1. Confidence (certainty) is the clothing for the Light, called life. This is because there is a rule that there is no Light without a vessel. It follows, that the Light of life cannot clothe, but must dress in some vessel. The vessel where the Light of life is clothed is usually called “confidence” (certainty). It means that he sees that he can do every difficult thing.

2. Thus, the Light is felt and recognized in the vessel of confidence. Because of that one’s life is measured by the measure of Confidence (certainty) that manifests there. He can measure the magnitude of vitality in himself with the Confidence (certainty) in himself.

3. For that reason one can see in oneself that as long as his level of vitality is high the Confidence (certainty) shines on every single thing, and he sees nothing that can obstruct him with what he wants. This is because the Light of life, which is a force from above, shines on him and he can work with superhuman forces since the Upper Light is not restricted like corporeal forces.

4. However, when the Light of life leaves him, which is considered that he has descended from his past level of vitality, then he becomes clever and inquisitive. He begins to calculate the profitability of it, is it worthwhile or not, and he becomes temperate not lively and sizzling as he was before he began to decline in his level of vitality.

5. However, one has not the wisdom to say that all this cleverness and wit with which he now thinks of everything are because he’d lost the spirit of life he had then. Instead, he thinks that now he has become smart, not as he was before he’d lost the Light of life when he was reckless and careless.

6. However, he should know that all the wisdom that he now acquired came to him because he has lost the spirit of life that he had before. Before, he measured all the acts with the Light of life that Creator gave him, but now that he is in decline the evil inclination has the power to come to him with all their just arguments.

7. The counsel for it is that one should say that now he cannot speak to his body and argue with it. Rather, he should say, “Now I am dead and I am waiting for the revival of the dead.” Then he must begin to work above reason, meaning say to his body, “Everything you say is true, and I have nothing rational to answer you. However, I hope that I will begin to work anew. Now I take upon myself Torah and Mitzvot and become a proselyte and our sages say, “a newborn proselyte is like an infant.’ Now I wait for the salvation of the Creator. He will certainly help me and I will come once more into the path of holiness.”

8. When I have power in holiness then I will have what to answer you, but in the meantime I must go above reason for I am still without the mind of holiness. Hence, you can win with your intellect and there is nothing I can do but believe in our sages who said that I should keep Torah and Mitzvot with faith above reason. I must certainly believe that by the power of faith we will be helped from above, as our sages say, “He who comes to purify is aided.”

Author: Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag

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