“With all thy soul”-the “all” includes all aspects of the soul, viz. nephesh, ruah, and neshamah. As to “with all thy possessions”, these also have various aspects, each one different from the other. True love to the Holy One, blessed be He, consists in just this, that we give over to Him all our emotional, intellectual, and material faculties and possessions, and love Him.
Should it be asked, How can a man love Him with the evil inclination? Is not the evil inclination the seducer, preventing man from approaching the Holy One to serve him? How, then, can man use the evil inclination as an instrument of love to God? The answer lies in this, that there can be no greater service done to the Holy One than to bring into subjection the “evil inclination” by the power of love to the Holy One, blessed be He. For, when it is subdued and its power broken by man in this way, then he becomes a true lover of the Holy One, since he has learnt how to make the “evil inclination” itself serve the Holy One.
Here is a mystery entrusted to the masters of esoteric lore. All that the Holy One has made, both above and below, is for the purpose of manifesting His Glory and to make all things serve Him. Now, would a master permit his servant to work against him, and to continually lay plans to counteract his will? It is the will of the Holy One that men should worship Him and walk in the way of truth that they may be rewarded with many benefits. How, then, can an evil servant come and counteract the will of his Master by tempting man to walk in an evil way, seducing him from the good way and causing him to disobey the will of his Lord?
But, indeed, the “evil inclination” also does through this the will of its Lord. It is as if a king had an only son whom he dearly loved, and just for that cause he warned him not to be enticed by bad women, saying that anyone defiled might not enter his palace. The son promised his father to do his will in love.
Outside the palace, however, there lived a beautiful harlot. After a while the King thought: “I will see how far my son is devoted to me.” So he sent to the woman and commanded her, saying: “Entice my son, for I wish to test his obedience to my will.” So she used every blandishment to lure him into her embraces. But the son, being good, obeyed the commandment of his father. He refused her allurements and thrust her from him. Then did the father rejoice exceedingly, and, bringing him in to the innermost chamber of the palace, bestowed upon him gifts from his best treasures, and showed him every honour. And who was the cause of all this joy? The harlot!
Is she to be praised or blamed for it? To be praised, surely, on all accounts, for on the one hand she fulfilled the king’s command and carried out his plans for him, and on the other hand she caused the son to receive all the good gifts and deepened the king’s love to his son. Therefore it is written, “And the Lord saw all that he had made, and behold it was very good”, where the word “very” refers to the angel of death (i.e. the evil inclination).1v., Exodus, 68b. Similarly, if it were not for this Accuser, the righteous would not possess the supernal treasures in the world to come.
Happy, therefore, are they who, coming into conflict with the Tempter, prevail against him, for through him will they attain bliss, and all the good and desirable possessions of the world to come; concerning which it is written: “What eye hath not seen… he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him” (Isa. 64, 3).
What profit is it, then, to the Tempter when the sinner obeys him? the Holy One enters the synagogue, and the people are united in prayer and sing together praises to the King, He is honoured and glorified, that is to say, the Holy King is strengthened to ascend in glory and beauty. On the other hand, “in the want of people is the confusion of the prince”; that is to say, when He enters a synagogue and finds no congregation come to pray and praise, all the celestial hosts and all the chieftains above are degraded from the high estate to which they were raised by the glorification of that King. For when the Israelites worship the Supernal King with prayer and praise, all the celestial hosts join them and sing in unison with them, and are
Even if it profit him nothing, yet he is certainly doing the will of his Master, and, moreover, it gains him strength. He is not content until he has killed his victim, for then he gains strength and is satisfied; just as the angel of life gains strength when a man walks in the right way. May the Lord preserve us from becoming victims of the Tempter. Blessed are they who prevail against him, and thus become inheritors of the world to come and continually gain strength from the Holy King. Concerning such it is written: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are the ways (to Zion)” (Ps. 84, 6). They are blessed in this world, and shall be blessed in the world to come.’
