Question: Are we now making the right offering for the Tabernacle, or is the Creator putting it together piece by piece? Who is the architect?

Answer: Of course, we do not understand anything about our work just like a two-year-old child grows without knowing what he should become like when reaching three years. He does not plan the process of his growth and does not form himself at the age of three years. In the same way, we make a Menorah (a seven-branched candelabrum) by throwing a piece of gold into the fire and then having it emerge by itself. But how does it happen “by itself”?

The matter is that you cannot do anything yourself. If you prepare your intention (not the action, but only the intention!), if you build it in the middle line, then the Light will turn your matter precisely into the form that this matter has to assume. This matter cannot take on any other form! In other words, it already has this form, and you must only reveal it by having your intention reveal this picture to you.

You enter a world that is ready ahead of time! When you reveal the “ball and the flower," “the Menorah,” “the table,” "the onyx and other stones,” you are revealing what already exists. You are the one renewing your perception. You reveal it; it becomes revealed to you and inside of you. You build your vision, perception, understanding, and agreement. According to the extent of your agreement, you don’t see the external form, but you see that everything is inside of you. Your vision becomes internal.

Right now what you see seems external to you, but in spirituality you see that everything is inside. Then your perception is authentic. You no longer have the illusion you are in now where it seems to you that the world exists outside of you, that there is you and the world. In spirituality this lie does not exist. You feel that everything is inside of you, inside of the soul with which you identify yourself.
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From the lesson on the weekly Torah portion on 2/4/11

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The weekly Torah portion “Truma” (Offering) is not talking about our false reality in this illusory world, which we perceive in our desire. Why is it illusory? It is because we have been given this form of our unconscious state where it seems to us that we exist.

There are movies showing how everyone sleeps a deep, somnambulant sleep and everything takes place in the dream. This is the state we are in today because we are separated from the true reality. Our reality is a kind of dream, which is why it is written, “We were like in a dream.”

It seems to us that we exist in reality, like the horse driver who went to heaven and to compensate for the suffering he endured, he received the reality he had in the earthly world: a wife, children, a home, a carriage, and a good horse. This means that a person receives what he desires. It says in The Book of Zohar that a person in the world to come is asked, “What did you want?” Of course, no one asks anyone about anything and nothing of the sort takes place, but in the end a person receives what he aspired to.

The same is true in our reality. Right now we exist in an imaginary world, but when we start independently building the true reality, we have to build it the way it says in this Torah portion. When I work on my desire, if I gradually transform my egoistic intention into the intention of bestowal, then I attain a new Kli in which I reveal a new reality. I build the Tabernacle and in the process I reveal the spiritual world more and more, until it becomes fully revealed.
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From the lesson on the weekly Torah portion on 2/4/11

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Question: I would like to ask about the scientists who discovered Kabbalah through external science.

Answer: Over thousands of years many scientists including Plato and Aristotle came to Kabbalah. We can’t even imagine to what extent all ancient scientists were connected to one another and knew Kabbalah.

Newton learned Hebrew in order to study Kabbalah; he has entire works and articles based on it. Kabbalah isn’t an ancient, outdated science. In reality, it is a well-known science with the exception of the last couple of hundred years when instead of dealing with real science, the scientists got involved with technology.

Some scientists attained Kabbalah due to the fact that they studied from the ancient Kabbalists. This is especially true for the scientists who lived from around 800 years BCE until the Common Era. During these 700-800 years many external scientists came to Kabbalists to study. This is when philosophy and all other sciences came about.

The scientists of the Middle Ages arrived at this on their own. They didn’t have the practical attainment of Kabbalah, but felt what this wisdom really was. They had no one to learn from because at that time everything was concealed. From the 16th century CE and on, Kabbalah started to become revealed once again.

We know that the Ramchal, a great Kabbalist of the sixteenth century, opened Kabbalah centers throughout all of Europe. Parallel to him, a great Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia literally “furrowed” the entirety of Europe in spreading Kabbalah and even taught it to a Roman Pope. They went to all extents in order to speed up the correction process.

