When we begin the path of Kabbalah, we gradually come to realize that our perception of reality is divided into an inner world and an outer world, where the outer or external world seems foreign to us. Therefore, we don’t look at it with loving eyes and don’t see it as wonderful in every way, like a mother looks at her child, for instance.

In reality, however, it is to our benefit that we were created with this dual perception which allows us to treat our egoism as something foreign. Due to it we come to know the mistakes and corruptions associated with our egoism and suddenly recognize that it is all within us. It is really a wonder when we realize that all of the evil we see outside of ourselves is in fact our own, because it allows us to redirect our focus from trying to correct the outside, to wanting instead to correct ourselves.

This dual perception originates from the initial opposition between the point of creation which emerged “out of nothing” and the Light. This opposition forces our perception to split into two parts – internal and external. In other words, we see ourselves from the outside (as if it is not us) and then absorb everything inside ourselves. But when we acknowledge that the hatred and evil perceived as outside of ourselves is indeed our own, we connect it to the tiniest spark of our soul (the point in the heart), and the result is a corrected Kli.

It is similar to photo developing, which turns a negative into a positive. Nothing else is needed except changing our outlook, and by this we begin to see everything in what is called “the Reflected Light.”

Our perception is built using sounds, flavors, visual images, scents, and all of our other bodily sensors. Moreover, our perception also defines the levels of our desire for food, sex, money, power, and knowledge. These are “outer fulfillments” which we have to reveal within ourselves. Therefore the same principle can be applied not only to our Kelim, but also to the Lights. Right now this is difficult to understand, but as we begin to sense spirituality, we can feel the world in this way and then everything becomes clear.

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The Creator dwells inside the connection of all the souls that we refer to as the common soul of Adam HaRishon. We, the parts of the common soul, correct and revive the broken system of souls when we begin to connect with one another. In doing so, we create a multidimensional net where every piece is connected to others, just like the organs in the human body are connected through an infinite number of connections.

The connection between the souls once existed for the sake of bestowal to the Creator. In that state, all the souls were connected “as one man with one heart” for the sake of one Creator. This is the meaning of the verse, “He and His Name are one”; it refers to the state where the Creator and the creation were one single whole in the World of Infinity. However, this connection was broken because everyone lost their altruistic intention. As a result, the Creator disappeared, as did the sensation of Light.

This state, where the souls lost their connection with one another, is referred to as “the breaking” or “the exile” (from spirituality). This is our current state. Every person within this system is a separate individual and perceives only his own small world. He does not perceive the spiritual world because it can only be perceived in the connection between us. When there is no connection between us, we perceive just the material world.

The basic concepts to take away from this are:

• When the souls are connected with one another egoistically – for their own sake, they perceive this world.
• When the souls connect with one another for the sake of bestowal, then within that connection they reveal the spiritual world, the world to come.
• The life that we reveal within our egoistic connections with one another is referred to as our current material life.
• The life that we reveal within a proper connection with one another is referred to as the revelation of the Creator. We will feel the Upper Force, the Creator, the same way as we feel the air around us. He will connect us with all the other parts of the universe.

Therefore, everything depends on our connection with one another – whether it is egoistic or for the sake of bestowal.

In about a month we will be gathering at a large Congress in Israel, the exact place where the breaking occurred and the first place that needs correction. Therefore, this Congress can be so immensely powerful that it will affect all of us and the entire world because we will bring the quality of bestowal closer to the egoistic desires.

Let us hope that we will succeed in uniting with the help of The Zohar, which we are now studying. It is a means through which we can attract the Upper Light that reforms and connects us.

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A question I received: In the beginning of the lesson, I took a piece of paper and started noting every time my thoughts wandered from the lesson. After fifteen times, I gave up completely and stopped checking.

My Answer: Why did you stop? Quite the contrary, it would have been much better if these “entries and exits” happened to you a thousand times a second. It is written, “The Torah will come from Zion,” where the word “Zion” (Tzion in Hebrew) is derived from the word “exit” (Yetzia).

