The yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar tells us that man must accept the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven before he can do any work. This yoke cannot rest on anyone who is attached to another, so slaves are exempt from the commandments and from the yoke, as were Yisrael while they were in exile.

Blessing Egypt Fish Ox Slavery

9. In truth, this is the secret. We learned that it is written: "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt for nothing" (Bemidbar 11:5), MEANING "FOR NOTHING," without a blessing, as we did not have a heavenly yoke in Egypt. Come and behold: slaves are exempt from the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, and so they are exempt from the commandments. What is this the yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom? It is like an ox upon which they first place a yoke in order to work with him and draw benefit from him for the world. If he does not accept that yoke he does no work at all. So man must accept upon himself the yoke OF THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM first, and then he will toil with it all that he needs. However, if he does not accept this yoke upon himself first, he cannot work.

9. אֶלָּא דָּא רָזָא, הָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא, כְּתִיב זָכַרְנוּ אֶת הַדָּגָה אֲשֶׁר נֹאכַל בְּמִצְרַיִם חִנָּם, בְּלָא בְּרָכָה. דְּלָא הֲוָה עֲלָנָא בְּמִצְרַיִם עוֹל דִּלְעֵילָּא. ת"ח, עֲבָדִין פְּטוּרִין מֵעוֹל מַלְכוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְעַ"ד פְּטוּרִין מִן הַמִּצְוֹת. מַאי עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם. אֶלָּא, כְּהַאי תּוֹרָא דְּיָהֲבִין עָלֵיהּ עוֹל בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, בְּגִין לְאַפָּקָא מִנֵּיהּ טַב לְעָלְמָא. וְאִי לָא קַבִּיל עָלֵיהּ הַהוּא עוֹל, לָא עָבֵיד מִדִי. ה"נ אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לב"נ לְקַבְּלָא עָלֵיהּ עוֹל בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּיִפְלַח בֵּיהּ בְּכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ. וְאִי לָא קַבִּיל עָלֵיהּ הַאי בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, לָא יֵיכוּל לְמִפְלַח.

Aaron Fear Head Heaven Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Tfilin Wisdom Zeir Anpin

10. It is written: "Serve Hashem with fear" (Tehilim 2:11). What is meant by "fear?" It is as it is written: "The fear of Hashem is the beginning of wisdom" (Tehilim 111:10). This refers to the Kingdom of Heaven, AS MALCHUT IS CALLED 'FEAR,' and for this reason, it becomes the yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom. And so this is where it all starts, SINCE MALCHUT IS THE FIRST SFIRAH GOING FROM BELOW UPWARD. What proves this? THAT WE DON the hand Tfilin first, BEING THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, AND AFTERWARDS THE HEAD TFILIN, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN. This is because THROUGH MALCHUT, one enters the rest of holiness. If this is not found with him, the celestial holiness cannot rest upon him. For this it writes, "Thus (lit. 'with this') did Aaron come into the holy place" (Vayikra 16:3).

10. הה"ד עִבְדוּ אֶת יְיָ' בְּיִרְאָה. מַהוּ בְּיִרְאָה. כד"א רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה יִרְאַת יְיָ.' וְדָא מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם. וּבְגִין כַּךְ עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם. וְעַ"ד הַאי בְּקַדְמֵיתָא הוּא דְּכֹלָּא. מַאן אוֹכַח. תְּפִלָּה, בְּקַדְמֵיתָא שֶׁל יַד. בְּגִין דִּבְהַאי עָיֵיל לִשְׁאָר קְדוּשָּׁה. וְאִי הַאי לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח לְגַבֵּיהּ, לָא שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ קְדוּשָּׁה לְעֵילָּא, בְּג"כ בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְגוֹ' כְּתִיב.

Deeds Egypt Slavery

11. And this yoke cannot rest upon one who is attached to another, and so slaves are exempt from the yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom, BECAUSE THEY ARE TIED TO THEIR MASTERS. If they are exempt from this yoke, they are exempt from all other COMMANDMENTS, since other COMMANDMENTS are not placed upon one until this yoke is with him. Therefore, Yisrael in Egypt ate without cost. Here too, "he shall go out free" (Shemot 21:2), since he was a slave and whatever he did was without cost, without the yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom. So even though his deeds were for nothing, "he shall go out," and find rest. THE EXPLANATION OF THE VERSE IS AS IF IT SAID, 'FOR FREE YET HE SHALL GO OUT.'

11. וְהַאי עוֹל לָא שַׁרְיָא, בְּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ כָּפִית בְּאָחֳרָא. וְעַ"ד עֲבָדִין פְּטוּרִין מֵעוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם. וְאִי מֵהַאי עוֹל פְּטוּרִין, מִכָּל שְׁאָר פְּטוּרִין. דְּהָא שְׁאָר לָא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ דְּב"נ, עַד דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח גַּבֵּיהּ בְּהַאי עוֹל. ובג"כ הֲווֹ אָכְלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם חִנָּם. אוֹף הָכָא יֵצֵא לַחָפְשִׁי חִנָּם. דְּהָא עַבְדָּא הֲוָה, וְכָל מַה דְּעָבֵיד, חִנָּם הוּא, בְּלָא עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם. ואע"ג דְּחִנָּם הֲווֹ עוֹבָדוֹהִי יֵצֵא לַחָפְשִׁי, וִיהֵא לֵיהּ נַיְיחָא.