We don’t have any freedom of will in this world. It is a world of results, and this is what makes it so different from the spiritual world because when a person rises there, having achieved a spiritual level, he gains freedom of will in thought, decision, and action. That’s because it contains all the forces, while our world contains only their results.

Here we already receive the ready-made pictures and cannot change anything about them. If we want to act on our own, we have to rise to the spiritual level, the level of free choice, the level of forces. When we reveal these forces inside of us and feel them (considering that everything becomes revealed only inside a person), then we gain the ability to act by our own free choice and decide for ourselves which forces to activate—these or others.

This work is called the Creator’s work. After all, by gaining the ability to make the right choice in all of his actions, he gradually replaces the Creator in controlling the forces of nature. That is how he gradually reaches a point when all of reality comes under his power.

He constantly reveals new forces, as if it’s happening in a free form. After all, there are only two authorities: that of bestowal and that of reception. Both of these forces come from the Creator, but where is man here?

Man stands between these two forces, which act upon him in perfect balance. He finds himself in the neutral zone, which does not depend on the force of bestowal or the force of reception. The force of bestowal is called “holiness” and the force of reception, “impurity,” because it is egoistic. And the neutral part does not belong to either and is called Klipat Noga.

In this state, where a person does not know exactly “whose side” the truth is on: On the side of the egoistic force (Klipa) or on the side of holiness (bestowal), he finds himself exactly in the middle between them, and gains freedom of choice.

But a question arises: How is it possible to choose if you are exactly at the middle of the scale and you have absolutely equal chances on both sides: 50/50, and this is an exact, correct calculation? After all, a person does not feel that he is being bribed in some way or that he is lying to himself. So how can he choose which path to take, by virtue of what to advance in life: to try to receive more and more for himself or to nevertheless attain some spiritual form, bestowal?

This choice is what we discern by working on our environment. After all, a person does not know what to choose and he is left with this question. But if he really wants to make the right choice, then he has to place himself in the right environment. And then the environment helps him to see where the truth is.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/22/11, Writings of Rabash

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Opinion: (Philippe Dessertine, Professor of Finance at the University of Paris X-Nanterre and Director of the Institute of High Finance): “Europe continues to tremble. After Ireland, Portugal and Greece, it was the turn of Italy’s third largest economy of the European Union to be hit hard by the crisis of its public debt….

“As for France, it is the next country on the list. The question is not whether we will be affected, but when….

“The euro is clearly threatened if the European Central Bank collapses. This represents both the risk of collapse of international trade and a deep geopolitical crisis, which can lead to a world war. This is what happens when states are facing an inability to exchange goods….

“In 2009, it was also a debt crisis, but a private one, which affected banks and caused their failure. We hoped to get away with growth, but it is not at the rendezvous. Today, it is the States that go bankrupt. This insane debt simply reflects the fact that the West is living beyond its means.”
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Opinion: (Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics at the Stern School of Business, New York University, Chairman of Roubini Global Economics, co-author of the book Crisis Economics): “We live in a world where, in theory, global economic and political governance is in the hands of the G-20. In practice, however, there is no global leadership and severe disarray and disagreement among G-20 members about monetary and fiscal policy, exchange rates and global imbalances, climate change, trade, financial stability, the international monetary system, and energy, food and global security. Indeed, the major powers now see these issues as zero-sum games rather than positive-sum games. So ours is, in essence, a G-Zero world….

“There are several reasons why the G-20 world has become a G-Zero world. First, when discussion moves beyond generic principles into detailed policy proposals, it’s much more difficult to reach clear agreements among 20 negotiators than among seven.

“Second, G-7 leaders share a belief in the power of free markets to generate long-term prosperity and in the importance of democracy for political stability and social justice. The G-20, on the other hand, includes autocratic governments with different views about the role of the state in the economy, and on the rule of law, property rights, transparency, and freedom of speech.

“Third, the Western powers now lack the domestic political consensus and financial resources to advance an international agenda….

“Finally, rising powers like China, India, and Brazil are far too focused on managing the next stage of their domestic development to bear the financial and political costs that come with new international responsibilities….

