Bold and in quotes: Original text of Baal HaSulam
Regular: Commentaries of Rav Laitman
Capitalized italics: transliteration from Hebrew
"Everyone believes in private providence."
One can say: "Yes, this is true and it works, as the Creator rules over every creature". This means that whatever happens with each human being at any moment of his or her existence, no matter what state he finds himself in, whether the lowest corporeal, regular, or spiritual state, it all is a result of His Providence.
The control system of Abba ve-Ima and ZON de Atzilut distributes its signals to each particle of Adam HaRishon in a way so that the system operates while taking into account all the movements and all of the changes in each of the souls. This system operates in accordance with them, so they can eventually unite into one common Kli.
There are some that move faster, and they are given a signal to awaken earlier, while others are awakened later. The souls are interdependent. GE performs the work first, and then AHP. There are AHPs that are connected, and so, some of them are set in motion first, then again GE, and so on.
Meaning, this process, when each soul starts the spiritual work, is awakened, or is being act upon, consists of different stages. It's not only when the soul is already engaged in the study of Kabbalah and preparatory work "Zman Achana", and advances consciously towards the Machsom (as we are). Even prior to that, in the course of our, possibly, hundreds of reincarnations, the soul of each of us was receiving its awakening in certain areas based on certain indications.
Each soul receives its awakening in its own time, in its own formation, in its own historical period. Although living an unconscious life, we were nevertheless progressing. We were simply dragged through these reincarnations without being asked anything. We were just supplied with various desires and, as blind kittens, chased after them in order to fulfill each desire that awakened inside of us.
Now science is discovering that some internal informational genes are instilled in us at birth, and are responsible for all this. In Kabbalah these genes are called "Reshimot".
They are awakened in each of us periodically, in a specific order. We simply realize them, being urged towards this internally. Are we free at that moment not to exercise them? Obviously, we are not. Now we are not free either.
To become free we have to acquire the property of Bina, Kelim de Ashpa'a, to rise above our egoism, go beyond its limits, and then we will become free. Until we acquire that property, we are bound by our egoism and the Creator acts upon each of us, using our attraction for delight or flight from suffering as two reins, without even asking what we want. Basically, there is no one to ask, because there is just a desire for delight. Employing these two reins, this desire has to be gradually taught that it is its own prisoner and warden.
The condition for having a chance to acquire freedom has awakened inside of us only now. We can become free only by rising above our egoistical level, our matter, which is governed by the Upper Light automatically. The light either diminishes thus bringing us suffering or it increases attracting us with delight. We follow everything automatically.
We are governed in this manner in the course of dozens or hundreds of reincarnations - constantly, every single second on each level. Can you imagine this?! Each cell, each organ, each desire, each thought - all of that is governed by Abba ve Ima and ZON de Atzilut, which contains all of our souls as their lower part, their AHP.
This authority is called Private Providence. Although a human being does not feel it, the Creator's Private Providence acts upon everybody, according to the root of one's soul which is the starting point of this governance, and then ending with the final stage, or final condition, when a human being has reached full adhesion with the Creator, and complete redemption of his root.
A human being has to travel this path together with the rest of the souls, so that by joining them, he could help them both in a positive and in a negative way. All souls belong to the same common system so the collective soul can gradually, little by little roll from its original, absolutely egoistical condition to the final, absolutely altruistic one. This is how the Creator governs each of us.
The Creator refers to the level of Bina in the world of Atzilut, i.e., Abba ve Ima, and we call this system Elo-kim. Elo is GE, Kim (yud, mem) - this is AHP. Elokim is Gematria of the word Teva - nature, that is, this system rules through nature. It governs our entire nature ,both the surrounding and inner nature, from within and without.
This continues until we start to realize that, in relation to the Elokim, Abba ve Ima governance system, we can rule over our own destiny independently, adopting the properties from Abba ve Ima, from the level of Bina.
We acquire the property of Bina to the measure that we adopt it, and master it. Because our desires start to resemble the property of Bina, Abba ve Ima, we become part of Bina, to the measure that we connect to them. Instead of being governed unconsciously, and forced to act against our own will, we start to rule over own destiny.
Meaning, it makes no difference who is in control: the Creator or me. It becomes exactly the same because I acquire the properties of this governing system, Abba ve Ima in the world of Atzilut. I connect to it, and I exist in it.
Thus, private providence is transferred to me. In this way, I start to rule over my own destiny to the measure I acquire the property of Bina. First, I correct GE, all the desires to bestow - Aviut level zero, one, and two. Later, after I master GE, I correct Kelim de Ashpa'a, i.e. desires to bestow to the fullest, and I can correct the desires to receive as well. The correction of the desires to receive is called Mchiyat HaMetim - resurrection of the dead.
Why are these desires named this way? This is because when I start rising to Abba ve Ima or Bina of the world of Atzilut, I restrict my AHP, levels three and four of my desire. This is why they are called dead. In other words, I acknowledge and demonstrate that they are dead in me. They are egoistic and I don't use them, and so they are considered to be dead.
