Foundation of Free Will

 

 

 

 

 

The Supreme Mind (HaMachshavah HaElyonah, lit. the Highest Thought) calculated how to make man in such a way that he would have intelligence and a good inclination, and also an evil inclination that he can control. The Supreme Mind calculated how to give man a method of service through which he can earn merit, or how to punish him until he becomes fit and then afterwards to give him eternal reward. Each one of these matters involves many details. What we must understand is that the Supreme Mind calculated exactly how many levels were necessary to attain this object, and He made this precise number of levels, not one more and not one less.

 

This can be compared to the case of a person who wants to produce something that requires fire but not too fierce a fire. The person must put the exact quantity of wood that will enable the fire to burn with no more than moderate heat. If he adds one extra piece of wood, the fire will burn too strongly, but if he puts one piece too little, the fire will not burn at the necessary heat.

 

Similarly, the Supreme Mind knew on what level it was necessary that man should be built in order that he would be in the situation described above. He made just as many levels as were necessary, no less and no more, with just so many interconnecting links, not fewer and not more. Of this the sages said: ” ‘And God saw all that He made and it was very good’ (Genesis 1:31) – A man should not say, ‘If I had three legs…’ ” (see Bereishit Rabbah 12:1 and Zohar III, 239b). As we will explain in the coming proposition, here it is forbidden to ask for a reason. This is because in order to understand the calculation, it would be necessary to know all that the Supreme Mind knew, and this is impossible.

 

However, after the levels and their interconnections were laid down, now that we know that they are all going only towards the ultimate goal, we can then investigate the function of these levels within the scheme of government. We can examine their purpose and study their constant forward movement towards the overall goal.

 

In short: we cannot ask for a reason why the Sefirot exist and have this structure, because there is no better reason than the fact that this is the way it is. With exactly these levels arranged as they are, and through man’s emergence from them on his appropriate level, he emerges with precisely the nature that it was required that he should have.

 

…the purpose of the levels themselves… namely, the Sefirot, each with its own unique quality …the purpose of all their parts… These are their 613 lights, parallel to the 248 limbs and 365 interconnecting channels of the human form. …their various properties… These are the laws in accordance with which the lights function, parallel to the natural laws governing man. …and all their interconnections… This refers to the different states of the Partzufim and how they are garbed in one another.

 

One should not seek a reason for all of these, because the overall reason is that they are all required to produce this composite being with his unique nature precisely the way it is. Man’s eternal nature has to be this way in order that he may serve and attain perfection, as discussed earlier and as will be discussed further later on.

 

…this is the First Foundation of the government instituted by the Emanator, blessed be His Name. For everything that we discuss in relation to the Sefirot concerns only the laws of how the worlds are governed, All these laws are revealed by means of lights. Now the first of all the laws is this foundational principle. This is the first light, and this is Keter, as will be discussed below. (The reason for all the different parts of the creation is embedded in the Sefirah of Keter.)

 

For He knew that this is what is necessary, no less and no more, to bring about one complete cycle of government in order to come to the intended goal of His creation, which is the perfect bestowal of good. This should now be clear in the light of the above.