Entries in the 'lesson' Category

The System Of The Future, Part 3

Dr. Michael LaitmanA question I received: There are Internet systems where one comes to download the information they need. Maybe that is how we should attract people’s attention to the method of correction?

My Answer: Let’s say a person visits our site and downloads the information. Then what? We want him to visit the site for the sake of communication! Of course, we can display a certain pool of information about the necessity to communicate with each other. But then what will happen? Suppose we provided our user with additional information about what we learn at the lessons. What’s next?

What is the best way of providing people with information about Kabbalah? We have to involve them in the system and offer them an example of, the need for, and the possibility of communication. People should see that our way of solving worldly problems is all about making the right connections between us. We have to show our users that we trigger confidence, safety, and love into our lives; they have to see the way we advance and find new properties within ourselves that further allow our perception to rise to a new dimension, up to the level of sensing the Creator.

Where else can these properties be found? They are found only within the right communication among us.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Who Should Be Saved First?
Laitman.com Post: A World Of Equal Opportunities
Baal HaSulam Article: “Love of Friends”

Every Day Brings A New Revelation

Dr. Michael LaitmanA question I received: Why do Kabbalists often write that they don’t want to add to what was already stated by their teachers?

My Answer: It is written that there was no greater prophet than Moses. So what can the Kabbalists after him possibly write about? What can be added to what is said in the Torah? They try to give a greater explanation of Moses’ revelation of the Creator. They receive nourishment from this primary source and try to present it to their students in a way that will allow them to understand the inner meaning more correctly.

Let’s suppose that we both went to a store, bought the same foods, and later prepared this food, but each according to our own taste. It is written that “everything that any Kabbalist is destined to reveal has already been revealed by Moses on Mount Sinai.” He revealed the Light of Infinity, which contained everything. Meanwhile, by correcting ourselves, we reveal parts of what already exists.

The Kabbalists of the past knew much more than their followers, but they did not know how to reveal their attainments. With our work, this generation is completing the general development and revealing the greatest desires (NHYNetzah, Hod, Yesod) and therefore the most immense Light (the level of Neshama). The great Light of Hochma comes into the desires (Kelim) of the patriarchs (KHBKeter, Hochma, Bina) and with every lesson a greater understanding of the system of creation is revealed to us.

So what is the essence of Baal HaSulam’s revelation? He arranged everything in order, in a system where everything is connected. The science of Kabbalah is a revelation of inner connections, an analysis and synthesis acting in parallel with each other, the analysis of parts and their connection. And all this occurs within the created being while he is supplied with vital energy, starting from the level of food on the animate level and continuing all the way up to the spiritual degrees. Our whole life consists of processes of fission and fusion.

For the time being, we are unable to reveal this order. We act according to the principle: “Do everything in your power.” Certainly this order already exists, but you just haven’t clarified it for yourself yet. For the time being you are not replicating all of the Creator’s actions; you are fussing like a foolish child. However, gradually your actions will become more and more sensible, and you will be careful not to do anything that is senseless. This is how a person grows in spirituality.

From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/1/10, Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Spiritual Equality
The Path of Kabbalah: “Freedom of Choice – To Operate Above Nature”
Moments from the Daily Kabbalah Lesson: “Conveyance”
ARIfilms: “Great Kabbalists Throughout History”

The Whole World Is Created To Help Me

Laitman_049_04A question I received: What should I do if after the lesson, I am unable to stay focused on spirituality throughout the day?

My Answer: Each person goes through different time periods. There is a time when we want to study Kabbalah for hours and can’t get enough of it. Other times, we distance ourselves and stop striving toward it.

However, in the long run we see that everything is organized in the best possible way for each of us, and if we use our free time correctly, the Creator arranges more hours that can be utilized for the realization of what we studied. We encounter all sorts of problems: distractions with our work, problems with our boss, unsympathetic surroundings, as well as distractions in our thoughts and desires. Yet we feel that in spite of all these troubles, we have to stay connected with spirituality.

