創造者面容的隱藏與揭示（一）

第一重隱藏（單重隱藏）

描寫：創造者的面容未被揭示。也就是說，創造者並沒有按照祂的名字——“善者及行善者”——來對待一個人。相反，情況恰恰相反：一個人受到祂的折磨，忍受貧困，債主盈門，生活極其苦澀。他整天充滿煩惱與憂慮，或者遭受健康受損和他人的輕蔑。他開始的每一個計畫都以失敗告終，始終處於不滿之中。

在這種情況下，一個人當然看不見創造者良善的面容。但是，如果他仍能相信是創造者對他做了這些事——無論是作為對他過犯的懲罰，還是為了最終獎賞他（正所謂“耶和華所愛的，祂必責備”，或“正義者以苦難開始，因為創造者最終願賦予他們極大的寧靜”）。

只要他沒有跌入“這一切都是由於盲目的命運和無目的的自然”這種想法中，而是加強信念，相信是創造者通過祂的天道指引導致了這一切，這仍被視為看到了創造者的“背影”。

第二重隱藏（隱藏中的隱藏）

第二重隱藏（書中稱為“隱藏中的隱藏”）意味著一個人甚至連創造者的背影都看不見。相反，他會說創造者已經拋棄了他，不再照看他。他將所感受到的所有痛苦歸因於盲目的命運和自然，因為祂的天道指引在他眼中變得如此複雜，以至於引導他走向了否定。

描寫：一個人為了自己的麻煩而祈禱、施捨，卻完全得不到回應。而恰恰當他停止為這些麻煩祈禱時，他反而得到了回應。每當他加強對祂的天道指引的信念並改惡行善時，運氣就背離他，讓他無情地跌落。而當他開始否定並惡化自己的行為時，他反而變得非常成功，壓力大減。

他無法通過正當手段獲得生計，只能通過欺騙他人或褻瀆安息日來維持。或者，他所有遵守托拉和誡命的熟人都遭受貧窮、疾病，並在他人眼中卑賤。這些誡命的遵守者在他看來不僅無禮，而且天生大腦空空，虛偽到讓他一分鐘也待不下去。

相反，他所有嘲笑信念的惡人朋友卻非常成功、富足且健康。他們不知疾病為何物，聰明、有德行且脾氣好。他們每天都無憂無慮、自信且寧靜。

當祂的天道指引為一個人的生活做出這種安排時，便被稱為“隱藏中的隱藏”。因為此時一個人會在其重壓下崩潰，無法繼續加強“痛苦是出於創造者某種隱藏理由”的信念。最終，他失敗了，變成了異教徒，並說創造者根本不照看祂的創造物，發生的一切皆是盲目的命運與自然。這便是連“背影”也看不見了。

創造者的面容揭示的描寫

在隱藏期間，一個人請求在對祂的天道指引的信念中變得更強，這會引導他去研讀經典和托拉，從中汲取光照和理解，以增強信心。這些通過托拉獲得的感悟被稱為“作為調料的托拉”。當它們累積到一定程度時，創造者會憐憫他，將上方的精神（即高級的充沛豐盛）傾注在他身上。

一旦他通過加強對創造者的信念，完全發現了這種“調料”——即吸收到體內的托拉之光——他就有資格在創造者面容揭示的狀態下接受引導。這意味著創造者對待他的方式與其名字“善者及行善者”相符。

祂的名字向我們表明，祂是善的，並以各種形式的益處向所有創造物給予良善，足以滿足以色列中每一種類型的接受者。因為顯然，一個人的愉悅和快樂與另一個人的不同。例如，致力於智慧的人不會享受名望和財富，而如果不致力於智慧，則無法享受智慧中的高深達成。因此，祂賜予一人財富與名望，賜予另一人智慧中的奇妙達成。

描寫：他從創造者那裡接受了充沛的良善和極大的寧靜，始終感到滿足。他能輕鬆且充裕地獲得生計，從不知煩惱或壓力，不知疾病，受人尊敬，能輕易完成心頭的任何計畫，且所到之處皆能成功。

當他有需求時，他一祈禱便立即得到回應。祂總是回應他所求的一切，沒有一個祈禱會被拒絕。當他加強善行時，他的成功會大幅增加；當他疏忽時，成功也會成比例地減少。

他所有的熟人都端莊、富足、健康，受人尊敬，完全沒有憂慮。他們整天平靜祥和。他們聰明、誠實且容貌俊美，讓他感到身處其中是莫大的祝福和快樂。

相反，他所有不遵循托拉之路的熟人生計落魄，債臺高築，沒有片刻安寧。他們患病、痛苦，受人鄙視。在他看來，這些人沒有頭腦，舉止粗魯，對人邪惡殘忍，虛偽且諂媚，讓人完全無法忍受。

Concealment and Disclosure of the Face of the Creator - 1

First concealment

(Depiction): His Face is not revealed; that is, the Creator does not behave toward a person according to His Name—The Good Who Does Good. Rather, it is to the contrary—one is afflicted by Him or suffers from poor income and many people wish to collect their debts from him and make his life bitter. His whole day is filled with troubles and worries. Or, one suffers from poor health and disrespect from people. Every plan he begins, he fails to complete, and he is constantly dissatisfied.

