English translation — ויקהל ב

A.

In the Zohar of today's parshah¹

it is told,

that once,

when the "chevraya" of R. Shimon bar Yochai were with him and were discussing matters of the secrets of the Torah,

Rashbi saw that R. Yosi "was pondering worldly matters."

He said to him: "Yosi, arise, complete your image, for you are missing one thing in you" — Rashbi saw,

that because of the fact that R. Yosi was pondering "worldly matters,"

a deficiency was created in his "image,"

one letter

(of his name²)

"is missing in you."

Afterwards "R. Yosi arose and rejoiced in words of Torah ..

R. Shimon looked at him, said to him: R. Yosi, now you are complete ..

and your image is complete"

(and R. Shimon then said a Torah discourse on the verse³

"And he made⁴

the tzitz, etc.")

In the dispute, the story is very perplexing: how can it be,

that Rabbi Yosi,

who was among the great Tannaim⁵

and finding himself in the company of Rashbi and his colleagues, with whom they spoke of the secrets of Torah,

should at the time of the event be thinking "about worldly matters"?

And if one will find an explanation that this that Rabbi Yosi was thinking "about worldly matters" was in a manner

What is sustained according to Torah

(until that because of this it is right to interrupt the hearing of the secrets of Torah that were then spoken)⁶

— is difficult on the other hand: why was through this missing a letter from his name?

B.

Seemingly one can explain this — on the basis of the explanation of [my] father in his notes on Zohar

(as follows section 3)

— and with an introduction:

Although Rabbi Yosi was from the "colleagues" of Rashbi,

with whom

(in general)

was "their Torah was their craft",

he

but was <b>not</b>

(at least — at all times)

in <b>that</b> category of only "engaged in Torah",

who do not interrupt their learning to engage in a craft

("worldly matters"),

as it is related in the Gemara

that "he was a messenger"

("a craftsman for working lights").

Also one finds that Rabbi Yosi engaged in communal needs

(for example — the various enactments that he instituted in Tzipori).

Based on this one can say,

that the “worldly matters” which R. Yosi was pondering,

were matters of communal needs¹³.

And therefore he interrupted in the middle of hearing secrets of Torah — because engaging in communal needs is <b>docheh</b> Talmud Torah¹⁴.

And with this one could also explain,

why nevertheless a letter of his name was thereby missing — because that which engaging in communal needs is docheh Talmud Torah,

is¹⁵

for the benefit and good of <b>the many</b>,

but in the one engaging in communal needs <b>himself</b> can become

(through the involvement)

a <b>descent</b>

(until that Chazal say¹⁶

“Cast upon them communal needs and they are consumed by themselves”)¹⁷.

by Mordechai — as discussed once at length&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;

— that he remained a viceroy,

because his "cessation from words of Torah and entry into authority"&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

was for the benefit of the entire Jewish people

(which is

override of Torah study),

nevertheless,

by him himself, it effected a descent

("he descended from his importance in the eyes of the sages"&lt;sup&gt;21&lt;/sup&gt;),

because it lacked for him the elevation and greatness of Torah study&lt;sup&gt;22&lt;/sup&gt;].

3.

The explanation is also taken from the elucidation of [my] father

(in his notes on the Zohar²³)

on the narrative — that what R. Yosi was pondering "in worldly matters" does not mean a thought of "vain things, heaven forbid",

rather this is the concept of "toil of conversation" which is a "great thing" —

in the explanation of the Sages' statement²⁵

"Man is born for toil...

I do not know if for toil of Torah or for toil of conversation...

one must say he was created for toil of Torah" — that from the very fact that in the Torah of truth there is a possibility to say that a person was created "for toil of conversation",

it is understood,

that this is a lofty service.

And moreover: even according to the conclusion that "he was created for toil of Torah",

this does not <b>completely negate</b> the concept of "toil of conversation",

rather that "toil of conversation"

(alone)

is not the purpose of the creation of man;

<b>And on the contrary</b> — in order to reach the ultimate purpose and elevation of "toil in Torah",

there must first be the service of "toil in conversation"],

And especially since through this one opens up the "conversation" above²⁶

— that the oy-

The Creator should "speak" as it were the Ten Utterances with which the world was created,

as the Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya²⁷,

that the Ten Utterances are <b>constantly</b> invested in the world to bring it into existence and to give it life and to sustain it

(and this is the meaning of "mili de'alma" — the Ten Utterances that create and are invested in the world,

and are called²⁸

"milin dehedyota").

