Perek 81

[Bentzion Meltzer]

The Baal Shem Tov taught:

If all suffering and other issues for which one should pray will
disappear with the times of the Messiah, what will happen to prayer
itself? For we can surely not say that prayer itself, which is
considered a "limb of the Shekhinah/Divine presence,"1 will be
abolished. Furthermore, the verse says, "On that day, the iniquity of
Israel will be sought but there will be none, and the sin of Judah but
not found."2 Why will they be sought? Who will need the iniquities of
Israel?

The answer is that there are four categories of suffering that evoke
prayer. The first is when one is pained by the desecration of G•d's
Name among the nations, and prays for this. The second is [when one is
pained] for having sinned, for the greatest suffering is sin. Sin, in
fact, is even worse than death, for while death atones for sin, sin
causes many types of death. The third is prayer for one's sustenance,
and the fourth is for life itself.3 Now, the "limbs of the Shekhinah/
Divine presence" are enwrapped within the four categories of suffering
just mentioned, so that one should be moved to pray, while seeing
through the veil of those superficial circumstances and elevating the
Divine sparks hidden within them.4 However, when one is not confronted
by one of those four painful circumstances, one does not realize that
one should pray.5

This, then, is the meaning of the verse, "The iniquity of Israel will
be sought," so that it could be prayed for, but there will be none, or
"The sin of Judah" - the Hebrew word "sin" means a lack, in this case,
the lack present in any of those painful circumstances - "but it will
not be found." Thus, on that day there will be nothing to pray for,
and prayer will then be only to make unifications.6

For all physical acts that are done in this world are all alluded to
in the Torah, and are all included in the World of Atziluth/Closeness.
The main thing, though, is to believe beyond any doubt that the words
of prayer bring about the immediate reality of that for which one is
praying.7

This also explains the verse, "Jacob sent messengers to Esau."8 Jacob
[Ya'AKoV] represents the Shekhinah, for the first letter yud is the
raw potential9 that becomes enclothed in the seven levels of material
existence, which are represented by the second letter ayin,10 each of
which is inclusive of the ten levels of existence, each of which are
inclusive of the ten Sephiroth, which are represented by the third
letter kuf.11 All this is accomplished by way of Binah, which is
represented by the fourth letter beyt, which refers to the two
"angels"12 that were sent "to Esau," to the world of Asiyah/Action.13

1 Zohar I 10b (where the metaphor is actually wings).
2 Jeremiah 50:20
3 These four categories seem in an order of descending levels, from
the most spiritual to the most physical. One who prays for the
desecration of G•d's Name is not praying for any personal salvation,
but rather of that of mankind and the entire universe. Praying for
having sinned, however sincerely, involves a personal salvation.
4 When one prays with an awareness that one is indeed talking to G•d,
he experiences himself being in G•d's presence. At that moment, one
has indeed "revealed" G•d in the world - in his world. G•d was always
there, but we did not see Him. So G•d puts us through painful
experiences so that we call out to Him from our suffering, so that
perhaps we may come to realize that the suffering was only a means to
bring us to Him. Nevertheless, when one has indeed reached this level
of prayer at which one is "at Oneness" with G•d, the prayer itself has
becomes transformed from a means to the goal. This may be alluded to
in the metaphor of "limbs." On the one hand, limbs are not actually
part of the main part of the body - the head and torso - but only
extensions that serve it, to bring things to the body or to bring the
body somewhere. On the other hand, though, the limbs are certainly
part of the totality of the body, and the entire body can be seen as
one entity.
5 Regarding this, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov said that one should train
oneself to speak to G•d about everything that is going on in one's
life, as if one were talking to one's best friend.
6 Until here is from the Toldoth Yaakov Yoseph, VaYikra 2, and the
remainder is an addition of the compiler. As said, the goal of prayer
is to attain Unification with G•d, for which suffering is only a
means. But when mankind will reach this level, suffering will no
longer be needed as a means, and prayer will then be to reach ever
higher levels of Unity.
7 This idea was already presented in the previous piece (#80).
8 Genesis 32:4
9 The letter yud is "raw potential," because it is only a dot of ink,
from which all other letters can be drawn.
10 The letter ayin is numerically 70, composed of the seven levels
times ten levels.
11 The letter kuf is numerically 100.
12 The letter beyt is numerically two. In the writings of the Rabbi
Yitzhak Luria, the two Supernal Sephiroth of Chokhmah and Binah are
referred to as "angels" (Pri Etz Chaim, Shabbath ch. 20).
13 The physical world, represented by the lower seven Sephiroth, are
"mindless" and "chaotic." Each function seeks its own fulfillment, and
does not interact with another. This creates our world of apparent
separateness. However, by bringing Mind into play - the Mind of the
two higher Sephiroth, Chokhmah and Binah, the dissonance of the
different Sephiroth are transformed into the harmony of a single
orchestra, all interacting harmoniously to produce something
beautiful. This is an aspect of the Oneness and Unity that one must
strive to achieve in one's personal life, and for the world at large.

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

Please spread the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov v'nishmas my parents:
Yoel ben Avrohom and Malka bas Avrohom. May their Neshamas have an
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