The further we study the works of Kabbalists, the more we realize they speak of only one thing: how one can attain love for one’s neighbor. This overly used cliché has seemingly lost its primary meaning along the way…
The more we advance in our development, the more we recognize our nature is in direct opposition to the principle ‘love thy neighbor’. We realize how childlike this sounds. How can we fulfill such a demand? Can we seriously entertain this possibility?
On one hand we view this thought as good but unrealistic. On the other hand, however, this thought of ‘love thy neighbor’ is interwoven throughout every kabbalistic composition ever written.
I remember when I came to Kabbalah I wanted to know everything, understand all diagrams; all the pages in my books were covered with various formulas and vectors of forces. Later on I realized that these were the forces of mutual attraction and repulsion, the formulas of connection between desire and pleasure. It turns out that there is nothing but the Light and the Kli, desire and pleasure. These things speak only about mutual love or, on the contrary, mutual confrontation. Yet the matter always concerns sensations.
We feel all forms of matter (even those that we perceive as inanimate, vegetative, and animate) all parts of the universe and define them as parts of sensory perception within our desire.
Nothing exists except desire. If it manifests as atoms, molecules, and crystals, it is still a desire, only at a level where it cannot feel itself. It exists merely to preserve its structure, its motionless state.
Its external attires or forms (inanimate, vegetative, animate, or higher ones, i.e., human) are nothing but various forms of desire.
So what is the purpose of all this science? The Creator desires to bestow, creation desires to receive. Creation’s desire must be made equivalent to that of the Creator. That is all there is to it.
One Correction
There is only one practical correction with regard to society, but it leads to unity with the Creator.
Since, by acting with regard to the Creator, we would always remain egoists, so in order to tear us away from our egoism and to enable us to achieve spiritual action, bestowal above our egoism, an environment which is similar to us is created around us.
I have no need for this environment and have no positive feelings toward it. I am only ready to use everyone for my own sake. However, if I arrive at the conclusion that I need to bestow upon them to attain a higher spiritual level, the Creator, then I begin to see an entirely different purpose in this environment. I have people with whom I can work on the attainment of the level of bestowal.
On the one hand, unless it existed, I would not have this opportunity, this proving ground, this model by means of which I could attain this goal. On the other hand, this proves not to be a model, but thanks to my attitude toward it, I suddenly start revealing my own parts in it. It turns out that by uniting, merging, sticking together with others I regain the Kli, the vessel, the desires that are mine.
Who am “I” before I begin joining other souls? “I” constitutes a mere intention while my Kli is in all others.
In other words, all of my desires, vessels, parts exist in all the other 600,000 parts of the common soul. Unless I merge with them I will not have the Kli in which I can receive the Upper Light.
And what is “I”? Who am “I”? “I” is the part within me that makes this decision and is engrossed only in this. However, in reality it is not a Kli; it merely provides direction to unity with all the other Kelim.
I have not a single desire today with which I can come to the Creator. We consist entirely of egoism and we know it. Nevertheless, if I find within me the intention to attain the purpose of creation, I take it to others and start receiving desires from them. These desires existing within them are mine; I collect them within me and form my Kli in which the Creator, my eternal life, my soul (these things are the same) are revealed.
So this principle is very simple. At first, the environment, the group merely seems to be the means for the Creator’s attainment. However, you subsequently discover that it is not a means, but the Kli that you acquire. It is in this Kli that you reveal the Creator.
Previously, you believed that you did everything only to jump over them and attain the higher level (that is what primarily seems to a person). However, when you begin studying you see that, on the contrary, all that is necessary is inside this group, this society and there is no more need to jump.
When you enter into them and glue all the Kelim together, you will discover the Creator in them and there will be no need to rise above society. Society constitutes the Kli in which the entire universe is revealed infinitely. There is no other rule but “Love thy neighbor as thyself” because the ultimate solution to the problem is found in these neighbors.
However, why couldn’t the Creator initially create us in that exalted state and spare us the burden of corrections?
