Chasidut para sa Mga Awit 45:11

(a) In the name of my grandfather and teacher, of blessed memory: He explained the disagreement between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel as to whether one increases day by day or decreases. He explained that, in the lamp, there is an aspect of illumination and one of combustion, that being to burn the waste material and to purge the inside by the fire of desire for Him, may He be blessed. And Beit Shammai are of the view that, initially, it is necessary to "depart from evil [and (then) do good]" (Ps. 34:14), and thus the practice of decreasing day by day. And Beit Hillel are of the view that the main idea is to increase day by day, such that the enthusiasm that illuminates through him will purify his body and will automatically purge the waste material. (b) And this is also what is written that Yosef placed Menashe first, while Ya'akov placed Efraim first. For the name Menashe is from "God has made me forget [nashani] ... my travail" (Gen. 41:51), as with "forget your people and your father's house" (Ps. 45:11), and he thought this about Ya'akov. But Ya'akov our ancestor, peace be on him, realized that not everyone is prepared for this, and he placed Efraim first [see Gen. 41:52: Efraim "for God has made me fertile (hifrani)"], corresponding to the view of Beit Hillel. Thus far [my grandfather's] statement, may his memory be for a blessing. (c) And according to this, both the formulation "increases day by day" and the formulation "decreases day by day" make sense, for they are in truth two paths. There are those who proceed by diminishing the subjugation of the body, and there are those who proceed by increasing the light of the spirit and of the insides. And this is a matter of "Ehad marbeh v'ehad mam'it" [originally, it is all the same whether one does much or one does little, provided that one directs one's mind towards Heaven. Ber. 5b, 17a]. And these two aspects are of Hallel and Thanksgiving, as we have said elsewhere.

In the Midrash Lech Lecha (Bereishit Rabbah 39:1): Listen, daughter, etc., and incline your ear (Psalms 45:11) — it is compared [to a man who was traveling], etc. when he saw a castle burning. He said, "Is it possible that it lacks a governor?" The owner of the castle glanced at him, etc. As man is called a traveler, since he must always travel from one level to another. For habit becomes [second] nature. And what is natural brings forgetfulness and hides the internality of life, and this is even true with Torah and commandments if they become a habit. That is why one must constantly seek new paths and strategies. And that is why the Holy One, blessed be He, renews in His goodness the work of creation every day (alluding to one of the blessings in the morning prayers). So that nature does not become overpowering. And that is the castle. As this natural world burns everything that enters it, even though all of nature is from a point of light above. But it is drowned in nature. And nature eliminates everything, like the matter that is written: but it could not be recognized that they had come inside them (Genesis 41:21). And that is why the Holy One, blessed be He, renews in His goodness the work of creation every day. And a person must seek such novelty, as it is written: watching daily at my gates (Proverbs 8:32). And hence it is written: Listen, daughter, etc., and it repeats afterward, and incline your ear. To say that, one must always be ready to listen. And that is [the meaning of] that which is written: You, go forth (Genesis 12:1) — there is a need to always travel to — that which I will show you continuously novel understandings. That is why man is called a traveler, as anyone who stands still without renewal is immediately governed by nature. And that is why the angels above, who are not within nature, are called standing. But in this world, man is called a traveler, as mentioned above.