THE UTTER NECESSITY TO ACCEPT THE WORK OF GOD
We have already said that nature necessitates that the human species lead a social life. This is simple. However, we should examine the commandments that nature compels us to follow as a result of that state, meaning that of leading a social life.
Generally speaking, there are but two commandments (precepts) we should engage within society. These can be defined by the names “reception and bestowal”. It means that each member is obligated by nature to receive his or her needs from society, and also benefit society by means of his or her work. If one breaks any of these two precepts, he shall be punished mercilessly.
The precept of reception requires only little regard as the punishment for it is given instantly. Thus, we will never neglect it. However, the punishment for the second precept, that of bestowal upon society, is not collected instantaneously. It rather comes to us indirectly.
Consequently, this precept is not kept as it should, and for that, humanity is being fried on a grisly pan, and famine, ruin and their upshots have not ceased thus far. It is astounding that nature, like a competent judge, punishes us while considering our development. After all, we see how as humanity evolves, so the pain and suffering providing for our livelihood and well-being increase.
Thus you have before you an empiric, scientific basis, demonstrating that we are commanded by His guidance to keep the precept of bestowal upon our fellow person with our heart and soul in utter precision. Not a single member among us shall work any less than the required measure to secure the success of society and its happiness.
As long as we are idle in keeping it in full, nature will continue to punish us and take revenge on us. Besides the beatings with which we are stricken in this time, we must also take into account the vividly drawn sword of the future. We must draw the right conclusion, namely that nature will ultimately defeat us, and we shall be compelled to keep His precepts in the fullest measure required of us.
An antagonist might still claim that I have thus far only demonstrated that one must serve one’s fellow person, but where is the practical proof that one must adhere to this precept for the sake of the Creator? Indeed, history itself has troubled itself in our favour, and prepared for us an unyielding fact, sufficient for a full assessment and indubitable conclusions.
We can all see how such a great society as the state of Russia, with its hundreds of millions and a land exceeding that of the whole of Europe, with almost second-to-none possession of raw materials, has agreed to lead a communal life and has effectively abolished private property. Each of them has no other concern but the well-being of society, and they have seemingly acquired the virtue of bestowal upon one’s fellow person in its fullest sense, as far as the human mind can reach.
However, go and see what has become of them: where they should have progressed and surpassed the capitalistic countries, they have declined ever downward. By now, they are incapable of benefiting the lives of the workers even a little more than those in the capitalistic countries. Moreover, they cannot even secure their daily bread and cover their flesh. Indeed, this is a perplexing truth, as judging by the wealth of this country and its multitude of people, one assumes it should not have come to that.
However, there is one sin this nation has committed for which the Creator will not forgive: all this precious and sublime work of bestowal upon one’s fellow person that they have begun to pursue should have been for the sake of the Creator, not for the sake of humankind. Thus, because they do it not for His name, they are denied their right to exist by nature itself.
Imagine if every person in this society would be as anxious to keep the precept of the Creator in the full measure of the words, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Imagine also how to that extent every one would be attentive and stand ready to satisfy the needs and wishes of their friends in the full measure imprinted in humans to satisfy their own desires, as it says, “Love thy friend as thyself.”
If the Creator had been the purpose of every worker in his work for the common good, and if the worker would expect to cleave to the Creator, to the origin of all the truth, goodness, pleasantness, and gentleness through this work for the society, there is no doubt that in a few years, they would surpass in riches all the nations of the world put together. They would be able to utilize the raw materials in their rich soil and would indeed set an example to all nations; they would be considered blessed by the Creator.
However, when the entire work in bestowal to one’s fellow person is based solely on the well-being of society, it is a rickety basis, for who and what would make one strain for the collective? It is impossible to hope that any motivating power would ever stem from a dry and lifeless principle. This is true for evolved individuals, and moreover for undeveloped people.
Thus, we are faced with the question: Where would the farmer or the worker take the motivating power to prompt him to the work, when the measure of one’s daily bread shall not increase or decrease by wasting one’s energy, and no reward and pay face one (Motivating power: a force, purpose. It is the operating force that sets any body in motion and provides it with its ration of energy for the labour as the fuel does in a machine)?
It is known to natural scientists that one will not make even the slightest movement without a motivating force, meaning without benefiting oneself somewhat. For example, when one moves his hand from the chair to the table, it is only because he thinks that by this he will have greater enjoyment leaving his hand on the table. Had he not thought so, he would leave his hand on the chair motionless for the entire duration of his life; all the more so regarding greater efforts.
If you should say that this matter can be resolved by placing supervisors over the workers, to punish the idle by taking their daily bread away, I shall then ask: “Do tell me, where would the supervisors themselves find the motivating force to work?” Standing still and watching over other people and motivating them to work is also a great exertion, perhaps more than the work itself! Thus, it seems as though one wishes to turn a machine on without fueling it.
Hence, they are naturally doomed to ruin. The laws of nature will punish them for they do not adapt themselves to keep its commandments, meaning perform these acts of bestowal upon one’s fellow person for the sake of the Creator, keep it and through it reach the purpose of creation, namely adhesion with Him.
It has been explained that this adhesion comes to the worker as an increasingly abundant pleasure, to the desired measure for ascension in the recognition of His truth. It develops on until one acquires the great adornment implied in the words, “neither hath the eye seen a God beside Thee.”
Imagine if the worker and the farmer had this goal before their eyes as they worked for the happiness of society. They would certainly not need supervisors over them, as they would have quite sufficient motivating power for great efforts, enough to raise society to sublime elation.
While it is true that understanding the matter in such a manner requires great care and reliable order, it is also plain to see that they have no right to exist from the perspective of the obstinate, uncompromising nature. This is what I wanted to demonstrate here.
Thus, I have evidently shown from the perspective of empiric intellect, and through the actual history unfolding before our eyes, that there is absolutely no cure for humankind except in taking upon themselves the commandment of providence, namely bestowal upon one’s fellow person in order to bring contentment to the Creator.
The above must be done in the spirit of the two verses: “Love thy friend as thyself,” the attribute of the work itself. It means that the measure of the effort to bestow upon one’s fellow person for the well-being of society must be no less than the amount imprinted in one to care for his own needs. Moreover, one should place the needs of the other before one’s own.
The second verse is “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” This is the purpose one must have before his eyes while labouring for his friend. It means that one operates and strains only to be liked by the Creator, as it says, and they do His will.
“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land,” for the poor shall cease to be, and every tortured and exploited shall no more be in the land; the joy of every person shall rise ever upward beyond measure and degree.
However, while you still refuse and wish not to come within the covenant of the work of the Creator in the fullest measure, as explained, then nature and its laws stand ready to take vengeance. It will not let go of us, as we have evidently shown, until it defeats us and we accept its rule in whatever it tells us.
Thus, I have presented before you a practical scientific research built on critical experimental intelligence, regarding the necessity of all people to take upon themselves the work of the Creator with all their heart and with all their soul and might.
|-“Building the Future Society” (2) -Rav Yehuda Ashlag
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