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Baal HaSulam, “600,000 Souls”: Indeed, the whole is found within each item, since in the end, all the souls will unite into one discernment, returning to their spiritual root. Hence, all the miracles and wonders and all the journeys they had travelled throughout the world during the 6,000 years should be experienced by each soul. The good soul draws to itself from all the discernments of Kedusha before it and after it; and the evil soul does to the contrary.
The “evil soul” doesn’t aspire to connect with others, either over time or in certain cases, and so it becomes a “cancerous tumor” that only wants to eat its surroundings.
This is very much like what happens in the biological body. For there each cell is connected with all the other cells in the body. And if this connection is normal, it provides for the health of the body. Accordingly, each “good soul” like a healthy cell, strives to achieve universal unity, whereas the evil soul, which is not corrected, like a diseased cell, according to its nature, distances itself from everyone and wants to exploit others for its own benefit.
In this state, a person sits alone and seeks personal benefit (↓↓), in this he embodies the opposite of love, which is hatred. He loves others just like he loves fish for dinner.
The next higher level is the still one (↓). But he doesn’t act at the expense of others and becomes a state of Hafetz Hesed with a minus sign. Let the whole world burn and this doesn’t matter to him. This is called indifference.
On the next higher level (↑), a person wants good for others but doesn’t do anything about this . He simply wishes everyone well, and is Hafetz Hesed, a pure intention.
And finally, on the highest level, is a person who is connected with others (↑↑). This is love, intention, and action.
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Baal HaSulam, “600,000 Souls”: And when a single soul from Israel is purified from all its filth, it will draw onto itself the whole of the soul of Atzilut, and through it, all the souls of its generation will be completed. This is the meaning of one being dependent on the other, as it is written (Sanhedrin, 11), “It was befitting that Divinity would be upon him, but his generation was unworthy of it.”
There is the matter of individual success and there is the matter of the success of the group, and there is also global success of all of humanity. These three components have to be arranged together. It is like in an eclipse of the moon, where the moon the sun and the Earth are arranged in the right position. The soul also has to be in the same line with the generation (the group) and with the world. They have to be synchronized in some way and then the action is possible.
This is the time we are living in: There is already a crisis in the world; there is a crisis between people; there is great confusion and a great deficiency. In addition, the wisdom of Kabbalah and the necessary means are revealed. Everything is arranged the same way just like during the eclipse of the moon when the Earth conceals the light of the sun, or the other way around when the moon conceals the sun and then the world becomes dark, which is an eclipse of the sun.
The special current era is characterized by the fact that all these relative forms operate for the sake of the general advancement. If in the previous generation the world wasn’t worthy of that, now the generation is already ripe.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson, 10/10/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam
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Question: Why is it said that “there is no coercion in spirituality,” that it is impossible to force someone to perform spiritual actions, but on the other hand it is said: “He is forced until he says “I want to?”
Answer: “There is no coercion in spirituality” means that if you are on the spiritual ladder already, then it is possible to ascend to the next level only if you reach total freedom. You have to be free of everything, including the Creator, so that you can actually perform an independent action.
You find yourself in a situation with the freedom to do whatever you want and have disposed of all the punishments and rewards. You see that no matter which action you perform, whether it is close to the Creator or far from Him, whether it is good or bad, you will receive neither a punishment nor a reward. It is much easier to perform an action that is against the Creator, but you still yearn for the Creator, trying to see Him as more important in order to perform the action for His sake, for the sake of the attribute of bestowal. Then it is called freewill.
Freewill opens the option for a person to be really free of everything, including the Creator. There, at that point, we can say that “there is no coercion in spirituality.” It is there that a person chooses the fact that he wants to exert himself and to work for the Creator. It is as if he chooses the hardest way.
Freewill is the middle line, the middle third of Tifferet, a very fine balance, like a pointer on a set of very sensitive scales between two balanced forces, the good force and the evil force, holiness and impurity.