רַבִּי יִצְחָק הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ קָמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אָמַר לֵיהּ, וַדַּאי רְחִימוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּבַר נָשׁ רָחִים לֵיהּ, לָא אִתְּעַר אֶלָּא מִלִּבָּא, בְּגִין דְּלִבָּא אִיהוּ אִתְעָרוּתָא לְאִתְּעָרָא לְגַבֵּיהּ רְחִימוּ, (ורחמנא לבא בעי) אִי הָכִי, אֲמַאי כְּתִיב בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, וּלְבָתַר וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ. דְּמַשְׁמַע דִּתְרֵין גַּוְונִין אִינּוּן, חַד לִבָּא, וְחַד נַפְשָׁא, אִי לִבָּא הוּא עִקָּרָא, מַאי בָּעֵי נַפְשָׁא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, וַדַּאי לִבָּא וְנַפְשָׁא תְּרֵין אִינּוּן, וְאִתְאַחֲדָן לְחָד. דְּהָא לִבָּא וְנַפְשָׁא וּמָמוֹנָא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְאַחֲדָן דָּא בְּדָא, וְלִבָּא אִיהוּ עִקָּרָא וִיסוֹדָא דְּכֹלָּא.
וְהָא דְּאִתְּמַר בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, בִּתְרֵין לִיבָּן אִיהוּ, דְּאִינְהוּ תְּרֵין יִצְרִין, חַד יִצְרָא טָבָא, וְחַד יִצְרָא בִּישָׁא, וּתְרֵין אִלֵּין כָּל חַד וְחַד אִקְרֵי לֵב, דָּא אִקְרֵי לֵב טוֹב, וְדָא אִקְרֵי לֵב רָע. וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִיהוּ לְבָבְךָ, דְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵין, יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב וְיֵצֶר הָרָע.
וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְנַפְשְׁךָ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, הַאי בְּכָל אֲמַאי. אֶלָּא לְאַכְלְלָא נפ"ש ורו"ח ונשמ"ה, דָּא אִיהוּ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, בְּכָל מַה דְּאָחִיד הַאי נֶפֶשׁ. וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ, אוּף הָכִי כַּמָה זִינִין אִינּוּן דְּמָמוֹנָא, כֻּלְּהוּ מְשַׁנְיָין אִלֵּין מֵאִלֵּין, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּכָל. רְחִימוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְמִמְסָר לֵיהּ כָּל דָּא, לְמִרְחַם לֵיהּ בְּכָל חַד וְחַד.
“With all thy soul”-the “all” includes all aspects of the soul, viz. nephesh, ruah, and neshamah. As to “with all thy possessions”, these also have various aspects, each one different from the other. True love to the Holy One, blessed be He, consists in just this, that we give over to Him all our emotional, intellectual, and material faculties and possessions, and love Him.
וְאִי תֵּימָא, בְּיֵצֶר הָרָע הֵיךְ יָכִיל בַּר נָשׁ לְמִרְחַם לֵיהּ, דְּהָא יֵצֶר הָרָע מְקַטְרְגָא אִיהוּ, דְּלָא יִקְרַב בַּר נָשׁ לְפוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְהֵיךְ יְרָחִים לֵיהּ בֵּיהּ. אֶלָּא, דָּא אִיהוּ פּוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַתִּיר, כַּד הַאי יֵצֶר הָרָע אִתְכַּפְיָא לֵיהּ, בְּגִין רְחִימוּ דְּקָא מִרְחַם לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. דְּכַד הַאי יֵצֶר הָרָע אִתְכַּפְיָא, וְתָבַר לֵיהּ הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דָּא אִיהוּ רְחִימוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין דִּיְדִיעַ לְקָרְבָא לְהַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, לְפוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
Should it be asked, How can a man love Him with the evil inclination? Is not the evil inclination the seducer, preventing man from approaching the Holy One to serve him? How, then, can man use the evil inclination as an instrument of love to God? The answer lies in this, that there can be no greater service done to the Holy One than to bring into subjection the “evil inclination” by the power of love to the Holy One, blessed be He. For, when it is subdued and its power broken by man in this way, then he becomes a true lover of the Holy One, since he has learnt how to make the “evil inclination” itself serve the Holy One.
