Abraham saw that since he had a Mitzva that he could do only once in his life, meaning that he could make an effort on this Mitzva only once, he thought of an idea to ask his friends. Should they resist, he will have great labor to overcome them, and “According to the effort, so is the reward.” For this reason, he put himself into the test in order to receive reward (Rabash, Assorted Notes 622, “Overcoming“).

If we understand what it means to fulfill a Mitzva, that is, an action desirable in the eyes of the Creator, we see that we lack the strength to carry it out. Then we turn to the Creator and ask Him to grant us the strength and the importance of performing this action, and afterward we fulfill it.

It is said that “with charity, we should overcome more than the environment obligates.” This means that receiving the strength to overcome ourselves and fulfill the commandments is mercy from the Creator.

The reward for overcoming obstacles is our closeness to the Creator. Essentially, this is the true purpose of any commandment, that is, everything the Creator asks of us.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/12/24, Writings of Rabash “Overcoming”

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Question: What is an easy commandment, and what is a strict commandment?

Answer: A commandment is not measured its weight or by how much precious metal or something else it contains.

A commandment is measured by how much it enables a person to reach the Creator, to take another step toward Him, then another, and so on. That is how we measure the size of a commandment.

Question: What is easier for a person as a commandment: to stop receiving or to attain faith above reason and bestowal?

Answer: The hardest thing is faith above reason.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/31/24, Writings of Rabash “Gopher Wood”

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Question: In corporeal life we feel tastes through our senses. Where do we feel spiritual tastes? What does the taste of the Torah and the taste of the commandments mean? When you bestow, you get used to it. You really like it even if it is bestowing for the sake of receiving.

Answer: We receive and bestow in our spiritual actions just as we do in the corporeal world. So we should pay attention to this and ask for the ability to carry it out.

Question: Is this some kind of data bank that is constantly accumulating and we return to it, add to it, our taste increases, and so we grow?

Answer: Yes.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/20/24, “Sukkot”

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Therefore, he should know that the Creator is giving him a chance to begin to engage in Torah and work, and this will bring him the real joy called “the joy of Mitzva [commandment]” (Rabash, Assorted Notes, 507, “What Is Joy?”).

If I want to get closer to the Creator and be special in His eyes, a whole new way of relating to people, myself, and what is around me opens before me.

This is how I can choose what to engage in to show a special attitude toward the Creator.

Then I get joy from perceiving the whole world as coming from the Creator and out of this choose only those actions that would bring me closer to the Creator.

Question: Is this called a Mitzva (commandment)?

Answer: Of course. Any action of mine that the Creator desires is called a commandment.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/8/24, Writings of Rabash “What Is Joy?”

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Hence, when teaching morals, we see the importance of Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], meaning which level of pleasure one can have, as well as which punishment he might suffer (Rabash, Assorted Notes, “Hear, My Son, Your Father’s Ethics – 1“).

Question: How do we reveal these measures of pleasure on our path?

Answer: Gradually, we begin to feel that there are immense fulfillments in the spiritual realm for both the mind and the heart. Moreover, the pleasure you experience practically fills the entire world. Some feel it more, some less, but through you, the world is filled as well.

Question: In the group of ten, I can clearly sense from which of my actions the Creator derives pleasure. And what about the nations of the world? How should I engage with them in a way that brings pleasure to the Creator?

Answer: Reveal the purpose of creation to the nations of the world and help them move toward this goal in some way.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/7/24, Writings of Rabash “Hear, My Son, Your Father’s Morals – 1”

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All the work is only where there are two ways, as we have found, And he shall live in them, and he shall not die in them (Baal HaSulam, Shamati 188 “All the Work Is Only Where There Are Two Ways – 2”).

Question: Why is it said that we have two ways? After all, we only have one way, the way of Kabbalah.

Answer: The point is that we must observe the laws of the higher world that governs us. Within it, there are conditions that allow transgressing various requirements except for the three commandments.

The main one is that the Creator is one, unique, unified, and there is none else beside Him. Therefore, first of all, one must adhere to this and work on this commandment. And everything else depends on the states a person inhabits.

Therefore, it is written that all our work is only in the place where there are two ways: whether to fulfill the commandments or not. As it is said: “And they shall live in them, and not die in them.”

This means that we cannot approach the sanctification of the Creator in things that do not require it, and the notion of “die but not transgress” applies only to the three commandments called incest, bloodshed, and idolatry. We find that the first righteous ones gave their lives to fulfill them.

That is, everything a person must do, and he stands by it, is to devote all his efforts to fulfilling the commandments or even go even to death. This is our entire work because at the time when a person must observe the Torah, the heavy burden is revealed, i.e., the entire weight of its execution. And at the time when the Torah protects a person, it is not so difficult for him.

As it is said, a person’s soul shall teach him. When a person moves forward and various means for further advancement are revealed to him, this is called the Torah teaching and protecting him.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/19/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “All the Work Is Only Where There Are Two Ways – 2”

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Question: How do we reach a state when our soul begins to teach us?

Answer: In principle we should already begin to determine this. A person needs to understand that everything he receives comes from the Creator is aimed only at his development, and he needs to figure out how to react to the revealed circumstances.

If you correct your soul, i.e., the point of connection with the Creator, then it will lead you forward, as it is said, a person’s soul will teach him.

Question: It is just that the moments of connection with the soul are short-lived, and this world captures all your attention. How can we make it so that the point of connection with the Creator would subjugate us?

Answer: You must divide yourself into two parts. Follow the instructions of the Torah in the one part and work with the outside world in the other.

Question: But the outside world does not feel these instructions. Why then should we divide ourselves into two parts?

Answer: The point is not that the outside world does not feel but that it is about your fulfillment of the Torah and Mitzvot. And they must be fulfilled.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/19/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “All the Work Is Only Where There Are Two Ways – 2”

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The issue of “shall die and not breach” applies only to three Mitzvot [commandments]: idolatry, bloodshed, and incest (Baal HaSulam, Shamati 88, “All the Work Is Only Where There Are Two Ways – 1”).

Idolatry (Avodah Zarah) means that a person is forced to worship some idols, i.e., to magnify someone or something as if it were the Creator or a part of the Creator.

Incest (Gilui HaRayot) is when a person is compelled to commit adultery with, suppose, someone else’s wife. From the spiritual point of view, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” means do not be jealous of another person.

Bloodshed (Shfichut Damim) is when he is compelled to kill others. But we must not harm anyone. In these three cases, a person is obliged to restrain himself and not violate these conditions, even if he is threatened with death.

Question: Is it possible to disconnect from the Creator in these cases?

Answer: No, all three conditions consist precisely of not disconnecting from the Creator under any circumstances.

A person is responsible only to himself and to the Creator for observing these three commandments.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/6/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “All the Work Is Only Where There Are Two Ways – 1”

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Question: What does it mean to live by the laws of the Torah?

Answer: Everything we should receive from the Torah is intended solely to help us live better.

Question: When the Torah helps people, they fulfill the commandments. But how can one check whether the Torah is helping them or if they are performing actions of bestowal to receive?

Answer: One must progress further and gradually will begin to see.

Question: Is it possible to reach a state where the Torah constantly protects you on the path so that you are always in joy and ascent?

Answer: We cannot achieve the ideal state because we are not in final correction (Gmar Tikkun), but gradually get closer to it.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/6/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “All the Work Is Only Where There Are Two Ways – 1”

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Question: Should I feel guilt for not observing a commandment and ask for forgiveness from the Creator? Or will efforts in the work be a better apology?

Answer: Generally, both are good. You don’t have to apologize, you just need to feel your mistakes. That is already good. The Creator understands everything.

At the same time you should have a sense of guilt, but one that does not hold you back in your development.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/6/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “All the Work Is Only Where There Are Two Ways – 1”

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