Rabash, Dargot HaSulam (Rungs of the Ladder), “Man as a Whole”: First, one must know that love is bought by actions. By giving his friends gifts, each gift that he gives to his friend is like an arrow and a bullet, making a hole in his friend’s heart. And although his friend’s heart is like a rock, still, each bullet makes a hole. And the many holes join into a hollow into which the love of the giver of presents enters.

And the warmth of the love draws to him his friend’s sparks of love, and then the two loves weave into a garment of love that covers both of them. This means that one love surrounds and envelops the two, and they naturally become one person because the clothing that covers them both is a single garment. Hence, both are annulled.

I used to wonder why Rabash wrote his first articles about the group and love of friends as if it had no end. We waited to see when he would reveal something else to us, but he didn’t. For almost six months he wrote only about that.

The fact of the matter is that there is no other place in which we can realize ourselves and discover the spiritual world, the second reality. If we change our world, we will reveal the upper one within it. It is said: “There is nothing new under the sun.” The world is the same world, and we only change the relationships between us and then discover the upper reality.

Rabash, Shlavey HaSulam (Steps of the Ladder), “According to What Is Explained about Love Thy Friend as Thyself”: If every one is nullified before his friend and mingles with him, they become one mass, where all the little parts that want the love of others unite in a collective force that consists of many parts. And when he has great strength, he can execute the love of others. And then he can achieve the love of God.

Thus we build the vessel that enables us to discover the Creator. After all, according to the law of equivalence of form, we can discover Him only to the extent that our love for Him awakens within us. It’s in that love that we discover the love that comes from Him—the connection, the attitude of the Good that does Good. Love is when we want to fill the other, to do him good.

So I discover the Creator only if I want to do Him good. Then I have the Masach (screen) and the Reflected Light. This is why eventually we all make up a single whole and bring together many small parts into one collective force. When a person absorbs this great force from the friends, when he acquires the collective strength of the friends, he can actually “realize the love of others.”

If a person acquires the force of love of others from the friends, “he can achieve the love of God,” that is, he can execute this force with regards to the Creator and in response discover Him. After all, the Creator is revealed as the force of love.
[62776]
From Lesson 8, The World Arvut Convention 12/8/2011

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Baal HaSulam, Fruit of the Wise, Letter 13: You should know that there are many sparks of sanctity in each person in the group. When you collect all the sparks of sanctity into one place, as brothers, with love and friendship, you will certainly have a very high level of sanctity from the Light of Life.

We lack only one thing: to bring our sparks closer together. There are no disturbances, no limitations—we should just glue ourselves into a single whole so as to flare up together.

Degel Machaneh Ephraim: It is good for Israel (those who yearn for the Creator) to be always united as one group. When they unite below, they cause their root to unite Above too.

Then this root influences us and completes what we have started, as it says: “He who makes peace in the heights, will make peace upon us.” We raise a request for correction (MAN), awaken our desires from below, and then we receive the forces of connection from Above that complete the action.

So all that is required of us is “half a Shekel,” half of the action: to want unity. The connection will be realized from Above, when our demand is correct.

Rabash, “The Need for Love of Friends”: There is a special power in the adhesion of friends. Since views and thoughts pass from one to the other through the adhesion between them, each is mingled with the power of the other, and by that each person in the group has the power of the entire group.

Every individual is different from others, but the connection gives him the power of all the friends. Imagine what it’s like when everyone feels the power of all others. This is actually the power of Infinity. After all, we connect into a huge group of friends from all over the world. We don’t need anything but that.

No one has the power to enter even the first, smallest spiritual level by himself. Only when we connect in quantity and quality do we acquire the Lights of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, and Yechida and go through the worlds of Assiya, Yetzira, Beria, Atzilut, and Adam Kadmon on our way to the world of Infinity.

All the 125 degrees of the spiritual ascent are attained by the growing connection. In it, each time I find a special vessel that is capable of greater bestowal and accordingly, I discover a greater Light.
[62743]
From Lesson 8, The World Arvut Convention 12/8/2011

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Question: What is fear?

Answer: Fear is always the fear of losing something. After all, I am merely the desire to enjoy. What is this desire afraid of? It is that something it possesses will disappear from it or that it will not be able to achieve something to which it really aspires. Briefly speaking, it is a fear of losing.

Confidence counterbalances the ego, the desire to enjoy. This is confidence that I will not feel any lack, that I always exist within my friends, that I will always be satisfied with them in every regard, and that we will undoubtedly reach the upper Light that will fill us. Nothing will bother me once I rise above the ego.

We have to reach the quality of bestowal. The quality of bestowal is the sensation of absolute confidence. I do not feel any lack, and I no longer have any concerns, worries, or fears. This is the state of Hafetz Hesed (one who does not desire anything for himself), as in the parable about the righteous man who lives in the woods without even a shirt. He needs nothing.

In this case, I have no problems. I separate from my desire to enjoy. By doing this, I acquire confidence in the state of Hafetz Hesed. Why is confidence called the Light’s clothing? It is because the Light of Hassadim (Mercy) is the clothing for the Light of Hochma (Wisdom). This is exactly what I need. Another word for the Light of Hassadim is confidence. Separation from the ego, the degree of separation, is referred to as confidence.

