Know, when a person is compelled to seek a ruling before judges in a court of Torah law, he is being punished—the Torah is taking revenge against him. This is because in truth all business activity is Torah. For example, the law “someone who barters a cow for a donkey” is Torah, and it is certainly all the more so Torah when one actually performs the act itself, {as is related in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory}. Therefore, when a person engages in business, he must bind his thoughts only to the Torah and the laws embodied there.
But someone who severs his business activities from the Torah and descends into the give-and-take of business itself, not binding his thoughts to the Torah embodied there—his punishment is that he is afterwards compelled to seek a ruling in a court of Torah law. Then, he must bring to the Torah all the issues and all the thoughts and all the deals he engaged in while doing business, from beginning to end. That is, he must relate everything to the judges, and they issue a Torah ruling on it. Thus it is that all [his] business issues are restored as Torah.
This is his punishment; the Torah takes revenge against him for having severed the laws embodied in business activity from the Torah and descending into the give-and-take itself, as though there were no Torah in the business activities. His punishment, therefore, is that he must bring his case to a court of Torah law and present all the issues of the business activities and turn them into Torah. And then they show him that all business activity is Torah, for now everything has been turned into Torah, as explained above. And he certainly must bring all the issues, even all the thoughts, before the judges. For if some issue or some thought is missing, it would distort the Torah ruling. Hence, it is vital that he bring before the judges everything that transpired while doing business, for them to turn it into a Torah ruling.
Thus it is that the business activity is restored and becomes Torah. And they show him that it is not as he originally presumed: that there is no Torah in the give-and-take of business—“For can you not see with your own eyes that all business issues are Torah, now that everything has been turned into a Torah ruling?” as explained above.
And all this is commensurate with the blemish. There is one whose punishment is only that he must seek a ruling, yet the ruling is in his favor; it is only that they show him that he blemished, as explained above. However, there is one who severed the business activity from the Torah even further. In that case, his punishment is greater in that even the ruling is not in his favor. For in truth, when engaging in business activity, only his external thought should be on the give-and-take of business; his inner thought, however, must be bound to the Torah, as explained above.
2. In addition, business activity must include faith. That is, one must engage in the masa u’matan (give-and-take) faithfully, speaking words of truth, as [the Sages] said: Have you conducted your business affairs faithfully? (Shabbat 31a). This is because the maSA u’maTaN is the aspect of our menaSӔin (taking) and raising up the issue, and our noTeNin (giving) and restoring it to its place.
There are fallen elements of holiness—i.e., the aspect of sparks that have fallen—and by means of business activity we take and raise them up, and give them over to their place. This is the aspect of the masa u’matan of business, as explained above.
And the separation of the sparks from the forces of evil is mainly by means of faith. For it is common for faith to reside with these holy sparks, in the aspect of “This is Yerushalayim; I placed her among the nations, and surrounding her are the lands” (Ezekiel 5:5). Yerushalayim is “the faithful city” (Isaiah 1:21)—the aspect of faith; she resides “among the nations, and surrounding her…,” for she is among them always, as explained above. These sparks that fell thus cleave and attach themselves round about faith, and she raises them up from there.
Aperson must therefore engage in the masa u’matan faithfully, because it is by means of faith that we raise up the sparks, as explained above. For this is the essential aspect of business activity—to elevate the sparks, as explained above.
Yetzirah is the aspect of the vav, which is the aspect of the Torah {as is brought in the holy Zohar}. Thus, when a person binds his inner thought to the Torah while engaging in business activity, as explained above, this is the aspect of the inner essence of the mentalities of Asiyah. That is, the business activity, which is the aspect of Asiyah, ascends to Yetzirah—i.e., the Torah—as explained above. And Malkhut of Asiyah—i.e., the aspect of faith within business activity, as explained above—ascends from the forces of evil, for it separates the sparks and ascends from [these forces]. Then, as a result of ChaBaD of I having ascended to Yetzirah, there is room for Malkhut to ascend to Asiyah.
In addition, due to the ascent of ChaBaD to Yetzirah—i.e., by one binding one’s thought to the Torah—faith acquires the power to separate the sparks from the evil forces and to elevate them. For without this power, there would be the possibility that [the evil forces], too, would attach themselves to faith, God forbid. However, because we bind the inner mind to the Torah, [faith] receives the power to ascend, as explained above. And then, there is a war, for it is necessary to fight against them in order to remove the sparks from them.
