Question: What does “Adam” mean? Is it a thought or a visual image?

Answer: Adam stands for two parts, desires and thoughts, since we consist of both heart and mind. It’s important to understand that desires are primary to thoughts and that they direct our mind. Thoughts develop in us in accordance with the quality of our desires.

There is a proverb, “The more one is beaten, the smarter one gets.” This is because our willingness to rid ourselves of affliction promotes our growth. We become more ingenious and smart when we seek how to escape suffering and be fulfilled with something we really want. Therefore, no matter how great or respected our mind is, it still is simply an attendant that serves our desires.

Having agreed to that, we should instigate higher desires within us. Then, our mind will rise to reach them.

Let’s say, in a group of ten, we rise to a degree at which all of us have the same desires that transcend our bodily material wishes. We should leave all sensible desires, as well as earthly matters, at home.

As soon as the group enters a place—a studio, classroom, or so forth, that could be called a lab—that’s it! The door is shut. The external world ceases to exist. Only those who are in the room are important.

It’s as if we were on board a spaceship that is flying to an unknown place for an indefinite time. We lose the sense of time; and earthly problems do not trouble us any longer. Nothing matters! Our goal is to ascertain a structure called Adam (man).

What kind of desire shall we have? It should only be to merge with each other, to become one whole.

Accordingly, we begin realizing that the structure we are trying to define is similar to nature, which, nowadays, manifests itself as an integral, unified, and complete organism. If we understand this fact, we’ll feel much better and more at ease.

We will comprehend nature better and will be able to read it. Then, if we regard nature from the integral point of view that we should form between us, we’ll instinctively perceive and follow its laws. We will realize that it’s essential to re-organize our lives, even at the regular, material, and routine level.

Let’s induce such desires within us. Let’s aspire to rise above ourselves, regardless of our earthly goals and hopes. We must uplift and enhance our integral “something” and bring it beyond all material issues. It’s our duty to completely support each other in this task.
[87850]
From a Talk on Integral Upbringing 3/2/12

Related Material:
How To Acquire Your Soul
The Sixth Factor
A New Level Of Unity

Filed under: Education, Integral Upbringing, Q&A, Unity - No Comments →

Opinion (from Insurance Journal): “The North Atlantic hurricane season runs from mid-August to October, with a strong peak in storm activity around the middle of September. A less familiar but even more destructive pattern of disturbances is the financial hurricane season, which coincides with the meteorological one almost to the day. …

“The coincidence between financial and meteorological hurricanes may not be entirely fortuitous. The global economy, like the world’s atmosphere, is a finely balanced complex system.

“In such systems, small perturbations can accumulate to trigger big effects. And just as the meteorological tipping points tend to occur when autumn air circulation starts to disrupt the humid air accumulated in the summer doldrums, something similar seems to happen to financial markets when trading becalmed by the summer holidays returns to normal. The result can be sudden and violent reaction to events accumulated over the summer that markets had seemed to ignore. …

“In China, economic activity has failed to accelerate as expected, despite repeated attempts at monetary and fiscal stimulus. This could mean simply that the government and the central bank have not yet done enough. It is possible, however, that the Chinese economy has become too complex to be managed and fine-tuned as effectively as in the past. Or perhaps the disappointing results of Chinese stimulus thus far reflect a broader failure of monetary policy, which is becoming evident around the world. Recent disappointments in Britain support the latter interpretation.

“In the U.S. and Britain they refuse to acknowledge that printing money can ever be counterproductive. In Germany, by contrast, they refuse to accept that printing money can ever work. Which brings us finally to the most important source of instability that threatens a financial hurricane this autumn – the impending clash between the ECB, Germany and the rest of the euro zone.”

My Comment: A lack of understanding of the nature of the process is the cause of our state, and the problem will disappear only when we become aware of its cause and our actions are in accordance with the program of nature (See Baal HaSulam’s article “Peace in the World”).
[88186]

Related Material:
The World Faces A Hard Landing
The World Crisis: Worst Yet to Come
Apocalypse Tomorrow

Filed under: Crisis, Economy, News - No Comments →

The Creator created a desire to receive that is in the world of Ein Sof (Infinity). It is the only creation, “something from nothing,” and it is adhered to the Creator. That’s the way it is from the Creator’s perspective.

Then, by special actions, the Creator separated and distanced that creation from Him by force, and a partition was created between them that separated these two attributes of receiving and bestowal. Now, there is a gap of 125 degrees between them, and the created being is like an organ that has been cut off the body and has lost its feeling.

We don’t feel the connection with the Creator since we are cut off from Him like an organ that is cut off from the body. If a person hadn’t received an awakening from Above, he would never think about it, but would live like all the other animals.