In this manner, of course one does not see the Creator’s Good Face, that is, if he believes that the Creator is the one who does these things to him, either as a punishment for transgressions he committed or to reward him in the end. This follows the verse, “Whom the Lord loves, He rebukes,” and also, “The righteous begin with suffering, since the Creator wishes to eventually impart them great tranquility.”

Yet, one does not fail in saying that all this came to him by blind fate and by nature without any reason or consideration. Rather, one strengthens in believing that the Creator, with His guidance, caused him all these. This is nonetheless considered seeing the Creator’s back.

Second concealment

The second concealment, which the books refer to as “concealment within concealment,” means that one cannot see even the Creator’s back. Instead, one says that the Creator has left him and does not watch over him. He ascribes all the sufferings he feels to blind fate and to nature, since the ways of Providence become so complicated in his eyes as to lead him to denial.

This means (depiction) that one prays and gives charity over one’s troubles but is not answered whatsoever. And precisely when he stops praying for his troubles, he is answered. Whenever he strengthens in believing in Providence and makes his deeds good, luck turns its back to him and he mercilessly falls back. And when he denies and begins to worsen his ways, he becomes very successful and is greatly relieved.

He does not find his sustenance in proper manners, but through deceit of people or desecration of Shabbat [Sabbath]. Or, all of his acquaintances who observe Torah and Mitzvot [commandments] suffer poverty, illness, and are despicable in the eyes of people. These observers of Mitzvot seem impolite to him, innately brainless, and so hypocritical that he cannot bear to be among them for even a minute.

Conversely, all his wicked acquaintances, who mock his faith, are very successful, well to do, and healthy. They know no sickness; they are clever, virtuous, and good-tempered. They are carefree, confident, and tranquil all day, every day.

When Providence arranges things in this manner for a person, it is called “concealment within concealment.” This is because then one collapses under one’s weight and cannot continue to strengthen the belief that his pains come to him from the Creator for some hidden reason. Finally, he fails, becomes heretic and says that the Creator does not watch over His creations whatsoever, and all that transpires, transpires by blind fate and nature. This is not seeing even the back.

Depiction of Disclosure of the Face

One’s request to become stronger in believing in His guidance over the world during the concealment brings one to contemplate the books, the Torah, and to draw from there the illumination and understanding how to strengthen his faith in His guidance. These illuminations and observations that one receives through the Torah are called “the Torah as a spice.” When they accumulate to a certain amount, the Creator has mercy on him and pours upon him the spirit from above, that is, the higher abundance.

But once he has completely discovered the spice—the light of Torah that one inhales into one’s body—through strengthening in faith in the Creator, one becomes worthy of guidance with His face revealed. This means that the Creator behaves with him as is fitting to His name, “The Good Who Does Good.”

His name shows us that He is good and does good to all His creations in all the forms of benefit, sufficient for every kind of receiver in the whole of Israel, for certainly, the delight and pleasure of one is not like the delight and pleasure of another. For example, one who engages in wisdom will not enjoy honor and wealth, and one who does not engage in wisdom will not enjoy great attainments and innovations in the wisdom. Thus, He gives wealth and honor to one, and wondrous attainments in the wisdom to another.

Thus (depiction), he receives abundant good and great tranquility from the Creator and is always satisfied, since he obtains his livelihood with ease and to the fullest, never knows trouble or pressure, knows no illness, is highly respected by people, easily completes any plan that comes to his mind, and succeeds wherever he turns.

And when he needs something, he prays and is immediately answered, as He always answers anything that he demands of Him, and not a single prayer is denied. When one strengthens in good deeds, his success substantially increases, and when he is negligent, his success proportionally decreases.

All of his acquaintances are decent, well to do, healthy, highly respected in the eyes of people, and have no worries at all. They are at peace all day and every day. They are smart, truthful, and so comely that he feels blessed and delighted to be among them.

Conversely, all of his acquaintances who do not follow the path of Torah are of poor livelihood, troubled by heavy debts, and do not have even a single moment’s rest. They are sick, in pain, and despised by people. They seem to him mindless, ill-mannered, wicked and cruel toward people, deceitful, and such sycophants that it is intolerable to be among them.