Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 265
Chapter 23. Strengthening the Group
The thought of creation is to create a created being that will have the same perfection as the Creator. This is His desire to do good to His creations, in a complete, eternal, and absolute measure. In order to reach this state, the created being must go through the entire path from the extreme opposite of perfection, from lack of perfection to true perfection, which is the degree of the Creator. Therefore, the nature of the created being is evil, the “evil inclination,” the opposite of the Creator’s nature.
The means for passing from one extreme to the other is, as it is written, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice,” which means that the Torah was given only in order to purify the created beings through it. That is, it was given to enable the created beings to see the evil within them, to correct it according to the measure of the revelation of the evil, and thus draw closer to the good. The Creator is called “The Good That Does Good,” and we can draw closer to the Creator only if we acquire the quality of good and the action of doing good, like the Creator.
Where will we get this desire from? The Creator gave us freedom of choice. What is choice? There is one action that we are free to perform, which is to choose what influences us, good or bad things. By doing so, we determine our independence and individuality. We can join a society whose entire concern is advancing to the Creator, or a society that advances toward all kinds of other goals. That is our sole choice.
It is written that from the beginning, the Creator does not simply leave us in bewilderment and confusion, but brings us to a good place, to a good society, and tells us: “Take this for yourself, be in it and strengthen yourself. Strengthen the society as you would want it to influence you, so that genuine mutual work will take place, and this will bring you to the goal.” In other words, no one can say that the Creator did not give us an opportunity to choose.
Therefore, the first point into which we are born is the opposite of perfection, and this is necessary. Later, we only discover more and more of its true form, how opposite it is from perfection, according to the extent by which we want to attain perfection. And the end is also clear, absolute, and prepared. The path, too, depends on the structure of the soul, which has already been predetermined by the general structure of Adam HaRishon. But the path itself depends on us, whether we take the Creator’s choosing us and the Creator’s choice to bring us to a group, and build a group increasingly directed at the goal. According to the extent of the flaws that become revealed in us, we will need to improve ourselves.
Indeed, all the work is work in the society, in the group. The actions we perform to organize the society, for dissemination, at meals, on Shabbat, and on holidays, are what advance us. It is not the actions themselves, but the action toward expanding and strengthening the society, both in breadth and in height. This is the only means in existence. There are several necessary conditions: a society, a group, inner work in the framework of the group, connection among the friends, acquiring a strong desire from them, which is called “buy yourself a friend,” and investing in the society. It is actually quite complex, and the results come slowly, but this is the only choice, and according to such a choice, the flaws become revealed, and likewise, the flaws become corrected.
Related Material:
Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 264
Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 263
Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 262
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