A question I received: Yesterday I went to the Creator’s restaurant and ordered steak for 100 dollars, but today with just 80 dollars available, I can only order chicken. If I’ve never tried the chicken, how can I calculate the pleasure against the desire using the screen (price)?

My Answer: This is a very deep and important question since it determines the difference between all the states and degrees by which we ascend or descend. Every fulfillment differs from another, like the pleasure from music differs from the pleasure from art, and so on. So can we perform this calculation or not? If we can’t, then how do we advance in spirituality?

How do I perform a calculation based on yesterday’s steak for 100 dollars with today’s chicken for 80 dollars if I’ve never tried the chicken, and yet nonetheless want to perform the maximum calculation for bestowal? If bestowal is not 100%, then it’s not called bestowal. Furthermore, if I receive more than what is possible, it will go to the Klipa (egoism) which should be avoided.

Therefore, I perform a calculation on Dalet-Itlabshut (the fourth level of pleasure) and Gimel-Aviut (the third level of desire), meaning a calculation on how much of yesterday’s meat I would receive for 80 dollars. Yesterday I received steak for 100 dollars, and today with only 80 dollars it appears to be the same steak, only smaller. I cut off the Light of Yechida from it, and leave only Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, and Haya.

As a result, I begin to feel the difference between the fourth and the third level. Accordingly, instead of performing a calculation on the steak that I now reject, I perform a calculation on the money: What does 100 dollars mean in relation to 80 dollars? The difference is in the pleasure that I now reject. Hence, I now understand the value of 80 dollars, and so I perform a calculation regarding the maximum that I can receive from it for the sake of bestowal.

This is one of the principles of education: to understand one thing from another (“Lilmod Devar Mi Toch Devar”). I perform a calculation regarding one thing, then connect it to another, and go on to a third calculation.

Therefore, in our calculation we always account for the Rosh de-Itlabshut (the former Light) of the past spiritual state (a former Partzuf). From there we can already descend to Rosh de-Aviut (desire) in order to perform a calculation on a new fulfillment.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/23/10, Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah

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