Concealment That Gives Freedom

Question: You say that I can receive strength through the group. Is the group a transmitter from the Creator, or a source of spiritual strength?

Answer: Both. The fact is that, with respect to me, the group is the Creator’s manifestation. Therefore, I try to adhere to the Creator to the extent that I try to merge with the group. By bestowing to the group, I bestow to the Creator. But I neither see nor know this.

If I saw the Creator instead of the group, I would be obliged to incessantly bestow to Him, like a slave. I would automatically be in the form of an angel. However, this is how I have freewill, by not seeing the Creator. He is concealed behind this world.

Therefore, “Olam” (World) comes from the word “Alama” (Concealment). It turns out that concealment is a great blessing that gives us freewill. Only to the extent that I can remain free from attaining the Creator can I reveal this great force that controls everything: past, present and future.

Question: Let’s say I am acquainted with a rich person who is respected around the world. Since I do not want to use him for my own benefit, I always hide my acquaintance with him from everybody and even from myself. Is it possible to imagine our relationship with the Creator as such?

Answer: I do not use my acquaintance with the Creator for my sake, although He is fully revealed to me. It is written, “He is faithful in all My house” (Numbers 12:7). He trusts you and you must create a screen within yourself in order to make a restriction (Tzimtzum) on your desires—to not accept anything from the Creator and to work only for bestowal.

Question: Is He constantly trying to reveal Himself to me and I by myself constantly conceal Him?

Answer: He is revealed only once you learn to conceal Him.
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From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 12/3/17