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I was watching the video with RavLaitman about the four states in the Related section of Week 4, and the question was raised, “why four states and not two?” This is because we are looking at a binary system. If the will to bestow = 1 and the will to receive = 0, then mathematically you will have four separate combinations or permutations: 1 1, 1 0, 0 1, and 0 0.
I was contemplating the other day about how Adam was the first Kabbalist and discovered the laws of nature as the Creator being the will to bestow and the creature the will to receive. How did he come to this understanding? Then I realized all he needed to do was look at a tree. The tree receives light from the sun, mixes it with air, water,and nutrients from the earth, and thrives. The sun, like the Creator, shines it’s light on the whole world, and whosoever wants to receive it does. The sun is self contained and needs nothing from outside itself to radiate light, just as the Creator has need of nothing. The tree receives the light shed on it and can give nothing back to the sun that it would need or want other than praise. Isaiah 55:12 ..and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Is Faith Below Reason or Above Reason?
The question of faith has been swirling in my mind today. Is it simply believing in something unseen, a blind acceptance of the Creator’s existence? Can a true connection be built on this foundation alone?The idea of believing for personal gain – “what’s in it for me?” – seems to cheapen the concept of faith. If we approach the Creator solely for rewards or to avoid punishment, is that true faith at all? Perhaps it’s just another manifestation of ego, a veiled form of self-interest. This kind of faith, driven by self-serving desires, feels like it falls below reason. It prioritizes immediate gratification over a deeper understanding.
True faith, I believe, transcends the limitations of reason. It’s a deeper knowing, a sixth sense that allows us to perceive the Creator’s purpose woven into the fabric of existence. This faith allows us to connect with the divine light, not for personal gain, but to fulfill a deeper purpose, a purpose that goes beyond our egotistical desires.
The Creator’s essence is far beyond the human capacity to comprehend. Our senses and understanding of the world limit us. However, a spark resides within our hearts, a spark that, cultivated by faith, allows us to begin to glean glimpses of the divine purpose.
By nurturing our altruistic desires to connect with something greater than ourselves, we move closer to experiencing the Creator’s light. This journey isn’t about blind belief, but about cultivating a connection with the Creator’s purpose. It’s an exploration of both the universe and ourselves.
What gave me a new perspective or a “wake-up call” from the text is that if I truly wish to earn the Revelation of the Creator, this has to be my strongest desire that no other desires exist. For me, this means that I have to do a lot of inner work than I previously thought.
I’ve read a lot of stuff over decades about the Tree of Life and the sefirot and Gil’s “Made Simple’ lesson here blew all that away as well as my mind. It was an Aha moment for me. Finally something that sounds real and makes complete sense in every way. Also – seeing how much of this information gets misinterpreted because people insist on applying it to corporeal matter. It has changed my way of looking at the texts.
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