Communication Sciences Department of the Torah Science Foundation

Table of Contents

Four Approaches, Four Worlds

This model can be understood to correspond to the four worlds in Kabbalah.

One. When a person is met by an obstacle, if he gives up, recognizing that it is impossible, it means that he is being practical. If one sees that something is not successful, the practical, pragmatic solution is to stop and try something else. For instance, if somebody sees that he is not succeeding in making a living through his profession, then he merely changes his profession. This is the mentality of the world of action, which takes a purely pragmatic outlook on life. The world of action states that if there is a rational possibility that something will work, then try it. If, however, it seems impossible, then try something else. In order to find the incentive to accomplish something that seems particularly difficult, one must have a certain amount of inspiration. The world of action has no real spiritual inspiration behind it, it is purely practical.

Two. The world of formation corresponds to characteristics of the heart. The English motto that states, “if you can’t beat them, join them,” can be interpreted in a different fashion to the normal interpretation. This can be understood that they must be joined, not in order to give-in to them, but in order to influence them, or to change them, by joining them. This is the idea represented by those who have joined the Likud party in order to effect a national change through them. Psychologically speaking this is like going under, or trying to pass the barrier by bending down. The barrier really exists, it cannot be overcome, however I will not surrender, I will pass under it.

Three. In the world of creation, the solution is to cope with the obstacle by inventing a completely new creation that will overcome it. This is the world of the mind, which can fly over obstacles. In the world of creation one can create new realities. This would be like starting a new political party that would correct the misconceptions of all the other parties.

These three worlds have a common denominator in that they all recognize the existence of the barrier, but they all have a different idea of how to approach it. We can now understand why the Rebbe Maharah was not satisfied with the initial statement, because even at the level of formation, one is limited, one will become crippled, as we said.

The world of creation is a world of Chabad, a world of the mind. “Become a true Chabadnik,” says the Rebbe Maharash, “and always leap over,” do things from above. This is the way to operate in life both at the personal level and at the public, communal level. Nonetheless, this approach is still based on one’s ability to create something new that can supercede the barrier.

Four. The difference between emanation and the three lower worlds is exactly the difference between these two systems of “heelem vegilui” versus “etzem vehitpashtut.” The mentality of the three lower worlds is that there are sources of energy that project light, and that light-energy is projected against existing barriers, this is the idea of “etzem vehitpashtut.” In the world of emanation there is only God, and God is absolute goodness. The world may seem to be full of evil, full of obstacles, but that is only at the first three levels of existence. That is why there is a blessing that must be said for the bad things that happen in life and there is a blessing for good tidings. In this world there are two blessings because the goodness is not apparent in the bad, the good is concealed. In the world of emanation, there is only good and when that world is revealed, then the blessing over hearing “bad” tidings will be the same as that for hearing “good” tidings, because everything is good.

Both the solutions offered by the world of emanation and that of the world of action do not cope directly with the obstacle at hand. Both state that we must spread light, however, in the world of emanation the solution is to spread light in such a way that we consciously take over control of the world without considering the obstacle at all. By this method, we can change the course of world history thus bringing about the redemption of the world.

All political systems based on the three lower levels must reign and die, just like communism. The same will come even of American-style democracy, because it is incapable of coping with the present world situation.

Judaism is the only “system” that offers a solution that will bring about the rectification of the world through the advent of the Messiah, may he come speedily, in our days, Amen.