It’s Impossible for a Kabbalist to be Dull and Somber

It\'s Impossible for a Kabbalist to be Dull and SomberA question I received: In relation to my previous question, if a person turns into a dull and somber person, wouldn’t it be difficult for him to endure spiritual descents, which always happen when one ascends up the levels? In many texts, Kabbalists link the correction of one’s qualities to the perfection of creation and equivalence of form with the Creator. Please help me solve this riddle.

My Answer: As a person who is spiritually progressing justifies the Creator in everything (and since he justifies everything, he is called righteous). It’s impossible for such a person to be dull and somber.

Growing closer to the Creator means gaining equivalence of form with Him. Instead of the qualities one was born with, one gains qualities that become revealed after the Machsom (barrier), from BYA de Tumah (ed. the impure worlds of BYABYA is short for Beria, Yetzira, Assiya), where the 613 qualities of real egoism (Pharoah) reside, those which are against the Creator. By changing one’s intentions from “for my own sake” to “for the sake of the Creator,” with the help of the Light of Torah, from BYA de Kedusha (ed. the holy worlds of BYA), a person thereby fulfills the 613 commandments and attains full equivalence and adhesion with the Creator. Naturally, this bears no relation to performing any actions with our animate body, as it is written “The Creator does not care for how one slaughters cattle – from the head or from the neck (that is, the mechanical observance), but rather the commandments were given in order to correct man.”

Related Material:
Chapter 15 from the Book Attaining the Worlds Beyond: Gradual Spiritual Correction
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Spiritual Correction and Changes in Physical Behavior

Spiritual Correction and Changes in Physical BehaviorA question I received: In Mesilat Yasharim (The Path of the Righteous), the Ramchal writes about correcting one’s qualities: Even though correcting the qualities of one’s animate soul bears no relation to the levels of the holy soul, nevertheless it’s unrealistic for a Kabbalist to be irritable, quick-tempered, use bad words (Lashon Ra) and have qualities that can harm others around him.

My Answer: The Ramchal says that it’s impossible to correct the qualities of one’s animate soul. Any attempt to correct our animate soul ends in failure, because it relates to the inanimate part of a person, which was given to us so we would grow our spiritual soul out of it.

The only thing we can and should change is the holy, spiritual soul: the part of the Creator in us. This part begins as what is called a “point in the heart,” expressed in a person as the question “What is the meaning of life?” – the question that brings a person to Kabbalah. It is this point that we need to develop.

As we develop it, we change, and such a change also has an effect on our earthly behavior. We can no longer harm others intentionally, because we have acquired qualities that won’t allow us to do so.

However, at the same time, our external expressions of anger, abruptness, and impatience may remain, because we perceive the harm caused by specific actions and phenomena more than others do. Moreover, one who ascends always slides back before taking a step forward, and when this happens, this person is just like everyone else. In fact, he is even worse than everyone else in such a state. This continues until the end of the ladder, as it is written, “Every person who is greater than another, has more egoism than him.” Moreover, it’s written about Rabbi Shimon that when he found himself in the deepest possible descent, as “Shimon from the market,” he understood that he was facing the final level of ascent! (It is written in The Book of Zohar that when Rabbi Shimon came out of the cave, where he spent thirteen years writing The Book of Zohar, he saw a peasant working the land, an act so distant from spirituality, that when he saw him, he burned him with his mere glance. However, these are secrets of the Torah…)

Related Material:
Chapter 12 from the Book Attaining the Worlds Beyond: Eradicating Egoism
eBook: Attaining the Worlds Beyond
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What Is My Predestination?

What Is My Predestination?A question I received: How can I find out what my personal predestination is? I understand that we all have a common predestination, but we also all have our own personal mission, and it’s only logical that each person should have the opportunity to realize his or her responsibility. I spend too much time doubting things and feeling insecure. Is this a sign of something?

My Answer: This is something that only you can discover on your own, to the degree that you progress spiritually.

In our world, we are called “animals” because we spend our lives taking care of our bodies, our offspring, and satisfying our animalistic desires, such as fighting for leadership, our place in the tribe, and so on and so forth. Therefore, nothing you do in this world will be your purpose, because all your actions are designed for benefiting your body, which will eventually die. As such, your predestination can only be a goal that is eternal, and that has you in it.

Kabbalah reveals both the general predestination, and your personal predestination, together with the means to attain it. The general purpose is to connect everyone together and become similar to the Creator through such a connection. Your personal predestination is to bring the whole world to this state, because you are the only one who can do it.

Related Material:
Article: Attainment of the Unity of the Universe
Article: The Essence of the Science of Kabbalah
Baal HaSulam Article: The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah
Lesson: The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah
Lesson: The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah
Lesson: The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah (Transcript)