3. This is the explanation of: “When you go out to war [against your enemies, and God your Lord delivers them into your hands and you take some of them captive]…” (Deuteronomy 21:10).
“When you go out” is the aspect of business activity, the aspect of “Rejoice, Zevulun, with your going out…” (Deuteronomy 33:18), because business activity is called the aspect of “your going out.” For although Zevulun and Yissakhar are equals—since Zevulun would provide for Yissakhar, and it is said of him, “Rejoice, Zevulun”—it is in any case called “your going out; and Yissakhar, in your tents,” because the service of Torah is nevertheless more intrinsic and loftier than the service of business activity.
Although business activity is a great service—it provides for the Torah scholars, and it is said of him, “Rejoice, Zevulun,”—it is in any case called “your going out” vis-à-vis the service of Torah, which is “Yissakhar, in your tents.” This is because the service of Torah is nevertheless loftier.
The same is true of each level vis-à-vis the level above it; the lower level is called “your going out” vis-à-vis the level above it, which is called “your tents.” And even someone who serves God with intense devotion, vis-à-vis a still greater level than this, even intense devotion is called the aspect of “your going out.”
And this is: to war against your enemies—It is then a time of war with the enemy, as explained above, for it is necessary to separate and elevate the sparks from them, as explained above.
And this is: and God your Lord delivers them into your hands—This is the aspect of faith, as it is written (Exodus 17:12), “his hands were faith.” Through faith we elevate the sparks, as explained above.
And this is: and you take some of them captive—This is the aspect of Torah, as it is written (Psalms 68:19), “You ascended on high, you took a captive,” as explained above.
דַּע, מִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לָדוּן לִפְנֵי דַּיָּנִים בְּדִין תּוֹרָה, זֶה לוֹ עֹנֶשׁ וּנְקָמָה שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נוֹקֶמֶת בּוֹ, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת כָּל הַמַּשָּׂא־וּמַתָּן הוּא תּוֹרָה, כִּי לְמָשָׁל הַדִּין "הַמַּחֲלִיף פָּרָה בַּחֲמוֹר" הוּא תּוֹרָה, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן כְּשֶׁעוֹשִׂין הַדָּבָר בְּעַצְמוֹ הוּא בְּוַדַּאי תּוֹרָה, (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמְּסַפְּרִין כָּל זֶה בְּשֵׁם הַבַּעַל־שֵׁם־טוֹב זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה). וְעַל כֵּן כְּשֶׁעוֹשִׂין מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּקַשֵּׁר מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ רַק בְּהַתּוֹרָה וְהַדִּינִים הַמְלֻבָּשִׁים שָׁם,
Know, when a person is compelled to seek a ruling before judges in a court of Torah law, he is being punished—the Torah is taking revenge against him. This is because in truth all business activity is Torah. For example, the law “someone who barters a cow for a donkey” is Torah, and it is certainly all the more so Torah when one actually performs the act itself, {as is related in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory}. Therefore, when a person engages in business, he must bind his thoughts only to the Torah and the laws embodied there.
וּמִי שֶׁעוֹקֵר הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן מִן הַתּוֹרָה, וְנוֹפֵל אֶל הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן בְּעַצְמוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ מְקַשֵּׁר מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ אֶל הַתּוֹרָה הַמְּלֻבָּשׁ שָׁם, אֲזַי עָנְשׁוֹ, שֶׁאַחַר־כָּךְ הוּא צָרִיךְ לָדוּן בְּדִין תּוֹרָה, וַאֲזַי צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְהָבִיא כָּל הַדְּבָרִים וְכָל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת וְכָל הָעֲסָקִים שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בִּשְׁעַת הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן מִתְּחִלָּתוֹ וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא הַכֹּל אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְסַפֵּר הַכֹּל לִפְנֵי הַדַּיָּנִים, וְהֵם פּוֹסְקִים עַל זֶה דִּין תּוֹרָה. נִמְצָא שֶׁחָזַר וְנַעֲשֶׂה מִכָּל דִּבְרֵי הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן תּוֹרָה,
But someone who severs his business activities from the Torah and descends into the give-and-take of business itself, not binding his thoughts to the Torah embodied there—his punishment is that he is afterwards compelled to seek a ruling in a court of Torah law. Then, he must bring to the Torah all the issues and all the thoughts and all the deals he engaged in while doing business, from beginning to end. That is, he must relate everything to the judges, and they issue a Torah ruling on it. Thus it is that all [his] business issues are restored as Torah.
