Question: If all of my states are determined by the upper force, where is my responsibility for bad deeds?

Answer: I cannot change the state I’m already in. I prepared this state with the Creator like His partner. I had an opportunity to prepare myself so that the state approaching me now would have manifested in a better form, but I didn’t do that.

The present state itself cannot be changed already. It is the natural end result of all the previous conditions that I certainly could have influenced.

I could put an egg under a hen, I could put it in the sun, or I could put it in an incubator and accordingly, I will get results determining the speed of my development and my attitude. Everything will be different!

But when I find myself in some situation, it is already too late to do something about it. Having acted according to the principle of “if I am not for myself, then who is for me” and in the end, recognized that “there is none else besides Him,” I received this outcome. I make the most out of this and realize from the start I had to reach a state like this.

So, if everything is already established from the start, where is my free choice? But only having justified my present state as correct and already established from the start, since “there is none else besides Him,” can I decide what to do next and say: “If I am not for myself, then who is for me.”

“If I am not for myself, who is for me” is the period when I am acting and working as if the Creator is not next to me, since I don’t know where He is, this is hidden from me. But why do I need to act like this? If I make the right effort, then ideally I will accept the entire state revealed to me as coming from the upper force, from “there is none else besides Him.”

Working like this, I prepare my perception for the coming states. The Creator can reveal a state for me that today seems simply terrible. But after the preparation that I do now, working according to the principle of “if I am not for myself, then who is for me,” I will accept this state as the manifestation of absolute goodness of the Creator, which benefited me. This will be my reward at the conclusion of a “complete workday.”
[105435]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/17/13, Writing of Rabash

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There are many “waves” of desires within us. Where does this separation into many parts, levels, sides, forms, and so forth come from? The fact is that the Light, which is pure bestowal, enters into desire, whose nature is reception.

The Light and darkness were connected together through opposing characteristics at the time of the shattering. As a result, all the Lights are incorporated into all the individual desires and form countless combinations. The differences and facets in understanding, perception, and analysis, the wide spectrum of colors, sounds, tastes, and smells are derived from this. Everything comes from the various combinations formed through the conjugation between the Lights and desires.

It is precisely thanks to this multiplicity that we discover the Creator. We would otherwise feel ourselves at the bottom of the still level in Malchut of the world of Infinity.

This variety makes it possible for us to peel away layer after layer, to clarify the essence, and to distinguish differences between possible combinations of the Lights and the vessels. So, we begin to discover the Creator in contrast to the creature: We transition from “existence from absence” to “existence from existence,” “format” the vessel and the Light, light and darkness. This is our work. So, in spirituality in every moment we carry out billions of corrections, reaching the smallest details.

This is similar to the classification and clarification of matter in our universe. It seemed an impossible task to perform at the time, but it wasn’t  Mutual integration enables us to work in all directions simultaneously so that even one small action produces billions of results in the entire Malchut.

Today, this picture is still concealed from us, yet as we continue, we will clarify and identify more subtle and deeper components. This will be possible for us when we begin to distinguish between bestowal and reception in every part.

I am able to comprehend in its spiritual form only a corrected desire, as one of the 613 desires, into which the Kli is divided. Until correction I face only an “egoistic monster,” Pharaoh, which can’t be separated into parts, in which nothing can be clarified. As long as the Light has not arrived, I will not be able to feel any desire and see how to activate it for the sake of bestowal above my ego, I will not be able to discern its separate facets. The only thing that I feel in Egypt is the ten plagues.…
[105460]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/18/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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Question: We know that there is no “almost” in spirituality, but at the same time, the spiritual path is divided into levels, and each of them brings us closer to perfection. How does the absolute combine with the gradual advancement?

Answer: On every level, on every spiritual degree, we each have our own measure, according to the order of the realization of the Reshimot (spiritual records). The big general vessel was shattered to pieces, and each piece has its own limits, its own measures of conjugation with others, its measure of correction, and its own “measure of efforts,” both in the absolute value and individually.

Indeed, there is no “almost” in spirituality. If at a given level you correct nine parts out of ten, then you have not managed to correct it yet. Only after you correct the tenth part do you complete the work.

