How does the whole and an individual part relate to one another? How could a small group gathered by Abraham in ancient Babylon influence the development of all of humanity? Why does everything revolve around this group? Why does this group continue its “rotation”?

The problem of this world is that we “count” humanity as if it’s livestock. We evaluate humans by millions and billions; this kind of calculation seems sufficient to us. We just are unable to make qualitative calculations.

It results in a constant conflict between quality and quantity in this world. We proclaim that we are equal. However, how can it be true if one’s possessions are comparable with the assets of a billion others or if one’s health is worth the wellbeing of thousands of others? Are we really equal just because each of us has a body? Is it a criterion that should be used when evaluating human beings?

We are unable to “appraise” others because we lack true measurement tools. What are we comparing: feelings, intellect? How can we equate one person to another?

There is no equality whatsoever! Everybody is born with a specific set of qualities, thus each of us is unique. Even though we would like to be equal, we still are not. Baal HaSulam explains this issue in his article “Peace in the World”: “…we need to work very hard in order to attain true equality among us.”

It also is applicable on the spiritual path. Our spiritual goals are also quite different. Each of us has personal qualities, individual “destiny,” way of advancement, and a unique purpose in the whole system that serves as a common body where each cell is important but all cells and organs are still extremely different.

This explains why the role of Abraham’s group is so important: This entity of people attained a new purpose that was totally opposite to other nations’. Babylon was driven by an egoistic desire that increasingly expanded and enhanced, whereas Abraham’s group, on the contrary, focused on the will to bestow. Egoism can continue growing under the condition and to the extent of advancement of the altruistic desire, by faith above reason.

Abraham students’ advancement dramatically differs from the progression of other nations: The latter have developed intelligence, whereas the first group concentrated on faith. This explains why at the time when Abraham’s group faithfully followed its predestination, they were not developing sciences or culture such as music or dancing. They paid almost no attention to these things; rather, their major exertions were made towards spirituality. It was their only focus.

Later, other nations took advantage of the “fruits” of their work and on this basis they developed sciences, culture, and arts. For example, ancient Greeks borrowed the first “sprouts” of their philosophy from the wisdom of Kabbalah. Later, they admitted this fact.

As we see, the specifics of the relationships between the whole and a part, between small nations and the entire humanity, stayed intact throughout all of history and will be preserved in the future. As Abraham did, we collect friends from all over the world and entreat them to choose a common path to the Creator. Still, we remain a tiny minority. It’s supposed to be like that because there has to be a balance between the quantitative powers of all of humanity and our qualitative energy.

Both parts have to be harmonized. For example, if a small child receives a huge power, he might gravely hurt others, but if he acquires deep understanding of what he is doing without being given extra powers, then he won’t be able to implement his understanding in life. That’s why everything has to be balanced so that our body, intellect, and feelings are correctly proportioned while they grow.

It means that we can even become smaller to the extent of the development of the rest of the world. It is said: “They shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.” They will know Him through us, but they won’t join us by the millions. It will happen only at the very last stage of correction.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/4/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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