Freewill is impossible if I fear something, if I feel ashamed, or if I want a reward. There can only be freewill if I am totally free of all the fear and anxieties, of all the pleasures that illuminate in front of me. This is the state we have to stabilize regarding many factors. When you stabilize it, you have to decide what to do with it. If you become totally neutral then how can you act, on what basis can you make a decision?
When you actually achieve this free state, then you decide where you have the opportunity to make a real effort. This is really the right way. It turns out that it is your evil inclination which shows you exactly where you are; it is the evil inclination which takes you by the hand and brings you to the Creator. It shows you that if you follow this direction you will have to exert yourself in order to overcome the obstacles that it has placed before you.
[118119]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/8/13, Writings of Rabash
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We know from our own experience just how incapable we are of even thinking about any kind of bestowal, of tearing something away from oneself and giving it to another, even a trifle. We agree to this only if we are expecting to receive something in return or we achieve a good attitude toward ourselves. Or do we want to feel superior to others, or are showing off and awaiting others’ approval.
If we hope to get an immediate reward right on the spot, then we can give; the main thing is to receive in return. But to tear something away from oneself without any compensation clearly realizing that you will not get any benefit from it, this is completely impossible.
All corrections are possible only by virtue of the Light. It will draw us up like a magnet and pull us out of our egoism. In that moment when I am in the air, I am capable of giving without any calculation. And again the Light raises me, and being suspended in the air, I once more can give selflessly, that is, to act without expecting a benefit for myself.
It will be clear to me that I am giving and it is already vanishing into the other. But as it vanishes, I make a calculation while remaining inside this bestowal. That is, my benefit is precisely in the fact that what I have given disappears into others. I receive this new attitude due to an acquired property of bestowal.
Clearly, this is not easy, and only the Light can retain us and allow us to perform such actions of giving from ourselves outward. NHY de AK are demanding unending bestowal from us, no questions asked. All desires of one’s egoism, yearning to enjoy, to fill itself, to understand, to feel, to conquer, to dominate, with all its envy, lust, and honor, you need to turn over to the service of others and be overflowing with joy.
But you do not do this for the sake of joy; it is simply a consequence of your bestowal because you are happy that you performed a completely selfless act, and the only thing that remained in you is the Light of Hassadim.
The world of Adam Kadmon demands this kind of behavior from us—unconditional bestowal. But the world of Atzilut, which is responsible for our correction, operates more selectively. It separates some of our desires leaving them for later, regarding them to be too much to begin with. It is as if it lowers the bar for us, both in height and intensity. It does not unfold this entire shimmering spiritual picture with boundless bestowal and reception before us, but dims the Lights and dulls the desires. It becomes grayer and bleaker, but now you can at least withstand it, because otherwise it would simply swallow you and force you to receive egoistically.
This is why the World of Atzilut arranges everything in a way that leaves only a small barrier in front of us, the minimum overcoming of our egoism for the sake of bestowal. It is taking care to ensure that the temptations are not so strong and obstacles not so huge, allowing us to come closer to a state that is possible to endure. And then we ask for help in order to overcome this tiny egoistic obstacle and rise above it, each time transitioning from degree to degree.
The overcoming always consists of me hiding from all possible misfortunes inside the center of the group, becoming included in it, and above all, searching there for a concealed secure place, like an embryo within a mother’s womb. I hide from all egoistic forces (Klipot) and cleave to the upper. And once in the center of the group, I begin to grow. I now become a child who is sitting in the arms of an adult, a mother or a father, and is indicating to them where I should be carried and what I want. Thus, each time I advance with their help, choosing the direction on my own, and the upper agrees to carry me there, approving my choice. In this form, a little spiritual person grows.
A group to me is a mother and a father, and only from its center do I clarify all spiritual properties.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/7/13, The Study of the Ten Sefirot
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In the News (from The Independent): “An independent report commissioned by the influential All-Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform has urged that coca’s illegal status be reviewed and research conducted into the possible legal uses of the leaf which, it is claimed, could benefit the lives of millions of the world’s poorest people.