There are four stages of "killing" these desires, because in turn, each of them contains four levels of Aviut. We will study this because it is interesting. "Killing with stones", "hanging", "cutting off one's head", and "burning" refers to one's attitude towards our egoistical desires, and when we seemingly kill them in various ways, this embodies the spiritual world. Each Aviut has to have its own Tzimtzum, its own correction, and its own suspension, and that's how it manifests.
After we discard the desires to receive completely, after we assimilate the desires to bestow in GE, and fully adopt the properties of Bina, then we can take in the properties of Malchut again in the 3rd and 4th level of Aviut. Using this Aviut, we can ascend beyond the property of Bina and go from Bina to Keter. The correction of our AHP is called "resurrection of the dead". It is resurrection of dead bodies or resurrection of egoism. Egoism is called the body.
After we reach the full resurrection of "dead bodies", Kelim Lekebel, or receiving Kelim, there is a next stage called Gmar Tikkun or Final Correction.
What conclusions can be drawn from all this? That the spiritual law of bringing back every tiniest part of the Universe, or the system as a whole to the Purpose of the Creation is irreversible and firm. It is the only law, and nothing can change or substitute it. There is no other law acting but this.
The only difference is that either this law presses us harshly and we fulfill it against our will (there is no choice - this is how we are created), or we rise above our nature by what is called, "faith above reason". Faith is the property of Bina. Knowledge, receiving knowledge, and enriching knowledge is the property of Malchut. Why knowledge? Knowledge is the biggest pleasure and the biggest fulfillment of Malchut.
We know that there are different levels of fulfillment: on the animated level, whatever is needed for the body - food, shelter, family, sex. Then follow the social desires - desires for riches, fame, power, and knowledge. Desires for knowledge are the strongest. That is why it is called "faith above reason": we rise above reason. The last and strongest egoistical fulfillment towards the spiritual degree is called faith, Bina.
Baal HaSulam writes: "...Everyone believes in private providence, but they do not adhere to it all. The reason is that an alien and foul thought cannot be ascribed to the Creator, who is the epitome of goodness and benevolence."
This is because we always perceive the Creator as something Higher in relation to us. It is hard for us to believe that the Higher Power includes properties, actions, intentions, and thoughts that are so foul, so opposite to the Higher Power Itself. And so we are not able to ascribe everything that happens to us and the entire world to the Creator.
Once, I had an interview on American radio, where I was introduced to a Chabad Rabbi, who also started to explain what Kabbalah is. Of course, we did not reach common grounds. The most important thing is to explain to a human being that the Creator represents the Single Force. There is no escape from it. One has to discover it, reveal it, adhere to it, and somehow find contact with it. There is no choice. Only the connection acts and rules over everything.
- "No, it's not the single force."
- "Why?"
- "Evil does not come from the Creator."
- "Then from whom? Maybe there is the father, the son, and the holy spirit, and another thousand various little gods.... as in India or Ancient Greece?"
- "No. But not from the Creator."
- "From whom, then?!"
- "From a human being."
- "In other words, a human being acts on his own? It is not the Creator who rules over everything? "There is None Else Besides Him" - are these just empty words?"
He became silent, I continued talking, but I was never invited to the radio again.
What do I want to say? In general, he is right. Our nature is such that we cannot ascribe evil act to the Creator. The Holocaust - they cremated six million people - this came from the Creator? How can this be possible? Many people left religion, because of this disaster. It is not possible that the Creator let it happen.
In other words, we cannot ascribe to the Creator absolutely everything that is happening to us. This is our problem. Even people who are about to reach the attainment of the Upper world, that is, in the pre-Machsom condition, even they suffer from this problem.
I don't have any freedom of will? I cannot imagine this to myself. It follows that everything that functions inside of me at the moment - physically, morally, mentally - all of this is not me. In all of this I have to see the Creator, sitting inside, pulling the strings and ruling over everything. He is turning the screws on me with this or that desire, "twisting" all sorts screws and bolts, while I behave, and act accordingly.
This is very hard. Really, it's impossible to act only out of inner understanding. One can probably go mad; really, a human being is incapable of this.
It is good that this is concealed from us. Otherwise, we would be like zombies, we would feel completely restricted, and would not have any chance to do something allegedly by ourselves.
And the concealment of the Creator is exactly what we need even if He really exists inside us and governs each cell of our body, each desire, each molecule, each atom, and everything that happens. This is the general law of the Universe, the common light which created the entire desire and rules over every single part of it, which fulfills it, enters and exits, etc.
The transfusion of the light within the desire brings this desire through all the stages and metamorphoses - from complete egoism to complete altruism. Private providence is concealed from us on purpose. It can reveal itself only to the extent that we can discern it, evaluate it correctly, come to terms with it, and completely justify it in our heart.
This is when after discovering it I say," Thank G-d, this is the work of the Creator!", and I surrender to Him. It is good that He is doing this to me. I'm in complete agreement with His actions. I learn more and more about everything that is happening inside of me, in my thoughts and desires. I start to attribute everything that has awakened in me to the Creator, all of my reactions, thus freeing myself from any participation in the process.
