Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 106

Chapter 11. A Person Builds a Home

What does “And through the Torah, the person was created” mean? Human (Adam) comes from the expression Adameh leElyon (“I will be like the upper one”), and it is written: “You are called Adam, but the nations of the world are not called Adam.” This means that if the will to receive undergoes a correction called “for the sake of bestowal,” the corrected part is called “human.” How is this done? It is done through the Torah. How is it done through the Torah? We are given various opportunities to perform different actions in this world, and through our successes and failures, our will to receive develops.

After the development of the beastly desires for food, sex, and family, and the development of social desires for wealth, honor, and knowledge, we reach the development of the spiritual will. The development of the spiritual will is not a further expansion of desire. Rather it is the desire’s direction toward the Creator, and accordingly, its growth. If before the development of the point in the heart, which is this new desire for spirituality, we work on developing our desire, usually unconsciously, without knowing why or how, impulses and cravings surface within us, we simply run after them and fulfill them. Such work is not even considered a single line, and certainly not two or three lines. But the spiritual desire can only be developed, expanded, and corrected in the form of lines.

“Lines” mean that the small desire is not simply inflated into an ever-greater one without direction, which would make its form a circle, but it is straightened so that it aims at a specific goal and that it is intended for a specific use. The desire is aimed not at the person themselves, who is the central point within the circles, but at the Creator, outward from the central point to the source of light.

Therefore, in the spiritual desire’s development, there are several forces, conditions, and states that influence it so that the process of the desire’s correction does not follow the laws of other desires. It operates in a very complex and precise way, so that the desire grows only according to the degree of its correction toward proper use, toward the Creator. Suppose, for example, someone is inspired with the desire to build a house, a desire that is already connected to spirituality. They need to relate every detail of the construction process, the planning, the ordering of materials, the actual building, the selection of workers, and even themselves, to the purpose of creation. They must constantly remember that this house is meant for a use related to the purpose of creation.

That person becomes so immersed in the work that they forget the direction, the meaning behind each and every action. Then the work seemingly stops and various disturbances begin to arise. These disturbances are not real obstacles, but signals, signs, that they have forgotten something very important: the intention, the reason for each action. Since spiritual progress happens step by step, sometimes we get stuck at a certain stage stubbornly trying to find a solution on our own, insisting on continuing construction at all costs. But we see that we cannot move forward until we remember that the problem is that we forgot the intention.

This means that instead of moving from the left line to the right line, we thought that we could complete the work by our own strength alone. Then we remember the right line, the Creator, alignment with Him. That is, we remember that we must be connected to Him with all of our heart and soul while performing the action. Only then can we progress again until we forget once more, and the cycle repeats.

In all of our work in this world, we constantly forget the goal. We forget that the goal is not to work according to the way that we think in this world, but the work itself is an effort to remain connected to the one who gave us the work, and to use it as a means to hold onto the thought and, most importantly, as a means to increase the intention. The work itself is merely a tool only to the extent that it is meant to build and develop the intention. We think we are building a house, as if the house itself is what matters. But in reality, we are supposed to build a structure of intention rather than a structure of bricks.

Since we are made of both material and spirit, intention, we are given material tasks so that we can construct a spiritual structure alongside the physical one. It is true that we cannot build a purely spiritual structure, even though, ultimately, that is the only structure we truly need. This means that we must establish only the intention, the screen (Masach), and the reflected light (Ohr Hozer), while the will to receive, the “bricks,” will always be available to use properly, according to the intention of bestowal.

This is how we build a house, and this is how we build ourselves into a human (Adam). How? Through the 248 organs and 365 tendons, which are 613 components or desires within us, which we must construct. We want to use these desires as much as the corresponding spiritual form allows. We need to arrange our desires according to bestowing intentions so that these two aspects—the use of all desires, on one hand, and the alignment of those desires with the intention to bestow, on the other—are in harmony and work together.

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 105

Can We Escape Effort and Struggle?

For those who tread the path of correction, there is nowhere to escape. They have already entered the path of the righteous. It is written that the righteous have no rest, neither in this world nor in the next world, until they reach the end of correction.
From a Talk on the Article, “The Whole of the Torah Is One Holy Name.” 6/5/2002

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 104

How Is Rest Possible in Such a State?

When we act freely, without any limitations, this is called rest. If you tell a child, “Sit still and don’t move,” they will explode with frustration. They will feel as if their life is being taken away from them, as if they have been put to death. From this, we see that rest means doing what we truly desire, without any restrictions.

