Chapter 1
הוא הי׳ אומר כל שרוח הבריות נוחה
הימנו רוח המקום נוחה הימנו וכל שאין
רוח הבריות נוחה הימנו אין רוח המקום נוחה הימנו
“He [Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa] used to say: ‘Anyone with whom his fellowmen [b’riyos] are pleased, G‑d is pleased with him; but anyone with whom his fellowmen are not pleased, G‑d is not pleased with him.’ ”1
The purpose of man’s creation is to bring G‑d pleasure through his good conduct, study of Torah, performance of mitzvos and refined character traits. This is expressed in the Divine saying:2 “It is pleasurable to Me that I have spoken and My will has been fulfilled.”
Torah is called “G‑d’s wisdom” and mitzvos are termed “G‑d’s will.” Wisdom accomplishes its goals by reasoning, while will achieves its goals through might in the form of a decree, without any why or wherefore.
The essential striving towards G‑dliness within every Jew [is so strong that it] leads to actual sacrifice of life, as the verse states:3 “For You we have given our lives….” Not only does a Jew suffer [willingly] for the sake of his belief in G‑d and Judaism, but he actually gives his life for this belief. All this emanates from the soul’s essential desire for unification with G‑dliness. For this reason, no Jew neither desires or is able to be severed (G‑d forbid) from G‑dliness.4
The tremendous strength of the soul’s desire for G‑d overwhelms all physical considerations. This fierce longing is manifest only when man’s will is truly bound up with G‑d’s will. The second characteristic of will is exactitude, that it be carried out in every detail.
This is also the difference between Torah and mitzvos. Since Torah is wisdom, we find various logical insights in each subject, which in turn lead to different halachic rulings. However, we do not find within a particular mitzvah a variety of ways for it to be performed. This is because mitzvos are expressions of Divine will, and must be performed exactly. Only when mitzvos are performed with precision is their performance pleasing to G‑d. G‑d is also pleased when man conducts himself with fine character traits.
The verse states:5 “You are children to the L-rd, your G‑d.” Jews are called G‑d’s children. We observe that a father derives great pleasure from his children when they do what he tells them, and refrain from doing that which their father prohibits. A father derives his greatest pleasure, however, when his children [also] demonstrate refined character traits. This is the meaning of the expression “with whom his fellowmen [b’riyos] are pleased.”
The term b’riyos applies6 to simple folk who perform mitzvos without requiring a reason. These people don’t know what it means to ask “why.” They believe in G‑d and Torah with simple faith, and perform mitzvos because G‑d so desires.
Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, a pious individual and a person accustomed to miraculous occurrences,7 knows what is required in order for G‑d to be “pleased with him,” and also knows the merit of simple sincerity. For the main merit of simple folk lies in their doing everything with temimus simple and whole-hearted sincerity. Everything such folk do is permeated with temimus, for G‑d has so commanded.
Service in the manner of temimus is considered Above to be even greater than service [which derives from] the loftiest degree of comprehension. Even our master Moshe was humbled in the face of such self-sacrificing temimus.
The verse states:8 “And the man Moshe was the most humble of all men upon the face of the earth.” Moshe’s humility did not stem from [comparing himself to the Jews of his generation, even though they were known as] “the generation of knowledgeable individuals.” Rather, his humility surfaced after G‑d showed him “all men upon the face of the earth.”
G‑d revealed to Moshe9 all the generations of mankind together with their leaders up until our righteous Moshiach. Moshe beheld that close upon the heels of Moshiach, there will exist a generation whose knowledge of Torah and G‑dliness even the knowledge of its greatest Torah scholars will be naught in comparison to Moshe’s knowledge. Yet these selfsame people, particularly the simple folk among them, will perform Torah and mitzvos with total self-sacrifice. It was before such temimus that Moshe was humbled.10
Concerning these b’riyos, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa says that when a person’s deeds and good conduct find favor in the eyes of his fellowmen, it is an indication that “G‑d is pleased with him.”
[In the Mishnah’ s earlier quotes of] Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, two matters of great profundity are noted:
a) As good [and as necessary] as it is for one to fear sin and have his good deeds exceed his wisdom, a person must display refined character traits in order for G‑d to be “pleased with him.”
b) When Torah giants and scholars are pleased with an individual, this does not prove that “G‑d is pleased with him.” Rather, such proof requires that simple and whole-hearted people be pleased with him. For service in wholehearted sincerity carries the most weight with G‑d.
In summary: Man’s completeness comes as a result of his character traits. This is in addition to “wisdom that endures,” which is accomplished by performing mitzvos with fear of sin, and demonstrating that one’s good deeds exceed one’s wisdom. Torah is wisdom; mitzvos are will; very powerful, and acting by decree. The quality of temimus is usually found among simple folk. Even Moshe was humbled before such simplicity. R. Chanina explains, a) that simple folk possess temimus; b) that favor found in the eyes of b’riyos proves that G‑d is pleased [with an individual].
Chapter 2
We need to understand what is meant by “Anyone with whom his fellowmen are pleased….” We must also clearly understand R. Chanina’s two explanations regarding the singular merits of temimus among simple folk, and that being pleasing to b’riyos in particular is proof of G‑d’s pleasure.
The Alter Rebbe, of blessed memory, wrote:11 “The purpose of the progressive chain of worlds… is this lowest world, for such was His blessed will that He shall have satisfaction when the darkness of sitra achra [the “unholy other side”] is transformed into the light of holiness.”
