תורה 5

2. But how do we know whether it is before the decree has been issued or after the decree has been issued? We can determine whether it is before the decree or after the decree by means of the mitzvot we perform.

And this is specifically when a person performs the mitzvot with such great joy, that he has no desire for any reward in the World to Come. Instead, his only desire is that the Holy One provide him with the opportunity to do another mitzvah as a reward for the first mitzvah. As in the saying of the Sages: The reward for a mitzvah is a mitzvah (Avot 4:2) —for he derives pleasure from the mitzvah itself.

This is the difference between the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu and the prophecy of the other prophets. It is similar to Rashi’s commentary to, “Moshe spoke to the tribal heads of the Children of Israel, saying, ‘Zeh hadavar (This is the word) God has commanded’” (Numbers 30:2). Rashi explains: All the prophets prophesied with “Koh (Thus) says God.” Moshe achieved even more than they in that he prophesied with “Zeh hadavar.” For koh corresponds to a dull looking-glass, whereas zeh hadavar corresponds to a clear looking-glass.

These two aspects of prophecy are also found in our service of the Creator. There is the person who does the mitzvah for the reward of the World to Come—he has no enjoyment from the mitzvah itself. If he were not given the World to Come as a reward, he would not do it. This corresponds to koh, a dull looking-glass. Just like the person who sees something from a distance, so, too, he performs the mitzvah for the reward it will bring at a distant time, after this world. {“He who goes weeping on his way carrying a seed-bag, yavo verina nosay alumotav (will come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves)” (Psalms 126:6).}

And the payment of reward is called navy (prophet). This is because the first letters of “Yavo Verina Nosay Alumotav” .

The payment of reward is also alluded to in the verse itself. “He who goes weeping on his way carrying a seed-bag”—he is pained by the [mitzvah’s] performance. “He will come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves”—he will rejoice in the Future, when he will receive reward for the mitzvot.

But the prophet who prophesies with zeh hadavar does not desire the reward of the mitzvot. Rather, he desires the mitzvah itself. He rejoices so much in its performance that he rejects any kind of reward. We see, then, that his World to Come is in the mitzvah itself.

This is therefore the concept of NAVY —i.e., the payment of reward—corresponding to zeh hadavar, a clear looking-glass. Just like the person who sees something from up close, with a splendidly clear view, so, too, he enjoys the mitzvah itself and his reward is right before his eyes.

And it is the person who is on this level—who performs the mitzvah with such great joy that he has no desire for any reward of the World to Come in return—who is able to differentiate between before the decree has been issued and after the decree has been issued.

This is because the mitzvot form a complete construct. And they give life to all other constructs; whether it be the construct of Man, or the construct of World, or the construct of Year. For World-Year-Soul receive vitality from the mitzvot, as in (Psalms 33:4), “All His work is done with faith,” and also (ibid. 119:86), “All Your mitzvot are faith.” Thus, the Holy One is in simple unity with the mitzvot.

Therefore, when the Holy One’s works are as they should be and in proper order, the Holy One is happy with them and delights in them, as is written (Psalms 104:31), “God rejoices in His works.” Like a craftsman who makes some vessel. If the vessel is beautiful, then he delights in it. And the joy of the Holy One is clothed in the mitzvot, because they are His unity.

Now, when the person who performs the mitzvah with a joy derived from the mitzvah itself enters into the joy of the mitzvah, he enters into the joy of the Holy One, who rejoices in His works. This corresponds to “Israel rejoices in its Maker” (Psalms 149:2).

We find, therefore, that if there is any misfortune or harsh decree affecting World-Year-Soul, then certainly the joy of the Holy One is lessened, as in (Genesis 6:6), “He grieved in His heart.” As what does the Shekhinah say? “My head is heavy! My arms are heavy!” (Sanhedrin 46a).

Thus, this person who has entered into the joy [of the mitzvah] will certainly know, by the state of the joy, whether it is before the decree has been issued or after the decree has been issued. He can also discern the part of the structure against which the judgment has been decreed. He knows this based on the structure of the mitzvot. If he cannot joyfully perform the “head” of the mitzvot—i.e., those mitzvot that relate to the head—he will know that a judgment has been decreed against the “heads” of World-Year-Soul. And it is likewise for the rest of the structure of the mitzvot.

This is the meaning of what the Sages said concerning Shabbat: Remember it from the first day of the week (Mekhilta, Yitro 7; Beitza 16a). The joy and pleasure of the World to Come, which is an aspect of Shabbat, should be experienced during the six days of work. [These six weekdays] correspond to the performance of the mitzvot, because World-Year-Soul were created on them.

{“You must pay him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets” (Deuteronomy 24:15).} This is, “You must pay him his wages on the same day”—the person’s reward will come from the mitzvot themselves. “Before the sun sets”—because he does not perform the mitzvot for the reward of the World to Come, which is after his “sun sets,” after his death.