Faith in the Creator’s Ability to Change Us

Free will is the personal, independent decision of human beings to choose that the Creator should rule over us rather than Pharaoh. The power of Pharaoh consists of demonstrating to us the rewards we can receive. We clearly perceive the rewards that can be gained from our egoistic actions; we comprehend these rewards with our reason, and see them with our eyes. The result is known from the start; and is approved by society, by the family, by the parents, and by the children.

Hence, the body asks Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?” (Exodus 5, 2), meaning, “What do I gain from work like this?”

We are thus correct when we see that it is impossible to advance against our own nature. But advancement itself is not the ultimate goal, but only the act of having faith in the Creator’s ability to change us.

From Suffering to the Creator’s Revelation

The Light of the Creator, His disclosure to a human being, is known as “life.”

The first instance of the permanent perception of the Creator is known as “the spiritual birth” of a person. But just as in our world a person possesses a natural desire to live, so in the spiritual world one is obligated to develop the same aspiration in oneself.

This is necessary if one truly desires to be born spiritually, in accordance with the principle “the suffering for pleasure determines the pleasure that is received.” Therefore, we must study Kabbalah for the sake of Kabbalah; that is, to reveal the Light and the Creator. If one does not attain this objective, one feels tremendous suffering and bitterness. This condition is known as “a life of suffering.” Yet one must, nevertheless, continue to exert effort. The fact that one did not attain the Revelation of the Creator should prompt that person to increase efforts until the Creator will reveal Himself.

It is clearly seen that it is human suffering that gradually gives rise to the real desire to attain the Revelation of the Creator. Such suffering is known as “the suffering of love.” This suffering is worthy of anyone’s envy! When the vessel is sufficiently filled with this suffering, the Creator will reveal Himself to the Kabbalists, those who acquired this desire.

Weighing the Benefit of Material and Spiritual Considerations

Quite often, in order to complete a business deal, there is a need for a middle man, who can convey to the buyer a message that a certain object is worth even more than the price that is placed on that object. In other words, the seller is not inflating the price at all.

The entire method of “receiving admonition” (mussar) is based on this principle, which attempts to convince an individual to leave aside material considerations for the sake of the spiritual. All the books of mussar teach that all the pleasures of our world are spurious, and carry no value in them. Therefore, an individual is not really giving up anything significant when turning away from spiritual pleasures.

The method of Rabbi Baal Shem-Tov is somewhat different. A greater emphasis is placed on the object that is being bought. An individual is shown the infinite worth and grandeur of the spiritual acquisition. It is conceded that there is certain value in the pleasures of this world, but it is preferable if one would refuse them, since the spiritual pleasures are incomparably greater.

Faith That Yields the Creator’s Help

If an individual could remain in egoism and, at the same time, receive spiritual pleasures with the material ones, then the desires of that individual would constantly increase. As a result, the individual would move further away from the Creator due to an increasing disparity in qualities and their magnitude. Because the individual would not perceive the Creator, there would be no feelings of shame from the act of receiving pleasure.

One can receive pleasure from the Creator only by virtue of becoming similar to Him in qualities, which will immediately be countered by the body. This resistance will be experienced in the form of questions that will arise, such as:

“What did I gain from this work, even though I spent so much effort on it? “Why should I study so hard at night?”

“Is it truly possible to attain the perception of the spiritual and of the Creator to the degree that the Kabbalists describe?”

“Is it a task that can be carried out by an ordinary person?”

All that our egoism suggests is correct: A human being is not able to attain even the lowest of the spiritual levels without help. However, it can be done with the help of the Creator. The most difficult aspect, however, is to have faith in the Creator’s help until it is received. The Creator’s help in countering egoism comes as a Revelation of His grandeur and power.

“The Egoist’s Guide to Revealing the Creator” is based on the book, Attaining the Worlds Beyond by Dr. Michael Laitman.