Creating an External & Internal Relationship: 6

We can now apply what we have been discussing to one's relationship with Hashem. A person should not approach Hashem with his external self only, "These are my accomplishments... these are my mistakes," and mistakenly think that this is the basis of his entire relationship with Hashem. Rather he should come with the great and eternal inner love that Hashem feels for him. Hashem will shine on a person and raise him up so that he can arrive at this moment of connection. From that a person draws the ability to overcome the fact that in his external life he is not yet perfect in his service of Hashem. By building up the inner connection he can be at peace with the external.

This is because any visible external beauty (i.e. proper Mitzvah performance) is secondary to the deeply rooted goodness of the person which makes Hashem proud. It should be evident that if one comes to connect to Hashem and instead focuses on what she has or hasn't done, she is forgetting that Hashem is looking forward to a real inner connection.

The manner in which Hashem created the world is one in which the external is more evident to the eye. Within is found the beautiful godliness which gives existence to the rest. Even though we are living within that world in which there is an external revelation of the presence of Hashem, we need to remain focused on the fact that it is in the inner world where our hearts really belong.