שותפים בקרקע ד

Key low sa-azoav nafshee lishoal low seetain chaseedichu leeroas shuchas. Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan I:23 ("Tzivisa Tzedek"). Translated from the Hebrew.

A partnership is not established through words alone, but rather through a kinyan. And every matter — according to its [type of] kinyan, etc.; see there in the Shulchan Aruch.

For You will not abandon me to Sheol, or let Your faithful one see the Pit.

According to the Torah "Tzivisa Tzedek," etc. (Siman 23); see there. And the general principle is that all the avodah zaros [foreign worships] are embedded in money. And one who falls into the lust for money, chas vishalom — who does not believe that all the parnasah and the profit is only from Hashem Yisbarach, and says "kochi vi'otzem yadi" ["my power and the might of my hand"] (D'varim 8:17), etc. — and burdens himself with great exertions and endangers himself to distant places for the sake of money, etc. — he worships all the avodah zarah in the world.

But one who does business faithfully and fulfills his word in masa umatan — and his "yes" is yes and his "no" is no — and does not change or exchange his word even for all the wealth of the world — and believes that all the profit is only from Hashem Yisbarach — and he is happy with his portion and is not hasty for wealth, etc. — he is in the aspect of "anpin n'hirin" [shining countenance], the aspect of simchah, the aspect of life. And he is connected to the aspect of the seventy faces of k'dushah.

11 תּוֹדִיעֵנִי אֹרַח חַיִּים שֹׂבַע שְׂמָחוֹת אֶת-פָּנֶיךָ נְעִמוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נֶצַח But one who is sunk in the lust for money — who worships all the avodah zarah, as above — he is connected to all the seventy faces of the Sitra Achara, which are the aspect of atzvus [sadness] and marah sh'chorah [melancholy] — seventy "anpin chashochin" [dark faces] — avodah zarah, the aspect of death. For the money kills him from both worlds, Rachmana litzlan.

Toadee-ainee oarach cha-yim soava simuchoas es punechu ni-eemoas beemeenichu netzach. And the main tikkun for the lust for money is through sh'miras hab'ris [guarding the covenant]. And through connecting to the true tzaddik — who is in the aspect of tikkun hab'ris in the ultimate completeness. For "if not for salt, the world could not endure the bitterness." Meaning, the world is full of bitterness from worries and burdens and exertions and the pursuit of parnasah — until it would be impossible to endure this bitterness, which is harder than death. In the aspect of: "Motzai ani mar mimaves es ha'ishah," etc. ["I find more bitter than death the woman"] (Koheles 7:26) — which is the parnasah, as is explained there.

You will teach me the path of life. In Your presence is perfect joy; delights are ever in Your right hand.

But the main vitality and sustaining of the world is through the tzaddik who guards the b'ris — who is the aspect of "b'ris melach olam" [covenant of eternal salt]. Who sweetens the bitterness of this world, and nullifies the lust for money, and brings emunah and bitachon into the hearts of Yisroel. Through which the world is sustained, etc.; see there all of this well.

Psalm 32 · פרק לב

And it is explained there that because of this, whoever disputes against the true tzaddik falls even more into the lust for money — which is the aspect of sh'mad [apostasy], avodah zarah. In the aspect of: "Vay'garesh mipanecha oyaiv vayomer hashmed" ["And He drove out the enemy from before you, and said: Destroy"] (D'varim 33:27). For he has no salt to sweeten the bitterness, etc.; see there.

