It is written in The Zohar (VaYishlach, Item 111) about the verse, “He touched the hollow of his thigh,” meaning the supporters of the Torah, that he schemed against him. He said, “Since the supports of the Torah were broken, the Torah will promptly become unable to strengthen further.” In Item 108 in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar], it is written that because there is no one to support the Torah, which is Zeir Anpin, as it should be, the supporters of Zeir Anpin weakened, meaning Netzah and Hod of Zeir Anpin, which are called “supports,” and cause that one who has no thighs or legs to stand on, namely the primordial serpent.
It is known that Netzah and Hod are called “two supports of the truth.” We must know that everything one does must first have a reason that will oblige him to do those deeds. Without a reason, man is in a state of rest. But if he has reasons that will obligate him to do those deeds, he will try to do them according to the reason.
Esau’s minister saw that he could not argue with the learners of Torah because they had the desire and the upbringing to learn Torah, and he could not distract them from learning the Torah. However, he could disrupt them through the reasons, meaning the reason why they learn, what they want in return for their labor in Torah and work, which are called “supports of the Torah,” for through the reasons, he has the strength to learn Torah.
But if he has no reasons, it is regarded as having no support. Hence, since there are two supports to the truth, and his supports, meaning the reasons that obligate him to do things, will not be true reasons, as in “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice,” but rather false reasons, in this, the minister of Esau had a grip.
A lie has no legs. This means that he took the reason from the primordial serpent, who has no legs, as it is written in The Zohar, and therefore the real Torah cannot be drawn below, since the supports are false supports. In other words, the reasons that obligate him are false.
It follows that the main work on the path of truth is to see that he obtains supports for the Torah, meaning true supports by which he will have a foundation on which to build his Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], for here is the main grip of the Sitra Achra [other side].
On the rest of the things, it does not seem as though he has a grip. It is as the king of Sodom said, “Give me the soul and take the properties to yourself,” as was said, “A prayer without an intention is like a body without a soul.”
The spirit and the soul mean the intention in the matter. This is why the king of Sodom said, “Give me the soul,” meaning the intention of a person, why he engages in Torah and Mitzvot, this will be for him. “And the property,” meaning the Torah and Mitzvot that a person acquires, “Take for yourself.” You can gain as much property as you want, but the intention will be for me. This is why this is the main thing that a person needs to overcome