Question: Why does the question, «What is the meaning of my life?» come to the human mind and does not bother animals?
Any unfilled desire asks «What is the meaning of my life?» Baal Sulam said that even a flea, which hustles about getting its daily bread, too, prays to the Creator. It also has this sense of lack, an empty desire, and it’s always directed to the source of delight. But we are not talking about desires, which are at the level of shoresh (root) as well as the first, second, and third levels, and begin to speak only of the desire of the fourth stage (dalet) and even the stage dalet be-dalet (fourth stage at dalet’s level) in our development.
Therefore, those in whom this issue becomes more mature, ie. people with larger, more determined desires, are on the top of the pyramid. Those, in whom the question is caused by smaller desires are in the middle or even at the base of the pyramid. The question: «What is the meaning of my life?» is always asked and even a tiny desire can be defined in such a way. But in the Kabbalah, while asking the question: «What is the meaning of my life?» we address it to Whom it is being enjoyed – that desire is already explored.
For example, as a result of the crisis we will come to a state when it becomes obvious that it is necessary to give to each other. Only if I give you a piece, and you give me a piece – only in such a way we get our pieces, but otherwise – not! We really will feel this: it won’t be that you earn and get paid on the spot, but someone must deliver it to your home. Who? – You don’t know. From where? – You don’t know. When will you receive it – you don’t know. You depend on how the rest will perform their mutual guarantee, but this can happen only if you are giving it out without any restrictions.
In other words, anything that appears in your house you never bring home, but a truck pulls in and delivers what you want to your residence. And if it doesn’t come, then you have nothing – and also with the rest. Where does it come from and what good does it bring? It comes from the state where everyone produces and leaves all the results of his labor at the society’s disposal.
Let’s say you produce a product that you personally don’t need, such as screws. Would you eat screws at home after bringing them there? What are you going to do with them? For what you have been producing screws during the day? So you will get what is needed in the form of home delivery in accordance with the ordered list, just as in every country, a so-called consumer basket exists.
So you find yourself dependent on others, and this will be the desired stage, because every time your new reshimot come out, you will be able to perceive them in a society that organizes itself in such a way, as well as helps you. You will want to depend on others, it will be easier to fight your own selfishness, such dependence keeps you alert and pushes you forward. All of sudden you will feel such overwhelming responsibility for your new family, which you had never thought of, and these worries become irresistible.
This post is an excerpt translated from a larger article found at http://bit.ly/5B3U8