Real bestowal is unlike bestowal in our world, which can happen even against our will—out of fear or for another reason. That is not bestowal. Bestowal is when I have no personal benefit or satisfaction from it. A mother takes care of her infant because it is in her nature and she receives contentment from it. But this is not the bestowal that the science of Kabbalah discusses. Spiritual bestowal brings me no reward, no material satisfaction, everything is directed toward the one I want to bestow to.

If we really think about it, we will understand how far we are from true bestowal and what vast distance separates us from it. Feeling the limits of bestowal and trying to keep pushing it further and further each time is beneficial. Thus, through prayer and effort, through work in a group, and through examples shown by the friends, we will advance in order to bring this bestowal out from within ourselves. Obviously, it is quite complicated, but if we make an effort, the light that reforms will come and help us.

This is a whole process because we receive a new, spiritual desire. In the corporeal world, we understand bestowal in relation to our loved ones, out of fear, out of duty, that is, from various egoistic motives. However, through these examples, we can draw parallels to the desire to bestow that is independent of our state, which is further removed from our desire to enjoy.¹

The exercise in expanding the limits of bestowal is the work in a dynamic ten, which keeps expanding and contracting. Thus, we can control the limits of bestowal ourselves: to either expand or contract them. We bestow to the Creator, to the world Kabbalistic group, and to the Creator. We must try to bring it together, which is called “Israel, Torah, and the Creator are one.”

The Creator can only be found inside a spiritual vessel (Kli) and in order to create a Kli, we must become fully integrated into our friends and feel ourselves as one whole. To the extent that we disappear inside this Kli, we begin to transition from feeling ourselves to feeling the group, and from feeling the group to feel the Creator.²

Bestowal in our world takes place for satisfying one’s desire, like a mother taking care of her baby. It can be a lioness, a woman, or a bird, every mother takes care of her young because it is in her nature to do so. But we must feel how the most distant people will become our closest friends. Nature will not obligate us to love them, but only gives us examples of how to care about the whole Kli so that we will care about the Creator from it. I am trying to obtain the will to bestow that I have no desire for so that it will become my intrinsic need, as in the examples of this world, and not allow me to rest.³

This world gives us the ability to perform physical actions against our will. I do not want to work, but I am embarrassed before others so I go to work. Although, as I begin to work, I see the others’ example and get inspired. I want to be like them so that I too would be respected. This is all based on egoistic motives; the whole world operates this way. But if I am a part of a society that aspires toward a spiritual goal, then we are influenced by the upper force that is shining on us and changes us.

Whether I want to or not, I begin thinking about bestowing, unity, the purpose of life, and the goal of creation. By changing the structure of society, we can bring ourselves to a new level of existence. By getting involved in society by means of simple physical actions, I can rise to the spiritual degree since I received the importance of the goal, unity, and efforts.

All thanks to the fact that the upper force dwells in this society. The Creator has purposely gathered those with sparks of spirituality in their souls, people who have a point in the heart. Therefore, even if we unite over physical work for material, egoistic purposes, the upper light begins to affect us and change us in such a way that we begin to feel pleasure from uniting and getting closer to the spiritual goal. At every level, we change our previous material concepts about achievement into more spiritual ones.⁴
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/13/19, Preparation to the Europe Convention

¹ Minute 0:20
² Minute 6:30
³ Minute 9:20
⁴ Minute 13:54

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Joshua Goldstein, Chairman of the US Division of Herut North America, meets with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman to discuss the dream society built by Jews.

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In the News (MedicalXpress): “Mystical near-death experiences where people report a range of spiritual and physical symptoms, including out-of-body sensations, seeing or hearing hallucinations, racing thoughts and time distortion, affect around 10 per cent of people, according to a new study that analysed participants from 35 countries. …

“The new findings were presented at the 5th European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress by researchers from the Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, the Center for Stroke Research, Berlin, and the Norwegian University of Technology, Trondheim, Norway. …

“The study group who reported NDEs variously described feeling at total peace, having their ‘soul sucked out’, hearing angels singing, being aware they were outside their body, seeing their life flashing before them, and being in a dark tunnel before reaching a bright light. Others spoke of being aware of another’s presence before they went to sleep, or of a demon sitting on their chest while they lay paralysed unable to move.”

Question: What do you think about this?

Answer: When I was in a near-death state after an accident, I also sensed all sorts of images. I did not hear anything; I had a noise in my ears. But I saw all sorts of unrealistic images. I understood that what I saw was not real because I was in such a state.