Thus, the purpose of creation is only this world, for [in this world,] man through his spiritual service of Torah, mitzvos and good character traits brings about the illumination of the Ein Sof, Infinite G‑d. This is accomplished only through deeds, for as expressed in the Zohar:12 “Action above all else!”13
This is the meaning of the saying: “Torah study is most important of all, for it leads to action” actual deeds are the highest level, and the greatness of Torah study lies in that it leads to action.
Deeds in general, particularly when performed with temimus, bring about joy and pleasure Above. On the verse:14 “may G‑d delight in His works,” our sages comment:15 “The verse does not state ‘G‑d delighted’ [in the past tense], but ‘may G‑d delight’ [in the future tense. The verse is thus telling us that] G‑d will delight in the good deeds of the righteous.”
We thus see that G‑d delights in the spiritual elevation of physical matter, when “the darkness [of corporeality] is transformed into the light [of holiness].”16
Delight comes from something novel. There is a well-known parable17 of a [king’s subjects who petition the king by presenting him with a] “talking bird” [who mouths their request. So pleased is the king with this novel approach, and the obvious sincerity of his subjects, who toiled long and hard until they got the bird to parrot their petition, that he granted their request].
The analogue is that delight is caused Above by the nullification of corporeality brought about by the spiritual refinement of the physical world. This is the meaning of the saying:18 “The works of the righteous surpass even the works [of the creation] of heaven and earth.” The “works of heaven and earth” are creation ex nihilo, as expressed in the famous saying:19 “He made that which was not, to be.” [For G‑d to be able to create is not unexpected, but] the fact that “the works of the righteous” transform the physical into the spiritual is truly novel and brings G‑d much satisfaction.
It is for this reason that regarding the birth of Yitzchok, the first person to be born Jewish, the verse states:20 “G‑d [referred to by the Divine name Elokim] made me joyful,” the Divine joy brought about by refining and elevating the material world created by the Divine name Elokim. [That creation emanates from the name Elokim we know from] the verse that states: “In the beginning, Elokim created heaven and earth.”21 By nullifying the physicality of this world and elevating it to holiness, we cause Divine delight.
G‑d’s chief delight derives from the soul’s descent into a physical body, where through its service of Torah and mitzvos it refines the sparks of holiness found within physical entities, and elevates them to their source. This is the reason for the complaint of the angels22 who were opposed to man’s creation, and23 to the fact that G‑d gave earthly man His holy Torah and did not present it to the heavenly angels.
Angels are aware that souls are spiritually superior to even the loftiest of them. The greatest angels are only [at the level of, and therefore only found] in [the spiritual world of] Beriah. These lofty angels are also able to comprehend [to a limited extent] the illumination of [the higher spiritual world, which is] Atzilus, the world of souls.
The most lofty level of angelic song [which is indicative of the spiritual status of the angels that sing it] is in the world of Beriah, and this song is directed to [and indicates their longing for] the [G‑dly illumination of] Atzilus.
Angels have bodies, as the Rambam comments:24 “He makes His angels25 of wind, His servants of blazing fire.” Comments the Ramban:26 “The bodies of angels derive from the amorphous and as yet formless foundation of wind and fire.” Angels are therefore subject to the concept of space. Some are as large as “the distance [that can be traversed] in 500 years.”27 Other angels are as immense as a “third of the universe.”28
Furthermore, the angels’ song can be heard, and indeed is heard, by the prophets, as the verse says:29 “and I heard behind me a great roaring sound.” It is also written:30 “And the [angels called] Ophanim and the [angels called] holy Chayos, with a mighty sound….” Angels are also classified by the categories of [their] songs: “wind,” “sound” and “fire,” in accordance with the spiritual levels of Asiyah, Yetzirah and Beriah.
Souls as they exist above, however, have no bodies, no names, and are not subject to the concept of space. Their song is the “thin still voice”31 of the world of Atzilus, which is not heard [even] by the prophets.
Moreover, angels sing their praises of G‑d at appointed intervals; they are also subject to the concept of time. Souls, however, inasmuch as they are not subject to space are also not subject to time. This is the meaning of “and holy beings (souls) each day praise You constantly”32 souls praise G‑d without interruption.
All these merits possessed only by souls were known to the angels. They were, however, of the opinion that the superiority of souls existed only while the souls were found above. When the souls descended and clothed themselves in bodies which comprehend the matters of the animal soul, and which derive tremendous pleasure from all physical things, the angels believed that their spiritual bodies were higher than man’s physical bodies.
Truly, they were mistaken. The fulfillment of “G‑d’s passionate desire for a dwelling place in this nether world”33 is what He finds most pleasing. This is accomplished only by souls lodged in bodies, studying Torah and performing mitzvos with the physical matter of this corporeal world. For the service of deeds in this world is the ultimate purpose of creation.
This is the meaning of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa’s saying: “Anyone with whom his fellowmen (b’riyos) are pleased,” referring to simple Jews who perform mitzvos with temimus. If one’s “fellowmen” are pleased with a man, then it is a sign that G‑d is pleased as well, for such individuals fulfill the Divine purpose of life. However, when b’riyos are not pleased with a person because he lacks good character traits, then even if his wisdom endures, G‑d is not pleased with him.
In summary: The purpose of all creation is this physical world, in which man by means of his spiritual service accomplishes the goal of creation. The nullification of physicality [and its elevation to holiness] is novel and brings G‑d pleasure. Herein lies the merit of souls in comparison to angels. The song of angels is “wind,” “mighty sound,” and “fire. “ The song of souls is a “thin small voice.” B’riyos are pleased with an individual when he has fulfilled the Divine intent. This is because those who perf orm mitzvos with temimus indicate by their pleasure that G‑d is pleased as well.
