לקוטי שיחות חלק ט״ו - לך לך ד

Parshas Lech Lecha

1. In connection with G‑d's promise to Avraham, "To your offspring I will give this land"^[1], it says in the Midrash^[2]: "When Avraham was traveling through Aram Naharayim etc., he saw them eating and drinking and acting wantonly. He said: 'Would that I have no portion in this land.' And when he reached the Ladder of Tyre, he saw them occupied with weeding etc., with hoeing etc. He said: 'Would that my portion be in this land.' The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: 'To your offspring I will give this land.'"

Since the Midrash connects G‑d's promise ("To your offspring I will give this land") with the fact that the desire of Avraham our father ("Would that my portion be in this land") came about because of the occupation in labor of the inhabitants of the land, it is understood from this that the virtue of their occupation in labor was the cause (not only of Avraham's desire for the land, but also) of the giving of the Land of Israel to the offspring of Avraham.

The question then arises: Avraham our father's statement, "Would that my portion be in this land," if it (also) means that he would have a portion there among the other inhabitants — since the inhabitants of the land occupied themselves with labor, it is understood: Avraham wanted to live among people who conduct themselves in a proper manner (and not among those who were "eating and drinking and acting wantonly").

But the promise, "To your offspring I will give this land," means that G‑d will give "this land" entirely to the Jews alone (through inheritance and through their conquest). For what reason, then, should the promise be connected with the good conduct of the inhabitants of the land? And even more — with their conduct in the days of Avraham?

2. Seemingly one could answer that the conduct of the inhabitants of the land reflects the character and quality of "this land" itself, as our Sages^[3] say, "There is a land that raises etc."

One must, however, understand: our Sages^[4] say that "the deeds of the Canaanites were more corrupt than those of all the nations, and the place in which Israel settled^[4*] was the most corrupt of all." And since in general the deeds of the Canaanites were "more corrupt than those of all the nations" (including the people of Aram Naharayim), how can one say that this single virtue of the inhabitants' occupation in labor (and correspondingly — the single good quality of the land itself) should outweigh all their other shortcomings, to the point that because of it, specifically this land is fit for the Jewish people?

3. Concerning the importance and virtue of labor, our Sages^[5] say: "Rabbi Elazar said: Every man was created for toil, as it says^[6], 'For man is born to toil.' I do not know whether he was created for toil of the mouth or for toil of labor; when it says^[7], 'For his mouth compels him,' you must say he was created for toil of the mouth. And still I do not know whether for toil of Torah or for toil of conversation; when it says^[8], 'This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth,' you must say he was created for toil of Torah."

This is not understood^[9]: how can there be even a preliminary supposition that man was created "for toil of labor"? What virtue is there in toil of labor that it would be reasonable to say that the entire purpose of his creation is for its sake?

Similarly, the second supposition — that man was created for "toil of conversation" — is not understood; especially in light of what the Rambam^[10] elaborates, that most speech is in fact undesirable speech.

The wonder is even greater in light of what is known, that even a preliminary supposition in Torah is — Torah^[11], as is evident also from the law that when a person studies a question or a preliminary supposition in Torah (without the answer and the conclusion), he is likewise obligated to recite the blessings over the Torah^[12].

And even more: in the blessing one says and calls it "His Torah," "a Torah of truth" — that is, in the question, the preliminary supposition etc., there is a true detail and reasoning (only here it does not fit^[13] and the like).

The same is understood in our case: the content of the virtue present in "toil of labor" and "toil of conversation" (because of which there is a supposition that this is the purpose of man's creation) is not rejected even after the Gemara's conclusion that "he was created for toil of Torah"; it is only that toil of labor and of conversation are not sufficient to be the entire purpose of man's creation.

In other words: the order of matters in the Gemara's give-and-take — the first supposition that "he was created for toil of labor," the second supposition that he was created "for toil of conversation," and the conclusion that "he was created for toil of Torah" ("This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth") — is maintained and remains even according to the conclusion: in order for man to attain the purpose of his creation — "he was created for toil of Torah" — he must first have the virtue of "toil of labor" and "toil of conversation"; and when he connects these two kinds of toil with "toil of Torah," he then attains the perfection of the purpose of his creation.

4. This will be understood by first explaining in what the importance of "toil" in general consists, to the point that the general purpose of man's creation is bound up with it ("man is born to toil"). For seemingly^[14]: since G‑d is the essence of good, and it is the nature of the good to do good, why did He arrange creation in such a manner that man must come to toil and effort?

One cannot say that this is because a person by nature has pleasure (chiefly) from a thing he obtains through his own hard work, as in the saying of our Sages^[15], "A person prefers one measure of his own to nine measures of his fellow's" — because this nature itself is not something necessary in its own right; rather, G‑d implanted it so in man. The question thus returns to its place: why did G‑d create man with a nature to take pleasure specifically from things he obtains through toil and effort — matters of distress — and not from a free gift?

