When we begin the path of Kabbalah, we gradually come to realize that our perception of reality is divided into an inner world and an outer world, where the outer or external world seems foreign to us. Therefore, we don’t look at it with loving eyes and don’t see it as wonderful in every way, like a mother looks at her child, for instance.

In reality, however, it is to our benefit that we were created with this dual perception which allows us to treat our egoism as something foreign. Due to it we come to know the mistakes and corruptions associated with our egoism and suddenly recognize that it is all within us. It is really a wonder when we realize that all of the evil we see outside of ourselves is in fact our own, because it allows us to redirect our focus from trying to correct the outside, to wanting instead to correct ourselves.

This dual perception originates from the initial opposition between the point of creation which emerged “out of nothing” and the Light. This opposition forces our perception to split into two parts – internal and external. In other words, we see ourselves from the outside (as if it is not us) and then absorb everything inside ourselves. But when we acknowledge that the hatred and evil perceived as outside of ourselves is indeed our own, we connect it to the tiniest spark of our soul (the point in the heart), and the result is a corrected Kli.

It is similar to photo developing, which turns a negative into a positive. Nothing else is needed except changing our outlook, and by this we begin to see everything in what is called “the Reflected Light.”

Our perception is built using sounds, flavors, visual images, scents, and all of our other bodily sensors. Moreover, our perception also defines the levels of our desire for food, sex, money, power, and knowledge. These are “outer fulfillments” which we have to reveal within ourselves. Therefore the same principle can be applied not only to our Kelim, but also to the Lights. Right now this is difficult to understand, but as we begin to sense spirituality, we can feel the world in this way and then everything becomes clear.

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