Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” item 26: We have already stated that the first state necessitates the third state, to fully materialize as was in the Thought of Creation—in the first state—not omitting a single thing.

The three states of Creation, the initial state (1), the intermediate state (2) and the final state (3) obligate one another to exist. At the beginning the creation is in Ein Sof (Infinity). In the second state we (WE) are in our world. Then third state is the end of correction.

During the transition from the first state to the second state, we go through shattering and restrictions, and during the transition from the second state to the third state, we go through and ascent and corrections. In addition, we correct GE on the way and then AHP of Aliya. Thus we advance from the Light of Nefesh to the Lights of NRNHY.

We should remember that all these states exist only in our perception, but we have to use everything that we have until we attain one desire that is filled by one thought. It is because the desire is emotions (a heart) and the thought is the mind. They have to connect so that in the connection between them we will attain the Creator.

This will become our final state, and this is our goal today. We don’t know what comes after that, but we should know that after the end of correction we will go in some unknown direction. The creation will continue since we have corrected the vessels, our desires.

It is like fixing a broken-down car and learning how to drive it: The job is done, the repairs are completed, and I learned how to drive it. I sit in my perfectly fixed car and what’s next? What have I corrected my vessels for?

So the equivalence of form with the Creator is only the beginning. Then He opens the door of His palace for me inviting me in…

We rise to His level, and we don’t know what will be next. I don’t see that Kabbalists have hinted about this. They hint that there is something afterward in terms that we can understand. We simply cannot understand these dimensions.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/19/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar“

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Opinion (Lars Seier Christensen, CEO of the SAXO Bank): “It is difficult to describe the weekend bailout package to Cyprus in any other way. The confiscation of 6.75 percent of small depositors’ money and 9.9 percent of big depositors’ funds is without precedence that I can think of in a supposedly civilised and democratic society. But maybe the European Union (EU) is no longer a civilised democracy? …

“Depositors in other prospective bailout countries must be running scared – is it safe to keep money in an Italian, Spanish or Greek bank any more? I don’t know, must be the answer. …

“This is a major, MAJOR game changer and the fallout will be with us for a long time to come. I believe it could be the beginning of the end for the Eurozone as this is an unbelievable blow to the already challenged trust that might be left among investors. Talk about a possible own goal.

“Market reaction? it must be very good for gold – and for safe-haven countries like Switzerland, Singapore and economically more healthy non-Euro countries in, for example, Scandinavia. I would think the EURO and associated markets will be undermined by increasing lack of confidence when the full implications become clear for investors.

“This is full-blown socialism and I still cannot believe this really happened.

“Be careful out there…”

My Comment: We are being forced to change all the rules, then the game itself, and then the players, that is, it will force people to correct their nature because they will become convinced that there is no other way out.
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And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy, and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon, and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side, and his hands were steady until the setting of the sun.

And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword (The Torah, Exodus, “BeShalach,” 17:11 – 17:13).

Moses discovered the attribute of Bina, the attribute of bestowal in a person. The outstretched hands reaching above allegorically symbolize the connection with the Creator. This is the raising of MAN (request), the connection of the lower Partzuf with the upper.

When Moses raised his hands, which means when the attribute of Bina feeds from Keter (Crown), from the upper attribute of bestowal, then Israel wins. This means that these are the attributes of a man who tries to escape Amalek and rise above. He rises above Amalek and thus wins over him.

Amalek is the foundation of the world, the foundation of the ego. However, it’s not always clearly revealed. Ordinary people don’t think that they are egoists. They think of themselves as regular citizens, who give and take. Whereas those attributes that appear later in those people with the point in the heart who discover their nature as being completely egoistic, this is already Haman, Amalek, Balaam, and Balak.

It’s impossible to win over Amalek because the means and forces in a person to connect with the Creator are limited. Thus the act itself, the war with Amalek, continues from generation to generation. This means that by your rising to each spiritual level, you are always in war with him.

Thus it continues until you completely destroy Amalek by the force of the Creator. It happens when a person who already corrects himself grasps his corrected attributes and doesn’t ask for anything at all for himself. Then the Creator corrects in him his last egoistic attribute all at once.

