What Does It Mean that Man’s Blessing Is the Blessing of the Sons, in the Work?

Article No. 14, 1991

It is written in The Zohar (VaYechi, Items 371-372), “He asks about the verse, ‘And he blessed Joseph and said, ‘will bless the lads.’’ We should look in this verse, for it says, ‘He blessed Joseph,’ but we find no blessing for Joseph here, that he blessed Joseph, but his sons. He replies, ‘Rabbi Yosi said, ‘Et [of]’ is precisely it, since Et implies Malchut.’ It is written, ‘blessed Joseph,’ which is the blessing of his sons, since his sons—Menashe and Ephraim—are regarded as Malchut, which is called Et. And when his sons are blessed, he is blessed first. This is why it writes Joseph, too, since a man’s sons are his blessing.”

We should understand what it means that if the sons are blessed, Joseph is also blessed, in the work. What does this tell us?

It is known that all our work is that we must achieve Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, which is equivalence of form, meaning to bestow, just as the Creator bestows upon the lower ones. Because of it, we were given the work in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], to do them in order to bestow. By this, one becomes corrected at the root of his soul, which is Malchut de Atzilut, which is regarded as the whole of Israel. This is why Malchut is called “the assembly of Israel,” since all the souls come from her.

Hence, to the extent that they work in order to bestow, they cause Malchut, who is called Shechina [Divinity], to unite with the Creator, called ZA, or Yesod de ZA, for Yesod is called “righteous,” who bestows upon Malchut. However, when Malchut is receiving for herself, she has no equivalence with the Giver, called “the Creator,” and this is regarded as the Shechina being far from the Creator due to disparity of form. This is considered that the Creator cannot bestow upon Malchut, and thus the souls have no abundance.

When the Creator cannot bestow upon the lower ones, due to the disparity of form between them, this is called “the sorrow of the Shechina.” That is, from the perspective of the receiver, she cannot receive abundance because if she receives abundance for the lower ones, it will all go to the Klipot [shells/peels], called “receiving in order to receive.” It is also called “sorrow” from the perspective of the Giver because the thought of creation is to do good to His creations, but now He cannot give them the delight and pleasure because everything that the creatures will have will go to the Klipot.

Hence, the Giver is sorry that He cannot give, like a mother who wants to feed her baby but the baby is sick and cannot eat. At that time, there is sorrow on the part of the Giver. In the words of The Zohar, this is considered that there is sorrow above that there cannot be unification, meaning for the Giver to give abundance to the receiver. The Giver of abundance to the lower ones is called Malchut, who receives abundance from ZA. In the words of our sages, this is called “Israel nourish their Father in heaven.” What is the nourishment? It is that Israel qualify themselves to become fit to receive abundance. This is His nourishment, since this was the purpose of creation, which is to do good to His creations.

Therefore, when the lower ones engage in Torah and Mitzvot with the aim to bestow, they cause unification above, meaning that Malchut, too, who receives the abundance for the lower ones, to become a giver. This is called the “unification of the Creator and the Shechina.” That is, there is contentment above because the lower ones cause abundance to flow downward.

But if the lower ones do not work with the aim to bestow, it causes the sorrow of the Shechina. That is, there is sorrow above that Malchut, who is called Shechina, cannot bestow delight and pleasure to the creatures.

However, we should make two discernments concerning the sorrow of the Shechina. We should discern that there is sorrow from the perspective of the Giver, called “Creator,” and there is the sorrow of the Shechina, who is called “the mother of the sons,” meaning the “assembly of Israel,” who engendered the souls of Israel.

Also, we attribute to Malchut the giving of vitality to the Klipot [shells/peels], as it is written, “And her legs go down to death.” The meaning of “her legs” is Malchut at her end, which is called “legs.” She descends in order to bestow vitality to the Klipot, who are called “death,” so as to sustain them. Otherwise, the Klipot would not exist. Since the Klipot are needed, as it is written, “and God made it so they would fear Him,” Malchut sustains them just so they persist, meaning the amount that enables them to exist.

This is also called “very thin light,” so they can exist. That is, we see that there is pleasure in the corporeal world, and that the whole world chases this pleasure in order to obtain it. In general, this pleasure is clothed in three things, called “envy,” “lust,” and “honor.” Were it not for the thin light there, which places the pleasure within these corporeal things, who could exist in the world? since without pleasure, it is impossible to live because the purpose of creation was with the aim to do good to His creations. Hence, without good, it is impossible to live.

However, we should understand why it is called “the sorrow of the Shechina,” since the Creator created the world in order to do good to His creations. Thus, it should have been called “the sorrow of the Creator.” That is, the fact that the creatures do not engage in Torah and Mitzvot in order to bestow causes that the Creator will be unable to bestow, so the sorrow should be attributed to the Creator, not to the Shechina, who is called Malchut.

