Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article 53, “The Matter of Limitation”: The matter of limitation is to limit the state one is in and not want Gadlut (Greatness). Instead, one wants to remain in one’s present state forever, and this is called eternal Dvekut (Adhesion). Regardless of the measure of Gadlut that one has, even if one has the smallest Katnut (Smallness), if it shines forever it is considered having been imparted eternal Dvekut.

However, one who wants more Gadlut, it is considered luxury. And this is the meaning of “any sorrow will be surplus” meaning that sadness comes to a person because he wants luxuries. This is what it means that when Israel came to receive the Torah, Moses brought forth the people to the bottom of the mountain, as it is written, “and they stood at the nether part of the mount.”

A mount (Hebrew: Har) means thoughts (Hebrew: Hirhurim)). Moses led them to the end of the thought and the understanding and the reason, the lowest degree there is. Only then, when they agreed to such a state, to walk in it without any wavering and motion, but to remain in that state as if they had the greatest Gadlut, and to be happy for it, this is the meaning of, “Serve the Lord with gladness.”

We have to constantly keep ourselves in a minimal state. It is the most desirable state; this is pure bestowal, Hafetz Hesed, the constant state. Then if I am thrown off in the negative direction, to the “minus,” by the addition of more ego, I have to add Gadlut (greatness) in the opposite direction, the importance of the Creator, “plus.” This is how I advance.

Thus, I fill every descent and feeling of lowliness, which I must feel with the recognition of the one who gives it to me, where it comes from, and whom I have to reach an equivalence of form with. In that case I will constantly return to the constant state and constantly advance along the shortest straight line, no more and no less. I don’t need any luxuries, not even a shirt, like the righteous (Hafetz Hesed) living in the forest. Thus, I advance, and nothing can throw me off track.

It is the same when I feel Gadlut and am thrown towards the “plus”; I don’t take this into account. The important thing is to constantly yearn for a constant state, and although it is constant, I still advance under the external influence and go up the ladder from level zero to the 125^th level. But I don’t ask for anything for myself, except for staying in a constant state.

I am ready to remain in the same state I am in and I don’t even need the revelation or anything above that. To the same extent that I give up the revelation and refuse to accept it, I discover the spiritual world in the same vessels, so there is the opposite outcome, as it always happens in our work since everything is built above the vessels of receiving.

Of course, everything is done by the Light that Reforms. Without the Light nothing will happen, and it is only the Light that performs all the changes and the corrections. We should never feel sorry that we don’t have them, but we should feel sorry only about “where is the Light that can correct us.” If we feel that we don’t have corrections, it is good; it is already the revelation of what we lack. In that case the Surrounding Light will come, the Light that Reforms, and correct us.
[98096]
From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/16/13

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