This means that as long as subconsciously there is a grain of ego in me, since it is within me as my foundation, then it’s impossible for me to work when I am not connected to the action and its outcome. That is Amalek, like a snake, which in any case is slithering somewhere. Thus the war with it is never ending.

Only the special attributes in a person fight with him, and the others don’t since it’s impossible to put them to war against Amalek. They would fall. They would not be able to stand up to the request of your having only bestowal. Thus only a few attributes wage war. At this level, the attributes of bestowal win, meaning faith, which is the attribute of bestowal and love, and continue onwards.

Question: It’s said, “…and his hands were steady until the setting of the sun.” What is this state that is called, “until the setting of the sun?’’

Answer: As long as the upper Light is attracted to Moses, as long as there is the connection between Moses and Keter (between Bina and Keter), then there is force to oppose Amalek. And then afterward, everything disappears. This level is concealed and the next level is revealed since the day begins with the evening.
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From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 2/4/13

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Rabash, “Steps of the Ladder,” Article 19 “What the Torah Being Called The Middle Line Means in the Work”: A person has to believe that “there is none else besides Him” and that everything that happens to us is done by the Creator. Before doing anything at all, we should keep in mind that all we have is the choice that it is given to us since “if I’m not for myself then who?” In other words, everything depends on what we choose. However, after our actions are over, we have to come to the conclusion that everything is subject to the upper governance and that there is nothing we do ourselves.

We have to believe that it is the Creator who gives us desires and aspirations to make good deeds. However, for the time being, while we still remain unworthy, we are prohibited to sense that it is the Creator who compels us to make good deeds. That’s why the Creator conceals Himself in the clothes of intention “Lo Lishma” (not for His sake).

In other words, the Creator hides Himself in the “clothing” of our friends.

If we don’t want to get up and go to classes, then the Creator hides Himself in the “garb” of our friends and forces us to get up regardless of our fatigue since we suddenly realize that everybody around will see our weakness. The Creator’s command doesn’t energize us enough to wake us up. The Creator doesn’t obligate us and we would most likely stay in bed, but our friends make us get up and go to the lesson.

The same applies to everything: We are not able to stay strong and commit good deeds if the only one who compels us to act so is the Creator, although if we are forced to act by other people, we feel enough power to act with the intention of Lo Lishma.

One has to believe that “there is none else besides Him,” meaning that it is the Creator who coerces him to commit good deeds. However, one is not yet worthy to recognize that it is the Creator who obligates him and that he is still misled by the fact that the Creator “dresses” in his surroundings and governs him through the backside.

That’s why after each action we do, because our surroundings compel us to act, we must conclude that it was the Creator who arranged this situation for us and that He dresses into the garments that are essential to us. So now we should thank the Creator for being a source of our desire to commit good deeds by means of dressing in the circumstances of our lives.
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Question: How can I serve the friends with my thoughts? How can my thoughts support the convention participants in Germany?

Answer: What happens when you worry about someone you care about? All your thoughts are focused on his success, on his getting well and on his succeeding in his mission. Your heart aches for him since it is as if you are acting with him, in his place.

This concern is enough even if we don’t know the mechanisms it operates. The friends all over the world should prepare in advance for mirror conventions so that we will not only be spectators but will actually support the general connection. Here we have to exhibit determination and concern in unity, in genuine exceptional concern. By that we connect to the convention in desperate concern for its success on a global scale.

If we all connect around this convention, then all of humanity will feel a special force of connection and this will change reality. Then our method of connection will be accepted all over the world, and it will be as if we “change rails” so that the train we are all riding will move from the path of suffering to the path of the Torah.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/18/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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Preparation to the Lesson

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah),” Lesson 5

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The Book of Zohar – Selected Excerpt, Parashat “Va’etchanan (A Plea),” Lesson 5

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“Introduction to The Book of Zohar“

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The Book of Zohar, Weekly Torah Portion, “HaShavuah” Selected Excerpts

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Question: What is the difference between spiritual shame and the shame that we feel in our daily life?

Answer: Corporeal shame is egoistic shame since I don’t want my pride hurt. Spiritual shame occurs after the restriction, when I don’t worry about myself and am not ashamed of my natural attributes anymore. I worry about something that is totally different.

