Not Good to be Alone

It is known that the world was created with Ten Sayings. The Kabbalists write that these parallel the Ten sefirot. G-d thus "wrapped Himself" in a garb of the Ten Holy Attributes.

Man can imitate these in the world below. He then becomes a Divine Throne for G-d's holy Will, as we find in our sacred texts, especially in Tomer Devorah (by Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, the RAMAK, of Safed).

And G-d said: It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper opposite him. (Gen. 2:18)

The Yalkut states that this verse is one of the Ten Sayings with which the world was created.1

The sign of the sacred covenant [of circumcision] which the Living G-d sealed in our flesh thus parallels the attribute [alluded to in the verse], "the Righteous One, the Foundation (yesod) of the universe". (Proverbs 10:25)

In the sacred texts, this attribute is also called "Good". In simple terms, this reflects the fact that this attribute is the foundation of all good. [In man, it is the organ which] transmits and procreates, paralleling the supernal attribute, which transmits all good and holy sustenance. It is for this reason that it is called, "the Righteous One (Tzadik), the Foundation (yesod) of the universe." The sign of the covenant is so great, it is logical that its blemish can cause the greatest harm…

Since the holiness of the sign of the covenant is so great, it is logical that its blemish can cause the greatest harm, resulting in the holy sustenance being cast out to the Outside Forces.

This being so, however, a question arises. Would it not have been better for man to have been created completely without the sexual urge, even for his proper mate? He could then be alone in the world, and not cause such great blemish.

Still, we realize that our logic is not necessarily that of the Creator of all things. It is written, "He created it not for desolation. He formed it to be inhabited" (Isaiah 45:18). The Zohar explains that this means, "Not to dwell between them, but from his kind, to make an inhabitation of them." Man was created with a sexual urge, and therefore, he does not dwell "between them" in (Tohu) the Universe of Desolation.

Man must therefore control this desire, and not allow it to bind him with its yoke. He must remove its lascivious power from within him, and make himself holy and pure, even with what is permitted to him. Then, when man and wife come together, they bring about a union of the supernal attributes, unifying the holy influence and bringing it to all Israel. When this urge is controlled and drawn to holiness, a great delight is born on high…

When this urge is controlled and drawn to holiness, a great delight is born on high. The individual then becomes a vehicle for the concept of "the Righteous One, the Foundation of the universe," which is also called "Good".

It is thus written, "It is not 'Good' for man to be alone." When man is alone, he cannot be a vehicle for the concept of "Good".

If man did not have this desire and did not have to control his physical urges, he could have been created like the angels or celestial beings, who live under the yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom. But the main delight is from those "who live in houses of clay." They were created with desires and with the Evil Urge, but they still fight against them and purify and sanctify their souls.

It is thus written, "I will make him a helper opposite him." Man's helper will be that which is "opposite him" namely the power of desire for the opposite sex, which will tempt him but not overcome him.

Our sages therefore say that this is one of the Ten Sayings. It parallels the sefira which is called "the Righteous One, the Foundation (yesod) of the universe", and is a vehicle for this attribute of "Good".

[Adapted from Avodat Yisrael, Bereishit (1b), The Chasidic Masters/Moznaim]