Chapter 34

It is known that “The Patriarchs are truly the Divine Chariot.”1

Throughout their lives, they did not cease even momentarily from binding their mind and soul to the Master of the universe,

with the aforementioned absolute surrender to His unity.

After them came all the prophets, who similarly nullified themselves before G‑d’s unity in varying degrees, each according to the level of his soul and his understanding.

The rank of our teacher Moses, peace be upon him, surpassed them all; of him, our Sages said: “The Shechinah (the Divine Presence) spoke out of Moses’ throat.”2

At Mount Sinai, Israel was privileged to experience a glimmer of this level of self-nullification.

But they could not endure it; as our Sages have said, “At every Divine utterance, their souls took flight,”3 and G‑d resurrected them each time. This flight of their soul actually represents the self-nullification spoken of previously.4

Therefore, because they were unable to live with this feeling of self-surrender before G‑d, He commanded them immediately to erect for Him a Sanctuary, in which would be the Holy of Holies, wherein His presence would dwell; i.e., there, His unity would be revealed, as will be explained further.5

Ever since the Temple was destroyed, “the four cubits of the Halachah”—i.e., study of Jewish law—is the only sanctuary and abode which the Holy One, blessed be He, has in His world; i.e., Torah is the only abode for the revelation of His unity.

For the halachot set out before us are the actual embodiment of G‑d’s will and wisdom, which are one with G‑d; the halachic ruling represents the Divine will, and what underlies it is Divine wisdom. Hence, in the Torah, G‑d’s unity stands revealed.

Therefore, after one meditates deeply, according to his ability, on the subject of this abovementioned self-nullification, let him reflect in his heart as follows:

“The capacity of my intelligence and of my soul’s root is too limited to constitute a chariot and an abode for G‑d’s unity in perfect truth,

for my thought cannot grasp or apprehend His unity at all with any degree of comprehension in the world,

not an iota, in fact, of that which was grasped by the Patriarchs and Prophets, who were G‑d’s chariot and abode by virtue of their awareness of G‑d’s unity, as they grasped it.

“This being so, I will make Him a sanctuary and an abode by studying Torah at fixed times by day and by night, to the extent of my free time,

as stipulated by the law governing each individual’s situation, set forth in the Laws of Torah Study.

“As our Sages say, ‘Even one chapter in the morning [and one at night…]’6 suffice, for one who can manage no more, for him to be regarded as ‘engaging in Torah study day and night.’ Therefore, by fulfilling this minimal quota, I, too, will become an abode for G‑dliness.”

Thereby, his heart shall rejoice; he shall be glad and offer joyous thanks for his fortune

in meriting to be “a host to the Almighty”7 through his study of Torah, which causes him to be a “sanctuary” for G‑d twice each day, according to the extent of his available time and according to the capacity which G‑d has granted him.

If G‑d grants him a greater abundance of time for Torah study, then “He whose hands are pure will increase his effort’’8; i.e., he should resolve that as more time becomes available to him, he will devote it to Torah study. Moreover, “[G‑d reckons] a good intention [as an actual deed].”9

Even during the remainder of the day, when he is engaged in business, he will be an abode for G‑d by giving charity out of the proceeds of his labor.

Charity is one of G‑d’s attributes which we are enjoined to emulate, as our Sages say, “As He is compassionate…[so must you be],”11 and as it is written in Tikkunei Zohar, “Kindness is the right arm of G‑d,”12 so to speak, and, therefore, human kindness constitutes an abode for the Divine attribute of kindness.

Even though one distributes as charity no more than one-fifth of his earnings—the maximum requirement for charity—how then is he an abode for G‑dliness while he is engaged in earning the other four-fifths?

Yet, that fifth elevates with it all the other four parts to G‑d so that they, too, become an abode for Him.

In a well-known statement, our Sages have declared13 that the mitzvah of charity is equivalent to offering all the sacrifices.

Now, in the case of sacrifices, all living creatures were elevated to G‑d through the offering of one animal, all plants through the “meal offering,” which consisted of merely “one-tenth of a measure of fine meal mixed with oil,” and so on.

Apart from this, as is explained below, all that one has eaten and drunk and generally enjoyed for his bodily health from the other four-fifths of his earnings is elevated toward G‑d during his Torah study and prayer.

All the specific types of joy enumerated above do not preclude one from being shamed and despised in his own eyes or from having a broken heart and a humble spirit, even at the very time of his joy.

For the shame and so on is prompted by [one’s awareness of the lowliness of] his body and animal soul,

while his joy is felt on account of his divine soul and the animating spark of G‑dliness clothed within it, as mentioned above (in ch. 31).

We find a similar statement in the Zohar: “Weeping is lodged in one side of my heart, and joy is lodged in the other.”14