In the service of letters it is: "meditates on worldly matters"

("amal sichah"²⁹)

is the service of "birurim" — to refine and purify the matters of the world

(in particular³⁰)

through the service of "all <b>your deeds</b> should be for the sake of Heaven"³¹

and "in all <b>your ways</b> know Him"³²

(the refinement and purification of matters of <b>reshut</b>

(of a person)

— "mili de'alma"³³),

which the service does for the sustenance of the world³⁴

(by means of "sichah" above).

But nevertheless, this is not comparable to the matter of "toil in Torah"

(and in particular — the secrets and mysteries of Torah),

because even though that through "toil in conversation" becomes

revealed the sustenance of the world

(— through the ten utterances)

(not to fix itself,

but)

to fix the body and the animal soul and his portion &lt;b&gt;in the world&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;,

and through &lt;b&gt;this &lt;/b&gt;service — the service of clarifications — is primarily carried out the purpose&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;

of the creation of the world, that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place in the lower realms&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;],

Nevertheless, “toil in Torah” is higher than “toil in conversation”&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;,

because it draws down the Divine light that is &lt;b&gt;higher &lt;/b&gt;than the world&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;.

And therefore a deficiency was caused in Rabbi Yosi’s name when he reflected “on worldly matters”,

because this is a descent relative to the matter of his “toil in Torah”.

4.

But in greater depth,

this is not a sufficient explanation for that which "one letter is missing <b>in you</b>":

The conduct of the Tannaim and Amoraim was in accordance with the root of their souls⁴⁰.

In the manner as in our case,

that that which specifically Rabbi Yosi had contemplated "in worldly matters",

is because — as the father explains⁴¹

— Rabbi Yosi is of the aspect of Malchus,

That she is the source for the worlds of BYA

(which are brought into being from the ten utterances of Malchut)

; and therefore his service in this matter of “toil of conversation”

(and the existence of the world).

And since the mission of Rabbi Yosi in the world of action is the service of “toil of conversation,”

is

(indeed, truly,

that in toil of Torah there is a great superiority relative to toil of conversation,

because Torah is <b>higher</b> than the world — but)

how can one say,

that because Rabbi Yosi “was reflecting on worldly matters” there should be a deficiency in <b>his name</b>

(that the name “man” is directed to the aspect of his soul⁴²),

when <b>this</b> is the service that is in accordance with <b>his</b> soul

(and consequently — with his name)⁴³?

that they will not demand of him why he is not on the level of the great tzaddikim,

but rather why is he not <b>Zusia</b>].

Moreover: since because of the fact that with him there is not the elevation of a second avodah, a deficiency is caused in his name,

his heart will be fearful and the knowledge will hinder him from fulfilling the avodah that was apportioned to <b>him</b> — with joy and a good heart⁴⁴.

Also one must understand: why did R' Yosi not feel the deficiency that was created in his image and his name&lt;sup&gt;45&lt;/sup&gt;

until Rashbi told him,

and so too — when he returned

(through that which "he rejoiced in words of Torah")

a "complete one",

did it reveal to him &lt;b&gt;Rashbi&lt;/b&gt;?

The explanation in this,

that — this is the proof:

R' Yosi from the aspect of &lt;b&gt;himself &lt;/b&gt;— that.

5.

He.

According to how &lt;b&gt;his &lt;/b&gt;service needs to be from the aspect of his root of the soul — his meditation "in worldly matters" was not a deficiency,

And on the contrary

(as above),

his service

(and consequently — his image and name)

was in perfection;

That which was then lacking in him was regarding him as one of &lt;b&gt;the colleagues of Rashbi&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;46&lt;/sup&gt;,

(&lt;b&gt;Rashbi &lt;/b&gt;as his Torah is his craft

(as will be explained below))

which had

(also)

then needed to be with him — and therefore specifically Rashbi

(&lt;b&gt;Head &lt;/b&gt;of the colleagues)

could recognize in R' Yosi the deficiency

(and also — when the deficiency was afterwards completed).

