Question: Does suffering really contribute to the development of the soul?

Answer: Naturally suffering distances a person from egoism, purifies, and elevates. But they should not be elevated to the rank of something holy or desirable, because the purpose of creation from the side of the Creator is to delight the created beings.

He created us in order to give us pleasure, not to punish us. Therefore, we must avoid suffering. It is undesirable both from our side and from His. Suffering comes only because we misuse what the Creator sends us.

Question: If I relate to suffering correctly, do I stop feeling it?

Answer: No. It stops being felt only if you correctly realize it. But this does not mean that you sit and suffer and engage in self-torment.

In principle, ideal spiritual work says that suffering should be the “suffering of love,” not because I am not receiving, but because I am not giving, not loving enough.
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From Kabbalah Lesson in Russian, 5/21/17

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