one snapshot at a time

As I plunge further into some basic understanding of the underlying nature of the world on a Kabbalistic level, I usually catch myself saying, "What do I really care about these systems, of what use are they to me? I want HaShem and He's both beyond all these systems, and at the same time, closer to me than any of these things will ever be."

On a deep level I believe this to be true. All of the Torah knowledge that we absorb allows for a more subtle, more nuanced relationship with HaShem, but without having that relationship firmly in place, all the intellectual frameworks in the world aren't going to help. (Of course, this is clearly wrong in light of מתוך לא לשמה בא לשמה but still there is a basis for what I'm saying)

Rebbe Natan in Likkutei Halachoth on hilchoth Tefillin (5:5) quotes the Ariz"l who says that all the worlds and all the mechanisms and systems through which the worlds function are all in a constant state of flux, a state of constant motion, as they are always in the process of being created by HaShem at every moment.

The only response a Jew has is to connect to HaShem from a place of newness at every moment. It doesn't matter what came before, or what may be later, how are we connecting to HaShem right now? That's the question.

This was a breakthrough for me because it puts everything in perspective. Even when we are learning about complex hierarchical relationships and structures, the eventual understanding is desirable, but it is how we use the knowledge we've just gained to connect to HaShem that is essential.

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