Humanity is one big vessel, one soul, called Adam HaRishon. In order to be corrected, this vessel is split into two: Israel and the nations of the world. We cannot correct it all at once because there are some very deep layers that the light cannot reach right away.
All corrections start with the easier ones, progressing toward more difficult ones. Thus, the first to be corrected are the upper, lighter layers, as it is said about Israel that it is “small among the nations,” meaning that it has the lightest type of desire to enjoy. And in the nations of the world the desire is much heavier, which will appear when they start to awaken.
Each person that receives the awakening toward spirituality in our days is a part of the common soul called Israel (Yashar Kel), straight to the Creator. They must hurry with their correction because their main work consists of helping the other desires, the nations of the world.
Israel channels the light that reforms through itself, through its unity. Then the nations of the world awaken and begin their corrections, demanding more light from Israel until everyone unites into one soul, as it is written: “My house will be called the house of prayer for all nations.” Israel must correct itself in order to correct the whole of humanity.1
The people of ancient Babylon were called the “generation of discord.” This was the time when the common soul of Adam HaRishon was split into two: Galgalta ve Eynaim (GE) and Awzen Hotem Peh (AHP), into the head and the body of the desire, into Israel and the nations of the world. Babylonian society was divided into these two camps.
It is said that this was the generation that started humanity’s decline. Before that time, the egoistic desire, which needed correction, did not exist. Beginning with it, the part called Israel has an obligation to correct its egoistic desire into an altruistic one.
This was the generation of Abraham. Abraham is the force that divided humanity into two parts with the appeal: “Who is for the Creator—come join me!” And “Love will cover all crimes.”
Before that, the desire to enjoy was so small in people that all Babylonians intuitively felt what the correct behavior should be and naturally followed it. They spoke the same language and lived as one family.
But by the time of Abraham, the desire to enjoy grew, and they broke their old idols not knowing what to do about their egoism. It is said that Abraham defeated the idols, but in fact, it was an entire process taking place with all the people. They did not know how to keep on living, so part of the nation followed Nimrod with his egoistic method of correction, calling them to fulfill the American dream. And the other part followed Abraham, who called for them to become Israel, to aspire to the Creator.
To worship the Creator means to follow the force of connection. All commandments aim us at connection within the tens in order to become as a ten to one union, one group, one understanding. This is the essence, the meaning, and the purpose of commandments because we need to correct the broken vessel.2
From Adam to Abraham, humanity kept developing and its desire to enjoy grew. Inside a person, who was still an animal, human qualities began to emerge, i.e., egoism. He started separating himself from the rest of the people: his wife, children, his own house, possessions, work, property, trade.
Everyone felt more and more distanced from others until it came to the point that they began fighting among each other and believing in different idols, i.e., different forces. An idol is not just a mere statue that one bows down to; there is a deep internal philosophy that stands behind it. It is active in people to this day and we see that the world still has a great separation between all religions, each one worshiping its own symbol. This entire breakage began in ancient Babylon.
The desire to enjoy keeps growing step by step, causing certain consequences: Shoresh de Shoresh, Alef de Shoresh, Bet de Shoresh, Gimel de Shoresh, Dalet de Shoresh (0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 4-0). The development on level zero has come to an end and level 1 has begun: 0-1, 1-1, 2-1, etc. So, the desire kept on growing until Galgalta ve Eynaim stopped developing and Abraham appeared as its consequence.
Abraham is the connection of Bina and Malchut. Thus, he can be the father to the nation, meaning to give Malchut the quality of Bina. Therefore, Abraham breaks the idols showing that it is Bina, the quality of bestowal, that should be worshiped instead of Malchut, reception. Bestowal becomes our God, and this is the whole difference between Abraham and Nimrod.
This was is ideological. There are only ten Sefirot, Galgalta ve Eynaim and AHP, the relationship between the broken vessels and the work toward correction.3
Abraham was the first man who created the link between Bina and Malchut. He raised his Malchut to Bina in 40 years during which he started to attain the Creator, the quality of bestowal, Bina. This is how he created his methodology and started teaching it to others.4
It is said that “the world stands on three pillars: the Torah, spiritual work, and kindness.” The order is: Abraham—Isaac—Jacob. Abraham is Chesed, kindness, the light of Hassadim. This is the light that reforms, our preparation for work. The work is Isaac, Gevura, strength. Through this work we come to Jacob—Torah, Tifferet. This is the process we must go through.
The light comes, we work on our connection and reveal the Creator within our unity.
The “three pillars that the world stands on” are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Abraham is Chesed, a man of kindness who exerted efforts in bringing people to kindness. Isaac is the pillar of work who put himself on the “sacrificial altar”; meaning, he sacrificed himself for the work, strength. The sacrificial altar refers to our desire to enjoy that we keep working on as we sacrifice it, wanting to change it to the desire to bestow.
Jacob is called “the man of the Torah.” Torah is the middle line that we arrive at through hard work on our egoism, with the force of Abraham, meaning, due to the work of Isaac, strength (overcoming). All the sufferings of Jacob represent the struggle with the evil inclination.
The order of the work:
1. We receive the force from above called Abraham.
2. We work hard on our desire to enjoy this force in order to organize it correctly—this is called the work of Isaac.
3. We then arrive at the middle line, the connection between the quality of the light, the intention to bestow, the quality of the desire, and they all merge into the middle line called Jacob.5
2. We work hard on our desire to enjoy this force in order to organize it correctly—this is called the work of Isaac.
3. We then arrive at the middle line, the connection between the quality of the light, the intention to bestow, the quality of the desire, and they all merge into the middle line called Jacob.5
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/15/20,” Israel’s Duty Toward Humanity”
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