To Reach Spiritual Attainment, Just Follow One Law
The great sage, Rabbi Akiva, (1st century CE) said: “Love thy neighbor as thyself is the comprehensive rule of all the spiritual laws.”
When Rabbi Akiva speaks about love for our neighbor (one of many spiritual laws), about our duties with regard to society and even to the Creator as the comprehensive law, he implies that all the other laws are mere constituents of this rule.
Kabbalah’s Absolute Litmus Test of Love That Applies Anywhere: ‘How Would I Like It If…?’
However, when we try to find an explanation for this, we are met with an even more unusual statement by the sage, Hillel. When his disciple asked him to teach him the entire wisdom of Kabbalah while standing on one foot, Hillel replied: “Anything that you hate, do not do to others!” Hillel’s answer teaches us that the whole purpose, indeed the reason for the existence of Kabbalah, is to clarify and fulfill a single law: “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Is Love an Impossible Dream?
Yet, how can I love another as myself? Loving others as myself would imply constantly fulfilling all the desires of all the people, when I am unable to satisfy even my own desires! Moreover, the sages explain that we have to satisfy others’ desires before our own.
Take this Self-Test! How Well Can I Keep the Law of Love?
Instructions: Evaluate yourself in the following two situations on a scale of 1 – 10, “10” meaning “I would ALWAYS carry out this action”, and “1” meaning “I would NEVER behave in this way.”
- If you have only one pillow, you must give it to your friend. How often would you carry out this action? (Evaluate yourself on scale of 1 – 10)
- If you have one chair, another person should take it, while you stand or sit on the ground. How often would you carry out this action? (Evaluate yourself on scale of 1 – 10)
If you could not answer “ALWAYS” to these situations, you will not be fulfilling the instruction of loving your neighbor as yourself. So, is this really a feasible demand?
Why Is Love Beyond Me?
There are two kinds of laws in Kabbalah – those with regard to other people and those with regard to the Creator. However, both of them are intended to make us similar to the Creator. It is utterly unimportant to us whether we act for the sake of the Creator or for the sake of other people. This is because anything that transcends the boundaries of our personal interest remains completely imperceptible, meaning that we can’t feel it at all.
Why Egoism is the Biggest Barrier to Love
Every movement that we make for the sake of another is – in the end – for self-benefit. It is absolutely impossible to make any physical or mental movement without a prior intention to derive at least some profit from it. This law of nature is known as “absolute egoism.” Only by observing the spiritual laws can one achieve the state of selfless love for others. Those who do not follow the rules of Kabbalah have no way of transcending the boundaries of “absolute egoism.”
Where to Find the Escape Route from Egoism
According to Kabbalah, the laws regulating social relationships are more important than the laws regulating the relationship with the Creator. This is so because when we follow these laws under changing social circumstances, we are able to correct ourselves effectively and in the right direction.
Now we can understand Hillel’s answer to his disciple: the main thing is to love your neighbor, the rest are merely subsidiary laws, including those pertaining to our relations with the Creator. In fact, one cannot merge with the Creator prior to attaining love for others. Hence, the ancient sage pointed to “love thy neighbor” as the safest and quickest means to master Kabbalah.
Check Out the Breakout! – The Big Revelation
Now imagine a nation with a population of millions in which every member lovingly and unreservedly aspired to help every other member of society and satisfied their every need. Clearly, not a single person of that society would need to worry about him or herself or fear the future. Indeed, millions of loving people would constantly stand guard over their interests and take care of them.
Flooding the World with Love
Another ancient sage, Elazar, the son of Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai, the author of The Zohar), has an even greater surprise for us. He says that not only every nation, but all of humanity, every living being, is responsible for each other. Rabbi Elazar states that all nations will have to observe this rule, and in so doing the entire world will be corrected. The world cannot be completely corrected and elevated unless everyone embraces the comprehensive law of the universe.
“The One Law You Need to Know to Reach Spirituality” is based on the book, Basic Concepts in Kabbalah: Expanding Your Inner Vision by Dr. Michael Laitman.
