1.<\/p>\n
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The second stage (of our Divine service) extends from age thirteen and onward, and it\u2019s when the point in the heart — which is the hindmost part of our holy soul, and is garbed in the native ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> — is fortified. It only begins to come into play, though, after (we reach) age thirteen, and it begins to enter the realm of the system of the holy worlds to the extent that we observe Torah and mitzvot.<\/strong><\/p>\n The \u201cpoint in the heart\u201d spoken of here is that region in our being where our worldly awareness and sensitivity lies. It\u2019s a \u201cpoint\u201d rather than an entire dimension, and the \u201chindmost part of our holy soul\u201d rather than an inner part of it, because while it indeed touches on momentous things in our lives, it still-and-all hasn\u2019t any bearing on our essential being and it\u2019s ultimately dispensable (though certainly not \u201cpoint\u201d-less).<\/p>\n But don\u2019t misunderstand. It\u2019s vitally important for each one of us to develop his or her own \u201cpoint in the heart\u201d. First, because without one we can’t ever grow close to others or to God, or to mature in our beings; second, because it\u2019s impossible to realize that we have a ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em>, and then to transcend it, unless we gain insight into it and come to know how destructive it is. And only a well developed \u201cpoint in the heart\u201d allows us to do all that (see Ch\u2019s 43, 65).<\/p>\n Ashlag is emphasizing the idea here that we only begin to grow aware and to be sensitive from age thirteen on (if at all; for the truth be known, many of us never do). For that\u2019s when we begin to dabble in holiness and to expose ourselves to the nature of our beings; and it’s likewise when we can begin to strive for a willingness to bestow — after first having acquired what he refers to as a “spiritual” ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> as we’ll soon see.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Our primary function from that point is to acquire and foster a spirit-based ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em>, for at birth we only have a ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> for material things. And so even though we\u2019d acquired a comprehensive ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> before we turned thirteen, that\u2019s not yet the ultimate reach of the ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em>, for it is primarily meant to grow on a spiritual level.<\/strong><\/p>\n A \u201cspirit-based ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em>\u201d is a willingness to now accrue spiritual “playthings”, like wisdom, revelation, and other such immortal delights, over the sort of worldly ones we\u2019d embraced till then. Understand that while that too is rooted in self-serving needs, nonetheless a higher, more selfless self is served then.<\/p>\n But know as well that when Ashlag indicates that we’re to achieve even more when it comes to our ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> he’s alluding to the fact that there’s even more to come. Because after having fostered a spirit-based ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> we’re to then transpose it into a ratzon l\u2019kabel al m\u2019nat l\u2019hashpia<\/em>, and to ultimately cultivate a ratzon l\u2019hashpia<\/em> (see 27:2).<\/p>\n (Our only having a ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> for material things at first) explains, for example, why we (only) want to accumulate all sorts of worldly wealth and honor before we turn thirteen, though those things are clearly not eternal and merely ephemeral. For (in contrast) when we acquire a comprehensive spiritual ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> we want to have and enjoy all (sorts of spiritual delights, like) the \u201cwealth\u201d and \u201cpleasure\u201d to be had in the eternal upper worlds, which is an eternal possession. Thus (we see that) the comprehensive ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> is only completed for the most part with (i.e., when we acquire and foster a) spiritual ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n The statement that the comprehensive ratzon l\u2019kabel is only completed for the most part when we acquire and foster a spiritual ratzon l\u2019kabel<\/em> underscores our remark above about having to subsequently acquire a ratzon l\u2019kabel al m\u2019nat l\u2019hashpia<\/em> and a ratzon l\u2019hashpia.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n (c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<\/p>\n Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here<\/a> at a discount.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here<\/a> at a discount as well.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence<\/a>\u201d and \u201cRamchal<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 1. The second stage (of our Divine service) extends from age thirteen and onward, and it\u2019s when the point in the heart — which is the hindmost part of our holy soul, and is garbed in the native ratzon … Continue reading