“Evidence from the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy last week found cocaine was 51 per cent cheaper than in 1990 while its potency had increased. Group chair Baroness Meacher said that the war on drugs had ‘disastrous consequences’ in the developing world. ‘The employment of poor farmers and their families by the drug barons in Colombia continues to be irresistible while few, if any, alternatives exist,’ she said. ‘But these farmers could earn a legitimate income growing a crop to generate products with positive therapeutic… functions.’
“Rather than waging war on producers, governments should consider using aid budgets to create regulated markets in which the alkaloid that makes cocaine was safely removed from the leaf and alternative products found, the report says.
“As well as being a rich source of protein and calcium, coca can also be used to make wine and treat muscular pain. It also offers a potential treatment for cocaine dependency. The report said companies such as Coca-Cola already have special permission from the US Drug Enforcement Administration to import dried coca leaf, while it is also legally imported into Europe to make energy drinks such as Red Bull.”
My Comment: This blog pointed out this not once. Not once the “comments” drew attention to the smoking ban, as a prelude to the legalization of drugs. The main thing is to lull concerns by caring about people’s health – “may he die healthy,” it would be spent less on medical care.
This issue has been addressed repeatedly in the blog. It has been pointed out in several comments that banning smoking is a prelude to legalizing drugs. The key is to sedate public awareness under the pretense of caring about people’s health: “Let them die healthy,” which would reduce spending on healthcare.
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Question: What must be done if a person in our dissemination project of the integral method doesn’t relate to his obligations in a dedicated way?
Answer: We need to prescribe very precise requirements for him so that he will participate in all of our lessons, internal workshops, in everything that is included in our work; this is a rigorous duty. There are no other options.
If a person doesn’t relate in a dedicated manner to his obligations, we simply give him notice of his termination. He cannot work in the system of the integral education if he isn’t systematically engaged with us in learning the material, constantly preparing; call it a renewal of training. He must be within our project all the time, including the regular classes, the internal discussions, workshops, meetings, dinners with friends, and so forth, because we have a special collective.
Our collective “sells” our unity. Therefore a person cannot come to work in his “Rolls Royce,” call on his cell phone and ask, “Where are you sending me today?” and travel there to work in comfort. Absolutely not! His agenda is inseparable from the daily agenda of our project and includes within it all kinds of activities.
We agree from the start that a person has, let’s say, two visits per day to different places, and the rest of the time he needs to fill with work in the project: editing manuals, developing courses, lectures, reference books, or involvement with some other kind of dissemination.
So his day job is serious and irregular, for we need to accommodate ourselves to our external consumers.
Question: How is it possible to measure, from the point of view of the integral approach, how much a person needs to work?
Answer: Baal HaSulam writes that a person must be occupied with this twelve to fourteen hours a day or more. But this is written in the book, The Last Generation, whereas we are not yet found on this level. It is also said that it will continue this way until there is not one person who is not happy.
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From Kab TV’s “Through Time” 9/15/13
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Question: When a person is engaged in integral communication, he is powered by a sense of a common goal, by unity. Does he need to enter this state before engaging in any action in his work?
Answer: Of course, this is obvious to the person himself. If he had good training, he passes everything successfully. Bad instructions extinguish his work immediately.
Question: How much time should inner preparation take?
Answer: It’s hard to say. It is impossible to stand with a stopwatch and measure the duration of preparation because everything depends on the attitude you come with. Perhaps you just talked with your mother and she said something that washed you out and you need good preparation. Or on the contrary, you may have flown in as if on wings. So, in this case, time is not an indicator.
Question: Might this be some general preparation for all the employees before the work day begins?
Answer: Certainly. They should get together into one whole and should feel that they go together now. After all, the words that we say don’t matter.
We see this, especially now when we interact more and more with the population. Even working with small groups or with one person, we transfer energy to them. What do they understand in words? What can we say to them, especially if it is a fragmented, disorderly group that does not want to listen if they have been brought to the first lesson and they have to comply?