וְהוּא לוֹ נְקָמָה, שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נוֹקֶמֶת בּוֹ עַל אֲשֶׁר עָקַר הַדִּינִים הַמְלֻבָּשִׁים בְּהַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן מִן הַתּוֹרָה, וְנָפַל אֶל הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן בְּעַצְמוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ אֵין שׁוּם תּוֹרָה בְּהַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, עַל כֵּן עָנְשׁוֹ – שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לָבוֹא לִפְנֵי דִּין תּוֹרָה, וַאֲזַי צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן וְלַעֲשׂוֹת מֵהֶם תּוֹרָה, וַאֲזַי מַרְאִים לוֹ שֶׁכָּל הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן הוּא תּוֹרָה, כִּי עַכְשָׁו נַעֲשֶׂה מֵהַכֹּל דִּין תּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי הוּא צָרִיךְ לְהָבִיא כָּל הַדְּבָרִים, אֲפִלּוּ כָּל הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת, לִפְנֵי הַדַּיָּנִים, כִּי אִם חָסֵר אֵיזֶה דִּבּוּר אוֹ אֵיזֶה מַחֲשָׁבָה – יִתְקַלְקֵל הַדִּין תּוֹרָה, וְצָרִיךְ דַּוְקָא לְהָבִיא הַכֹּל כָּל מַה שֶּׁעָבַר בִּשְׁעַת הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן לִפְנֵי הַדַּיָּנִים, וְהֵם עוֹשִׂין מִזֶּה דִּין תּוֹרָה,
This is his punishment; the Torah takes revenge against him for having severed the laws embodied in business activity from the Torah and descending into the give-and-take itself, as though there were no Torah in the business activities. His punishment, therefore, is that he must bring his case to a court of Torah law and present all the issues of the business activities and turn them into Torah. And then they show him that all business activity is Torah, for now everything has been turned into Torah, as explained above. And he certainly must bring all the issues, even all the thoughts, before the judges. For if some issue or some thought is missing, it would distort the Torah ruling. Hence, it is vital that he bring before the judges everything that transpired while doing business, for them to turn it into a Torah ruling.
נִמְצָא שֶׁחָזַר וְנַעֲשָׂה מֵהַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן תּוֹרָה, וּמַרְאִין לוֹ שֶׁאֵין הַדָּבָר כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא סָבַר מִתְּחִלָּה שֶׁאֵין בְּהַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן תּוֹרָה, כִּי הֲלֹא רְאֵה בְּעֵינֶיךָ שֶׁכָּל דִּבְרֵי הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן כֻּלָּם הֵם תּוֹרָה, כִּי עַכְשָׁו נַעֲשֶׂה מֵהַכֹּל דִּין תּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל.
Thus it is that the business activity is restored and becomes Torah. And they show him that it is not as he originally presumed: that there is no Torah in the give-and-take of business—“For can you not see with your own eyes that all business issues are Torah, now that everything has been turned into a Torah ruling?” as explained above.
וְהַכֹּל לְפִי הַפְּגָם, כִּי יֵשׁ אֶחָד שֶׁאֵין עָנְשׁוֹ רַק שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לָדוּן, אֲבָל זוֹכֶה בַּדִּין, רַק שֶׁמַּרְאִין לוֹ שֶׁפָּגַם כַּנַּ"ל, אֲבָל יֵשׁ אֶחָד שֶׁעָקַר יוֹתֵר הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן מִן הַתּוֹרָה, אֲזַי עָנְשׁוֹ יוֹתֵר, שֶׁגַּם אֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה בַּדִּין. כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת כְּשֶׁעוֹשִׂין מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רַק חִיצוֹנִית הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, אֲבָל פְּנִימִיּוּת מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ צָרִיךְ לְקַשֵּׁר אֶל הַתּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל:
And all this is commensurate with the blemish. There is one whose punishment is only that he must seek a ruling, yet the ruling is in his favor; it is only that they show him that he blemished, as explained above. However, there is one who severed the business activity from the Torah even further. In that case, his punishment is greater in that even the ruling is not in his favor. For in truth, when engaging in business activity, only his external thought should be on the give-and-take of business; his inner thought, however, must be bound to the Torah, as explained above.
