Q: In your articles and books you repeatedly stress that our behavior in this world is in no way connected with the spiritual worlds. Therefore, one may conclude that man can pass the barrier between our world and the spiritual world, and still behave immorally in this world (commit serious crimes, treat people badly, and so on). Is this true?
A: Since all the corrections must be carried out within, achieving the goal of creation means correcting the desire. No external actions can be defined as such. Only changing the desire itself from “for one’s own sake” to “for the Creator’s sake” is regarded as a correction.
Only by inner efforts can people bring about such changes in themselves and attract the surrounding Light. When their properties are thus changed, it will lead them to the Creator. Any outside pressure is only superficial.
We see how external restrictions fail to make us better (correction facilities, jails, etc.). They only conceal the vice and make us unable to quickly correct it.
Hence, unlike all other educational systems, Kabbalah calls upon man “to study with the proper intention in a group, with genuine books under a Kabbalist’s guidance, attract the powerful Higher Light, and achieve the goal in this very lifetime.”
The Light itself changes us; there is no other force capable of correctly doing it. Thus, Kabbalah is the only means of correction. When the time comes, all immoral traits will be mended, but for the time being they are needed exactly as they are. The evil was made by the Creator and one should not destroy it, but rather turn it into good.
Q: Can it be said that the changes in character are actually an expression of what was already in them? Though these previously hidden traits seem new, was their “changed character” actually sitting inside and only now surfaced?
A: We are surprised when normally reserved Englishmen or Germans suddenly turn into barbaric murderers. Here are some insights on this:
There is a story about a man who tried to convince a Kabbalist that man’s nature could be changed. He said that even cats can be made well mannered and invited the Kabbalist to see this for himself. The guest came and, upon his host’s invitation, the doors opened and cats dressed as waiters began to bring in the dishes. Everyone cried out in amazement, but while no one noticed, the Kabbalist took a mouse out of his pocket and set it free. When the cats saw a mouse on the floor, they abandoned everything and rushed after it.
We are caged within our nature, and correction is possible only if we receive the power to change from the outside. Any inner power is a part of our nature; hence it doesn’t correct us, but only puts on an external disguise.