105. A Bastard Wise Disciple Precedes a Commoner High Priest

I heard on Heshvan 15, November 1, 1944, Tel-Aviv

“A bastard wise disciple precedes a commoner high priest.”

A bastard means a foreign god, cruel. This refers to bastardy. When one breaches the prohibition of turning to other gods, they beget him a bastard.

Turning to the other gods means that he mates himself with the Sitra Achra [other side], which is pudendum. This is called “who comes over the pudendum and begets from it a bastard.”

The view of landlords is opposite from the view of Torah. Hence, there is a dispute between commoners and wise disciples. And here there is a big difference if the person begot the bastard. A wise disciple claims that that, too, comes from the Creator, that the form that appears to him—the bastard—he says that the Creator caused him that reason. The wicked, however, says that it is only a foreign thought that came to him because of a sin, and he needs nothing more than to correct his sins.

A wise disciple, however, has the strength to believe that this, too, meaning his present form, he must see its true essence. At the same time, he must take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven to the point of devotion.

This means that on what is considered of little importance, too, the lowest and most concealed, still, at such a time it should be ascribed to the Creator, that the Creator created such a picture of Providence in him, called “foreign thoughts.” And he works above reason on such a small thing as though he had great Daat [knowledge] in Kedusha [holiness].

And a great priest is one who serves the Creator by way of “and they are many…” meaning that they have much Torah and many Mitzvot [commandments] and they are not lacking anything. Hence, if one comes to connect and take upon himself some order in the work, the rule is that a bastard who is a wise disciple comes first. This means that one assumes one’s bastardy in the form of a wise disciple. “Wise” is the name of the Creator. His disciple is one who learns from the Creator. Only a wise disciple can say that everything, all the shapes that appear during the work are “for it was from the Lord.”

But a commoner priest, although he serves the Creator and is great in the Torah and in the work, he has not been rewarded with learning from the Creator’s mouth, and he is still not considered “a wise disciple.”

Hence, this above state cannot help him achieve true perfection whatsoever, since he has the view of landlords, and the view of Torah is only one who learns from the Creator. Only a wise disciple knows the truth, that the Creator causes all the reasons.

Now we can understand the words of our sages, “Rabbi Shimon Ben Menasia was studying all the Etin [‘the’ (in plural form)] in the Torah.” Et means including. This means that every day he added Torah and Mitzvot more than in the day before. And since he came to “You shall fear the Lord your God,” meaning that he could not increase, but came to a point where he could not add, but God forbid, to the contrary.

And RASHI interprets, Ben Menasia means that he understood the Menusa [fleeing], which means fleeing and retreat from the campaign. Also, Ben¹ Haamsuny, meaning that he understood the truth, and what form truth has, and he remained standing guard and could not move forward until Rabbi Akiva came and explained Et [the], to include the wise disciples. This means that through adhering to wise disciples, it is possible to receive some support.

In other words, only a wise disciple can help him, and nothing else. Even if he is great in the Torah, he will still be called “a commoner,” if he has not been rewarded with learning from the Creator’s mouth.

Hence, one must surrender before a wise disciple and accept what the wise disciple places on him without any arguments, but by way of above reason.

“Its measure is longer than the earth.” This means that the Torah begins after the earth. That is, if it is greater than the earth. There is a rule that nothing can begin in the middle. Hence, if one wants to begin, the beginning is after the earth, meaning past earthliness. (And this is the meaning of “a commoner high priest,” meaning that even if one’s work is in greatness, if he has not been awarded the light of the Torah, he is still in earthliness.)

Achieving Lishma [for Her sake] requires plenty of learning in Lo Lishma [not for Her sake]. This means that one should strain and exert Lo Lishma, and then he can see the truth, that he has still not been awarded the Lishma. However, when one does not strain oneself with great efforts, one cannot see the truth.

On another occasion, he said that man should study much Torah Lishma to be rewarded with seeing the truth—that he is working Lo Lishma. The work Lishma is considered reward and punishment, which is considered Malchut. And Torah Lo Lishma is considered ZA, considered private Providence.

This is why the kings of Israel, all of whom who were awarded private Providence, had nothing more to do since they had nothing to add. This is why our sages said, “a king of Israel neither judges nor is he judged.” Hence, they have no part in the next world since they do not do anything, as they see that the Creator does everything.

This is the meaning of Izevel [Jezebel], Ahab’s wife. They interpreted that his wife argued, Ei Zevel [where is refuse], meaning “Where is there refuse in the world?” She saw that it was all good. And Ah Av [Ahab] means that he was Ah [brother] to the Av [Father] in heaven. But the kings of David’s house are judged because the kings of David’s house had the power to unite the Creator and His Shechina [Divinity], although they are mutually contradictory, as Providence is opposite to the discernment of reward and punishment.

This is the power of the great righteous, that they can unite the Creator with the Shechina, meaning private Providence with reward and punishment. And precisely from the two of them emerges the complete and desirable perfection.