The measure of effort is determined by the number of entries and exits (ascents and descents), as it is written: “for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth” (from the descents–Yetsiot). The Creator throws a person off the path, and yet he stubbornly returns to his work and continues it. His advancement is built precisely from these descents, these exits.

A descent means that the Creator has added the desire to receive pleasure to a person and knocked him off the path. Nevertheless, the person returns to the path with this new egoistic desire, having no choice and shutting his eyes, “As an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load.” In this way, he eventually accumulates a sufficient measure of desire and effort in studies and connection with the group in order to begin to feel where he is, whom he is dealing with, and how he can become included in this process.

He begins to realize how egoism is being added to him and pushes him off the path, and how despite everything, he holds on to the studies and the group. Although these states of complete numbness and lack of understanding are not easy, he gradually brings himself back to consciousness and experiences a renewed inspiration. And then, once again comes a hardening of the heart.

Thus, out of all these exits the Torah emerges. A person begins to understand that this is how the process must be, and that the main thing is to remain in adhesion with the Creator; and for this, he must adhere to the group.

This entire process is described in detail in the story of Passover, the Egyptian exile. The Torah does not speak of history or geography, but only about a person’s journey through the key stages of spiritual development: the transition from being under the rule of the desire to receive, his original egoistic nature, to a different nature, the desire to bestow. This marks a true birth into a new quality, into the spiritual world.

After that, the path no longer has such critical turning points. The greatest transformation is the exit from the egoistic intention to the intention to bestow.
[223569]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/18/18, Writings of Rabash “Come unto Pharaoh – 1”

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