Audio Version Of The Blog – 12/23/24

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What Determines Overall Success?

530Question: In the group we learn to direct all our intentions and actions toward the Creator for the benefit of a friend. But we have no control over our hearts, and we have egoistic intentions. What determines the success of a single common group action in bestowal?

Answer: The general success depends on how connected you are with each other. This is the most important thing!

I cannot influence the Creator alone and neither can you, nor anyone else. But the group as a whole, even if it is a weak group, can.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/8/24, Writings of Rabash “Jacob Sent”

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Getting Closer to Bestowal

222Question: How can a person verify that his actions come from love for his neighbor and not from self-interest even if he sincerely strives to follow this path?

Answer: The extent to which a person deceives himself, whether he feels it or not, will appear later. In the meantime, we must do everything we can to evaluate in ourselves the actions that arise in our lives, in us, and try to correlate them with the group.

Question: If a person discovers that his desire to love his neighbor is associated with the expectation of reward, what should his next step be in order to gradually move closer to bestowal?

Answer: He must performs acts of bestowal, encourage the group to do the same, and check how this changes the attitude of the Creator toward them.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/8/24, Writings of Rabash “Jacob Sent”

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Develop the Right Intention

219.01In spiritual work, as a rule, one person gives, and another receives; otherwise, there is no connection between us. Therefore, since we, as creations, are initially receivers, the most important thing is to develop within ourselves the intention for which we are receiving.

We receive in order to bring contentment to the Creator. Then we have no problems.

This is similar to a small child. If the child eats what the mother gives, it brings her joy, even though, in principle, the child enjoys it himself. But a Kabbalist always adds intention to this process.

Question: A person forgets to build an intention. What does this memory depend on? How can it be strengthened?

Answer: By constantly keeping yourself directed toward the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/5/24, Writings of Rabash “The Meal of a Wicked One”

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Correct Criticism

528.04Question: Criticism that comes from the evil inclination is always wrong; it has flaws and pulls you into wrong thoughts. How can we resist it?

Answer: Try to divide it into many parts, egoism in a person and altruism in a person, compare them, connect them, and move forward with them.

The correct criticism of the evil inclination is determined in the group when I try to choose the right advice over the wrong advice and thus begin to feel where it is in me. This is the best method.

Question: Sometimes you may need to reorganize a ten or add something. There is a very subtle moment here when I seem to have to do something, and we, as a ten, must reorganize. Where is the good and the bad here?

Answer: This can only be determined in practice. Constantly check and control what is talking in you, and then you will be able to separate the action of “Esau” (the evil inclination) from the action of “Jacob” (the good inclination).
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/8/24, Writings of Rabash “Jacob Sent”

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Purity of Intention

237This is why it is called “evil inclination,” for it argues that if one wants to engage in Torah and Mitzvot, he must first of all be completely white, without any stains or dirt, meaning that everything will be for the sake of the Creator. If he cannot aim for the sake of the Creator, it is not worthwhile to exert in vain (Rabash, Assorted Notes, 375, “Jacob Sent”).

Question: Why does the evil inclination in the image of Laban use the requirement of absolute purity of intention to stop a person? How can one understand that even imperfect actions have value in spiritual work?

Answer: The fact is that Laban is the highest purity. Therefore, we can use this property to whiten our black thoughts.

To work correctly with whitening actions, you need to try to check at least the actions you should do, compare them with the correct actions, and whiten them, including the wrong actions into the right ones.

Question: When is the best time to clarify the purity of your intention: in class, in a group, or on your own?

Answer: These are your internal actions, which you should immediately begin to separate when reading articles: this refers to Esau, this refers to Jacob, this refers to the Creator, this relates to man, and so on.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/8/24, Writings of Rabash “Jacob Sent”

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“And Let Them Make Me a Temple and I Will Dwell within Them”

943Question: What does “a perfect building in which the Creator dwells” mean? How can we build it in the ten, in the connections between us?

Answer: Through complete bestowal to one another, we can reach a state where we will be only in bestowal. From this state, we will build a house of holiness, a temple.

Question: What needs to be added to our work every day in order to build, not a traditional egoistic unification, but instead a house of holiness for the Creator in the ten?

Answer: When rereading the primary sources, you must try to do as they instruct, and each time you will feel something new. Then everything will be alright.

Question: Do Kabbalists somehow envision this building in the heart?

Answer: The building in the heart is Malchut, because the heart is desire. What we want to build in our heart is a palace for Malchut.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/6/24, Writings of Rabash “Delight Them with a Complete Building – 2”

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Questions about Spiritual Work—213

263Question: How can we begin to derive pleasure in the ten from truth and not just from what is clothed in a lie?

Answer: Pray, ask. We have no other means.

Question: What does it mean to acquire “clothing” for pleasure, and how can we do this?

Answer: The clothing for pleasure is the reflected light, which is obtained through working with the screen. Therefore, the first step is to acquire the screen.

Question: The intention to bestow is built over the desire to receive, but the essence of the desire to receive remains. Thus, intention exists as a thought and thought serves desire, the essence of which is only reception. Then how does the desire to bestow awaken?

Answer: The desire to bestow awakens gradually. It comes from the Creator, through the group, and from the friends.

Question: How does intention differ from the Creator’s light?

Answer: Intention exists in us only in potential, within the desire, but not yet in its realization.

Question: Why would a spirit place itself in the confined space of matter?

Answer: So that the person in whom this spirit resides would desire to attain the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/6/24, Writings of Rabash “Delight Them with a Complete Building – 2”

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The Highest Reward

243.01Question: Praying for a friend lifts a person above their body and frees them from egoism. Engaging in prayer for a friend feels like the highest reward. However, my ego puts up a wall in front of me that prevents me from entering this prayer, and it insists that I am unworthy. What should I do in this case?

Answer: What does it matter whether you are worthy or not. You simply desire to enter this state, and that’s it.

Even if you have not earned this reward, demand it anyway. None of us have earned anything. Absolutely nothing. That applies to everyone. So just demand it.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/2/24, Writings of Rabash “A Ladder Set on the Earth”

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 12/23/24

Preparation to the Lesson

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1st part of the Lesson — Lesson on the Topic “On the Verge of Lishma

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