Question: But is it true or not that a person feels this way?

Answer: The fact that they see this? Is what a person sees the truth?

I, as a Kabbalist, see this completely differently. What we see now is also not the truth. It is an imaginary and illusory world. Where is the truth? Everything is reflected in me, there is nothing outside of me. It is what I imagine. Thus, it is the same there.

The exit into the next dimension is completely different. It must be above egoism. If a person does not reject their egoism, then in the end, one has none of this.

One has all sorts of far-fetched ideas about the future world. Maybe he thinks that this is the future world. I do not think that anything is presented to him; he is just taking his brain, his intracranial fluctuations, for some kind of another world.

He has no other world in such a form. He must understand that in our world he must exit his egoism in order to feel the next degree—the upper world. Yet, for this, he must rise above himself. The ascent, however, in a real form, can only be in this world.

Question: If you would rise above your egoism, what would you see?

Answer: A person would see positive and negative forces interacting with each other and as a result would depict for him or her  a completely different picture—forces.

Question: It is not very clear. What does it mean to see the forces?

Answer: I cannot tell you this. It is impossible to convey.

Question: Can it only be conveyed to a person who has already attained and felt this?

Answer: Yes. This is serious information. It is transmitted and can be felt only by those who are ready for it and able to perceive it. There is no prohibition here. A person just has to be able to perceive this information; then one will see. Just as a small child does not notice what adults notice.

Question: So, when they say “The hidden wisdom of Kabbalah,” this is not about the hidden wisdom but about the fact that I, so far, do not see this?

Answer: Yes. This is why it is called hidden. Everything is revealed only to the extent of your ability to attain. Unfortunately, we are in a state when nothing can be explained. Only if you want, if you are consumed by the desire to attain, then you will be able to overcome this.

Question: Then what are you always trying to explain? You are making TV programs, writing. Why?!

Answer: I am trying as much as possible to reveal to people, at least a little, the opportunity to see the way to this. Nothing more. All the rest depends on a person himself.

Question: Does a person need to reveal this or only to make an effort?

Answer: A person needs to make an effort in order to reveal, and to make an effort all the time, an effort to advance in order to constantly rise above oneself.

Question: How will this desire occur in a person?

Answer: It is either through corporeal suffering or through spiritual aspiration from the right environment. There is no other way.

This is not an easy task, but humanity cannot escape from it. I am sure that we are in a state that is very close to that.
[252496]
From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 7/23/19

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Five Rules for Studying The Book of Zohar

Question: To correctly approach the study of The Book of Zohar, several postulates can be distinguished. The first rule is called “the heart understands” (“a-lev mevin“). That is, The Book of Zohar is studied by the heart. What does this mean?

Answer: By desire. You have to change your desires. Instead of the desire to receive, strive for the desire to bestow, instead of the desire to distance yourself, push away, to the desire to attract and love.

Remark: The second rule: “man is a small world.” That is, The Book of Zohar includes many concepts that are familiar to us from the material world, although in fact, the same as in the Torah, it speaks of the internal states experienced by man.

My Comment: Yes, it describes the upper world, but with the words and actions of our world.

Question: Therefore, Kabbalists say that while reading The Book of Zohar, it is necessary to interpret the words written in it as an expression of all kinds of internal actions?

Answer: As actions of upper forces, not something happening in our world. In principle, you just need to do the opposite: perceive everything that The Book of Zohar describes in the quality of bestowal and love, in exiting oneself, not in the quality of reception, selfish love.

Remark: The third rule: “the light that returns to the source.” A person coming to a lesson must understand that there is a special influence in The Book of Zohar, a special force that we can draw from there.

My Comment: The Book of Zohar is studied with the intention of attracting the force that can change a person, to make an altruist out of a selfish person.

Question: So, when I come to the lesson, do I need to know what I want to change in myself?

Answer: This is why you come to the lesson. This is the very idea, power, property, purpose of The Book of Zohar.

Question: Rule Four: Before concluding the study, there must be the recognition of evil and prayer. What’s this about?

Answer: Recognition of the evil of one’s selfish nature is acquired gradually.

Prayer is a request for a force that can change me, somehow raise me above myself, and make me a useful, good, creature pleasing to the Creator. This, in general, is preparation for the correct reading of The Book of Zohar.

Question: The fifth rule: “as one man with one heart.” Kabbalists say that it is impossible to study The Book of Zohar alone, only in a group of people. Why?

