My Spiritual Simulator – 09.22.10

Spiritual Simulator: Questions of the Day

An Honest Talk With The Creator

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What does it mean to “speak with the Creator?”

Answer: To “speak with the Creator” primarily means to do everything you can to try to reveal His image within you. Try to imagine: He is the reason for everything I feel. My thoughts, desires, and sensations are all Him, the One who has laid my foundation and forms me.

When I decide that my current reality is established by Him, then how do I treat everything that happens to me? There are two possibilities:

1. Directly structure my attitude towards my inner reality as my attitude towards Him. But this approach is inaccurate, incorrect, and unstable. There is no ability to test or verify it because I will surely be guided by my ego and err.

2. At first, I strengthen myself through my connection with others like me, and then I structure my attitude towards the inner reality by passing its image through this connection. In this case, I am definitely already in some quality of bestowal, and my qualities are adapted to the Creator’s image. Thus, instead of changing the image, I change my attitude towards it. This is what it means to “speak with the Creator.”
[21602]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/20/10, “The Greatness of a Person Depends on His Faith in the Future”

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Four Species (Arba’at HaMinim) Of Sukkot

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What do the “four species” of Sukkot (Arba’at HaMinim) mean?

Answer: The four symbols of the celebration of Sukkot are: 1. Lulav (one closed frond from a date palm tree, Yesod), 2. Hadassim (three boughs with leaves from the myrtle tree, HGT), 3. Aravot (two branches with leaves from the willow tree, NHY), 4. Etrog (a fruit from a citron tree, similar to a lemon or grapefruit, Malchut).

All corrections of the souls that are uniting in Malchut of the World of Atzilut (Shechina) occur under the Light of correction that descends from Zeir Anpin (ZA) into her since he is a higher Partzuf (system) in relation to Malchut.

Zeir Anpin, in order to correct the souls in Malchut, groups in three lines, unifying their Sefirot Hesed-Gevurah-Tifferet, and sends the Light of correction from them into Malchut, the souls. In order to evoke such an act from ZA to Malchut, we, the souls who are willing to be corrected (to unite in Malchut), rouse in her its collective desire for correction. Malchut passes this desire to ZA. This desire evokes in Zeir Anpin a desire to merge with Malchut in spiritual coupling (Zivug) and pour the Light of correction into her.


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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/21/10, Shamati #96

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On The Holiday Of Sukkot

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe are born with an egoistic desire to receive pleasure, but suddenly some new desire (for spirituality) awakens within it. We can grow this new desire with the help of our environment and books so that it carries us away into its world. And the old desire will diminish, vanish, or, on the contrary, grow, but we will rise above it in the desire to bestow.

In this manner, a battle occurs in us between these two desires: the concern for ourselves (the desire of this world) and the desire for bestowal, which pertains to the Upper World, the Creator. We need to increase the desire for the Upper One, the desire for bestowal, in relation to its opposite desire to enjoy in this world. This constitutes our whole work and the freedom of choice.

The choice consists only of assessing the importance. What do I wish to consider to be more important: the desire that is directed upward, from which I presently have only a small point, or the desire that is directed down, to this world.

The holiday of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) and all the work in connection with it (building of a special construction, Sukkah) actually show us how we can augment this small desire for the Upper One. This desire is called “waste” because we perceive it as completely unnecessary: some bestowal, love of neighbor, friends, unification… No one takes these good words seriously.

The Sukkah, a temporary structure, symbolizes our raising the importance of this “waste” above our “I” and this world, elevating bestowal above reception. Even if you feel perfection constantly, come out into a temporary dwelling and change yourself.
[21683]

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/21/10, Shamati #96

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Introductory Lecture: “Sukkot” – 09.21.10

Come Out Of Your Reliable Home And Dwell In A Booth

Dr. Michael LaitmanBefore the holiday of the New Year (Rosh Hashanah), during the period of repentance (Selichot), we clarify all of our egoistic desire determined as evil. Then we cut it off from the past year and wish to rise to the next year, to new changes (Rosh Hashanah).

We also realize that we are unable to do anything with ourselves; this state is called the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). We decide that there is one solution: to increase the importance of the quality of bestowal, which is despised by us within our egoism. We decide to raise the importance of spirituality, to not engage in our egoistic desires, and to increase the desire for bestowal. This symbolizes the holiday of Sukkot.

Take the desire for bestowal, which seems unimportant, as "waste" to you today, and elevate it according to your assessment of its importance. Do not engage in your egoistic, receptive desires, but come out into a "temporary dwelling," into the desire to bestow.

You need to come out of your familiar egoistic "home" and build a new structure so that its most important detail, the roof, will be the quality of bestowal. This shows to what extent you can equalize to the Light that is situated above the roof of the Sukkah. It will shine for you to the extent that you will be able to accept it. This is the meaning of the holiday of Sukkot.
[21680]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/21/10, Shamati #96

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Joy Is A Sign of Bestowal

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Why does one have to be joyous on Sukkot?

Answer: Joy is a sign of agreeing with the Creator to acquire His properties. I (the soul) obtain the properties of bestowal, the Light of Hassadim (Mercy), under the influence of Ohr Makif (the Surrouding Light) that “comes to me through the roofing of a tabernacle” thanks to the screen which I built from the “threshing-floor and winepress.”