“For the first time since the end of World War II, no country or strong alliance of countries has the political will and economic leverage to secure its goals on the global stage. This vacuum may encourage, as in previous historical periods, the ambitious and the aggressive to seek their own advantage.

“In such a world, the absence of a high-level agreement on creating a new collective-security system – focused on economics rather than military power – is not merely irresponsible, but dangerous. A G-Zero world without leadership and multilateral cooperation is an unstable equilibrium for global economic prosperity and security.”

My comment: To manage, one must understand the causes of the present and the goals for the future. The G-20 members have neither. To manage the interconnected world integrally, we shouldn’t be egoistic individualists, but should have the same integral qualities as the world today. Then it is possible to feel the world as integral and manage it. Today, everyone needs integral education, and the governments need it first.
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In Malchut of the world of Infinity, in the creature created by the Creator, different desires are distributed over five levels of coarseness (Aviut). Further, these levels manifest into five worlds. Each world consists of five Partzufim, and each Partzuf consists of five Sefirot.

Therefore, in the integrated Partzuf of Malchut of Infinity, there are ten Sefirot of HBD-HGT-NHY (Hochma, Bina, Daat; Hesed, Gevurah, Tifferet; Netzah, Hod, Yesod). They are divided according to their proximity to or distance from either Keter or Malchut.

In other words, they are sequenced along that line. In terms of achieving the quality of bestowal, the Sefirot of Malchut of Infinity are in a linear relationship. They are closer either to Keter’s desire to give or Malchut’s desire to receive.

Consequently, Malchut’s desires stand in different places in a general sequence of correction. After all, correction is always done from the easiest to the hardest. First, we correct the lighter elements. Then, those elements help us fix the heavier elements.

Those parts of Malchut of Infinity that come to correction first are regarded as Israel, “straight to the Creator” (Yashar El). They have the necessary inclination or tendency. They are transparent, so to speak, while other desires are coarser. In other words, in Malchut of Infinity, the elements related to HBD emerge first, followed by the elements related to HGT, and after that, the elements related to NHY.

As we know, the elements of HBD and HGT are regarded as “forefathers” and “sons,” respectively. They refer to the area from the Galgalta ve Eynaim (GE) down to Chazeh. HBD is the Rosh (head) of the Partzuf, and HGT is the “head of the body.” However, the body itself relates to the area TNHY (Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, and Yesod).

Certain souls awaken to correction at certain times. The first souls corrected are regarded as the “forefathers”: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The souls corrected during the periods of entering and exiting Egypt are regarded as the “sons.” Over the course of the Egyptian exile, Jacob died. In other words, the phase regarded as “Jacob” had ended, which resulted in the transition between the phases.

The phase of the “sons” was completed during the destruction of the First and the Second Temples, when the forefathers’ descendants fell to the level “of the nations of the world” and joined them. This fusion was taking place over the course of four exiles, but mainly during the last one. Now, upon its completion, NHY (the ending part of the common Partzuf of Malchut of Infinity) can begin its correction since by now, the integration of the HBD-HGT parts into it, which was accomplished via the breaking, has finished.

Today, we are standing at the end of this integration and at the beginning of the correction of NHY, the ending part of all the levels. Our corrections move slowly, according to the coarseness of the degree at which we are. We need many devices to have ourselves corrected.

Our forefathers had a different approach. They could correct themselves even without working in “the Torah and the commandments” because they were at the root level of desire. All they had to do was cancel themselves, while “the Torah and the commandments” implies working with the desire to receive and drawing the Light that Reforms.

Later on, their sons received the method of “the Torah and the commandments,” but it was still based on the level of our forefathers. We, however, are disconnected from it today, and we are beginning the realization of the enormous, authentic egoistic desire.

However, at our TNHY degree, in the final stage of completion of the integral Partzuf which is divided into three parts, each 2000 years long, as Baal HaSulam explains in “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” even here, there is a local division into HBD-HGT-NHY. NHY, in turn, also divides into three parts that retain the same correction sequence from easy to difficult.

Therefore, when the vessels (desires) come out of the breaking and begin the correction process, it starts with souls that are drawn to spirituality. They are the ones regarded as “Israel.” After all, in exile, everyone is separated from the Light. Therefore, those of the community who first awaken to the discovery of the Creator are called “Israel.” They constitute a group designated to guide all of humanity.

