The Relationship Between Yesod and Malchus2 min read

In our counting of Sefiras Haomer, we have now progressed from the week of יסוד-Foundation to the week of מלכות-Kingship. In the ספרים הקדושים I overhear people quoting, the tzaddikim teach that keeping a connection between these two is critical – referring to אדם הראשון’s sin as having separated between these two middos.

How are we to understand the relationship between Yesod and Malchus?

The first idea I would suggest is to listen in to the same conversations that I am overhearing.

But beyond that, here is one possible perspective:

יסוד is אם אין אני לי מי לי, (“If I am not for me, who will be for me?”) and מלכות is כשאני לעצמי מה אני (“If I am only for myself, what am I?”).

My Yesod-Foundation is to be the one who is truly in charge of myself. No one else, neither in the past nor the present, can dictate my current reality. Yesod is a separation from others (much like Yosef Hatzaddik – who represents the middah of Yesod – was alone in Mitzrayim) in order to come to self-responsibility. It means taking care of yourself.

This is hinted to in the words of Chazal – אם אין אני לי מי לי.

יסוד.

Then, once I am in my own, independent domain, the next question becomes: “What am I all about?” Here is where danger arises. Having just spent the last period of my life separating from the rest of the world and strengthening the idea that I should look inward, rather than outward, I am in danger of answering the question of “What am I all about?” in terms of myself alone. This would represent the beginning of existential emptiness. In this stage, focus on the self leads to disconnect rather than health.

The question of “What am I about?” is my מלכות. It asks: “What I am all about?” It wonders: “Why am I me?” It’s the truth that guides all of my behaviors. And the answer to this question is that all am I here for is: להיטיב לאחריני. I am here for other people. If another answer arises in the place of this response, I will wither away. This is who I am.

This is hinted to in the second clause of Chazal’s teaching: כשאני לעצמי מה אני.

מלכות.

However, just as it is important not to lose oneself in the ‘self-orientation’ of יסוד and critical to make sure one graduates to the stage of מלכות, so is it equally important for one to have a firm יסוד-foundation before proceeding to attain the aspect of מלכות. The sense of self and self-assurance must come first. If this doesn’t happen, one will look to attain this aspect at the same time as he is living the next stage of Malchus, leading to him doing things for others – but only insofar as the recipients of his efforts provide him with the external validation he so desperately craves.

Therefore, it is important for a person to realize that, as hinted to in the words אם אין אני לי מי לי, the first step of creating one’s inner foundation cannot be done by anyone other than himself alone. The focus on others during this stage will lead to a disconnect from the self, a feeling that life is draining his energy – for he will constantly be chasing drops of validation which will be both too long in coming and too sparse in number.

Understanding these two phases – אם אין אני לי מי לי, and כשאני לעצמי מה אני – can help undo a great deal of misunderstanding, both in the spheres of Torah education as well as mental health.

May we merit to guard this all-important relationship between Yesod and Malchus, using our strong inner identity to illuminate the world with the light of Hashem and His Torah!

R’ Binyamin Kaufman is the author of “The Depth of Our Connection”. To purchase this life-changing sefer, click HERE.