On a threshing-floor, grain (the Light of Hassadim) is procured, and the husk remains. Wine is made in a winepress, and oil cake is left. Yet, from the waste that has no value to my egoism, I build the most precious thing in my life: the screen. That is, I raise the importance of the property of bestowal over reception particularly in these two Lights or forces of nature: Hassadim (Mercy) and Hochma (Wisdom).

I change the intention on the desire of these two Lights (fillings) from receiving to bestowing. I see value in “waste from the threshing-floor and winepress,” rise above my egoism, my evil, and prefer to exist in filling the desires of others instead of mine. I do so to subsequently reveal the Creator.

Joy signifies that I’m in the state of bestowal. It is the outcome of my completely merging with the Creator and justifying all of His actions.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/21/10, Shamati #96

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Through A Needle’s Eye And Into A New World

Dr. Michael LaitmanEverything comes as a result of effort. Don’t wait for something to change by itself. Only through our effort to unite do we draw the Light onto us. The greater the effort, the stronger the Light’s influence, and vice versa. The Light remains at absolute rest, and only when we aspire toward unity together do we compel Him to unify us.

We draw closer to one another, and in so doing draw closer to the Light. As we distance from each other, we distance from the Light. But our efforts are never wasted, and “penny by penny it accumulates into a big capital.” Every time we try to unite, the Light influences us, and even if we distance from one another right afterward, the correction done by the Light remains, nothing is wasted, and we move on to the next one.

These processes of “compressions” and “expansions” are like input-output or like the beating of the heart. We unite, the Light influences us, corrects our connection and immediately evokes the next uncorrected degree. Again we must exert efforts, giving the Light the opportunity to unite us once more, and again the correction brings about the next uncorrected state. And so on, until all 125 corrections are completed.

Each time I rise above my uncorrected desire and then bring it up for correction. The first step is when my point in the heart crosses the Machsom. Then it pulls a part of the desire over the Machsom, the part which it can be above (faith above reason, Bina above Malchut). And so on, until I gradually carry over the Machsom all of my desire, part by part, to be above it, having acquired the qualities of bestowal above reception. It is the degree of Hafetz Hesed or Bina, bestowal for the sake of bestowal. Now my errors have turned to merits and my sins to errors.

Then I move on to the next phase: Through a tiny hole in the next barrier I break through into the domain of love of others. My point in the heart is the first to do it, and then all the parts of my desire are carried over to this degree. To the extent that I can use them for the sake of love (fulfillment) of others, I transform the ego into the desire to receive for the Creator’s sake.

Every time we work with our ego toward greater unity by drawing the Light through our striving for equivalence of form. I desire, and the Creator responds to my desire, carrying out all the actions.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/20/10, “600 000 Souls”

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Kabbalah And Earnings

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: We are asking a question on behalf of a friend; this question bothers him a lot. Can he charge people money for blessings in order to help them with difficult situations in life? He also proposes doing this as a part of our local group work because he believes this to be dissemination and a way to attract new people to Kabbalah.

He has money problems, so he’s facing a choice between taking a risky job or trying to make money by giving people blessings. This question confused us so we are turning to you to avoid making a mistake.

Answer: It is absolutely forbidden to use Kabbalah to make money, especially by cheating people, and if a member of the group is found to be doing this, then you must immediately expel him from the group. Never use Kabbalah to make money. It completely excludes a person from the spiritual path. Do not do blessings of any kind; they are a lie!

Only the desires of the group and selfless thoughts about a friend can help him. It is forbidden to use Kabbalah to make money! It is the same with curses like Pulsa DeNura, as if someone could actually hurt another person using such things. These miracles do not exist!

We can only aspire towards the Light, the force of love and bestowal, which is the only positive force in the world. This force is our only opportunity to actually do something in the world. It is the only freedom of will that exists.
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Kabbalists On The Language Of Kabbalah, Part 3

Dr. Michael LaitmanDear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

The Wisdom of Kabbalah Does Not Speak of Our Corporeal World

Regarding the entry, Adam Kadmon, I was appalled to see that a corporeal form was depicted for the concept of Adam Kadmon of the Kabbalah, which is only a metaphysical concept, a Godly concept. God forbid that we should allow ourselves to materialize these sacred concepts, even as a way of studying. [There is no form in spirituality, only forces; therefore, we are allowed to illustrate only correlations between them. See Baal HaSulam’s drawings Sefer HaElan.]
– Rav Kook, Letters, Vol 1, pg. 162

Woe to that person [an unfortunate ignorant man] who says that the Torah is meant to tell literal stories [that allegedly take place in our world], and in uneducated words of Esau, Laban, etc., for if that were the case, even today we could turn words of an uneducated into a Torah, and even nicer ones than they. If the Torah is meant to show mundane matters, even world rulers have better things among them. Let us follow them and make them into a Torah as well. Rather [it’s not the case at all, and not a single world of the Torah speaks of our world, instead], all the words of the Torah are sublime secrets.
The Book of Zohar with the Sulam [Ladder] Commentary, Parashat BeHaalotecha, Item 58
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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 09.22.10

Rabash, Shlavei HaSulam, “The Agenda of the Assembly”
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Baal HaSulam, Letter 51 
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