Rabash, “Dargot HaSulam,” Article 932, “The First Innovation”: All innovations begin only after the person merits leaving acquisition for himself. And before then, he is absolutely immersed in his desire for pleasure, and this desire dominates him. Therefore, no innovation can happen in him, everything comes only from his ego. An innovation can come only through the power of another nature, which a person doesn’t have yet. For this reason, all innovations begin only after the person leaves his ego, the desire to receive for himself, which is to say, he leaves Egypt.

And this is the idea that it is forbidden to teach Torah to idol worshippers.

One who serves other gods is a person who still doesn’t have contact with the Creator, who hasn’t exited Egypt. This is the name of a spiritual level, so, a regular person of this world is not to be called this. Idol worshippers are people like us who are drawn to the Creator, but they still ascribe particular importance to material values, to reception for oneself.

For this reason they are called AKUMA (an acronym for “Servants of stars and constellations,” and also round-about (Akum), “indirect”). You see they are not directed “straight to the Creator” (Yashar-El), like Israel rather they worship stars and fate, which is to say, they are found dominated by various egoistic forces and values.

It is forbidden to teach Torah to idol worshippers. “Forbidden” means impossible. You see the Torah is the Light, the entire upper system, all the spiritual worlds, the relationships between a person and the Creator. It is impossible to teach this to an idol worshipper, who is found in egoistic receptivity and has no connection to the system of bestowal.

And indeed, when the person is in Egypt, which is to say in egoistic receptivity, he cannot be a Yehudi, (from the word “Yichud” – unity, which is to say uniting himself with the entire creation and with the Creator), for he is enslaved to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. The person is enslaved by his ego, the king of the material world.

And when he is a slave to Pharaoh, he cannot be a servant of the Creator. It is either Pharaoh or the Creator, because everything depends on the intention, with what a person identifies himself and what he wants to serve: personal benefit or bestowal.

“And this is the idea, ‘For the children of Israel are mine,’ they are my servants,” the Creator says, “and don’t be a slave to slaves.” You see, Pharaoh is also a servant of the Creator, he is an angel, and he is a system which carries out the thought of creation from compulsion, without any free choice. Pharaoh is an angel; you see it is written: “I created the evil inclination.” The entire creation, the entire ego is found in the hands of the Creator. And if the person serves in the name of Pharaoh, he is called a “slave to slaves,” for he serves the slave and not the Master.

When a person serves himself, he cannot be a servant of the Creator, for it is impossible to serve two kings at the same time. And only after the person leaves Egypt—after he receives enough Light that Reforms, raising him above his desire for pleasure—which is from reception for oneself, then he can be a servant of the Creator. But in order to remain a servant of the Creator, he needs to choose this all the time: in each and every moment, with every desire. And then he is ready to merit to the Torah. What follows from this is that the first innovation is the departure from Egypt.

The Torah begins with the departure from Egypt and onward; therefore, after this the giving of the Torah happens. The Torah includes all the Light of Infinity, all the upper Light, which fills the upper worlds and is designed for the gradual correction of the will to receive of the creature until he reaches equivalence of form with the Creator.
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From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/31/13

Related Material:
The Escape To Unity
The First Innovation
This Isn’t The Torah Yet

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