The Law Of Communicating Vessels
Question: Why is having a group so important for the study of Kabbalah?
Answer: The role of the Kabbalistic group is similar to that of family, friends, relatives, social security, and medical insurance in our life. If I’m in a tough situation, fall ill, or lose my job, there is a system that helps me in that weak moment.
This system of mutual support in spiritual development is called "mutual guarantee" (Arvut). The speed and ease of our advancement toward the goal – the revelation of the Creator – depend upon the strength of this system. It influences everyone, and its strength accumulates as a result of our common efforts.
Rabash writes: “We have gathered here to establish a society for all who wish to climb the degrees of man (Adam), and not remain as a beast.” When we make a joint decision to follow the method of Baal HaSulam, rise above our egoism, and reveal the Creator in the connection between us, we are already making an agreement.
We have to help each other to value the greatness of the goal and the Creator, seeing all the friends as the greatest in the generation, inspiring them with the greatness of the spiritual goal, and realizing our own insignificance. I guarantee to the friends that I will help with this, regardless of what state I am in. These are conditions of our agreement.
Following this, there can be two states:
1. Either I support the group in inspiration, power, unity, and the greatness of the Creator,
2. Or as soon as I become weak, they begin caring for me.
It’s like two communicating vessels. The moment a drop of water is removed from one of them, the water immediately flows into it from the other one, and the water levels always even out in them. The width or volume of each vessel does not matter: If they are connected, the water level will be the same in both.
This is how we are connected in the group. They give me strength, and I give strength to them. It’s impossible to advance without such a mutual guarantee.
[21435]
From the Lesson on Rabash’s Article, 9/17/10
Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: We All Guarantee For Each Other
Laitman.com Post: The Covenant Of Friends
Laitman.com Post: The Main Witness
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Dear Dr. laitman
I really agree with the importance of a group in order to achieve greatness but i heard you once talking about the importance of a group and how you should disregard your own opinions/needs/knowledge/ideas, your own identity if you will before the group.
the group is above your personal opinions/ideas etc.
even if you dont agree with the group you should follow it .
well, we know of a few groups during the 120th century that their members did all that and we got some dangerous outcomes .
how can we assure a group is heading for greatness and not for failure ?
this is a general question regarding the formation and management of groups .
i really think you are doing a great job and i believe with all my heart that this is the only way for the salvation of humanity during this crucial period .
thank you
amos cohen
amos.cohen2@gmail.com
rav,
I am finishing the french translation of the introduction to the study of the ten sefirot.
It forces to really focus on the intention behind the so justly used words.
There can not be wholeness unless the sins of the past are purified. There can not be any balance between the two states of a benoni. Those guilts are at least one great cause of fear and lack of certainty before the Creator. I’m going after them. One by one. I dont know exactly how to purify this part of the body – as usual – but started enumerating, scrutating, all of those that comes in my mind, as left data, then bringing each of them to the right, then adding a blessing for each situation once it is revealed and some diagnosis was made. Some good old nightmares are helping me find directions. I already feel some great constant changes.
I heard you say in one lesson, while talking about other kabbalist group, that “BB was sealed off”. This is normal: ‘The leader is under attack because he is the leader”. That’s it. No human in this world is doing a work of this magnitude, except BB. Other groups, – for me and the rest of this world – they are concealed in that antic clothing from which you extracted all this light for us. This is why they want to add some clothing on BB. Because BB leads.
Of course here and there it is possible to find some interesting comments by some rav. But no method. No method at all. It is always aborting in “litterality”.
Nowhere can BB unity, energy, coherence and forceful jump toward humanity, be matched.
We are all swimming in a divine solvent that cant be noticed in reception. We are in it like crystals, reflectors, or opaque stones. A wonderful solvant of ten sefirot connecting us. I am training like a sportsman, using small distances and many brachot.
Also, maybe some comments I did may sound peculiar. Maybe I better shut up. There is so much to say behind these peculiar statements. This morning when my eyes opened,
for the first time, modeh ani came almost instantly and naturally to my lips with a breath of joy.
This is because of the group.
All the very best to all the friends!
kol tuv rav
eliferuch