After the class ends, we have to go back to the “big world” that erases the impressions that we got from spirituality and confuses us, but these are the most effective circumstances for our advancement. We have to try to stay tuned with the spiritual world and to keep in mind the source of all these troubles and why they were sent to us. As well, we are to remember what we are supposed to adhere to and why, meaning that “There is none else beside Him, Who is Good and does good.”  We have to constantly feel our inner connection with the Creator as if staying in touch with someone we love and cherish.

Try to retain this state throughout the day. You’ll start to feel that all those unfortunate circumstances are brought to you by the Creator within some imaginary world which gives you a chance to seek connection with Him through all the hassles and illusions you get.

You’ll see that this world is “invented,” and that it is just an outer shell; you’ll sense that the troubles simply constitute the shapes of your desires that convert within you all the time. Those are the desires that you have to “link” to the Creator; if you do, they will turn into their spiritual forms.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/13/10, The Zohar

Related Material
:
Laitman.com Post: Thank The Creator For Disturbances
Laitman.com Post: Help Against Yourself
Shamati #1: “There Is None Else Besides Him”- Lesson

Thank The Creator For Disturbances

royal A question I received: During The Zohar part of the morning lessons, I feel that I don’t understand anything but, nonetheless, feel an aspiration and connection to the material.

However, during the evening lessons, I don’t know what to do with myself. I feel completely detached from the material, overwhelmed by thoughts of daily problems, and unable to concentrate on the lesson. What can I do to start focusing on the material? Is there some instant, automatic action that can be done in such a state?

My Answer: The automatic action to fight the disturbances is to thank the Creator that sends them. After all, “There is none else beside Him.” He creates these disturbances for you; He controls your heart and your mind. It stands to reason that He best knows what to send you at any given moment. He sends you all these things precisely to confuse you, to make you feel clueless, unable to focus, to distract you by compelling you to think about your day’s activities, problems, and concerns.

Why? If, in the midst of all this confusion, multitude of problems, and distractions, you are able to gather all your strength to grasp and connect with even a tiny fraction of the text for just a few moments, therein lay your profit. On the other hand, if you’re sitting at the lesson with a clear mind, feeling as if you are practically soaring in the spiritual worlds, you may not be in the right place at all. Indeed, your effort lies in trying to connect to the spiritual world, even a little, in spite of all your little “snakes” (egoistic desires). This is precisely what you need.

Later, all of a sudden, the great revelations will come. Precisely from the hardships and departures, the revelations are attained. As it is written, “The Torah shall come out of Zion (Light’s departure).”

Therefore, if your mind isn’t functioning or your mood is foul, don’t think that it’s useless to come to the lesson and listen to The Zohar. That calculation is absolutely incorrect; your clarity of mind or emotional state is not important. If you’re truly struggling with feeling detached, weary, and confused, but you still try to connect to the material as much as you can, even if you only make a small momentary connection, you gain much more than during the states of great inspiration. This is because inspiration is granted from Above and it just inflates you like air fills a balloon. However, the true benefit is produced by hard work and effort in spite of disturbances.

Reaching The Right Request

Dr Michael Laitman A question I received: How can I be sure that my request is correct and that it is directed at correction?

My Answer: If a person studies together with us, his intentions are constantly corrected, one after another, and they unite. It’s as if a “viral” correction occurs between friends. We give each other the opportunity to be corrected since we are connected into one system of souls. This is the greatest correction of all possible corrections.

On his own, a person is not capable of anything, but if he has a desire and tries to unite with others, this will work as much as his ego (also called Pharaoh and the heaviness of the heart) will allow. Therefore, a person doesn’t need to perform a calculation for himself alone as to whether his efforts were successful. On his own, a person will never correct himself and he cannot even correctly evaluate his intention.

We need to learn jointly, to feel our unification before the studies, and to aspire to learn like one man with one heart in order to draw the Surrounding Light onto us.

Every lesson presents the opportunity to unify and draw the Light that Reforms, and so each lesson is like the reception of the Torah under Mount Sinai. After all, we need to receive the Torah which is the Light that Reforms. As it is written, “I created the evil inclination, and I created the Torah as a means to correct it.” Therefore, we are standing under Mount Sinai at every given moment. Receiving the Torah, the Light that Reforms, is on the condition that we become like one man with one heart.

