Two Ways to Discover the Wholeness
There are two ways to discover the completeness: the path of Torah and the path of pain.
Baal HaSulam, “The Solution”
There are two authorities here, acting in the conduct of development: the one is the authority of Heaven, which is sure to turn anything harmful and evil to good and useful, but that will be in due time, in its own way, in a floundering manner and after a long time. And then there is the authority of the earth. And when the “evolving object” is a living being, it suffers horrendous torments while under the “press of development,” a press that carves its way ruthlessly.
The “authority of the earth,” however, is comprised of people who have taken the laws of development under their own government and can free themselves entirely from the chains of time, and who greatly accelerate time, the completion of the ripeness and correction of the object, which is the end of its development.
Baal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”
Bear in mind that two forces serve to push us up the rungs of the aforementioned ladder, until we reach its head in the sky, which is the purposeful point of equivalence of form with our Maker. And the difference between these two forces is that the first pushes us from behind, which we defined as “the path of pain” or “the way of the earth.”
...The second force pushes us consciously, that is, of our own choice. That force pulls us from before, and that is what we defined as “the path of Torah and Mitzvot.” For observing Torah and Mitzvot in order to bring contentment to our Maker rapidly develops that sense of recognition of evil, as we have shown in Matan Torah [The Giving of the Torah] (Item 13).
And here we benefit twice:
A. We do not have to wait for life’s ordeals to push us from behind, whose measure of goading is gauged only by the measure of agony and destructions. On the contrary, through the subtle pleasantness we feel when working sincerely to Him, to please Him, there develops within us a relative recognition of the lowliness of these sparks of self-love—that they are obstacles on our way to receiving that subtle taste of bestowal upon the Creator. Thus, the gradual sense of recognition of evil evolves in us from times of delight and great tranquility, through reception of the good while serving the Creator, out of our sensation of the pleasantness and gentleness that reach us due to the equivalence of form with our Maker.
B. We save time, for He operates to “enlighten” us, thus enabling us to increase our work and hasten time as we please.
Baal HaSulam, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”
It is true that people could be rewarded with their deeds, realize the truth, and leave the lying ways of this world, in their desire to draw near to their Creator. That is as they already know and understand that everything opposite from the path the Creator commanded is only the evil kind that the Upper Will desired and created while concealing the face of His benevolence.
Hence, they will loathe this deception of their eyes and will choose the hidden and concealed Light—the Light of the face of the King if the living. And if they would do so, His uniqueness would be revealed to them by themselves and they would be drawing salvation toward themselves. There would be no need for the Creator to show Himself to them through the hardship and length of the exile, for since the truth would be clarified to them of their own minds, that would suffice. And when it is clarified, it is clarified.
Since they had already seen the evil and recognized it, and have left it to hold the truth of His uniqueness, indeed, what needed to be done was done, as the intent is only that this matter would be verified for them, so that henceforth, they would delight in the truth that has been revealed to them. Thus, when it is revealed, it is revealed.
Ramchal, Daat Tevunot [Knowledge of Intelligence], 40
[The] law of development, which is spread over the whole of reality, is guaranteed to return all evil to good and useful acts through the power of the Government of Heaven Above, meaning without asking permission from the people who inhabit the earth. However, the Creator placed knowledge and authority in the hands of man and permitted him to accept the above-mentioned law of development under his own authority and government, and handed him the ability to hasten the process of development as he wishes, freely and completely independent of the boundaries of time.
Baal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”
Now you can understand their words about the verse, “I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.” The Sanhedrin (98) interpreted, “Not rewarded—in its time; rewarded—I will hasten it.”
Thus, there are two ways to attain the above-mentioned goal: through their own attention, which is called a “Path of Repentance.” If they are awarded that, then “I will hasten it” will be applied to them. This means that there is no set time for it, but when they are awarded, the correction ends, of course.
If they are not awarded the attention, there is another way, called “Path of Suffering” ...that can cleanse any defect and materialism until one realizes how to raise one’s head out of the beastly crib, to soar and climb the rungs of the ladder of happiness and human success, for one will cleave to one’s root and complete the aim.
Baal HaSulam,
“Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot,” Item 7
Therefore, the end is certain to come to Israel by the law of gradual development, and it is called “in its time,” meaning tied to the chains of time. And Israel’s guaranteed end, by taking the development of their attributes under their own authority is called, “I will hasten it,” meaning completely independent of time.
Baal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”