All the preventions and delays that appear before our eyes are but a form of nearing—the Creator wants to bring us closer, and all these preventions bring us only nearing, since without them we would have no possibility of approaching Him [the Creator]. This is so because, by nature, there is no greater distance [than us from the Creator], as we are made of pure matter while the Creator is higher than high. Only when one begins to approach does he begin to feel the distance between us [between him and the Creator. And let him not think that this abyss has only appeared now. Absolutely not! It was there, and only now is it revealing itself to him.] And any prevention one overcomes, [it – only in connection] brings the way closer for that person.

(This is so because one grows accustomed to moving on a line of growing farther. Hence, whenever one feels that he is distant, it does not induce any change in the process, since he knew in advance that he is moving on a line of growing farther, since this is the truth, that there are not enough words to describe the distance between us and the Creator) (Baal HaSulam, Shamati 172, “The Matter of Preventions and Delays“).

Initially, we need to accept the condition that we are extremely, polarly, maximally distant from the Creator, and that every new state of ours—whatever it may be, according to a module, in absolute value—is always closer to the Creator, although it seems to us to be further away. After all, I reveal my true state and then correct it—left step, right step, and so on.

We see that only the environment can help a person to hold on and not to stray away from this path. How, when feeling worse, can he convince himself that in reality he is now closer to the Creator? Everything  inside them tells them they are further away and worse. They curse and condemns themselves.

But in fact, what has been revealed to him is simply what was there before, only he saw it now in order to correct it and thereby draw closer to the group and unite with them despite other calculations.

Therefore we need the habit of walking at an increasing distance. After all, if we become great specialists on our path, then every little twist and every small obstacle will appear as big to us.

When we are small, we do not see these obstacles, we do not notice them, and it seems to us that they do not exist at all. And then every small deviation, every minimal change, will be felt as a huge barrier. This is the difference between a specialist and an ordinary person.

Therefore as we approach the Creator, we will repel each other more, and hate each other more, like the students of Rabbi Shimon.

We will not want to get closer; we will begin to condemn the ten, to believe what we feel and see: “How can I be around these people?! They used to be different! I need to get away from them!” And so on. Only mutual help, mutual support, mutual guarantee can save us.

How many friends we have had along the way who fell off our “wagon”! Is it a pity? Of course, they will come back. But we need to think about how every time, with each step, to create such a ten, such a Kli (vessel), that no one would fall from it.
[255013]
From the Congress in Moldova 9/8/19, Lesson 7 “The Matter of Preventions and Delays”

Related Material:
Approach the Creator
Reaction to Signs of the Creator’s Closeness
Close to the Ideal of Bestowal

Filed under: Conventions, Events, Spiritual Work | Add Comment →