The Bal Shem Tov is buried in the Ukraine. The first day we spent in Poland, the second day we spent in the Ukraine. One of the most amazing experiences happened to work out this way: we traveled for three days, and by the time we came to the Bal Shem Tov, as when we came to Rabbi Elimelech of Lejensk, it was late at night and it was dark.

The Bal Shem Tov is buried on the outskirts of what is still a town. From the moment you walk into these places until the moment you leave, you can’t help but feel this awakening, this Light.

The Bal Shem Tov teaches a very important lesson concerning this week’s Parashah, concerning the galut hada’at, the coming out of the exile of our consciousness, which we all still have.

(4:43) The Bal Shem Tov explains that when it says–and we say this in the Kriat Shma, we say this in the prayers (4:52) you should know today, and return it to your heart (4:58)–that the Creator is above and below, and the verse adds these two very important words: ayin od, and there is nothing else.

The Bal Shem Tov explains. We know that many of us believe that there is a Creator, there is a being that brought about this world. It says you should know and return to your heart and think in your heart about this concept. What does it mean when it says ayin od, there is nothing else?

(5:36) If you accept that there is one Creator, then obviously you are not thinking there are other creators, so what is the necessity of adding those two words–ayin od? (5:51) The Bal Shem Tov explains. (5:56) It’s not that there is not another creator (6:03). When we talk about having true consciousness, it’s not simply about an understanding that there is a Creator of this world, and there are not other creators, gods, but that everything in this world is God. There isn’t anything in this world that is not God. When you look at anything of a physical nature, when you look at everything around you, have clarity and consciousness that everything is the Light of God. There is nothing, ayin od, there is nothing besides that.

Everything around us that seems to be of a physical nature is an illusion, a concealment

Even though we all see all kinds of physicality around us, we should know that everything around us that seems to be of a physical nature is an illusion, a concealment. The reality is that there is nothing in this world that is not the Light of God.

If the Light of the Creator is removed from anything, it all goes back to nothingness

In everything of a physical nature there is the essence, the Light of God that pulsates through everything. If the Light of the Creator would be removed from anything for even one second, it would all go back to nothingness.

There is a famous story. We went to see Rabbi Yehuda Tzvi of Stratin, who is the great-great-great-grandfather of the Rav’s teacher, Rav Brandwein. He was a student of Rabbi Uri of Starlisk, who was known as “the angel.” The story that Rav Brandwein tells the Rav, and the Rav tells us, is that when Rav Uri would drink coffee or tea, he would hold the sugar in one hand and he would drink the tea. He would taste the sweetness in his mouth as he was drinking the tea. When he was done he would open up his hand and there would be nothing left in his hand. Why? His consciousness was at this level. He knew that everything was one, and everything was the Light of the Creator. So whether he takes away the sweetness, which is a manifestation of the Light of the Creator, through his mouth or from his hand, it makes no difference. He could draw that Light into his taste buds in any way because it’s all one.

There is no separation. There is no hand and mouth and sugar and tea. It is all One. It is all the Light of the Creator. Once you have that consciousness, you can draw out the Light of the Creator from everything, in every way.

The greater our consciousness that everything is the Light of the Creator, the more Light is revealed

When we awaken this consciousness, and again, it’s not simply about the way we think, but the greater our consciousness is that this is all the Light of the Creator, the more of that Light that is revealed.

That is our work in this world. The Light of consciousness isn’t only that we become aware of the reality, but also that the awareness that everything around us is the Light of the Creator actually awakens that revelation, that Light, even stronger.

Only in our eyes and in our consciousness do things seem to be separate

Only in our eyes and in our consciousness do things seem to be separate. When we talk about Tzimtzum, when we talk about the constriction of the Creator’s Light, all it means is that there was a layer put over the Light of the Creator. There is no removal, there is no absence, there is no lack, there is no loss of Light. It means there were layers and veils put upon the Light of the Creator. It is an illusion that the world seems full of separateness, full of physicality.

Nothing in this world is anything but the Light of the Creator

That’s why the ancient word, the Hebrew word for world is olam, world, lashon (10:41), which is from the word of concealment or removal, because the Creator concealed His Light in this physicality. But the reality is there is nothing in this world, nothing in this room, that is anything but the Light of the Creator.

This is the consciousness, this is the beautiful understanding. When we look at the stories in the Torah, unfortunately, we can look at it as people enslaved and in physical difficulties. But, of course, that’s not why we read it. And, of course, that is not what happened.

Going out of galut hada’at, out of exile, is gaining clarity of consciousness

What happened to those people thousands of years ago, and what we can awaken for ourselves today, is clarity of consciousness, going out of galut hada’at, going out from the exile of our consciousness.

And what is the greatest exile of our consciousness? What is the greatest lack that we have in our consciousnes? That we see everything around us as separate. We see physicality as separate. We see no Light of the Creator everywhere we look. That is the greatest exile of consciousness.

This is the gift on this Shabbat, and everyone of us has this gift as we desire it, as we ask for it, that when we begin to awaken, as we listen to the Torah, for our consciousness to go out of exile.

When a person begins this process, and this is consciousness and constant work, what this means is that when I look at this podium, when I look at a table, this isn’t simply wood, this is the Light of the Creator manifest in wood. When I look around, and most importantly, when I look at another person, I don’t say this is another person who either upsets me or angers me or makes me feel good, this is the Light of the Creator manifested in a person.

The only reason difficulties come into our lives is because we are separate from the Light of the Creator

And this is a great secret. The only reason why difficulties come into our lives is because we see them as separate from the Light of the Creator.

The Bal Shem Tov teaches that when we sees within the darkness the Light, within the physicality the Light, then the Light is manifest and revealed, and difficulties and problems go away.