However, these “external” scientists achieved everything mostly through their own effort. They felt that Kabbalah is a source of general knowledge, but no more than that. Although in their works we can see genuine admiration of Kabbalah, I don’t feel that they attained it internally. However, what they did is a great feat.
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From Lesson 3 Berlin Convention 1/28/2011

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Every person experiences his or her individual desires that they try to fulfill. There are people who oppose and resist them, but they, too, are governed by the Creator. He moves us all around like figures on a chessboard.

We don’t have any free will, so there is no point in labeling a person as good or bad. And he shouldn’t expect any consequences or feedback regarding his actions: neither heaven, nor hell, nor anything else. It is written in The Book of Zohar: “We are all like animals.”

Indeed, where is your free will? Even if you have an illusion of it, it is because you don’t clearly realize what you want. The Creator intentionally injects you with such instructions, such specific control signals that create an illusion of free actions, and nothing more. Therefore, to realize that “there is none else besides Him” is to realize that we are, first of all, cogwheels in an enormous mechanism.

Where then does a human begin? A human starts with free will. And in order to achieve it, he must evolve to it. That is why first, over the course of millennia, man is developing in his egoism controlled from Above by the Creator, and then he feels how the “point in the heart” emerges within. In other words, another desire comes to life: an additional one, opposite to all the others. It breaks a person in pieces, taunts, and twists him.

Naturally, this desire also comes from the Creator. There is no other place where it may originate from since it doesn’t appear out of thin air. After all, man is a created being. Therefore, even the formation of the point in the heart doesn’t make us autonomous, independent from the Creator, yet.

What else can one be “free” from? If there is only one singular force that governs everything from Above, then my freedom may lie only in my ability to neutralize it.

How can I accomplish that? Moreover, if I do neutralize it, what will be left for me? What forces will I possess, what mind? How will I choose? What will be governing me? It is totally unclear. If there were two forces, I would be choosing between them. But if there is only one, then there is no free will is there? Why then does everything exist, what for? To control these “insects”?

No, there is a purpose to it. The created being, man, has to master both opposing forces and by maneuvering between them, learn by the Creator’s example, imitate His characteristics, and copy Him in himself. Sequentially, step by step, property by property, he gradually transfers greater and greater amounts of information from the Creator onto himself and, as a result, can completely equalize himself with Him.

In that case, in the degree of his equivalence to the Creator, a person starts autonomously regulating himself, in the same manner as the Creator would, and even much better. A person discovers a desire intentionally created in him: He wishes to be opposite to the Creator. But instead, man learns the program, the management techniques from the Creator, and despite his egoism, starts to govern himself in the correct manner.

It turns out that the Creator created man evil. And so it is written: “I created the evil inclination. And at the same time, I gave you a method to transform this evil into good. Then, you become similar to Me and free; you can work on yourself independently.

You hold two reins in your hands: your evil egoistic nature and your good altruistic one. Imitate, copy Me, and apply it to yourself. Then, you will be named Adam, from the word “Domeh,” similar to the Creator.

Thus, we do have an opportunity to graduate from the upper management, to cease being puppets, and stop saying “there is none else besides Him.” There is one more force beside Him: It is the force of that human who copies the Creator and does everything instead of Him. And that’s where free will lies because then we work with two opposite properties of the creature: egoism and the property of bestowal.
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From Lesson 4 Berlin Convention 1/28/2011

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Spiritual attainment comes very slowly because it is the manifestation of a new structure within a person. We cannot even imagine what it means to acquire a second nature. This does not exist and has never existed in our world, in the entire Universe; it has never happened over the entire course of history.

The nature that we acquire is built very gradually on the basis of many individual details and states, which appear inside us. This is the upper Light’s rigorous, slow, and incessant work upon us.

There is a latency period in the process of spiritual attainment whereby much work on the preparation of spiritual properties takes place within man. This literally represents a new birth.