A human being is the awakening to the upper that is evoked in us: a desire to become like the Creator, connected to Him. Without this awakening, we would remain on the still, vegetative, and animate levels of development. The level of “speaking” is determined by our attraction to the Creator. So, this level can be called human because Adam (man) means similar (Domeh) to the Creator.

This awakening is called a point in the heart, and it allows us to be called Israel, a person who yearns Yashar El (straight to the Creator). Such a person has the task of returning to the Creator through his own efforts and various exercises called Torah and Mitzvot (the commandments). The Torah is the Light that Reforms that operates on the desire and turns it into in order to bestow.

Such actions are called Mitzvot and are created by a special force called the Light that Reforms. This Light is made of 620 Lights that operate on 613 desires, thus correcting them and annulling the partition between the created being and the Creator.

The force of separation becomes the force of adhesion. It amplifies the initial adhesion by 620 times, according to our division in the world of Ein Sof.
[88401]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/13/12, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”

Related Material:
The Awakening Of The Point In The Heart
Transformation Of The Pharaoh To The Holy Angel
Love As A Gift To The Created Being

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, My Similarity to the Creator - No Comments →

If a person’s point in the heart was not evoked, he would never wake up and would remain on the levels of the still, vegetative, and animate nature. Thus, we see how important it is for those in whom the “point in the heart” was evoked to fulfill this yearning in every possible way and not to hide from it behind any other dealings.

We must help all those who were awakened because they are really the special, chosen ones in this world. It is possible to annul the partition that separates humanity from the Creator only with their help. All the others will join them and help them to the extent that their readiness to do so is revealed in them. This is also a holy work. To the extent that we annul the partition, its force will change from the force of resistance to a force that assists connection.

Just as in an electronic schema where every component has a resistance, and if this schema were to be connected to a power generator, the particle would begin to operate according to its resistance, which means that it would become a beneficial part. The more it resists, it performs greater work and brings more benefit.

The same thing happens with the evil inclination. It is thanks to it that we ascend the 125 degrees when it turns into the good inclination. We connect 620 times more strongly than before.

First, in the world of Ein Sof (Infinity) we had no idea whether we were separated or connected. We existed like an embryo in its mother’s womb that was created that way, and knows nothing else.

However, after the shattering and the separation, we discover all the depth of love and connection by revealing the partition on the left side, each time, annulling it and correcting it on the right side, and then use the “middle line” in order to connect. Thus, all the evil changes to good, and the “angel of death” turns into a “holy angel.”

We must regard the ego as a real angel, that is, as a special force that raises us to the human level. This whole separation was needed only so that we would discover the depth of connection, understand it, and feel it to its full depth.

We will not exist in it passively, like an embryo in his mother’s womb that knows nothing and understands nothing. Instead, we will cooperate in it like the “two great Lights,” like equals, like two lovers, mutually connected into one whole. It is only then that we can really make each other happy.

So, the reconnection of the organ that was cut off the body is not just a reconnection. It allows them to become one whole, according to the attraction and the inclination between them. Therefore, it then is called “adhesion.”
[88397]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/13/12, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”

Related Material:
Towards A Better Life With The Point In The Heart And Without It
Unripe Point In The Heart
Looking At Ourselves, The Strangers, From The Middle Line

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Egoism, Kabbalah Dissemination - No Comments →

Question: If you had participated in the discussion in a circle, how would you have reasoned to bring integrality into this discussion?

Answer: I would have allowed people to express the most opposite, differing points of view, and then I would ask, “In order to come to an agreement, on the basis of the conditions that we have, what conditions do we use in order to choose, from all your proposals, the most appropriate, beautiful, and necessary one that has the right to exist?” A criterion should be for this.

It’s not what we are doing, but do we see in this more communication, warmth, security, adhesion, and higher attainment, that is, advancement, progress in integrality? If nature sets us up for this, do we go in unison with it? If so, then, yes. If not, then no.

We are in the process of evolution. Where does it go? We need to anticipate and predict its next step, and in line with how we foresee this step, we need to bring our actions closer to it, and we will succeed in life. It will be easy, free, and simple for us.

What is nature’s next step? It is necessary to bring them to these thoughts, and then, with the help of higher integral sensitivity, they will determine how to do better.
[88283]
From a Talk on Integral Upbringing 3/1/12

Related Material:
We Are So Close That Words Are Not Necessary
Integral Knowledge For The Masses!
Contact On An Emotional Level

Filed under: Education, Integral Upbringing, Q&A - No Comments →

Preparation to the Lesson

[media 1]

[media 2]

Writings of Rabash “Igrot,” Letter 23

[media 3]

[media 4]

The Book of Zohar – Selected Excerpt “Aharei-Mot,” Lesson 9

[media 5]

[media 6]

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Volume 3, Part 8, Item 6, Lesson 3

[media 7]

[media 8]

“Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot,” Items 4, 5 

[media 9]

[media 10]

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar - No Comments →

Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
Download: MP3 Audio
[audio:http://files.kabbalahmedia.info/audio/eng_o_rav_2012-09-18_declamation_blog-rav_full.mp3 title=’18.9.12′]

Filed under: Audio Version of the Blog - No Comments →

After a person is awakened to spirituality, the rest of his ascent depends on the deficiency. This is the only thing he is required to do—to have a deficiency called prayer, MAN.

