READING: FROM MIDNIGHT TO DAWN TUESDAY

Lesson on the topic of “The need for the Creator’s salvation”

The need for the Creator’s salvation – Selected Excerpts from the sources

1. RABASH, Article No. 380, “Anyone Who Sanctifies the Seventh – 2”

When one properly sanctifies the point in the heart within him, he begins to enter the exile in Egypt. At that time, he begins to see each time how far he is from the act of bestowal. Then, Kelim form within him, meaning deficiencies, which the Creator will later be able to fill.

It follows that a person must begin the war so as to have Kelim and a need for salvation and the help of the Creator, as was said, “If the Creator did not help him, he would not overcome it.” It follows that He did not give man the ability to win the war on purpose, since through the war one obtains the Kelim and need for the abundance.

Hence, we need both: to enter the war so as to obtain Kelim, and the help that is required is that specifically the Creator will help him.

2. Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 21

The efforts that one makes to move forward each time—while seeing that he is going backwards—intensify the need for the Creator’s salvation.

So is the nature—he craves and each time imagines that he is already marching on the highway. And suddenly, he looks back to the place from which he came, and then leaves the highway and reconnects with the uneducated people and follows them. When he sees that he is among the uneducated, meaning in heresy, he begins to crave faith once more. And then through prayer the craving grows and expands until it reaches a level when the Creator says that his Kelim are now ready to receive the salvation.

3. RABASH, Article No. 29 (1988), “How to Recognize One Who Serves God from One Who Does Not Serve Him”

His awakening from the descent is called “the revival of the dead,” when he begins to feel that he is deficient of life. Conversely, one who is dead does not feel that he is deficient of life so as to want to be awarded life.

Yet, the question is, Who revived him? The answer to this is “A King who puts to death and brings to life.” And why do we need this? The answer is “and brings forth salvation.” This means that by the Creator giving him a descent, called “putting to death,” on the one hand, and on the other hand, by giving an ascent, called “and brings to life,” by this comes salvation, as it is written, “and brings forth salvation.”

4. RABASH, Article No. 2 (1990), “What Is the Meaning of Failure in the Work?”
It is written, ‘What is repentance like?’ … ‘when He who knows all mysteries testifies that he will not turn back to folly.’” That is, when can one be certain that he has been rewarded with complete repentance? “When He who knows all mysteries testifies” to him. “This means that he will attain the revelation of the face, at which time one’s own salvation will testify that he will not turn back to folly.”

5. Baal HaSulam, Article No. “The Time of Descent”

During a descent he feels that it is impossible that he will have connection or belonging to the Creator by way of Dvekut [adhesion], since he feels that servitude is a foreign thing to the whole world.

In truth, this is so. But “In the place where you find His greatness, there you find His humbleness.” This means that it is a matter that is above nature, that the Creator gave this gift to creation, to allow them to be connected and adhered to Him.

Hence, when one becomes reconnected, he should always remember his time of descent so as to know, understand, appreciate, and value the time of Dvekut, so he will know that now he has salvation above the natural way.

6. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 13, “A Pomegranade”

The verse, “God has made it that He will be feared.” This means that these thoughts of emptiness come to a person in order for one to have a need to take upon himself faith above reason. And for this we need the help of the Creator. It follows that at that time, one must ask the Creator to give him the power to believe above reason.

It turns out that it is precisely then that one needs the Creator to help him, since the exterior mind lets him understand the opposite. Hence, at that time, one has no other choice but to ask the Creator to help him.

It is said about this, “One’s desire overcomes him every day; and were it not for the Creator, he would not overcome it.” It follows that only then is the state when one understands that no one will help him but the Creator. And this is “God has made it that He will be feared.” The matter of fear is discerned as faith, and only then is one in need of the salvation of the Creator.

