Freedom From Worries and Concerns that Disturb Us Part 1
How to Access a Taste of the State of Freedom from Worries and Concerns
( Elucidated in the sicha excerpts, following these steps)
1. Recognize that we are presently in the final days of exile and in the beginning stages of redemption. It is for this reason that the Rebbe mandated that our daily pursuits be a seamless blend of tending to our spiritual and physical needs, thus expressing the unity of G-d - in that all is G-d. ie. self care and prayer are both service of G-d.
Thus, as elaborated on in the Geulah sichos of 1988-1992, rather than allowing only our minds to dictate our moment to moment activities based on what seems to be the most spiritual as in the past , ie, that which will earn us a greater reward in heaven - which is an expression of separation between man and G-d, and is considered superficial on some level - we are now being asked to step into a higher form of moment to moment guidance, - that of pnimius/internally guided inspiration, thus accessing the ultimate retzon Hashem/will of G-d at Essence level so that our actions and the outcome reflect oneness and unity of G-d and the world, rather than separation.
This is accomplished via first tuning into the inner voice of the heart and body, and only then inviting in the mind to serve as the ‘resolver”, helping to determine how to best honor this guidance in a way which resonates and honors all aspects of our being. This mindset is key to accessing the transcendent level of G-d, where you can experience immediate relief (and where miracles within nature abound!).
2. Once you are on this path, should it come to be that your are feeling dragged down with worries and concerns taking up unnecessary space in your head, (because you already did what you needed to do, learned the lesson you needed to learn etc.), that is the perfect time to tap into the higher light of this transcendent level, and let the Hashems miracles take over.
Accessing this higher light of this transcendent level requires that you not preface this with making a vessel for what you desire; rather, it requires that you tune into and honor to the pnimius - inner , authentic voice guiding you as to which expansive - Tohu/unbound energy Hashem desires for you to utilize at the moment - ie. self care, creativity, mindful pleasure etc., as needed. The resulting state of expansiveness will enable you to get out of “yourself” and surrender to the now . In this state, you will attract, rather than chase, all that you need.
Below is the Sicha on which the above is based :
From “A Knowing Heart”, adapted from Sichas Shabbos Parshas Balak, 5723 - 1963 .
Please note, all wording in the regular print is the original from “A Knowing Heart”, italics are commentary
This represents the new development that will come in the time of the Redemption: [Blessings will come] “like dew from G‑d” 21 which “does not come to the world through human efforts, nor does man request it.”Similarly, Israel will not rely on assistance from man, but from G‑d (alone).”21
The Rebbe is telling us here that unlike the reality of exile, where we need to make a vessel in order to contain G-d’s blessings, in the days of Moshiach, we will no longer require any effort in bringing forth blessings and abundance from G-d – not even to request it.
Rather, our desires for abundance and blessings will automatically flow to us. This is because in the days of Moshiach, we will recognize that everything is G-d, particularly the material and mundane of the world. When we recognize that there is no distinction between our physical and spiritual needs, all are one and the same in the service of G-d, as needed, we are one with Hashem, and therefore can receive from the infinite, unlimited level of G-d at His Essence – the level of G-ds Oneness before creation. (as elucidated further on...)
{In this vein, Chassidus22 interprets the verse:23 “It is preferable to rely on G‑d than to trust in man” as teaching that “trust[ing] in man” is permitted by the Torah. It is, however, “preferable to rely on G‑d.”
On that note, Chassidus stresses that while it is truly in the way of the Torah to make a vessel in bringing about the blessings, it is nonetheless even better when the blessings flow straight from G-d without our interference– ; for when we let go of vessels or requests, we can receive from the realm of G-ds Essence – the level where there are no restrictions or limitations . Rather, the blessings are above the laws of nature within nature etc..
“Trust[ing] in man” refers [not only to man on the earthly plane, but also to] the Sublime Man, [G‑d’s image,] i.e., the Divine energy that “fills all the worlds” (memale kol almin).From the perspective of this level of spirituality, man must endeavor to make a medium within the natural order on which G‑d’s blessings will rest.24 Therefore it is “preferable to rely on G‑d,” on the level of G‑dliness that “transcends all the worlds”
The Rebbe expresses here when we embrace the higher level of not trusting in “man”, this includes the “Sublime Man” as well. The "Sublime Man" is explained as the level of G-d that fills the worlds - aka, spirituality !!!!
So the Rebbe is asking for us to go even higher than the level of spirituality which requires that one must make a vessel within the order of nature in order for the blessing to be drawn down!!!!. Rather, the Rebbe wants us to connect to the transcendent level of G-d, the highest level of G-d- the realm Atzmus/Essence – the level where making vessels or asking for our needs gets in the way!
At this level (level of Atzmus, Essence of G-d), it is not necessary for man to establish a medium in the natural order. Instead, “He will provide for you (יכלכלך),”25 [i.e.,] G‑d will provide the medium (כלי) as well.}24
On this level, we stay completely out of it – G-d Himself will provide the keili/vessel. Ie. G-d might choose someone or something whom we would never had thought of, to be the messenger .
The ultimate intent is not for the natural order to be nullified but for it to be refined and elevated26 to the extent that it is overtly apparent that nature is one with G‑d. With regard to the concept at hand — not to hope in man — the intent is not to negate the help that a person offers. Instead, the natural order should be so totally permeated with G‑d’s oneness that we see [the help that a man offers] (not as help from man) but only as help from G‑d.....
Be forewarned, the Rebbe says, – the idea is not that we become purely spiritual people, divorcing ourselves from physicality!!!. On the contrary!
