## Tzava'at HaRivash Chapter 87

###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:1
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:1)

**יחשוב שבתפלתו הולך מהיכל להיכל** וכשיבא לו מחשבה זרה מגרשין אותו כי דנין אותו בכל היכל אם ראוי לכנוס.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
When praying, consider that you are going from hall to hall in the palace of the King in quest of His presence, and that if any thoughts other than this come into your mind, you will be banished from that hall. For at each hall you are judged whether you are worthy to enter.¹⁴⁵

footnotes:
¹⁴⁵ See Shaarei Orah of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, Shaar 1.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:2
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:2)

ואם אינו מתפלל בהתלהבות יתחיל להתפלל בכח ואם מתפלל בהתלהבות אזי יראה על המחשבה מה הוא אם באהבה רעה כגון ניאוף יביא אותה אל שרשה שהוא אהבת השי"ת.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
If, at first, you are unable to pray to *HaShem* with fervor (*Hitlahavut*), begin your prayer by sheer force of strength, until you are praying with fervor. However, when praying with fervor (*Hitlahavut*), be attentive to any thoughts that may arise in your mind that are not focused on *HaShem,* and determine their nature. If they are thoughts of wrong love, for example, lustful or licentious thoughts, immediately bring them back to their root, that is, love of *HaShem*, blessed is He.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:3
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:3)

דיש ז' מחשבות ולא יותר וזהו ז' ימי הבנין ובכל אחת יש ערב ובוקר, ערב לשון תערובות שחשב מחשבה חיצונה, ובוקר לשון בקרת שמבקר את השי"ת.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
For, there are seven general categories of thought, and no more, corresponding to the seven days of creation, each of which possess the aspects of evening (*Erev-ערב*) and morning (*Boker-בקר*).¹⁴⁶ The term evening-*Erev*-*ערב* shares the same root as admixtures-*Ta’aruvot*-*תערובות*, in that there is an admixture of foreign thoughts in your mind. The term morning-*Boker*-*בקר*shares the same root as visiting-*Bikur*-*ביקור*, in that you are visiting and seeking *HaShem*, blessed is He.

footnotes:
¹⁴⁶ Genesis 1; Also see Ginat Egoz of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Volume 2, pg. 320 and on, and the notes there.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:4
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:4)

ואלו הם אהבת השם, ואהבת עבירות, ויראת השם, ויראה רעה, כגון שנאה והתפארות שמפאר השי"ת. ורעה שמפאר א"ע.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
The seven aspects are thus love (*Ahavah*) of *HaShem* and its opposite, love of sin; fear (*Yirah*) of *HaShem* and its opposite, foreign fear, for example hatred; glorifying (*Hitpa’arut*) *HaShem*, blessed is He, and its opposite, foreign glorification, for example, self-glorification.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:5
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:5)

וניצוח, והודי', ויסודת לשון התקשרו'. וכל אחד כלול מי' ובכל מחשבה רעה מחי' ח"ו שבעה עממין.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
The same principle applies to the attributes of conquest (*Nitzuach*), and thanksgiving (*Hodayah*), and the aspect of foundations (*Yesodot*) which is a term of connecting. Each of these includes ten aspects. Thus, every foreign thought, that is, a thought that is not focused on *HaShem,* gives vitality to the seven nations, God forbid.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:6
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:6)

וזה פי' מדרש הנעלם העולם הי' מתמוטט אמר הקב"ה הא אברהם זימן למיפך בעולמות פי' מדת אהב'. הא ישמעאל זימן למיפך פי' אהבה רעה ממילא כשחושב באהבה רעה מחי' את ישמעאל וטינופת שעמו.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
This, then, explains the *Midrash HaNe’elam,* which states,¹⁴⁷ “When the Holy One, blessed is He, created the world, He saw that it could not be sustained and was tottering…The Holy One, blessed is He, said, ‘I am destined to bring forth a righteous *Tzaddik*, Avraham, who will love me,’” referring to the quality of love (*Ahavah*) of *HaShem*. “However, Yishma’el is destined to come from him,” referring to negative love. Thus, if you think a thought of negative love, you are enlivening Yishma’el and the nine aspects that accompany him.

footnotes:
¹⁴⁷ Zohar Vol. 1, 86b


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:7
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:7)

הא יצחק פירוש מדת יראה. הא עשיו פירוש רציחה וכשחושב ביראה רעה הוא מחי' את עשיו וטינופת שעמו ח"ו.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
The same is true of Yitzchak, who is the attribute of fear of *HaShem*, and Esav, who is negative fear, for example murder. Thus, if you think a thought of negative fear, God forbid, you are enlivening Esav and the nine aspects that accompany him, God forbid.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:8
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:8)

אמנם אם חושב באהבה רעה. יאמר בלבו מה עשיתי שלקחתי חלק מעולם המחשבה אל מקום הטינופת ובזה יוכנע ויבא עד לעפר ויביא זאת המחשבה למדת אין ואח"כ תבא אל העולם אהבה בזכרו אם אני אוהב את הדבר כזה כגון אשה שטיפה סרוחה כמה יש לאהוב את השי"ת.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
However, if negative love comes into your mind, regret it immediately and say in your heart, “What have I done? I have taken a portion of the world of thought and brought it into a place of filth and impurity!” This realization will subdue and lower you to the dust, and reduce the negative thought into nothingness-*Ein*. After this, you can return to the world of love (*Ahavah*) of *HaShem,* by considering to yourself, “If I can have such a love as this, for example, the love of a woman, who is nothing more than a putrid drop, how much more so must I love *HaShem*, blessed is He.”


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:9
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:9)

וכן אם שומע איזה דבר שחוק ועי"ז נולד לו שמחה יחשוב הלא זה חלק מעולם אהבה. וכן אם רואה או אוכל דבר שיש לו תענוג ממנו יחשוב הלא זה הוא חלק מעולם התענוג ויראה מאד שלא יתגשם התענוג ההוא כי אז תתענג על ה' כביכול למעלה מהשם.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
Likewise, if you hear words of jest and they arouse you to joy, contemplate in your heart, “Is this not a tiny glimmer of the world of love (*Ahavah*) of *HaShem*?” Likewise, if you see or eat something you enjoy, contemplate in your heart, “Is this not a tiny glimmer of the world of pleasure of *HaShem*?” However, be very careful not to focus on the physicality of the pleasure, but instead,¹⁴⁸ “Then you shall delight over *HaShem*,” that is, in a way that is even higher than the letters of His Name, so to speak.¹⁴⁹-שויתי” of the year 5720 by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

footnotes:
¹⁴⁸ Isaiah 58:14
¹⁴⁹ See Ginat Egoz by Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as HaShem Is One, Volume One, The Gate of Intrinsic Being.  Also see the Chassidic discourse entitled “Shiviti


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:10
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:10)

אלא ישים כל עצמותיו אל התענוג ההוא כי הלא הוא חלק מעולם התענוג ויבא הוא לעולם התענוג והוא יושב כאן ואוכל והוא בעולם התענוג וכשצריך ועושה תענוג לעצמו מביא תענוג של השי"ת בכל העולמות.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
Instead, invest your whole self in that pleasure with the realization that it is a glimmer of the world of pleasure of *HaShem* and you then will come to the world of pleasure of *HaShem*. Thus, you can be sitting and eating here, but actually be in the world of pleasure of *HaShem*. Know therefore, that when a *Tzaddik* derives pleasure from this world, he draws forth the pleasure of *HaShem*, blessed is He, into all the worlds.


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:11
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:11)

וכן אם רואה דבר הזה שיש לו פחד ממנו יאמר מה יש לירא מדבר זה הלא הוא אדם כמותי ומכש"כ לפני בהמה וחי' אלא שהוא יתברך הנורא מתלבש בדבר זה כמה יש לו לירא ממנו בעצמו.

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
Likewise, if you see something that causes you fear, say to yourself, “Why should I be fearful? Is he not a human being just like me? How much more so is this the case regarding a beast or wild animal! Is it not the awesome Creator, blessed is He, who is manifest in this thing? I should rather fear *HaShem* Himself!”


###### Tzava'at HaRivash 87:12
[Tzava'at HaRivash 87:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tzava%27at%20HaRivash/r/87:12)

וכן בהתפארות אם מפארין אותו ואם בא לו באמצע התפלה התפארות או שמפארין אותו שהוא לומד בכוונה יחזק בעצמו יראה שהוא בושה לפני השי"ת. ואם בניצוח ינצח את המדה הזאת או כמו שמבין יחזיק בעצמו ניצוח. וכן בהודי' וכן בהתקשרות שלא יהא מקושר רק להבורא יתברך בעצמו:

**The Way of The Baal Shem Tov. Adapted into English by Rabbi Amiram Markel and Yehudah Shimon Markel, 2020:**
Likewise, in the matter of glorification (*Hitpa’arut*), if people honor and glorify you or if during prayer you feel a sense of pride and glory, in that people praise you for praying with such devotion, strengthen your fear of *HaShem*, and be embarrassed of such thoughts in His presence, blessed is He. Likewise, with the attribute of negative conquest (*Nitzu’ach*), conquer that attribute for *HaShem*, or alternately, according to your level of understanding, consider yourself conquered by *HaShem.* Do likewise with the attributes of thanksgiving (*Hodayah*) and bonding. Bond yourself to *HaShem* only, blessed is He.