The New LADDER OF LIGHT Series

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Welcome to "Ladder of Light": Uncovering the Wisdom You Already Know

Shalom and welcome, friends.

I am so glad you have decided to join me. Whether you are seeking deeper meaning, spiritual discipline, or simply a way to navigate the chaos of modern life, you have come to the right place. We are about to embark on a journey based on a classic work of Jewish wisdom called Mesillas Yesharim—The Path of the Upright—written by the great sage, the Ramchal.

But before we begin, I have a confession to make.

You might be expecting me to teach you mysteries you have never heard before. But the truth is, I did not write this series to teach you new things. I am here to remind you of what you already know.

The Trap of the "Obvious" We live in a world obsessed with information. If you look around, you will see brilliant people—scientists, engineers, business leaders—dedicating their lives to mastering complex subjects. Some study the natural world, biology, and physics; others focus on mathematics, astronomy, or architecture. Even within the world of religion, many scholars spend their days arguing over complex legal theories or technicalities.

Yet, there is one area that almost everyone neglects: The study of how to be a truly good human being who is close to the Creator.

Why do we ignore it? Paradoxically, because we think it is too simple. We assume that loving God, being a person of integrity, and acting with kindness are "obvious." We think, "I know I should be good," so we stop thinking about it. But because we take these truths for granted, we forget them. We let them fade into the background while we chase careers, money, or intellectual prestige.

The Cost of Forgetfulness When wise people ignore the work of character refinement, spiritual growth is left to those who may not understand it properly. This leads to a tragedy: the world begins to think that being "holy" or "pious" means doing strange, extreme things. People start to believe that to be close to God, you must recite endless chants, fast until you are weak, or—as the Ramchal humorously puts it—roll around in the snow to suffer.

This is not what the Creator wants. These extreme practices do not settle the mind or satisfy the soul. True spiritual logic requires a clear mind and a stable heart.

What Does the Creator Actually Want? Authentic ancient wisdom teaches us that true connection to the Divine is not about suffering; it is about perfection of character.

Our guide, the Ramchal, points us to the words of Moses: "What does the Lord your God ask of you? Only to fear the Lord... to walk in all His ways, and to love Him..." (Deuteronomy 10:12).

This sounds beautiful, but it requires work. Kindness, love, and awe are not always innate instincts; they are skills we must build. Just as we have natural instincts for hunger or sleep, we have the potential for holiness—but we need a strategy to unlock it.

Our Roadmap: The Ladder of Light In this series, we are going to follow a specific, step-by-step system handed down by the ancient sages, specifically a roadmap provided by Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair. He taught that spiritual growth is a ladder. We cannot jump to the top; we must climb rung by rung. Altogether we will learn 9 steps of this system. Here is you can see the first part of our study:

1. Vigilance (Caution): Learning to pay attention to our actions so we don't live on "autopilot."

2. Alacrity (Zeal): Moving from laziness to energetic enthusiasm in doing good.

3. Cleanliness: Purifying ourselves from bad habits and negative traits.

4. Separation & Purity: Learning to detach from the obsessions of the material world to focus on the spiritual.

5. Humility & Piety: Eventually reaching a state where our only desire is to bring joy to the Creator.

Why You Should Join This Journey You might ask, "Why should I spend time on this when I have a job, a family, and bills to pay?"

The answer is simple: Because the Creator searches all hearts.

We are all obligated to refine ourselves. It is not enough to just "be a nice person" by accident or habit. If we don't set aside time to study how to love, how to fear God, and how to purify our motives, these concepts will disappear from our hearts. The physical world is designed to distract us; if we don't actively fight to remember our purpose, we will drift away.

This course is for anyone who wants to stop drifting. It is for the person who wants to ensure their life is not just busy, but meaningful. I am reading and teaching this work not just for you, but for myself as well—so that we can all learn to fear and love our Creator properly.

Let us fulfill the prayer of King David together: "Teach me, O Lord, Your way, that I may walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your Name" (Psalm 86:11).

Are you ready to climb? Let’s begin.

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The LADDER OF LIGHT Devotional Series: The Inner Dimension of Redemption At From Zion With Love, we explore the Divine Blueprint through prophecy, history, and current events—the "outer" march toward the Final Redemption. But Global Redemption is intimately connected to our responsibility to personal preparation.

Ladder of Light is your daily guide to that inner work. Drawing on authentic ancient Jewish wisdom that is universal in scope, this series is dedicated to perfecting the character and preparing the vessel of the soul for the great era ahead.

Prepare With Us Don’t just watch history unfold; be part of the spiritual solution. Join our Ladder of Light Study Group to discuss how we apply these timeless truths to prepare ourselves for each day and for the Final Redemption.

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