For it is only when a person recognizes that everything is one with G-d, particularly the physicality of the world which is sourced in G-d at His Essence- thats when he can access this higher level of receiving the blessings of abundance without making a keili – vessel. In order to access this level, he needs to appreciate how holy gashmius and mundane is, so that when he receives his blessings through these means, he will see G-d Himself, in those means!!!!
*.....When a person considers [the medium] that he makes [for G‑d’s blessing] as significant, he views that medium and the Torah and its mitzvos as two different subjects. [Thus it is possible that] he will feel a conflict between his involvement in the Torah and its mitzvos and [the activities mandated by] his involvement in the natural order.
Here the Rebbe clarifies why making a keili or request gets in the way of accessing this unlimited level of blessings; for by making a keili/vessel, he’s still stuck in the belief that there’s a distinction between the spiritual and the physical, which might lead to him feeling conflicted in his involvement in the two sides- he might think he is only serving G-d when he’s involved in spirituality, while his involvement in the physical is an “evil necessity”.
When, however, he gives no importance to [the medium] that he makes [for G‑d’s blessing,] and involves himself with it only to fulfill the Creator’s will, that involvement becomes an act of Divine service. When he “carries out all [his] deeds for the sake of Heaven”36 and “knows G‑d in all [his] ways,”37 he does not see “all of [his] deeds” and “all of [his] ways” as separate from [the goal to which they are directed]. On the contrary, the perception that they are “for the sake of Heaven” and "acts of knowing G‑d", permeates them, [making the deed and the intent] one.
When he’s not viewing the mundane only as a vessel in order to receive what he needs to serve Hashem– but rather appreciates that physical pursuits are themselves G-dly – that's when his mundane pursuits become acts of Divine service!
Indeed, it’s the perception of this truth that makes all the difference in his ability to recieve from the trancendent level; when his intent is that he is invested in them either for G-d’s sake or in his quest to know G-d, then that perception permeates his activity, making the deed and intent one, so that the highest level of the G-dliness of it shines though.
Since he does not conceive of any existence other than G‑d’s will, it is obvious that one mitzvah will not contradict another mitzvah. On the contrary, one mitzvah leads to another one.
Here the Rebbe is equating physical, mundane pursuits for the sake of Hashem with spiritual mitzvoth–expressing that the appreciation of the holiness in the mundane will allow him to flow easily between the two. The lack of feeling conflict between the two gives him access to the transcendent level of the Unity of G-d.
......This is the preparation for the Redemption when we will receive blessings “not hoped for from man.” Then the veil of concealment will be lifted from nature entirely and we will see with our mortal eyes that nature itself is G‑dly. Hence the pattern will be that [blessings come] “like dew from G‑d.... They will not hope from man, nor expect from a mortal.”21 {This parallels [the motif] “He will provide for you” [described above].}......
By developing the appreciation for the holiness of the physicality of the world, we are preparing ourselves for the time that the “blockage” will be removed, and then we will clearly see that nature itself is G-dly – which will result in continuous unlimited blessings without any effort on our part –we will just desire it, and it will come.
We begin with embracing this recognition and living accordingly, in a seamless manner. The result of our efforts bring forth the removal of the blockage that kept us from seeing the G-dliness in physicality, when Moshiach arrives.
........(We are in ) the last days of exile, when we are preparing to enter Eretz Yisrael led by Mashiach. We are living in an era characterized by the double and redoubled darkness52 of exile, the very opposite of the beginning of the Redemption,53as is plainly seen. Nevertheless, all the revelations of the Future Redemption are “dependent on our deeds and Divine service throughout the era of exile.”54
As will be clearly spelled out below, the times of Moshiach, when we will see clearly with our physical eyes that physicality is G-d Himself , is very dependent on our preparation for this revelation - through our own efforts.
In particular, this applies in the present generation when we are making the final preparations for the Redemption to be led by Mashiach. As the Previous Rebbe states,55Mashiach is “standing behind our wall.”56 Moreover, the walls of exile are already burning.57
This type of service is particular to our generation, the generation who are making the final preparations that will bring about the redemption.
[At this time,] every person must have (at least) a foretaste of the approach of “not hop[ing] in man” in his Divine service. He should not grant the mediums of the natural order any [independent] importance(He should not see them as separate from G-d). and instead, place his trust in G‑d (level of Atmus/Essence, where all is one), alone .
As part of our contribution in creating this time period, we must experience at least a taste of this transcendent level, which requires that not only don’t we make any vessels ie. rely on a specific person or invest in something with the intent that this is your vessel, or requests from Hashem ie asking Hashem for a new car – but that we appreciate that gashmius/physicality is Hashem Himself, and we don’t give it a separate existence. This is how we place ourselves in the realm of receiving directly from G-d’s Essence.
Through this, everyone will be redeemed from the worries and problems that disturb him. For when he carries out “all that you do” (the mundane) only for the sake of fulfilling G‑d’s will, he will not be worried, nor will he be disturbed, for all that will concern him is carrying out G‑d’s will.
Putting oneself in this realm not only creates miracles, but actually relieves the person from worries and problems that disturb him; for it is bedavka/specifically the energy of the G-dliness in the physical and mundane that allow for one not to be disturbed by worries and concerns. (ie. when someone is in a state of pleasure, he’s in such a good space that things don’t bother him). And that’s when all the unexpected miracles start happening.
This individual redemption that will be experienced by each person58 will serve as the preparation and the medium for the all-encompassing Redemption led by Mashiach, and to the era that will be “only Shabbos and rest for life everlasting.”59
When each person experiences his own personal redemption through allowing himself at least foretaste of this transcendent realm, this itself becomes the vessel for bringing about the final and complete redemption, when we will experience tranquility and pleasure forever!