Concealment and Disclosure of the Face of the Creator - 1
First concealment
(Depiction): His Face is not revealed; that is, the Creator does not behave toward a person according to His Name—The Good Who Does Good. Rather, it is to the contrary—one is afflicted by Him or suffers from poor income and many people wish to collect their debts from him and make his life bitter. His whole day is filled with troubles and worries. Or, one suffers from poor health and disrespect from people. Every plan he begins, he fails to complete, and he is constantly dissatisfied.
In this manner, of course one does not see the Creator’s Good Face, that is, if he believes that the Creator is the one who does these things to him, either as a punishment for transgressions he committed or to reward him in the end. This follows the verse, “Whom the Lord loves, He rebukes,” and also, “The righteous begin with suffering, since the Creator wishes to eventually impart them great tranquility.”
Yet, one does not fail in saying that all this came to him by blind fate and by nature without any reason or consideration. Rather, one strengthens in believing that the Creator, with His guidance, caused him all these. This is nonetheless considered seeing the Creator’s back.
Second concealment
The second concealment, which the books refer to as “concealment within concealment,” means that one cannot see even the Creator’s back. Instead, one says that the Creator has left him and does not watch over him. He ascribes all the sufferings he feels to blind fate and to nature, since the ways of Providence become so complicated in his eyes as to lead him to denial.
This means (depiction) that one prays and gives charity over one’s troubles but is not answered whatsoever. And precisely when he stops praying for his troubles, he is answered. Whenever he strengthens in believing in Providence and makes his deeds good, luck turns its back to him and he mercilessly falls back. And when he denies and begins to worsen his ways, he becomes very successful and is greatly relieved.
He does not find his sustenance in proper manners, but through deceit of people or desecration of Shabbat [Sabbath]. Or, all of his acquaintances who observe Torah and Mitzvot [commandments] suffer poverty, illness, and are despicable in the eyes of people. These observers of Mitzvot seem impolite to him, innately brainless, and so hypocritical that he cannot bear to be among them for even a minute.
Conversely, all his wicked acquaintances, who mock his faith, are very successful, well to do, and healthy. They know no sickness; they are clever, virtuous, and good-tempered. They are carefree, confident, and tranquil all day, every day.
When Providence arranges things in this manner for a person, it is called “concealment within concealment.” This is because then one collapses under one’s weight and cannot continue to strengthen the belief that his pains come to him from the Creator for some hidden reason. Finally, he fails, becomes heretic and says that the Creator does not watch over His creations whatsoever, and all that transpires, transpires by blind fate and nature. This is not seeing even the back.
Depiction of Disclosure of the Face
One’s request to become stronger in believing in His guidance over the world during the concealment brings one to contemplate the books, the Torah, and to draw from there the illumination and understanding how to strengthen his faith in His guidance. These illuminations and observations that one receives through the Torah are called “the Torah as a spice.” When they accumulate to a certain amount, the Creator has mercy on him and pours upon him the spirit from above, that is, the higher abundance.
But once he has completely discovered the spice—the light of Torah that one inhales into one’s body—through strengthening in faith in the Creator, one becomes worthy of guidance with His face revealed. This means that the Creator behaves with him as is fitting to His name, “The Good Who Does Good.”
His name shows us that He is good and does good to all His creations in all the forms of benefit, sufficient for every kind of receiver in the whole of Israel, for certainly, the delight and pleasure of one is not like the delight and pleasure of another. For example, one who engages in wisdom will not enjoy honor and wealth, and one who does not engage in wisdom will not enjoy great attainments and innovations in the wisdom. Thus, He gives wealth and honor to one, and wondrous attainments in the wisdom to another.
Thus (depiction), he receives abundant good and great tranquility from the Creator and is always satisfied, since he obtains his livelihood with ease and to the fullest, never knows trouble or pressure, knows no illness, is highly respected by people, easily completes any plan that comes to his mind, and succeeds wherever he turns.
And when he needs something, he prays and is immediately answered, as He always answers anything that he demands of Him, and not a single prayer is denied. When one strengthens in good deeds, his success substantially increases, and when he is negligent, his success proportionally decreases.
All of his acquaintances are decent, well to do, healthy, highly respected in the eyes of people, and have no worries at all. They are at peace all day and every day. They are smart, truthful, and so comely that he feels blessed and delighted to be among them.
Conversely, all of his acquaintances who do not follow the path of Torah are of poor livelihood, troubled by heavy debts, and do not have even a single moment’s rest. They are sick, in pain, and despised by people. They seem to him mindless, ill-mannered, wicked and cruel toward people, deceitful, and such sycophants that it is intolerable to be among them.