When does this happen? It is when all of our vessels are corrected. When we can conduct anything with our vessels, we reach a state of rest. Beforehand, if even a single aspect remains uncorrected, it already gives rise to effort, exertion, and struggle. That is no longer rest.

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 103

What Is the State of Rest?

Spirituality exists beyond the speed of light. It is in constant motion, not just in motion, but in a state of continuous acceleration. In spirituality, a constant speed is considered zero speed, a complete stop at rest. Only changes in speed, whether positive or negative, acceleration or deceleration, are perceived.

We can also observe this concept in aspects of this world. If a vessel is consistently filled with pleasure, it does not feel that it has received anything. There must be a new vessel, an additional desire, and accordingly, additional pleasure. More desire leads to more pleasure; less desire results in less pleasure.

But there must be a distinction between what was before and what follows. If what was before lasted ten hours, all those hours are perceived as a single moment. That which does not change is like a single instant. Whether it be a million years or a single second, it is the same.

Therefore, in spirituality, a state of absolute rest is actually a change in speed. This speed itself does not determine anything for us. We anticipate it throughout our every correction and remain constantly ready for change. This is the end of correction. The end of correction is called “eternal rest.” Some mistakenly think of it as death. In general, in our world, it is commonly thought that the next world is the dwelling place of the dead.

We should thus understand that only a state in which we can accept ourselves without any limitation—all restrictions, fulfillments, concealments, and revelations—is called a state of rest. True rest is boundless. In such a state, we are no longer burdened by effort. Nothing prevents us from acting as we wish.

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 102

How, in the End, Do We Emerge from a State of Descent?

We emerge from a state of descent by lingering in it, recognizing our state in depth, and accepting it as one of the states that will bring us the letters of the work.

What are letters? They are the very vessels through which we later perceive the end of correction (Gmar Tikkun), which is a state we are already in, but we lack the vessels to feel it. The missing vessels, through which we sense the world of Ein Sof (infinity) and the end of correction, include two extremes, one of which is called “descent.”

A descent does not mean a complete loss of connection with reality. Rather, it is an awareness of the state and acceptance of the fact that at the moment there is weakness and lack of discernments. If we enter this state with understanding, we extract the maximum possible discernments from it. We treat ourselves as one who has been in darkness for a long time and are trying to see through it, to orient ourselves, to distinguish shadows and shades.

Nevertheless, we cannot work in a descent as we do in a state of ascent. This does not refer to the lowest states where we simply have to wait and where we must determine for ourselves: “Now, I will lie down.” “Lying down” refers to the inner state called the “root” or “still” state. Even in this state there are several discernments. In other words, every given state, up to a state of complete death, contains several discernments, which are referred to as “death.”

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 101

Chapter 10. Movement and Rest

Effort takes place when we feel an ascent and we utilize it to the fullest extent to intensify the sensation, to increase awareness, and to deepen our understanding of spirituality. This is how we strengthen our grasp on spirituality through using all available means. When we are given even the slightest opportunity from above, we need to exert our own effort.

During a descent, it is difficult to make an effort, and during an ascent, we do not exert effort by our own strength. Instead, we are given an ascent, and so we receive an awakening. If we are not given an ascent, then we do not receive an awakening. So what do we contribute from ourselves? It is not about the amount of effort, but the opportunities available to us. When we are in a state of ascent, we have the opportunity to cling tightly and hold onto spiritual discernments with all of our might, to penetrate them and recognize them more deeply. We need to immerse ourselves in these discernments as much as possible so that even if a descent takes place, even though we strive never to have one, we will carry Reshimot (spiritual records, impressions) with us and an understanding that is already at a different level than before.

In other words, a window is opened for us, and the extent to which we delve into it depends on us. Therefore, all the work takes place during the ascent. During a descent, sometimes we must simply sink, “lie on the ocean floor” and wait, just as one simply waits in a submarine when something unclear happens.

Confusion usually arises when we transition from one degree to another. During this transition, we lose the understanding we had on the previous level, but we have not yet acquired a new understanding from the next level. This is why we feel confused and have no idea what is happening to us.

In such situations, there is nothing to do but restrain ourselves. When a real descent takes place, we need to protect ourselves as much as possible by remaining within the framework on the still level. But during an ascent, we must increase our own effort and really step on the gas.

