When You Diminish The Importance Of The Rav, You Fall

Dr. Michael LaitmanAt all times until today, humanity has the same structure of a Rav (teacher, guide), a group of Kabbalists, and all the rest of humanity. All of the work advances according to the explanations of the Rav, and the group carries them out. First, there is connection within the group, and only after that is it possible to disseminate it to the rest of humanity, in circles.

But the method remains the same method, includes the same stages, and makes it possible to realize them only on condition that we elevate the Rav. Of course this is not talking about the external form as in other doctrines. Rather, it is about realization of the advice of the Rav about how to reach adhesion with the Creator. This is called honoring the Rav, for he is on a higher level than we are. We honor his direction, his words.

When we build the right relationships between us; in other words, we realize the Torah to the point of realizing its main general rule, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” we advance. And as much as we diminish the greatness of the Rav in our eyes, we fall.

In addition, to the degree that we raise or lower the greatness of the Rav in our eyes, accordingly we are found in ascent or descent. So, it is said, “A student that is exiled—he exiles his teacher with him” (Makkot 10a). It is up to the student to know that the assessment of the Rav, the assessment of the method, and the way of correction depend completely on the assessment of the importance of the means for attaining adhesion with the Creator.

Also, when the student works on the greatness of the means, accordingly he can attain the goal, which is the greatness of the Creator, the greatness of the characteristic of bestowal, love, and connection. All of this depends absolutely on the work on the greatness of the Rav and the friends. We attain the goal within the connection between the friends who build the right network of connection and a detailed understanding of all of the parts of the connection. If a person is not ready to bestow upon his connection with the friends, but succeeds in integrating into it and rising above his ego, this is called Ibur (conception), the state of the embryo.

In this state, greater and greater internal resistance to connection is constantly discovered, which is called a fetus, and each time he must nullify himself regarding the role of the group, regarding its greatness, and regarding the greatness of the Rav, and thanks to this, he continuously develops until all the stages of conception are completed. After that, there is the period of feeding (Yenika) when he is prepared to receive and to give, to participate more actively in connection, feeling how practical and true it is. That is how he finishes the feeding years and reaches a state where heavy, receptive vessels are awakened in him. Then, he can participate actively in the work, building new connections, clarifying and creating the characteristics of bestowal and love, which is called discovering the Creator among the friends.

This form begins to be clarified more and more all the time. In the beginning, it is only through the Achoraim (posterior) because it is impossible to see the face of the Creator until the completion of correction, and after that even the face of the Creator will be revealed, meaning that bestowal and absolute love will be revealed among us within the corrected vessels.

All of this will happen only on condition that the person values the Rav and the group and works on their greatness, trying to move through the ascents and descents. If he succeeds in ascending, he is immediately given a descent, adding another layer of the desire to receive so that he will rise more and more.

Only in the connection between the friends is it possible to see the entire field of work, the place in which the condition, “There is none else besides Him,” is realized—meaning the Light, the form of bestowal, and the general rule, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” which is the vessel. Everything is revealed only within the group that is directed to the Rav.

It is written, “Love of friends is enough for us,” but “a student that is exiled, the teacher is exiled with him,” this means that if the student succeeds in rising above the exile and contempt for the Rav and the group, then the love of friends completes all of his shortcomings. All corrections are included in the love of friends.

If we succeed in keeping our attention within the area that is found between us—which is what we must fill with bestowal, with love and mutual help, so that “from the love of man to the love of the Creator”—to that degree, we advance. The main thing is not to forget that all of this is revealed within the connection between us.

All of the levels of the characteristic of bestowal that we acquire—Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya and Yechida—must be discovered among us, and the more we come closer to one another, we ultimately discover the high totality in the connection between us that is called the Creator. His form is the level of Keter, Yechida in all states. If in each and every state we reach the last level, Yechida, then we feel the presence of the Creator.
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From the Preparation for the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/26/14

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