I need a virtuous people. If you agree to be the remedy for all the nations, I command you to “be unto Me a kingdom of priests,” which is the love of others in its final form of “Love your friend as yourself,” the axis of all the Torah and Mitzvot. And “a holy nation” is the reward in its final form of Dvekut with Him, which includes all the rewards that can even be conceived (Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee]“ ).

The phrase “And you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” indicates that the entire nation must attain this spiritual level.

“You shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests” refers to the work above the receiving vessels (Kelim). By achieving correction in the bestowing Kelim at all levels of Aviut present within the soul, a person reaches the correction of AHP. That is, all the work of GE, the “kingdom of priests,” is needed solely to correct AHP and bring it under one’s dominion.

These are the two stages of correcting the Kli. After the shattering of the vessels, no particle remains that does not consist of four parts: GE, GE within AHP, AHP within GE, and AHP.

It is impossible to distinguish one part from another. The shattering of vessels as it applies to souls is different from bodies in this world where one can distinguish who belongs to Israel and who belongs to the nations, who was born to a Jewish mother and who was not. When it comes to souls, however, the shattering occurred within all souls. Unlike physical bodies, which are divided into Israel and the nations, there is no such division here, not even symbolically. All souls underwent the shattering.

One can speak of relative shattering within all particles, but ultimately, each individual fragment is so intertwined with all others that every part contains everything, as the shattering spreads to the most minor desire in existence, fragmenting it as much as possible.

Therefore, the work is in analyzing and correcting each desire from the purest to the coarsest, from the lightest to the heaviest. Those desires that can be separated and corrected first due to their purity are called “Israel.”

This is why the work begins with them, as it is written: “And you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests.” These are the desires that can be separated from AHP, from the desire to receive, and assigned solely to GE – the desires to bestow. These form Galgalta veEynaim of ZON in the world of Atzilut, and they are called Israel.

Why? Because this type of desire was never meant to be shattered or corrected. These desires have no need for reception and therefore do not relate to receiving the Light of Hochma. The purpose of creation to attain equivalence of form with the Creator by receiving for the sake of bestowal is not for them.

Therefore, all GE are Kelim, the attributes of the Creator, that simply need to mix with AHP, correct themselves, and thereby establish a system through which AHP can be corrected. In and of themselves, they do not need shattering or correction.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/12/2025, Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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Question: How does mutual guarantee fit into the pyramidal structure that also exists within the group?

Answer: It does not matter. It is like asking if all souls are different, how is it that all exist in one soul “as one man with one heart,” and there are no differences between them, and each receives the full measure, and each contributes as much as all the others? After all, they are all different from each other.

If we are in a single system, mutually interconnected, one in all and all in one, where the structure of each is the same as all, then there are no differences.

Of course, there are differences in the basic points of souls. That is, the point in the heart is different in each soul, but the other “first nine” that a person acquires are the same: me and inclusion, you and inclusion, he and inclusion, and it turns out that the structures of all are the same.

Question: What is this difference?

Answer: This difference comes from the Creator, about whom you say: “Go to the Master who made me.” You can not change this.
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From the 1^st part from the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/14/2025, Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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The true reward of Dvekut with Him… is expressed in the words “a holy nation,” as through the Dvekut with Him we have become holy, as it is written, “You will be holy to the Lord your God, for I the Lord your God, who sanctifies you, am holy.”

And you see that the words “a kingdom of priests” express the complete form of the work on the axis of “Love your friend as yourself” (Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee]“).

There is correction, and there is that which is attained through it. A “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation” are two stages. A “kingdom of priests” refers to acquiring the quality of bestowal, of Bina, of Galgalta ve Eynaim (GE).

It is said that the “priests” have no connection to the “land,” meaning that we are not yet engaged with desires, we do not correct them, but only acquire, against the background of all desires, the intention for the sake of bestowal, to bestow in order to bestow.

This is called the “kingdom of priests”; everything is only for the Creator. We acquire the same qualities that exist in Bina, that is, the qualities of the Creator.

What does “holy nation” mean? “Nation” refers to the receiving Kelim (vessels). At that stage, we already begin to use them for the sake of bestowal.

