Just the Gist

• Five levels of desires

• Recognition of evil as a condition for discovering the Creator

• The “point in the heart”

• Intention is life’s decisive force

The history of humankind runs on a par with the story of human desires and how they developed. The search for ways of fulfilling our desires determines the speed and direction of a civilization’s evolution and defines how it measures progress.

This chapter explores the development of human desires, from basic needs all the way up to the highest level: the need for spirituality. You can begin a serious study of Kabbalah only after you’ve acquired that need; it is the gateway to understanding the Creator’s role and our own role in the world.