Lesson 5: From We to One

1. You lack nothing except to go to the field that the Creator blessed, and gather up all the scattered organs, that were scattered away from your soul, and gather them up into one body. In that perfected (complete) body the Creator will instill his Shechinah permanently and unceasingly.
—Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Letter No. 4”

2. Thus, when one completes one’s work in love and bestowal for one’s fellow person and comes to the highest point, one also completes one’s love and bestowal for the Creator. In that state there is no difference between the two, for anything that is outside one’s body, meaning one’s self-interest, is judged equally—either to bestow upon one’s friend or bestow contentment upon one’s Maker.
—Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings”

3. When does creation find favor with the Creator? When all Israel are bundled together, and there is no jealousy, hatred and competition between them whatsoever, and each one of them thinks only about the correction and well being of his friend. Then the Creator rejoices in His creation, as it is written, the Creator rejoices in His works. And this explanation is in reference to “Love thy friend as thyself, I am the Lord (YHVH)” to tell us that if we love our friend as ourselves, then the Creator will be in your midst and love both of you.
—In Remembrance of Miriam,  Chapter 11

4. It is said in Midrash Tanhuma that “Israel will not be redeemed until they are all one society [… ] when they are united, they receive the face of Divinity.” I presented the words of the Midrash so that you don’t think that the issue of a group, which is love of friends, relates to Hassidism. Rather, it is the teaching of our sages, who saw how necessary was the uniting of hearts into a single group for the reception of the face of Divinity.
—Writings of Rabash, Vol 2, “Letter No. 34”

5. It is written, “and the people camped as one man in one heart” meaning that they all had one goal, which is, to benefit the creator. And we must understand: How can it be ‘as one man in one heart’, since we know that the sages said, “as their faces are not alike, likewise their views (opinions) also are not alike,” so how could it be “one man in one heart”?

Answer – if we are saying that each one cares for his own needs, it is impossible to be “as one man,” for they are not the same. However, when everyone annulled their authority and their only concern was to benefit the Creator, there were no longer any personal cares, since all their individual cares were annulled and thus all entered into oneness, unity.
—Writings of Rabash, “Letter No. 42”

6. The essence of keeping the Torah is in behinat haratzon (the will) in unity. Hence, each one must be included in the Assembly of Israel as one big collective. Hence, when (Israel) received the Torah they immediately became Arevim one for the other in order to be incorporated into one desire, so that they were all mutually accountable one for the other, since they were all equally important, and as one. And precisely when each were responsible for the other, which is behinat Achdut (unity), they were able to keep the Torah. And without this (condition), it is impossible to keep the Torah in any way, since the essence of Torah and love is in the will, when each is content with his friend, and there is no variance between them since all are incorporated into one desire, and thus they are able to be included in the upper will, which is the purpose of unity.
—Rabbi Nathan of Breslev, Likutei Halachot, “Laws of Arvut”

7. As we know, “The Creator is One and Israel are one,” therefore they are adhered to the Creator, because it is the pleasing to be adhered one with the other, and when will that be?

When Israel is assembled and adhered in perfect unity, they are considered as one, and the Creator dwells among them, who is One. This is the meaning of the verse, “and you are adhered,” namely that you are adhered to each one and hold on to each other, then “you are all alive,” when they are united as one. Thus it is good and pleasant to be adhered one with the other, and the Creator dwells in their midst As One.
—Moshe Chaim Ephraim, “Banner over the Camp of Ephraim,” Parashat VaEtchanan

Related Material:
New Jersey Convention – “Completing The Circle” Preparation For Lesson 1
New Jersey Convention – “Completing The Circle” Preparation For Lesson 2
New Jersey Convention – “Completing The Circle” Preparation For Lesson 3
New Jersey Convention – “Completing The Circle” Preparation For Lesson 4

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