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ה אַךְ הָאֱמֶת אַגִּיד לַשּׁוֹמְעִים לִי, כִּי ״אַהֲבָה מְקַלְקֶלֶת הַשּׁוּרָה״, וְ״הִנֵּה הִיא כְּסוּת עֵינַיִם״ שֶׁלֹּא לִרְאוֹת הָאֱמֶת, מֵרוֹב אַהֲבָתָם לְחַיֵּי הַגּוּף לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, לַעֲבוֹד בּוֹ אֶת ה׳, בְּרִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ וְשַׁלְהֶבֶת גְּדוֹלָה מֵאַהֲבַת נַפְשָׁם אֶת ה׳, וְעַל כֵּן, הֵיטֵב חָרָה לָהֶם בְּצַעַר הַגּוּף חַס וְשָׁלוֹם ה׳ יְרַחֵם, וְאֵין יְכוֹלִין לְקַבֵּל כְּלָל, עַד שֶׁמַּעֲבִירָם עַל דַּעְתָּם, לְכַתֵּת רַגְלֵיהֶם מֵעִיר לְעִיר, לִשְׁאוֹל עֵצוֹת מֵרָחוֹק, וְלֹא שָׁעוּ אֶל ה׳ לָשׁוּב אֵלָיו בְּרוּחַ נְמוּכָה וְהַכְנָעַת הַגּוּף, לְקַבֵּל תּוֹכַחְתּוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה, ״כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב ה׳ וְכוּ׳״:

5However, I shall relate the truth²³ to those who listen to me: “Love upsets the natural order of conduct,”²⁴ for it is a covering of the eyes not to see the truth. Because of their great love for the life of the body [for the sake of Heaven, to worship G–d with it in a mode of flashes of fire and a great flame²⁵ because of their soul’s love for G–d],²⁶ they are properly angry with the agony of the body, Heaven forfend; may G–d show compassion. Thus they are not able to bear it at all, to the point that it drives them out of their mind²⁷ to tramp about from city to city to seek advice from afar, and they did not implore G–d by returning to Him with humble spirit and submission of the body to accept His chastisement with love, “for He whom He loves….”²⁸

ו וּכְמוֹ אָב רַחֲמָן חָכָם וְצַדִּיק הַמַּכֶּה בְּנוֹ, שֶׁאֵין לְבֵן חָכָם לַהֲפוֹךְ עוֹרֶף לָנוּס, לִמְצוֹא לוֹ עֶזְרָה, אוֹ אֲפִילוּ מֵלִיץ יוֹשֶׁר, לִפְנֵי אָבִיו הָרַחֲמָן וְהַצַּדִּיק וְחָסִיד, רַק לִהְיוֹת ״יָשָׁר יֶחֱזוּ פָנֵימוֹ״ עִם אָבִיו פָּנִים בְּפָנִים, לִסְבּוֹל הַכָּאוֹתָיו בְּאַהֲבָה, לְטוֹב לוֹ כָּל הַיָּמִים.

6It is analogous to a compassionate, wise, and righteous father who punishes his son. Surely the wise son should not “turn his back”²⁹ to escape and find himself help, or even an intercessor before his father, who is compassionate, righteous, and merciful. Rather, he should have his face looking straight³⁰ at his father, face to face, to endure his strikes with love, “For his lifelong benefit.”

זוְהִנֵּה, לְמַעְלָה, בְּחִינַת ״פָּנִים״ הוּא הָרָצוֹן וְהַחֵשֶׁק, אֲשֶׁר אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם מַשְׁפִּיעַ לְבָנָיו כָּל טוּב עוֹלָמִים וְחַיֵּי נֶפֶשׁ וְגוּף, בְּאַהֲבָה וְרָצוֹן, חֲשִׁיקָה וַחֲפִיצָה, עַל־יְדֵי תּוֹרַת חַיִּים שֶׁהִיא רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים: ״כִּי בְאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ נָתַתָּ לָּנוּ תּוֹרַת חַיִּים כוּ׳״ לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהּ רְצוֹנוֹ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: ״בְּאוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים, וּרְצוֹנוֹ כוּ׳״.

7Now, above, the aspect of panim (face) is that of willingness and pleasure.³¹ That is, our Father in Heaven effuses to His children all the good of the worlds, and life for the soul and body, out of love and willingness, pleasure and delight, through the Torah of Life,³² His Will, blessed be He, which He gave to us, as it is written:³³ “For in the light of panecha (Your Face),³⁴ You gave us the Torah of Life…” to carry out His will with it.³⁵ And of this it was said: “For in the light of the King’s Face there is life, and His will….”³⁶

חמַה־שֶּׁאֵין־כֵּן לְעוֹבְדֵי גִלּוּלִים, מַשְׁפִּיעַ חַיֵּי גוּפָם שֶׁלֹּא בְּרָצוֹן וַחֲשִׁיקָה וַחֲפִיצָה, לְכָךְ נִקְרָאִים ״אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים״, שֶׁיּוֹנְקִים מִבְּחִינַת ״אֲחוֹרַיִים״.

8To the heathens, however, He effuses the life of their bodies without willingness, pleasure, and delight. This, therefore, is referred to as elohim acherim,³⁷ for they draw from the aspect of achorayim.³⁸

טוְכָךְ הוּא בָּאָדָם, הָרָצוֹן וְהַחֵשֶׁק הוּא בְּחִינַת ״פָּנִים״, וְאִם אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל בְּאַהֲבָה וְרָצוֹן כְּאִלּוּ הוֹפֵךְ עוֹרֶף וְאָחוֹר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.

9It is likewise with man: willingness and pleasure are an aspect of panim (face). When one does not accept³⁹ with love and willingness, it is as if “he turns his neck”⁴⁰ and achor (back), Heaven forfend.

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org