The more I advance, the more my ego grows according to the principle of “he who is greater than his friend, his desire is greater than his.” Every time, I am given a greater ego, even greater concerns and worries. As I rise above this, I acquire a greater quality of Hesed. This means that I acquire greater confidence. I do not depend on my desire to enjoy. I am not concerned about losing or not attaining something.

When we attain spirituality, the degree of Hafetz Hesed, we stop worrying to such an extent that one even stops concerning himself with whether he will attain the upper Light. This is an absolutely opposite state: I wanted to attain the spiritual world so badly, to acquire the quality of bestowal; I thought that it would give me unlimited possibilities. Suddenly, I discover that I do not want anything. I am fine as is. Then, I begin to work with the ego in a different way.

We will speak about these advanced stages, but our first stop is to attain a state where I rise above everything that I now have, when I dissolve in the group. Then, I really do not feel any lack, and I can begin to reveal the upper Light.

What is the upper Light? It is a degree of one’s bestowal to the others, a concern for how much he fulfills others through himself, instead of being concerned with how much he receives and how fulfilled he is. It turns out that we begin to add another dimension over the level we have achieved by rising above our ego. How much will pass through me toward the others? How much stronger will we connect into our common Kli (vessel)? Everyone fulfills everyone else.

Try to think of it this way: No one is capable of this on his own, but it is possible through helping each other, as it is written: “They helped every one his friend.” This is the only way the spiritual vessel, the Kli, becomes revealed. It is in the interconnection, care, and help. This cannot happen in any person individually; he will not be able to feel the Light.

Individually, it is possible to separate from one’s ego and not desire anything. But when I rise to a state where I do not desire anything, what is the problem? What am I missing? I lack the connection with others for all the goodness, the upper Light, to stream through me to them. Then, the Light becomes revealed, passes through me, and I feel my bestowal to others. This becomes our common spiritual vessel because there is nothing within me, alone. It is only formed in the unity between us.

We already know that we need to work with these states of mutual sensations. We need to try a little bit more, just a little bit, and then it will happen. We must hold on to this state.

Right now, we are beginning: Everyone is trying to rise above himself and connect with others in heart and mind. We must invent a certain higher dimension where we all exist. We achieved this state in the Arava desert. We had this sensation. Now, we must achieve it again.

Let us try to do this: Everyone, rise and connect to the common desire, the common sensation, the common thought, hovering over us. Do not have the sensation of the body, rather let this “animal” live near us, like a dog near its master.

We have to be connected together in one common desire, confidence, where we exist above our ego. The Light of Hassadim that will fill us then is the Kli for clothing the Light of Hochma.
[62578]
From Preparatory Lesson, The World Arvut Convention 2011

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Baal HaSulam, “The Peace”: They found it difficult to accept the assumption of Nature’s supervision…. In consequence, they came to a second assumption that there are two supervisors here: One creates and sustains the good, and the other creates and sustains the bad. And they have greatly elaborated that method with evidence and proof along their way.

The theory of duality is a natural stage of development. Nature affects us in different ways, and we feel positive and negative things in it. We feel good and bad, and we naturally divide reality into two parts. After all, we do not have another sensor but the desire to receive.

The five senses are types of mechanical sensors whose readings do not mean anything on their own. The desire to enjoy stands behind vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. It displays the positive (+) and negative (-) features of the data that I perceive. This is the only thing that is important to me, and the only thing my desire recognizes is what is good and bad for me.

Consequently, I divide reality into the two parts: positive and negative. This is strongly manifested in little children who avoid certain places and things but like others. Man also has this stage of development where he distributes everything between two forces. Nature itself brings us to this because we live through sensations.

This theory is very simple, but it is important to understand here that it is not limited by individual good and bad sensations, but transfers them to nature. It attributes corresponding intentions to it on our account. In this way, we attribute to nature a certain power, attitude, and intention to either help or harm us. Without this, no one could believe that nature had an intention, a design, or a plan, but it is seen as something inanimate, no more than that.

However, when nature has power, it is no longer without personality. It no longer is a set of firm, impersonal laws determined by the interaction of elementary particles. No, the power of nature is something else. It can be single or dual.

In general, duality is a very logical theory because everything in the world is based on two opposites, a plus and a minus, beginning with electrons and protons in the atomic structure. At first glance, the two powers really oppose one another, and everything depends on the balance of forces between them.

This drove man to create mythology. We have endowed nature with a desire, a program, and a purpose, and this has become an important milestone on the way.
[62396]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/2/2011, “The Peace”

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First of all, we have to fulfill a condition that bestowal is more important than reception or that faith should be above reason. After a person accepts this condition, it has to be realized, meaning that he has to reach it in his qualities, in his matter.

And for that reason, there exists a means that is no less important than the goal because without the means it is impossible to reach it. And moreover, I don’t throw away this means as soon as I reach the goal. The means itself becomes the final state I live in, feel, and reach the goal. In other words, the means becomes the essence of the desirable state.

