You Must Find the Right Social Environment
If a great man who is an expert in a certain field joins a group of others from the same field who are second rate, and they convince him that it is better to work halfheartedly than with all of one’s soul, then this great expert will gradually lose his talent.
If, however, such an expert is found amidst mediocre workers, but comes from a different field of expertise, then that person will not be damaged, since there is no association between that person and the other workers. Therefore, one who truly desires to succeed in a particular field of expertise should strive to become part of an environment of experts who treat their jobs as an art.
Apart from this, the most remarkable difference between an expert and a common worker is that an expert derives pleasure from the work itself and its results, rather than from the wages for that work. Consequently, those who truly desire to elevate themselves spiritually should carefully check the environment and those who surround them.
You Must Practice Caution with “Spiritual” Environments
If it is an environment of people who lack faith in the Creator, then those who seek spiritual elevation are like experts amongst specialists in a different field. The goal of the expert is to grow spiritually, whereas the goal of the specialists is to acquire the greatest pleasure from this world.
However, one should beware of others who believe but do not pay proper attention to the correct reasons for fulfilling the commandments.
These people anticipate the reward that awaits them in the world to come, and observe the commandments for that purpose only. They should be studiously avoided.
One should be especially cautious of those who call themselves “Kabbalists” or mystics, and move as far away as possible from them. These people can cause damage to one’s newly acquired abilities in this area.
You Must Unite Your Desire with the Creator’s Desire
Kabbalah presents the creation as consisting of two components: the Creator and His desire to be gratified with closeness to Him. This desire for such gratification, as the Source of infinite, absolute pleasure, is known as “the soul.” It is similar to all our desires but exists without physical form.
The cause and goal of creation is the Creator’s desire to gratify our souls. The desire of the soul is to be gratified by the Creator. The desire of the Creator and the desire of the soul are resolved as each approaches the other and they unify. When qualities and desires concur, the result is unification and closeness.
Similarly, in our world we consider another person to be close to us because of the feeling of closeness we experience, rather than the person’s proximity to us.
You Must Overcome Your Body’s Opposition
As in our world, the greater the initial distance of separation, the greater the obstacles standing in the way of the desired, and the greater pleasure we receive from attaining that for which we strive.
For this reason, the Creator places the soul in a condition that is most distanced and opposite from Him: He absolutely conceals Himself as the Source of all pleasures and plants the soul in a body with the desire to derive pleasure from everything that surrounds it.
Despite the concealment of the Creator and the obstacles set up by our body’s desires, we may develop a desire within to draw close and cling to the Creator. Then, precisely because of these obstacles caused by the opposition of the body, we will feel a much greater desire to receive pleasure from the Creator than was possible prior to the encasing of our souls into our bodies.
You Must Study Kabbalah
The method or instruction for how we can cling to the Creator is known as Kabbalah, derived from the verb “lekabel“—to receive pleasure from the Creator. With the help of words and descriptions of our world, Kabbalah relates to us the experiences of the spiritual world.
According to Kabbalah, all that is said in the Bible (which includes the Five Books of Moses, the Writings and the Prophets) is said to teach us how to achieve the goal of creation.
Kabbalah sees this meaning in the following words: “In the beginning” (in the beginning of working on oneself, in the beginning of drawing closer to the Creator) “our forefathers” (the initial state of a person’s desires) “were idol worshipers” (all personal desires were directed towards deriving pleasure) “And afterwards, the Creator chose one of them” (from all of one’s desires, we choose one desire, which is to unite with the Creator) “and commanded him to separate from his land and people and to settle in a different place” (in order to perceive the Creator, we must raise one desire above all others—the desire to perceive the Creator—and to distance ourselves from other desires).
If we can choose just one of the desires, cultivate it and live by it alone, that is the desire to unite with the Creator. Then, it is as if we pass on to a different life, a life of spirituality. If we want to move forward, or are already on the path directly towards the Creator, then we are called “Israel,” derived from the words Yashar (directly), le’El (to the Creator).
The creation of the world, including its conception and management, enables the world to exist and advance according to the predetermined plan towards the end for which it was created.
“How to Become an Expert in Spirtuality” is based on the book, Attaining the Worlds Beyond by Dr. Michael Laitman.
