Topaz
January 30th, 2002, 12:02 AM
You Have To Earn It
Through the centuries, humanity's greatest minds have grappled with the nature of God and the questions raised by our seemingly fragile existence. For what purpose, it's often been asked, did the Creator let everything get so complicated? Why does spiritual transformation have to be so difficult? If there is no limit to God's power, why doesn't God just instantly reinvent us as a species of six billion reverent souls, each a fully enlightened human soul?
Answering this question takes us to a central insight:
We cannot achieve fulfillment without doing the spiritual work of earning fulfillment.
Our essence is of the Creator, whose nature is to give and to share, and for whom the whole concept of "free gifts" is inadmissible. There is a Hebrew phrase in the Talmud that is pertinent to this idea - nahama dichisufa, which can be translated as "bread of shame". It refers to wealth or sustenance that, because it is unearned, brings us pain and regret rather than joy and fulfillment. This phrase is a way of describing the dangers of unmerited abundance. On a spiritual level, and psychologically as well, it's against our interests and against our nature to accept "something for nothing."
Suppose the wealthiest man in the world decided to start an art collection. Nothing prevents him from calling an auction house and simply ordering up all the greatest paintings in the world. "Just send them over and mail me a bill," he could say, amazed at how easy it is to become as art collector. But of course, he would have completely missed the real experience of art collecting. The objects he acquired would have no real meaning or value since they were acquired without effort, thought, or feeling. The purpose of collecting art, therefore, is clearly not just a matter of getting paintings and sculptures into your house. The real purpose is the journey that had to be undertaken in order to reach the goal. The Creator needs us to make our own way towards the Light - not because he can't have it otherwise, but because the process is what's really essential.
Another metaphor makes the same point. According to football lore, the great coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers once said, "Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing." But is this really true? Even within the limited sphere of competitive athletics? Suppose Lombardi had asked a great kabbalist for a special blessing that would allow the Packers to win every single game without fail. Season after season, year after year, Green Bay would just keep on winning. Would Vince Lombardi really be happy? Would his players feel motivated to give their best efforts? Would the fans in the stadium continue to turn out and applaud the team? Of course not - because the risk of defeat is what gives value to the experience of victory. If winning were really the only thing, it would quickly become meaningless.
Fortunately for us, transformation is not a "sure thing." It's an ongoing challenge and opportunity. To help us meet this challenge, the Creator has given us the tools of Spiritual learning - which is not to say that it's easy. As human beings, we're the ones who must struggle with the pains of mortal existence. We're the ones who must face disease and death. Who among us, at difficult moments, might not wish that the gates of heaven would just swing open and an angel would shout, "COME ON IN!"
But would it really be better? Imagine a wealthy man passes on and leaves an enormous fortune to his son. Does this guarantee the son's happiness? Does this ensure that the son will feel fulfilled and satisfied with his life? Should we expect that the son will instantly gain a great soul just as he has instantly gained riches? Obviously not, because emotional and spiritual growth are the products of time and struggle, not of a sudden increase in the bank balance. There's a strong argument that people who work hard throughout their lives and provide for their families are more likely to be spiritually advanced than those to whom everything has come easily.
We must come to understand that life's challenges are opportunities for growth, not mere afflictions that God ought to get rid of for us. Our purpose in this world is to achieve oneness with the Creator through spiritual work using the tools that have been provided for us. There are no quick fixes, nor should we long for one. Spiritual fulfillment cannot be a gift. We must earn it; we must work for it.
Through the centuries, humanity's greatest minds have grappled with the nature of God and the questions raised by our seemingly fragile existence. For what purpose, it's often been asked, did the Creator let everything get so complicated? Why does spiritual transformation have to be so difficult? If there is no limit to God's power, why doesn't God just instantly reinvent us as a species of six billion reverent souls, each a fully enlightened human soul?
Answering this question takes us to a central insight:
We cannot achieve fulfillment without doing the spiritual work of earning fulfillment.
Our essence is of the Creator, whose nature is to give and to share, and for whom the whole concept of "free gifts" is inadmissible. There is a Hebrew phrase in the Talmud that is pertinent to this idea - nahama dichisufa, which can be translated as "bread of shame". It refers to wealth or sustenance that, because it is unearned, brings us pain and regret rather than joy and fulfillment. This phrase is a way of describing the dangers of unmerited abundance. On a spiritual level, and psychologically as well, it's against our interests and against our nature to accept "something for nothing."
Suppose the wealthiest man in the world decided to start an art collection. Nothing prevents him from calling an auction house and simply ordering up all the greatest paintings in the world. "Just send them over and mail me a bill," he could say, amazed at how easy it is to become as art collector. But of course, he would have completely missed the real experience of art collecting. The objects he acquired would have no real meaning or value since they were acquired without effort, thought, or feeling. The purpose of collecting art, therefore, is clearly not just a matter of getting paintings and sculptures into your house. The real purpose is the journey that had to be undertaken in order to reach the goal. The Creator needs us to make our own way towards the Light - not because he can't have it otherwise, but because the process is what's really essential.
Another metaphor makes the same point. According to football lore, the great coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers once said, "Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing." But is this really true? Even within the limited sphere of competitive athletics? Suppose Lombardi had asked a great kabbalist for a special blessing that would allow the Packers to win every single game without fail. Season after season, year after year, Green Bay would just keep on winning. Would Vince Lombardi really be happy? Would his players feel motivated to give their best efforts? Would the fans in the stadium continue to turn out and applaud the team? Of course not - because the risk of defeat is what gives value to the experience of victory. If winning were really the only thing, it would quickly become meaningless.
Fortunately for us, transformation is not a "sure thing." It's an ongoing challenge and opportunity. To help us meet this challenge, the Creator has given us the tools of Spiritual learning - which is not to say that it's easy. As human beings, we're the ones who must struggle with the pains of mortal existence. We're the ones who must face disease and death. Who among us, at difficult moments, might not wish that the gates of heaven would just swing open and an angel would shout, "COME ON IN!"
But would it really be better? Imagine a wealthy man passes on and leaves an enormous fortune to his son. Does this guarantee the son's happiness? Does this ensure that the son will feel fulfilled and satisfied with his life? Should we expect that the son will instantly gain a great soul just as he has instantly gained riches? Obviously not, because emotional and spiritual growth are the products of time and struggle, not of a sudden increase in the bank balance. There's a strong argument that people who work hard throughout their lives and provide for their families are more likely to be spiritually advanced than those to whom everything has come easily.
We must come to understand that life's challenges are opportunities for growth, not mere afflictions that God ought to get rid of for us. Our purpose in this world is to achieve oneness with the Creator through spiritual work using the tools that have been provided for us. There are no quick fixes, nor should we long for one. Spiritual fulfillment cannot be a gift. We must earn it; we must work for it.