The most important thing is to rise to the level of Lishma on which the whole spiritual ladder is built. That is, one has to gain the power of faith, the power of Bina, which is the power of bestowal above reception and the desire to enjoy, which the Creator, the upper Light, constantly awakens in us. Thus, the Creator advances us, awakening darkness in us, and we have to hold on to the Light of faith, the Light of Hassadim, bestowal above darkness.

This means that one has to advance by faith above reason. The gained knowledge becomes a level on which we build faith. And the faith that one gains above knowledge becomes new knowledge, and one has to rise above it to an even greater faith. And so, every time, a new level of bestowal and faith turns into a new level of reception and knowledge, over which one has to rise again.

One ascends because he does not pay attention to his feelings inside the desire to enjoy. Of course, one feels darkness, helplessness, and desperation in everything relating to egoism. But despite this, one has to act as if he is in bestowal, the property of Bina, in faith and unity, as it is said: “They have eyes and see not.”

We have to work on two levels that do not cancel each other. I know exactly in my common sense that I am in egoism and that I do not want to connect with anyone and give to anyone. I am not attracted to all the conditions that the science of Kabbalah recommends. One feels all this in his egoistic desire, and he gives himself a full account of this without turning a blind eye to the truth and deceiving himself as if he has already been corrected.

I stand with both feet on the ground because “the judge has only what his eyes see.” And with it, I lift my head above the clouds, that is, I imagine a spiritual step as if the upper Light has already come and filled me and given me the power of bestowal, unity, merging with the group, and within it, with the Creator.

This becomes my new, second stage, which does not cancel the first. I am on two levels at the same time; they do not cancel each other, but exist each by itself. Thus, I build the level of faith above reason: There is reason, which is Malchut, and above it—faith, Bina.

I live so all the time. If I manage to hold on to faith above reason, putting a full measure of effort in this, then I will feel how my state will change. The former level of faith gradually turns into knowledge, and then I need a new faith and a higher level of bestowal.

I thus climb the ladder. What was faith turns into knowledge; Bina transmits its power to Malchut and Malchut swells and grows. One rises above it to a new level of Bina: higher and higher and higher!

This is the whole secret of the spiritual ascent. The most difficult thing is to stay on two levels simultaneously: in Malchut and in Bina so that they do not cancel one another. Do not be small children who can only be in one state. The adult stands firmly on the ground in this world and keeps his head high in the future world.

One has to practice this a lot because the whole ascent upward until the end of correction happens only in this form. The faster we can realize it, helping each other, the more we will succeed. We are close to this state. It is very important for the group to support everyone. Our destiny depends only on adopting this principle: how to rise from the level of reason to the level of faith. Spiritual ascent and acquisition of the soul are built on this principle.¹
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/14/18, Lesson on the Topic: “From the Bottom of the Ladder to the Permanent Dvekut”
1 Minute 0:20

Related Material:
The Great Value Of Lo Lishma
Faith Above Reason
Lo Lishma: Having Something To Correct

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