I must feel shame! I actually look for it in my spiritual growth since it gives me great powers. If you were ashamed now, just imagine how enthusiastic you would become, and what powers it would give to move. You would not sit so calmly and doze in your seat like you do now. You would start moving until this shame subsides. You would continue worrying about this shame for a week before you finally calmed down.

You would be ready to do anything just to neutralize the reason for the shame and would not calm down until everything got back to the way it was before. If a certain person shames you, you would do anything to get revenge. Some people are more hot-tempered and some less, but everyone experiences the same emotions more or less.

The question is whether I will be able to attain a state that will not affect me personally, but one in which I will feel shame because I don’t contribute to the society, don’t participate in it, and don’t add what I have to add or even more. This is the only thing of which I am ashamed.

If we say to someone, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” it’s as if we showed him that he is inconsiderate of others. This is the point where I begin my correction.

So my personal attributes are totally irrelevant because they are part of my animal character. Have you even seen an animal that is ashamed of anything? Have you ever met a cat that blushed because it stole some cream and got caught?

An animal has nothing to be ashamed of. But the human being in us that we begin to build feels shame. The shame is related to him, to the person who worries whether he gives to others, adds for the benefit of others, and fulfills his duty in the general system.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/18/13, “Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah)”

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In our world, the egoistic nature immediately extinguishes the feeling of shame. It usually finds justification for our actions: we use others, steal, and attribute different things to ourselves. We usually don’t even pay attention to the fact that we calculate everything egoistically and treat others egoistically, looking at everything and evaluating everything from the perspective of personal interest.

We don’t feel any shame because of that. If we could be more sensitive with regard to the attribute of receiving and bestowal, and if we could check where we really receive and where we bestow and according to which principle we look at the world, then we would simply burn because of terrible shame.

If the attribute of bestowal were revealed to me in all its supremacy, I could see myself in my true form, like a tiny black insect that only worries about food aspiring to grab as much as possible and swallow everything it sees. Then the shame would burn me because of the feeling of my nothingness compared to the real attribute of bestowal.

A person may even find it scary to think that this can suddenly be revealed to everyone, to all of humanity. We may say, well what can we do? After all he is just a human being, a created being that acts according to his nature over which he has no control. But still he would be terribly ashamed. He would rather die than feel such shame.

There are no greater sufferings than shame since it is at the basis of the whole desire to receive. The first restriction was a result of shame, since shame erases the concept of Adam (a human being). Phase four annuls itself if it feels shame, since phase four is the feeling of an independent person who is ready to carry out his decisions. Shame, however, is actually the totally opposite feeling and so it annuls a person’s personality.

However, we speak about our current state in the meantime, when there is no Adam yet, but only a tiny animal that isn’t even responsible for its actions. It received all these attributes from the upper, from the Creator, and so “go to the craftsman who made me,” go to the one who has created this created being. But if we begin to discover the attribute of bestowal that resides in this world, the Creator, and value ourselves according to Him, then such a great disparity will be revealed between us, in every sense, that we previously couldn’t even imagine.

Shame is so powerful that only thanks to it do we have chance to stand against our ego and correct it, just as in the world of Ein Sof (Infinity), Malchut gave up everything because of the shame. It wasn’t a feeling of shame because it received and was opposite from the Creator and was ashamed of its attributes, but it was ashamed because it couldn’t bestow like He does. This is a totally different shame, shame on the level of the end of correction compared to us.

We, on the other hand, discover our ego gradually. First, I am ashamed that I was taught to steal, that my lie has been revealed, that I want to use everyone, and to harm others. The revelation of shame helps me place myself in the right position so that I won’t hide like I do now, like a frightened animal that is afraid of being shamed. On the contrary, I will be ready to reveal all my evil and to shame myself in order to get out of this force of resistance, to overcome and defeat the ego and to build a Masach (screen) against the ego.

I need a Masach, not in order to extinguish my shame, but in order to change my attributes from receiving to bestowal. Unless this happens, I can stand the shame since it only opens my heart and spills out all the truth.

So adhesion is inseparable from shame and correction. We shouldn’t be afraid of shame; instead we have to feel it and understand that the main thing is to rise above what we have in order to work with this attribute that can bring us to correction.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/18/13, “Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah)”

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