1 לְדָוִד מַשְׂכִּיל אַשְׁרֵי נְשׂוּי-פֶּשַׁע כְּסוּי חֲטָאָה And because of this one specifically needs a kinyan in masa umatan, and no transaction or deal is established through words alone, without a kinyan. For all the changes and exchanges in masa umatan are drawn from the Sitra Achara — which is the avodah zarah — "anpin chashochin" — which surround the money. And whoever descends there to do business with his money needs to be exceedingly careful that the k'lipos and the Sitra Achara that surround the money — which are the aspect of the avodah zarah of the seventy nations, which are the aspect of the lust for money, as above — should not take hold of him. And one needs great exertion for this, and to connect greatly to the true tzaddikim, and to give abundantly in tz'dakah — until one is saved from the lust for money, which is the totality of all avodah zarah, as above. And this is the aspect of: "A person's livelihood is doubly as difficult as childbirth," as is explained there at the end; see there well. For before one earns kosher money, one needs to pass through the seventy avodah zaros, as above, and to cry out one hundred and forty [k'mem, numerically 140] cries in order to be saved from them. And then one merits to earn kosher money — for only this is called "profit," etc., as is explained there. And all the changes and exchanges in masa umatan — everything is from there, from the aforementioned avodah zarah. For they take hold in the masa umatan, and they cause him to fall into the lust for money — until because of this his heart is seduced to exchange his word and to change it. And he is considered as if he worships avodah zarah, as Chazal said: "Whoever exchanges his word — it is as if he worships avodah zarah." And because of this the transaction is not established through words alone. For the minds of the buyer and seller are not settled on words alone — only when there has been some complete kinyan according to the enactment of Chazal — such as meshichah, or hagba'ah, etc. For it is impossible to subdue the avodah zarah, from which are the changes, as above, except specifically through the hands — which are the aspect of asiyah [action]. As is explained in the Torah "Chosam b'soch chosam" (in Siman 22); see there. For the main sustenance of the avodah zarah is from the aspect of the hands — in the aspect of "vayikach oso miyadam," etc. ["and he took it from their hands"] (Sh'mos 32:4). And the main subduing of the avodah zarah is through the hands, as it is written: "Vayitnu el Yaakov," etc. ["And they gave to Yaakov"] (B'raishis 35:4); see there. And therefore the transaction is not completed through words alone. For through words alone it is impossible to subdue the avodah zarah that surrounds the money, from which are all the changes, as above — only when they have made some kinyan, which is the aspect of asiyah, the aspect of the hands. For all the kinyanim are that one does some action with the hands — such as kinyan sudar, or meshichah, and hagba'ah, and meseerah, etc. And through the asiyah — the aspect of the hands — then specifically the avodah zarah is subdued. For its main subduing is through the hands, as above. And then the changes that come from there are nullified. And then specifically the transaction is established. And therefore also the partners who come to form a partnership — the shutafus is not established through words alone, but only through a kinyan. For the matter of shutafus — that two people join and partner together to do masa umatan — this is drawn from the aforementioned aspect. Because the masa umatan is a place of very great danger. For all the avodah zarah is embedded there, as above. And all the falls are there. For this is the main fall — when one falls into the lust for money, chas vishalom — where is all the avodah zarah. And because of this the parnasah and the profit are very, very difficult. In the aspect of: "A person's livelihood is doubly as difficult," etc. For the avodah zarah and the Sitra Achara — which are the aspect of the lust for money, the deficiency of bitachon and emunah — they hold back and prevent the shefa [abundance]. For "the alien god is castrated and does not bear fruit," as is understood there. And even one who earns money — if it is not in k'dushah and he is sunk in the lust for money, chas vishalom — the profit is not considered anything. For, on the contrary, now he is lacking even more, and is full of worries and sorrows more than at first, and suffers the bitterness of this world more and more than at first. For now he is lacking very greatly according to his conduct now and according to his thoughts and foolishness now, as all of this is known. And as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah and elsewhere in our words; see there. And because of all this, it is common that two people partner together. For "mazala d'vai t'rai adif." This is the aspect of: "Two are better than one — for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow," etc. For the main element of all the falls is in the lust for money, as above. And therefore two people join and partner together — so that one should lift up his fellow. Meaning, for the main fall into the lust for money is because of machlokes — and mainly through disputing against the true tzaddik, as above. For the true tzaddik is the aspect of "b'ris melach olam" — who sweetens the bitterness of the world, as above. And when one disputes against him, one has no aspect of salt to sweeten the bitterness. And through this one falls into the bitterness of the lust for money — and this is the main fall, in the aspect of "vay'garesh mipanecha oyaiv," etc., as is explained there. For machlokes against the tzaddik causes many kinds of destruction. For through this machlokes is increased among Yisroel and among the entire world, between each person and his fellow. And wars are increased in the world. For the tzaddik is the "b'ris melach" — the aspect of "b'ris shalom" — who makes shalom between all the opposites. And when one blemishes his honor — all the more so when one disputes against him — there is no one to make shalom, and machlokes is greatly increased. For most of the opinions of people are different and opposite from one another. For just as they are different in their forms, so they are different in their opinions. And when the illumination of the tzaddik — the aspect of "b'ris shalom" — does not shine in them, automatically machlokes is greatly increased. And through the abundance of machlokes among Yisroel, from this the lust for money overpowers even more, chas vishalom. For each one causes his fellow — with whom he disputes — to fall. As is understood in the aforementioned Torah — that whoever is in the aspect of sh'miras hab'ris to a greater degree can cause his fellow who is lesser in sh'miras hab'ris to fall into the lust for money; see there. And it is known that not all Yisroel are equal — and one is considered relative to his fellow in the aspect of sh'miras hab'ris. And when there was love among them, one would help and lift up his fellow from the lust for money. For through their joining together, they were in the totality of sh'miras hab'ris. For Yisroel in their totality are in the aspect of sh'miras hab'ris. And as it is written: "Vi'amaich kulam tzaddikim" ["And your people are all tzaddikim"] (Y'shayahu 60:21). Meaning, "vi'amaich kulam" — when Your people Yisroel are all together — who join together in love and shalom — then they are considered tzaddikim. For the portions of sh'miras hab'ris of each one are joined together, and through this they are all considered tzaddikim. And also through joining together in love and shalom, they have greater power to receive the illumination of the tzaddik y'sod olam — for there is the main shalom, as above. And he illuminates upon them the aspect of sh'miras hab'ris. And through this he saves them from the bitterness of the world — which is the lust for money, as above. But through machlokes, chas vishalom, they cannot receive the illumination of the tzaddik. For the illumination of the tzaddik is very great, and it is difficult to receive it except through all of them joining together — for then they have vessels to receive the great illumination of the tzaddik. Until he illuminates upon them in completeness — to bring them out from the mire of the depths of the lust for money that destroys most of the world, Rachmana litzlan. And also because they dispute against the tzaddik himself. And also each one disputes against his fellow, and each one causes his fellow to fall, chas vishalom, as above. And from this comes the overpowering of the lust for money that has spread very, very greatly in the world — which embitters the life of a person, until they die amidst sorrow and sighing and anger and pains. And they carry nothing in their hands to the World to Come. For all their days they were busy drawing upon themselves the bitterness and the sorrows of the lust for money and the burden of parnasah. And from this is drawn the fact that two people join together and partner to engage in some masa umatan. This is the aspect of: "Two are better than one — for if they fall," etc., as above. Meaning, through two people joining together — according to the aspect of their joining and connecting — the aspect of shalom is drawn between their nefashos [souls]. And the aspect of the tzaddik that is in each and every one of them is joined together. For in every individual of Yisroel there is a point that is the aspect of a tzaddik — the aspect of sh'miras hab'ris, as is explained elsewhere. And through their joining together, the illumination of the tzaddik y'sod olam is drawn upon them. And through this they have greater power to strengthen themselves from falling into the lust for money — from which is the difficulty and heaviness of parnasah, as above. For they sustain and hold up each other — in the aspect of: "if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow," as above. And therefore the shutafus is not established except through a kinyan, like the masa umatan. For the joining of the shutafim — this is the aspect of shalom, which is the aspect of tikkun hab'ris, as above — from which is the shattering of the lust for money, which is avodah zarah, as above. And therefore one needs a kinyan — which is an action with the hands — through which specifically the avodah zarah is subdued — which is the lust for money — which is the aspect of machlokes — which constantly provokes to ruin the shalom and to nullify the shutafus. Therefore one specifically needs a kinyan — which is the aspect of asiyah — through which specifically the avodah zarah is subdued. And emes and emunah are drawn — the aspect of shalom — that the shutafus should be established, as above. For emes — which is the aspect of "anpin n'hirin," the aspect of the shattering of the lust for money, etc., as is explained there — is the aspect of shalom. As it is written: "Ha'emes vihashalom ehavu" ["Love truth and peace"] (Z'charyah 8:19). הלכות שותפין ד (סיום) Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan I:23 ("Tzivisa Tzedek"). Conclusion. Translated from the Hebrew. And this is the aspect of kinyan sudar — through which are the majority of kinyanim. For kinyan sudar — which is through the garments — through this one draws the illumination of the tzaddik, who is the aspect of tikkun hab'ris. In the aspect of "ufarasta k'nafecha al amasecha" ["and you shall spread your wing over your handmaid"] (Rus 3:9) (as is brought elsewhere). Through which the lust for money — avodah zarah — from which are the changes, as above — is nullified. And therefore formerly in Yisroel the kinyan was through a shoe: "shalaf ish na'alo vinasan lirai'aihu," etc. ["a man drew off his shoe and gave it to his fellow"]. For the shoe is a protection for the feet — for there is the main element of the money, in the aspect of "vi'es kol hay'kum" ["and all the substance"], as is explained there. And there is the main hold of the avodah zarah — in the aspect of "virachatz ragliachem" ["and wash your feet"] — this is avodah zarah, as Chazal said. And therefore "sheker ain lo raglayim" ["falsehood has no feet"], etc. And the shoe is a protection for the feet — that the k'lipos and the avodah zarah should not take hold in him. For the shoes are drawn from a lofty level — from the aspect of the Chashmal, which is the aspect of the light of the face (as is brought elsewhere and as is brought in the Kavanos). And therefore formerly the transaction was through the shoes — that a man gave to his fellow — to show that they are connecting together in the aspect of sh'miras hab'ris. Which is the shattering of the lust for money. Which is drawn through the protection of the shoes — which are drawn from the aspect of the light of the face — which is the aspect of tikkun hab'ris. For the main endurance of the masa umatan — that it should not change — is through subduing and nullifying the avodah zarah that wants to take hold in the money. And its subduing is through the aspect of tikkun hab'ris, as above. And this is the aspect of what the verse "Ainai chol ailechuh yisabairu," etc. ["The eyes of all look to You with hope"] (T'hilim 145:15) is adjacent to the verse "Somaich Hashem lichol hanoflim" ["Hashem supports all the fallen"] (T'hilim 145:14). For the main element of all the falls is into the lust for money, chas v'shalom, as above. For then one falls into all the seventy avodah zaros of all the seventy nations. And this is the main element of the length of the galus, Rachmana litzlan. For the main galus in body and nefesh is only in the matter of money — that they take many taxes and levies from Yisroel. And also each individual is sunk in the lust for money, Rachmana litzlan, according to his fall, chas v'shalom. And because of this, the letter Nun is not said in Ashrai — "because there is in it a falling," etc. As it is written: "Naflah lo sosif," etc. ["She has fallen, she will not rise again"] (Amos 5:2). For regarding those who fall into the lust for money it is said: "Naflah lo sosif kum" — for from all the falls it is possible to rise, but one who falls into the lust for money — it is impossible for him to rise from there, as is understood in the story of the Ba'al Tefillah; see there. And regarding this it is said: "N'sanani Hashem bidai lo uchal kum" ["Hashem has delivered me into the hands of those from whom I cannot rise"] (Eichah 1:14). And as it is stated in the Midrash — that this is said regarding the bitterness of parnasah, that it made him a slave bound to himself, etc. (see there in Midrash Eichah on this verse). And regarding this Chazal said: "And even so, Dovid came and supported them with Ruach HaKodesh, as it is said: 'Somaich Hashem lichol hanoflim.'" Meaning, certainly according to the overpowering of the lust for money and the bitterness of parnasah, it would be impossible to endure at all — in the spiritual or in the physical. But "were it not for Hashem Who was for us, let Yisroel now say" — for Hashem Yisbarach helps us in every generation and sends us true tzaddikim. Who, through the extreme might of their power — even though people dispute against them — through their wondrous wisdom they support Yisroel in great concealment. And through this we have endurance in this long, bitter galus — whose main element is the lust for money, which comes from the lust of intimacy, as above (and as is explained elsewhere). And this is the aspect of what Dovid supported them with Ruach HaKodesh, as it is said: "Somaich Hashem lichol hanoflim." For only Hashem Yisbarach in His mercy supports us — through the true tzaddikim. Through which we have endurance, as above. And therefore adjacent to this: "Ainai chol ailechuh yisabairu vi'Atah nosain lahem es achlam bi'ito," etc. ["The eyes of all look to You with hope, and You give them their food in its time"]. For this is the main support — that Hashem Yisbarach supports all the fallen. Meaning, that He saves them from the lust for money and brings emunah into them — that they should look to the salvation of Hashem and cast their eyes to Him alone, to trust in Him, Yisbarach — that from Him is all the parnasah. And this is the aspect of: "Ainai chol ailechuh yisabairu," etc. And therefore "in the West they explain it thus: 'Naflah — lo sosif; kum — bisulas Yisroel'" [meaning: "She has fallen — she will fall no more; rise — O maiden of Yisroel"]. Meaning, certainly since through the kindnesses of Hashem He supports us so as not to remain, chas v'shalom, in this fall of the lust for money — which is worse than everything — until in the very end He will raise us also from this fall. Then certainly afterward K'neses Yisroel will not continue to fall anymore at all. For this is the main element of the length of the galus — until we merit that Mashiach should come, who through his wisdom will raise us from this fall of the lust for money. For then will be fulfilled: "Vihishlichu ish es elilai chaspo ve'elilai z'havo," etc. ["And they shall cast away, each man, his idols of silver and his idols of gold"] (Y'shayahu 31:7). And then Yisroel will not continue to fall anymore. For then everything will be rectified. And as is understood in the story of the Ba'al Tefillah — that the lust for money was not rectified until they all came to the King himself, and then he showed them the way to the Sword upon which was written on the Hand, etc. Through which the lust for money was rectified. And then all the evil sects were rectified and they emerged from their error. It emerges that when the lust for money is rectified, then everything will be rectified. And then will be fulfilled: "Naflah — vilo sosif" — to fall anymore. For Hashem Yisbarach will say to her: "Kum, bisulas Yisroel!" ["Rise, O maiden of Yisroel!"] Meaning, Hashem Yisbarach Himself, kivyachol, will raise her from her fall. For it is impossible to leave the lust for money entirely except through the salvation of Hashem — that one merits to receive from the true tzaddik who knows all the ways how to bring one out from this, as is understood in the aforementioned story. Hashem Yisbarach — may He illuminate our eyes and the eyes of all Yisroel, that we should merit to draw close to the true tzaddikim, who will bring us out from all the lusts and from all the errors — and especially from the lust for money. And may we all return to serve Him, Yisbarach, all our lives forever. Amain. Halachah 5 in Hilchos Shutafim BiKarka, Halachah 5.