This, then, is the meaning of the verse, "And the act of charity shall be [peace]" - that even with the kind of charity which is called an "act" and not "service, [this] arousal from below will nevertheless elicit an arousal from above.

One arouses a manifestation of the [infinite] Ein Sof-light with a great illumination and an intense diffusion, and peace is brought about "in [G-d's] high places," between Michael and Gabriel, Chesed and Gevurah, and also within the terrestial retinue [- the lower worlds].

In this lowly world, however, there will be no manifestation of [this] peace, and of the refinement and separation of the evil from the good, until the ultimate time, when evil will cease to exist, but not during the time of the exile, as explained above, except in the microcosm, i.e., in man, at every "time of finding," meaning prayer, as it is written, "Through tzedek will I behold Your countenance," as discussed above.

Even so, after prayer it is possible that the evil will easily reawaken and become intermingled with the good as one walks about in the darkness of this world.

However, as to the charity [which is practiced with self-imposed toil] at the level of avodah ("service"), since it is exceedingly precious and lofty, far more so than the tzedakah one practices out of one's natural inclination, because [in the former case] one overrules his nature and bodily will out of deference to the Supreme Will, and "the sitra achra is subjugated," and then "the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, rises [and becomes manifest in all the worlds]," [34] "like the superiority of light over (lit., "out of") dark-ness," [35] as is known, - [The excellence of light is most appreciated when darkness itself is transformed into light.] in such a case, [by virtue of the exertion involved in this superior form of tzedakah,] the evil can no longer reawaken so easily of itself, unless, heaven forfend, one rouses it and draws it upon himself.

This, then, is the meaning of "quietness and surety forever" - [that the reward for the service of charity is eternal quietness and surety.]

Hashket ("quietness") is related to [the root of the verb in] the phrase, [36] "he rests (shoket) on his dregs," meaning that the dregs are completely separated from the wine and sink all the way down, while the wine above is wholly pure and clear.

Similarly with the service of charity: the dregs represent the admixture of evil in one's soul, which is gradually extricated and separated until it falls netherwards to its root and source - [below all the worlds,] as it is written, [37] "And You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." [38]

   

Notes:

34. (Back to text) Zohar II, 128b.

35. (Back to text) Kohelet 2:13.

36. (Back to text) Yirmeyahu 48:11.

37. (Back to text) Michah 7:19.

38. (Back to text) Note of the Rebbe Shlita: In Or HaTorah of the Tzemach Tzedek on this verse (Michah 7:19), the author refers the reader to the Shelah on Parshat Vayishlach (p. 295b). That reference is instructive here too.