This condition is called "Ubar" - embryo. Our actions in this condition resemble the actions of a physical embryo, developing inside of his mother. An embryo does not take any part in this process, and he is not being asked anything. Whatever is needed happens to him, whatever is needed comes out of him, and most importantly he develops internally.
When a human being frees himself from the desire to intervene in the governance, he is ready to surrender to the Creator completely. "What does it mean "to surrender"? If I'm ready for anything even at the slightest degree, this is called point, seed, conception, Reshimo.
Later, despite my egoism, I have to start feeling that I completely surrender to the Creator. This is indescribably hard work.
This is because neither knowledge, nor faith, nor desires nor any definitions that we can comprehend today nor any principles can help us here. This is really the change of our inner nature. Well, we will come to it.
Today the Creator is completely concealed from us. We are told that He rules over us entirely, however, we can reveal this governance only to the extent that we justify Him, that we really develop a desire to surrender to this governance, and not strive for anything else but Him.
Whatever happens the next moment, if it is the act of the Creator, i.e. the property of bestowal, - I desire it more than anything else. I close my eyes and take no part whatsoever not in the means or in the actions, and not in the effects or anything that eventually comes out of it.
"However, only the true workers of God, does the knowledge of private providence open, that He caused all the reasons that preceded it, both good and bad. Then they are cohesive with private providence (not just in knowledge, but attainment), for he who is connected to the pure, is pure."
If I'm able to become cohesive with the Upper governance, the Creator, I become like Him. Or the other way around, I can become like Him to the measure which I adhere to Him, to His governance.
"Since the Guardian is united with its guarded, there is no apparent division between bad and good, and they are all loved, and all clear [they find themselves being such], for they are all carries of God's vessels [filled by Him], ready to glory the revelation of His uniqueness."
Meaning, a person feels being filled with the Creator. We are built in such a way that if we feel Him, we don't desire anything else. Such is our Kli. It is created by the light. The moment the light fills it, all the deficiencies disappear, on the physical, on the moral, on the material, and naturally, on the spiritual levels.
Don't Kabbalists get sick, die, or suffer? Of course, they do. However, they evaluate this from a completely different perspective. Experiencing suffering, a Kabbalist justifies the Creator; he joins Divine Providence, in spite of this suffering.
"...and to that extent [filling the vessel with the light, creation with the Creator] they have knowledge from the end that all the actions and the thoughts, both good and bad, are the carriers of God's vessels. He has prepared them, from His mouth they've come, and at the end of correction it will be known to all."
Only when the light fills to the fullest, not just each of us personally, but the entire collective Kli, will Providence be revealed completely - from the beginning to an end.
"However, in between it is a long and threatening exile. The biggest trouble is that when one sees some wrongful action, [a seemingly impure, wrong from the part of the Creator] he falls from his degree..."
In other words, a person, as if trying to justify the Creator, thinks that this is not Him; that the Creator has no part in this. This is me or some other force.
- "How dare you say that this came from the Creator! The Creator burned six million people?! (The Chabad Rabbi was loosing his breath.)
- "Yes, yes! All suffering that fell upon mankind in the course in its entire development also came from Him. Where else could it come from?"
Baal HaSulam writes about this in his letter. The Creator pays no attention to the suffering of the body. The body is made to suffer. Until we exit it, we will inevitably suffer. No tricks will help us to avoid this, only rising above the body. This is exactly what he writes "Ki Bisvil Ze Nolad" (because it is created to suffer).
"The biggest trouble is that when one sees some wrongful action, he falls from his degree, clings to the famous lie, and forgets that he is like an ax in the hand of the cutter. That, truly, the Creator exists and acts inside of him. Instead, one thinks of oneself as the owner of this act [as though I did it by myself, not the Creator] and forgets the reason for all consequences."
This forgetfulness is given to us deliberately. Deliberately the Creator hides from us, as though it weren't His doing. The Creator conceals Himself not because He feels shame before us that all negativity in our life is caused by Him not giving enough of His light, - no, not because of this. He cannot feel shame before us. He hides so that we will be able to reveal the uniqueness of Divine Providence.
Meanwhile, we think that wrongful actions come from us: "...one thinks of oneself as the owner of this act, and forgets the reason for all consequences from whom everything comes, and that there is no other operator in the world but Him."
This is our problem. If we could internally get a hold of the Creator as existing and acting within me, if we could cling just to the beginning of His revelation within me, this is already the state of the development of fetus, and it would be easier for us to remain in this state. The crossing of Machsom that we all so desire is connecting to the sensation of the Creator within me. Not only inside of me, but also outside, in everything that surrounds me.
"This is the lesson. Although one knows it [and you hear this from me now] at first, in a time of need, one does not control this awareness." "In a time of need" is a moment when the Creator really gives us an action in which we could unite with Him. But since this action evokes in us certain negative feelings, to the degree of these negative feelings the Creator conceals Himself.
It follows that indeed we can find Him in the worst sensations, the most terrible circumstances, the most negative thoughts or urges. He exists inside of them, and to the measure in which they seem to us as wrongful, impure, and unworthy, He hides.
