"Hevruta" - following Lesson 9. There is None Else Beside Him
"Hevruta" - following Lesson 9.
"There is None Else Beside Him"
The article "There is None Else Beside Him" is a special article. In a way in contains the entire wisdom of Kabbalah but from the perspective of the inner work.
This wisdom is no more and no less than a sequence of roots that cascade by way of cause and consequence,
following fixed, determined laws that interweave into a single, exalted goal described as
“the revelation of His Godliness to His creatures in this world.”
Baal HaSulam
Meaning, this revelation or attainment leads us to discover that the whole reality is one force - that “There is none else besides Him" meaning there is no other force in the world that has the ability to do anything against this force of bestowal.
For now, we do not see this reality but that is also why this is called spiritual work - as we are given room for our own independent development.
Inner Work
This inner work is exactly what is described in detail in Shamati articles, where Baal HaSulam describes the many situations we are going through during our progression from below upward.
Let's read the article and see how we can understand it. We will not read everything but large part of the articles - and we will stop at place to make sure we understand correctly some of the concept Baal HaSulam is using.
There Is None Else Besides Him
It is written, “There is none else besides Him.” This means that there is no other force in the world that has the ability to do anything against Him. And what one sees, that there are things in the world that deny the upper household, the reason is that this is His will.
This is deemed a correction called “the left rejects and the right pulls closer,” meaning that what the left rejects is considered a correction. This means that there are things in the world that, to begin with, aim to divert a person from the right way, and by which he is rejected from Kedusha [holiness].
The benefit from the rejections is that through them a person receives a complete need and desire for the Creator to help him since he sees that otherwise he is lost; not only is he not progressing in the work, he even sees that he regresses. That is, he lacks the strength to observe Torah [from the word Orh - Light] and Mitzvot [corrections of the heart] even Lo Lishma (even egoistically) for only by genuinely overcoming all the obstacles, above reason, can he observe the Torah (Light) and Mitzvot (corrections). But he does not always have the strength to overcome above reason; otherwise, he is forced to deviate, from the way of the Creator, even from Lo Lishma.
And he, who always feels that the shattered is greater than the whole, meaning that there are many more descents than ascents, and he does not see an end to these states, and he will forever remain outside of holiness, for he sees that it is difficult for him to observe even in the slightest bit, unless by overcoming above reason. But he cannot always overcome, so what will be in the end?
Then he comes to the decision that no one can help but the Creator Himself. This causes him to make a heartfelt demand that the Creator will open his eyes and heart and truly bring him closer to eternal Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator. It therefore follows that all the rejections that he had were all from the Creator.
Here we are given in a few sentences the entire spiritial work.
It is written, “There is none else besides Him.” This means that there is no other force in the world that has the ability to do anything against Him.
Here Baal HaSulam describes a state that himself and other Kabbalists have reached - now we do not feel this state, we do not see or feel everything is coming from this force.
We feel we act and move independently and that we are influenced by all sorts of forces - just like we studied in the article The Freedom.
So, how do we actually discover this one force?
Baal HaSulam continues
And what one sees, that there are things in the world that deny the upper household, the reason is that this is His will.
Meaning like we studied the principle "the benefit of the light from darkness" - we understand a thing from its contrast with its opposite and therefore it is precisely when we see that there are things in the world that deny the upper force than we can enter a process of correction.
The Left Line
Baal HaSulam is calling this correction the action of the "left line":
This is deemed a correction called “the left rejects and the right pulls closer,” meaning that what the left rejects is considered a correction. This means that there are things in the world that, to begin with, aim to divert a person from the right way, and by which he is rejected from Kedusha [holiness].
The benefit from the rejections is that through them a person receives a complete need and desire for the Creator to help him since he sees that otherwise he is lost; not only is he not progressing in the work, he even sees that he regresses.
Meaning before that we did not have such a great lack for the Creator and now this lack has grown, and since we now understand everything depends on our desire, then we can see more clearly why growing a lack is a good thing.
And he, who always feels that the shattered is greater than the whole, meaning that there are many more descents than ascents, and he does not see an end to these states, and he will forever remain outside of holiness, for he sees that it is difficult for him to observe even in the slightest bit, unless by overcoming above reason. But he cannot always overcome, so what will be in the end?Then he comes to the decision that no one can help but the Creator Himself. This causes him to make a heartfelt demand that the Creator will open his eyes and heart and truly bring him closer to eternal Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator. It therefore follows that all the rejections that he had were all from the Creator.
And then Baal HaSulam continue
This means that it was not because he was at fault that he did not have the ability to overcome. Rather, for those people who truly want to draw near to the Creator, so they do not settle for little, meaning remain as senseless children, he is therefore given help from above so he will not be able to say, “Thank God, I have Torah and Mitzvot and good deeds, and what else do I need?”
Meaning maybe even if I am studying from authentic books, and I have an environment and seemingly everything, precisely because I have everything that I can take on myself new states, new situations so that I can better use my environment and not just pat myself on the back that now I can rest.
Only if that person has a true desire will he receive help from above, and he will always be shown that he is at fault in the present state. Namely, he is sent thoughts and views that are against the work. This is in order for him to see that he is not in wholeness cwith the Creator. As much as he overcomes, he always sees that he is farther from holiness than others, who feel that they are in wholeness with the Creator.
But he, on the other hand, always has complaints and demands, and he cannot justify the Creator’s behavior, the way He behaves with him. This pains him: Why is he not wholly with the Creator? Finally, he comes to feel that he has no part in holiness at all.
Although he occasionally receives an awakening from above, which momentarily revives him, soon after, he falls into the place of baseness. Yet, this is what causes him to come to realize that only the Creator can help and really bring him closer.
One must always try and adhere to the Creator, namely that all his thoughts will be about Him. That is to say, even if he is in the worst state, from which there cannot be a greater decline, he should not leave His domain, namely that there is another authority that prevents him from entering the Kedusha [holiness], that can bring benefit or harm.
That is, he must not think that there is a force of the Sitra Achra [other side] that does not let a person do good deeds and walk in the ways of the Creator. Rather, all is done by the Creator.
So now what do we do with this knowledge?
Baal HaSulam continue and explain that we need to learn to enjoy these states because they are coming from above - meaning now that I lost taste in the work, it's not because I am bad- but it is because the Creator is giving more opportunity to grow, meaning we should be happy that upper force is trying to bring me closer.
In a different article he writes:
"he sees that there are many people in the world who were not given the strength to do the holy work even in the simplest way, even without the intention and in Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], even in Lo Lishma of Lo Lishma, and even in preparation for the preparation of the clothing of Kedusha [holiness], but he was imparted the desire and thought to at least occasionally do some inner work, even in the simplest possible way, if one can appreciate the importance of this, according to the importance one attributes to the holy work, to that extent he should give praise and thanks for it."
Meaning all these situations are a present given and we can learn to use them at their maximum.
Question & Answer
Workshop
How can we keep looking for the action of this upper force - so we can reach "There is None Else Beside Him" ?