Everyone asks this question subconsciously. Who wants to feel his imperfection and continue realizing his evil for thousands of years until he understands the need for correction? This understanding comes only as a result of blows. No one wants correction or feels the need for it. Blows, sufferings urge us and subsequently we begin to feel the need for correction. Why is this path necessary?
It is impossible to enjoy the unearned fruits of labor due to the lack of aspiration for them, which is the Creator’s greatness.
So in fact, one can attain perfection and eternity if one has a Kli for that. It is impossible to receive the Kli from above unless we are supposed to feel what is in it: perfection and eternity.
The Kli should be born inside us. To make that happen we should aspire to it from within. We can independently aspire to perfection and eternity when we feel how opposite we are to perfection and eternity.
Imagine what sufferings (that are so opposite to perfection and eternity) we have to feel to desire perfection and eternity, to acquire the complete Kli. How can we possibly bear such suffering – perfection and eternity with a minus? We can bear it only if we see this minus in its future corrected form.
This can be compared with someone who is found seriously ill. If he is told about the dreadful thing that is going to happen to him, he will not be able to bear it. However, if he is told about his illness and simultaneously given a remedy for it, he feels two states at the same time: his malady as an absolute minus and his recovery as an absolute plus. Thus he perceives it correctly and can stand the trial.
Therefore, the realization of evil cannot be attained without the help of the science of Kabbalah, the Light (Ohr Makif) which we attract upon ourselves from the upper level. True evil is revealed only in this Light. Otherwise, we would not be able to endure this evil.
Earthly sufferings push man to drugs and suicide. And how would we feel our state if not with regard to the earthly pleasures that we lack, but with regard to the spiritual delights that we do not have being perfection and eternity? We would not be able to bear this sensation. We can comprehend evil only in the Light which already comes from its correction, from its final state.
That is why suffering in this world does not make a person start learning Kabbalah. It merely pushes him toward it. This is not the realization of evil; it is a person who is simply guided in this way. He is gradually directed like an electric charge in the electric field because we are all made of desire that is drawn to pleasure and moves away from suffering.
We are controlled in this way. We are led through this field to the place where we can attract upon ourselves the Upper Light in accordance with our efforts. If we make efforts to draw the Upper Light (Ohr Makif), we begin seeing ourselves with regard to this Light and then evil is revealed to us.
Hence, those who study the science of Kabbalah suddenly discover that instead of feeling better and better every day they feel worse and worse. This is the natural path of spiritual development.
Thus, correction may come only from the realization of need, therefore Baal HaSulam writes: It is impossible to enjoy the unearned fruits of labor due to the lack of aspiration for them…
In other words, if I have no preliminary desire, I will not be able to feel pleasure. This means that I have to go through negative states before fulfilling my desires.
We can attain this greatness through our own effort, and rightfully feel every pleasure that we receive from Him as well deserved and not as a gift.
I would like to note that this gift is completely different. We re-evaluate our values. The Light that was shining upon us in the beginning and filled Malchut in the world of Infinity before the Restriction is no longer considered a gift. I already regard similarity to the Creator as a gift. Hence, I feel the Light of NaRaNHaY in similarity to the Creator. The Light (state) I feel is totally different.
In the world of Infinity there was a sensation of pleasure and suffering from shame. There was the desire to get rid of shame, while pleasure for one’s self could remain. However, as a result of correction an entirely different Kli and pleasure are created. This Kli is unwilling to receive, it already wants to bestow. The pleasure that fills this Kli has practically nothing to do with the Light that filled creation previously; it is perceived in a completely different way.
Now the Light is perceived as NaRaNHaY not only because it is 620 times greater. It is completely different – it is the Light of bestowal. Therefore we call it the Light of infinity, eternity, and perfection.
What is the source of the sensation of baseness at the time of reception of a gift? Why do we feel shame when we receive? Can we somehow neutralize shame?
Our correction stems from the sensation of shame and its root is in the Upper World. Sometimes we feel it too, albeit progressively less: the greater our egoism is, the less we feel shame. This is clear. Or one may put it differently: the smaller egoism is, the less shame a person feels. He does not feel that he receives.
The Light is inversely related to the Kli. If I am at the initial stages of egoism’s development, then I do not feel that I receive.