Baal HaSulam said, What is the difference between the Creator and the Shechina? He said that it is one thing. It is as The Zohar says, “He is Shochen [dweller] and she is Shechina.” This means that both names are one thing, but are light and Kli [vessel]. That is, the place where the Shochen is revealed is called Shechina. Hence, they are the same thing, but where the light cannot be revealed because of the disparity of form between the light and the Kli, it is considered that the Shechina, where the Shochen should be revealed, is deficient.

For this reason, we relate to the Shechina, since the Shochen cannot be revealed to the lower ones due to the disparity of form. And since we are speaking only from the perspective of the Kelim [vessels], we call the exile “Shechina in the dust,” “Shechina in exile,” since we are speaking from the perspective of the Kelim and not from that of the lights. This is why it is called “the sorrow of the Shechina,” as though she suffers from her inability to bestow upon the lower ones. But if we elaborate on the details, we should say that there is also sorrow here on the part of the Giver, who is called “the Giver to the lower ones.” But when we speak from the perspective of the Kelim, we call it “the sorrow of the Shechina.”

According to the above, in order to have contentment above because “He spoke and His will was done.” This means that in order for His desire to do good to His creations to be carried out, so the creatures will receive from Him delight and pleasure, which is the joy that the created beings cause above—as our sages said, “There has never been such joy before Him as on the day when heaven and earth were created”—when the creatures walk on the straight path, when all their actions are in order to bestow contentment upon their Maker, they make Malchut, which is the root of the souls, work in order to bestow what she receives for the souls, meaning for the souls, so they become able to receive in order to bestow. This is considered that the creatures cause the unification of the Creator and His Shechina.

By this, abundance is bestowed upon the lower ones because the abundance that is extended is for the purpose of correction. That is, through this reception, in a manner that is in equivalence of form, there is pleasure above, since during the reception of the abundance there is no shame there because of the correction that they receive in order to bestow.

According to the above, we will understand what we asked, What is “A man’s blessing is the blessing of the sons”? When the sons, meaning the created beings, who are called “the sons of the Creator,” receive the abundance in a correction of a blessing, meaning that they want to receive only because they want to bestow contentment upon the Maker, for “blessing” means bestowal, which is Hesed [mercy], meaning to bestow, as it is written in The Zohar (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Item 37), that the letter Bet is Hesed, which indicates blessing, which is Hassadim, which is the hall of Hochma, who is included in the Bet.

It follows that by the sons engaging in blessing, meaning working in order to bestow, they cause Malchut above to connect with ZA. This is called “the unification of the Creator with His Shechina.” From this unification, they can bestow above, as well, since the sons engage in bestowal. This causes the blessing at the root above to be drawn down to the sons, and this is considered that the people of Israel receive the abundance from their father in heaven.

It is written in The Zohar (Beresheet, Item 131), “The reason why the great Mochin of Shabbat [Sabbath] are called ‘inheritance’ is that all the Mochin that the children of Israel receive from their father in heaven is by an awakening from below, as they said, ‘I labored and found, believe.’ It is as people purchase possessions in this world. The greater the possession, the greater should be the exertion that they give for it. But the lights of Shabbat do not require any labor.”

The reason that the lights of Shabbat do not require labor is that Shabbat is the completion of heaven and earth, a semblance of the end of correction, when everything is corrected. Hence, before Shabbat, there are the six weekdays, which imply the six thousand years of work until we achieve the end of correction. Likewise, there are the six workdays, which is the time of work, and Shabbat is the rest.

This is why our sages said (Avoda Zarah 3), “He who did not toil on the eve of Shabbat, what will he eat on Shabbat?”

It follows that by exerting to emerge from the control of self-love and be rewarded with vessels of bestowal, which is a blessing, by this there is contentment above, in that they can bestow upon the sons.

Now we can understand what The Zohar answers about what is written, “He blessed Joseph,” and we did not find a blessing here that he blessed Joseph, but rather his sons. He explains that when his sons are blessed, he is blessed. This is why it is written, “Joseph,” too, since “man’s sons are his blessing.” That is, Joseph is called “the giver,” and his “sons,” explains The Zohar, “his sons—Menashe and Ephraim—are regarded as Malchut, which is called Et.”

This means that Malchut, who is called Et [of], is because she contains all the letters from Aleph [first letter in the Hebrew alphabet] to Tav [last letter], since the letters are called Kelim and the receivers of the abundance, which is called “his sons,” since she receives for the created beings. It follows that by his sons being blessed, he becomes blessed, too. That is, the giver, who is Joseph, called Yesod, gives to Malchut, when Malchut can receive for the sons. At that time, Malchut is called “The mother of the sons is glad, Hallelujah.”