In the same manner the electron cannot exist separately from the atom. The atom is made of many particles and they all have to be in the right place. Later other bigger, more complex forms are created: molecules, cells, and bodies, and they each have to be in their whole measure. Even the smallest measure has to be whole, down to the last smallest particle.

Question: On one hand, everyone has to be as one man with one heart, and on the other, it says that every person can judge the whole world either to the scale of merit or unfavorably. How can we explain that?

Answer: It’s impossible to explain that on our level. It’s impossible to perceive by our mind. It isn’t the laws of ordinary mathematics that operate here, according to which one plus one equals two. Spirituality has its own mathematics.

Question: What is a “whole measure?” What is the criterion for wholeness?

Answer: A whole measure is a sign of change on every level, according to the principle of “I have exerted myself and I have found.” I increasingly exert myself and suddenly I “leap” to a new state. It’s only according to this reaction that I know for sure that I have exerted myself enough. It’s impossible to predict it. There is no “counter,” no indication in advance, according to which I can judge my success.

It’s because we work “above reason,” in bestowal, and bestowal cannot be measured. The measures are always in the desire to receive. In bestowal, the measurement can only be with regards to the revelation, and so it’s always according to “I have exerted myself and I have found.” This “finding” is the ultimate check.
[105446]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/18/13, “The Introduction to The Book of Zohar” 

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 44: And all the spiritual elements of still, vegetative, and animate in that world, which correspond to that Sefira of Malchut of Assiya, serve and aid that Partzuf of Nefesh of one who has risen there.

Question: What are the spiritual elements of the still, vegetative, and animate nature?

Answer: All the five phases, from the root phase until phase four, connect in a person’s exertion. Although we exert ourselves only with regards to the intention, only with regards to the human nature in us, there are also other layers in the desire, in which we are managed, having no free will. These layers of desire are similar to our physical needs and are included in our work; they operate on us while we cannot influence them in any way. As Baal HaSulam says in “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” the elements of the still, vegetative, and animate nature ascend and descend together with the human level having no accounts of their own.

Question: Does this mean that in spirituality we also do things not by our choice?

Answer: Of course. The same thing also happens in our world since it’s an exact replica of spirituality. I don’t need to work on the multitude of spiritual forces that don’t belong to the human level. On the human level I also have to clarify things first and only then perform corrections. First, I should clarify where exactly I can exert myself so that I will bestow where it can lead to actual results. Most important is to differentiate between the “working area” and the “non-working” one and to put much effort in the former.
[105464]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/18/13, “The Introduction to The Book of Zohar” 

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Preparation to the Lesson

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Writings of Rabash “Dargot HaSulam,” “Article 821”

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The Book of Zohar – Selected Excerpt, “Bereshit,” Item 17, Lesson 3

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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 10, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Item 14, Lesson 34

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Mutual Guarantee,” Lesson 1

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Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
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A Virtual Lesson on Fundamentals of Kabbalah

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Opinion: (David Griggs, Director of the Monash Sustainability Institute [MSI], Australia): “Albert Einstein once said that if he had just one hour to find a solution on which his life depended, he would spend the first 55 minutes defining the problem. Once he knew the right question to ask, he could solve the problem in less than five minutes.

“Today, humanity faces such a life-threatening problem: How are we to provide adequate nutrition and a decent quality of life to a global population that is set to surpass nine billion by 2050, without irreparably damaging our planetary life-support system? To find a solution, we must start by clarifying the problem.

“The process of identifying the Sustainable Development Goals, which are intended to enter into force in 2015, has begun in earnest. Last week, representatives from 69 countries met at the UN in New York, and an expert group meets this week. …

“This week, my colleagues and I published a report called Sustainable Development Goals for People and Planet, which outlines what is required. We identified six universal goals for sustainable development: lives and livelihoods, food security, water sustainability, clean energy, healthy ecosystems, and good governance. … Genuine progress in any of the six target areas will require a comprehensive approach, with policies that span the economic, social, and environmental domains.”

