Many people think that serving God is difficult and tiresome. And standing before God means being in a state of fear and trembling. All of that is true when viewing divine service in an external manner. However, if one enters into a deeper understanding there open up for him gates of joy and love. Gates of amazing pleasure. Until each and every Mitzvah is infused with the amazing taste of Gan Eden which cannot be surpassed.
Kabbalistic thought explains the reasons behind the Torah. Consequently, one who begins this study also has develops a deeper appreciation for study of Torah. A deep and pleasurable taste from each act in that connects him to God. This is even more powerful if one is in the Land of Israel. Israel is the House of Hashem. Returning to Israel means we are sitting at our father's table. This is the service of children, the inner service predicated on love. The father's table is full of delicacies and sweets, and no table is more blessed than that of Hashem where we are connected in an internal manner replete with pleasure, joy, and unsurpassed sweetness and love.
The battle with the Evil Inclination and the forces of lust leads to a greater victory in Israel that without. When one partakes of the sweetness of Godly pleasure, all the delights of this world are worth nothing in comparison. This is especially true if one can involve his mind in Kabbalistic study. The forces of evil only raise their heads to affect a person when he is empty of the richness of life, devoid of spiritual connection. The victory in the Land of Israel over the Evil Inclination comes from the joy, love and great pleasure from serving God. Only through love and joy can a person be filled with spiritual richness until he no longer wants any lowly lusts which is empty and pale in comparison with the rich life and blessing of spiritual outpouring.
These ideas give us an opening to understand the challenges of this generation. Nowadays using a stick to hit those who are not following the ways of God will almost never work as we can see from looking around. This is not a result of the low state of the generation, but because of the great level of souls that are present and rebuke and force do not have any effect. The souls desire a lofty spirit, and a connection full of light, blessing and holiness. Experience shows us that only joy and love draw the hearts and strengthens them with holiness, awe and Mitzvah performance. Oppression and bitterness, frightening rebuke pushes people away as they deliver a message that serving God is unpleasant. These create an atmosphere that is unpleasant and no person wants to remain in an unpleasant place. People's souls are thirsting for the word of God, there is no need to frighten them. Rather one should follow the path of the prophet who taught that at the end of days people will only want the goodness of God.
Kabbalistic thought explains the reasons behind the Torah. Consequently, one who begins this study also has develops a deeper appreciation for study of Torah. A deep and pleasurable taste from each act in that connects him to God. This is even more powerful if one is in the Land of Israel. Israel is the House of Hashem. Returning to Israel means we are sitting at our father's table. This is the service of children, the inner service predicated on love. The father's table is full of delicacies and sweets, and no table is more blessed than that of Hashem where we are connected in an internal manner replete with pleasure, joy, and unsurpassed sweetness and love.
The battle with the Evil Inclination and the forces of lust leads to a greater victory in Israel that without. When one partakes of the sweetness of Godly pleasure, all the delights of this world are worth nothing in comparison. This is especially true if one can involve his mind in Kabbalistic study. The forces of evil only raise their heads to affect a person when he is empty of the richness of life, devoid of spiritual connection. The victory in the Land of Israel over the Evil Inclination comes from the joy, love and great pleasure from serving God. Only through love and joy can a person be filled with spiritual richness until he no longer wants any lowly lusts which is empty and pale in comparison with the rich life and blessing of spiritual outpouring.
These ideas give us an opening to understand the challenges of this generation. Nowadays using a stick to hit those who are not following the ways of God will almost never work as we can see from looking around. This is not a result of the low state of the generation, but because of the great level of souls that are present and rebuke and force do not have any effect. The souls desire a lofty spirit, and a connection full of light, blessing and holiness. Experience shows us that only joy and love draw the hearts and strengthens them with holiness, awe and Mitzvah performance. Oppression and bitterness, frightening rebuke pushes people away as they deliver a message that serving God is unpleasant. These create an atmosphere that is unpleasant and no person wants to remain in an unpleasant place. People's souls are thirsting for the word of God, there is no need to frighten them. Rather one should follow the path of the prophet who taught that at the end of days people will only want the goodness of God.
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