What does a child do? It comes and grabs everything it wants, and we do not even pay attention. We understand that with regard to the child’s small egoism this is not reception. Not because the child lacks intelligence, simply such manifestation of egoism is not perceived as evil. Why is that so? The reason is the small Aviut.
This means that shame is not felt if Aviut is small. Subsequently, a person continues developing and begins to feel that he is an egoist and feels shame. A so-called “good manners” period begins. These are the attempts to somehow embellish, veil, and conceal one’s egoism.
Finally, egoism grows so enormous that no good manners can help. It becomes so natural and straightforward that it can no longer be hidden. In this case people simply stop concealing it. If a person steals in today’s society, the problem is only whether he is caught or not.
Everything turns into a norm because the manifestation of egoism is so great that there is no chance to compensate it with shame, to brighten it up, or to pretend that it doesn’t exist. This concerns the earthly development of egoism.
The manifestation of egoism in the spiritual is much worse because it is felt with regard to the Creator, from whom one cannot hide. Baal HaSulam explains why egoism is present in us in combination with shame.
There is a law in nature, “The nature of a branch is similar to its root.” This means that whatever exists in the root is useful and pleasant for the branch. And vice versa, that which is absent in the root is perceived as abhorrent and harmful for the branch.
Since the giving Creator is our root (and since we perceive all that is in Him as positive), we feel our lowness while receiving.
And vice versa, when we give, we feel elevated. However, the matter concerns sensation; not the desire to do, but the desire to feel. How wonderful it would be if I could always receive and with regard to others feel as if I bestow. I would receive pleasure and people’s support because I bestow, whereas in reality I would receive. That is the best solution to the problem.
This happens when a person starts doing social work in our world. He pretends that he bestows upon everyone, when he actually receives from all. This is the greatest level of egoism that comes before the desire for knowledge.
At the level of knowledge there is also the initial stage of egoism, when a person engages in science for the sake of recognition in society. In this case he is in a state when it is forbidden to reveal knowledge to him. The following stage of scientists’ development begins when they relinquish their aspiration for recognition.
In other words, the greatest pleasure is recognition in society. What does recognition mean? This means that you allegedly give to society, but in reality you receive.
So the reason why we feel shame lies in the fact that our root is in the Creator. The Light created us, hence we feel that which is in the Light as good and that which is absent in it as bad. If we feel ourselves as receivers, we feel shame, when we feel ourselves as givers, we feel great.
That is if we can feel, but we may as well feel nothing. This depends on the Light that shines upon us and gives us the realization of good or evil.
If I make an action that is detached from the surrounding Light (Ohr Makif), then I do not feel whether it is positive or negative, bestowal or reception. I can interpret it in any way. However, when the Ohr Makif shines upon me from above, then I measure my action with regard to it, in which case I cannot get away from being ashamed of my reception, feeling bad about it.
I start thinking: “Why did I begin studying Kabbalah? I become worse and worse every day.” Or, “I feel worse every day and I have no idea why.” This is because the Ohr Makif starts acting; it shows me that I am a receiver, and that my state is opposite to the Creator.
A question arises: “So the worse it gets the better?” The worse the person feels in the Upper surrounding Light, the closer he is to the truth.
However, it has to be in the surrounding Light and not just “the worse he feels, the better it is.” There is a common delusion among the beginners in Kabbalah: “If I am feeling bad now, if I am suffering, it is good.” This is totally wrong. One should not suffer.
You should suffer only because you are different from the Upper Light, not for a particular reason, in your detachment from it. If you are detached from the Light, you do not realize evil (Hakarat HaRah), you are merely eating your heart out.
This is a very important and very subtle moment. Many people fall into this depression and are proud of it, as if saying: look how much I suffer. This is not Kedusha, but the revelation of Klipa. Man’s impure forces, his impure, uncorrected desires compel him to be in such a state.
