אות - עז

The entire world is filled with disputes — both among the nations of the world, and so in every city and every city. And so in every house: between neighbors and between each one with his wife and household members and servants and children. And no one takes to heart the ultimate purpose — that every single day a person dies, for the day that has passed will never be again, and every day he draws closer to death.

And know that it is all one. For the dispute that occurs in the particular — between a man and his household and the like as mentioned — is precisely the same as the dispute between kings and nations. For each one of the household members is in the aspect of a distinct nation, and they contend with one another as there are wars between nations. And it is also possible to identify in each person from which national aspect he derives — for the characters of the nations are known: this one is wrathful and murderous and the like. And similarly one can find these in the particulars of household members. And even if one person does not wish to quarrel and wishes to sit in quiet and tranquility — even so he is compelled to be within the dispute and the wars. Just as we find among the wars between kings and nations: sometimes there is found a nation that wishes to sit in tranquility and wants no war at all — on the contrary, it would have been pleased to prostrate itself before its neighbor many times — even so it is dragged by force into the war, for this one says it should be on its side and this one says the opposite, until they wage war against it as well.

So too is it precisely in the particular, in the household wars mentioned above. For the human being himself is a small world (157) and comprises within himself the entire world and its fullness — all the more so the person together with his household, who comprise all the nations within them and contend and clash as mentioned. And therefore sometimes when a person sits alone in the forest he can become insane — for this comes from being alone, since all the nations are comprised within him alone, and they clash one against the other, and he is compelled to transform at every moment into the aspect of another nation according to whichever nation prevails — since they are all comprised within him alone. And because of this he can go completely insane from the reversal of views within him through the contention of the nations that are all comprised in him alone. But when he is among people in a settled place, the war has room to spread out among each of the household members or among the neighbors as mentioned.

The dispute in the household of the Tzadik is also in the aspect of wars of the nations as mentioned. And there are also comprised there the aspects of wars of the tribes which waged war against one another — Efrayim against Yehudah and the like (158). And when Mashiach comes speedily in our days, then all manner of dispute will be nullified and there will be great peace in the world, as it is written (Isaiah 11:9): "They shall not harm nor destroy" etc. (159).

157. RAK: Zohar Part III, 33b. Tikkunei Zohar 69.

158. RAK: See Isaiah 11:13; Ezekiel 37:16.

159. RAK: Rabbainu said that just as many foolish practices have been abolished from the world such as idolatry, so too the foolishness of war will be abolished; and he laughed greatly at those who labor to invent weapons of war. (Chayai Moharan...)

In every place there is righteousness — even one who does all manner of wickedness, even so he must of necessity have some righteousness within him. Only there is a distinction between people: when does the righteousness begin? For there are people with whom the righteousness begins immediately, and there are those with whom righteousness only begins afterward — after doing wickedness. And there are those with whom the beginning of righteousness is even more delayed — after committing several wicked acts. And similarly there are those with whom it begins even later and later. But even so, righteousness will be found in him too — only it is greatly delayed.

For example — there was a case I saw in a village: a soldier came and commanded that the post horses be given to him. And they bribed him with money. And afterward a second soldier came, and the first enticed him also to take the horses as mentioned. And they bribed him as well. And afterward a third came who truly needed horses for the postal route and wished to take the horses. And the village owner went and pleaded before the first, who was the commanding officer, that he should let him be. And then that first soldier showed him favor and commanded them to let him go and not take horses from him. It is found that with this robber soldier, the first one mentioned, righteousness began after committing two wicked acts as mentioned — and then righteousness began with him and he commanded to let him go. For even though he was a robber and did such wicked acts, even so on the third time righteousness began with him and he was compelled to let him go.

It is found that in every place there is righteousness — only the distinction is when the righteousness begins, as mentioned above. And understand.