[AspiringAltruist]

Awesome, the answers are very helpful. Thank you.

I interpret that to mean that the rest of creation “receives in order to bestow contentment” to the Creator. It receives the light in a pure, unmolested way and is in perfect balance with the forces of nature. The reason I ask is that I sometimes like to contemplate Creation. For example, when I look at a tree or an animal, I think to myself that this object, this thing, is simply bringing contentment to the Creator. Is this a correct understanding?

The contrasting understanding is that only humans are on the pathway of receiving in order to bestow, while nature just receives.

This has encouraged me to start the Blueprint of Creation, I’ve heard of it many times and just haven’t started it.

[AspiringAltruist]

I’m trying to recall these authentic teachings accurately. Is the rest of creation—like animals, trees, and rocks—already in a perfected state, with only humans needing to follow the three-line model journey from and back to the Creator?

And, if the rest of creation is fully corrected, does this mean it is in a state of “receiving in order to bestow,” or is it in some other state? Or is it not related to that model at all and simply receives?

Also, I’d love to see an animation of the Pticha, showing how the light develops the desire and moves through the partzufim. If such an animation already exists, could you point me to it?

[AspiringAltruist]

I’ve heard that the Creator hears all our prayers, even those that don’t come from the depths of our hearts. But what does it mean that He “hears” those prayers?

We have this selfish trait of egoism from which those prayers arise, and according to these teachings, we never fully rise above that quality. While it’s “possible”, it feels like a paradoxical distant goal. What should we do or feel in the meantime? Do we keep approaching the Creator with our brokenness, even when it seems pointless?

Often, it feels like He doesn’t hear those prayers. When we say that He hears every prayer and answers it instantly, even though we can’t perceive it, it feels like motivated reasoning. I understand we shouldn’t try to justify the Creator, but it still feels very far off.

The Creator seems so absolutely concealed in this world. It feels like this path is a fool’s errand—trying to reveal something that won’t be revealed. It’s one thing to say “there is none else besides Him” and “He is the good that does good,” but it’s another thing to know that, and yet another to feel it.

My question is, how do we regard our prayers to the Creator in our lowly state, far from Lo Lishma and even farther from Lishma?

Are there any excerpts or articles that can uplift those of us who feel like we are in “exile”?

Shamati #1 mentions, “rather, he should regret the exile of the Shechina (Divinity), meaning that he is causing the sorrow of Divinity.” I am sorry for causing the sorrow of Divinity and for not being able to feel the greatness of the Creator, but the Creator put me in this state, and I am demanding answers from the attained sages. I need one of them to reach down and give a hand.

[AspiringAltruist]

Is Rav encouraging us to start practicing tefillin? This is new to me. What is the spiritual root or Kabbalistic perspective of tefillin?

[AspiringAltruist]

In the three line model: Descent, Evolution of Desire, Ascent, Final Correction; are we being pushed or pulled by The Creator towards final correction? And is that significant at all?

• This reply was modified 5 months, 2 weeks ago by AspiringAltruist.

[AspiringAltruist]

In addition to our corporeal names, such as Salvatore or Todd, do we also have a unique spiritual name? Does our soul possess a unique name, or are we nameless or akin to Adam in the spiritual realm? Alternatively, could we be like a 600,000-sided die, a single entity with numerous unique facets?

[Author]

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