The explanation of this: the truth and ultimate purpose of the good is that man should attain (not only the highest perfection that exists within the bounds of created beings, but also) a level in which he becomes, as it were, similar to his Creator — in the language of our Sages^[16], "a partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the work of creation."

Therefore G‑d arranged the order of creation such that man should not receive his needs ready-made, but specifically through toil and effort, so that through this he should raise himself (not only to the perfection of a proper "recipient" — the perfection of a created being — but also) to the level of a "giver"^[17] (and one who brings into being) — similar to his Creator, through the fact that the person labors and produces by his own power.

And this itself is the reason for the aforementioned nature — that a person has no pleasure from things he receives for free, but on the contrary, he is ashamed of it — "the bread of shame"^[18] — because it is implanted in man that his role and perfection is to be not only a "recipient," but (also) a "giver," similar to his Creator.

5. With this it is understood why the first supposition in the Gemara is that man was created "for toil of labor":

Since the virtue of "toil" is that through it man is raised to the level of a "giver" (a "creator"), a "partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the work of creation," it stands to reason that the toil should be chiefly (not in matters that relate to him and his own level, but) in things through which he influences the work of creation — the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms of the world; specifically through this he becomes a partner in the work of creation.

And therefore the first supposition of the Gemara is that "man is born to toil" means (not "toil of conversation" or "toil of Torah," whose concern is not with worldly things — but it means) "toil of labor." That is, by man toiling in his work in the manner desired according to Torah^[19] [which is the meaning of "toil of labor," as will be explained below in section 7], he influences and affects creation so that it should be as it ought to be, and thereby he becomes a partner in the work of creation.

6. But from this itself — that the purpose of toil is that man should become a partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the work of creation — one can understand that he cannot attain the ultimate purpose and perfection of this "partnership" through "toil of labor" alone; rather, he must also have "toil of conversation" in addition:

For the "partnership" in the work of creation is when he is similar to his Creator — and since G‑d is not only a "giver" to creation, but He brings creation into being anew, it is understood that man's "partnership" in the work of creation is a complete one only when he brings about something new in creation.

And therefore "toil of labor" alone is not sufficient [although through labor in the desired manner he brings about an elevation in creation], because in the power of action of "toil of labor" the superiority of man over the other kinds of creation does not express itself (since the power of action is present in animals as well); therefore he accomplishes in the world only an elevation that is commensurate with creation (with that of animals), but not an elevation beyond its measure — something new in creation.

When, however, "toil of labor" is bound up with "toil of conversation" — when the labor and the influence upon the world are in a manner that expresses the superiority of the speaking species^[19*] (mouth and speech) — then something new is accomplished in creation, an additional elevation that is higher than creation in itself, prior to the creation of the speaking species and its existence.

This too, however, is not yet a true partnership — he has no part in his own creation in general, nor in his power of speech in particular. But when he connects it with Torah — which is the Torah of the Creator (and "He and His wisdom are one"^[20]) — and in a manner of toil, whereby it becomes "his Torah" (that of the person who toils^[20*] in Torah) — he has accomplished and joined and united, as it were, Creator and creation; therefore he becomes similar to his Creator — a partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the work of creation.

7. The explanation in the inner dimension of these matters:

Concerning "toil of labor" and "toil of conversation," the Previous Rebbe explains^[21] that "toil of labor" means^[22] "that he should do his work faithfully… that he should believe in G‑d, that He is the One who nourishes and sustains, and He, may He be blessed, will complete it for him for blessing"; and the matter of "toil of conversation" is "the occupation with prayer"^[23] (as in the saying of our Sages^[24], "'Conversation' means nothing other than prayer").

This explanation is the basis of the explanation given above, that "toil of labor" is something commensurate with creation, while "toil of conversation" is higher than creation:

With the faith "that He nourishes and sustains" alone, the elevation to a level of G‑dliness that is higher than the world is not achieved, because the very fact that he needs to resort to activity and occupation in the ways of nature derives from the measures and limitations of the world. And therefore, although his "toil of labor" is permeated with faith in G‑d "that He nourishes and sustains" (and not in the ways of nature in themselves), he nevertheless reaches through it only a level of G‑dliness that is enclothed in the world^[25].

But the service of prayer ("toil of conversation") is, in its essence, "a ladder set upon the earth whose top reaches heavenward"^[26] — the ascent of man from below to above, until it "reaches heavenward" — higher than creation.

