Kabbalah zu Bamidbar 11:18
וְאֶל־הָעָ֨ם תֹּאמַ֜ר הִתְקַדְּשׁ֣וּ לְמָחָר֮ וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֣ם בָּשָׂר֒ כִּ֡י בְּכִיתֶם֩ בְּאָזְנֵ֨י יְהוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֤י יַאֲכִלֵ֙נוּ֙ בָּשָׂ֔ר כִּי־ט֥וֹב לָ֖נוּ בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְנָתַ֨ן יְהוָ֥ה לָכֶ֛ם בָּשָׂ֖ר וַאֲכַלְתֶּֽם׃
Zu dem Volke aber sprich: Seid bereit auf morgen, Fleisch zu essen, denn ihr habt geweint vor dem Herrn und gesprochen: Wer wird uns Fleisch zu essen geben? denn besser ging es uns in Ägypten. So wird euch der Herr Fleisch geben, dass ihr [euch satt] esset.
Shaarei Kedusha
From this we see that when a Chassid is occupied in the study of Torah or in performing the mitzvoth or in good character traits; if even a hint of motivation to receive a reward is mixed into it, he is a Chassid for himself, as in the verse48Proverbs 11:17, “A man of kindness (Ish Chessed) brings goodness upon himself.” This is because when he fulfills the mitzvoth he brings goodness upon himself. Therefore, he is called a “Man of Chessed” rather than a “Chassid”, because he does himself the kindness. Only a person whose sole motivation is to do a kindness to his Master can be truly called a “Chassid” and a “Holy Man”. This is because he has become purified from all impurities and has sanctified himself in G-d’s holiness, Blessed is He. We find that the term קדושה-Kedushah (holiness) means “preparation”, as in the verse49Numbers 11:18, “Prepare50 The word here for “prepare yourselves” is Hitkadshoo-“sanctify yourselves” (התקדשו).yourselves for tomorrow and you shall eat meat”. This is because such a person makes himself the vehicle for G-d’s holiness, Blessed is He. As mentioned above, rather than caring about his own glory, he only cares about his Master’s glory.
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