The first stage of spiritual work is acquiring awareness of work in the ten. The main thing is that everyone supports one’s ten, without letting anyone lose the impression of the greatness of the group, the Creator, the path, and our special destiny as a great gift.

This is checked during a descent when we do not feel the filling but are ready to remain in the state of bestowal for the sake of bestowal, Hafetz Hesed. That is, I lost everything, my last shirt, but I do not feel any deficiency. If I have nothing, it is all right that I have nothing; if I have something, that is fine too. I try to keep on such a “diet” when I am glad with what I receive and do not demand more. It is written: “a Hasid is one who is content with what he has.” Joy is the sign of the Light of Hassadim, the state of Katnut, the small state.

If nothing shines for me and I have no filling, I feel good too. I accept it as an opportunity given from above to check what I am doing this for. Am I in Hassadim, in a state of Katnut? If I am dissatisfied and demand filling, cursing the darkness, then I have not reached the state of Katnut.

In fact, I am not in the dark because the upper Light fills the entire universe. The upper Light is mercy, Hassadim, and I just do not feel it. Therefore, all the work begins with achieving the state of Hafetz Hesed. This is already faith, although not complete, in which there will be illumination of Hochma, but for now, it is only Hassadim.

And it is checked at the time when the Light goes out and we feel darkness in our desires to receive. Can we agree that we need nothing more than to stay on the path adhering to the friends and the Creator despite the darkness? That is, we work “at night,” choosing the right direction in order to “make for yourself a Rav and buy yourself a friend,” to be at the lesson every day. Such an attitude to all the states through which the Creator moves us will be the correct test of our work.¹

First, we reach a small state, Hafetz Hesed, bestowal for the sake of bestowal, Hassadim. And then inside this Light of Hassadim, we receive the illumination of Hochma in order to transmit it to others. In order to bestow to others, we need to use our own AHP.

To others, we bestow Hassadim, correcting the bestowing desires in them, but for this, we need to use our desires to receive. The Light of Hochma is revealed in our AHP, and we transmit the Light of Hassadim from it to GE (Galgalta ve Eynaim) of the lower one. This means that “blood turns into milk.”²

I must give all my strength to my ten in order to bring my friends to connection. I take from them their desires, the greatness of the Creator, the greatness of the goal, as it is written: “They helped everyone his friend.” No one can help himself. Each one by himself can reach the state of Hafetz Hesed, bestowal for the sake of bestowal, only at one point and not more.

And then, one must develop oneself in relation to the ten, leading them to the state in which one’s friends have no deficiency. We are connected to each other only due to mutual bestowal. I want nothing for myself, but I have to give to others, and therefore, I open my desires to receive for the sake of bestowal and allow a friend to bestow to me.

For example, when I would come to visit my mother, I would always say that I was hungry so that she could feed me and enjoy that. For me, this was not called receiving because I knew that she wanted to feed me more than I wanted to eat and I had to give her this opportunity. It is the same between friends, because otherwise, we will not develop one another. It is written: “Go and earn from each other.” No one can earn by himself.³
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/24/19, Writings of Rabash, Vol. 1, Articles “Rungs of the Ladder,” Article 1, “Make for Yourself a Rav and Buy Yourself a Friend – 1” (1985)
1 Minute 0:30
2 Minute 28:45
3 Minute 32:25

Related Material:
“Buy Yourself A Friend”
The Stages Of Spiritual Work
Spiritual Elevator: The Ten

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