Individual calculations aren’t applicable; success depends on everyone together, each one according to his ability, uniting in the conditions that are assigned from Above. Success depends on the united effort that comes from us below. Therefore, we need to continuously, tirelessly press on. As a result, our efforts will accumulate into one large account and, finally, revelation will occur.

Continuing The Infinite Flow Of Interconnections

In all life situations, your behavior should be determined only by the spiritual goal A question I received: If a group loses its teacher, can it advance?

My Answer: Everything that’s necessary for the group’s advancement and your spiritual progress is already contained in the tens of thousands of lessons that are stored in our archives. The stronger you unite, the more degrees you will reveal in those lessons. Everything depends on the Kli (the vessel), rather than one who fills it.

As you attain greater unity, you’ll continually reveal new things in all the lessons.  In ten years from now, you will reveal greater degrees in lessons that are ten years old today. Everything depends on the “user,” his sensitivity and openness. You’ll progressively discover new layers in the same materials. Inner changes will allow you to perform continuously deeper revelations. Greater unity will enable you to reveal all the subsequent states in those previous lessons.

The passing of a teacher is not the end. Life continues, a new form of governance comes from Above, and the group continues to move ahead. This is the way it should be in the process of growth.

For example, according to the same principle, we change our attitude to a child as he gets older. With time, he, himself, begins to feel a need to separate. In the same way, a person is given a teacher for a time, and then the teacher is taken away. The teacher receives another mission and the student does too. We need to relate to these changes as an infinite flow of interconnections between Kelim.

The Light Affects Us No Matter What State We Are In

the-machsom-is-the-same-everywhere-even-in-japanTwo questions I received about beginning Kabbalah study:

Question: Do we need to have the point in the heart before we can begin to correct ourselves and our relationships with others?

My Answer: No. You can begin in any state.

Question: I have a group of five to six people who do not have Internet, and so I am giving them Kabbalah lessons in Spanish with recorded lessons of the ARI Learning Center in my computer. I am giving them the first 15 lessons. Is this OK and can I give them the virtual lessons I took before or the new one starting in January?

My Answer: It does not matter. Let them listen to any lessons, even those intended for very advanced students. The Light always works and its effect does not depend on understanding. It’s more important to pay attention to the teacher.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Greatness Begins With Small Things
Laitman.com Post: There Is Only One Source Of Spiritual Desire
Laitman.com Post: The Message Of Achieving Happiness Is All Or None
Rabash Article: “The Importance of the Association”
Attaining the Worlds Beyond: “How to Read the Text”
Spiritual Teacher – Kabbalah (3:08)

Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 01.12.10

The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Shmini (On The Eighth Day),” Item 33, Lesson 2
While a person is asleep, the only thing he can do on his own is to desire to awaken.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

“Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 118, Lesson 48
After the breaking of the vessels, the creation recreates the image of the Creator within itself by connecting the broken pieces into a picture that is similar to Him.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Preface to the Book of Zohar,” Item 40, Lesson 15
No individual has the strength to advance. However, we have the force of desire, which we can and must share with each other.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 01.11.10

The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Shmini (On The Eighth Day),” Item 1
The more developed a person is, the deeper are the questions he asks while trying to solve the mystery of his existence.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

“Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 117, Lesson 47
All parts of the World of Nekudim turn into Kelim for correction in the World of Atzilut.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Preface to the Book of Zohar,” Item 37, Lesson 14
While reading The Book of Zohar one must tune into its wavelength, the wavelength of Kabbalists who are “conducting a broadcast” from the spiritual world.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 01.10.10

The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “VaYeshev (And Jacob Sat),” Item 258
One should make efforts in the desire, rather than the mind. One should constantly aspire to acquire the perception of the true reality.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

“Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 113, Lesson 46
The force of the striking interaction (Zivug) is measured by how much the desire to enjoy becomes similar to the desire to bestow pleasure.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

Preface to the Book of Zohar,” Item 35, Lesson 13
I begin to reveal the spiritual world when I change hatred for my neighbor to love for him.
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio