The heavens are light, and the earth is dark. “Let them become light-bearers on the vault of the heavens to shine upon the earth (Bereishit 1, 15).” Though one dwells in darkness, he must know that Hashem is present in the darkness. “The heavens were opened and I saw visions of God (Yechezkel 1, 1).” It was dark, Yechezkel did not see, but then the heavens were opened and he saw. This is ruach ha-kodesh.
Ruach ha-kodesh is man's tachlit, his end and purpose. It is called teshuva - returning. “The dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit (ruach) will return (tashuv) to God who gave it (Koheleth 12, 7).”
Now, when one truly knows that Hashem has placed him in the darkness for his own benefit and that Hashem dwells there with him, then he fills with joy. “You will make known to me the path of life; the fullness of joy is in Your presence (Tehilim 16, 11).” But when he fills with joy and he is in “Your presence”—he has returned to Hashem and there is light; so then he does not know that Hashem is present in the darkness, rather he is in the light knowing Hashem. So he is distant from the tachlit and ruach ha-kodesh.
When one person is distant from another, the other's face is difficult to see. The face (panim) is called light (or), as in, “or paneikha (Sim Shalom, Amida).” Distance, then, is like darkness, since it is difficult to see the face. So, even though there is light, he must still do teshuva.
Yet more light will not help one see. He needs to come closer, but more light will not bring him closer. He needs something different.
“ We prostrate ourselves before the King of kings of kings, The Holy One, blessed be He; for He spreads out the heavens and founds the earth...” Greatness is the quality of being effective in disparate places. The heavens and the earth are disparate places. We prostrate ourselves before Hashem because He is great. “‘Planting the heavens and founding the earth and saying to Zion: ami ata (Yeshayahu 51, 16).’ Read not ami ata –you are my people, rather imi ata - you are with me (Introduction to the Zohar).” That is, Hashem is so great, that even when one is far from the tachlit, Hashem is with him, he and Hashem are one.
Echad (one) is numerically equal to ahavah (love). Being one with Hashem is ahavat Hashem. Since he is one with Hashem, he too must say to Zion, imi ata - you are with me. That is, he must become one with Israel. This is ahavat Yisrael. If he does not unify himself with Israel, he makes as though he is separate from Hashem.
Accordingly, the Talmud describes Hillel at a time of great joy: “Whoever has not seen the joy of the water-drawing ceremony has never seen joy in his life... Hillel the Elder, when he was joyful with the joy of the water-drawing, used to say, ‘If I am here, everyone is here. If I am not here, who is here? (Talmud Bavli, Sukka, 51 and 53).’”
So, in order to draw close, after one has filled with joy and dwells in light, one must unify himself with Israel, as in the verse, “The ransomed of Hashem will return, u-va'u Tzion b'rina (Yeshayahu 51, 11).” It does not say u-va'u L'Tzion b'rina – not that they will come to Zion. Rather, Zion is the subject: Zion comes. They were plural and separated; they will come to each other and become Zion – unified and one.
This is the rebuilding of Jerusalem: Israel makes Zion through our love for each other. Now the tachlit does not require one to dwell in darkness; the heavens do not need to be opening in order for one to receive ruach ha-kodesh. As Yechezkel concludes, 'The name of the city from that day shall be Hashem is there.”