הָכָא אִיהוּ רָזָא לְמָארֵי מִדִין. כָּל מַה דַּעֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ בְּגִין לְאַחֲזָאָה יְקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ. וְכִי מַאן חָמֵי עַבְדָּא, דְּלֶהוֵי מְקַטְרְגָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, וּבְכָל מַה דִּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּמָארֵיהּ, אִתְעָבִיד אִיהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא, רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּיהוֹן בְּנִי נָשָׁא תָּדִיר בְּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ, וְיֵהָכוּן בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט, בְּגִין לְמִזְכֵּי לוֹן בְּכַמָּה טָבִין, הוֹאִיל וּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַאי, הֵיךְ אַתְיָא עַבְדָּא בִּישָׁא, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח מְקַטְרְגָא מִגּוֹ רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּמָארֵיהּ, וְאַסְטֵי לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאֹרַח בִּישׁ, וְאַדְחֵי לוֹן מֵאֹרַח טָב, וְעָבִיד לוֹן דְּלָא יַעַבְדוּן רְעוּתָא דְּמָארִיהוֹן, וְאַסְטֵי לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאֹרַח בִּישׁ.
Here is a mystery entrusted to the masters of esoteric lore. All that the Holy One has made, both above and below, is for the purpose of manifesting His Glory and to make all things serve Him. Now, would a master permit his servant to work against him, and to continually lay plans to counteract his will? It is the will of the Holy One that men should worship Him and walk in the way of truth that they may be rewarded with many benefits. How, then, can an evil servant come and counteract the will of his Master by tempting man to walk in an evil way, seducing him from the good way and causing him to disobey the will of his Lord?
אֶלָּא, וַדַּאי רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּמָארֵיהּ עָבִיד. לְמַלְכָּא דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ בַּר יְחִידָאִי, וַהֲוָה רָחִים לֵיהּ יַתִּיר, וּפָקִיד עֲלֵיהּ בִּרְחִימוּ, דְּלָא יִקְרַב גַּרְמֵיהּ לְאִתְּתָא בִּישָׁא, בְּגִין דְּכָל מַאן דְּיִקְרַב לְגַבָּהּ, לָאו כְּדַאי אִיהוּ לְאַעֲלָא גּוֹ פְּלַטְרִין דְּמַלְכָּא. אוֹדֵי לֵיהּ הַהוּא בְּרָא, לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ דַּאֲבוֹי בִּרְחִימוּ.
But, indeed, the “evil inclination” also does through this the will of its Lord. It is as if a king had an only son whom he dearly loved, and just for that cause he warned him not to be enticed by bad women, saying that anyone defiled might not enter his palace. The son promised his father to do his will in love.
בְּבֵיתָא דְּמַלְכָּא, לְבַר, הֲוַת חֲדָא זוֹנָה, יָאֶה בְּחֵיזוּ, וּשְׁפִירָא בְּרֵיוָא. לְיוֹמִין אָמַר מַלְכָּא, בְּעֵינָא לְמֵחמֵי רְעוּתֵיהּ דִּבְרִי לְגַבָּאי. קָרָא לָהּ לְהַהִיא זוֹנָה, וְאָמַר לָהּ זִילִי וּתְפַתִּי לִבְרִי, לְמֵחמֵי רְעוּתֵיהּ דִּבְרִי לְגַבָּאי. הַהִיא זוֹנָה מַאִי עַבְדַת, אַזְלַת אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דִּבְרֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא שָׁרָאת לְחַבְּקָא לֵיהּ וּלְנַשְּׁקָא לֵיהּ, וּלְפַתֵּי לֵיהּ בְּכַמָּה פִּתּוּיִין. אִי הַהוּא בְּרָא יֵאוֹת, וְאָצִית לְפִקּוּדָא דַּאֲבוֹי, גָּעַר בָּהּ, וְלָא אָצִית לָהּ, וְדָחֵי לָהּ מִנֵּיהּ. כְּדֵין אָבוֹי חַדֵּי בִּבְרֵיהּ, וְאָעִיל לֵיהּ לְגוֹ פַּרְגּוֹדָא דְּהֵיכָלֵיהּ, וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ מַתְּנָן וּנְבִזְבְּזָא וִיקָּר סַגְיָא. מַאן גָּרִים כָּל הַאי יְקָר לְהַאי בְּרָא, הֲוֵי אֵימָא הַהִיא זוֹנָה.