My Comment: It seems to me that these people didn’t act like Einstein; otherwise, they would have discovered the cause of the crisis, which has not been uncovered yet. It is in the egoistic nature of man. And it needs to be corrected. Without this, no aspect of the crisis will disappear. The objectives are correct, but there are no solution to them. And a reminder to identify the cause indicates that now, by referring  to Einstein, they can ponder about the cause of the problem as long as they want, without rushing to solve it….
[105537]

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In the News (from ScienceNow): “The main ingredient of wood, cellulose, is one of the most abundant organic compounds on Earth and a dream source of renewable fuel. Now, bioengineers suggest that it could feed the hungry as well. In a new study, researchers have found a way to turn cellulose into starch, the most common carbohydrate in the human diet.

“Now, for the first time, it appears there may be a practical way that cellulose could also feed people, says bioprocess engineer Y.-H. Percival Zhang of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg. …

“Zhang and his colleagues focused on starch, which makes up as much as 40% of people’s diets. The idea of turning cellulose into starch is one rooted in the similarities between the compounds: Cellulose is composed of hundreds to thousands of molecules of the sugar glucose, and starch compounds are made of glucose as well, although the sugar is bonded together in different ways.

“Though the process works, it’s expensive. Zhang estimates that, given the current price tag of the enzymes that his team used, it would cost about $1 million to turn 200 kilograms of crude cellulose into 20 kilograms of starch, about enough to feed one person’s carbohydrate needs for 80 days. Still, after 5 to 10 years of further research, Zhang says companies could do the same thing for just $0.50 per person per day. ‘We do not see big obstacles to the commercialization of this process.’

“Optimistically assuming 100 billion tons of cellulose is available per year, ‘we will have a potential of approximately 4.5 billion tons of starch, which is nearly twofold the annual production of cereal—that is, 2.3 billion tons per year now,’ Zhang says. That would provide up to 30% of the food that prior studies estimate is needed to feed the world in 2050.”

My Comment: If it weren’t for a predatory attitude to nature, humanity would have easily fed itself and been able to devote itself to a spiritual ascent that provides us with the perfect eternal existence.
[105450]

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Question: What is the role today of the global Bnei Baruch groups  in different countries?

Answer: The world  groups play a special important role because Israel cannot correct themselves if they are not focused on the world. The GE have no way of correcting themselves if they are isolated from others.

The Creator wanted to give the Torah first to the nations of the world . All the Light is opposite this desire, opposite the AHP and not opposite GE. In fact the AHP makes up the whole vessel, 99% of the whole desire. Therefore the nation of Israel, GE, is the smallest of all the nations. It has no right to exist except for serving all this great AHP.

The Creator wants to fill the AHP with the Light and He tests GE as the part that serves the Creator and these desires to receive. Israel are the slaves of their mission, and the nations of the world are not. We have to carry out our mission towards the Creator and all of humanity. Therefore, the two sides come complaining to us, and their complaints are just since we have to be the link, the adapter,  between the Creator and the world and between the world and the Creator. We, however, don’t fulfill our role.

In order to function correctly, we need a connection with the upper force, with the Creator, which is realized through the center of the group. On other hand, we need to be connected to all our groups and to all the friends who belong to the nations of the world since this is how the connection from them to us and from them to the nations of the world among which they live is fulfilled. Thus we all connect paving the path from Malchut of Malchut, the greatest desire of the created being, to the desire of Keter of Keter and all the way to the Creator.

The central group must treat all the groups around the world lovingly, with great concern and attention, to connect to them as closely as possible despite the language barriers and the geographic distance, and to accept them as closely as possible. It is through them that we can reach the other people, the other nations, and to pass on to them the method of integral education.

Our friends all over the world who live there as “converts,” which means that they also have a point in the heart, are part of Israel and fulfill the connection between AHP and us, GE. We cannot establish such a connection by ourselves, and it is our friends in other countries who do that.

It turns out that they belong to the main layer of the desire that is on the border between GE and AHP. Without this connection the GE and AHP are meaningless. For this reason, we have to pay great attention to our friends and to support them in every way we can, to hold conventions, to provide translation in every language, that is, help them as much as we can. It is because they belong to the layer of desire that allows us to answer the question: What do we exist for?

We exist thanks to the fact that we have such connection to the AHP, thanks to our friends all over the world.
[105255]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/15/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam 

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