הרב הלל רזניק - הקדמה לספר הזהר אותיות י"ג-י"ט Rabbi Hillel Resnick - Introduction to The Zohar 13-19

(1) We must still understand, since the desire to receive for oneself is so defective and corrupt, how is it possible that this desire was bonded completely with the Creator in the state called Ein-Sof. This bond was so strong, that there are no words to describe this oneness.

(2) But the idea is, that when G-d decided to create the soul, in G-d's "mind" the desire to receive has already undergone transformation into receiving in order to give, for He does not need any actions to fulfill His thoughts, and instantly all the stages that the soul would experience had already occurred. The soul was then able to receive all the goodness that G-d had in store for it, because receiving in order to give is considered pure giving, and the soul is now in similarity of form with the Creator. Because G-d is eternal, the past present and future are all occurring simultaneously, the future is also the present. G-d is above time. The corrupt desire to receive was never in Ein-Sof to effectuate a separation from G-d. Just the opposite, the future situation, the similarity of form, the last stage of tikun, (receiving in order to give) appeared instantly. This is the deeper meaning of " before the world was created, He and His name were one". Separation never occurred in the "thought of creation" in Ein-Sof. The soul was always completely bonded with the Creator because of similarity of form. This is the meaning behind "He and His name are one". (In Hebrew "desire" and "His Name" have the same numerical value 346).

(1) The soul experiences three different situations. 1. In the "thought of creation" in Ein-Sof, where the future state, the last state of tikun, already exists.

(2) 2. In the state of "6000 years" where the soul is divided into a [spiritual] body (the desire to receive) and soul (the desire to give). And through efforts in Torah and Mitzvot the person transforms himself from a desire to receive into a desire to give pleasure to his Creator, with no desires for himself (except what is necessary for his existence). In this stage, there is no transformation/tikun of the [spiritual] body (the desire to receive), the transformation/tikun is only on the soul, the desire to give, (to transform it into giving just for the sake of giving, but not for any reward). In other words, to destroy (not to use), the [spiritual] body, the desire to receive (except for what is necessary), and to remain only with the desire to give, known as the soul. At this stage even the righteous who pass away, cannot enjoy Eden only after their [spiritual] body (the desire to receive) has completely disintegrated in the earth.

(3) 3.The last state of tikun, that occurs after the resurrection of the dead. At this time even the [spiritual] body (the desire to receive) will undergo transformation/tikun, and will only be used as a vehicle for the desire to give. Two goals will be accomplished, the desire to receive will receive all the pleasure, that is in the "thought of creation", and the desire to receive will be completely bonded to the Creator due to their both having "similarity of form". They will receive not for their own pleasure, but only to give pleasure to their Creator, since He has pleasure when we receive from Him.

(4) For the sake of brevity, I will no longer explain these three stages, but will only refer to them as situation 1, situation 2 and situation 3.

(1) When you contemplate these three situations, you realize that they are all linked. If there was no third situation, where the desire to receive is transformed into the desire to give, the first situation in Ein-Sof could not be realized. Because the first situation only appeared due to the future third situation. This future third situation already appeared [because] G-d is eternal, as the present situation. And all the completeness that manifested itself in that [first] situation is but a copy from the future into the present. However, if it were possible to cancel the future [third situation], there would be no actuality to the present [first situation]. We see then, that the third situation is the cause of the first situation. Of course, if the second situation is not realized, which is the toil and effort needed to bring into fruition the third situation, meaning the toil in the decay and transformation [of the desire to receive], and the attaining of different spiritual levels, then it is obvious that there would be no third situation.

(2) Also, the first situation in Ein-Sof obligates the second and third situation. The first situation creates a necessity for the two systems "this one as well as that one" in the second situation. In this [second]situation there is the corrupt impure[spiritual] body, that will undergo transformation/tikun. If there would be no impurity, there would be no desire to receive [what G-d wants to give], and no possibility of transformation/tikun into the third situation. The question that was asked, how is it possible that impurity comes from Ein-Sof is now moot, for just the opposite, the first situation (the desire to receive) brings into reality the second situation (not using the desire to receive, but only employing the desire to give).

(1) One cannot ask: If the above is correct, then there is no free will, due to the fact that we are required to reach the third situation, because the third situation is already present in the first situation. But the matter is thus: There are two paths that G-d established in order to bring about the third situation. The first, through the fulfillment of Torah and Mitzvot. The second, through pain, that afflicts the [spiritual] body, and forces the desire to receive to become the desire to give, and to bond with G-d. As is mentioned (Sanhedrin 97b) " If you repent, good; and if not, I will set upon you a king whose decrees are as difficult as Haman, whose decrees will force you to repent".