Answer: Since The Book of Zohar was written in a ten, you need to study it in a ten. Because under its influence, a person draws closer to the rest, and, only in the right connection with them, begins to understand what it is talking about.

Question: Does that mean that I can’t read it at home alone, I must call someone?

Answer: You can read alone, but you won’t get any benefit from it.

Question: What does it give me that I do this surrounded by ten other people? I don’t communicate with them, we just sit and read together?

Answer: You must mean that you communicate with them, that you all connect with your hearts. Let’s say, just as you peel potatoes, you have to peel your heart from the outer shell, and everyone else too, and connect your hearts into one big heart.
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From KabTV’s “Basics of Kabbalah,” 12/18/18

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Lesson Preparation

Lesson on the Topic “The Benefit of Moving into a World Ten – Contraction and Expansion” (Preparation for the Convention in Bulgaria)

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 94

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Today is a special day—the anniversary of the passing of Baal HaSulam, our teacher, from this world. This is the soul that connects us with the Creator, the man who opened the gates of the wisdom of Kabbalah for the last generation in which we live. Without his teachings, we could not be rewarded with what we have already received and can still receive in the future. The knowledge, the whole approach and methodology, the stages of attainment—all this was prepared for us by Baal HaSulam. Of course, everything comes to us from the Creator, but through this great soul.

One of the reasons that the science of Kabbalah (receiving) has such a name is that it is transmitted from generation to generation. Each student must have a teacher. Only exceptional individuals can, with special help from above, directly reach attainment of the Creator by themselves. Therefore, we must always be connected with the sages who attained spirituality, the great Kabbalists, and thus advance generation after generation.

Here, everything depends on how much a person is able to follow the teacher. Everyone has their own difficulties in this and this is natural because this is how the steps from top to bottom are arranged. It is difficult for the lower ones to overcome their egoism and contact the upper ones. In our world at the animal level, there is no such problem because nature obliges a child to be dependent on adults. But at the human level on which it is necessary to study the science of Kabbalah, this is no longer easy to do. There, we need to bow down and maximize the greatness of the teacher in order to learn from him.

Of course, this is not in order to honor the teacher but only for the benefit of the student. If a student feels himself less than his teacher, then he will be able to lower himself more and receive from the teacher. In the sciences of this world, this requirement is not so categorical because the student must be critical of the teacher and test him. But in the science of Kabbalah, a person cannot attain anything if he has not bowed down before the Creator. And therefore, to the extent to which he bows down to what he receives from the teacher who teaches him from the primary sources that came from teachers of all generations, he gains attainment. Only in this form can a small one receive from a great one.

Therefore, we need to understand what an exceptional and great man Baal HaSulam was. We are obliged to accept all his works, all his legacy, without any criticism and then we can hope that we will begin to connect with his soul and receive through him the upper force from the Creator.
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/10/19, Baal HaSulam Memorial Day

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Joshua Goldstein, Chairman of the US Division of Herut North America, meets with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman to discuss the dream society built by Jews.

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Question: How can I see one person connecting with another if the connection is done by a higher light, moreover, at the level of intention? Are there any external signs of spiritual connection?

Answer: First of all, we all plug into one group and try to unite so that each person’s motivation does not differ from the others.

We then suddenly start feeling that we don’t even know whether desires or thoughts are mine or yours. Everything is mixed in one common “salad,” and it is unclear where anyone’s legs, arms, heads exist. All in all—everything. These are signs of spiritual connection.

When we begin to feel this “collective,” the next level of knowledge arises: outside of oneself, in others, through others. This condition is called attaining the Creator.
[253161]
From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 8/18/19

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Can The Book of Zohar relieve misfortune?

Question: It is said by the sages that the study of The Book of Zohar eliminates all misfortunes. How can a book save every person and all humanity from problems?

Answer: The Book itself does not save us from anything. I cannot buy this book and use it, as the townsfolk believe, like a talisman or some miraculous means (Segula). It doesn’t work that way.

The Book of Zohar saves us if we use it correctly, and, by studying it, we try to change ourselves in accordance with it. If we just keep it on a shelf or even put it close to our heart, nothing will change.

Question: But psychologically will it help?

Answer: Psychologically, yes.

I do not dismiss the fact that such psychological assistance is very important to a person. For a small, fragile, weak person in our world, it is very important. However, from a scientific point of view, it is of no use.
[252396]
From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/18/18

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