As we’d learned, we’re encouraged to foster an intimacy with G-d to regularly catch sight of Him all about us and to hear out what He has to say. After all, as Ramchal put it, we were created to attach onto G-d’s Presence at bottom, and nothing less (see 1:4:6). But there excellent ways to do that and then there are some flawed ones.

Since it only stands to reason that G-d would have prepared a way for us to do just that (inasmuch as He’s the one who wants us to), we would also expect Him to have acquainted us with it, and to have chosen the best way. In fact, all that’s true. The mitzvah-system that G-d granted us is the very best way for us Jews to draw close to Him; and when we observe it wholeheartedly and reverently and thus hear Him out, we can indeed catch sight of Him all about us.

But there are impediments along the way (as there must be since, after all, how satisfying would triumph be without challenge?). The deepest, most serious impediment of all to drawing close to G-d is ironically the very most basic thing about us: our worldliness. Because besides being an out-and-out gift from G-d, our worldliness is also fraught with the potential for unholiness. And there’s the rub.