We know from the science of Kabbalah that everything is accomplished from below as well as from Above, with each side doing its half of the work. In our spiritual work this is called “half a Shekel.” We prepare our desire, which is our vessel (Kli), and present it to the Upper One. This is our half of the work, while the second half is realized from Above; this is how we reach partnership.

The same process occurs when we read The Book of Zohar. Although we lose some of the inspiration we first had when we came to the science of Kabbalah and started studying this book (since all this was due to the Creator’s “fuel”), we need to see that we are building our vessels of perception (Kelim), our desires. Through our repeated work, we add the desires of the friends and the environment, each time raising the importance of spiritual advancement.

It is precisely while experiencing the burdening of the heart, when we no longer aspire toward spirituality very much, that we understand that we are being given an opportunity to add something of our own. Moreover, if we don’t have this understanding, we are provided with an opportunity to demand it. Therefore if we don’t feel it, we should aspire and desire spiritual advancement to come from Above rather than arise from us. After all, what can exist in us?

In order to acquire something new, something higher, we are given the chance to come to a true prayer by feeling a lack of taste, sensation, and understanding. It is only this way that we come to desire and feel the need for it. And as soon as we have the need and desire, the fulfillment will come from Above.

Therefore, our work is not about achieving fulfillment, like in our world. Rather, our work lies in desiring, which brings the fulfillment from Above.

In our world we work in order to receive a payment, which is only for pleasure by finding something that fills us. In spirituality, we don’t need to work on this, since “the Upper Light is in absolute rest,” and “more than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to feed.”

We only need to desire to receive this fulfillment, as if desiring to eat and drink; it is to feel the whole abundance which is prepared for us from Above and “is in absolute rest,” meaning it exists around us without any limitations.

Our entire work is only to desire this.

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