The more often your mind disconnects from the lesson and returns to it again, the more you will advance. It’s like in engineering: the more we advance, the higher are the frequencies we use.

This frequency indicates the quantity of internal distinctions that you perceive in one second. You can process them and live them in order to acquire new information, sensations, and a new spiritual level. This is how quantity is transformed into quality.

Therefore, do not be sorry about the many entries and exits you experience during the lesson. On the contrary, the more the better!

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Two questions I received on study of The Zohar:

Question: In order to understand The Zohar, does one need to learn the definitions and try to memorize them, for example, the meaning of Pharaoh and Abraham?

My Answer: I don’t think it is necessary. What matters is that we have a basic idea of what these things are according to what is written in The Zohar. Later these properties that we refer to as Abraham, Moses, and Job will be revealed in us, as well as the way they relate to one another.

A definition is an inner sensation of some quality of yours that you will refer to as “Job,” for example. If, however, you simply memorize the names of things from a book, this will not benefit you in any way. These definitions need to form within you the same way as you gradually get to know someone by being in touch with the person, talking to him, and gradually forming his image within you. In much the same way, we learn the definitions from The Zohar.

Question: People ask you so many questions, but you only answer one to two percent of these questions. Why is that?

My Answer: You shouldn’t worry or think that I do not manage to answer all of your questions and explain everything. It is good that you ask questions; people who write and actively ask questions during the lesson will receive an answer! In order for them to receive the answer, it is not necessary for them to say their question out loud during the lesson and for me to answer it. They will receive an answer regardless, in another form.

All of a sudden, several days later the answer will become revealed to them either during the same lesson or at a later lesson. The most important thing is to ask, to “raise MAN.” So put all your energy into asking questions, and the answer will come from Above. Our entire advancement happens through questions.

Do not be afraid that your question will get lost among the multitude of other questions during the lesson. It does not matter if there are 500 questions and I manage to answer two of them. All of you will receive answers!

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A question I received: It sounds like all the efforts we make while attempting to figure out if we’re receiving for our own sake or giving to others do not really contribute to our spiritual advancement. Am I right?

My Answer: Kabbalists give us the following advice:

– Choose an environment that will make us value spiritual attainment;
– Love the friends, connect with them, and see them as pieces of your soul;
– Read The Book of Zohar together while aspiring to see qualities of bestowal inside ourselves; and
– Trust that these actions will attract the Light that Reforms (Ohr Makif).

The means to do this are:

– A teacher who consistently directs us at the right way to read;
– Friends who raise our aspiration for revealing spiritual forces within ourselves;
– Kabbalah books that we read and work with to find the Upper Reality that is inside of us; and
– Dissemination in order to attract more people that will strengthen the environment and everyone’s aspiration toward the Upper Goal.

The practical implementation of all this takes place during the study of The Book of Zohar. This is the only means of contact we have with the Light that Reforms because while reading it we are between two worlds: the Upper World and the lower world, and we are then able to find the link between them.

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The first Kabbalah book in Finnish has just been published. It is called The Light of Kabbalah, and it is a translation of the English book, Basic Concepts in Kabbalah.

This exciting event is taking place thanks to the diligent work of the women of the Finnish group, as well as the management at Laitman Kabbalah Publishers and the Lapland Publisher “Mäntykustannus.”

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Here are links to lessons I gave so far at the 2010 World Mega Congress:

Lesson #1
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Listen>>

Lesson #2
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Lesson #3
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The Italian newspaper “Il Denaro” has published an article about the publication of my new book in Italy and the Congress that is being held this weekend:

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A question I received: You said that we should search inside of ourselves for everything that’s written in The Book of Zohar. However, The Zohar only talks about the correction of the soul, and we receive a soul only when we enter the spiritual world. So how can I correct something that is external, inside myself?

My Answer: That’s true. Sometimes we say that spirituality exists outside of us, where “outside of us” means “outside of our desire.” In truth, all of me is the desire to receive and to be self-fulfilled. Therefore, I say that spirituality is outside of my desire to receive pleasure.

