The Rhythm of Growth: Why Ascents Need Descents

It’s so exciting to see all our friends around the world today. The Creator created the laws of nature. Each time we advance we discover a new layer. And at first, our will to receive isn’t crazy about the situation. This is why we constantly need to keep working on our connection against upcoming descents. In the first part of this lesson we’ll read the article by Rabash we read in the morning lesson: What Is, “And Abraham Was Old, of Many Days,” in the Work? (excerpt below about ascents and descents)

Article 8, 1991

However, we should understand why the Creator gives us these descents. That is, first, one must believe that the Creator gives us these descents, and then a person asks for what purpose the Creator gave me these descents. In other words, when one believes that the Creator is sending this to him, the descents come to a person after he had a state of ascent and he asked the Creator to bring him closer to Him, and he believes that the Creator hears a prayer.

We all strive for those moments of clarity, inspiration, and connection—what we experience as an ascent. In these states, everything feels aligned. We feel close to something greater, deeply motivated, and entirely focused on contributing rather than just taking care of our own interests. At that moment, it’s hard to even imagine that a low point ever existed, let alone that it could happen again.

And yet, descents come.

Sometimes they hit us so hard that we lose touch with our inspiration entirely, slipping back into self-protection or feeling like our efforts don't matter. It raises an honest question: Why does this cycle exist? Why would we be given periods of elevation only to fall back down?

The answer lies in a fundamental principle of human development: "The advantage of light is known through the darkness."

Valuing the Gift

Imagine someone giving you a gift you think is worth a hundred dollars. You're grateful, but casual about it. But if you later discover that the gift is worth ten thousand dollars, your entire relationship to it changes. You cherish it, protect it, and hold onto it with immense care.

It’s the same with inner growth. When we experience closeness or a breakthrough without having known the opposite, we simply cannot appreciate its true weight. We can't feel the full value of connection until we have also felt the contrast of being disconnected. Growth requires both feet—left and right, ascent and descent—to build genuine emotional maturity.

The Shortcut of the Wise

Do we always have to wait for a painful fall to learn this lesson? The wisdom of Kabbalah offers a shortcut. A person who is truly attentive doesn’t wait to hit rock bottom to reevaluate. While they are in a state of ascent, they actively reflect on what it feels like to be disconnected. They simulate the contrast—remembering the struggle, the fatigue, and the desire to escape—while standing in the light.

By doing this "search" before the light is lost, we save precious time. We learn to treasure our moments of connection, protect them, and deepen our awareness without having to relearn everything the hard way.

Clip : Accelerating Our Development

Our entire task is to accelerate our development. The plan—its beginning, its end, and all the intermediate stages—is already clearly defined and fixed; it was established during the descent of reality from the Ein Sof (the Infinite) down to this world. Our role is to accelerate the developmental process from below upward. In this context, "time" is essentially a sequence of stages.

How do we accelerate these stages? Think of it in terms of computers: there is a software program, but it can run on a processor operating at, say, 100,000 MHz or 200,000 MHz—it’s a matter of frequency. It works exactly the same way here: it depends on the frequency with which a person returns to the thought: "What about me? What about the goal? What about the Creator? Where do I stand in my orientation—in my direction—toward Him?" Such efforts are primarily possible during the phase of ascent.

During a descent, a person is like an unrefined, instinct-driven creature—a golem—incapable of taking action. They cannot summon the necessary strength, and it is extremely difficult to rouse them. While they might be able to speed up the period of descent through the help of a group or friends, it is impossible to demand actual progress during such a time. In fact, actions taken during a descent are not considered transgressions, because the failures, the doubts, and the descents themselves are imposed from above. One must learn to sense this state. However, during a state of ascent—when one has received power from above—one is subject to scrutiny and evaluation regarding how that power is utilized. The "Light" (the spiritual illumination) has the capacity to bring a person back to the right path; in other words, since you have received power from above, you must now use it for the purpose of tikkun (rectification). If, instead, a person uses this power for personal pleasure—deriving enjoyment from the state of ascent itself—they immediately begin to descend and fall. Thus, the primary effort lies not in avoiding a descent, but in continuously ascending—rising higher and higher.

Theoretically, in an ideal scenario, once a person experiences an ascent, they ought to maintain that state without ever descending. This should be their fundamental objective. While there may be higher-level considerations regarding what is to be done with such an individual, their own duty is simply to remain in that state—while constantly fearing a fall. This fear should not stem from the prospect of future suffering or deep, existential pain; rather, the concepts of "ascent" and "descent" must be evaluated based on one’s orientation toward the Creator—one’s relationship with Him. This is where the core of the labor lies.

Success comes to those who create various "reminders" for themselves—cues that help them stay focused on the work, the purpose of Creation, the Creator, and their relationship with Him. By utilizing friends, spiritual texts, and other such markers, one can orient oneself—and one’s actions—toward the Creator, ensuring that one’s deeds and the Creator remain connected. Whoever succeeds in this shortens the developmental time. Michael Laitman