Rabash, “The Need for an Action Below”: Thus in the exile in Egypt when Pharaoh bestowed his pleasures upon them, they were enslaved to Pharaoh and could not leave the exile. But when they performed an action, which means that they awoke to come out of exile since this action is considered a matter of free will, then the Creator broke his powers from Above, which means that He took the pleasures by which he enslaved the people of Israel. And when he had nothing to give, it means that the Creator broke his power and burned him in the river of DiNur (Light), which means that He removed all his powers to influence.

This is actually what happened to us after the Zohar convention. During the convention we received a payment and everything was fine. Many people came together and there was a great awakening and we enjoyed and felt pleasure in all our vessels. Then Pharaoh stopped paying us and our ego felt that it was empty.

That is the best time to escape, but instead we fall and lay down motionless. Time after time the desire to receive gives us a little pleasure and then takes everything away and we wither.  But gradually we begin to understand that we cannot depend on it anymore.

It is all a result of the influence of the Upper Light and not the result of our accumulative experience or time. The point here is that it isn’t a matter of time, but of an illumination from Above that operates on us and brings us to a new state. The Light shines and changes the vessel.

If we understand what we are doing as we remain without a payment of pleasure and agree to leave the state and to rise above it, we are ready to bless the state in which we don’t get any benefit, and we don’t depend on Pharaoh, on our ego. Thus we can leave him, break away a little, and draw away from him.

It is actually when you don’t get any pleasure that you should begin to pray, to ask, or bestow if you can. The group should impress you in these states. This is the best time to make an effort.

We mustn’t escape in a time of descent, as we usually do. A descent is an opportunity we are given by Pharaoh in order to escape from him. During this time he doesn’t hold us by his power, and doesn’t bribe us with pleasures. We have to be ready for such states, not sitting at home and watching our lives go by, but rather making efforts and exerting ourselves.

Where can we find the powers to do this? It is actually during the convention when we feel good that we have to get ready for the time when we will surely feel bad and when there will be no payment. This is called a treaty, a mutual guarantee.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/18/14, Writings of Rabash

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