Kabbalists On The Torah And Commandments, Part 12

Dr. Michael LaitmanDear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

613 Suggestions and 613 Deposits

That explains to us why he calls the 613 Mitzvot 613 counsels [Eitin de Oraita, recommendations about how to correct the Kli] in several places in The Zohar, and in many other places in The Zohar he calls the 613 Mitzvot [Pkudin, the Lights that must enter the corrected Kli] “613 deposits.” This is so because at first, one must keep the Torah and the Mitzvot in order to purify his body [oneself from egoism] and enhance his soul [aspiration for love and bestowal].

At that time, the 613 Mitzvot are as 613 counsels [corrections of the Eitin type] for him, “tips” by which to gradually purify and be awarded coming before the King [rise above egoism], and receiving the Light of his face. This is because keeping Torah [drawing of the Light] and Mitzvot [correction of 613 egoistic desires] gradually purify him [from his natural egoism], until he is rewarded with the Light of the King’s face [universal property of bestowal and love; otherwise, there is no use in his actions].

Also, it is written similarly in the Gemarah: “The Creator cares not if one slaughters at the throat or slaughters at the back of the neck [in other words, mechanical acts themselves are pointless]? Rather, we were given the Torah and Mitzvot only to purify Israel [all who aspire to the Creator, to the property of “love others as yourself].”

However, after one has been sufficiently purified [from egoistic desires] and merits the Light of the King’s face [the property of bestowal], one’s eyes and soul [desire to bestow] open and he is awarded [within] the attaining the 613 Sacred Lights found in the 613 Mitzvot [corrected desires]. These are His Holy Names [attainment], the ones he can attain.

By keeping each of the Mitzvot [correction of a desire], one takes [inside] the part of the Light deposited in that Mitzva, since the Mitzva is a Kli (vessel) [the secret of the desire] where the Light is clothed, meaning a Holy Name that belongs specifically to that Mitzva. This is the meaning of “The Mitzva is a candle and the Torah—Light.” At that time, he calls the 613 Mitzvot “613 commandments (deposits).”
– Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Book, From the Mouth of a Sage
[30613]

Related Material:
Kabbalists On The Torah And Commandments, Part 11
Kabbalists On The Torah And Commandments, Part 10
Kabbalists On The Torah And Commandments, Part 9

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