In the article “Peace in the World” Baal HaSulam examines the essence of the forthcoming transition that will raise humanity to a new level:

At first glance, the plan seems imaginary… But when we delve deeply into it, we will find that the contradiction from reception for oneself to bestowal upon others is nothing but a psychological matter… although self-reception manifests itself in us in various ways…all those are defined by one name, “pleasure.”

This is already clear today. Our essence, mind, feeling, and every cell of our bodies aspires to fulfillment. It can be felt simply as a rush of energy, or it can take on other forms until it reaches the psychological level, where we define it as pleasure. If my hand rests on the table, then it’s not my hand that enjoys it, but me. One way or another, fulfillment for us is always pleasure. It is what we all desire.

A question arises: If my matter only wishes to fulfill itself in order to experience pleasure, then am I able to maintain a connection with others? Am I able to participate in the life of the common system as nature dictates and enjoy it at the same time? If this is possible, if Baal HaSulam says that this is a psychological aspect, then maybe I will be able to confuse or trick myself into doing this? After all, psychology is an everyday affair, so to say. As a result, by carrying out nature’s demand, I will enjoy myself and will make others happy on a new, global level of being.

…what does one receive during one’s life? If we assume that one obtains twenty percent of pleasure during his lifetime and eighty percent of pain, then if we put them one opposite the other, there would still remain sixty percent of suffering unrewarded.

If a person made the right calculation, he would not be able to bear this life. In the most natural manner, he would immediately decide to end his life. The math is simple: “pleasure minus suffering is equal to….” Which is followed by a decision and its instant realization. However, we do not make an accurate calculation and therefore, we continue to live.

But this is all a private calculation, as when one works for oneself. But in a global calculation, the individual produces more than he takes for his own pleasure and sustenance. Thus, if the direction were to change from self-reception to bestowal, the individual would enjoy the entire production of what he produces without much pain.

If we make a calculation—how much can we receive from the whole world in return for what we give to it—then it really is worthwhile to live.

Thus, everything depends on a clear, precise, and transparent calculation: What do I have from reception and bestowal? And Baal HaSulam talks only about the material calculation here, leaving the spiritual calculation between the lines. In our world, one way or another everyone suffers and accepts it. However, if we clearly show a person all of his “income” and “expenses,” he will understand that he is being robbed to the bone. On the other hand, in the spiritual sense, he can record eternal life in his account, which is incomparable to the petty animate existence.

Thus, we are facing a psychological problem, and we have to view the world’s correction in this vein. All of these calculations, as well as the opportunities that become revealed by virtue of the Kabbalistic method, come down to upbringing. That means we have to create a system of education and upbringing, and then the world, which is in a desperate situation, will understand that it is actually at the starting point, at the threshold of a new beginning.
[58639]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/25/11, “Peace in the World”

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