This group, in the current stage, is a group of “forefathers” in the NHY who act for the benefit of the community. Abraham wanted to correct all of ancient Babylon. We, too, have to act this way and acknowledge the responsibility that rests upon us.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/19/2011, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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Question: Coming back to the topic of Israelis protesting rent prices: Are we allowed to add a certain “surplus value” to it?

Answer: If we gather together to solve the housing problem and achieve mutual guarantee between us, our power is increased manifold. It isn’t a simple unification of soldiers on the battlefield or athletes on a sports team. Rather, we unite to solve a problem not for ourselves personally, but for the entire country.

As concerns housing, we’re dealing with a cartel that’s in cahoots with the government. They’re working together and making lots of money thereby. We see that the former head of government as well as mayors of several major cities are under investigation. Any way you slice it, the authorities are connected to real estate.

A private house in America costs $150,000, and that’s with people making a lot more money on average. But our prices are twice as high. Does anybody really think we’re dealing with some special, unsolvable problems here? No, it’s nothing but corruption. Usually there are limits to this sort of thing, but not in our country.

We need to set a goal to put a stop to this and solve this problem, which has truly become national. Then we will act in the interest of everybody and won’t rest even if everyone will be given their own private house. We must do this for the sake of the people.

If our protesters arm themselves with this intention, they will achieve a great deal. They may even form a public movement which will not stop until it reaches success.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/20/2011, “The Arvut (Mutual Gurantee)”

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After the Tzimtzum (Restriction), when Malchut (the 4th phase, Behina Dalet) decides that it must reach similarity with the Creator, it starts checking itself to see which parts and levels it consists of. That’s how it divides itself into the worlds, Partzufim, and Sefirot, until it fully realizes itself as a vessel that descends into this world.

Every time it gets to know itself more, it hides itself by the same amount. That’s how we get to this world, the lowest and the darkest of the worlds, meaning the most hidden from us. And from here, from this darkness, we start to reveal desires and the Light in order to ascend back.

Malchut has two desires: to become similar and adhere to the root, but at the same time to stay independent and self-reliant. And independence is only possible when there is resistance. That’s why this action is called “mating while striking” (Zivug de Haka’a).

The desire to reach the root means mating (Zivug). And the strike (Haka’a) results from the desire to preserve one’s independence, not to fill oneself with the Light for one’s own sake, but only in order to bestow. Then, it is considered to be bestowal rather than reception.

We need to identify ourselves with Malchut of Infinity as we are its parts. This means that we need to want to act just like it, to give pleasure to the Host just like He wants to bestow pleasure upon us. We should never forget about Malchut of Infinity because we are included in this point and exist in it permanently.

No matter where I am (alone, in the group, or during dissemination), I’m always in the point of Malchut of Infinity, which has decided to be a giver, like the guest in relation to the Host. That’s why no matter what we do, we have to adhere to this point. And all of our actions are in order to please Him, just like He pleases us.

But how do I know that He’s giving me pleasure? There, in this point, Malchut has revealed this. And as I aspire towards it, I will include myself in it and reveal this too.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/19/2011, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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

The Influence of the Environment on a Person

"Make for yourself a teacher and buy for yourself a friend" means that to reach the goal, one has to make a new environment for oneself: the Teacher and and the friends who will help him obtain the greatness of his Teacher. And then bestowal to the Teacher would turn into reception from him so much so that it would give rise to actions for the Creator’s sake. And since the greatness of the Teacher completely depends on the environment, a person alone cannot reach the goal: revelation of the Creator.
– Baal HaSulam, "A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar"

And since one does not have the basis for obtaining His greatness, he will obviously not be able to bestow, but only to receive for oneself since bringing contentment upon the Creator will not bring pleasure for him.
– Baal HaSulam, "A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar"
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Shamati #187 “Choosing Labor″
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The Book of Zohar – Selected, Chapter “Truma (Donation) 2,” Item 738, Lesson 31
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Talmud Eser Sefirot Part 1 “Table of Questions and Answers for Topics,” Item 97, Lesson 45
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Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah, Item 37, Lesson 24
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“The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee),” Item 24, Lesson 8
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