גַּם צָרִיךְ אֱמוּנָה בְּהַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּשָּׂא וְיִתֵּן בֶּאֱמוּנָה, וְיִהְיֶה הַדִּבּוּר דִּבּוּר אֱמֶת, כְּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שבת לא): נָשָׂאתָ וְנָתַתָּ בֶּאֱמוּנָה, כִּי מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן הוּא בְּחִינוֹת שֶׁמְּנַשְּׂאִין וּמְרִימִין הַדָּבָר, וְנוֹתְנִין וּמְשִׁיבִין אוֹתוֹ לִמְקוֹמוֹ,
2. In addition, business activity must include faith. That is, one must engage in the masa u’matan (give-and-take) faithfully, speaking words of truth, as [the Sages] said: Have you conducted your business affairs faithfully? (Shabbat 31a). This is because the maSA u’maTaN is the aspect of our menaSӔin (taking) and raising up the issue, and our noTeNin (giving) and restoring it to its place.
כִּי יֵשׁ קְדֻשּׁוֹת נְפוּלוֹת, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינוֹת נִיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁנָּפְלוּ, וְעַל יְדֵי מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן מְנַשְּׂאִין וּמְרִימִין אוֹתָן, וְנוֹתְנִין אוֹתָן לִמְקוֹמָן, וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן כַּנַּ"ל.
There are fallen elements of holiness—i.e., the aspect of sparks that have fallen—and by means of business activity we take and raise them up, and give them over to their place. This is the aspect of the masa u’matan of business, as explained above.
וְעִקַּר בֵּרוּר הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת מִן הַקְּלִפּוֹת הוּא עַל יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה, כִּי דֶּרֶךְ הָאֱמוּנָה לִשְׁכֹּן תָּמִיד אֵצֶל אֵלּוּ הַקְּדֻשּׁוֹת הַנְּפוּלוֹת, בִּבְחִינוֹת (יחזקאל ה׳:ה׳): זֹאת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בְּתוֹךְ הַגּוֹיִם שַׂמְתִּיהָ וּסְבִיבוֹתֶיהָ אֲרָצוֹת. יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הִיא קִרְיָה נֶאֱמָנָה, בְּחִינוֹת אֱמוּנָה, הִיא שׁוֹכֶנֶת בְּתוֹךְ הַגּוֹיִים וּסְבִיבוֹתֶיהָ וְכוּ', כִּי הִיא בֵּינֵיהֶם תָּמִיד כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל כֵּן אֵלּוּ הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁנָּפְלוּ, הֵם נִדְבָּקִים וְנִתְאַחֲזִין סְבִיבוֹת הָאֱמוּנָה, וְהִיא מַעֲלָה אוֹתָם מִשָּׁם,
And the separation of the sparks from the forces of evil is mainly by means of faith. For it is common for faith to reside with these holy sparks, in the aspect of “This is Yerushalayim; I placed her among the nations, and surrounding her are the lands” (Ezekiel 5:5). Yerushalayim is “the faithful city” (Isaiah 1:21)—the aspect of faith; she resides “among the nations, and surrounding her…,” for she is among them always, as explained above. These sparks that fell thus cleave and attach themselves round about faith, and she raises them up from there.
וְעַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן בֶּאֱמוּנָה, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הָאֱמוּנָה מַעֲלִין הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר בְּחִינוֹת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, לְהַעֲלוֹת הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת כַּנַּ"ל.
Aperson must therefore engage in the masa u’matan faithfully, because it is by means of faith that we raise up the sparks, as explained above. For this is the essential aspect of business activity—to elevate the sparks, as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת פְּנִימִיּוּת חַבַּ"ד [חָכְמָה בִּינָה דַּעַת] דַּעֲשִׂיָּה שֶׁעוֹלָה אֶל הַיְצִירָה, וּמַלְכוּת דַּעֲשִׂיָּה עוֹלָה מִן הַקְּלִפּוֹת.
Now, this is the aspect of the inner essence of ChaBaD of Asiyah ascending to Yetzirah, and Malkhut of Asiyah ascending from the forces of evil.
יְצִירָה הִיא בְּחִינַת וָא"ו, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הַתּוֹרָה (כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ), וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר פְּנִימִיּוּת מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בִּשְׁעַת עֲשִׂיַּת הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן אֶל הַתּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל, זֶהוּ בְּחִינַת פְּנִימִיּוּת הַמֹּחִין דַּעֲשִׂיָּה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁל הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינוֹת עֲשִׂיָּה, שֶׁעוֹלָה אֶל הַיְצִירָה, דְּהַיְנוּ הַתּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל, וּמַלְכוּת דַּעֲשִׂיָּה, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינוֹת הָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁבַּמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן כַּנַּ"ל, עוֹלָה מִן הַקְּלִפּוֹת, כִּי הִיא מְבָרֶרֶת הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת מֵהֶם וְעוֹלָה מֵהֶם, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁעָלָה חַבַּ"ד דַּעֲשִׂיָּה לַיְצִירָה, עַל יְדֵי זֶה יֵשׁ מָקוֹם לַמַּלְכוּת לַעֲלוֹת לַעֲשִׂיָּה,
Yetzirah is the aspect of the vav, which is the aspect of the Torah {as is brought in the holy Zohar}. Thus, when a person binds his inner thought to the Torah while engaging in business activity, as explained above, this is the aspect of the inner essence of the mentalities of Asiyah. That is, the business activity, which is the aspect of Asiyah, ascends to Yetzirah—i.e., the Torah—as explained above. And Malkhut of Asiyah—i.e., the aspect of faith within business activity, as explained above—ascends from the forces of evil, for it separates the sparks and ascends from [these forces]. Then, as a result of ChaBaD of I having ascended to Yetzirah, there is room for Malkhut to ascend to Asiyah.
גַּם עַל יְדֵי זֶה שֶׁעוֹלֶה חַבַּ"ד לַיְצִירָה, דְּהַיְנוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, עַל יְדֵי זֶה מְקַבֶּלֶת הָאֱמוּנָה כֹּחַ לְבָרֵר הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת מִן הַקְּלִפּוֹת וְלַעֲלוֹת מֵהֶם, כִּי בְּלֹא זֶה הַכֹּחַ, הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּתְאַחֲזוּ גַּם הֵם בְּעַצְמָן בְּהָאֱמוּנָה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. אַךְ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּקַשְּׁרִין פְּנִימִיּוּת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, מְקַבֶּלֶת כֹּחַ לַעֲלוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, וַאֲזַי נַעֲשֵׂית מִלְחָמָה, כִּי צָרִיךְ לִלְחֹם עִמָּהֶם לְהוֹצִיא הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת מֵהֶם:
In addition, due to the ascent of ChaBaD to Yetzirah—i.e., by one binding one’s thought to the Torah—faith acquires the power to separate the sparks from the evil forces and to elevate them. For without this power, there would be the possibility that [the evil forces], too, would attach themselves to faith, God forbid. However, because we bind the inner mind to the Torah, [faith] receives the power to ascend, as explained above. And then, there is a war, for it is necessary to fight against them in order to remove the sparks from them.
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: כִּי תֵצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה וְכוּ' (דברים כ״א:י׳).
3. This is the explanation of: “When you go out to war [against your enemies, and God your Lord delivers them into your hands and you take some of them captive]…” (Deuteronomy 21:10).
