
from
above,
called
“desire
to
bestow,”
which
is
regarded
as
equivalence
of
form.
3)
Faith,
which
is
the
meaning
of
“Habakkuk
came
and
established
them
on
one:
‘A
righteous
lives
by
his
faith.’”
It
follows
that
everything
we
do
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
general
is
in
order
to
achieve
this
element,
which
his
faith.
At
that
time
he
can
receive
complete
faith.
It
follows
that
all
of
his
work
is
only
in
order
to
achieve
this.
However,
before
these
three
above
discernments,
there
is
a
discernment
that
applies
to
the
whole
of
Israel.
This
is
the
first
discernment
when
a
person’s
education
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
begins:
It
is
that
the
whole
world
must
know
for
what
purpose
they
should
observe
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot—to
receive
reward.
And
if
they
do
not
observe,
they
will
suffer
punishment.
This
is
the
common
order,
as
Maimonides
says,
“When
teaching
children,
women,
and
uneducated
people,
they
are
taught
to
work
only
out
of
fear
and
in
order
to
receive
reward.
Until
they
gain
knowledge
and
acquire
much
wisdom,
they
are
taught
that
secret
little
by
little”
(Maimonides,
Hilchot
Teshuva,
Chapter
10).
It
follows
that
the
order
of
the
work
is
that
1)
the
whole
of
Israel
are
taught
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
with
all
its
details
and
intricacies
with
an
intention
of
self-love.
They
must
not
be
taught
that
they
must
work
Lishma
[for
Her
sake],
which
is
in
order
to
bestow.
Rather,
they
must
work
and
toil
only
in
order
to
receive
for
their
own
benefit.
We
should
know
that
work
for
self-love
means
to
be
rewarded
with
the
next
world
by
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot.
If
that
person
has
real
energy
to
work
for
self-benefit,
he
will
be
ready
to
do
anything.
That
is,
if
he
is
energetic
and
wants
to
be
rewarded
with
the
next
world,
he
will
be
willing
to
do
work
that
is
above
reason,
which
a
person’s
reason
cannot
understand.
It
is
as
it
is
written
(Deuteronomy
12:30),
“Beware,
do
not
inquire
after
their
gods,
saying,
‘How
do
these
nations
serve
their
gods,
that
I
also
may
do
likewise?’
You
shall
not
do
so,
for
they
even
burn
their
sons
and
daughters
in
the
fire
to
their
gods.”
RASHI
brings
the
interpretation
of
our
sages:
“Including
their
fathers
and
mothers.
Rabbi
Akiva
said,
‘I
saw
a
foreigner
who
tied
his
father
before
his
dog
and
ate
him.’
The
author
of
the
book
Siftei
Chachamim
interprets,
‘He
means
to
say
idolatry.
‘He
ate
him’
means
that
he
burned
him
in
fire.’”
However,
we
must
know
that
although
a
man
is
willing
to
work
for
his
own
benefit
and
do
the
hardest
work
if
he
believes
that
he
will
be
guaranteed
the
next
world,
even
if
they
are
told
to
burn
their
sons
and
daughters
and
their
parents,
there
are
among
them
with
energy
and
strength
for
this
work,
since
they
are
still
inside
the
Kli
[vessel]
of
self-love.
It
follows
that
this
is
still
not
regarded
as
“above
reason.”
In
other
words,
we
can
understand
that
it
is
inherent
in
nature
that
a
person
is
willing
to
do
anything
for
the
will
to
receive
for
himself.
We
also
find
that
during
the
ruin
of
the
Temple,
it
is
written
(Lamentations
4:10),
“Compassionate
women
cooked
their
own
children;
they
became
food
for
them.”
The
Holy
Alsheich
interprets
“food
for
them”
to
mean
that
“only
they
themselves
ate
their
children’s
flesh.
This
is
the
meaning
of
‘for
them,’
only
the
mothers
alone
ate,
and
did
not
share
it
with
their
remaining
children,
even
though
they,
too,
were
hungry.”
This
shows
us
what
a
person
can
do
for
self-love
when
there
is
no
Kedusha
[holiness/sanctity]
but
rather
the
ruin
of
Kedusha,
and
only
the
will
to
receive
for
themselves
rules:
“Compassionate
women
cooked
their
own
children.”
We
have
two
examples:
1)
For
the
will
to
receive,
in
return
for
burning
children
and
parents,
the
next
world,
or
in
order
to
receive
this
world,
for
which
“Compassionate
women
cooked
their
own
children.”
It
follows
that
a
person
can
do
anything
in
order
to
satisfy
the
will
to
receive—the
nature
in
which
man
is
born.
But
when
beginning
to
work
on
the
path
of
the
individual,
meaning
to
be
rewarded
with
Dvekut
with
the
Creator,
meaning
when
we
must
emerge
from
self-love,
a
person
cannot
do
even
the
smallest
work.
That
is,
if
a
person
is
told,
“Do
the
same
thing
you
are
doing,
but
place
over
it
the
aim
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator
without
any
reward.
This
is
very
hard
to
do
because
it
is
against
nature,
called
“will
to
receive
for
oneself.”
That
is,
the
same
work,
meaning
the
same
practical
labor
that
a
person
does,
without
needing
to
add
any
effort
but
simply
aim
to
do
this
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
leaves
him
powerless.
It
seems
to
him
as
though
a
high
mountain
stands
in
front
of
him
and
he
cannot
move
the
mountain
one
bit.
He
feels
as
though
his
whole
world
has
been
ruined,
and
all
because
it
is
against
our
nature.
In
that
state,
when
a
person
wants
to
reach
the
truth
and
do
the
work
of
the
individual,
he
is
notified
from
above
that
he
is
in
a
state
of
lowliness,
since
he
sees
that
he
cannot
do
anything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
That
state
is
called
“recognition
of
evil.”
This
is
called
“the
first
state
in
the
work
of
the
individual,”
which
is
recognition
of
evil.
Afterward
begins
phase
two,
when
he
must
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
so
that
the
light
in
it
will
reform
him,
since
through
the
light
he
will
receive
vessels
of
bestowal,
meaning
that
he
will
have
passion
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator
and
from
this
he
will
enjoy.
After
that
comes
phase
three,
which
is
complete
faith,
as
was
said
above,
that
“Habakkuk
came
and
established
them
on
one:
‘And
a
righteous
lives
by
his
faith.’”
This
is
the
element
[also
“individual”]
that
a
person
must
achieve.
When
he
has
faith,
he
will
be
rewarded
with
the
delight
and
pleasure
in
His
providence,
as
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
We
could
ask
about
what
is
written
in
the
Sulam
[Ladder
Commentary
on
The
Zohar]:
“It
is
a
law
that
the
creature
cannot
receive
disclosed
evil
from
the
Creator,
for
it
is
a
flaw
in
the
glory
of
the
Creator
for
the
creature
to
perceive
Him
as
an
evildoer.
Hence,
when
one
feels
bad,
the
Operator
is
concealed
from
him.”
Why
should
the
Creator
mind
if
a
person
perceives
him
as
an
evildoer?
Does
the
Creator
seek
respect
from
the
created
beings,
to
respect
Him
for
His
sake?
He
does
not
need
things
that
pertain
to
flesh
and
blood.
Rather,
it
is
for
man’s
sake.
The
flaw
that
we
speak
of
in
spirituality,
such
as
that
he
casts
a
flaw
in
Kedusha,
the
Sitra
Achra
[other
side]
is
there
at
the
root
of
the
soul
of
a
person
who
has
caused
the
flaw
above.
That
is,
we
must
believe
that
the
name
of
the
Creator
is
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
It
follows
that
when
a
person
feels
that
he
is
in
a
bad
state,
he
cannot
justify
Providence
and
say
that
the
Creator
is
behaving
toward
him
as
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
It
follows
that
a
person
receives
the
flaw
that
he
has
flawed
in
the
Holy
Name,
which
is
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
And
when
a
person
receives
good
from
above,
he
is
happy
and
can
say
wholeheartedly,
“Blessed
is
He
who
said,
‘Let
there
be
the
world.’”
But
when
a
person
feels
bad,
he
cannot
say,
“Blessed
is
He
who
said,
‘Let
there
be
the
world.’”
Instead,
a
person
says
what
Job
said
(Job
3),
“And
Job
answered
and
said,
‘Let
the
day
on
which
I
was
born
perish,
and
the
night
which
said,
‘A
boy
is
conceived.’
That
day
shall
be
darkness.’”
For
this
reason,
this
is
a
correction
because
at
that
time,
when
a
person
does
not
believe
that
the
Creator
has
caused
him
all
the
hardships,
he
does
not
slander
the
Creator.
By
extension,
in
corporeality,
we
sometimes
see
a
person
whose
son
works
for
a
salary
that
is
not
enough
to
sustain
him.
When
he
began
to
work,
he
was
still
a
bachelor
and
the
salary
then
was
good.
But
now,
he
cannot
sustain
himself
on
this
salary.
The
father
speaks
to
his
son:
“Since
you
see
that
the
employer
is
not
giving
you
a
raise,
go
look
for
a
job
that
pays
better.”
But
the
son
replies,
“I
am
already
used
to
the
employer
and
the
coworkers;
I
cannot
leave
that
place.”
What
does
the
father
do?
He
goes
to
the
employer
and
tells
him
of
the
situation
with
his
son.
The
employer
replies
that
he
cannot
give
him
a
raise,
but
he
can
send
him
to
where
he
will
be
better
paid.
At
that
time,
the
father
asks
of
him:
“Tell
my
son
that
you
have
no
work
for
him,
so
he
will
go
elsewhere.
I
spoke
to
him
several
times
about
leaving
the
job
where
he
is
not
paid
well
and
go
where
they
pay
a
better
salary,
but
I
will
tell
you
the
truth,
he
told
me
that
he
likes
you
and
his
coworkers
and
this
is
why
he
does
not
want
to
leave
this
place.
Therefore,
if
you
fire
him,
he
will
have
no
choice
but
to
go
elsewhere.
But
I
am
asking
you,
don’t
tell
him
that
I’ve
been
here
and
asked
you
not
to
let
him
work
for
you.
Otherwise,
he
will
say
that
he
has
a
father
who
is
cruel
to
his
son.
That
is,
he
cannot
understand
that
by
trying
to
get
him
fired,
it
is
for
his
best.
That
is,
when
he
hears
from
his
employer
that
I
asked
that
he
would
be
fired,
what
would
he
say,
‘May
the
Lord
bless
my
father,
who
is
trying
so
hard
only
for
my
sake’?
There
is
no
doubt,
he
will
be
very
angry
at
his
father.”
So
it
is
in
spirituality—that
the
Creator
sends
a
person
a
state
of
descent.
That
is,
from
a
situation
where
he
received
sustenance,
although
his
father
understood
that
it
was
not
sufficient
sustenance
and
he
could
earn
more,
the
son
did
not
understand
it.
For
this
reason,
the
Creator
sends
him
a
descent,
which
is
akin
to
being
fired
from
work.
At
that
time,
he
is
angry
with
the
Creator
for
sending
harm
his
way,
since
he
knows
that
prior
to
this,
he
was
in
a
state
of
ascent
in
spirituality,
but
the
Creator
threw
him,
so
of
course
he
is
angry
with
the
Creator.
This
is
regarded
as
“He
who
doubts
the
Shechina
[Divinity],
his
punishment
is
very
grave.”
Therefore,
when
there
is
a
correction
that
he
does
not
find
the
evildoer,
he
has
no
one
at
whom
to
be
angry.
It
follows
that
not
knowing
who
is
the
one
doing
all
these
things
is
to
his
best.
He
said
there,
“One
who
exerts
not
to
part
from
faith
in
Him,
although
he
tastes
a
bad
taste
in
Providence,
is
rewarded.
If
he
does
not
exert,
he
will
be
punished
because
he
has
parted
from
faith
in
Him.
Thus,
although
He
alone
did,
does,
and
will
do
all
the
deeds,
this
still
remains
hidden
from
those
who
feel
good
and
bad.”
We
see
that
one
who
can
exert
and
say
that
the
Creator
is
sending
him
the
bad,
and
it
is
for
his
best,
he
remains
in
faith,
to
the
extent
that
he
can
say
that
the
Creator
has
sent
him
the
state
he
is
in
for
his
own
benefit.
This
is
not
regarded
as
“doing
harm.”
Thus,
he
remains
in
faith.
Conversely,
if
he
cannot
say
that
the
Creator
has
sent
him
this
for
his
sake,
but
that
it
is
to
his
detriment,
that
state
is
called
that
the
Creator
does
harm.
For
this
reason,
He
must
hide
from
him
the
Operator.
This
is
regarded
as
losing
the
faith,
and
it
is
regarded
as
a
punishment.
It
follows
that
were
it
not
for
the
ascents
and
descents,
a
person
would
not
be
able
to
feel
that
he
is
deficient.
That
is,
he
would
not
feel
that
he
needs
heaven’s
mercy,
that
it
is
not
within
man’s
power
to
emerge
from
self-love
and
make
his
wish
only
to
bring
contentment
to
his
Maker.
Rather,
all
his
work
can
be
only
for
his
own
sake,
and
in
self-benefit,
he
has
the
power
to
do
things
that
a
person
cannot
imagine.
Or,
as
it
was
at
the
time
of
the
ruin
of
the
Temple,
when
compassionate
women
cooked
their
own
children,
as
they
served
their
gods,
burning
their
sons
and
daughters.
But
to
work
for
the
Creator,
meaning
not
wanting
any
return
for
their
work,
even
merely
an
intention
over
the
acts
of
reception,
a
person
cannot
do
this.
That
is,
if
one
wants
to
eat
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
his
own
sake,
although
the
act
is
reception
of
pleasure,
what
he
should
intend
is
out
of
his
hands.
Only
the
Creator
can
help
here.
This
is
the
difference
between
the
general
work,
which
belongs
to
the
general
public,
and
the
work
of
the
individual.