The 613 Mitzvot & Torah Study
Gate of Reincarnations - Chapter Eleven, Section 10
Translation by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher
The levels involved in the study of Torah called PaRDeS,
and the levels of Action, Speech and Thought concerning all the 613 mitzvot and
the general distribution of the mitzvot will be explained.
The sixth category is [also] a particular mitzvah. It is
occupation with the Torah.  | | " The mitzvah of studying Torah is equivalent to all the other mitzvot...." | | |
In the beginning of the previous section when the Ari began his
discourse on the positive mitzvot he wrote that they were divided into five
categories. He did not include this sixth category of studying Torah and being
occupied with it. Previously he had described the laws of gilgulim
relevant to the five categories of mitzvot when they are not fulfilled. Here,
however, he is only going to tell us that the mitzvah of studying Torah is
equivalent to all the other mitzvot and it must be accomplished on four levels,
as if they were four separate mitzvot. If any one of the levels is missing, then
the person must reincarnate in order to fulfill it. He does not tell us what
will be the law of the gilgul since that has already been explained
beforehand.
It is equal weight with all the others, as the Sages have
said "The study of Torah is equivalent to all of them." (Kedushin 39b)
It has four ways whose mnemonic device is PaRDeS: Peshat,
Remez, Derush, and Sod.
In other words, the Torah must be studied and understood on four
different levels. It is worthwhile to note that it is said that each one of
these four levels also has four levels of "PaRDeS" understanding.
A person must go out of his way to occupy himself with all
of them as much as his intellect is capable of grasping. He must seek out a
rabbi to teach it to him, and if he is missing any one of them relative to what
he could have beheld, then he will have to reincarnate because of it.
Everyone's ability to understand PaRDeS is different, but
there is an aspect of PaRDeS relevant to every level of soul. | | " ...a person must fulfill all the 613 mitzvot in Action and in Speech, as well." | | |
Furthermore, it is necessary to know that a person must
fulfill all the 613 mitzvot in Action and in Speech, as well. This is similar to
what the Sages said: "Anyone involved with [reading] the section of Olah
is considered as if he actually sacrificed an Olah" (Menachot
110a). It is the same with Thought.
An Olah is a "free-will offering". This was one of the
types of sacrifices offered in the Holy Temple. The simple meaning of the Sages'
remark is that reading and studying of the Torah, especially its relevant
sections, has been substituted for the Temple sacrifices which can no longer be
performed in Action since the Destruction of the Temple.
However, if Torah Study and prayer were a complete substitute
for the Temple sacrifices, then the practice of sacrifices would never have had
to be prevalent. Instead of the Temple and the activities performed in the
Temple, reading of Torah would have been sufficient. Since this was not the
case, it must be that each period was characterized by concentration on a
different tikun - according to our example, the Olah in Action
during the time of the Holy Temple, and the Olah in Speech during our
times. And may the Holy Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days.
Now, there are three levels of Torah, and all the 613 mitzvot
exist on all three of these levels. They are Action, Speech and Thought. They
are like three parallel and equal partzufim, and each partzuf
consists of 613 limbs corresponding to the 613 mitzvot of that level. Needless
to say, the level of Thought is the most internal of the three, and the level of
Action is the most external. | | " Each one of the 613 mitzvot can be classified into one of these three levels...." | | |
In addition, each one of the 613 mitzvot can be classified into
one of these three levels. Some or most mitzvot, like tefillin or charity
primarily exist in the realm of Action. Some, like the study of Torah or prayer,
primarily exist in the realm of Speech. Some, like the fear of G-d or the love
of G-d, primarily exist in the realm of Thought. Nevertheless, each one also
pertains to the other two realms as well. For example, the mitzvot of
tefillin or charity have to be studied in the Torah. Thus, they also exist
in the realm of Speech. Similarly, a person should come at some point in his
life to think about these mitzvot before he does them, or while he is doing
them, or while he is studying them, etc. Thus, these mitzvot also exist in the
realm of Thought.
It is the same with the mitzvot like study of Torah and prayer
that exist primarily in the realm of Speech. A person needs to physically go to
the Study Hall or the Synagogue, he needs to turn the pages of the book or make
specified genuflections and other movements during prayer. Even the movement of
his speech organs is a physical act.
Similarly, a person who fears G-d and loves Him will do things
and say things, over and beyond the physical shapes of the mitzvot, that reflect
his attitudes towards the Almighty and His creation. Thus, all the 613 mitzvot
exist on all three levels of Action, Speech and Thought at the same time.
Furthermore, it must be known that there are 613 mitzvot
distributed among the 613 limbs and sinews of Adam. These are called the 613
Major Roots. Each limb has particular mitzvot that pertain to it.
This is like the sayings of the Sages listed in Talmud
Shabbat 118b, from which we learn that the rabbis each had mitzvot that were
especially dear to them from among all the others, and which they were
especially strict and diligent to perform. The following is one example: | | " In the Left Shoulder there are 11 positive mitzvot and 15 negative mitzvot...." | | |
Rabbi Yosef asked Rabbi Yosef the son of Rabbah, "Which is the
mitzvah that your father was especially careful in its performance?"
"In tzitzit..." he answered him. "One day [my father] was
ascending a staircase and a thread of his tzitzit was torn off. He did
not move from the place until the thread was replaced."
Nevertheless, we shall see that Rabbi Chaim Vital does not
necessarily accept this easy explanation to the words of the Holy Ari.
In the Left Shoulder there are 11 positive mitzvot and 15
negative mitzvot that pertain to it. Everyone who is from this shoulder is
obligated to fulfill these mitzvot more than all the other 613.
There is an obvious problem here. If more than one mitzvah
pertain to one limb, then there will not be enough to go around!
First, it should be known that there is a Mishna (Ohalot
1:8) that lists the 248 limbs of the body. There the Left Shoulder, by the way,
consists of 4 limbs. Nevertheless, the Ari has already written in another place
that the distribution of the mitzvot is not like the divisions of the limbs in
Ohalot. The mitzvot correspond to a different aspect of the limbs and not
to their actual structure per se.
It is not entirely clear to me what is this special
obligation concerning the particular mitzvot of the limb in opposition to all
the rest of the 613, since everyone is obligated to fulfill all the 613 mitzvot.
Moreover, I heard from my Teacher, may he rest in peace,
that there are sparks that have been preceded by [other] sparks from the Root of
his soul who fulfilled all the mitzvot. In contrast, there are sparks that have
been preceded by sparks [from the Root of his soul] who did not fulfill the
mitzvot that he also has not yet fulfilled.
The first type consists of sparks that are preceded by other
sparks from the same Root. Those that preceded already fulfilled the mitzvot
that the new one has to fulfill. It seems obvious that he will have an easier
tikun because of the accomplishments of those that preceded him.
In contrast, the second type consists of sparks that have also
been preceded by other sparks from the same Root. However, here the preceding
sparks did not fulfill the mitzvot that the new one has come to do. It seems
obvious that he will have a harder tikun than those of the first type
because he is like someone who is breaking new ground.
Nevertheless, here too, it seems that Rabbi Chaim does not
accept this seemingly obvious explanation.
However, I do not know what the difference between them is.
In the last section of this chapter, the Benei Aharon
will suggest a solution to this difficulty.
Performance of the positive mitzvot has now been explained. Click to link to the previous article in this series,
Gate of Reincarnations, Obligation of Procreation 11:9
Click to link to the next article in this series,
Gate of Reincarnations, Repenting Over Negative Mitzvot 11:11
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