Bold and in quotes: Original text of Baal HaSulam
Regular: Commentaries of Rav Laitman
Capitalized italics: transliteration from Hebrew
"The greatness of the Creator means that one should ask the Creator for the strength to go above reason. It means that there are two interpretations to the greatness of the Creator:
1. To not be filled with knowledge, which is an intellect with which one can answer one's questions. Rather, one wants the Creator to answer one's questions. It is called 'Greatness' because all the wisdom comes from above and not from man, meaning that one can answer one's own questions.
2. Anything that one can answer is regarded as answering everything with the external mind. This means that the will to receive understands that it is worthwhile to keep Torah and Mitzvot. However, if above reason compels one to work, it is called 'against the opinion of the will to receive.'"
What does Baal HaSulam want to say? When do we need the greatness of the Creator? We require the greatness of the Creator only if we have no strength to go against our nature. Certainly I can just simply say "I need the greatness of the Creator, I must see that the Creator is indeed great." But what is the reason for it? There can be only two reasons: I either delight in this because if I'm somehow related to the great one, I supposedly feel good because of that, or I want Him to be great and serve me because the greater He is the more He can give me.
In our work, in our advancement and correction, one needs the Creator either because of the desire to receive or because of the desire to bestow. There cannot be anything else. There are no other reasons. It is possible that a human being finds himself in a very confusing state in which he will have to clarify his own desires or motives. However, there are no other reasons except for these two, either for my own sake or for the sake of the Creator. There is only He and I. The right approach to work brings one to such a state where he wants the feeling of greatness of the Creator, in order to rule over his nature, over his egoism, over his will to receive. Then he needs to glorify the Creator, he needs His greatness.
One feels this in all degrees. It starts from the situations in which even though one can explain and understand some things in his mind, and with the knowledge and tools that he possesses he can explore various acts and events on his path, even then one does not want to employ his reason, his natural Kelim, but instead demands that knowledge would be revealed from above. He wants that everything that enters his mind and knowledge would enter from above in the direction of "above reason."
Therefore "...there are two interpretations to the greatness of Creator,..." says Baal HaSulam
"1) To not be filled with knowledge, which is an intellect."
This is the first explanation. And the second is:
"2) The glorification of the Creator is when one becomes needy of the Creator to receive answers to his questions.
Therefore:
1. One should go above reason. Thus one sees that he is empty, and consequently becomes needy of the Creator.
2. Only the Creator can give one the strength to be able to go above reason. In other words, what the Creator gives is called 'The Greatness of Creator.'"
In other words, one wants to yearn for the Creator, and for that reason he does not wish to clarify his questions by himself, he wants to develop the need for the Creator, so that He would answer all the questions, and their connection would be "above reason." In other words, he wants to develop not through reason and understanding and not thanks to a habit, which happens a lot when one uses his own properties and Kelim.
The Talmudic sages have one extremely good approach to this. It is written that people prayed, asking to forget all the wisdom and knowledge acquired before. One studied for many years, acquired a lot of knowledge, mastered the entire science, from end to end, but he does not want or need that, he starts feeling that all the knowledge starts severing him from the Creator, he starts feeling that the Creator is unnecessary. In other words he needs the Creator less, because it seems to him that he can supplement all his questions with his own knowledge. Everything he sees, everything that he comes across on this path, he can supplement with his knowledge. And he does not want his mind, his knowledge to fill these voids, these questions.
Although it is seemingly right, I want to get all the answers from above and above reason. I want knowledge of a higher degree then my former, previous knowledge. This is work from down upwards, an ascent to the next degree by faith above reason. Owing to the fact that one becomes more connected with the Upper, one is purer, more bestowing. This is not an ascent by reason in which I would start controlling the situation and I would comprehend and see more clearly.
That is what is called "HaBen Mevin" or the son understands which comes from Bina. That is to say, the stronger the power of Bina, the more understanding or "Havana" there is. This is, in general, what one strives for. Then he prays with the Creator to erase all his knowledge, he does not want to know. He wants to go from one degree to another. Not by adding more knowledge, but by adding more power of bestowal. It is called to advance owing to the greatness of the Creator. To glorify the Creator, to merge with Him, to depend on Him with the help of the power of bestowal, and then to receive knowledge from adhesion with the Creator. He strives not towards knowledge, but towards "Dvekut," or unification, adhesion, and self-annulment.