Gradually, we can begin to give them tasks as preparation for the next meeting, “Let’s read something next time before our gathering.” To bring them to this state, we suggest singing something together, watching a video clip or a short movie, or reading for ten minutes.
But the most important thing in any case is that we pass energy to the people.
[118101]
From Kab TV’s “Through Time” 9/15/13
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Question: How is it possible to make the work of every expert in integral education more efficient in order to achieve maximal dissemination?
Answer: The most important thing for the person is recognition, praise, respect, and compassion for the community in which he works.
In principle, we want to do the same thing in that institution or enterprise where we disseminate integral education and information.
When we reach a community, we begin to weave a network of connections so that people will be interconnected, will understand how much they can inspire and uplift the community (it will be more comfortable and easier for them to work) as much as they can improve both themselves and the atmosphere in which they exist, as much as they can rejoice and feel themselves to be happy along with this. We need to artificially maintain a state like this until we begin to get it from an inner connection between us.
Therefore, it is necessary to appoint someone responsible as an initiator who must think about everything down to the last detail and be constantly concerned so that among the members of this community there will be in constant ascent. He needs to choose special materials for them and organize telephone communications between them for mutual support throughout the day; it could be that he might send each one of them some clip; it could be a five minute break or some friendly dinner to strengthen the connection and unity.
We, who are involved with dissemination, must understand that without an inner fire, we will not have anything to convey to others. For a person in a bad mood, in a personal descent, cannot even go to work. Therefore, during descents he needs the community. It is necessary to lift him up, to stand him on his feet, to encourage, and to revive him. And only then will he be full of internal energy; with a special atmosphere of connection he can go and do something further, otherwise he will simply ruin all the work.
We know that before every meeting with either some person or group of people or even with a large audience, we practice and realize the permanent unity between us. Before we begin the study, we first need to unite, to reach a shared excitement, a feeling of security, safety, a sense of our higher state. When we come to people, we need to demonstrate the weightiness of our knowledge so that the community will think that we are found one level above all the rest.
Though we understand that this is psychological work, the main thing is to approach everything the right way. It is necessary that there be an internal explosion, a kind of fire, warmth between us. When we go out to the community, people must feel that it is not three people standing before them, rather it is one, a common whole. We begin to play with the community with six hands, as one body. This is what we are compelled to do.
Therefore, we cannot make any move without feeling connection and unity. Even if we visited some team in a factory today and after that need to go to some office for dissemination, we still need to recharge between these two events.
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From Kab TV’s “Through Time” 9/17/13
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Question: Each lower Partzuf of the world of Atzilut as well as of the world of Adam Kadmon, clothes on the upper one. What does it mean “clothes”?
Answer: Clothing means attaining. I clothe on you, i.e., on your reason and your actions. It means that you attain them.
The upper one descends to the lower in order to clothe upon him. And then, when the lower holds on to him, the upper one begins to raise him to a higher level in order to help him understand it.
The lower feels that the upper gives birth to him, gives him everything, and takes care of him. And since the lower empties himself and procreates the next Partzufim, he wants to attain the upper: to know who and what he is and what is the purpose of his existence.
After all, now he feels the same need to take care of his own lower Partzufim. In order to fill them, he appeals to the upper one, because one can receive fulfillment only from the world of Infinity.
It turns out that he is obliged to communicate with the upper. Communication with the upper and his attainment is called “clothing.”
For one thing, the lower has the need to give to the one who is beneath him. For another thing, such need and lack of answers leads him to connection with the upper. For yet another thing, he is prepared to attain the upper, because he and the upper are alike as two drops of water.
Such clothing of Partzufim is always completely identical. The lower who clothes on the upper, sees in the upper the same model he has inside. He sees in the upper his own structure, like his own reflection in the mirror. He, therefore, has no problem attaining the upper. That’s why clothing means attainment. The lower sees himself exactly as the upper one wants him to be.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/10/10, The Zohar
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