Shamati 1, “There is None Else Besides Him”: A man must always try and cleave to the Creator. