Or maybe you've asked yourself, "Why is redemption taking so long?" It's a question generations have wrestled with. According to Kabbalah, the answer lies in the two paths God has laid out for us: the path of Torah and mitzvot (commandments), and the path of suffering.
Think of it like this: God wants us to reach a third stage, a state of completion and closeness to Him. To get there, we have a choice. As Baal HaSulam explains in his Introduction to the Zohar, we can choose the path of fulfilling Torah and mitzvot, actions designed to refine our desires and bring us closer to the Divine.
But what if we don't? What if we stubbornly cling to our own desires and ignore the call to spiritual growth? Well, then we find ourselves on the second path: the path of suffering.
Now, this isn't some kind of divine punishment in the traditional sense. Instead, suffering acts as a catalyst. It purifies the body and, more importantly, forces us to confront our selfish desires. It compels us, eventually, to transform our "desire to receive" – our ego – into a "desire to give," allowing us to bond with God.
The Sages of the Talmud understood this dynamic. There's a powerful passage in Sanhedrin (97b) that says, "If the Jewish people repent, good [they will be redeemed]; if not, I will appoint a king over you like Haman [who will afflict you with harsh punishments] and force you to repent.” It’s a stark image, isn’t it? Suffering, even at the hands of someone like Haman, can ultimately lead us back to the right path.
This idea echoes in the prophecy from Isaiah (60:22): "In its time, I will hasten it." The Talmud (Sanhedrin 98a) unpacks this further: "If they are worthy, I will hasten it [the redemption]; if they are not worthy, it will be at its time.” In other words, if we actively choose the path of Torah and mitzvot, we can accelerate our spiritual repair and avoid prolonged, bitter suffering.
But if we don't? Well, then the repair will happen "at its time" – when the suffering becomes so intense that it breaks us down and forces us to change. This path can even include the punishments of souls in Gehinnom, the Kabbalistic understanding of purgatory, a place of purification through suffering.
Ultimately, according to Baal HaSulam, the third stage, that state of completion, is inevitable. It's a guaranteed destination. But our free will determines how we get there. Do we choose the path of Torah and mitzvot, actively working to refine ourselves and draw closer to God? Or do we resist, forcing the universe to use suffering as a tool for our transformation?
The choice, as always, is ours. And it's a choice we make every single day. Which path will you choose?