This is possible only when a person is grateful that he has received such a yearning. Then he increases the importance of the goal by himself; the importance of the next level. In addition, it is possible if above all this he also develops another deficiency in him, to ascend not for his own sake but in order to bring the Creator contentment. It is like the famous example of the guest who wants to please the host.

Thus he prepares himself to receive help from Above which will make his desire the right one. Even if a person doesn’t understand to what extent our account is actually egoistic, it makes no difference and for the time being this is also enough. Later he will see that his account isn’t clean. This is why the time of preparation is called Lo Lishma (Not for Her Sake).

It is a natural egoistic account and it is impossible to skip above our ego all at once. It opens up gradually to the extent we can make an effort and work against it—against things we find pleasant, against our habits, and to the extent that we are ready to step on our pride in order to connect with others.

All this isn’t simple, but if a person constantly pays attention to it, he advances. Our problem is that everyone is trying to escape and to hide in his corner, to hide behind the studying, behind the desire to know what is written, which has nothing to do with spiritual advancement and the inner correction. A person fills his mind with dry facts and neglects the work in the heart.

The work in the heart is working against the heart, in order to turn the “stony heart” into the “heart of flesh.” But we forget where our main exertion should be. Everyone finds some comfortable spot and thinks that he has found the way. Thus he descends even from Lo Lishma, since Lo Lishma is when despite being in my ego I still make some efforts to rise above it.

Where is the daily work to connect with others, to concede, to step on myself, to annul my “self,” to accept the importance of the group’s opinion, to become a slave to the mission? Can I examine myself and see the state I am in? This is called Lo Lishma.

All of Moses’ work in Egypt is an example of working in Lo Lishma. He wants to escape the enslavement, but he is afraid because he understands that he is under the domination of Pharaoh, of his ego, and he doesn’t know how to talk to him. It reaches a state that the Creator Himself takes him and brings him to Pharaoh and helps him in everything that he does.

The Creator Himself fights the Pharaoh. He says: “Come to the Pharaoh!” But in the meantime a person is afraid. He knows that the ego totally controls him and how weak he is when he confronts him. He is in a constant dilemma: On the one hand, he is ready, and the other hand he isn’t. If he could at least ask the Creator to go before him, just to hide behind Him and thus stand before the Pharaoh; but he actually doesn’t want to go and he doesn’t have the guts to turn not only to his ego but also to his own attributes, called “the nation of Israel.”

But by being in a system that connects him with Pharaoh, the Creator, and the nation he has to clarify all these connections. He cannot hide behind some theory or some work that is only a means. It is very important to clarify what Lo Lishma means.

When a person enters the state of Lishma (For Her Sake), things become clearer and more decisive. We cannot say that it gets easier, but one profits from experience. In the meantime, however, during the time of preparation, a person escapes to some corner ready to sit there until his last day. It is a great problem if the group doesn’t spur him and guide him. He has to feel that he is lower than them in order to hear what they say.

The feeling of helplessness on the one hand and the necessity to advance on the other is a state called Yomim Norai’im (the Days of Awe). A person is in a state of anxiety since he has no fear of not being able to fulfill the Creator’s desire, of not being able to allow Him to be revealed to all the created beings, of not being able to sacrifice himself for the convergence of the Creator to the created beings.

All this evokes fear in him. He really wants to fulfill this stage in practice, so that it will be called the beginning of a new year for him.
[88456]
From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/14/12

Related Material:
0% for Ourselves
Yom Kippur And The Atonement In Every Soul
The Holidays Bring A Special Light

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Inner Work, My Similarity to the Creator - No Comments →

The force of Love of the Creator that from the beginning isn’t found in the created being is transferred to him in an inverted way. This is called the evil inclination. According to the measure of love with which the Creator relates to us, it enters us in a reversed way and breeds in us the force of hatred, a degree of separation. If we would invert it now, then it would turn to love.

The Creator creates the desire to receive and transfers to it all of His force of love. The desire itself is just a small point, but now it is in an environment of this force of love that it feels as a world of hate.

We must transform this hate back into love. That’s all! This is called the “mountain of hatred” transforms into the “mountain of holiness.”