(2) This is also the meaning of the verse " in its time I will hasten it". If they are worthy, I will hasten it, and if they aren't worthy, in its time. That is, if we merit through the first path, through Torah and Mitzvot to transform ourselves, we hasten our transformation/tikun and we don't need the prolonged harsh and bitter pain that will eventually cause us to repent. However, if we don't take the first path, then, [it will occur]"in its time". That is, the prolonged pain will bring about our transformation/tikun even against our will. Part of this pain is also the punishment of the souls in Gehenna. But either way, the third situation, the last state of transformation/tikun, must be realized, because the first situation obligates it to occur. Our choices are either the path of pain, or the path of Torah and Mitzvot.

(1) We now have an answer to our third question. We asked: When we look around, we see that humanity has many faults, there are none as disgraceful as us. However, when we contemplate the Creator that created us, humanity should be on the highest level, being that we come from an extremely praiseworthy source. A quality manufacturer should only produce quality products.

(2) But as was originally stated, the [spiritual] body with all that it has acquired, is not our true [spiritual] body. Our true [spiritual] body, our eternal body, our complete body, is already flourishing in Ein-Sof in the first situation. For it has received its final form, from the future third situation, where receiving has become giving, and is now in "similarity of form" with Ein-Sof. And although, the first situation forces the second situation, that is deficient and corrupt, consisting of receiving only for ourselves, causing a separation from Ein-Sof, however, in this [second] stage we have the ability to transform ourselves (from a receiver into a giver), enabling us to acquire an eternal [spiritual] body [which is] the third situation (receiving in order to give). We should not resent this process, for there is no other way. Our effort is with the [spiritual] body (the desire to receive) whose transformation will cause it to end and disappear. For "a person cannot fix what he doesn't have". The truth is, we already are in a complete state that is worthy of the One who created us, even in the second situation. The [spiritual] body, the desire to receive only for oneself, does not detract from our lofty state since it is slated to die and be voided. It is only temporary, until we are able to transform it to its eternal state.

(1) We can now answer our fifth question, we asked: How is it possible that from an eternal entity, emerge beings that are transient and gone? But from our previous explanation it is understood. The truth is, we are eternal, we are complete, just as He is eternal and complete. Our eternal state, definitely requires that the "shell" the [spiritual] body, that was given to us only to work [on its transformation] be culminated and gone. Had it remained indefinitely, we would be forever separated from the source of life. We had already mentioned in paragraph 13, the [spiritual] body, the desire to receive only for oneself, is not found in the "thought of creation", [in Ein-Sof]. For in Ein-Sof we are already in the third situation. However, we are obligated to go through the second situation, in order to transform it into the third situation.

(2) We shouldn't ask regarding other creatures that were created, [but] only about humans. For people are the center of creation. The rest of creation was only created to help humanity on its spiritual quest, to achieve completeness. As a consequence of this, Nature and animals, become more passive or aggressive depending on the actions of people.

(1) With the above understanding, the fourth question is now explained. We asked: Since good produces goodness, how is it possible that G-d created beings that suffer throughout their lifetimes? But as we said, all the sufferings are obligated from the first situation, the situation that came into reality (in Ein-Sof) from the future third situation, [this first situation] forces us to proceed either in the way of Torah, or the way of suffering (both are possible in the second situation) in order to achieve our eternal state in the third situation. The suffering is only upon the shell, the [spiritual] body, that was destined for death and burial. This teaches us, that the desire to receive only for oneself, was created in order to erase it, and transform it into a desire to give. The pain that we experience are only revelations that divulge the worthlessness and damage that spread from the desire to receive.

(2) If all of mankind would agree to destroy the desire for themselves, and their desire would be only for others, all the worries and hazards would be eliminated. Everyone would be assured a healthy and complete life, for each of us would have an abundance of people who would take care and make sure that all our needs are met. However, all the worries, suffering, wars and corruption, that we have no refuge from, occur because we only think about ourselves. These weaken our bodies with diseases and pain.

(3) You now realize, that all the suffering that we experience in our world, those that are featured before our eyes, appear, in order to push us into cancelling the evil "shell" that is the [spiritual] body, and to accept upon us the desire to give. As we had said, pain has the ability to bring us to the desired state. [There are two types of Mitzvot, those that are between man and God, and those between man and his fellow man].

(4) But know this, the Mitzvot between man and his fellow man take precedence over the Mitzvot between man and G-d, because giving to others, leads one to give to G-d! (The goal is between man and G-d, but the vehicle to that goal is through the Mitzvot of man-to-man. See Tractate Shabbos 31a, the story of Hillel and the convert).