6.

This will be understood according to what the Alter Rebbe brings down in Hilchos Talmud Torah⁴⁷,

that "every soul needs for its correction to engage in Pardes according to what it is able to grasp...

And it is impossible for it to be corrected and perfected...

without this knowledge."

And one who "was lazy and did not grasp and knew only a little,

must come back in reincarnation until he grasps and knows all that is possible for his soul to grasp of knowledge of the Torah."

What is the matter if the one who learns "a little" is this not from laziness,

but because according to Torah he is exempt from Talmud Torah?

— says the Alter Rebbe

(in Torah Or⁴⁸),

that in this case there can be two ways:

A)

This itself is a lesson,

that <b>his </b>soul is not related to more

(and consequently — it does not need more)

comprehension of Torah,

and therefore it attains its <b>perfection </b>

(also)

with the limited study,

until even from "a chapter⁴⁹

one in the morning and one chapter in the evening".

B)

Since that he is "occupied

(in Torah)

as much as is possible for him",

then "<b>will complete </b>for him the Holy One, blessed be He" that which is coming to him and he did not obtain it through his study and comprehension of Torah.

And one could say, in a possible manner,

that <b>in general</b> these two ways are dependent on the reason why it is impossible for him to engage in Torah study:

If this is because he is occupied

with matters of livelihood and the like <b>his personal matters</b>,

then this is an indication that his soul does not belong to the "masters of Torah"⁵⁰

but rather to the "masters of good deeds"⁵⁰,

it is not so much connected to the comprehension of Torah

(and therefore for him the study of Torah of "one chapter in the morning and one chapter in the evening" is sufficient)

If however he was occupied

(with permission and according to Torah)

(with permission and according to Torah)

with matters of others

(charity and the like),

and in particular — needs of &lt;b&gt;the public&lt;/b&gt; which override Torah study for the sake of the benefit and advantage of the many — then this is in a manner,

that the Most High completes that which is lacking&lt;sup&gt;51&lt;/sup&gt;

in receiving through his learning and comprehension of the Torah —

including also the manner&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;,

that He blesses him with abundant success in the study of Torah and that in a short time

He opens in Torah that which, in the usual manner, would require a lot of time; as it says in the Yerushalmi⁵³

(Regarding the "early chassidim" who would tarry ..

and pray — nine hours a day⁵⁴)

that "because they were chassidim, <b>blessing</b> was given in their Torah" —

(this brought about)

"that they succeeded to understand and comprehend <b>immediately</b> and did not tarry"⁵⁵.

And as it says about charity,

that through it "his mind and heart become clear a thousand times as much"⁵⁶.

7.

Based on this, one can also explain the aforementioned story in the Zohar:

That which <b>Rashbi</b> saw that Bar Yosi was missing a letter from his name

— and especially as the father explains,

that this is the letter yud&lt;sup&gt;57&lt;/sup&gt;

of “Yosi” which is opposite the yud of the name Havayah,

which shines in Atzilus; and in the service of man,

this is the concept of “toil of Torah”

(and especially — secrets of Torah)

which is higher than “toil of conversation”

(the ten utterances,

source of the worlds of BYA),

which this is the concept of Rashbi — his Torah is his craft

(and — master of secrets of Torah)&lt;sup&gt;58&lt;/sup&gt;

was a proof and instruction,

that <b>now</b> it is demanded,

that R. Yosi should move from his service "in worldly matters" and occupy himself <b>now</b> with "toil of Torah",

in a manner of the comrades <b>of Rashbi</b>,

"his Torah is his craft".

And it can be explained in another way more than this: Because there was then a time of favor regarding the matter of Torah,

that his study of Torah at that time will be "several times as much" — will be completed all that he needed to receive through his study and comprehension of Torah

(during the time that he was "pondering worldly matters")

And as it was afterwards,

that through that which "Rabbi Yosi arose and rejoiced in words of Torah",

it became

(as Rashbi said to him)

"You are complete ..

and your image is complete",

meaning — completeness in perfection — also the past was completed.

5735)