The Unexpected Meaning Of Life

Dr. Michael LaitmanBefore the spiritual ascent humanity goes through a period of preparation without understanding the laws of evolution. There are several theories regarding that, but we see that the process is driven only by the evolution of our egoistic desire that operates only for our benefit. It is particular to each person and has determined our behavior throughout the eras of humanity’s evolution.

In mankind, there are several outstanding civilizations each of which has developed in their own way, at their own pace, and in their own direction. During the times of ancient Babylon and the tower of Babel, a certain part of humanity broke off from the rest and started to advance in a special way, since in addition to the desire to receive, a desire to attain the goal of reality was also evoked in them.

This desire needs a method in order to be fulfilled and this created a problem. It is because a person actually wants to know why and for what he is living, what the goal of his life is. But suddenly he discovers that the answer to this question is fulfilled according to the principle of “love thy friend as thyself.”

It is commonly believed that the meaning of life is to be revealed after the death of the body or in some mystical reality that is beyond the corporeal nature. But suddenly I am told about the love of others and that if I begin to love the other like I love myself and develop such relationships, I will discover the upper world, all of reality, the whole depth of creation and also the eternal, whole concealed force called the Creator.

I don’t understand this. Is it enough to love just anybody I see? Do I have to subdue and annul myself so that I will not see the difference between us? This is called “to bestow in order to bestow.” Then, I also acquire the other’s deficiency and care for him like for my dear baby, like for my own soul, which he is actually part of. I am told that thanks to this love I will find and fulfill the goal of my life. The main thing is to do good unto others.

But this is totally contrary to my view! What can be more repulsive than that?!

I exaggerate and emphasize this point on purpose, but it is really so. A person needs time in order to understand that this is his self-realization. It is in the relationships with others on the current level when we hate one another, disrespect and spit on one another, kill each other without thinking twice, and in addition also enjoy harming the environment; it is here that the infinite depth of the spiritual world is revealed to us, the true reality. At first it is simply incomprehensible.

Therefore, it is a long way. A small group started to fulfill the method back in ancient Babylon and had to go through many ups and downs, while everyone else continued to advance along the egoistic path.

Eventually, a small part of humanity reached the final ego through the shattering, through the destruction of the Temple, while most of humanity advanced linearly within the ego. On the way, the two parts are integrated and reached the current phase, which requires the final fulfillment of the correction.

So, the preparation begins to correct the distance. A small group called the “nation of Israel” goes through special states, falls from the spiritual levels, and then goes through gradual corrections that are deep and slow. It corrects its shattered vessels, desires, and this requires preparation; it requires the transition from the intention of “in order to receive” (Lo Lishma) to the intention of “in order to bestow” (Lishma) and from to bestow in order to bestow to, to receive in order to bestow. All the stages along the way are gradual and organized, and the nation of Israel corrects itself by the Light that Reforms, which is called the “Torah.”

On the other hand, the parts of the general vessel called “the nations of the world,” were not shattered, and so they do not need the gradual correction. In fact, they have nothing to correct. The nation of Israel has to raise all the shattered vessels back to spirituality from which they fell in order to put them back together into the ten Sefirot, each one separately and all of them together, to reconstruct the reality of the common soul. For all the others it is much simpler as they receive an illumination that provides them with a Masach (screen), which is their correction. They participate in the process and connect to Israel who correct themselves gradually through many hardships.

Eventually, the vessels of the nations of the world reach corrections on such a level that they take the children of Israel on their “shoulders” and bring them to the “Temple,” the nation of Israel cannot rise to these levels by itself, but the nations of the world can because they don’t have shattered vessels.

So, the last phase of correction is fulfilled, not simply with the nations of the world, but thanks to their help, and support “on their shoulders.”
[104610]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/9/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar

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