We work only on our intention. We don’t consider the desire since it was given to us by nature. Everything depends only on where our thoughts are directed. Thus, it doesn’t matter what a person’s desires are. They don’t depend on him. From the beginning there are Taryag (613) desires, and all of them are for the sake of reception. Man wants to take advantage of the Creator and thus it is called Pharaoh. And all of our work is in transforming this Pharaoh into a holy angel.
[88388]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/13/12, The Zohar

Related Material:
Pharaoh’s Matter In The Creator’s Form
Love As A Gift To The Created Being
Affliction Is A Test For Love

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Love, Prayer and Intention, Zohar - No Comments →

Different than our corporeal world, there is no time, place, and motion in the spiritual world, but only ascents and descents in the attributes of receiving or bestowal. This is the scale we move along all the time. Our states are measured only with regard to the spiritual “worlds,” the Partzufim and the Sefirot that continue from the top down through 125 degrees.

Except for our ascents and descents, there is also the motion of the degrees themselves that can move together with us. If I am in a certain world, for example, in a certain perception of reality and it’s suddenly “upgraded”: I feel that it becomes clearer, that it is more illuminating; I receive greater powers, understandings, and discernments. All this is not regarded as my doing, but it’s a kind of “exercise” I am put through in order to show me something.

It’s like a small child who is being picked up and suddenly feels that he is big: New horizons open up before him; he can reach things that he couldn’t reach before. Then he begins to direct the one who carries him where he wants to be carried to and which doors to open. Similar behaviors come from Above and are revealed in our world. Therefore there are different ascents:

• We either ascend the ladder by our efforts
• Or the ladder itself moves up and down.

These movements are depicted to us as special times or special states. On the whole each state is special and never repeats itself; there isn’t a moment that is similar to the next. We should say that it isn’t by chance that people divided time the way it is. Clearly the days and the nights correspond to the sundial and the month is determined by the lunar calendar. But how did people decide on the division of the day into 12 daytime hours and 12 nighttime hours? The wisdom of Kabbalah explains this cycle of 24 hours divided into minutes and seconds as the result of the mutual relations between Zeir Anpin and Malchut.

On the whole, it’s about a multiplicity of different influences upon the created being, which means on Malchut, from Above. This is where the ideas of a fallow year and Yovel (Jubilee, the 50th year) come from. As well there are special states called “times” or “holidays.” They are not connected to phenomena on the still level, but are controlled by a special program. The point is that there are special roots that have to be revealed and fulfilled specifically in us and not just in the world or by some customs. These states “illuminate” for us by preparing us so that in the future we will actually receive and fulfill them.

Today we receive faint illuminations from them, but in fact these are the degrees. In the spiritual world a person ascends the degrees of “Sunday,” “Monday,” “Tuesday,” “Wednesday,” “Thursday,” “Friday,” and “the Sabbath.” He must feel these states sequentially, one after another. A spiritual day can last a couple of seconds or it may linger for several weeks. It makes no difference since the corporeal time has nothing to do with the spiritual time.

Thus the “holidays” are states, “examples,” levels to which a person rises. As a whole they are in the ascent and are fulfilled by an awakening from Above by a certain illumination that adds something to a person who has a spiritual perception. Such additions are called “Rosh Hashanah,” (the new year), “Yom Kippur,” etc.

For every such ascent that is received from Above, a special kind of work is required below, by the created being of course. It’s because he wants to use this ascent in order to correct himself and fulfill the additional affluence that has reached him, on a new level. It’s the same on the Sabbath when an awakening from Above requires special work from us. It isn’t a time of rest, but rather quite a busy day in which there are more prayers and other customs. When the Upper invites the created being to ascend to an upper level, the work during the ascent obligates the lower to perform many actions.

The first holiday is Rosh Hashanah, which symbolizes a new beginning. I want to be a human being, Adam, to resemble the Creator. This is the reason for the spiritual process that I want to go through. Thus, Rosh Hashanah is called the day of the Creation of man; this is the day on which man was created.

In corporeality it’s also reflected in a special way: 5773 years ago there lived a guy called Adam and on that day he discovered spirituality; he discovered the Creator. For the first time in history one of the two-legged creatures discovered that there is a spiritual world and the upper force. He was the first to resemble the Creator and we call him the “First Man.”

In the article “The Teaching of Kabbalah and Its Essence,” Baal HaSulam says, Adam HaRishon was the first to receive a sequence of sufficient knowledge by which to understand and to successfully maximize everything he saw and attained with his eyes. And this understanding is called the “wisdom of truth.”

Since that day, when man first identified with the Creator and fulfilled his name, which was given to him “by chance” by his parents, we count our years. This means that even our calendar is initially based on the revelation of the Creator to the created being.
[88365]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/14/12, Customs of Rosh Hashanah

Related Material:
The Festive Calendar Of Ascent And Connection
Man’s Birthday
Was There Really Adam HaRishon?

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Holidays - No Comments →