We are not talking about distances and spaces; we are talking about qualities. With regard to the quality of reception there is no spirituality. Spirituality is outside of it. Therefore, when I say “outside of us” I mean “outside of our present desire.”

On the other hand, we say that spirituality exists inside us – much deeper than all our current desires. If I penetrate through all my momentary desires for food, sex, family, money, honor, and power – deeper and deeper within, into more internal, personal, important, eternal, and immense desires – there I find the spiritual world and a spiritual desire.

This spiritual desire is called the “point in the heart,” the innermost desire which is revealed in me now. Why is it the most intimate and greatest desire? It is so because of its elevated stature. After all, we are talking about the goal and purpose of my whole life, and about what will remain after my life. All these most intimate and deepest questions are concentrated within one point.

Kabbalists tell me: right now it is merely a point. However, when we read The Book of Zohar and “dig” within this point, we begin to reveal that there is a whole world inside it: crocodiles, houses, stars, sun, moon, people, wicked people, and righteous people.

This point begins to widen and suddenly we discover that it has within it everything that The Zohar explains to us in the most diverse styles: through the language of Kabbalah, the language of stories, in the form of a historical novel, or in the form of descriptions of laws and commandments. The entire Book of Zohar talks only about what happens within this point and expresses it in a special style every time.

Therefore, I read The Book of Zohar and really want to cognize everything it talks about inside of me. After all, Kabbalists say: there, within this point, is your eternal part. The body dies and disintegrates, and this point remains. Therefore, it pays for me to reveal it. Moreover, I am told: if you cognize this point, widen it, and begin to reveal the spiritual within it even slightly, you remain with this sensation, and there is no life and death for you.

This is because you can already begin to identify yourself with this point and you see life within it. This spiritual life seizes you and draws your attention to such an extent that all your desires and aspirations are concentrated there. And due to this, you attach importance to this corporeal life only to the extent that you can develop it more, reveal, and widen your point in the heart.

Then you suddenly begin to see how this point becomes bigger and bigger, and you reveal a whole reality within it – an inner dimension not perceived before. At first you didn’t feel that there was a point in the heart inside you, then you felt it, and now suddenly you reveal a whole world within it where you exist eternally.

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A question I received: What does “avoid using a desire” mean?

My Answer: To avoid using a desire means that I do not want to use it, as opposed to just restraining myself or “shutting my mouth.” For example, assuming that doctors forbid me to eat sweets, then I have to restrict myself, even though I really want them.

To “avoid using a desire” in spirituality means that I find the strength inside myself to prevail over this desire by focusing on something else that matters more to me. I choose not to use this desire; otherwise this decision is worthless.

This means that even if the doctors would suddenly allow me to eat sweets, I would not take advantage of it. This doesn’t mean that I don’t want to eat sweets, but simply that I am not using this desire.

This is difficult to explain because we don’t have these kinds of calculations in the material world where all our calculations are done on a single plane – choosing which pleasure is more important. But in the spiritual world the calculations are done on two planes, me or the Creator, and deciding who is more important. I must acquire the importance of the Creator over every desire that I don’t want to use, and that is the reason that I don’t want to use the desire.

How do I do this? I demand the revelation of the Creator, I ask Him for the strength to avoid using the desire. Then I will be able to keep myself above the desire and in the Light of the Creator that has been revealed to me. The desire remains, but I rise above it and I do not want to use it. However, if the Light was to cease, then I would immediately fall into my desire once again and I would want to use it, and there would be nothing that could stop me then. When the Light that Reforms comes to me, then like a magnet it keeps me suspended in the air. I remain in the spiritual only due to the Light that Reforms. It shines and attracts me, enabling me to overcome my desire to receive pleasure and to rise above it.

This means “to avoid using the desire.” The desire is there, but I do not use it.

In our world, we do calculations according to their practicality. If I need to lose weight, then I do not eat, or I restrain myself and do not use a certain desire because I am afraid of punishment. In the spiritual there is only one reason for me to not use a desire – the greatness of the Creator. And this is why I invert my desire from receiving to bestowal.

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