T139 PNC - Righteousness Goes Before Him — Tzedakah on Weekdays Creates Path to Shabbat (1 seg)

Opening verse: 'Righteousness shall go before Him, and He shall set a path for His steps' (Psalms 85:14). This refers to the preciousness of Shabbat. During the weekdays, the chitzonim (external spiritual forces, the Other Side) have dominance and obstruct divine service. However, the person who performs acts of tzedakah (righteousness/charity) during the weekdays — giving generously, acting justly — earns a spiritual pathway that 'goes before him.' The tzedakah done during the week creates a path of light that allows one to walk securely even in the domain of the chitzonim. This path then leads the person safely to Shabbat, where the chitzonim lose their dominance. The verse says: 'Righteousness shall go before Him' — the righteousness performed during the week walks ahead of the person, clearing the path, so that 'He shall set a path for His steps': God Himself creates a way for the person to walk.