Sometimes a person prays with constricted consciousness, until, in one minute, the light of his soul shines and he rises to the supernal world,¹³ writes a similar thought, in the name of the Baal Shem Tov: “‘A song of Ascents: I lift my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come?’ (Psalms 121:1). I lift my eyes to the mountains – that is, to the [higher levels of] consciousness; for the ‘mountains’ are the ‘Forefathers’ [the upper Sefiros]. When I see that at times this consciousness leaves me, G-d forbid, then ‘from where (m’ayin) will my help come?’ Because I see and understand this, my heart is broken and I become nothing (ayin). Therefore, my help will come from the Infinite (the Ein Sof).” The meaning of this passage is that when a person, having lost the connection with G-d, becomes humble and contrite, making himself like nothing – ayin – then a new light shines on him from the Source of All, which is the Ein Sof, the One Without End. like a person who climbs a ladder. Thus it is written: “Send Your light and Your truth, they will lead me” (Psalms 43:3) – that is, the supernal light. Likutey Ikarim, p.3d

footnotes: ¹³ The Degel Machane Ephraim