## Tzava'at HaRivash Chapter 101

###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:1
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:1)

**בשם הרב מ"מ דק"ק מעזריטש:**

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
Teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, related in the name of his successor, The Saintly Rabbi DovBer, The Holy Maggid of Mezeritch


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:2
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:2)

**בשעת הזיווג צריך להיות אין.** וזהו רבה גרש זבובים שאפילו כזבוב לא החשיב א"ע.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
At the time of marital relations, your I*-אני* must be nothing-*אין*. This is the meaning of the statement,¹⁷⁸ “Abaye drove away flies,” meaning that during relations, he did not think of himself to even be like a fly.

footnotes:
¹⁷⁸ Talmud Bavli, Nidah 17a


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:3
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:3)

[יחשוב שהוא רק ככלי כמו אומן שמכה בפטיש על האבן בחשקו ולאו היא תאות הפטיש שיכה על האבן דאם כן נפרד הוא מהאומן כך הוא כמו שמשפיע קדימת השכל בכלים.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
Consider yourself as an instrument in the hand of *HaShem.* For example, the craftsman strikes the hammer on the rock according to his desire. The hammer itself has no desire to strike the stone, for if it did, it would be acting separately from the craftsman, which it cannot do. So also, our limbs only act according to the influence of the intellect, which originates the action.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:4
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:4)

כך הוא יעשה וכל אבריו הם רק כלים שהוא צריך לאכול ואי אפשר כי אם על ידי אבריו ולא יאכל לשם תאותו ולא יאהב שום דבר רק ה' ומצוותיו.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
This being the case, consider all your limbs and organs to be instruments in the service of *HaShem,*blessed is He. For example, to serve *HaShem* you need to eat, which is only possible through the medium of the organs of your digestive system. However, eat to serve *HaShem*with a healthy body, rather than to satisfy your lust. Instead, love nothing but *HaShem*, blessed is He, and His *mitzvot,* and all your actions will be for His sake only.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:5
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:5)

וכך צריך הזיווג לקיום הדור ואי אפשר כי אם על ידי זיווג זכר ונקבה. ועכשיו שהוא והיא רק ככלים לא יזווג לשם תאותו ולא יאהב שום דבר רק ה' ומצותיו. ויאהוב את אשתו כמו שאוהב את התפילין בלבד רק שהם מצות ד'.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
The same is true of marital relations, which are necessary to fulfill the *mitzvah*of establishing the next generation. This is only possible through relations between male and female. However, since both you and your wife are instruments in the hands of *HaShem*, the marital relations should be for the love of *HaShem*and His *mitzvot,*blessed is He, rather than to fulfill lust. Therefore, your love of your wife should be like your love of your *Tefillin*, through which you bind your heart and mind to *HaShem*. That is, bonding to your wife during marital relations is compared to binding the *Tefillin*to your arm and head, thereby bonding your heart and mind to *HaShem,* blessed is He, and both are His *mitzvot.*


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:6
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:6)

ולא יהרהר אחרי' כי הוא רק כמשל אחד נוסע ליום השוק וא"א ליסע רק עם הסוס וכי בשביל זה יאהב את הסוס יש שטות גדול מזה כך בעוה"ז צריך לאדם אשה בשביל עבודת הבורא לזכות לעוה"ב ואם יניח עסקיו ויהרהר אחרי' יש שטות גדול מזה וימאס אותה.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
Therefore, do not have lustful thoughts about your wife. To what can this be compared? To a person who needs to travel to the market and his only transportation is his horse. Is it fitting that he should therefore love his horse? Is there any greater foolishness than this? In the same manner, as long as a person is in this world, he requires a wife to fully serve His Creator and merit the world to come. If he places the primary matter, of serving His Creator, aside, and instead engages in lustful thoughts about his wife, is there any greater folly than this? He should be embarrassed and disgusted for thinking of her in such a way, for certainly, his wife is no less holy to him than his *Tefillin.*


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:7
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:7)

כי אם רואה אשה נאה יחשוב הלא הלובן הוא מזרע האב והאודם הוא מזרע האם דם עכור שהם סרוחים ומאוסים ואם יניח' אצל המאכל ימאס המאכל.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
Likewise, if you inadvertently see a beautiful woman, contemplate to yourself, “All I see of her is her physical body. However, is it not the case that the whiteness of her flesh comes from the whiteness of the seed of her father and that the redness of her flesh is from the seed of her mother? If so, physically, she is nothing more than repugnant and repulsive blood and flesh!


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:8
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:8)

רק הנאות שזרע האב נמשך מאבא עילאה עולם האהבה וזרע האם נמשך מאימא עילאה עולם היראה וזה היופי שלה מוטב לדבק באהבת ויראת הבורא ב"ה.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
In reality, her beauty comes from the seed of the “father,” which refers *to HaShem’s* Supernal Wisdom that is called the “Upper Father-*Abba*,” and from the seed of the “mother,” which refers *to HaShem’s* Supernal Understanding that is called the “Upper Mother-*Imma*-mother.” This is her true beauty. This being so, better to adhere to *HaShem,* the Creator, blessed is He, and to love and fear Him only.”


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:9
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:9)

וכשנמאס בעיניו העבירה ההיא נמאסים בעיניו כל העבירות כי מכחה נוצר אדם והאדם יש בו שס"ה גידים מרומזי' על שס"ה מצות ל"ת ונתבטלו כל השס"ה ל"ת.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
When sexual lust will become repulsive to you, all sin will become repulsive to you. The reason is because man is formed through the power of marital relations and he possesses 365-*שס״ה* sinews, corresponding to the 365-*שס״ה* prohibitions. Thus, if you negate and are repulsed by the primary source from which they all were formed, you negate and are repulsed by all 365-*שס״ה* prohibitions.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 101:10
[Tzava'at HaRivash 101:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/101:10)

וגם ריב"ש ע"ה אמר מפני מה יש לעבירה הזו תאוה גדולה כי מכחה נולד אדם. והאדם יש לו תענוג מסתמא מאכילתו ושאר דבריו. וכל התענוגים הם מטיפה ההוא א"כ הוא דבוק הכל לקטנות ומוטב שידבק א"ע בהקב"ה:

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem, peace be upon him, also said: Why is sexual lust so powerful? Because it is through its power that you were conceived! More so, all the pleasure you have from eating, drinking and other matters, originated in the drop of semen from which you were born, and it is because of this, that you connect to everything in a diminished state of awareness-*Katnut*. Better to bond to the Holy One, blessed is He.