The state of “holy nation,” according to Rabbi Shimon, also implies that a person serves all the nations of the world (apart from the nations of the world that are within him), in other words, he works for the sake of bestowal with all vessels of reception. This is what it means to be “a light unto the nations.”
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/13/2025, Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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Question: In order to maintain an intention, does a person need to perform some actions and be active?

Answer: An intention can be cultivated only to the extent that it is important for a person. I can develop this degree of importance only with the help of a group, after having understood with my mind how to convey this knowledge to the body in the form of feelings. After all, the body reacts only to feelings, the mind has practically no effect on it.

No matter how much I awaken feelings with the help of my mind, it will not bring results. I must be moved, frightened, and this is achieved through the environment. It is not in vain that Baal HaSulam claims that this is my only choice.

But this is my choice; after all, it is I who choose and direct the group so that it affects me in this way. It is as if sick people come to me who do not understand that they are obliged to “brainwash” themselves.

Therefore, systems are built around a person that would help him, influence him, and give him importance.

You see how much we are obliged to work against our nature, which erases every impression. Yesterday we experienced a blow, and ten minutes later we forgot about it. The moment we hear about an incident on the radio, we look for a way to forget about it. At that very moment!

And what then? Then we ask, how can it be that millions of people were sent to gas chambers? It is very simple, a person builds himself a system that erases the connection between cause and effect.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/13/2025, Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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A person who comes to study Kabbalah eventually begins to understand that we are talking about the process of changing the Kelim. This happens only if he advances along the spiritual path.

What he thinks, understands, and wants now, because his goal is to fill himself, tomorrow will be different. If he understands this, then he himself plays with his desire to receive so that it allows him to advance.

This is where it starts: they awaken in themselves a feeling of shame before the group. “How can I not show up for the lesson, act differently from the others? How can I feel proud in relation to the group if I have not done something for it?”

This is good—playing with yourself in such a way. As it is said: “Envy, lust, and the pursuit of honor remove a person from the world.” Meaning they elevate one from the current degree to a higher one. Without this, nothing will help.

And so it continues until instead of receiving pleasures in the vessels of envy, lust, and honor, people gradually begin to value the pleasures that come from their relationship with the Creator: “What is my attitude toward Him? How does He relate to me? I want to resemble Him in qualities, to be close to Him,” and so on. A person begins to gain self-respect in accordance with their respect for the Creator.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/13/2025, Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 148

What Should We Do With the Clash of Desires, With the Inner Split Between Spirituality and the Corporeal World?

Baal HaSulam writes about this extensively in the “Introduction to The Book of Zohar.” He says that ultimately, we need to reach this state of conflicting desires, but we cannot command ourselves by decree: “From today onward, I will no longer desire!” We cannot tell ourselves to stop desiring money, honor, knowledge, sex, food, or various entertainments. The feeling of “not desiring” must come as a discernment of our inner state, as a result of our development.

If we study a lot, are active in the society, or invest in drawing closer to spirituality through other ways, we will eventually have our inner balance between corporeality and spirituality shift in favor of spirituality, and we will be preoccupied with corporeality only to the extent necessary for existence. Such a state is considered a situation where we engage with corporeality only according to necessity.

How can we check whether our engagement with corporeality is necessary or not? It is if we would genuinely be happy to rid ourselves of it as well. If we would truly be happy not to be involved in any of our worldly activities. “Activities” means all forms of fulfillment. When we no longer wish to be fulfilled by anything, not by food, sex, money, honor, or knowledge, but only maintain them because they are necessary for our survival in this world. Then it is not considered that we engage in them, but that they merely fill the measure of vitality they are obligated to maintain because the Creator made them that way. Only then can it be said that we are fully immersed in spirituality.

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Preparation to the Lesson

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1st part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, Shamati #16 “What Is the Day of the Lord and the Night of the Lord, in the Work?” (10.9.21)

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2nd part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item (6.5.2006)

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3rd part of the Lesson — Lesson on the Topic “Winning the War”

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4th part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” “The Letters of Rav Hamnuna Saba”

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Selected Highlights

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Question: Many advocate the idea of the Creator and unity. Is our approach different?

Answer: In essence, action is an attitude toward society, humanity, and the Creator. Attitude is a Kli (vessel), through which everything is transformed. It is an instrument in one’s hands, a means of change.

