Not just the spark, but the blueprint, the ultimate goal already in place before the journey even starts. It's a mind-bending concept, especially when we apply it to ourselves.
In Da'at Tevunot – a profound exploration of wisdom and understanding – we encounter just this idea. It speaks of the "joining of these two characteristics as one," hinting at a state of wholeness, a perfected state that humanity is destined for in the "end-time of perfection."
But here’s the twist. This perfected state isn’t something we gradually stumble upon. According to Da'at Tevunot, it's actually established first. Imagine the soul, newly emanated from its source. It exists in its ultimate, most complete form. Then, a fascinating instruction comes from above: "Go and diminish yourself, until you return to your original place when elevated by your actions."
Whoa.
So, the soul doesn't start small and grow into greatness. Instead, it begins at its peak and then…descends. It diminishes. It seems counterintuitive, right? We tend to think of progress as a linear climb, an upward trajectory. But this is something else entirely. It suggests a cycle, a journey of descent followed by ascent.
Da'at Tevunot emphasizes that "there is nothing new under the sun." The soul’s creation isn't diminished from the beginning, only to later elevate itself to something greater. No, the order is reversed. It emanated in its "great strength," and then it diminished, only to eventually return to that initial strength.
Think of it like this: the end action, the final perfected state, is actually the original thought. The seed contains the full potential of the tree. The perfection is established first, followed by the diminishment, and then a return, step by step, to that initial perfection.
What does this mean for us, here and now? Perhaps it suggests that deep down, we already possess the potential for wholeness, for perfection. The journey isn't about creating something new, but about uncovering what's already within us, buried beneath layers of experience, challenges, and diminishment. It's about returning to our source, to the strength and perfection that was there all along.
It's a comforting thought, isn't it? That even in our moments of doubt, struggle, and apparent imperfection, the blueprint for our ultimate wholeness is already in place, waiting to be rediscovered. Maybe the real work is simply remembering who we truly are.