But we are not just to be born additionally in the spiritual world; we need to go through changes on all the levels of our desire: 0 (Shoresh, root), 1 (Aleph), 2 (Bet), 3 (Gimel), and 4 (Dalet). Only then will we feel that something is happening to us. Until this last level 4 (Dalet), everything happens in an unclear manner that is concealed from us.

It is as if we were going from the zero point of creation to the state when our desire for the spiritual slightly begins to awaken. This is not even the actual desire; it is a certain understanding of this desire, a separation from whatever now exists in us. At first this happens in one’s sensations and then in the mind. This is how the upper Light influences us.

This is why it is unrealistic to expect for everything to happen in a second, even though one must wish for it with all his might. In other words, every moment must be the last one, and if he did not succeed, then let it be the beginning of the next moment.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/26/2010, Baal HaSulam, Letter 52

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"Introduction of The Book of Zohar," Article “The Donkey Driver,” Item 85: Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba came down from their donkeys and kissed the donkey driver. They said, “What is all that wisdom that is under your hand, while you are driving our donkeys? Who are you?” He told them, “Ask not who I am, but I and you shall walk and engage in Torah, and each shall say words of wisdom to illuminate the way.”

Question: Is “the donkey driver,” the one who drives from behind, a necessary step on our path, or can he also walk in front of the donkey?

Answer: This changes in accordance with man’s attitude. In the beginning he goes in front, and his “donkey” goes behind. And then he understands that he advances through his “donkey” and not on his own, and this entire path consists of transferring the “donkey” from one degree to another with the help of the point of "human" within him. Then the “donkey” becomes important.

A person can easily master this path since “human” is a point of Bina, a point in the heart. If this point is not in him, it can easily rise since it came down specifically to take all the ego, the “donkey,” Malchut, the desire to receive pleasure, and transfer it up.

This is why what matters is not the two people, the sages walking along the road that The Zohar describes, but the “donkey” with its entire load. And if so, then "the donkey driver" is important. These two sages are merely a point trying to attain the goal. Granted, it is important, and this is man’s entire free will, the beginning of the work that he agrees with and its direction. But the realization of this work only happens through the “driver.”

If they don’t employ the Torah (the Light that Reforms) to acquire a connection with the upper force which descended to lead their ego up, they do not correct themselves, their path, and they do not ascend. In other words, they study the Torah on the same “donkey,” with its entire heavy load, with the help of the “donkey driver.”

It turns out that the “donkey driver” teaches them how to walk, where to approach and how. He becomes specifically the teacher of the sages, and not of the “donkey.” And this is why they can rise.

This is the mutual inclusion of Bina and Malchut. At first I think that what matters most is these two sages (the "human" within me that needs to rise). Then I begin to notice that this "human" is only needed to bring the “donkey” from the foot of the mountain towards the Creator’s palace.

Then I understand that what matters most is the “donkey driver,” and he must help me lead the “donkey.” Consequently I realize that I need the “donkey driver” so he would teach me.

This is how their roles and the importance of each one of them change. But at the end everything joins together: You go on the “donkey,” the “donkey” goes on you, and everything works out.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/10/2011, "Introduction of The Book of Zohar," Article "The Donkey Driver"

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Writings of Rabash, Shlavei HaSulam, “What Does It Mean that the Shabbat Is Called ‘The Daughter in the Work’”
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The Book of Zohar — Introduction: “Rejoicing in Holidays and Not Giving to the Poor,”  Item 174
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Talmud Eser Sefirot 3, Part 8, Item 66, Lesson 39
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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Lesson 5
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Question: Throughout our lives we often suffer. How can we work with it? Why do we feel suffering? What should we do with it?

Answer: It’s impossible to advance without suffering. Until we reach our final goal, we keep advancing by the force of suffering.

Suffering is when I feel that something is lacking. Actual suffering isn’t necessary; I can derive pleasure from suffering. If I know that a special meal is awaiting me and I’m getting closer to it, if I know that I’m about to meet someone I love, a friend, and something good is about to happen, then it isn’t suffering any more. The feeling of hunger and emptiness stirs in me the anticipation of future enjoyment and fulfillment.

