Physical and Internal Commandments

Question: Some people think that for the purpose of correction it is enough to observe the external framework of the commandments. Others, Kabbalists in particular, claim that it is necessary to change one’s egoistic nature to altruistic, and then this will be considered a correction. What is needed in order to become corrected?

Answer: In the Kabbalistic sources it is written that all the Torah is given only for the correction of the heart. The Creator requires only this of us.

But because people cannot go to correction directly since it is very difficult, they are given a different framework, a more external one, where a person uses the world around him to somehow approach the property of bestowal, the property of connection with others anyway.

The truth is that in the end, over the centuries, these external commandments have been eviscerated, the inner meaning disappeared from them and only the external symbols remained. Therefore, their performance is not connected with the heart in any way. That is, I can hate other Jews and the whole world in general, and at the same time supposedly be righteous.

Question: In addition, there are groups of people who believe that it is necessary to fulfill only the commandments of the Torah. Others fulfill the commandments added later by the sages. And Kabbalists say that the commandments are internal changes of one’s intention to correct one’s desires. How to combine it? Which interpretation is correct?

Answer: The interpretation is simple. Because we exist in the sensation of the external world, some external actions are necessary. Therefore, on one hand, we must comply with certain external frameworks: social, family, and state.

On the other hand, we need to understand that the fulfillment of the Torah is intended to correct our egoism, to clear our hearts from evil attitudes to each other and to use other people. We need to do this.

Question: The problem is that each group wants to impose its point of view on others, considers itself to be right. In this way hatred arises. Naturally, this pushes us away from the goal of nature.

Baal HaSulam writes that the commandments of the Torah and the commandments of nature are one and the same. Isn’t the law of gravity or the law of thermodynamics the same as the commandments in the Torah?

Answer: All physical and internal laws at any level, not only the laws of the existence of our body, but also of our internal, sensory systems, and all the relationships between us merge into one single communication system. And we need to correct this connection, maintain it, and bring it to an absolutely complete integral level, complete interconnection with each other. This is called its final correction.
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From KabTV’s “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel” 7/29/19

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Opposition To Unity, Part 6
Opposition To Unity, Part 5
Opposition To Unity, Part 4

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