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First, what does it mean to live by the laws of the Torah? It does not mean to mechanically perform certain actions or rituals. Everything that we are meant to receive from the Torah is intended solely to help us live better, which means to live in greater alignment with the purpose of creation, in greater connection with others, and in greater resemblance to the quality of bestowal and love.
When people say that the Torah helps them because they fulfill the commandments, the real question is: what stands behind these actions? Are they acting in order to bestow, to rise above their egoism, i.e., their inborn self-serving desires? Or are they performing acts of bestowal in order to receive something in return, such as honor, security, or reward in this world or the next? We cannot immediately discern this within ourselves. We must progress further. As we advance, as we deepen in our inner work, we gradually begin to see our true intention. The Torah becomes a mirror that reveals to us whether we act for the sake of bestowal or still within self-benefit.
It is possible to reach states where the Torah seems to protect us, where we feel joy, ascent, and support on the path. But we need to understand that we are not yet in the state of final correction (Gmar Tikkun). Therefore, we cannot remain constantly in an ideal state of unbroken joy and elevation. Our path is built from ascents and descents. Through them, we gradually approach wholeness.
Living by the laws of the Torah means using them as a means of correction so that one step at a time, through scrutiny, inner examination, and the revelation of our intentions, we draw closer to the state of complete correction.
Based on the Daily Kabbalah Lesson on March 6, 2024 with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on Baal HaSulam’s “All the Work Is Only Where There Are Two Ways – 1.” Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.