The Group Is a Means of Direction to the Goal

528.02Question: How do we increase the importance of the group?

Answer: It depends on the greatness of the goal. To the extent of its greatness, you attain the greatness of the means to achieve the goal.

The group is the only means by which we can reach the goal.

That is, I can reach eternity and perfection only if I join the group as an absolutely homogeneous integral element, find my place, take it, precisely connect everyone else around me, like a Lego, and precisely replenish what I must replenish. Then I will begin to feel the common life of the entire group, of the entire system, including the Creator.

Imagine that the Creator is revealed within this system in the connections between its elements; in other words, the system in general is more important than the Creator. Although this system is a means for His revelation, and His revelation is the goal, since He is in it, it is as if it includes Him within it. From this point of view, it is greater than the Creator.

Although the Creator has created and fills it, but since it is as if it includes Him, when you attain the full perception, you do not see the difference between them because in their properties they are absolutely similar and equal.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. First Impression of Kabbalah” 6/22/10

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Pleasure from Unity

630.2Question: We feel pleasure from our unity. How should we relate to it? When it comes, you want to freeze and not move at all.

Answer: Do not enjoy it like an ordinary egoist. Enjoy the fact that you can attract this pleasure through your friends.

Question: But how do we do this?

Answer: Tell yourself that you want to see this pleasure coming to you through your friends.

Question: Can we try to internally give this pleasure to our friends?

Answer: No, you cannot imagine any pleasures with which you fill others. It is unnatural. We will talk about this later.
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From Daily Kabbalah lesson 2/17/25, “Preparation for Opening the Heart at the Congress”

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 89


Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 89

What Is the Benefit of Saying Words of Praise about One Another?

I am sitting in a group, and suddenly the entire group begins speaking about a friend who is not present. Everyone praises his actions, talking about how amazing and serious he is. I am surprised because I never thought of him that way and, in fact, I did not particularly value him. However, when I hear others praising him so highly, a fire ignites within me. I start feeling envious and compare him to myself: “How could this be? Why him? And where am I? Could he already be at a higher degree than me?” This burning envy energizes me.

We should seek conducts that ignite this inner fire, which stir up envy that is beneficial for the goal. It should not be envy that drives us to sabotage a friend’s path so that he does not stand out too much. Such envy only harms us. Without beneficial envy, there is no progress, and envy carries great power that needs to be properly utilized.
From a Talk on the Article “What Does It Mean that the Evil Inclination Ascends and Slanders, in the Work?,” 6/3/2002

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 2/26/25

Preparation to the Lesson

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Exercise for Working in the Ten

528.04Question: Rabash writes in Article 13 that we must not forget to constantly raise the question of how far we have progressed in love of friends.

Does that mean that we should do this as a mandatory exercise at meetings of the ten, at gatherings, or is this individual work? What exercise do you recommend for working in the ten?

Answer: I recommend that you constantly think during your studies about how you can unite, how everyone can make way for friends, and then you will succeed.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/17/25, “Preparation for Opening the Heart at the Congress”

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A Slave to One’s Environment

923Question: You say that the Internet and mobile phones can provide a person with a simulation of continuous spiritual connection with us. Isn’t there a danger of getting drawn into this game to the point where it consumes us like a drug?

Answer: That is exactly what we need. I don’t think such a game will become a strong addiction because a person will constantly face challenges and have to solve them.

It will be a conscious game, a real state of being. He will see all his problems, all his internal misalignments, between himself and the group, between himself and the Creator. Because of this, it will not have the same gripping power over our egoism as other addictive things do.

On the other hand, the spirit of competition, the desire to achieve the goal, the envy that others are moving forward while I am not, self-respect, vanity, the desire for power—all these seemingly negative qualities must actually help us. We will see why they were created.

Egoism itself is an aid against us: “I have created help against you,” was said to Adam about Eve. This is precisely our egoism. In other words, all the negative qualities in a person are necessary to pull him out of egoism.

The worst egoistic traits—power, fame, various negative impulses toward others, the desire to dominate and control—are actually what bind me to my environment. And here, I truly become its slave.

If I did not have envy, the desire to be above others, or the need for their respect, I would pass by them as indifferently as a cat passing by a symphony orchestra. But because I want to make full use of my surrounding environment, I become dependent on it.

At this point, we begin to realize how wonderfully egoism is designed, because from our current state, the only way to connect with our environment is through egoism. And so this opportunity is given to you, your dependence on the environment.

Now the environment will dictate its terms: “Ah! So we are important to you? You want our respect? You envy us?” And they will impose conditions on you by which you can in some way fulfill and satisfy your egoistic needs.

And their conditions are strict: bestow, love, and sacrifice yourself for us. And you begin to understand that these conditions are necessary for you to fulfill yourself and move forward. This truly is the help that exists within you.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. Virtual Community, Part 3” 5/16/10

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Light Passing Through the Students

962.9Question: Do texts written by your students contain light? Is there any point in them writing?

Answer: Yes, because a person inevitably connects others to the  upper world through himself. I believe this is justified and beneficial both for them and for others. It is better for such books to exist than others. Look at how many books are published in the world. It’s not a big deal.

You might say: “Yes, but there are other books in the world, and these might confuse people.” I don’t think so. A true seeker will quickly sort everything out. So much nonsense is written about Kabbalah! It is better that my students write.

Question: Suppose one of your students makes a video clip, writes an article, or a song. Does this material contain light?

