Occasionally, the reflected light precedes the direct light. This happens when the recipient has a weak intellect and is unable to receive his friend’s words. For then, before his friend receives from him, which is an aspect of direct light, he [the speaker] receives from his friend. In such a case, the reflected light precedes the direct light.
For when a person speaks with his friend about the fear of God, even if his friend does not receive from him, he [the speaker] nevertheless receives inspiration from his friend. As a result of the impact—that the words went out from his mouth to his friend—the light reflects back to him. {This is literally the concept of the reflected light spoken of in the Writings, study there.}
It is like someone who [throws an object that] hits a wall: the object returns to him. It is the same when he speaks to his friend, even if his friend does not receive from him. He himself can nevertheless be inspired by [the words] as a result of the impact—that the words went out towards his friend, struck [his friend], and returned to him.
Therefore, had he spoken these words to himself, it is quite possible that he would not have been inspired by them at all. But by saying them to his friend, they inspired him, even though his friend was not inspired—for they returned to him as a result of the aforementioned aspect of impacting. {This is the concept of reflected light: it results from the principle of impacting, as explained in the Writings. Understand this.}
כְּשֶׁאֶחָד מְדַבֵּר עִם חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, נַעֲשֶׂה אוֹר יָשָׁר וְאוֹר חוֹזֵר,
When a person speaks with his friend about the fear of God, a direct light and a reflected light are created.
וְלִפְעָמִים מַקְדִּים הָאוֹר חוֹזֵר קֹדֶם הָאוֹר יָשָׁר, כְּשֶׁהַמְקַבֵּל יֵשׁ לוֹ מֹחַ קָטָן וְאֵין יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוֹ, כִּי אָז קֹדֶם שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל חֲבֵרוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת אוֹר יָשָׁר, קֹדֶם לָזֶה מְקַבֵּל הוּא מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, וַאֲזַי הָאוֹר חוֹזֵר קֹדֶם לָאוֹר יָשָׁר.
Occasionally, the reflected light precedes the direct light. This happens when the recipient has a weak intellect and is unable to receive his friend’s words. For then, before his friend receives from him, which is an aspect of direct light, he [the speaker] receives from his friend. In such a case, the reflected light precedes the direct light.
כִּי כְּשֶׁמְּדַבְּרִין עִם חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיִרְאַת־שָׁמַיִם, אַף שֶׁאֵין חֲבֵרוֹ מְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא מְקַבֵּל הִתְעוֹרְרוּת מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַהַכָּאָה, שֶׁיָּצְאוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים מִפִּיו לַחֲבֵרוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה חוֹזֵר הָאוֹר אֵלָיו, (וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת אוֹר חוֹזֵר מַמָּשׁ הַמּוּבָא בַּכְּתָבִים, עַיֵּן שָׁם).
For when a person speaks with his friend about the fear of God, even if his friend does not receive from him, he [the speaker] nevertheless receives inspiration from his friend. As a result of the impact—that the words went out from his mouth to his friend—the light reflects back to him. {This is literally the concept of the reflected light spoken of in the Writings, study there.}
כְּמוֹ מִי שֶׁמַּכֶּה בַּכֹּתֶל, שֶׁחוֹזֵר הַדָּבָר אֵלָיו, כְּמוֹ כֵן כְּשֶׁמְּדַבֵּר לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאֵין חֲבֵרוֹ מְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְעוֹרֵר מֵהֶם, עַל־יְדֵי הַהַכָּאָה, שֶׁיָּצְאוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים לְגַבֵּי חֲבֵרוֹ וְהִכּוּ בּוֹ וְחָזְרוּ אֵלָיו,
It is like someone who [throws an object that] hits a wall: the object returns to him. It is the same when he speaks to his friend, even if his friend does not receive from him. He himself can nevertheless be inspired by [the words] as a result of the impact—that the words went out towards his friend, struck [his friend], and returned to him.
וְעַל כֵּן אִם הָיָה מְדַבֵּר אֵלּוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מִתְעוֹרֵר מֵהֶם כְּלָל, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁדִּבְּרָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ נִתְעוֹרֵר מֵהֶם, אַף שֶׁחֲבֵרוֹ לֹא נִתְעוֹרֵר, כִּי חָזְרוּ אֵלָיו עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַהַכָּאָה כַּנַּ"ל. (וְזֶה בְּחִינַת אוֹר חוֹזֵר, שֶׁהוּא עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַכָּאָה, כַּמְבֹאָר בַּכְּתָבִים, וְהָבֵן):
Therefore, had he spoken these words to himself, it is quite possible that he would not have been inspired by them at all. But by saying them to his friend, they inspired him, even though his friend was not inspired—for they returned to him as a result of the aforementioned aspect of impacting. {This is the concept of reflected light: it results from the principle of impacting, as explained in the Writings. Understand this.}