Therefore, our entire problem is not in sensing a lack at the present moment, but whether that lack has fulfillment, an answer in the future. If it does, then for me it’s as sweet as a feeling of hunger before a good meal. I can feel that satisfaction is coming. Suppose, you have a date with a loved one tonight, and you look forward to the meeting. Is there a chance that you will be miserable?!

In other words, the problem is not in my condition, but rather in if there is a pleasure that beckons me ahead or not. The problem is that people can’t see a proper, good future ahead of them and, therefore, feel suffering. If we felt that all the problems we have today would be successfully resolved tomorrow, we wouldn’t feel the hardships as suffering. Rather, it will be like an overture, a necessary preparation that precedes fulfillment.

Hence, our entire problem is in revealing the future in our current state, the one where everything will be fine. But it has to “shine” to us like a pleasant date.

This will be the answer to all our afflictions. We will agree to pass through all the unpleasant states—ascents and descents, all sorts of confusions in feelings and in mind—as necessary for our spiritual correction.

If, however, through support from our environment, we know that a bright future lies ahead, then any of our current states would not appear as suffering. We would perceive them as a necessary sensation, a wholesome hunger before cherished satisfaction from the meal.
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From the 1st lesson of the Berlin Convention on 1/28/11

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Question: Mentally, everyone believes that he is ready and willing to unite with all, but when the time comes to actualize this desire, we fail.

Answer: You fail in only one thing: Each of you separately is ready for it, but together, you are not. Egyptian exile is unlike all others. Why was it through Joseph that they entered Egypt? It was Joseph (from the Hebrew word “Osef,” “gathers”) because he is the sum of all forces and foundations.

Evil is impossible to expose, even if everyone is willing. In order to achieve this, one condition has to be met: There has to be willingness to unite. Joseph’s brothers were righteous, and each of them wanted to serve the Creator, but they were unwilling to unite. They didn’t agree to link together in Joseph who is the ground for it.

But when they were forced to enter Egypt with Joseph’s help, they started to see how much they hated and resented the idea of oneness. And the exile itself was the revelation of hatred toward unification. Only when this hate reaches its full force and one starts feeling its reign over himself (meaning that on one hand, he is subordinate to Pharaoh, but on the other, deeply suffers from it and is unable to accomplish anything), the breakthrough occurs.

But all of this takes place thanks to the effort to unite, having risen above one’s own desire to do so. Thereby, they overcome exile. As to us, we are standing at the Egyptian border, hanging about. The aspiration to be one manifests in mutual inner concern, when everyone is thinking and worrying about our internal unification.

As a result, we feel that there is something between us that connects us, and we all will become as one heart. At this point, we are a spiritual heart, a spiritual desire, where we are connected with the Creator and need the Light that will link us so that from our mutual desire we will be performing acts of bestowal to the Creator.
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From the Talk on Spiritual Work 12/17/2010

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Question: Sometimes during the lesson we ask questions that demonstrate our weakness that we are not advancing and succeeding as expected. I see that you do not reject such questions, but rather keep trying to answer them over and over again.

Answer: We study that the more a person advances, the more he feels worthless, powerless, and small. Do not feel ashamed because we do not measure ourselves against roosters in the coop but against the Creator.

If I am in a chicken coop, then I definitely feel like a hero. But if the Creator reveals Himself to me, it is only natural to submit myself. There is no shame in it. Neither do I judge such things and ignore a person if he tells me that he is weak. I am well familiar with such states. Weakness isn’t a problem at this point. On the contrary, weakness is the attainment of self in its authentic form on the background of the Upper Light.

But a question arises: Is any desire to reach the goal still left in a person at the moment when he has lost faith in his strength, and does he still passionately wish to achieve it? That’s when he cries out for help correctly.

Obviously, everyone has to experience it individually as well as to explain to all our friends around the world that the attainment of personal lowliness and the awareness of the value of the goal, both of these conditions are mandatory in order to break through the Machsom (the barrier separating us from spirituality).
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From the Talk on Spiritual Work 12/17/2010

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