“The Talking Bird” p: 60

AyinBase with R' Paltiel 11/25/11 Friday 28 Cheshvan 5772 

Page 60 – about a third from the top of the page (line starts: ”kul hi...” ) See link (top right) for link to all pages of the text. 

We said the principle of dirah/dwelling place is that the actual presence itself is there, not a functional aspect or a revelation.

The first step in making a dwelling place is the birur/refinement of the animal soul.

The animal soul is not really able to relate to essence. This the G-dly soul can do. Essence has no effect in terms of experience and thus is beyond the perception of the animal soul.

While it cannot directly relate to Essence, it can see that, 'this is what it should seek'.

At the outset the animal soul can only relate to his own experience. “You are talking to me about G-dliness/Essence, but give me one reason why I should want it. My belly is full. What is truth to me? How do I want it?” On its own there is no reason why the animal soul will search for it. The G-dly soul says to it, 'you don't have to look for it, your looking for it will only conceal it. Just be ready to accept. Agree you don't know. And accept what I give you.' This is the way the animal sheds its perception till it doesn't a insist that it will only accept what it can understand. This provides the dirah/dwelling place.

This is a great accomplishment, where the animal soul realizes that its perception is not the key to truth. It accepts how truth will come from a level above it. This realization calls forth and arouses a download from Atzmus Ein Sof/His Essence.

This is understood by the metaphor of 'the talking bird'. The king is removed and above the simpleton and his request. Or the sage is who is preoccupied in his thoughts is beyond the simple man. To overcome the gap the simpleton brings a gift. A novelty. For example a talking bird. Though the speech of the bird is not like that of man it has a great effect. The heart of the king turns to it.

So too the bitul of the animal soul, which is a novelty and an anomaly and the King's attention is aroused. There is not way to explain why the animal soul wants or is open to Elokus.

The sage says, 'I pick the king'. From the perspective of the animal soul, this is laughable, 'what do you get from this? How does it serve your interests?' And yet now through its bitul the animal soul agrees and says I choose Him.

This is like the suffering in our history. What are we after that we can leave one place and rebuild. After every destruction we rebuild. We have the King. That supersedes everything. No disappointment can sever our relationship with the King.