And therefore, when together with "toil of labor"^[27] there is also "toil of conversation," one brings about in creation an additional elevation, higher than it is in itself^[28]. This is the meaning of "a ladder set upon the earth whose top reaches heavenward": through prayer there is an elevation (not only of the person who prays, but also) of the "earthly" matters ("upon the earth") up to "heavenward"^[29] — to the level that is higher than the world^[30].

8. Although "toil of conversation," the service of prayer, brings about in the world an elevation that is higher than creation in itself, nevertheless a true innovation in creation still cannot be brought about through it; for since the ascent through prayer is such that man raises himself by his own power — and he is measured and limited — his ascent too is within measure and limitation. Therefore what is accomplished through it in the world is also only an elevation that is still commensurate with creation^[31], and consequently not in the manner of real change and innovation (which comes about only through an elevation beyond all measure).

And this is why the Gemara's conclusion is that "he was created for toil of Torah": Torah, even as it has descended below, is the Torah of the Holy One, blessed be He^[32] — without limit. And since Torah is entirely higher than creation^[33], it therefore has the power to effect a change in the very existence of the world, until it becomes a truly new existence^[34].

But in order to be able, through "toil of Torah"^[35], to raise the world to a level that is entirely higher than (and "outside" of) creation — a new existence — there must first be the complete refinement of worldly matters in themselves.

And therefore the order is that first there must be "toil of labor" — the occupation with worldly matters in the manner desired according to Torah, through which he rectifies the world so that it should be in a form of holiness. But "toil of labor" alone is not sufficient — the intent is that the world should not remain in its existing state and condition (even in a form of holiness); rather, one must add to this the matter of "toil of conversation" — raising the world to a level of G‑dliness that is higher than the world, as far as man can reach by his own power, through the service of prayer;

And after the introduction and preparation of "toil of labor" and "toil of conversation"^[36] comes the matter of "toil of Torah," which has in it the power (being rooted in G‑d's very Essence) to bring about an innovation in creation, through which the purpose of creation is carried out — to make for Him, may He be blessed, a dwelling place in the lower realms — that the lower realms become a truly new existence^[37].

And with this it is understood that specifically the existence and the order of all three kinds of "toil" — "toil of labor," "toil of conversation" and "toil of Torah" — explain and give the reason for "man is born to toil": through (all three kinds of) toil man brings about an innovation in the work of creation, and thereby he becomes a "partner with the Holy One, blessed be He, in the work of creation" — similar to his Creator — and this is the purpose of creation.

9. Just as was discussed above regarding the service of man in general — that the purpose of his creation is to transform the world through "toil of Torah" (which is higher than creation), but in order to accomplish this there must first be the introduction of "toil of labor" and "toil of conversation" — so too is it with regard to the Land of Israel, the "land" of the Jewish people:

The Land of Israel was first given to the seven nations^[38] with the intent and purpose that the Jews should conquer it and transform it, so that from a land of the nations it should become the Land of Israel, the Holy Land^[39]: a land in which the light of Torah^[40], which is higher than the world, shines openly.

And this began in the days of Avraham, for then was the beginning of the "two thousand years of Torah"^[41], and "Avraham began to illuminate"^[42] — to illuminate with the G‑dly light that is higher than the world.

And his contemplation began — as our Sages say^[43] — with contemplation (as is proper — with toil, for "if you did not toil and found, do not believe it"^[44]) of the "palace" (the world), and afterwards of the sun etc., through which abundance etc. comes into the world — until the conclusion came that there is an Owner to this palace^[45]; and up to the point of the incomparability between the Owner and the palace — as our Sages say^[46], "the essence of G‑dliness is not that from which the worlds come into being etc."

10. In order that the "land" should be a vessel for Avraham's light of Torah, which is higher than the world (through which it is transformed and becomes the Land of Israel, the Holy Land), there first had to be in it the matter of (toil of) "labor" (and toil of "conversation"):

And therefore, specifically the fact that the inhabitants of the land were "occupied with weeding etc., with hoeing etc." — there was there the matter of "toil of labor" — was the preparation for (after the introduction of Avraham's request and prayer^[47] ("conversation"), "Would that my portion be in this land") the "land" to be given "to Avraham and to his offspring after him," who transformed it into a land in which shines the light of Torah that is higher than creation.

(From talks of 10 Shevat, 5728, and 11 Nissan, 5732)

Key Lesson

Man was created for toil because through effort he becomes not merely a receiver but a giver, a partner with G‑d in creation. That partnership has three stages: honest work done with faith, which refines the world; prayer, which lifts it above its own level; and toil in Torah, which alone can make the world something truly new, a dwelling place for G‑d. This is why Avraham's land was promised in response to its inhabitants' industrious labor: the groundwork of honest work and prayer prepares the world, and each person's own corner of it, to be transformed by the light of Torah.