We are born with an egoistic desire to receive pleasure, but suddenly some new desire (for spirituality) awakens within it. We can grow this new desire with the help of our environment and booksso that it carries us away into its world. And the old desire will diminish, vanish, or, on the contrary, grow, but we will rise above it in the desire to bestow.
In this manner, a battle occurs in us between these two desires: the concern for ourselves (the desire of this world) and the desire for bestowal, which pertains to the Upper World, the Creator. We need to increase the desire for the Upper One, the desire for bestowal, in relation to its opposite desire to enjoy in this world. This constitutes our whole work and the freedom of choice.
The choice consists only of assessing the importance. What do I wish to consider to be more important: the desire that is directed upward, from which I presently have only a small point, or the desire that is directed down, to this world.
The holiday of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) and all the work in connection with it (building of a special construction, Sukkah) actually show us how we can augment this small desire for the Upper One. This desire is called “waste” because we perceive it as completely unnecessary: some bestowal, love of neighbor, friends, unification… No one takes these good words seriously.
The Sukkah, a temporary structure, symbolizes our raising the importance of this “waste” above our “I” and this world, elevating bestowal above reception. Even if you feel perfection constantly, come out into a temporary dwelling and change yourself.
[21683]
[21683]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/21/10, Shamati #96
No comments:
Post a Comment