Answer: Yes, any material contains light if a person studying with us tries in some way to pass on his impressions through himself even if he does not fully understand or know much yet.

But he is making an effort, and the light acts because he is included in the overall system. He may not even realize what he is doing, but in reality, it is all happening through him. I believe this is necessary, and I welcome my students’ efforts.

The most important thing is that they work because in doing so, they develop themselves and through their creations help others.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. Kabbalistic Texts” 6/18/10

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The Jews’ Best Defense

538Question: We have been hearing from everywhere that the global community is increasingly putting pressure on Israel, and on the other hand, the main recommendation for the Jewish people for the best way to protect themselves from this pressure is solidarity and unity. This is said to be our salvation in both the Torah and The Zohar. But on the other hand, there are prophecies that say if the people do not fulfill their role, all other nations will rise against them, exile them from their land, and the Creator will be angry with them.

Recently, Einstein’s letter, written in 1939 when he already lived in America when the Nazi regime was rampant in Germany, was auctioned off for $24,000. In the letter, he wrote: “The resilience that allowed the Jewish people to survive for millennia is largely based on the tradition of mutual aid.” Before the war in the 20th century, many sages and scholars spoke of this mission of the Jewish people. Why is this not heard?

Answer: This has never been heard. Throughout the history of the Jewish people, they have never listened to the call for unity. In every generation there were sages, entire groups of sages calling for unity, but the people did not listen. But the sages did not give up; they kept calling and trying by all means to bring the people together, to at least soften the blows they were receiving.

This is our mission. Thanks to the pressure from all other nations and also through our own efforts, we ultimately must reach unity in which both the nations of the world and the people of Israel, who are driven by the nations of the world on one hand and the sages on the other, will participate.

This is the ultimate goal of our development—to bring ourselves to such unity so that we can be an example for all the nations of the world. Then they will begin to unite. To the extent that the people of Israel strive for unity, they will inevitably serve as an example and will in turn compel the nations of the world to also strive for unity.

Comment: Herzl wrote more than 100 years ago: “Decades will pass before we learn this lesson of the necessity of unity. And again, it will be forgotten, and we will neglect unity and mutual guarantee, and we will be punished with severe consequences.”

My Response: This is what is called being a stiff-necked people; meaning, they have no strong memory of what they have lived through. Just like small children who forget and repeat the same mistakes, and step on the same rake.

Question: How can these people rise up, how can Hercules break his chains?

Answer: If the people listened to the sages and did what they advised and united, then at the same time, all the nations of the world would unite with them. Do you understand what universal unity means? It is salvation from all problems.

Question: What would be the “last straw”? When they do not hear, do not hear, and then suddenly they hear?

Answer: It could only be a huge, terrifying threat. Worse than the people taken to concentration camps because those who were taken to the camps did not know, did not understand, did not want, and were not inclined to comprehend.

We want people to know in advance, at least today, that if they do not unite, they will indeed bring upon themselves the same problems, misfortunes, and suffering again. We want them to understand where the suffering comes from and what causes it.

Today, our task is to explain to people in advance the cause of their suffering and what threatens them if they do not unite. After that, nothing more is needed. Once the Jews begin to unite, all the nations of the world will unite automatically, unconditionally, and without hesitation, and the world will come to a consensus.

These people are so stubborn, and the mission of unity is so difficult for them that I cannot even imagine how it could happen. These people are a gathering of 70 nations of the world that were once in Ancient Babylon. Abraham gathered representatives from all 70 nations and united them under the idea of “Love your neighbor as yourself.” They agreed to this then.

Partially, this was repeated in the First Temple, and partially, to a much smaller degree, in the Second Temple. But today, after all the divisions and falls from this level of mutual love, mutual caring, and unity, after we have gone through all the exiles and suffering, the only reflex that has developed in people is to close themselves off, protect themselves with knowledge, money, and that is it. To live like that for themselves and their children and look at the world and life very “briefly.”

It is impossible to even describe how serious this obstacle is—to reach the hearts of the Jews and encourage them to connect with each other.

We all have different roots. These are the roots of 70 nations in one small people. They were gathered from all the nations of the world, a few million, but they are all different and cannot unite.

Comment: It is like when everything is already burning and smoking, and suddenly, a saving rain falls from the sky and puts everything out.

My Response: That rain will come if there is disappointment in the egoistic existence and a desire to unite. Then from above, this unity will come. But for this to happen, we must try to achieve it ourselves.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 3/14/19

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Questions about Spiritual Work—222

234Question: The more a person restricts their desires for the sake of bestowal, the more they progress. Is there any gradation of desires, or does each person have their own?

Answer: Each person has their own desires, and it is not known which ones will cause them to stumble.

Question: Where should I focus my efforts? Should I try to hold onto the Creator and, at the same time, to all my friends by praying for them? Or should I simply try to annul myself and dissolve within everyone?

Answer: That is the best approach.

Question: How can we break the “wall” that prevents us from opening our hearts and asking for greater light?

Answer: Through persistence.

Question: Does envy depend on how great the Creator is in my eyes? Where does this feeling of envy come from? Is it only from the greatness of the Creator?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What should I do with the shame and regret I feel over the difference in efforts between me and my friends from the world Kli? They have received from the Creator the ability to bestow and are using it, whereas I have not yet been given this opportunity.

Answer: It is neither better nor worse. Whatever is given is given. Therefore, do not look at others, just try to ascend.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/15/25, “Reaching Lishma through Envy”

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