Two questions I received on one’s friends and group in the spiritual path:

Question: Should a person be wary even of his friends on the spiritual path? That is to say, it’s possible that even in the group where you study, not everyone is following the true path. And in general, can one deviate from the true path while being in a group?

My Answer: Once you decide to be a part of the group, you must see your friends in the group as great and infallible. Otherwise, how would you be able to receive the realization of the greatness of the goal and your own weakness? If you follow Rabash’s recommendations on the group (ed. see the related material below), you can be certain that you will reach the goal.

Question: One receives the fuel to progress along the spiritual path from one’s environment (the group). So if a person has a lot of money, can he hire people who don’t have a point in the heart to advertise the importance of bestowal, love for the neighbor, and the importance of attaining adhesion with the Creator through loving one’s neighbor?

My Answer: Yes. For example, one can hire musicians to inspire him with Baal HaSulam’s music. Or he can hire a large group of people who will act out a corrected society for him. However, such an act can only be used to rise out of a descent. When it comes to the quality of bestowal, one can adapt it only among people similar to him, as it is written: “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” where your neighbor is someone who is close to you according to your desires and goal.

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