"This is the lesson. Although one knows it [purely theoretically], still, in a time of need, one does not control this awareness and unites everything with the cause, which sentences to a scale of merit."
At the beginning, the circumstances, thoughts, and actions in which we could reveal the Creator inside of ourselves and cling to the Divine Providence are wrong. We feel shame for having them on one hand, but on the other hand, we can sense the Creator specifically in them.
The Creator wants to give us an opportunity, in spite of all our incorrect actions, thoughts and desires, to find within them the One Who is giving us all this, and therefore He plays games with us. And so now Baal HaSulam will tell us about the two types of games that come from the Creator, so that we, in the process of being played with, will begin searching for, find, and apprehend His governance, despite the most dreadful circumstances.
What types of circumstances are there? Are they divided into two certain groups where the Creator conceals Himself in a special way? For example, He sends me thoughts about food or sex, this is one thing, and thoughts about fame, money, power, or knowledge is another thing. Are these manifestations or seemingly negative Divine Providence somehow divided in me? What type are they divided into so that I can find a certain image of Him within me, find where He exists, and establish contact with Him?
"...these two concepts, where one teaches of the other. Yet, the force of concealment overpowers in between." In other words, there are two ways in which the Creator awakens us for the revelation of Divine Providence, despite His hiding within these seemingly wrong states.
"A parable about a king who grew fond of his servant until he wanted to raise him above all the ministers, for he had recognized true and unwavering love in his heart."
As a result of thousand of years of reincarnations, a person reaches a state when he is ready (obviously, not on his own account, but on the account of the Creator) to really accept, regardless of all his knowledge, understanding, that Providence is absolutely good and kind. If the Creator brought a person to this state, it means that He, naturally, knows that this person is fit for this, and now He can continue working with him.
"However, it is not royal comportment to raise one to the highest level all at once without an apparent reason. Rather, the royal comportment is to reveal the reasons for all with great wisdom."
What does this mean? Is there someone the Creator has to report to while trying to make sure that nobody gets the wrong idea that He is favoring someone, or that they tell good things about Him, the good and just, etc? What does Baal HaSulam mean?
He refers to absolute good and justice in relation to each member of the soul of Adam HaRishon. The Creator absolutely cannot single out anyone from this hierarchy of the internal structure of the collective soul out of turn. There are lighter souls, there are souls in which egoism weights heavier, there are souls that come from the right side, and those that come from the left, and so on.
Each of us differs both in the size of our egoism and in its quality. And there is absolute inter-connection and interaction among all elements of creation in the collective creation of Adam, that is among all of the individual souls inside of this collective soul.
And it is unfeasible for some soul, some element, or Reshimo to suddenly manifest itself, or for the Creator to start bringing it to light, before the preceding previous soul. It is because all is connected into a general system as in one organism, and they cannot function if their union is incomplete, their interaction is insufficient, or their mutual harmony is not full enough.
"However, it is not royal comportment to raise one (that is, someone whose time to reach correction has not come yet) to the highest level all at once without an apparent reason. Rather, the royal comportment is to reveal the reasons for all with great wisdom."
In other words, for a person who establishes contact with the Creator, and reveals the uniqueness of His Providence it should be clear what is happening to him, and also to all the rest, who are at his level and higher.
"What did he do? He appointed the servant a guard at the city gate." The Creator acts upon us by using an enormous system of governance, where just the power of His bestowal subsequently resolves a multitude of acting forces, into three lines, ten Sefirot, and 125 degrees, each with its properties, etc. This is the entire self-contained system.
Baal HaSulam wishes to tell us the following: a person can make no progress, if, on any stage of his correction, or development, he does not meet at least some small condition, or correspond to some small spiritual force which participates in this entire governance. It follows that His servant has to be completely subordinated to all ministers and fully fulfill all conditions set before him.
"However, it is not royal comportment to raise one to the highest level all at once without an apparent reason. Rather, the royal comportment is to reveal the reasons for all with great wisdom. According to all private forces of the governance system, (His ministers).. What did he do? He appointed the servant a guard at the city gate."
What does it mean 'a city gate'? A person discovers that his personal egoistic desire is actually what the Creator gave him. This is what a person needs to govern. This is where he has to perform his corrections.
"...and told a minister who was a clever joker to pretend to rebel against the kingship, and wage war." As though one of the forces, participating in the general governance of creation, is not in complete accord with the rest of the forces of Divine Providence. This force seemingly stems from the Creator in an egoistic not altruistic form. One would think that this should suit a person, for a person is still an egoist himself, and thus should identify himself with this force.
It follows that if there is some minister who pretends to rebel against the king (a human being truly is a hundred percent a rebel), a person should feel at ease with the egoistic force that seemingly suits him, or is similar to him. He would rejoice that finally, he found support in the spiritual world as well. This is how the Creator plays with man.
Thus, a rebel starts to pretend in an absolutely trustworthy manner "...and wage war to conquer the house while the guard is unprepared."
As if there were no forces but him, and he offers to rule over the entire creation instead of the Creator, using his egoistic force and attitude. You will be eternal, you will be happy, and you will be all that you want to be. In other words, this property is one of the forces of Klipot (shells). Klipot, the impure forces are the Creator's forces in disguise, they are the Creator in disguise. This exact antithesis to the Creator emerges before him on purpose.
We learn that there are four pure worlds, BYA, from where we receive spiritually-altruistic influences. There are also impure worlds of BYA, from which we receive spiritually-egoistic influences. Both stem from Above, from the exact same force, the Creator manifesting on two sides only in relation to us.
Baal HaSulam unearths this picture to us: It's as if a person stays inside of the Creator's governance, and suddenly sees how splendid everything is. I can acquire knowledge! I can comprehend! I can intervene with reality in my Kelim (vessels). I can do everything! Now I will master the Upper world, and start ruling over everything, including the Creator.
The Creator is nothing more than various properties and forces. They come under my dominion and I start ruling over Him. In order words, I put myself into a pretty "groovy" position for I can conquer the Creator's castle with the help of this force and rule over the entire kingdom, over the entire creation. What can be better that this?
Trust me, none of us would say no to this. Nobody! Some of you think that you would? Modest people! I'm serious that we would not be able to. You are given a possibility that evokes no counteraction; you are given everything. Take it and be the eternal and perfect ruler. Nobody else, no other force will exert an opposite influence on you, in other words you are the king. Everything else is under you and you are eternal. What else?! This is what the Klipa or the impure forces can present to us. This is how they act and entice at the level slightly higher than our present one. What can we do?
"What did he do? He appointed the servant a guard at the city gate, and told a minister who was a clever joker to pretend to rebel against the kingship, and wage war to conquer the house while the guard is unprepared.
The minister did as the king had commanded and with great wisdom and craftiness, pretended to fight against the king's house."
If a servant, who now can assumingly rise to the level of a minister, yielded to a rebel, then there is no question, he would fall and the Creator would have to continue preparing him. Counter-action is good.
If there were a chance for his fall, the Creator would not have worked on him to begin with. If he just automatically yielded to a pretended rebel, it would mean that he wasn't ready for this test from the very start, and the Creator would not have started playing this entire scheme on him.
Thus from the very start, a poor servant was ready for this test with all his previous suffering. With the help of group, studies, and everything possible, he came to the conclusion that there is no other path but the spiritual one. This is what altruism is: basically, renouncing all egoistic, enticing possibilities.
"The servant risked his life and saved the king."
In other words, he wished to remain specifically at the elevated state that is similar to the Creator. He saved his king in order to be on the king's side and guard the city gate. Thus:
"The servant risked his life and saved the king, fighting devotedly and bravely against the minister..."
So, you have everything and yet, you renounce all of this for the spiritual. You still have nothing to gain from the spiritual, or a reason to prefer it, but somehow you calculate that this is preferred over the other.
Here, you are offered the entire world, and you can become the lord of all. There, you are offered nothing at all! Only the greatness of the Creator, only that! You just have a spark of faith that He who is One, unique, and indivisible devises and participates in all of this. That only one inner conviction, born out of immense suffering..only bestowal can bring deliverance from suffering, not further egoism. Only if I renounce this entire world, I will manage to renounce the spiritual world as well.
This is what the servant is fighting for with the minister, tooth-and-nail, risking his life "...until his great love for the king was evident to all." Possibly, it was a long fight. It can subdue and intensify again, manifesting in various lots, types, and styles. This is a long fight.
"...until his great love for the king was evident to all.
Then the minister took off his cloths."
This is because he did his job. Klipot, impure forces have a single aim, to give us opportunities for work, and nothing more than that! This is precisely the reason why the Creator disguises Himself, appearing before of us in a form opposite to what He really is.
"Then the minister took off his cloths and there was great laughter for he had fought so fiercely, and now realized that there was only fiction here, not reality. This is revealed only now.
"They laughed most when the minister told of the depth of the imagination, of his cruelty and the fear he had envisioned. Every single item in this terrible war became a round of laughter and great joy."
It is because this pure servant endured and overcame all the suffering and horrors, fairs, everything that he felt, and everything became the opposite. All his pain and suffering turned into great merit, accomplishment, elevation, and attainment.
Hence, a servant wins the first fight. It follows that the first fight is for the gate. It is quite possible that this is all that the king posses. But maybe He has something more at the next level, which is even more important than the gate? Or perhaps it is not more important, but simply different in character, and a servant approaching it does not just demonstrate his devotion, or renounce his egoistic urge to merge with the Creator at any cost? Perhaps here he has to acquire completely different or special properties? Let's see what happens next.
"However, he is still a servant, he is not scholarly."
Thus, he lacks training. Now he only proved his complete devotion to the king and demonstrated that he has given himself completely, regardless of his nature, and regardless of what all 125 degrees of impure egoistic properties can offer him. But "How can he be raised above all the ministers and the king's servants?"
If he knows nothing? So what that he is devoted?
He is like a fetus in the mother's womb. He is fully developed and has passed Ibur, Yenika, Mochin in his pre-natal state. In other words the nine months of so called HABAD, HAGAD, NECHI has passed over him, and now he is ready to come out and work on not simply annulling oneself, but devoting himself to the Creator.
No! Now he needs to work with Kelim de Kabbalah. In order to rule, to put the king's thoughts and desire into action, he must posses a power over these egoistic desires that he, basically, renounced. Now he has to engage them again. In other words, he has to pass the stage called "resurrection of the dead".
"Then the king thought in his heart, and said to that minister (who played a rebel once already) that he must disguise himself as a robber and a murderer, and wage fierce war against him."
Why there is a need for another war or fight, what sort of scene, or process does our poor future Kabbalist have to pass through?
"The king knew that in the second war he would display wondrous wisdom."
That is, do not renounce completely what exists in creation, but rather, receive wisdom in order to profit from everything made by the Creator in this collective Kli, and utilize the entire existence correctly.
"...and merit standing at the head of all the ministers."
The Creator's ministers are called angels. These are simply private forces of Divine Providence. They have no personal desire, powers, or freedom of will. This is something that, in our world, corresponds to the animate, vegetative, or even inanimate levels of nature. The "human" level is characterized by freedom of will to become similar to the Creator, and we must add, with the help of the surrounding environment. Otherwise, there is no freedom of will; it does not exist.
If a person realizes himself in the right environment that aspires towards the Creator, he is free in these acts. In everything else he is under the Creator's governance. And only if he wants to progress in the right environment (the right teacher, books, society, and group) that aspires upward in relation to the Creator, will he be put through these two wars.
What did the king devise?
"Hence, he appointed the servant in charge of the kingdom's treasure. The minister now dressed as a ruthless killer and came to loot the king's treasures."
This seems to be the exact same war and circumstances, the same picture. But in reality now we see that it is not the same, and it does not resemble the first war. Although, in principle, one works against Klipot either by correcting GE, or by working on correcting AHP, which is basically the same Ibur, Yenika, and Mochin on each degree of correction.
"The poor appointee fought fearlessly and devotedly, until the cup was filled."
In other words, until it was necessary on his account, even though he does not know what the necessary measure is. The point which his soul stems from, his place and position in the collective soul, dictates this from above.
If a servant, according to the structure of his soul, occupies a very important point in the intersection of all souls, he will pass through enormous, prolonged corrections with various metamorphoses, overturns, and reincarnations. All of this for one reason only to really become a big minister in relation to the others, that is, become special.
It follows that one's role in the general correction of the spiritual Kli, the totality of all the souls in Adam, determines the measure to which he is being put through all the trials to train him for his future profession, future role, future position in the general structure of the soul, in the collective Adam, that is what he must know, understand, and master.
Moreover, he is taught not just to control himself, but also, by connecting the rest of the souls to himself, to govern them and provide them with all of the consecutive cause-and-effect chain of correction.
"The poor appointee fought fearlessly and devotedly, until the cup was filled."
Until he, according to the point in the root of his soul, did not fulfill what he had to fulfill in order to stand up, rise, and settle himself there.
"Then the minister took off his cloths [the minister was disguised as a robber] and there was great joy and laughter in the king's palace, even more than before."
The servant already worked with all vessels of bestowal and could not be seduced by slipping him an opportunity to be lord above all.
"The details of the minister's tricks aroused great laughter, since now the minister had to be smarter than before because now it is evidently known that no one is cruel in the king's domain, and all the cruel ones are but jokers. Therefore, the minister used great craftiness to acquire clothes of evil."
And He played a trick on this poor servant.
We know from our own experience how life presents us with various surprises when we forget about the Creator, and about everything. We plunge into our troubles, thinking that Kabbalah has nothing to do with it, I face a problem and only I am obliged to solve it. We think that it does not come from the Creator, but rather that it comes to me personally. I have to do this, and then I will have more time for Kabbalah and everything else.
Or, I think that it cannot be that the Creator who did this to me. Alternatively, these could also be sweet, attractive, and enchanting problems, since the Klipa is an external clothe that shines. Klipa is really an ornament for egoism, when one's egoism seems attractive, it disguises in Klipa, and arouses attraction to it. Egoism conceals itself a little and reveals itself a little. In general, it is a master of absolutely all flirting laws, and thus a big fight takes place here.
"...all the cruel ones are but jokers. Therefore, the minister used great craftiness to acquire clothes of evil."
In either case, as the result of this war which was already waged for being able to use Kelim de Ashpa'a, the servant starts to gradually adopt Kelim de Kabbalah, the receiving desires. In the receiving desires, we start sensing knowledge, attainment, and the light that fills them. And that is why we become masters of the knowledge and power that promote our replacing the king.
"Yet, in the meantime, the servant inherited "wisdom" from after-knowledge, and "love" from fore-knowledge." and from the beginning the Creator led him through all breakings of Adam HaRishon from up downwards.
The Creator deliberately broke his "point" and put him through all reincarnations at the level of this world until he accumulated a sufficient amount of suffering and developed a desire to start attaining, to rise above this suffering and disavow it, to attain Kelim deAshpa'a, and afterwards Kelim deKabbalah. When a person reaches this state, he attains his entire reincarnation, and then a constant, unconditional love emerges in him. This is the last stage of man's development.
This is why it is said: "Love thy Creator with all your heart", that is, with all the parts of your inner Kli, all the desires of GE and AHP.
"The thing you most want to hear me speak of is one to which I cannot answer anything. I have also told you a parable about this face to face, for "the kingdom of the earth is as the kingdom of the firmament," and the true guidance is given to the ministers.
Yet, everything is done according to the king's counsel and his signature. The king himself does no more than sign the plan that the ministers devised."
What does it mean 'sign the plan"? The general governance has to confirm with private governance in relation to each soul, so that all of them in their collective symbiosis start interacting with each other, connecting into each other towards complete correction.
Thus all private ministers, private forces, and angels of each soul act in accord with a common idea: to bring an entire Kli into a united, perfect state.
"The king himself, [the utmost degree, called Arich Anpin of the world of Atzilut in Kabbalah], does no more than sign the plan that the ministers devised. If he finds a flaw in the plan, he does not correct it, but places another minister in his place, and the first resigns from office."
It follows that if consecutive acts occur in the system which are not cause-and-effect, the question is where can they come from? The general Providence itself corrects all private Providence because each private providence cares for its own organ, its own participation in the collective soul: only about its own Aviut - GE or AHP, or belonging to the left or right line, and so on.
As a human body consists of many systems, so does our common habitat, our collective Kli, the totality of all our souls consists of a multitude of systems that are much more complex than our bodily system. Thus, naturally, in the event of any mishaps, some private part is taken away and replaced by the one that originates in the general correction.
Meaning there can be no malfunctioning in the governance. By this Baal HaSulam means that corrections inside the system are possible from the so called lower systems, organs, and private forces to the common force. The organ represents a total sum of certain cells, certain desires that comprise the development, or the system distinctive to this organ.
All sorts of right-left, up-down, and opposite interactions seeming to fight between themselves, exist because this is a multi-functional system.
The same happens inside our body. Certain systems fade, while others ignite certain actions and balance the system in one way, while others balance in another way. That is, everything is built on balance between two opposing systems.
These two systems are not annulled so that the only one that remains is the Creator. Our system stays in place, although it takes on additional functions of the Creator. This is why inner confrontations remain in order to reach a complete balance.
Interaction between all parts of the system are controlled and carried out by the Upper force, Arich Anpin, which already commands Partzuf Abba ve Ima and Partzuf ZON of the world of Atzilut. Individual souls receive from ZON of the world of Atzilut.
So is MAN, a small world, behaving according to the letters imprinted in him, since kings rule the seventy nations in him. This is the meaning of what is written in the Sefer Yetzira (Book of Creation): "He crowned a certain letter."
Seventy worlds are seventy Sefirot: Hesed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malchut. Seven Sefirot times ten in each of them equals seventy Sefirot inside our collective, as well as, each individual Kli. This is a rule which is a certain style of relationships.
There are only 22 letters. The letters from Alef to Tet are the first nine letters and relate to the first nine Sefirot, ZAT de Bina. The following letters include the letters from Yud to Tzade, and they relate to Zeir Anpin. And the last four letters relate to Malchut because Malchut contains four, not nine Sefirot: Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malchut.
That is why there are 22 styles of governing matrixes denoted by 22 letters. That is, Malchut is governed under the influence of 22 systematic blocks. In turn, five additional letters are added into Malchut, however, these are limiting letters. They complete the five parts of Malchut, for Malchut, in its Aviut, consists in five final parts.
The five final parts of Malchut's Aviut stand on Parsa and limit it completely. This is why we have five final letters of an additional form. They do not add to the 22, because they are the same as five of the 22 letters. They just have a different contour and are written only at the end of words, and are called MaNTzePaCh (Mem, Nun, Pei, Tzade, and Chav Sofit).
Why these letters in particular? Mem is 40 in the level of Bina. Nun is the level when Bina reaches the level of Hochma, fifty kings of Bina (50), so Nun is 50, and so on. All letters, meaning each of the 22 blocks govern us in an absolute manner.
"When the letter errs in some plan, [relative to some individual element of creation, a certain soul, it is replaced] immediately resigns from office, and He crowns another letter in its place.
This is the meaning of, "Each generation and its judges." At the end of correction, that letter called Messiah will rule..."
This is what Messiah is. It is not some kind of person of our world who will command deliverance and correction. Quite possibly, there will be people like that as well - representatives of the Creator, big Kabbalists. However, in Kabbalah Messiah refers to the major system of governance which comes at the end of generations and pulls all of us into the complete correction.
"...At the end of correction, that letter called Messiah will rule and will tie all the generations to a crown of glory in the hand of God."
That is, will reach Keter. Keter is the crown, top.
"Now you can understand that each must uncover what he has been assigned to uncover. The ferry of unification... he does not want to correct them, I will correct them (perplexed), but all will become clear through incarnations."
Question: How can a person know when he is under the influence of the Klipot and when it comes from the Creator?
If I had the ability to sort by myself what comes from the Creator and what comes from the impure force, I would do a fair job. Everything that is good, beneficial, comfortable, and pleasant to me - this is from the Creator. He does everything to delight a human being.
While everything that is against Him - from the impure force. How else can it appear? In the beginning, I don't like suffering, because for me it is like an impure force, an evil eye, as they say.
So really, how can I determine what comes from the Creator and what comes from the impure force? To be more precise, how does it come to me: in direct or opposite governance of the Creator? Direct governance of the Creator is the Creator Himself. His opposite governance happens through force when He relates to us, through concealment, which is called presenting as an impure force in relation to me. An impure force is the reverse side of the Creator. That is all. This is like a two-faced Janus.
So, how can I determine whether or not the Creator relates to me directly? First of all, I have to say that to begin with, everything that happens stems only from Him.
If everything stems from Him, it follows that His manifestation in the direct or reverse manner, through pure or impure sides occurs only in relation to me. This is not His pure or impure sides, but rather this is my perception, my attitude towards Him, how I direct myself with my pure or impure thoughts. How to determine this is a problem.
This is why one shouldn't think that Klipot exist outside of us, and that they are an external force that comes to me, clothes me, and exerts pressure on me. Klipot is an internal egoistic Kli and nothing more in this world. If I correct it, the entire world will seem as the world of Infinity, an absolutely perfect creation.
I do not have to correct others. If I correct only myself, and the rest will remain uncorrected, this will not halter my seeing the entire world as absolutely whole, completely perfect.
In this regard, we read a very interesting article of Baal HaSulam "Concealment and Revelation of the Creator" (Gilui ve Ester Shel Panav le Nivraam). There he speaks about the paradox that we face. When, to the extent of our own level of correction, we see the world in one way, while to the extent of our wickedness - in a completely different way. This is so because we evaluate everything only in our inner desires.
In relation to me, there is nothing good or bad outside of me. Good or bad exist only inside of me, in my inner evaluation, only in my inner Kelim.
Six million people died. How can I relate to that? The only Divine Providence is the Creator. We see that each minister is replaced with another. Apparently, there was a good minister who did not want to do this. He was replaced, and together went six millions. Terrible suffering that seems far away from us, but tomorrow, G-d forbid, it can happen to all of us, the entire humanity. Who knows what will happen? Today, these are the predictions for humanity...
How should I relate to this? Only as the Creator's most needed influence on me. If I did not have to go through this to justify and appreciate the Creator, fight with thoughts, with this robber, with something inside me that says "no need to and don't", "for and against", "incorrect" and so on; with this critic, - if I did not have to fight with this internally, I wouldn't have either these thoughts, or all these incidents in world.
They exist specifically and only so that we, despite all of them, could check and compare ourselves to the Creator. Thus as long as the "smart ones" say that this is not from the Creator, we will suffer more and more so that we remember that this is not the case: He is the only one. Only a correct fight with the egoistic theories that emerge in us can help, and nothing else.
Question: Is suffering the only way to draw closer to the Creator?
It is said that, in principal, only suffering brings us closer to the Creator. Never have good sensations brought us closer to the Creator. When I am feeling good, I don't ask why I feel so good.
Why don't I ask? It is because I descended from the One and Unique Creator. The sense of uniqueness that exists in Him makes me feel that everything is created for me.
Now the entire world can fall on its knees before me, serve me, and turn into my slaves. At the beginning, I would probably feel a bit unpleasant, uncomfortable because I was brought up in this way. But this feeling will soon disappear, and I will accept everything as a matter of course.
This is because the sense of uniqueness in us comes from the Creator and tells us that each us of is individual, and higher than all the rest. And if a person wasn't able to find something special in himself, he wouldn't be able to exist. Each of us, inside, justifies our existence by saying: "yes, in this sense, I'm special". This is how the soul is created.
It follows that if this is how man was created, good sensations will never bring us towards the Creator. Why would I need Him? I would develop a yearning for Him only if I feel bad.
And so we start searching for why we feel bad. That is, we start with the opposite question: "I have to feel good, so what is going on?" And we start looking at why we feel bad. If I could somehow control the evil, I would, of course, swiftly bring it down.
But, unfortunately, the Creator, conceals Himself. I can't reach Him with my arm, and in general, I have no idea where He is, or what He is. And this is how we, through suffering, gradually develop a desire to reveal Him... only through suffering.
The problem is that sometimes suffering seems to be the only method for getting closer to the Creator. I know of many beginners, who say: "I consent to the suffering, only if I can draw closer to the Creator". They do not understand that this is the minister of impure forces at work.
One shouldn't approach the Creator through suffering. Suffering only brings us to the point from which we can progress through light. We can start ascending only if the governing light acts upon us.
This is why when they say that suffering can bring us to the Creator, it is an absolute lie. Baal HaSulam tells of people who were ready to chop off their hands and feet, to endure the most horrible suffering only to sense the Creator for at least one second, one instant. Yet, they did not succeed.
And they were right, because revelation of the Creator even for one instant is worth all the suffering and pain, for this revelation outweighs all suffering. This is why the Creator cannot reveal Himself until we receive a screen. So, it is forbidden to approach the Creator through suffering, and the only thing that we must do is build a good group.