Perek 77

[Bentzion Meltzer]

“Warm yourself before the fire of the sages, but be careful not to
burn yourself from their coals, for their bite is like the bite of a
fox and their sting is like the sting of a scorpion, and all their
words are like burning coals.”1

The Baal Shem Tov taught:
Before beginning study, the sages used to make light conversation,2 in
order to open their minds from a constricted state of katnuth/immature
consciousness and bring themselves to an expanded state of gadluth/
mature consciousness.

For there are constricted and expanded states in the dimensions of
world, time, and soul. When the world is in a state of expanded
consciousness, one can come close to G•d very easily, whereas when the
world is in a state of constricted consciousness, then one has to
struggle tremendously in order to come close to G•d. However, the
greatest spiritual benefits are reaped when one has to force oneself
to serve G•d.

Thus, even when one is unable to immerse oneself in strictly spiritual
practices, one should nevertheless bind G•d’s Word in his heart,3 even
while busy with mundane chores. When the sages spoke in praise of
Torah study together with mundane endeavors, they were speaking
specifically about this.4

Hence, when a student comes to learn before his master when the master
is in a state of constricted consciousness, he might observe the
master involved in mundane chores and learn only that from him, not
realizing that his behavior is then only like a coal, without any
inner fire.5 For this reason, the Mishnah warns, “Be careful not to
burn yourself from their coals.”

This is also alluded to in conclusion of the Mishnah, “Their sting
like the sting of a scorpion.” In Hebrew, a scorpion is an AKRaV –
Ayin KaRaV – meaning, the sage is involved in bringing the seventy
[ayin] dimensions of the mundane world6 closer [karav] to their
Source, but this student does not realize this, and assumes that the
master’s mind is only on the mundane.

1 Tractate Avoth 2:10
2 Tractate Sabbath 30b
3 Psalms 119:11
4 Tractate Avoth 2:2. The nuance of meaning in the Mishnah is that
Torah study and mundane endeavors should be pursued simultaneously,
which can only be done in the way presented here, where one retains
consciousness of G•d’s Word while busy with mundane chores.
5 The metaphor of a coal is used because the fire inside the coal is
not evident. Similarly, the spiritual ember inside the heart of the
master is not visible on the outside.
6 The letter ayin, numerically seventy, represents the spectrum of the
ten Sephiroth in each of the seven lower Sephiroth, which in general
are connected with the mundane world, as opposed to the upper three,
which are generally connected with the world of thought and above.


Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett and reprinted
with the kind permission of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation. Please visit
www.baalshemtov.com

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