כִּי תֵצֵא – זֶה בְּחִינוֹת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, בְּחִינַת (דברים ל״ג:י״ח): שְׂמַח זְבוּלוּן בְּצֵאתֶךָ וְכוּ'. כִּי מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן נִקְרָא בְּחִינַת צֵאתְךָ, כִּי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזְּבוּלוּן וְיִשָּׂשׂכָר שָׁוִים, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁזְּבוּלוּן הָיָה מַסְפִּיק לְיִשָּׂשׂכָר, וְנֶאֱמַר עָלָיו שְׂמַח זְבוּלוּן, עַל כָּל נִקְרָא צֵאתְךָ, וְיִשָּׂשׂכָר – אֹהֳלֶיךָ, כִּי אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, עֲבוֹדַת הַתּוֹרָה הִיא פְּנִימִיּוּת יוֹתֵר, וְהִיא לְמַעְלָה מֵעֲבוֹדַת הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן,
“When you go out” is the aspect of business activity, the aspect of “Rejoice, Zevulun, with your going out…” (Deuteronomy 33:18), because business activity is called the aspect of “your going out.” For although Zevulun and Yissakhar are equals—since Zevulun would provide for Yissakhar, and it is said of him, “Rejoice, Zevulun”—it is in any case called “your going out; and Yissakhar, in your tents,” because the service of Torah is nevertheless more intrinsic and loftier than the service of business activity.
אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁגַּם הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן הִיא עֲבוֹדָה גְּדוֹלָה, כִּי הוּא מַסְפִּיק אֶת הַתַּלְמִידֵי־חֲכָמִים, וְנֶאֱמַר עָלָיו שְׂמַח זְבוּלוּן, עַל כָּל זֶה נִקְרָא צֵאתְךָ, נֶגֶד עֲבוֹדַת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת יִשָּׂשׂכָר בְּאֹהֳלֶיךָ, כִּי אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן עֲבוֹדַת הַתּוֹרָה לְמַעְלָה יוֹתֵר,
Although business activity is a great service—it provides for the Torah scholars, and it is said of him, “Rejoice, Zevulun,”—it is in any case called “your going out” vis-à-vis the service of Torah, which is “Yissakhar, in your tents.” This is because the service of Torah is nevertheless loftier.
וְכֵן כָּל מַדְרֵגָה וּמַדְרֵגָה נֶגֶד הַמַּדְרֵגָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה, נִקְרֵאת הַמַּדְרֵגָה שֶׁלְּמַטָּה "צֵאתְךָ" נֶגֶד הַמַּדְרֵגָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה, שֶׁהִיא נִקְרֵאת "אֹהֳלֶיךָ", וַאֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁעוֹבֵד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּדְבֵקוּת, עִם כָּל זֶה נֶגֶד הַמַּדְרֵגָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה עוֹד, נִקְרָא אֲפִלּוּ דְּבֵקוּת בְּחִינַת צֵאתְךָ,
The same is true of each level vis-à-vis the level above it; the lower level is called “your going out” vis-à-vis the level above it, which is called “your tents.” And even someone who serves God with intense devotion, vis-à-vis a still greater level than this, even intense devotion is called the aspect of “your going out.”
וְזֶהוּ: כִּי תֵצֵא, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן כַּנַּ"ל,
This is: When you go out—I. e., the aspect of business activity, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: לַמִּלְחָמָה עַל אֹיְבֶיךָ – כִּי אָז הוּא שְׁעַת מִלְחָמָה עִם הָאוֹיְבִים כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵר וּלְהַעֲלוֹת הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת מֵהֶם כַּנַּ"ל,
And this is: to war against your enemies—It is then a time of war with the enemy, as explained above, for it is necessary to separate and elevate the sparks from them, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: וּנְתָנוֹ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּיָדֶיךָ – זֶה בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות י״ז:י״ב): וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה, כִּי עַל יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה מַעֲלִין הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת כַּנַּ"ל.
And this is: and God your Lord delivers them into your hands—This is the aspect of faith, as it is written (Exodus 17:12), “his hands were faith.” Through faith we elevate the sparks, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: וְשָׁבִיתָ שִׁבְיוֹ – זֶה בְּחִינוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים ס״ח:י״ט): עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם שָׁבִיתָ שֶׁבִי כַּנַּ"ל:
And this is: and you take some of them captive—This is the aspect of Torah, as it is written (Psalms 68:19), “You ascended on high, you took a captive,” as explained above.