Hello and all the best to my friend,
I received your letter, and regarding your question concerning Lishma (for Her sake) and Lo Lishma (not for Her sake), I will give you a simple rule: Lishma means that the intention while performing a Mitzva (good deed/correction) is that we must intend to bestow contentment upon the Maker. The Creator has let us do things so we will be able to give something to Him through this actions, namely by wanting to please Him.
And why do we want to give Him contentment? It is because it is a great privilege for us that we are serving the King. That is, all of our pleasure is that we are serving the Rav [great one], and this is our reward. This means that it comes to show if we want a reward for the service or the service itself is the reward.
Something we see that a wealthy person will walk some place with a great and wise person, and the wealthy man carries the package of the wise one and does not let anyone else carry the package, but says that he deserves the privilege of carrying the sage’s package, and none other.
Sometimes, if the package is difficult to carry due to the weight of the load, and another wealthy person accompanies the sage, as well, he wants to swap with him, meaning he wants to carry the package, too, but he does not agree because it is a great privilege for the wealthy man to serve the sage.
Also, the pleasure of the wealthy mean depends on the wisdom of the rav, since the wiser the rav, compared to his contemporaries, the more the wealthy man enjoys serving him.
In order to pay the porter the sum that the rav should have given, say two dollars, when he departs from the wealthy man, the rav gives the wealthy man three dollars and tells him: “Here, this is for your effort.”
He also tells him: “I would have given a simple porter only two dollars, but because you are rich and distinguished, I am adding to it and giving you three dollars.” What an insult this would be to the rich man if he were to reward him for the service? The greatness of his reward is only that he served the rav, not the reward for the service.
It is likewise in spirituality. Man’s intention should be only the service, since by that he shows his value and importance of serving the King. But when he is asking for reward for the service, he shows that he has no importance for the King, but his aim is only the reward.
But most importantly, it matters not whom he serves, but how much he will receive for the service, like a porter, whose only focus is the reward and does not care whose package he is carrying. His focus is only on how much he will gain. This is the whole difference between serving the King for a reward or serving him not in order to receive reward.
But in order to have strength to work, for a person to be able to engage in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], one must examine the greatness and sublimity of the Creator. It is so because to the exact extent of the greatness of the King it is easier for him to serve the King, since he feels that He is the King of Kings. At that time the joy and pleasure should be boundless.
By that we should depict that he can say that the King let only him stand and serve him, since He did not give that strength to others. And what do they do? Their intention is not to serve the king but to serve some master, for the master to pay for the Master’s packages, which they carry all day long.
They do not mind who is the master. What is important for them is who pays a higher salary; this is the master they are serving and for whom they work.
By that you will understand what you asked, that when one feels vitality in Torah and work, namely that the Creator is bringing him closer and letting him serve him, and a person feels delight, then it should be said who is obligating the Torah and work—it must be the Creator because He is the one who is giving him the pleasure in Torah and work, and not that his intention is that through engagement in Torah and work he will obtain corporeal rewards, meaning honor or money. Still, this is considered Lo Lishma. Why?
The reason is that pleasure is what compels him to engage in Torah and work. And since man contains the desire to receive pleasure, when he feels pleasure in Torah and work, the will to receive pleasure commits a person engage in Torah and work. Thus, who is the obligator? That is, what is the reason he engages in it? It must be the pleasure, which is called “reward.”
This is regarded as serving the King in order to receive reward—where the intention is on the reward, which is the pleasure. At that time it does not matter who is giving him the pleasure. Rather, what matters is that the pleasure is so great that a person surrenders before it.
This is as our sages said about the rule, “This is different because his inclination overpowers him.” It follows that he is coerced (Ketubot 51:53-54). This means that she no longer has a choice because when the pleasure comes in greater measures than one is used to receiving, a person (no) longer has the strength to overcome. This is regarded as having no choice.
It follows that we should always divide between Lishma and Lo Lishma. That is, if the pleasure comes by receiving a great pleasure while engaging in Torah and work then his reason is the pleasure, and it does not matter to him who is giving the pleasure. But if the pleasure comes from serving the King, this is called Lishma because here it depends whom he is serving. According to the greatness of the King, so is the measure of pleasure.
It follows that his reason is the King, and the pleasure is only the result of serving the King. If he is serving a small King, he has little pleasure. If he is serving a great King, he is great pleasure.
Therefore, if the king is what determines and the cause for the work, it is called Lishma, although he is enjoying serving the King, and although he is annulled by the King’s greatness and has no room for choice, but everything is for the King. It follows that this is called Lishma, when the intention is to serve the King, and not the reward. That is if he feels pleasure while serving the King, but the pleasure is not the cause, but rather the greatness of the King is the cause.
But if he craves the pleasure that comes to him by engagement in Torah and work, it means that the pleasure is the reason and the cause. This is called Lo Lishma, but for the purpose of pleasure.
It follows that man’s primary work is to examine the greatness of the Creator. That is, one should delve in books that speak of the greatness of the Creator, and while delving, one should depict to oneself to what extent our sages, the Tanaaim and Amoraim, felt the greatness of the Creator.
One should pray to the Creator to shine so he may feel His greatness, so he can subdue his heart and annul before the Creator, and not follow the currents of the world, which is pursuing only the satisfaction of beastly lusts, but that the Creator will open his eyes so he may engage all his life in Torah and work, and “In all your ways, know Him.” That is, even when engaging in corporeal matters, it will be for the purpose of Kedusha [holiness], as well.
But from Lo Lishma, we come to Lishma. That is, Lishma is already a high degree, and one must begin from Lo Lishma. In other words, one should be fully aware that pleasure is found primarily in Torah and work, and not in corporeality.
Although at the moment he feels more pleasure in corporeal things, more than he feels in spiritual things, it is because he lacks the qualification in Torah and work, which also depends on faith in the Creator. At that time, thorough Torah and faith in the Creator, one feels the light in the Torah, and that light reforms him.
May the Creator open our eyes and delight our hearts, and we will be rewarded with raising the importance of Torah.
Your friend, Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag,
Son of Baal HaSulam