Accounting for Our Purpose in Life

(For example,) In ordinary life, if we own a business, we systematically assess the outcome of our work and our profits. If we see that our expenses and efforts are not justified, that is, the profit is less than the investment, then we close down the business and open a new one, because the anticipated profit stands before our eyes.

Under no circumstance do we deceive ourselves, but clearly assess our benefits in the form of money, honors, fame, tranquility and so on—in whichever form we want our profit to be.

One might ask, why don’t we sum up the general outcome of our lives, for instance, once a year, and consider for what purpose did we live and spend the year? Yet, if we deal even slightly with our spiritual development, then why do we need to ask ourselves about every single moment?

Blocked from the Most Important Questions

Our world is a world of falsehood.

As a result, our bodies do not want to face these questions because they cannot provide the answers. In truth, what can our answer be as the year comes to an end, or as the end of life itself approaches?

All is passed, the good and the bad, and what are we with? Why have we worked for the needs of our own bodies? There is no answer, because there is no reward for the life that passed. Because of this, the body does not permit us to ask these questions.

Spirituality, on the other hand, since it is true, and the spiritual reward is eternal, poses to us the question of our spiritual reward with the aim of arousing us to receive even greater benefits from our efforts. In this way, we will correct ourselves to a greater degree and will receive a greater eternal reward.

Ready or Not to Pursue Spirituality

Why, then, does the Creator give us false preoccupations with life in this world? The process of creating a spiritual vessel is very complex and lengthy. We believe that we must experience the entire spectrum of worldly egoism, to experience it all, in all of its lowliness, and to taste all of its false pleasures, down to its lowest levels (of egoism).

During our work, as we approach the boundary between the physical and spiritual realms, we accumulate experiences until we reach the spiritual realm. This process of gaining experience does not occur in one single revolution of life in this world. All information is stored in our souls and exhibited at the appropriate moment.

But until then, the process of acquisition is hidden from us, and we only experience our present state. Since our entire essence centers on our desire to gain pleasure, the Creator gives “life,” known as “falsity,” to those who are not yet ready for spiritual ascent, so that they will have a source of strength in order to live.

Separating from the Evil Inside Us

“Abandon evil and do good.” The first stage of the correction is called “the realization of evil,” since as soon as we become convinced that egoism is our most dangerous and deadly enemy, we will hate it and abandon it. A situation like this has now become unbearable.

However, it is not necessary to run away from the evil, but just to feel what the evil really is, and afterwards we will instinctively separate from the harmful. Our realization of what is evil occurs precisely while under the influence of doing good acts—while observing the commandments and learning Kabbalah, because when we are under their positive influence, we begin to long for spiritual perfection and to sense what exactly is preventing us from experiencing a spiritual life.

While the Creator is still in a state of concealment, we must work towards acquiring faith in the fact that such a state is to our benefit, because in all states the Creator does only what is most useful and beneficial for us.

If we were ready to receive the Light of the Creator without harming ourselves, undoubtedly the Creator would reveal Himself to us.

But since we are unable to control pleasures that we already feel, the Creator does not give such immense pleasures as these from His Light, since we would immediately become a slave to them, and would never be able to escape from the chains of our egoism.

The Importance of Perceiving the Creator

Each new generation and its majority determine the value and beauty of things, objects, events and categories. Therefore, there are no absolute norms; rather, the majority in each group of people and each generation dictates its own norms, so that the rest can follow them.

For that reason, there always exist new trends and new role models to which one can aspire. Therefore, all that is dictated by the majority is considered to be beautiful, while those who uphold these values receive respect and honors. Consequently, one is willing to devote great effort in order to attain that on which the society places great value.

As a result, it is difficult to acquire spiritual qualities, since the majority does not hold this aim in high esteem as they do the current trends. In truth, is it so very important to perceive the spiritual? In fact, spirituality is exceedingly important.

Yet, if this is so, why does the Creator keep it hidden? The answer is, in order that we should not spoil it, He created a special “trick” called “concealment.” This prevents all of the greatness of the spiritual world from being seen, since we cannot control feelings we have already felt, as explained above.

And since it is now hidden from us, we are only able to rely on faith concerning the immense importance of perceiving the Creator.

“Why We Don’t Perceive the Creator… Yet” is based on the book, Attaining the Worlds Beyond by Dr. Michael Laitman.