7. RABASH, Article No. 23 (1987), “Peace After a Dispute Is More Important than Having No Disputes At All”

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” That is, after the righteous has suffered many afflictions, since “righteous” is named after the future, meaning one who wants to be righteous, who wants to work for the Creator, he suffers many afflictions until many afflictions are accumulated. This is why it is written, “from all of them,” meaning that when he has many afflictions, the Creator will save him, since then he has a real need for the Creator’s help and he will know how to appreciate the Creator’s salvation, since there is no light without a Kli.

8. RABASH, Article No. 6 (1991), “What Is, ‘The Herdsmen of Abram’s Cattle and the Herdsmen of Lot’s Cattle,’ in the Work?”

It is written, “The Lord will finish for me.” This means that it is not within man’s ability to obtain the desire to bestow.

However, there are two matters here: 1) A person must say, “If I am not for me, who is for me?” Hence, he should not be alarmed by the fact that he has not been rewarded with obtaining the desire to bestow, although in his opinion, he has made great efforts. Nonetheless, he should believe that the Creator waits until he reveals what he must do. 2) Afterward, the Creator will finish for him, meaning that at that time, he will receive what he wants at once, as it is written, “The salvation of the Lord is as the blink of an eye.”

9. Baal HaSulam, “This Is for Judah”

The writing says, “Man and beast You save, O Lord.” As a beast is given all that it needs for its sustenance and the fulfillment of its purpose, He also provides man with all that is necessary for his substance and the fulfillment of his purpose.

Therefore, we should understand where is the advantage of man’s form over the beast, from the perspective of their own preparation. Indeed, this is discerned in their wishes, since man’s wishes are certainly different from those of a beast. And to that extent, God’s salvation of man differs from God’s salvation of a beast.

Thus, after all the inquiries and scrutinies, we find that the only need in man’s wishes, which does not exist in the whole of the animate species, is the awakening toward Godly Dvekut [adhesion]. Only the human species is ready for it, and none other.

It follows that the whole issue of presence in the human species is in that preparation imprinted in him to crave His work.

10. RABASH, Article No. 15 (1990), “What Does It Mean that Before the Egyptian Minister Fell, Their Outcry Was Not Answered, in the Work?”

It is impossible to give half a thing. Rather, first, the full evil must be disclosed, and then comes the help from above over a complete thing. Therefore, after Moses said, “Why have You brought harm to this people and did not save at all,” but rather the bad manifested in all its might, now is the time when the salvation will come from above. This is why He said, “now,” meaning that now you will see that I will give them the necessary help, as it is written, “For with a mighty hand he will send them, and with a mighty hand he will drive them out from his land.” For only now is it the time, since all the bad has been revealed in them.

11. Baal HaSulam, Letter No 13

I feel all of you together, that today has been replaced for you with tomorrow, and instead of “now,” you say “later.” There is no cure for this but to exert to understand that mistake and distortion—that one who is saved by the Creator is saved only if he needs salvation today. One who can wait for tomorrow will obtain his salvation after his years, God forbid.

This happened to you due to negligence in my request to exert in love of friends, as I have explained to you in every possible way that this cure is enough to recompense for all your faults.

12. RABASH, Article No. 30 (1987), “What Is a War Over Authority in the Work- 1

Specifically now that you have recognized that you are unable to win this war, do not escape the campaign. Rather, now is the time when a person can pray from the bottom of the heart because he sees that by himself, he cannot do a thing.

It follows that through the work that he has done thus far, he has gained the need for the salvation of the Creator.

13. RABASH, Article No. 32 (1991), “What Are Banners in the Work?”

“Israel said to the Creator, ‘We sing in Your salvation, which You did in Your name.’” That is, we sing with the salvation that You gave us the desire to bestow, which is called “the name of the Creator,” who is the Giver. He has given us this name, meaning that now we, too, can perform acts of bestowal.

It is written, “And in the name of our God we will set up our banners,” for the Creator established His name in our name and made us banners.” This means that now we support the name of the Creator, whose name is “desire to bestow.” This is our salvation, that the Creator established His name, which is the desire to bestow, in our name.