Sufferings, the sensation of evil, egoism are justified only if a person feels them with regard to the Creator, the Light. I suffer because I am not a giver, because I am uncorrected. This is not suffering for no particular reason…
The purpose of creation is to merge with the Creator. It can be achieved through an equivalence of form between the creation and the Creator, between the branch and the root…
Naturally, when the branch returns to its root, it reaches the state of utter perfection, abundance, and eternity.
The equivalence is achieved by a gradual correction of the egoistic properties. By studying Kabbalah, the person gains power and the means for merging with the Root.
In other words, there is no alternative, no means other than by drawing upon yourself the surrounding Light to begin really seeing your true state. Only to the extent of your ability to see it can you appeal to the same Light that showed you who you are and ask for correction. The Light corrects you in accordance with your demand.
Question: Can we persuade ourselves that we suffer for lack of the property of bestowal?
No. Kabbalah in no way maintains that a person has to suffer. Neither does it assert that he should persuade himself in anything. We say that there is no coercion in spirituality. Any form of compelling oneself to become similar to the Upper Forces is called coercion. In the group we are trying to create the conditions of the higher level as children who play to become adults.
Question: Does a person have to justify suffering, justify the Creator?
I can’t justify Him when I suffer. This is sanctimony, hypocrisy, and a lie. He is beating me and I should say, “You are so good.” How will this help? There is no greater falsehood. The Creator knows all that y ou think about Him.
Hence, it is said: “There is no coercion in spirituality.” That is to say, until you change your own heart so that it really begins thinking this way, the rest will be coercion. So there is no getting away, one has to make corrections within one’s heart.
You have no power over your heart; it was created by the Upper Light and the Light can change it. This means that you should somehow compel the Upper Light to make that change. You should really force it in accordance to the principle, “Nitzhu li banai” (“My sons defeated me”).
What does this principle mean in Kabbalah? You get corrected only if you really need it. Otherwise, the same principle of “There is no coercion in spirituality” becomes violated.
How can I achieve such a desire while existing in the opposite property? To this end, you have, on the one hand, the surrounding Light (Ohr Makif) and on the other hand, a group.
The surrounding Light provides you with the condition, state, which you will reach at the next level. A group is like kindergarten, where you aspire to become an adult equal to this higher level. If you try to do that, you attract the surrounding Light from that level, and then a desire for correction appears within you. This desire is already called “raising MAN” and MAD (Mei Dechurin, i.e., the Light of correction) comes from above and corrects you.
In other words, suffering should in no way be felt as something positive. One cannot suffer and be grateful at the same time because this is a lie. This is possible only in our world.
That is why at the very first stage of our studies a person should start feeling his heart, penetrate deeper and deeper inside it to know his true inner sensations.
This is because a person is constantly lying to himself. You hear a person say: “I give everything away and do it from the bottom of my heart too!” Such a person does not feel his heart, hence he sees himself this way.
You have to delve deeply into your heart, go through four stages, start feeling it the way it really is, and begin to perceive the surrounding Light with regard to it.
Of course, this path is not easy, but there is no other way. Everyone will have to complete it. There is no getting away. The Upper Light influences the entire desire it created; first the souls that are closer to it, and then those that are more remote. Yet, everyone goes through it.
You may call those who are first to reach the Light lucky because they suffer less. There are souls that completed their correction a couple of thousand years ago and did not go through so many sufferings and wars. And how many Gilgulim (life incarnations) did we have to pass during this period of time?
Every generation is combined of the souls of the previous generation that come back to this worst of all worlds. And some people finished all this two or three thousand years ago. Why were they so lucky?
There are purer souls that are closer the Light; hence, they complete their correction faster. Other souls have to suffer just like us. And there is another kind… We are at least at the beginning of the path, while they have not even approached it. What can be done? Where is justice?
Justice lies in the fact that when you begin your correction you have to include yourself in all the other souls and carry their egoism. Thus, it turns out that everyone does the same work. Some souls are ahead of others, but they do exactly the same work as those that lag behind. There are souls that do not have to take upon themselves the work of those that are behind them because there might be none behind them. Yet, they are the last.
That is to say, there are people who suffered more in their life incarnations and those who suffered more in their spiritual work while absorbing others’ uncorrected desires. So anyway, one compensates another and this justice is absolute.