Outside the palace, however, there lived a beautiful harlot. After a while the King thought: “I will see how far my son is devoted to me.” So he sent to the woman and commanded her, saying: “Entice my son, for I wish to test his obedience to my will.” So she used every blandishment to lure him into her embraces. But the son, being good, obeyed the commandment of his father. He refused her allurements and thrust her from him. Then did the father rejoice exceedingly, and, bringing him in to the innermost chamber of the palace, bestowed upon him gifts from his best treasures, and showed him every honour. And who was the cause of all this joy? The harlot!
וְהַהִיא זוֹנָה אִית לָהּ שְׁבָחָא בְּהַאי אוֹ לָאו. וַדַּאי שְׁבָחָא אִית לָהּ מִכָּל סִטְרִין. חַד, דְּעַבְדַּת פִּקּוּדָא דְּמַלְכָּא. וְחַד, דְּגַרְמָת לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא בְּרָא, לְכָל הַהוּא טִיבוּ, לְכָל הַאי רְחִימוּ דְּמַלְכָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (בראשית א׳:ל״א) וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד. וְהִנֵּה טוֹב, דָּא מַלְאָךְ חַיִּים. (ס"ח ע"ב) מְאֹד, דָּא מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת, דְּאִיהוּ וַדַּאי טוֹב מְאֹד, לְמַאן דְּאָצִית פִּקּוּדִין דְּמָארֵיהּ. וְתָא חֲזִי, אִי לָא יְהֵא הַאי מְקַטְרְגָא, לָא יַרְתוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא הָנִי גִּנְזְיָא עִלָּאִין, דִּזְמִינִין לְיָרְתָא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
Is she to be praised or blamed for it? To be praised, surely, on all accounts, for on the one hand she fulfilled the king’s command and carried out his plans for him, and on the other hand she caused the son to receive all the good gifts and deepened the king’s love to his son. Therefore it is written, “And the Lord saw all that he had made, and behold it was very good”, where the word “very” refers to the angel of death (i.e. the evil inclination).1v., Exodus, 68b. Similarly, if it were not for this Accuser, the righteous would not possess the supernal treasures in the world to come.
זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּאִעְרָעוּ בְּהַאי מְקַטְרְגָא, וְזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּלָא אִעֲרָעוּ בֵּיהּ. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּאִעְרָעוּ בֵּיהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּזִיבוּ מִנֵּיהּ, דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יָרְתִין כָּל אִינּוּן טָבִין, וְכָל אִינּוּן עִדּוּנִין, וְכָל אִינּוּן כִּסוּפִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּעָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב (ישעיהו ס״ד:ג׳) עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ.
Happy, therefore, are they who, coming into conflict with the Tempter, prevail against him, for through him will they attain bliss, and all the good and desirable possessions of the world to come; concerning which it is written: “What eye hath not seen… he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him” (Isa. 64, 3).
וְזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּלָא אִעֲרָעוּ בֵּיהּ, דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יָרְתִין גֵּיהִנָּם, וְאִטָרָדּוּ מֵאֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים, דְּהָא אִינּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא דְּאִעְרָעוּ בֵּיהּ, הֲווֹ צַיְיתִין לֵיהּ, וְאִתְמַשְׁכוּ אֲבַתְרֵיהּ. וְעַל דָּא אִית לְצַדִּיקַיָּא לְמֶחְזַק לֵיהּ טָבִין דְּהָא בְּגִינֵיהּ יָרְתִין כָּל אִינּוּן טָבָאן וְעִדּוּנִין וְכִסּוּפִין לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
Happy are those, too, who have not come across him, for those sinners who encounter him allow themselves to be enticed by him.
תּוֹעַלְתָּא דְּהַאי מְקַטְרְגָא. כַּד חַיָּיבַיָּא צַיְיתִין לֵיהּ מַאי אִיהִי. אֶלָּא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלֵית לֵיהּ תּוֹעַלְתָּא, פִּקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהּ אִיהוּ עָבִיד. וְתוּ, דְּהָא אִתְתָּקַּף בְּגִין הַאי, הוֹאִיל וְאִיהוּ רָע, אִתְתָּקַּף כַּד עָבִיד בִּישׁ. חַיָּיבָא לָא אִתְתָּקַּף עַד דְּקָטִיל בַּר נָשׁ, כֵּיוָן דְּקָטִיל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּדֵין אִתְתָּקַּף וְאִתְגַּבָּר בְּחֵילֵיהּ, וְאִית לֵיהּ נַיְיחָא. כַּךְ הַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא, דְּאִתְקְרֵי מַלְאָךְ הַמָּוֶת, לָא אִתְגַּבָּר בְּחֵילֵיהּ, עַד דְּאַסְטֵי לִבְנִי נָשָׁא, וּמְקַטְרֵג לוֹן, וְקָטִיל לוֹן, כְּדֵין אִית לֵיהּ נַיְיחָא, וְאִתְתָּקַף וְאִתְגַּבָּר בְּחֵילֵיהּ.
What profit is it, then, to the Tempter when the sinner obeys him? the Holy One enters the synagogue, and the people are united in prayer and sing together praises to the King, He is honoured and glorified, that is to say, the Holy King is strengthened to ascend in glory and beauty. On the other hand, “in the want of people is the confusion of the prince”; that is to say, when He enters a synagogue and finds no congregation come to pray and praise, all the celestial hosts and all the chieftains above are degraded from the high estate to which they were raised by the glorification of that King. For when the Israelites worship the Supernal King with prayer and praise, all the celestial hosts join them and sing in unison with them, and are
כְּמָה דְּאִתְתָּקַּף סִטְרָא דְּחַיִּים, כַּד בְּנֵי נָשָׁא טָבִין, וְיֶהֱכוּן בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר. אוּף הָכִי, הַאי מְקַטְרְגָא אִתְתָּקַּף וְאִתְגַּבָּר, כַּד חַיָּיבַיָּא צַיְיתִין לֵיהּ, וְשָׁלִיט עָלַיְיהוּ. רַחֲמָנָא לִישֵׁזְבָן. וְזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּזַכָּאָן לְנַצְחָא לֵיהּ, וּלְאַכְפְּיָא לֵיהּ, לְמִזְכֵּי בְּגִינֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וְאִתְתָּקַף בַּר נָשׁ בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא תָּדִיר, עַל דָּא וַדַּאי אִתְּמַר, (תהילים פ״ד:ו׳) אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם עוֹז לוֹ בָךְ מְסִלּוֹת בִּלְבָבָם, זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
Even if it profit him nothing, yet he is certainly doing the will of his Master, and, moreover, it gains him strength. He is not content until he has killed his victim, for then he gains strength and is satisfied; just as the angel of life gains strength when a man walks in the right way. May the Lord preserve us from becoming victims of the Tempter. Blessed are they who prevail against him, and thus become inheritors of the world to come and continually gain strength from the Holy King. Concerning such it is written: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are the ways (to Zion)” (Ps. 84, 6). They are blessed in this world, and shall be blessed in the world to come.’