Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 148

What Should We Do With the Clash of Desires, With the Inner Split Between Spirituality and the Corporeal World?

Baal HaSulam writes about this extensively in the “Introduction to The Book of Zohar.” He says that ultimately, we need to reach this state of conflicting desires, but we cannot command ourselves by decree: “From today onward, I will no longer desire!” We cannot tell ourselves to stop desiring money, honor, knowledge, sex, food, or various entertainments. The feeling of “not desiring” must come as a discernment of our inner state, as a result of our development.

If we study a lot, are active in the society, or invest in drawing closer to spirituality through other ways, we will eventually have our inner balance between corporeality and spirituality shift in favor of spirituality, and we will be preoccupied with corporeality only to the extent necessary for existence. Such a state is considered a situation where we engage with corporeality only according to necessity.

How can we check whether our engagement with corporeality is necessary or not? It is if we would genuinely be happy to rid ourselves of it as well. If we would truly be happy not to be involved in any of our worldly activities. “Activities” means all forms of fulfillment. When we no longer wish to be fulfilled by anything, not by food, sex, money, honor, or knowledge, but only maintain them because they are necessary for our survival in this world. Then it is not considered that we engage in them, but that they merely fill the measure of vitality they are obligated to maintain because the Creator made them that way. Only then can it be said that we are fully immersed in spirituality.

Related Material:
Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 147
Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 146
Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 145

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