Two Parts in the Method of Kabbalah: Corrections of One’s
Relations with the Creator and with a Fellow Person.
Since the Creator broke the common soul of Adam into parts and stipulated that merging with Him is dependent on a person’s merging with other souls (the common Kli is attained by joining all the parts of the common soul, and merging with the Creator is felt within it), we have to combine these two parts of work.
Although there are two aspects in the method of Kabbalah: corrections of one's relations with the Creator, and corrections of one's relations with the fellow person, their practical application and purpose are the same – to act for the sake of the Creator.
Even my relations with the fellow person should not be based on this reasoning: “If we love one another, we will feel good: there will be no wars, problems, and everyone will live normally. I wish we could do this!”
Our attempts to make a good life for ourselves and love one another ends in a horrible explosion leading to nothing good. Why? This is because any connection among people can be built and exist only if it is based on the intention to merge with the Creator; because the breaking and separation originated from this point.
That is why families break up in our time. Soon it will be impossible to create a family without putting the Creator between two people. It is said: “Ish ve Isha, Shechina Beinehem” (husband and wife and the Creator between them).
This will soon be revealed in all human relations, whatever they may be: intimate, close, between parents and children, among relatives. Without attaching such relations to the revelation of the Creator and merging with Him they will not be able to exist.
They were based on small egoistical desires, but as desires grew, human relations began crumbling. In the past people lived in huge families. Several generations (dozens or even hundreds of people) lived together. Now, with the development of egoism, this is no longer possible. There are still nations that can live that way, but they are rather few. A state is dying out. Why? Clearly because egoism can no longer bear restrictions.
Merging with others is possible only if it leads to contact with the Creator. Hence, restoration of families and reestablishment of normal relations among people in society, state, world (in their correct contact) will be possible only through attraction of the surrounding Light, only with the help of the science of Kabbalah.
Otherwise, there will be no remedy for even slight correction of what happens in the world. Everything manifests with regard to the point in which the separation with the Creator took place; hence, correction is possible only if it is aimed at the attainment of that point.
Baal HaSulam writes that although there are two aspects in the method of Kabbalah: corrections of one's relations with the Creator, and corrections of one's relations with the fellow person, their practical application and purpose are the same – to act for the sake of the Creator.
He indicates the reason why this happens: since man is an egoist, it makes no difference for him whether he works for his neighbor’s sake or for the Creator’s because he feels that whatever is beyond him does not exist.
If a person is sufficiently developed (has powerful Aviut), he does not feel other people and all that happens outside of him. They do not exist for him, or if they do, then only as the elements that are meant for serving him. The person does not perceive them as separate individuals. Therefore, with regard to his egoism he p erceives both the people around him and the Creator as something non-existent. Only his egoism exists and demands fulfillment.
Therefore, the person should begin with actions “for his own sake” and gradually pass on to the intention “for the sake of the Creator” first for his own pleasure, and afterwards, out of love. That is to say, from the state of “Lo Lishma” (for his own sake) he gradually achieves “Lishma” (for the sake of the Creator).
By completing the correction of “love thy neighbor”, a person achieves the property of bestowal and love for the Creator.
We can’t start working with regard to the group or humanity and at the next stage continue working with regard to the Creator. This is the same work; it begins and ends at the same time, there is no difference between the two parts.
Since I can’t feel what is beyond me, it doesn’t matter what I start thinking about and to whom I start giving: the group, friends, or the Creator. I simultaneously begin and finish this work on bestowal (my correction) upon the group and the Creator.
Therefore, although we do say: “From love for thy neighbor to love for the Creator,” this happens at the same time. A group is just a means and the Creator is the consequence. However, both of these goals (love thy neighbor and love the Creator) are simultaneously realized in the group.
There is no difference between them because anything beyond his body and personal benefit is perceived as the same, be that bestowal to his friend or to the Creator.
Therefore “Love thy neighbor as thyself” is the final purpose of all corrections (i.e., “Love thy neighbor as thyself” is quite sufficient), and the surrounding society is made in such a way that, while avoiding wrong actions (for they are directed at fellow creatures) the person can achieve the spiritual properties.