When the lower ones engage in Torah and Mitzvot in order to bestow, they cause at the root of their soul, which is Malchut, to equalize in form with the Giver. This is called “unification.” At that time, the abundance is poured to the lower ones. Thus, they cause Malchut to be able to receive abundance for them. Hence, Malchut is called “the mother of the sons is glad.”

Hallelu-KoH [Hallelujah] means Hellolu [praise] Yod-Hey [the Creator] are called Hochma and Bina, who give the abundance to the quality of Joseph, and from Joseph, who is Yesod, to Malchut, who is called Et. This is the meaning of what is written, “He blessed Joseph,” and this is the meaning of “man’s blessing are his sons.” If the sons are blessed, it is considered a blessing for man, when he can bestow delight and pleasure.

However, this work, for all his actions to be in order to bestow, is hard work, since all the organs of the body object to it. This is against man’s nature, who was created with a desire to receive for his own benefit. This is the meaning of what is written (Psalms 22), “And I am a worm and not a man, a disgrace of man and despised by the people.”

We should interpret that “I” refers to “I am the Lord your God,” that this quality in him is as a worm, meaning as weak as a worm. “And not a man” means that when I want to cling to “I am the Lord your God,” they say that it is unbecoming of an intelligent and reasonable person to go above reason. This is more like an insane person.

“A disgrace of man” is the work of faith above reason. This is a disgrace for a person who thinks that man’s main purpose is to cling to “I am the Lord your God.” In other words, wanting to be rewarded with “I” being as “the Lord your God,” means that he will be rewarded personally, and this is called “your God.” At that time, they curse and swear, meaning they say that this work belongs to angels, not to people, that it is a disgrace for a person to want to do this, even though he tells them, “But you see that there many people are walking on the path toward being rewarded with the Lord being their God.”

At that time, they say about these people that they are simply “despised by the people,” meaning that the nations of the world in one’s body tell him that this work, for a person to be rewarded with the quality, “I am the Lord your God,” belongs to the despised, meaning to lowly people, that it is a disgrace to even speak to them, since they are walking on the path of the Creator like mindless fools.

In any case, when one wants to overcome their complaints, it is hard work and there are ascents and descents here. A person needs extra efforts because the arguments of the nations of the world in a person stand ready to find some weakness in the work so as to show man that he is wasting his efforts, since this work is not for him, and they advise him to escape the campaign. A person is powerless to stand against them, but only to increase his prayer that the Creator will help him defeat the enemies within him.

This is the meaning of the verse (Psalms 32), “Many are the afflictions of the wicked, and he who trusts in the Lord, Hesed [mercy] will surround him.” We should understand what is “Many are the afflictions of the wicked.” It seems as though because of it, “He who trusts in the Lord, Hesed will surround him.” But in the work, we speak of one person who comprises the entire world.

The meaning is that as long as one is under the control of the will to receive, he is called “wicked,” since he cannot say that His guidance is good and does good. Hence, he suffers torments when he wants to work in order to bestow. A person asks, “Why did I not suffer afflictions when I engaged in Torah and Mitzvot before I began to do the holy work, that it will be in order to bestow? I had joy in the work and I was always happy, since I believed in reward and punishment, and this is why I observed Torah and Mitzvot.”

But now that he has begun the work of bestowal, he feels pain when he wants to engage in Torah and Mitzvot, and it is hard for him to do anything for the sake of the Creator. Each time, he sees how far he is from Kedusha [holiness], for Kedusha means equivalence of form, and now he sees that he is far from it.

The answer is that he should believe that the fact that now he has become farther from the Creator and he is asking, this feeling that he feels, that now he is worse than when he worked in order to receive reward, is not because he is really worse than before. It is not that now more evil has been added to him and because of it he is worse. Rather, it is because now that he has done many good deeds, the truth was revealed to him, that the evil in him governs him.

Conversely, before he had the good, he could not be shown the truth, since the bad and the good must always be balanced. It follows that he is not in such a descent that he thinks that this work is not for him and he wants to escape the campaign. Rather, this feeling comes to him precisely when he has good.

Yet, he believes in the Creator that he was given from above to feel these states of pain. While one is still in a degree of “wicked,” when he cannot believe in a guidance of delight and pleasure, when that person overcomes, it is called “He who trusts in the Lord.” At that time he is rewarded with “Hesed will surround him.” We should interpret that Yesovevnu [will surround him] comes from the word Mesovav [consequence]. In other words, the pains that the wicked suffered was the reason for the Hesed, with his meriting the quality of Hesed. It follows that “Many are the afflictions of the wicked” caused him to be rewarded with Hesed.