Audio Version Of The Blog – 3/23/25
Posted on March 23rd, 2025
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Mordecai is righteous, whose work is only to bestow without any need to ascend in degrees, and he is content with little, while the king wished to give the light of wisdom, which extends from the left line, and Mordecai’s work was only from the right line.
What did the king do? He promoted Haman, meaning he made the left line important. This is the meaning of “and set his seat above all the ministers.” In addition, he gave him the control, meaning that all the king’s slaves kneeled and bowed before Haman, “for the king had so commanded,” that he would receive control, and everyone accepted him (Baal HaSulam, Shamati 37, “An Article for Purim“).
If a person is entirely in a state of bestowal, they do not consider that it might also be possible to receive for the sake of bestowal, because these qualities contradict each other. I am directed solely toward bestowal, away from myself, and that is all I desire. I take pleasure in bestowing and thinking about others, and in this state, my bestowal, action, thought, and desire—all the forces of my soul—are directed in one direction: from me outward, to the one to whom I bestow. This is how the quality of “Mordechai” within us is structured.
But if one seeks to reveal a person’s full capacity to bestow, then it is necessary to develop receiving desires within them so that they may receive for the sake of bestowal and thereby form a connection and mutuality between them and the Creator.
If I only bestow to someone, there is no real connection between us. It only seems that we are connected because I am within them, in their desires, but they are not within me! Therefore there is no true unity between us, which was the purpose of creation.
True connection is only possible if I also receive from the other to the same extent that I wish to bestow to them. Then a mutual relationship arises between us because connection is only possible between equals; whatever I receive, I also bestow!
However, if I receive for the sake of bestowal, to return fulfillment to the other, this action includes two opposing qualities: receiving, which brings pleasure, and bestowal, which seeks to bring pleasure to another. That is why our inner Mordechai, the quality of bestowal within us, does not understand how this is possible. We truly do not grasp it; it is an extremely elevated state.
So how can one be compelled to act in such a way and be drawn out of the balance provided by bestowal for the sake of bestowal, the attribute of Bina, which desires nothing for itself and only gives as much as possible? How can one be forced to even consider receiving, to integrate reception into bestowal? This is an incredibly complex and multidimensional process; it requires an entirely new approach, a profound internal transformation to understand how to work with it.
It is the result of a mutual connection between them, one that previously seemed impossible. That is why a powerful, external, and even cruel force is needed to completely overturn the previous approach of “bestowal for the sake of bestowal,” the method of Mordechai, to such an extent that the Mordechai within me feels annulled, powerless! I am no longer capable of bestowing for the sake of bestowal and instead fall into “impure desires” (Klipot), completely lost!
Only then, but not before, does this new approach emerge, the possibility of receiving for the sake of bestowal. As always, development follows all four phases until we reach the final resolution.
This is why so many different characters play a role in the Purim story, assistants to the King and Haman, and each represents aspects of this profound process.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/20/11, Writings of Baal HaSulam “An Article for Purim“
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Question: If pleasure comes to me, I need to restrict receiving it for myself and redirect it to bring contentment to the Creator. How can this be done?
Answer: We have studied this for many, many months, if not years.
The light coming from the Creator passes through filters: restriction (Tzimtzum), screen (Masach), reflected light (Ohr Hozer), and ultimately is felt within the Kli.
And then the Kli, to the extent that it has made itself similar to the light, begins to perceive what it means to be like the light.
At this point, a mutual dependence arises, bestowal and reception, as well as a reverse dependence, reception and bestowal. After all, in the science of Kabbalah, we work only with intention, with how the desire to receive positions itself in relation to bestowal.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/10/25, Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Essence of Man’s Work”
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Question: Children understand their parents only when they become parents themselves. We strive for the light egoistically, and at the moment of revelation, we become altruistic for a moment, and then the light goes away, and we selfishly yearn for it again.
When will we begin to understand the Creator the way children understand their parents?
Answer: When we grow up.
Question: How many such gifts should we receive from the Creator in order to truly begin to understand Him?
Answer: It depends on us and on how much closer we get to each other, on continuing to do exercises together, and on how well we study Shamati and at least some of The Book of Zohar.
But if we read Shamati together in a group and study each article from all sides, we will quickly advance toward this.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/7/25, Writings of Baal HaSulam “What Is the Difference between a Shade of Kedusha and a Shade of Sitra Achra?”
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Question: Are Haman and Mordechai indistinguishable only in the Creator?
Answer: No, you can also not distinguish between them in our lives. Try it.
Question: What does drinking mean in our lives, i.e., the light of Hochma? Where is it?
Answer: If we reveal our vessels of reception, we will find that the light of Hochma is ready to fill them.
Question: Does Haman always reveal himself under coercion, as a villain?
Answer: No, he is not always revealed under duress. Haman is one of the traits of our egoism. It is, of course, an immense force and a great dominion over global egoism.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/12/25, Writings of Rabash Assorted Notes 910 “Until He Does Not Know”
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Comment: Very often in Kabbalah an example is given of a knife blade being brought to a person’s throat, and he must see the good who does good in this.
My Response: It depends on what level. May God grant us to reach such a level. For example, when Rabbi Akiva’s skin was removed, he did not feel physical suffering.
A person who is at such a high level does not suffer physically. Likewise, a person who feels that, on one hand a knife is placed at his throat, and on the other hand he is in adhesion with the Creator. It is about a state in which a person can do this.
Those who saw Rabbi Akiva on a physical level at that moment thought that he was suffering terribly; whereas he was simply enjoying the union with the Creator since he had risen above the physical state. The same applies for the “knife at the throat.” Otherwise, you will not achieve unification and merging with the Creator. This is not for us yet, so do not be afraid.
Question: Do you mean that a Kabbalist already perceives everything completely different at such levels?
Answer: Naturally. Baal HaSulam describes this very well in the article “Concealment and Disclosure of the Face of the Creator.” When the Creator is revealed, we see everything completely differently. Everything that seemed bad appears as good.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. When the Creator is Revealed” 5/4/10
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Question: What should a person add to their desires so that the greatness of the Creator will prevent them from straying from the path?
Answer: Remember that everything comes from the Creator.
Question: And where can one attain this vision?
Answer: Vision is granted from above, and it remains within a person as long as they desire to be entirely in the power of the Creator.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/8/25, Writings of Baal HaSulam “What Are Three Things that Broaden One’s Mind in the Work?”
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Preparation to the Lesson
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1st part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 13, “Why the Festival of Matzot Is called Passover”
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2nd part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 13, “Why the Festival of Matzot Is called Passover”
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3rd part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Vol. 1, Part 2, “Inner Observation,” Chapter 3, Item 23
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Selected Highlights
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