Why is this better than an attitude toward the Creator? The Creator concealed Himself and instructed us: “Instead of working with Me, work with society.” Why? Because society is equal to us; by working with it we can see whether we bestow or not.
The Creator is the source of pleasure; He is the grandest, the greatest. With regard to Him (if He is revealed) bestowal is impossible; it is perceived as reception. Even in our world I feel pleasure if I give something to a great person.
Therefore, we would have had no opportunity to communicate with the Creator or become similar to Him without reception. What we do in the group is really done with regard to the Creator. Our only opportunity to perform truly altruistic acts is to use a group instead of the Creator. We often say in our earthly relations: “I love him, but not because he has something.” We can check it in this way: if he really had nothing, would I love him or not?
Man knows that if he puts the fulfillment of his neighbor’s needs above his own, this will constitute a certain measure of bestowal.
If my friend’s desires will prevail over my own (first artificially and then inside my heart too), meaning if I stop paying attention to my desires and instead start being guided by his, then I will be fulfilling him. Substituting my own desires for those of others will be called bestowal. This is alternatively called “getting out of one’s self.”
Therefore, he does not make it his goal “to love the Creator with all his heart and soul” because, in fact, it is the same thing. Indeed, he also has to love his neighbor with all his heart and soul.
That is the real meaning of the words “as thyself.” Man undoubtedly loves himself with all his heart and soul. He can delude himself as regards his love for the Creator, whereas his neighbor is always before his eyes.
A complete replacement of one’s own desire by someone else’s is called merging with him. Bestowal is when you use all your properties and powers to fill other people’s desires.
A person begins to understand that in reality his desires were microscopical and gave him only the slight sensation of existence called “this world.” In his five sensors, five small desires, he felt just a tiny part of the universe.
When a person starts perceiving the desire of another, this desire grows immensely within him. When he starts working with this desire, he feels it in the Upper World.
The sensation of the Upper World, Light, and Creator appears in the desires of others, not in one’s own. “Reassembling of the Kli” takes place. I put it together by making all of these desires mine. This is called “Lehitztaer be Tza’ar HaTzibur” (“to suffer the pain of society”). In other words, this means to suffer the agony of others instead of one’s own. As a result, a person “deserves the sympathy of society” (“Zoheh le Nechamat HaTzibur”), i.e. feels the Light that fills the entire Kli.
That is the meaning of the Upper World’s attainment.
The Method of Kabbalah is Given to the Entire Nation
There remains the question, ‘How can we wish and acquire the spiritual property, although it seems impossible?’
The Kabbalistic method was given to the entire nation. The following condition was put before the people: ‘Is every member of the nation ready to take upon himself the condition of “Love thy neighbor as thyself” as the means for merging with the Creator?’
And not until each and every person had agreed and said, “We shall do and we shall hear,” – did this become possible because if all 600,000 people will take care of one another with true love (i.e., they realize the need for the Arvut, the mutual guarantee to meet this condition), no one will have to worry about his own existence, since the rest of the people will provide for all his needs.
I am ready to meet the condition, “Love thy neighbor” and not just hear, i.e., receive the property of Bina. I am prepared to make efforts until I achieve correction.
The problem is that if we try to bestow upon our neighbor, it becomes clear that we lack the necessary prerequisites for that. We can’t part with our egoism, but have to neutralize it somehow. Egoism can be neutralized only if we assure it that it will have everything. Only then will it forget about itself and start giving.
How can we possibly stop thinking about ourselves? In order not to think about ourselves, we need to establish mutual relations of bestowal, and then none of us will have a problem to give.
You may say that it is not such a great wisdom and heroism. What efforts will it demand from me if I know in advance that everything will be all right with me tomorrow: a minimum wage and everything necessary? Why would I have to think about myself, when I can think about others?
The problem is that the matter concerns man’s minimal, barest necessity which he can’t give up. If we see some people in our world who are indifferent to everything, they are not spiritual individuals. Such people know exactly that they will live at the expense of society and the society will be obliged to provide them with their daily bread.
