New, improved Kabbalah Series

As was explained in chapter ten and fourteen, that any type of heyuli can not be spoken of as possessing a general aspect composed of many particulars. This is clearly seen from the analogy of how light is included within the gaseous mass of the sun. There one can not refer to a general white light composed of many individual rays of various colors, for there is not yet any existence of light at all. At that point there is only the gas of which the sun is composed and the potential for light by way that this gas has in its nature the property of giving off light when hot.

So too, a person’s inner taste is not yet any desire whatsoever, not a general desire and not a particular one. Therefore, one can not say that this nature is composed of a general desire, which includes many particular desires within it; for there is not yet any existence of a desire, but only the person’s nature. Only when this predetermined desire later arises within oneself to come to fruition in actual deed - meaning that it comes out into revelation from its previously concealed state-- then this desire comes into revelation in a manner of a general and a particular desire. Namely, a general thought, which includes the entire theme of the deed that one wishes to preform from the beginning to the end in one glance. Then, afterwards this general thought is divided into particular desires - each desire possessing intellect as to why one desires this and how one is to carry out ones desire as well as emotions resulting from this desire, so that one will feel affection for that which aids in the fulfillment of one’s desire and contempt for that which defies one’s desire etc. In addition, these particular desires come one after the other in a hishtalshellus [an orderly, chain-like progression of cause and effect] an upper desire encompassing a lower one, so that they are arranged in a manner metaphorically resembling a circle within a circle etc. This being what is called a composite will, for it possesses a general and a specific will. So that it is not a single uniform heyuli for a will, but rather, it is a general will that is composed of many individual desires.

This can be understood based on the familiar analogy of a man who wishes to build a large building according to his taste, wishing it to be built specifically with certain specifications. This taste of his (in other words the hidden desire for the house which already exists within him), though it exists with a unique definition of pleasure and sensation that is just so, (in other words the hidden desire is defined as a predisposition or "taste" for a certain kind of house) and so automatically it possesses intellect and emotions (necessary to envision this certain kind of house) with a corresponding proportion and definition etc. However, this is all the proportion and decision that is still within himself and is included within his essential being as if it did not exist at all. For, it possesses no separate existence, but rather is a part of his essential nature and unique identity, setting him apart from everyone else. It is only when, after some time, this thought comes up as a revealed desire to bring this into actuality, (that is, when he decides to actually get himself a home) then it will be possible to recognize within it those various specification (of intellect and emotions), which where already pre-decided within him with all of their details - this revealed desire being the second type of desire.

However, when this desire comes into revelation it is first in a general manner, as a desire that he should possess a building of a particular form. Then, afterwards it is divided into a particular desire for each particular thing. It thus descends and comes into revelation in an orderly manner from

- the first general desire, which includes everything at one glance

- to the particular desire below it,

which (the particular desire) is termed a general one relative to the more particular desires that branch out from it. Until, so reaching the very last desire and intellect relating to the final act in the completion of everything etc.

For example, one who wishes to construct his dream home. The particulars of this dream home were in a way already predetermined within the person’s taste. Therefore, one who knew him well would be able to guess sort of what the house would be like even before he built it or even before the thought of building it even entered his mind. Though at this point this taste is not limited to a taste for a home, but rather this very same taste equally influences his desire for a car, clothes or anything else; down to the smallest detail.

However, when the person actually begins to consciously consider building this home of his, there is an order to things:

First, he has a general thought of his desire: I want a home. Now, though this desire is only expressed in a single word ‘home,’ yet this word includes within itself all of the particulars of this home. For, being that this must be a home for himself, it, therefore, includes in its definition that it must meet each of the person’s desires and needs. So that if you ask him "Well would you like a bedroom in your home, or how about a kitchen?" his answer will be "Of course, I said I wanted a home, didn’t I? What’s a home without a bedroom and kitchen." So that, when he said that he wanted a home this was a general desire, which included within itself the desire for each and every particular room to be in the house. He does not even need to think twice about whether or not he wants a particular room, because he already knows that he wants bedrooms, a kitchen, living room dining room and bathroom in his home, as well as perhaps a den or study. Then, if he were to be asked "OK, so you want a kitchen in your house, but do you want a sink in your kitchen?" Again the answer is included in the general cept of a kitchen . "Of course I want a sink in my kitchen, after all I said a wanted a kitchen and a kitchen has a sink in it." So that the particular desire for each room then becomes a general desire for the particulars within that room. Likewise, the desire for a sink becomes a general desire, which includes all of the particulars of the sink, like running water, a drain, etc., all the way to the smallest screw that holds it to the wall and every turn of the screw driver to screw it in.

So it is in any desire, the first general desire always includes within itself all of the particular subsequent desires. The desire for a home, for instance, includes:

1- First the desire to figure out what desires and needs one wishes their home to meet and then to come up with an inner  concept of a home that will meet these needs.

2- Then the desire to turn that inner concept into  the particular architectural plan of the structure of the home, 

3- Then the desire to turn the arcitectural plan into a blueprint i.e. a FORM ot the structure

And finally

4- The desire to implement its actual construction into a finished home that he can MOVE INTO. - this last thought actually come first in the original Will the desire to move into the hose is actually the primary desire which brought about the whole chain of desires

(These four stages corresponding to the four worlds of Atzilus, the revelation of will, Briyah, the creation of a seminal concept to fulfill this desire,  Yitzirah,  the formation of the particulars of this concept, and finally  Asiyah, the planning for bringing this desire into actualization as originally planned.)

In addition, based on this analogy the intention of the statement that this first thought "oversees everything in a single glance" can be understood, as well as its correspondence to the statement of Maimonades that "with His self-knowledge He knows all of creation." This does not only mean that G-d has the ability to see the entire universe, past, present and future all at once. For, though this is true, this statement has a deeper meaning - that the reason that the entire universe with its entire history exists as it does is because G-d envisioned it that way, right down to its most minute detail. This is like the person who thought of building his/her/their dream house. He knew exactly how the house should be because it it going to be his own house and so, since he knows himself - what he likes and what he doesn’t like - he therefore automatically knows exactly what he wants the house to be like, because the house is being built to fit him. So that, just like the shape and size of one's clothes is predetermined according to the shape and size of one’s body, so too, one’s house is shaped and sized to fit one’s unique character, needs and desires. So that one knows all of the particulars of one’s dream house by knowing oneself and since one knows oneself, the first thought (the general thought is also known as the Machshava Kduma or first thought and also as the Primal Desire Ratzon HaKadum) of building this house "catches" and encompasses the entire house in a single ‘glance.’ Everything the house it to contain (or not contain) is included by definition in the words my house and this is enough explanation for the understanding.

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The material in this series is copyrighted by Rabbi Yossi Markel