Thereby the search for the means to reach the goal is so important to us. But what could the means be if I’ve already decided that bestowal is my goal? The means is that in this world there are people aspiring towards the same goal as I do! They have the same desire that will support me and let us act together. Connecting to them, I can strengthen my desire and multiply my strength.

I have nowhere else to gain strength. The Light is waiting for me above and is ready to help under the condition that I agree to rise from one degree to another, from the lesser bestowal to the greater one. But how do I want more bestowal, how do I want to rise higher?

It’s absolutely impossible for me because I’m in a specific state and can’t get out of it. I can assume that it possibly would be nice getting out of it, but “possibly” is not a real desire yet. It’s very well known that we can think and say nice words for years without feeling the real need of reaching it.

I don’t suffer from not being able to bestow. I don’t shed tears from not being able to give to the other. I’ve never seen anything like that happen to anyone because we find ourselves living inside a materialistic and egoistic degree. And how do I at this egoistic degree (the whole essence of which is the desire to receive that defines my thoughts, desires, aspirations, and behavior) desire something higher than myself? That’s like a plant that suddenly wishes to become an animal, which is totally unbelievable.

But things are even more complex because the difference between a plant and an animal is just in the size of the desire, but here the desire is opposite. I have to want something that is contrary to me: to want bestowal instead of reception. Thus we are given an environment that can help us acquire the desire toward the next degree. The environment is built in such a way.

Those are not my corporeal friends who are at the same degree as I am. The environment is something that is hidden inside of our unification. If I start acting with respect towards them using this special means called the group, the environment, I will be able to receive a new desire toward the higher degree.

I use various means such as “envy, lust, and ambition,” which, as it is said, “lead a person out of this world,” meaning that they raise one from this degree to the next one. In order to get such an opportunity, I need to “buy a friend.” If I properly relate to friends on the path, I will buy from them an additional desire that I lack in order to rise to the higher degree.
[62243]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/1/2011, Writings of Rabash

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A spark of bestowal is attached to my huge ego, a tiny spark above this entire mountain. This spark is only there on condition that I raise it above the ego, that is, want my head to be in the clouds. So, how do I tear away from the egoism and be in this spark instead of being inside the huge ego, the traits, desires, habits, and upbringing that make up the whole of me?

Of course, this is impossible; everyone sees this. A person finds that he is completely incapable, yet he understands that he must achieve the purpose of life. He does not wish to die an animal! He wants to reveal the spiritual world, to attain the meaning of life, and to feel the entire universe. He does not agree to waste his entire life and die as an animal, with no reward, goal, knowledge, meaning, understanding, or love.

So, how can I break out of this cycle? I want all of this egoistically, but even so, I am unable to maintain these thoughts. Everyday life is burying me under its weight, and even egoistically it will not allow me to think about the spiritual reward, to look even slightly above this world.

It is written that “a prisoner cannot release himself from prison.” In other words, I am unable to pull myself up by the hair from the swamp that I am in. However, I must exert as much effort as possible and try to do this many times in order to understand that I must unite with the environment.

This is possible only on condition that I see that nothing can help me. I will continue to live this dog’s life until I die, devoid of any satisfaction, love or meaning, and without having achieved even one of my egoistic goals. Only if I try all possible means will I achieve such pain.

No special intelligence or ability is required, only stubbornness. As it is said: “Do whatever you want, but don’t leave.” You will reach complete disappointment in your strength and realize that only the group can help you. That’s your only hope. No one else can save you. Your refined feelings, mind, experience, education, money, and strength are nothing! You just need the group.

I see that I have done everything I could with my strength, money, mind, desires, traits, and habits. I have tried thousands of different things, and nothing has helped. I have completely lost hope in them. The only thing that remains is for me to change myself. Instead of everything I have, let the group come and fill me. Let it give me its desires, thoughts, intelligence, feelings, mind, and heart—everything! Let the group even transplant my organs; if I stay with what I have, I will end my life as an animal.

If I reach this kind of despair, this is the start of unification with the group. This great achievement comes only after completely despairing in my own strength. I can see that nothing helps. Thus, I am willing to rise above myself to the place where my friends are situated, to the heart and the mind of the group.

Now, everyone understands that nothing else can help him, and he must depend on the others. Mutual guarantee is our salvation. If the friends leave me, I am finished. It is as if they are holding me up over an abyss. If they stop holding me up, I will fall into it. I depend on them 100%. My spiritual life and death are in the group’s hands.

In this situation, a person certainly requires mutual guarantee and is willing to go for it. He is willing to pay for it with all the strength that he has. He is willing to give to the group, support it, and sacrifice everything just so that the group would hold him up.

It turns out that the individual spiritual life of every person depends on the group, and the group includes everyone. That is what we call mutual help. Everyone must give to the group, and this group must support everyone. This is the mutual guarantee.

Mutual guarantee does not exist among individuals. The group is a higher concept, not our interaction at our level.
[62144]
From Lesson 2, Arvut Convention in the Arava Desert 11/18/2011

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Writings of Rabash “Purpose of Society”
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