One who wants to walk on the path of Kedusha is called holy.
A person is named according to what he aspires to be. Why? Perhaps he will never reach it? No. If he aspires, he will certainly reach it because the Creator acts according to a person’s aspiration. The actual action is never in our hands, but the desire to attain the goal is within our power. The realization comes from above.
“Holy” means as it is written, “You will be holy,” which means that they retire from self-reception. For this reason, he is holy, since he intends to reach holiness. This is the meaning of the words, “Israel are holy; there is he who wants but does not have.” And there are also those who have but do not want. This means that he has Mitzvot and good deeds, but he does not want to walk on the path that leads to “in order to bestow.” Instead, he settles for Lo Lishma [not for Her sake]. He, too, is called “holy,” since the act is fine and he has nothing to add in actions (Rabash, “What Are the Four Qualities of Those Who Go to the Seminary, in the Work?”).
Later, together with the actions, intentions will also come. What does this mean? Let’s say I use my group, but I do not yet have the correct intention in the heart. Still, I use the group, the books, the study, everything possible, so that they bring me to the correct intention. Am I called holy then? Am I called “Israel” or not?
Let’s say I have just joined a group. I simply have a desire to reach some goal. My goal is not to be freed from the will to receive and come to bestowal. Certainly not. My goal is to attain something, to receive something more, to acquire something. I am told that this brings eternity and perfection. I am willing, give it to me.
Am I called holy now, according to my thoughts and desires? No. One who is called holy is at least one who desires holiness, and I do not even desire that.
However, I begin with the desire I have, and I use the group. I am told that one must humble oneself before the friends, do something for them, “buy yourself a friend,” and I invest in them. Thus, the whole group begins to invest in me and influence me positively. And by doing something practical, without any intention, without lofty ideas, I begin to act.
What does it mean to act? I know that they have something that I do not have. In any case, I do not simply want to serve them and bring them a cup of coffee, but through that cup of coffee I want to receive something from them. There is something in them that is slightly more elevated. Then, instead of my immediate desire and intention, something higher comes to me from them. Thus, by aspiring to this holy goal, I am already called “Israel” and “holy.”
That is, according to my initial action, even when I did not yet have the thought or intention for it, I am still called “holy.” Why? Because at least through the actions I perform, I am advancing.
We cannot judge a person according to what he has in each state, because whatever he has is given to him from above according to his aspiration. If I aspired to reach the goal but instead received a descent, then I also cannot be judged for that. It was given to me from above; perhaps I needed to fall. I do not know the upper calculations regarding me.
Therefore, one is never judged according to actions, that is, according to the current state, but only according to the direction, the aspiration of a person, because every state is arranged for him from above.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/11/26, Rabash, “What Are the Four Qualities of Those Who Go to the Seminary, in the Work?”
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