Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Outline of Chapter 12 of Inner Redemption Handbook by Rav Schwartz




Chapter 12: Redemption: Nullifying Your Self 
(adapted from Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh, Vol 8, Chapter 12)

The humility of Moshe Rabbeinu: he negated his “I”, recognized it- but chose to lessen his ego rather than enlarge it.

The humility of Moshiach: he doesn’t even consider the “I”= absolute humility- knowing the only “I” is Hashem; Ain Od Milvado consciousness (Seforim Hakedoshim say this level will not be completely attained by anyone until the end of the year 10,000- but each person can access this somewhat, according to his level)

In summary: two types of avodah- 

1. a reality of working within the “I” - lower one’s sense of self and think about lowliness of human being and strive to grow spiritually step by step  

2.   a reality above the “I”- leaving the “I”- “redemption of the soul- when a person never thinks about himself and doesn’t live for himself- this is really the secret implication of the term ‘lishma’, (acting for Hashem’s sake only)…

The avodah of this 6,000 year period, (termed neshamos) is for us to connect to Hashem with our neshama.  It is to purify our souls- through divesting ourselves of the body, as well as purifying the soul itself as we draw our “I” closer and closer to Hashem-…avodah of the light of Moshiach (also known as Elokus) is to realize there is no “I”- completely integrating with Hashem”

The humility and mesirus nefesh of Moshe Rabbeinu has a different definition than that of Moshiach.  Moshe is personified by his da'as- great comprehension merited because of his humility- the humility of Moshiach will reveal new depth to humility and to the meaning of da’as /the da’as of hishtavus- no need to unify and separate- because everything is already unified.

“The humility of Moshiach will reveal that there is a Torah above one’s “I”, a Torah of complete Elokus.  The Torah of kabbalah, entirely Elokus, is thus the secret to the redemption….from the actual view of Elokus, the “I” is totally our of the picture.  This is actually the secret meaning of the redemption.”

Teshuva:
a. deeds- realm of asiah
b. midos- realm of yetzirah
c. thoughts- realm of beriah
d. return our “I” to its Source- realm of atzilus- to connect ourselves to the state of nothing but Hashem- this is the depth of teshuva.

Mesirus nefesh, humility, and teshuva are all synonyms for having no “I”.  

In this higher avodah (Elokus), the Torah is all an expression of how to negate one’s “I”, to return to the “I”- Hashem.

Shabbos of the future: year 7,000 begins a period of “a day that is entirely Shabbos”- an eternal rest- the only movement will be our “I” =da’as- moving to its root- this is really a rest, but we perceive it as a movement because we are in the 6,000 year era of movement and all that we understand is movement.

Before the world: Hashem’s endless light filled all of existence.  Then, Hashem created a space, called chalal = an empty space, and then Hashem created Adam Kadmon.

Why did Hashem need to empty out a space to make the universe? to show us that each step represents an avodah:

1. Before creation= total integration with Hashem

2. chalal= we are able to access a state in which there are no creations, just empty space= no sense of “I”, a state of nothingness (Elokus)

3. Adam Kadmon- a person works with his “I” (neshamos)

The Fiftieth Gate:


“Through “denying our I” we use the 50th gate of Holiness to rectify the 50th gate of Impurity (for  a person who denies Hashem)…The light of Moshiach is thus essentially for us to use the 50th gate of Holiness…the holy usage of chalal…to go above the “I”, above the Adam Kadmon.”

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