Baal HaSulam: “Disclosing a Portion, Covering Two”: “There is an idiom among great sages when they come to disclose a profound matter: They begin their words with, ‘I am disclosing a portion and covering two.’”

First, why should anything be covered in the first place? What’s the benefit of hiding?

On the whole, all of creation (Beria) is covered by different covers. This is where the word “creation” stems from (the Hebrew root “Bar” meaning, external to the Creator), which stemmed from Him with the help of a cover and can therefore exist. If it existed inside the Creator, it would be no more than Malchut of the world of Infinity that is full of the Light and under the domination of the Creator, having nothing of its own. The created being is external to the Creator and has his own reality, mind, and feeling that are different from those of the Creator.

If it weren’t for this difference, the created being would be inside the Creator, swallowed by the Light. But the created being is different and the difference is created as a result of the distance. The distance in spirituality is concealment. In our world the distance determines the concealment, while in spirituality, the concealment itself keeps us distant in many ways.

The difference in mind and feeling and in attributes is called the lack of equivalence of form with the Creator. This is essential for the created being in order to be himself and to exist. There is a feeling and a mind that we attribute to the Creator, to absolute love and bestowal, the Light of Hochma that is dressed in the Light of Hassadim, and which is revealed to us in the Partzuf of Aba and the Partzuf of Ima (AVI). We, as souls, should be different and opposite from them in the attribute of ZON.

Thus we see that the shattering is actually the action that is meant to bring the created beings to revelation. The created beings have to be opposite from the Creator, and then by external actions that they perform, they acquire a Masach (screen) and the Returning Light, attributes that are equal in form to the Creator.

The created being is initially divided into two: the inner part which is opposite from the Creator in its desires and thoughts and the external part, the cover, the Masach, that resembles the Creator. As a result, the created being exists by himself and at the same time is adhered to the Creator. Further, the created being must include these two opposite attributes, these two opposite states, and act in them, despite their polarity, since he doesn’t resemble the Creator or His opposite side, the evil inclination.

The created being is the middle line to the extent that he can connect these two opposite forms inside him and unite them.

In order to allow the created being to do so, there is the law of “disclosing a portion, covering two.”

According to which it is possible to reveal something, which means to bring the created being closer to the Creator only if he is brought back to the previous state with additional Aviut (thickness), additional heaviness.

If the created being made a step forward, revealing a portion, thus getting closer to the Creator, he has more power. But by that he is unbalanced and now the Creator’s powers operate on him differently compared to the previous state, and he is brought back with a new Aviut, although it is concealed. If later the created being is added, covers a portion, he is brought to the state of freewill again.

Thus, the created being constantly has the option of freewill and of getting closer to the Creator. So by disclosing a portion, Kabbalists have to cover two. This allows the created beings to be detached from the Creator so that they can advance towards Him only by keeping their independence and their autonomy. Of course, we mustn’t confuse people when we guide them along the spiritual path like a “locomotive” or a “shepherd.” It is possible only in rare cases in order to establish the basis for the work in which confusion is the stimulus that allows them to overcome the confusion and by that discover something new. On the other hand, we mustn’t speak to them about what may lead them to a dead end and to disorientation.

So I am asking all our friends who are studying to be teachers to work with the public, including the teaching of the wisdom of Kabbalah and the integral education, to constantly feel the hearts of the people and reveal to them only what they need in order to advance. On the one hand, we shouldn’t take their freewill, and on the other hand, we shouldn’t confuse them.

A teacher has to be a doctor, a healer of souls, and for that he needs to know the exact dosage. After all the Torah can be the elixir of life or the potion of death.

A teacher should be an experienced guide, a guide who loves his pupils and who actually participates in their advancement. He provides them with exactly what they need and should keep them away from unripe fruit or from overripe fruit.

There is a time for everything, and the wisdom of Kabbalah allows us to calculate the exact dosage because we connect in our hearts, in our souls, on the part of the students or at least on the part of the teacher. This is actually the type of study that we should yearn for.

It is all thanks to the safeguarding by which a person remains a created being, external to the Creator, and can advance freely. “To be a free nation in our country,” are words in the Israeli national anthem, which means that even when you stand before the Creator and reach adhesion with Him by connection, you don’t annul myself but rather operate equally on the same height.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12.11.13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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