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 100

Does Inspiration From the Society Not Contradict Inner Work?

No, there is no contradiction between inspiration from the group and inner work because when we are inspired by the group, whether we want it or not, we will regard the greatness of our friends and this will serve as a kind of power source for us. We should never disregard this. If someone openly shows disregard, they should be immediately expelled from the group, and this applies also to those who do not appear regularly for various fixed arrangements within the group. Such behavior must not be tolerated as it greatly weakens the collective. This kind of behavior immediately disconnects the group from the goal.
From a Talk on the Article “What Is the Main Deficiency for which One Should Pray?,” 6/4/2002

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 99

How Should We Behave in a Kabbalistic Group: To Act According to Our Truth or to Pretend?

There are two types of behavior in a Kabbalistic society and group:

1) Behavior characteristic of the greatest Kabbalists who have burning hearts within yet who exhibit disdainful behavior on the outside. This is like the behavior of the Hasidim of Kotzk (as described in the book Sneh Boer B’Kotzk). These were people who, inwardly, had reached high levels of understanding, yearning, true work, and constant inner effort, while outwardly they displayed open contempt. They did so to such an extent that people were even convinced that they were non-Jews. They entered the synagogue on Yom Kippur with crumbs of bread in their beards and did other things deliberately and defiantly so that outsiders would have no hold on their inner work, and they did this with utmost seriousness.

2) Behavior characteristic of our generation, where it is forbidden to show disdain, and instead it is required to express inspiration for the group. This is because we all need spiritual inspiration from the group, otherwise we will be spiritually lost. How? In our current state, we are only impressed by externality because we cannot see into our friends’ hearts. If everyone were to show disdain, we would also become disdainful.

It might be that all of our friends are completely righteous, but their external behavior will be exactly as the sages’ recommend in order to prevent any hold by outsiders. However, if they behave this way in front of us, we will not perceive this truth, but we will instead focus on their outward, false behavior, and we will thus become confused and abandon the whole matter.

Therefore, it is necessary to behave the opposite way. We should adopt a behavior that seems as if we truly desire spirituality, as if we love each other, as if we are willing to do everything for one another. Although this is an outward act and we all know it is a pretense, our body understands what it sees and hears, it believes only what it sees, and it is impressed by this outward behavior as though it were real.

Psychologists who study the body’s reactions also recommend that people tell their spouses every day, “I love you,” even when they are angry or feel a lack of love. If they repeat this sentence to their spouse, that is what the spouse hears, and the love reaches their heart with that sentence. This is how we need to act with the body in spiritual work. We should say: “The Creator is great, I love my friends, the goal is important,” and so on. Accordingly, the body will absorb that these things are important and significant.

This is how it works in our world. Fashion and tastes change and fluctuate. They have no real significance, no hold in reality; they are just illusions. But when importance is suddenly attributed to something and people worship it, even if it is empty of content, it becomes important to us as well because everyone says so. This is how it works also in spiritual work. Therefore, we need to openly demonstrate and discuss the importance of the spiritual goal and the Creator.

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 98

Why Is Attachment to Connection a Condition for Crossing the Barrier?

Who knows? The Creator sets a condition, and when we fulfill it, the Creator takes us across the barrier. We do not gain anything by crossing the barrier. We have no tools, strength, or an entry ticket. Before the barrier, we fulfill a certain condition, and then we are taken across the barrier.

The condition is necessary because by observing it, we take something with us. As it is written, from Egypt they take tools, flee in the darkness, and they stand before Pharaoh. In other words, they take this impression. If we do not pass through Egypt, we cannot reach the Land of Israel. We can only reach Israel via Egypt.

It is not that the level where we are in Egypt increases and grows until it reaches a high enough level to allow entry into the Land of Israel. We pass through “the Red Sea,” a very special experience, which is truly a miracle. That is, we do nothing by our own strength. It is not our preparations that take us across.

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 97

How Is the Inner Impression Formed?

The inner impression is the result of our desire to connect with the Creator. As it is written, we need to make an effort to be in connection: “Israel, the Torah, and the Creator are one.” We must yearn to grasp hold of the Creator through actions that He advises us to perform.

These actions exist above the barrier, but similar actions also exist below the barrier. The sum of all the actions we undertake to prepare our vessels to go above the barrier is called “from Lo Lishma to Lishma,” “the maidservant of holiness,” and so on.

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