Derech Hashem – The Way of G-d 2:4:9
So, G-d has allotted to us the repairing and elevation of all of creation 1, as we’d indicated 2. And He allocated all of His supervision of the world to the things we do 3, if you will 4, having given us the ability to grant light 5 and bestowance 6, or to hide and conceal 7, G-d forbid.
Others’ actions, though, neither bolster nor weaken creation 8, nor do they reveal G-d’s presence or hide it. Their actions do, though, affect themselves for better or for worse, either bodily by strengthening or weakening them, or spiritually.
Footnotes:
1 After Adam and Eve’s error.
2 See 2:4:3 above.
3 See Zohar at the beginning of Parshat Bo as well as Nephesh Hachaim 1:3-4.
4 This withholding of a bold statement of utter human control of things is meant to underscore the undeniable fact that while G-d allocated a lot of control to our actions, at bottom, He’s in complete control of things (see 2:8:1 below and Da’at Tevunot 9),
5 I.e., growth,
6 I.e., blessings.
7 G-d’s presence.
8 Still and all see Da’at Tevunot 126 where Ramchal makes the distinct point that all of creation plays a role in bolstering creation, underscoring the point by saying that “everything is intertwined, and everything is needed to fulfill the mission that G-d had in mind when He created the universe”. Also see Pirkei Avot at the end of Ch. 6.
(c) 2017 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org
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Rabbi Feldman’s new annotated translation of Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag’s “Introduction to the Zohar” is available as “The Kabbalah of Self” on Kindle here. His annotated translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here and his annotated translation of Rabbeinu Yonah’s “The Gates of Repentance” is available here.
He has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).
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