The reason for happiness in the afflictions of the body1Quoted end of last chapter. is that they are a great and potent favor for the sinning soul to cleanse it in This World and to redeem it from purification in the next. (This is particularly true in our generations, when it is not possible to fast—in accordance with the prescriptions in the penances of the Arizal2See above, ch. 2, note 9.—as imperative for the cleansing of the soul, to rescue it from cleansing in Gehinom.)
Nachmanides, in his Introduction to the Commentary on Job, writes that even the sufferings of Job for seventy years have absolutely no comparison to the suffering of a soul even briefly in Gehinom, for [physical] fire is one sixtieth….3“…of that of Gehinom.” Berachot 57b. It is only that the world is built by kindness,4Psalms 89:3. and through mild suffering in This World one is saved from severe judgments in the Coming World.
The movement of a shadow on earth of a few inches equals the sun’s movement in the heaven of thousands of miles…. Infinitely more so is this true in the parallel, in the descent of the worlds, from the most exalted heights until this physical world. We see this in the Zohar’s comments on the subject of the elevation of the higher worlds as a result of the initiative taken by man below. The Zohar describes the effects of the offering of one fowl, a dove or pigeon, or a handful of meal, on the altar. Such are the effects of all the mitzvot of performance, as known from the Arizal.
This too is our Sages’ comment on the verse, “Sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy”5Leviticus 11:44.—man sanctifies himself only a little below, and he becomes sanctified in great measure from above….6Yoma 39a. (It was noted above7Ch. 10. in reference to “Who sanctified us with His commandments…” [that Israel’s sanctification through mitzvot is bound up with the Infinite, that] encompasses all worlds….)
Precisely so is it in reference to reward and punishment, as our Sages8Avot 4:2. say, “The reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah…” as discussed elsewhere. This knowledge is elementary to the understanding, and those with intelligence in this matter will discover good.
וְטַעַם הַשִּׂמְחָה בְּיִסּוּרֵי הַגּוּף, לְפִי שֶׁהִיא טוֹבָה גְדוֹלָה וַעֲצוּמָה לַנֶּפֶשׁ הַחוֹטֵאת, לְמָרְקָהּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּלְהַצִּילָהּ מֵהַמֵּירוּק בְּגֵּיהִנֹּם (בִּפְרָט בְּדוֹרוֹתֵינוּ אֵלֶּה, שֶׁאֵין בִּיכוֹלֶת לְהִתְעַנּוֹת כְּפִי מִסְפַּר כָּל הַצּוֹמוֹת שֶׁבְּתִיקּוּנֵי תְּשׁוּבָה מֵהָאֲרִ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, הַצְּרִיכוֹת לְמֵירוּק הַנֶּפֶשׁ לְהַצִּילָהּ מִמֵּירוּק בְּגֵּיהִנֹּם).
The reason for happiness in the afflictions of the body1Quoted end of last chapter. is that they are a great and potent favor for the sinning soul to cleanse it in This World and to redeem it from purification in the next. (This is particularly true in our generations, when it is not possible to fast—in accordance with the prescriptions in the penances of the Arizal2See above, ch. 2, note 9.—as imperative for the cleansing of the soul, to rescue it from cleansing in Gehinom.)
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ״ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה בַּהַקְדָּמָה לְפֵירוּשׁ אִיּוֹב, שֶׁאֲפִילוּ יִסּוּרִים שֶׁל אִיּוֹב ע׳ שָׁנָה – אֵין לָהֶן עֵרֶךְ כְּלָל לְיִסּוּרֵי הַנֶּפֶשׁ שָׁעָה אַחַת בְּגֵּיהִנֹּם, כִּי אֵשׁ אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים וְכוּ׳. אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁעוֹלָם הַזֶּה ״חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה״, וּבְיִסּוּרִין קַלִּין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה נִיצּוֹל מִדִּינִים קָשִׁים שֶׁל עוֹלָם־הַבָּא.
Nachmanides, in his Introduction to the Commentary on Job, writes that even the sufferings of Job for seventy years have absolutely no comparison to the suffering of a soul even briefly in Gehinom, for [physical] fire is one sixtieth….3“…of that of Gehinom.” Berachot 57b. It is only that the world is built by kindness,4Psalms 89:3. and through mild suffering in This World one is saved from severe judgments in the Coming World.
כִּמְשַׁל הִילּוּךְ וְהַעְתָּקַת הַצֵּל בָּאָרֶץ טֶפַח לְפִי הִילּוּךְ גַּלְגַּל הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּרָקִיעַ אֲלָפִים מִילִין וְכוּ׳. וְיֶתֶר עַל כֵּן לְאֵין קֵץ הוּא בַּנִּמְשָׁל, בִּבְחִינַת הִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הָעוֹלָמוֹת מֵרוּם הַמַּעֲלוֹת עַד עוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַגַּשְׁמִי. וְכַנּוֹדָע מִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ, מֵעִנְיַן עֲלִיּוֹת עוֹלָמוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא, בְּהַקְרָבַת עוֹף אֶחָד בֶּן יוֹנָה אוֹ תוֹר עַל גַּבֵּי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אוֹ קוֹמֶץ מִנְחָה. וְכֵן הוּא בְּכָל הַמִּצְוֹת מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, כַּנּוֹדָע מֵהָאֲרִיזַ״ל.
The movement of a shadow on earth of a few inches equals the sun’s movement in the heaven of thousands of miles…. Infinitely more so is this true in the parallel, in the descent of the worlds, from the most exalted heights until this physical world. We see this in the Zohar’s comments on the subject of the elevation of the higher worlds as a result of the initiative taken by man below. The Zohar describes the effects of the offering of one fowl, a dove or pigeon, or a handful of meal, on the altar. Such are the effects of all the mitzvot of performance, as known from the Arizal.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה עַל פָּסוּק: ״וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים״ – ״אָדָם מְקַדֵּשׁ עַצְמוֹ מְעַט מִלְּמַטָּה, מְקַדְּשִׁין אוֹתוֹ הַרְבֵּה מִלְמַעְלָה וְכוּ׳״ (וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר לְעֵיל בְּעִנְיַן ״אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו״ וְכוּ׳, בְּחִינַת ״סוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין״, וְכוּ׳).
This too is our Sages’ comment on the verse, “Sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy”5Leviticus 11:44.—man sanctifies himself only a little below, and he becomes sanctified in great measure from above….6Yoma 39a. (It was noted above7Ch. 10. in reference to “Who sanctified us with His commandments…” [that Israel’s sanctification through mitzvot is bound up with the Infinite, that] encompasses all worlds….)
וְכָכָה מַמָּשׁ הוּא בְּעִנְיַן שָׂכָר וְעוֹנֶשׁ, כְּמַאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״שְׂכַר מִצְוָה – מִצְוָה וְכוּ׳״, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר. וְדַעַת לְנָבוֹן נָקָל, וּמַשְׂכִּיל עַל דָּבָר יִמְצָא טוֹב:
Precisely so is it in reference to reward and punishment, as our Sages8Avot 4:2. say, “The reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah…” as discussed elsewhere. This knowledge is elementary to the understanding, and those with intelligence in this matter will discover good.