Question: How can one fight despair and exhaustion?

Answer: The fact is that fatigue or despair do not really exist as independent phenomena. In our world it seems to us that there are certain natural occurrences, but these are angels (Malachim). Whatever you perceive as the presence of the Creator—any force, desire, or thought—is an angel.

What is an angel? It is a particular force that is directed at you from above, whether it reveals itself or not. When this force reveals itself, you can neutralize it as though it had never appeared.

Therefore, there is no natural phenomenon—exhaustion, despair, and the like—that we are unable to overcome. There are always actions that stand opposite these phenomena, but you yourself are incapable of carrying them out because you lack the Kelim. So work on your Kelim, and then you will be able to do so.

We see that despair, fatigue, loss of zest for life, confusion, and disorientation are constant obstacles for us. Even though we listen, it is as though we hear nothing. You could write “the importance of the group” a thousand times on the wall, and you simply will fail to see those words. The eyes see, but inwardly nothing penetrates.

This is precisely what an angel is. Look how it acts upon us! It does not allow you to perceive and make use of what is most important. This alone holds you back and prevents you from immediately entering the spiritual world. The angel blocks your way, and you can do nothing about it.

Why? Because you cannot enter the spiritual world simply by striking the angel and removing it by force. You can remove it from the path only on the condition that you unite with others. By this you acquire a Kli. Without this Kli, it will not let you enter. It simply stands in your way, and waits for you to build the Kli.

So how does it push you toward this? Through despair, forgetfulness, confusion, weakness, self-criticism, and so on. It shows you what you must struggle against. Of course, you should not fight despair itself, but you can rid yourself of it only through the group. The angel gives you a sign that only by working on something outside yourself do you break through all the disturbances. Then you pass through, and the path is open.

You have no other choice. The angel will stand in your way for another thousand years. The Creator does not compromise in such matters, not because He is stubborn, but because you do not yet have the Kli. If you do not move the angel and its disturbance aside, it means you are still unable to sense the upper world because you have not yet acquired the proper Kli.

The angel gives you the inverse form of the Kli that you must acquire—instead of despair, inspiration; instead of self-criticism, confidence and elevated self-worth. It gives you opposite signs, and if you improve and correct them, the angel disappears. It steps aside, and you enter. And so it will stand at the entrance to spirituality until you acquire the Kli.

Time plays no role here; in spirituality there is no time. For us this may take millions of years, while in spirituality not even a second passes. For throughout millions of earthly years you have not moved from your place relative to spirituality. That means you remained exactly where you were, and you have not advanced even one iota toward the spiritual. It is astonishing!

I remember that once I waited for a dental appointment because I had something urgent. I had no choice, and I sat there for four hours with a toothache. Then after four hours had passed, the doctor came out and calmly said: “Come in,” as though only a few minutes had gone by. I was amazed; a person does not notice time. It was very striking to me. You can sit groaning in pain for hours, and then hear: “Well, come in.” Until you acquire the Kli, you cannot understand this. After all, how is it possible to exist in spirituality without a Kli?
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/20/26, Rabash, “The Difference between Charity and Gift”

Related Material:
In The Spiritual World There Is No Fatigue!
Angels Are Our Helpers
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