And herein lies the difficulty. A person does not perceive that through the right attitude, through thought, they bring about qualitative change. Physicists and chemists can already argue that this principle is embedded in the basis of matter itself, that material behaves according to the human perception of it.

But an ordinary person does not grasp this; one cannot comprehend it. How do I relate—correctly, incorrectly? If I think one way or another, what does that change? People say that if I think negatively about a flower, it will sense it, and through my energy, I could kill it. But it is still just a flower, when would such a thing even happen? I would rather use a stick, a gun, a bomb, tangible things, that allow visible action.

That is why the Baal Shem Tov and other sages established commandments and various rituals of service in the Temple. What was the purpose of all this? Does slaughtering a poor lamb, pigeons, or a cow performing these rituals truly accomplish anything? Do these actions have meaning? Of course, everything is determined by one’s intention.

People needed a framework to which they could attach their intention, their thought—why am I acting this way, upon which part of my desire to receive am I performing this action, what does blood symbolize, or a pigeon, a ram, bread, and water in the Temple service? This provides a deeper understanding of the correction of desires.

Today, we do not intend to carry out such practices; they belong to a past stage. We ascend from below upward. First comes the correction, and then, in accordance with it, action. If a person comprehends what correction must be, then…
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/12/2025, Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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Question: When we address people can we distance ourselves from everything related to Mitzvot and Judaism?

Answer: We must approach the people of Israel with explanations about how they can change their fate and that of the entire world, as well as their attitude to the Creator.

We cannot add nor distort anything here. We can only reveal it  a little more or a little less), as one would with a child, to allow growth under the best conditions and in the fastest possible way.

Therefore, we should speak about what contributes to correction, but we need to tailor our words to the level of understanding of the listener. You are at a certain degree and must ascend to the next one; I must reveal the difference in degrees to you and help you see what needs to change, but no more than that! Only what pertains to progressing from your current degree to the next. Nothing extraneous should be added.

We cannot say: “Jump ten times in the morning, and you will be guaranteed success for the entire day.” It is in the realm of Segulot (miracles), which help a person psychologically, but does not change anything beyond perception.

If right now, you wish to give someone a good feeling, you may do so. It is like drugs, sedatives, or painkillers, but nothing more than that. A person who wears Tefillin daily without intention does not correct himself or his people. This will not prevent the emergence of gas chambers. That is not a correction.

Why should we explain this? We can say that it helps one stay within the framework that will help you think about the right thing, about the right intention. If it helps you, do it.

However, another danger exists; by wearing tefillin, one may calm oneself, by believing they have already done enough. Where, then, is the Creator, who should reward me? Why doesn’t He grant it? And everyone owes me! If I cannot demand it from the Creator, then at least from others; let them pay me for wearing tefillin.

This will lead to a dismissive attitude toward other nations—”I observe such practices, and who are you?” In other words, there is a risk that people will focus only on external observances, believing that is all they must do in this world, that by doing so, they truly bring benefit to their people and the entire world. But this contradicts genuine ascent.

Thus, Pharaoh said: “Moses and Aaron, what do you want from the people? Leave them alone. They work, and they work properly, they build beautiful cities, they have food and shelter, so everything is fine. The people do not suffer. When did they begin to suffer? When you demanded something beyond regular life from me. You began speaking of the Creator, insisting He must be taken in consideration. But who is the Creator that I should obey Him? Leave the people alone; let them live well.”

This is how we may fall under Pharaoh’s influence if we approach the people with explanations that external actions can change reality. True transformation is only possible through the elevation of MAN, through intention.

The framework must primarily be communal, and awaken “Love your neighbor as yourself,” “Love the Creator,” and elevate (glorify) the very idea in a way that ignites enthusiasm within society so that the masses embrace it as a trend, as something great, and thereby influence one another. Nothing more is needed.

Those who advance spiritually disregard the material realm. Even a person’s essence undergoes change; they no longer relate to this animalistic life as they once did. If you say this to someone, they may ask, “And this is Kabbalah?!” But “The Torah’s perspective is opposite to that of the masses.” You transform everything.

All the good things we do for unity, for establishing closer ties among us and within the people with regard to the Creator, the significance of merging with Him, all the tools available to us must be developed and implemented.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/12/2025, Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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