The Return to the Creator: How to Arrive at Your Final Destination
A Pure Force That Imparts Pure Thoughts
In reality there exist the creatures and the Force that created them and continually governs them. This Force is able to rectify the creations, giving them the strength to improve themselves and begin to ascend spiritually. It is with the aid of this Force that the universe was created; therefore impure egoistic forces can neither diminish its power nor use it to their own advantage, since the impure forces have an effect only where the pure forces are weak.
Hence, the ultimately pure Force helps us distinguish between pure and impure thoughts, since as soon as our thoughts are directed away from the Creator, the power of the Force of the blessing disappears.
When Advancement Leads to Anguish
The sounds of the letters (nekudot) symbolize the outpouring of Light, the perception of the Creator. Any perception of the Creator, any spiritual sentiment comprises ten Sefirot. Starting from the highest of these (Keter), the sounds correspond to the following gradation: 1 – kamatz; 2 – patah; 3 –segol; 4 – tseireh; 5 –shva; 6 – holam; 7 – hirek; 8 –kubutz; 9 – shuruk; 10 – without sound, that is, corresponding to Malchut—the last stage of perception, which never becomes filled. Sometimes, in the process of advancing towards the goal to draw closer to the Creator, we suddenly feel weak, since we lack knowledge of Kabbalah and are unable to perform any unselfish acts. Instead, our thoughts are only concerned with our success in this world.
We then fall into despair and tell ourselves that the ability to draw close to the Creator was given to special people with special powers from birth, as well as qualities, thoughts and desires appropriate to this goal, and whose hearts yearn for Kabbalah and for self-improvement.
Rising from Despair with the Creator’s Help
But afterwards another feeling arises—the awareness that everyone has a place prepared for them beside the Creator, and that everyone, sooner or later will merit spiritual pleasures by clinging to the Creator. We will then rise out of our despair, and become aware that the Creator is “All Able” and plans the path of every one, knows what each one of us feels, leads us, and awaits our turning towards Him with a request to draw closer to Him.
Afterwards, we will recall that more than once we had said this to ourselves, but nothing had changed. In the end, we remain immersed in thoughts of our despicable weakness and insignificance. Later, we come to realize that this feeling was sent to us by the Creator in order that we can overcome it.
We then begin working on improving ourselves, using all the will we possess. Suddenly, we receive from the future condition to which we aspire. This means that the Light of the future state is shining from afar, since it cannot shine from within as long as our desires remain egoistic in nature. The Light (spiritual pleasure) cannot enter and shine (please us) in such desires.
The Return to the Creator
As creations, we are a concentrated essence of egoistic desires, and are known as “human beings.”
The Creator, on the other hand, is totally removed from anything egoistic. Therefore, returning to the Creator, clinging to Him, and becoming aware of Him, all come as a result of becoming equivalent in form to Him. Such a return to the Creator is called a “higher return.”
This is the reason that a return to the Creator, a merging with the Creator, an awareness of the Creator can be considered as nothing other than concurring with Him in certain qualities. It is this return to the Creator that is known as tshuva.
One can determine that such a return has been achieved only if the Creator Himself “testifies” to it. What is this testimony? It is that one now has the ability to constantly feel His Presence, which makes it possible to be with the Creator in all thoughts.
In this manner, one can tear oneself away from the desires of the body.
“The Return to the Creator: How to Arrive at Your Final Destination” is based on the book, Attaining the Worlds Beyond by Dr. Michael Laitman.
