From Animal To Man
Rav Laitman. Posted on October 20th, 2013 at 9:19 am
When studying, we need to understand that we are on the animate level;
as it is written: “All are like animals.”
So far I do not know who the Creator is since I lack properties similar to Him through which I would be able to recognize Him and imagine who He is.
This is why I am still considered to be on the animate level.
After all, how do I differ from an animal?
I am just slightly more egoistically developed.
And the “human” level means “similar to the Creator”
(“man” – “Adam” comes from the word “similar” – “Adameh”).
The still, vegetative, and animate levels exist in us. And the human level that we need to build within us is a degree of similarity to the Creator.
The Creator is the quality of bestow, the force of bestowal, while I am an absolute receiver.
This is why I have nothing from Him except for a tiny “spark from above” that is enrooted in every man from birth.
When it awakens, one begins to feel a strange uneasiness, a desire for something higher than the animate level.
And then
I come to hear that there is a possibility to become like the Creator.
This is a very drastic change that we can make in ourselves.
Imagine the difference between an animal and a human in our world. A man’s life is so much more difficult than the life of an animal, say a cat! In addition to the common animal needs like food, sleep, and sex, man also has desires for education, culture, and comprehensive development.
The cat does not know any of these things.
But in order for us to develop something similar to the Creator,
we need reason, sensations, and strengths that we do not have.
After all,
The difference between an animal and a human in our world is no more than a small difference in the development of two egoistic beings.
While the Creator and I are two opposite forms,
and I do not have the slightest idea of what else I need in order to become like Him
I cannot even imagine what it is like to be like Him,
to rise above
time, movement, space,
and our entire reality.
It turns out that we need to acquire:
certain strengths, understanding, reason, and experience that we do not yet have.
So far, I exist like an animal.
But there is a “spark from above” in “me” and I can develop it so that I will suddenly discover all these different properties, reason, and sensations in it, which already belong to the level of the Creator, to the level of man (Adam) in me.
This spark is developed with the help of the Upper Light.
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson, 8-10-10
4 F O R M S
in matter.
FOUR LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT
We call them
0 1 2 3 4
When we talk about development,
we are talking about the development of desire.
Nothing else. Only this form, called reception,
was created.
But since it is always
included in the Upper one,
We experience a gradual development,
through a slow process of changes, called:
inanimate, vegetative, animal, and speaking.
With this, we can understand:
On the human level, through some preparation, study, and within a good environment, by striving towards bestowal, he attains the vessel, meaning a need for help.
The light that reforms, gives him what he asks for, reforms him and he begins to grow.
A great egoistic desire. Which, too, is included in,
“His desire to do good to his creatures”.
In its FIRST steps, as with matter,
his evolution is very SLOW.
Like others animals, He takes care of its basic NEEDS
shelter, food and reproduction
As his needs grow the conection with OTHERS grows.
Everything is inside a person.
There is nothing external
At the same time, we observe the picture of this world
and have to relate to it correctly:
as to something that is going on outside us and at the same time is internal to us.
Rav Laitam. From the 2nd part of the lesson 11/20/13, The Zohar
We have to attain a state in which
both realities exist simultaneously
without erasing one another.
If we think that everything we see is true,
it means that we live only in this world.
If we consider everything to be parts of our soul, if we think that everything is inside us and that all there is around us is our own parts, we as if cross out this world. We have to be present in both worlds at the same time.
Even though you are very tiny, you are still connected to everyone and “spread” overall.
When you advance, you grow all of your properties little by little.
You are not the one who defines which properties to expand, but rather it’s a system, the root of your soul that is responsible for this choice.
That’s how we progress.
The development continues
A long period begins fame, power and government will be the
GUIDANCE FORCE According to the available means,
so will be its capacity of conquer.
After a long period,
he has finally improved and perfected
the use of the lower levels to satisfy the needs of “this world”.
On the other hand HE SEEKS
many purposes.
Man is a creature that strives to understand why and for what purpose he exists and how he can come to the truth.
He yearns to uncover the meaning of such notions as “truth,” “facts,” “purpose,” or “reaching the goal.”
He is made to demand this kind of fulfillment.
Man’s greatest need is to know who he is, as it is said:
“From my flesh shall I see the Creator.”
Indeed, to learn who I am, I need to know who the Creator is.
This necessity mandates me to search.
The entire wisdom is dedicated to the study of man since, besides him, nothing exists.
All of reality is within man,
and everything occurs solely in him.
I don’t see anything in this world except myself.
All that is happening around me is me,
images within me.
I don’t have the slightest idea what is going on
outside of me.
Without these books, we would exist in this world as some little insects that live only for as long as the time allotted to them permits.
Only with the help of these books can we gradually develop ourselves and start examining, measuring, and learning
“who and what we are.”
Thus we find out that we contain the whole worlds
and numerous parts that seem alien to us,
which in the end
turn out to be the parts of your own soul.
This is your very desire split into the still, vegetative, animate nature, and humans as well.
And at the last, fourth degree, we must collect all these parts together in order to come to the intention “to bestow”, which is mandatory for this final, fourth, stage of creation.
When I gain this intention to bestow on all parts of creation, I will finally find out who I am; I will know myself
And there is nothing else to study in reality.
Rav Laitman. From the 3rd part of the Lesson 5/2/2011, Talmud Eser Sefirot
As in all levels of development, Once the need is given
there begins to be strength for movement, to seek, to meet the demand.
Thus, little by little, the new degree
begins to awaken.
The UPPER ONE will NOT cease,
He will continue with the stimulus until it achieves
HIS purpose
To bring the desire,
To the degree of Man.
Everything takes place inside the one, common desire that was created by the Creator.
There is nothing in existence besides this desire.
Everything that is concealed and revealed constitutes one created desire.
Therefore, that which is concealed from me today will become revealed to me tomorrow.
And thus, one more part of reality will shift from being concealed to revealed.
Rav Laitman. Posted on November 3rd, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Human beings are the last degree in the development of matter, and a great and awesome beginning.
But to learn something, it is necessary to rise obove it, to a new degree.
To adhesion with the Upepr force.
Otherwise nothing will be understood,
Since on his own level
He can only perceive himself.
Everything is within a single person.
The Entire Reality Is Contained within Man
It is written in The Zohar, (Vayikra, Parashat Tazria, p 40)
that all the worlds, upper and lower, are included in man. And also, the whole of reality within those worlds is only for man.
– Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 1
When we see a wide world before us, we don’t see it in reality, but only within ourselves. In other words, there is a sort of photographic machine in our hindbrain, which portrays everything that appears to us and nothing outside of us.
– Baal HaSulam, “Preface to the Book of Zohar,” Item 34
Rav. Laitman. Posted on August 30th, 2011 at 9:26 am
MAN IS A SMALL
WORLD
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