תּוֹרָה ג - פִּדְיוֹן נֶפֶשׁ

The primary work of charity is to break one's cruelty and convert it to compassion — to volunteer for charity. For one who is merciful by nature and gives charity because of the mercy in his nature — this is not service. Therefore all the generous of heart who wish to fulfil the commandment of charity properly — must first go and pass through this aspect — namely they must first break their natural cruelty and convert it to compassion to give charity. For this is the primary work of charity as above. And through this the anger of Hashem Yisborach is also converted to favour. All the commandments and good deeds and all the service of Hashem are the aspect of birth. For the primary offspring of Tzadikim are good deeds. And just as a woman in labour before giving birth must endure many pangs and contractions and cry out many cries of "ach" and "avoy" etc. — so too exactly in the service of Hashem — when one wishes to perform some service or teshuvah — there must necessarily be many toils. And one must cry many cries of "ach" and "avoy" and many groanings and many doublings and many swayings etc. And especially at the beginning — for then it is very difficult — for all beginnings are difficult. And then more than ever one needs many cries and groanings etc. — before beginning some beginning. And also afterwards — after the beginning — the service of Hashem also does not come easily. And one needs many toils and many movements as above before meriting to perform some deed that has beauty. But the beginning is very difficult as above. Therefore let not your thoughts frighten you regarding everything that passes over you. For it is necessary to endure it all as above. And proportional to the pain — so is the reward. Charity widens all the openings of holiness. When a person enters some path and service of the service of Hashem — one must open a gate there to enter that path. And it is because of this that all beginnings are difficult. And through charity — one widens the opening. And even when there is already an opening — charity further widens and opens all the openings of holiness. Therefore before every commandment and service — it is good to give charity — in order to widen the opening of holiness one needs to enter in one's service. And it will not be so difficult and heavy to enter them. The beginning of charity is very difficult and heavy. But the benefit of charity is very very great. For the needs of the body are very many — and even the necessities are very many — food and drink and clothing and lodging. And they prevent a person greatly from the service of the Creator, may He be blessed. And through charity — all these obstacles are nullified. For through charity — one merits that His kindness, may He be blessed, flows — until one will not need to do any business or labour for livelihood. Rather one's work will be done by others. And one can occupy oneself with the service of Hashem, may He be blessed. It is impossible to receive the abundance of kindness — for one cannot receive great goodness. And one must make a vessel and conduit to receive the kindness through it. And through fear — a vessel and conduit is made to receive the kindness through it. Through the revelation that everything is conducted by His will, may He be blessed — and there is no necessity of nature at all — through this fear is made. For then one knows that there is reward and punishment. And it is relevant to fear Him, may He be blessed. But when one falls into heresy — as if everything is conducted according to nature — fear is not relevant — G-d forbid. [Said the transcriber: See Iyov 15:4 — where Eliphaz said to Iyov who attributed everything to the heavenly constellations: ""Moreover you nullify fear.""] The revelation of the will above is through the festivals. For every holy festival proclaims and announces and reveals the will — that everything is conducted only by His will, may He be blessed. And there is no necessity of nature at all. For at every festival Hashem Yisborach did wondrous signs with us that are the opposite of nature. At Pesach — the Exodus from Egypt — that He took us out with awesome signs. At Shavuos — the Giving of the Torah — that He gave the Torah with awesome signs. At Sukkos — the surrounding Clouds of Glory. And through all these signs and wonders that He performed with us at all three festivals — it is revealed that everything is conducted only by His will, may He be blessed — and there is no necessity of nature at all. But one must incline one's ear and heart well to hear the voice of this holy proclamation. And through this one merits to the joy of the festival — for each person — according to the extent to which one merits to hear in one's heart the voice of the proclamation of the festival — that everything is conducted by His will, may He be blessed — so one merits to festival joy. There are evil beasts that tear and devour — and these are the wisdom-of-nature people who wish to show through their erroneous wisdom that everything operates according to nature — G-d forbid. And they tear and devour many of our people. For many souls of Israel have sunk in this — G-d have mercy. And these souls are like birds caught in a trap. Therefore whoever has concern for his soul must flee and rescue his soul from them — so that his soul not be torn and devoured — G-d forbid — through them. For their power is very great — and the voice of their roaring rises and overpowers the voice of the proclamation of the festival that calls out and proclaims and reveals the will. Therefore it is absolutely forbidden to look at all at these books that speak of philosophical inquiry — even books that great men of Israel composed. For there is no greater evil than this. Through the elders — the long-lived ones of the generation — who are not of completeness — through this the wisdom of nature is strengthened — G-d forbid. For a person must — with each additional day of life that comes — add each day holiness and knowledge of Hashem. For each subsequent day must illuminate more with added holiness and knowledge of Hashem. And only this is called a true elder of holiness. But one who blemishes one's days and does not add holiness and knowledge each day — even though growing old — is not called an elder at all. Rather on the contrary — one is called short of days. And through the fall of the holy knowledge of these above-mentioned elders — the knowledge of the wisdom of nature draws nurture and is strengthened in the world — G-d forbid. The rectification for this is charity. For through charity — one rectifies the blemish of the long-lived elders of the generation who are not as they should be. And through this one merits to nullify the root of the wisdom of nature. And one merits to hear the voice of the proclamation of the holy festival that calls out and reveals the will — that everything is by His will, may He be blessed. And through this one merits to festival joy. And therefore one must increase in charity before each festival — in order to merit through it to full festival joy. And through this — hearing the voice of the proclamation of the festival that calls out and reveals the will — one will merit fear. And through it one can receive the influence of His kindness, may He be blessed — until one will not need to do any business for livelihood. And all one's work will be done by others. And one can occupy oneself with the service of Hashem, may He be blessed — without any obstacles from livelihood. It is found that the benefit of charity is very great — both for oneself — that one can occupy oneself with the service of Hashem, may He be blessed — without obstacles — and for the world in general — that the faith in the will is revealed in the world. And all the souls already trapped in the wisdom of nature — like birds caught in a trap — will fly from their trap and emerge in peace through charity. Sometimes even when the wisdom-of-nature people are subdued — they return and cast some doubt on the will. And then one must return and increase charity. For charity constantly subdues and humbles the wisdom of nature — and reveals that everything is conducted only by His will, may He be blessed. Charity is a healing for all the plagues.