The Zohar: When a person is filled with perfection he is considered to be living in the “house.” The word “house” stands for Nukvah of Zeir Anpin which emanates the Light of Mochin de GAR, as it is written: “Wisdom builds the house.” Therefore, everyone who receives from Nukvah is a resident of the house. However, when a person is in need of correction, as a result of his imperfections, he requires protection from those on the outside that could cling to him and lead him to commit a sin.

When a person reaches the state of being filled with the Light of Hochma, he is in need of protection and significant correction. The Light of Hochma provides a tremendous amount of pleasure and causes major corrections to take place, waking all human desires and fueling a thirst for fulfillment by the Light. This is why a person needs to be protected from his own egoistic desires to prevent him from stealing the Light from himself and maintaining the spiritual level already attained. But how can he protect himself?

As a result, he is forced to leave the house (to leave the state of being filled with the Light of Hochma), since he is not allowed to receive this exalted Light out of fear that external (egoistic) desires might latch on to him.

This is talking about a person who identifies himself with the property of bestowal. The property of bestowal (the Light of Hassadim) is filled with the light of Hochma, which fulfills the desire to give. But besides the desire to give, a person also has the desire to receive and is afraid that this desire will awaken and attach itself to the Light of Hochma (the pleasure felt through the desire to give) within the Light of Hassadim. That is why he has to leave this state and “step out of the house.”

By leaving the house, he remains on the same spiritual level, on the same step, only now on the side of Hassadim. If his uncorrected, egoistic desires, which lack the intention of bestowal, attract the Light of Hochma from above downwards, then he will fall from his spiritual level and become like all other sinners. The waves of the flood will rise and drown him.

By stepping out of the house, a person makes a significant correction. He becomes stronger and acquires an additional “screen” that he can use the next time he enters and stays in the house. As a result of these exits from the house (a spiritual act), a person acquires screens. This is how he attracts the strength to overcome which he can use the next time he enters and stays in the house filled with the Light of Hochma.

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