To counterbalance his earthly, barest needs and desires, a person has to receive a guarantee of fulfillment; otherwise he will not be able to work, act for the sake of bestowal. Let us assume that a person needs 1000 calories a day. I do not know what the minimal list of man’s needs looks like, but he has to receive it from others, and then he will be able to direct the rest to bestowal.
Everything depends on the surrounding society: both the feeling of security with regard to the necessary minimum and the work for the sake of bestowal in everything else. Hence, until the entire society collectively decides to accept these conditions, the Creator’s revelation will be impossible. First the state of Arvut should be achieved, and then the Creator will be revealed.
Question: Why is there a connection between the possibility of the group members’ interaction only if the Creator is present among them and the same revelation in society?
This is very simple. The common soul (Adam) all parts of which were interconnected was broken into 600,000 fragments. All the Kelim de Hashpa’a and all the Kelim de Kabbalah, the male and female parts, were interconnected and then shattered to pieces.
In our world we have to perform actions with regard to ourselves, children, a spouse, parents, grandparents, siblings, etc., then with regard to our nation and humanity. We have to restore all the connections that disappeared as a result of the breaking of Adam already in contact with the Creator.
Therefore, nothing in our world can be corrected unless it aspires to merging with the Creator. We see how easily families break up today and we will see what will happen in 10 or 20 years from now. The notion of a family will cease to exist. A teenager will feel that he can’t live with his parents. He will stop perceiving them as parents. He will simply not understand who they are with regard to him.
Such increased egoism will make a person feel his individuality, his “I,” his isolation from others so acutely that he will stop perceiving everyone beyond him as existing. Only great efforts will make it possible to restore the connection between people.
Now we still do not need to make efforts to feel a family, but with time we will have to exert ourselves in order to become close with someone. If I want to love and be loved, if I desire some connection with other people, I will have to make enormous efforts. Furthermore, all these efforts will fail unless they are made for the sake of merging with the Creator.
Imagine this: meeting a woman, establishing a family, having and bringing up children, having relations with parents or close relatives will become impossible unless they are meant for the sake of unity with the Creator. You will not be able to feel anyone as close to you, related to you. We will see it with our own eyes as soon as our egoism grows just a little bit.
This happens within us even now, but we do not understand why this is so. We already see it in our society. We are left with a choice to agree with it before sufferings compel us to think about it or to calm ourselves with the help of drugs.
This is because all these processes transcend the sphere of feelings. Marriages will be made only by means of a lawyer as a mutual enterprise for having sexual relations at a purely physiological level, without feelings. Children will create a problem as well. Possibly, contracts will be signed between parents and children.
Already now society interferes more and more in family affairs. There is a need for social committees, special services for coping with huge problems: violence in families and various conflicts between parents and children.
These are not simply “parent-children” problems as before, when people found it a little hard to understand each other. Now a complete rift sets in. At the age of fifteen a boy or a girl leaves home to live alone.
In the past parents and children lived together their entire life. They added new parts to the old house and continued living together. Today egoism does not allow living with someone else.
Question: Will society pay attention to this or will it continue unfolding naturally?
The realization of evil will reach such a peak that you will not be able to help to pay attention to this. Out of purely egoistical consideration (the realization of evil occurs due to suffering) you will have to start correcting yourself. This disconnection from others will finally be the compelling factor. It will manifest as terrible agony and will force you to do something with it. As a result of this humanity it will start correcting itself.
People will ultimately come to the realization that they are all sitting in the same boat and that they need to correct themselves. The entire world will realize (as a small group realized it in the past) that there is no getting away from the need to achieve the state of common Arvut. “Everyone is responsible for the entire world and the entire world is responsible for everyone.”
Question: How will children be going through correction in the society of the future?
This will happen in a most natural way. If our society were corrected, the children that would be born in it would learn from us. There would be no problem. People lived in this state from the time of Abraham until the destruction of the Second Temple. The whole nation existed in the state of bestowal.
Question: Why should they correct themselves and what do they have to correct if they live in the society of absolute bestowal?
One has to correct oneself with regard to society because everyone is born an egoist.