In Judaism, we find the ultimate curse to be that of exile, the dispersion of community, the loss of one's place. One the other hand, solitude speaks to the part of us that has no name, that wants to break free of the limitations imposed upon us by the thoughts and expectations of others. There, everything is good, everything is holy, and G-d alone is real. Like our father Abraham, a person who wants only G-d must learn to be one and alone. The validity of both these positions, and the pull they exert on our lives, stems from the fact that solitude and community are two necessary components in the metaphysical makeup of man, based upon the interplay of body and soul.
Community is a function of the body.
In Chassidic writings, the community is often referred to in physical terms. Every single element is necessary, for if even one is missing, it causes a defect in the entire communal body. Solitude, however, is the domain of the soul. Kabbalah understands the soul to be a portion of G-d Himself. As such, it shares in His total and unique Oneness and Transcendence.