As Rosh Hashanah approaches and we reflect on our avodas Hashem over the last year it is important that we have the tachlis, our ultimate purpose in this world in mind the entire time. The main purpose of every part of avodas Hashem, whether it be learning Torah, davening, doing mitzvos is to constantly reach higher levels of dveykus, a connection to Hashem. The main goal is to realize that the essence of everything is dveykus. The bottom line of all avodas Hashem is dveykus. After learning all there is to know, after understanding everything one can understand in life, one must recognize that the purpose of it all is dveykus.

There are Yidden all over the world, and everyone needs to know that if, for any reason, one is an ones (unable to do something due to circumstances beyond control) and cannot physically do a certain avodah in avodas Hashem, the holiness of dveykus still remains. Even though there is a level that involves an action that must be performed, there are times when one simply cannot fulfill the practical requirements. But everyone, without exception, can connect to a level of ohr—light within that moment. If one cannot perform the physical action, they can still connect on the level of light. This light is dveykus, the connection to the essence and purpose of every part of life. Even if one is an ones, they can still fulfil their purpoase in this world by connecting to the root of everything through dveykus.

All of this applies specifically to someone who is truly an ones. Anything instructed to be done lechatchila (ideally) applies only up until the point when one faces a situation that forces them to act b’dieved (after the fact). Once a person is in a situation of b’dieved, they must deepen their dveykus, connect to the light within, and believe that even in their compromised situation, they can achieve everything as if they were performing on the level of lechatchila, and perhaps even on a greater level than that.

Tzaddikim taught that in some respects, one can accomplish more rectifications outside Gan Eden than inside it. When one finds themselves in a b’dieved situation, they need to connect to the dveykus within that moment and believe that with just one split second of dveykus, they can reach all levels and all worlds. Even if someone is on the opposite end of the world, through dveykus, teshuvah, and a connection that transcends reasoning and understanding, it is as if they have truly, truly, truly—and even more—reached all the levels and rectifications.

More than anything, one must know that with teshuvah, hishtokekus (yearning), and complete bitul (self-nullification), one can rectify everything. However, it’s crucial to understand that before one is an ones, they cannot enter this mindset. This is a sod (secret), and it may seem like a contradiction, but this is how it works. Even if one believes in this idea, they cannot deliberately put themselves in a b’dieved situation. One must do everything possible to fulfill things lechatchila, but once a person finds themselves in a b’dieved state, they must believe that through the secret of ohr, through dveykus, in just one moment, they can accomplish everything.