The Creator removes from Himself a tiny part (so to speak) and
implants in it selfishness. This « universal » selfishness then
breaks smaller selfish parts. Thereafter, a progressive
reintegration of those parts causes the creation of the Upper
Worlds, Atzilut, Briah, Yetsira, Assiah. The purest "fragments" are
used for the creation of the highest spiritual worlds. Later, the
most selfish desires, the very heart of creation, the Malchut of the
Endless World brings about the creation of the soul of Adam, the
first man. Then, after the sin of Adam, again the spark of
Godliness, trapped in selfishness subdivides itself again into
smaller and smaller fragments, that form our souls.
Beginners who study Kabbalah often do not perceive how the world is
ruled. They ask whether actions depend on our choice or on the
Creator? Before a man can launch a project he must be convinced that
his actions have consequences. Yet after succeeding, « paradoxically
», he must understand that all depends solely on the Creator. If we
think this way, we will progress correctly.
There are things, which can only be felt, not explained. The incarnation of the spiritual in the material is difficult to describe in words. Modern science may justify itself, but how can the process by which one world takes the shape of another be explained? Kabbalistic explanations are only possible up to the point when Adam's soul is fragmented. This is not because Kabbalists do not wish to provide more explanations, but because the explanation pertains to what a man feels and cannot explain.
Selfishness is such a powerful spiritual force that the thought of getting rid of it hardly ever crosses our mind. In order to know ourselves we need to look at ourselves from outside, to feel something different other than ourselves, to compare ourselves to something outside of us.
Surrounding objects are perceived because they are made up of the same selfishness. Otherwise they would remain invisible. Selfishness takes many forms. Its most restricted form is the one that can only perceive itself. This is the perception that man has in our world. We are so selfish that we can only perceive ourselves.
When we "grow" a little bit, our selfishness reaches beyond the limits of our world and we begin to perceive the Creator. Our selfishness becomes spiritual. Our desire is no longer based on physical or worldly pleasure but on spiritual enjoyment brought by the light of the Creator.
Man is only animated by conscious or unconscious desires. Our reason is given to us in order to help us make sense of and achieve all our desires. Hence man cannot rise above his desires. Motivated by his desires and emotions, man first directs the course of his actions and becomes conscious of them teleological only afterwards after the choice.
How does he indeed become conscious of an event, which takes place? In reaction to man's actions the Creator manifests by degrees, His almightiness in order to give man a more aware retrospective awareness of the consequences of his actions. Even remembering our way of acting depends on the Creator. He will teach us the meaning of our actions by responding to us, giving us pleasure or suffering according to our merit or guilt.
Our education is therefore a process, which unfolds every second, but it cannot make us correct ourselves in any way. We only need to become aware of our selfishness and how helpless we are when we confront it. The Creator looks after everything which is not part of this awareness. The more man advances on a spiritual path, the more he moderates his self-esteem and the more he understands his true nature. As the Creator unveils himself, man gradually realizes what he actually is with respect to the Creator.
When we realize this, we progress along the spiritual path. Imagine a person who has achieved 99% of his correction. The remaining 1% that is not corrected appears much bigger than the previous 99%. The "small chaff in the eye" seems enormous.
Our actions and our study enable us to become aware of the Creator and of ourselves. When man realizes his absolute insignificance he despairs. He does not see the Creator and the whole world seems dark to him. If while in this dark state, a man bears in mind that the spiritual source of all this is nothing but the Creator of whom he can ask things and upon whom all matters depends, he will become aware of his spiritual link with the Creator. He will then cease to despair. He will understand that these seemingly negative conditions are sent temporarily from above and that they are unavoidable.
The way we connect ourselves to the Creator does not matter to him. The most important is for man to understand that He exists. The Creator sends desires so that we can react to Him and grow spiritually.
There are things, which can only be felt, not explained. The incarnation of the spiritual in the material is difficult to describe in words. Modern science may justify itself, but how can the process by which one world takes the shape of another be explained? Kabbalistic explanations are only possible up to the point when Adam's soul is fragmented. This is not because Kabbalists do not wish to provide more explanations, but because the explanation pertains to what a man feels and cannot explain.
Selfishness is such a powerful spiritual force that the thought of getting rid of it hardly ever crosses our mind. In order to know ourselves we need to look at ourselves from outside, to feel something different other than ourselves, to compare ourselves to something outside of us.
Surrounding objects are perceived because they are made up of the same selfishness. Otherwise they would remain invisible. Selfishness takes many forms. Its most restricted form is the one that can only perceive itself. This is the perception that man has in our world. We are so selfish that we can only perceive ourselves.
When we "grow" a little bit, our selfishness reaches beyond the limits of our world and we begin to perceive the Creator. Our selfishness becomes spiritual. Our desire is no longer based on physical or worldly pleasure but on spiritual enjoyment brought by the light of the Creator.
Man is only animated by conscious or unconscious desires. Our reason is given to us in order to help us make sense of and achieve all our desires. Hence man cannot rise above his desires. Motivated by his desires and emotions, man first directs the course of his actions and becomes conscious of them teleological only afterwards after the choice.
How does he indeed become conscious of an event, which takes place? In reaction to man's actions the Creator manifests by degrees, His almightiness in order to give man a more aware retrospective awareness of the consequences of his actions. Even remembering our way of acting depends on the Creator. He will teach us the meaning of our actions by responding to us, giving us pleasure or suffering according to our merit or guilt.
Our education is therefore a process, which unfolds every second, but it cannot make us correct ourselves in any way. We only need to become aware of our selfishness and how helpless we are when we confront it. The Creator looks after everything which is not part of this awareness. The more man advances on a spiritual path, the more he moderates his self-esteem and the more he understands his true nature. As the Creator unveils himself, man gradually realizes what he actually is with respect to the Creator.
When we realize this, we progress along the spiritual path. Imagine a person who has achieved 99% of his correction. The remaining 1% that is not corrected appears much bigger than the previous 99%. The "small chaff in the eye" seems enormous.
Our actions and our study enable us to become aware of the Creator and of ourselves. When man realizes his absolute insignificance he despairs. He does not see the Creator and the whole world seems dark to him. If while in this dark state, a man bears in mind that the spiritual source of all this is nothing but the Creator of whom he can ask things and upon whom all matters depends, he will become aware of his spiritual link with the Creator. He will then cease to despair. He will understand that these seemingly negative conditions are sent temporarily from above and that they are unavoidable.
The way we connect ourselves to the Creator does not matter to him. The most important is for man to understand that He exists. The Creator sends desires so that we can react to Him and grow spiritually.
