February 13, 1966
Hello and all the best to my friend, whom I love as my own soul,
I long to hear how things are going for you—your health, your sustenance, and how your children are doing at school. I have no special news, and I will conclude my letter with words of Torah.
It is written in the weekly portion: “Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease.” This means that Shabbat was established for resting, and the weekdays were established for work. That is, we must work, and one who does not work during the weekdays does not keep, “Six days you are to do your work.” What should wise disciples, whose Torah is their work, do?
We should interpret this by way of ethics, as well as explain the meaning of ethics. That is, what is required of us? What is the meaning of keeping Torah and Mitzvot [commandments]? According to what Baal HaSulam interpreted, they were given to us as a remedy by which to achieve the goal we must achieve.
Therefore, first we must understand the purpose of creation, the reason for which we came into this world. It is known from the holy books that the purpose of creation is to do good to His creations (and according to rule that the cow wants to nurse more than the calf wants to suckle). So who detains us from receiving the delight and pleasure that the Creator wants to give us?
They explained that it is in order to avoid the bread of shame. That is, one who receives a gift from one’s friend is ashamed of him. Therefore, in order for one to not be ashamed upon the reception of the pleasure, we were given the work in Torah and Mitzvot, so that through labor and Torah and Mitzvot we will be rewarded with receiving the reward. This means that once we have the fit Kelim [vessels] to receive the pleasure and abundance from the Creator in a way that there is no shame in the reception of the pleasure, we will be given abundance and delight from above.
Now we will understand what we asked above. We were given six days to work on qualifying the Kelim for reception of the pleasure, which is called labor, and Shabbat is the time of reception of the pleasure, and not of the correction of the Kelim. This is why Shabbat is called Shvita [ceasing/resting] from the work, and all the Kelim that have been prepared on the eve of Shabbat are filled on Shabbat, for Shabbat is a “similitude of the next world.”
According to the above we will understand the ethics in which we need to engage, meaning understand that we need the labor for ourselves, in order to receive the delight and pleasure, and the Creator will help us.
From your friend who wishes you and your family abundant blessings and success, joy and contentment,
Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag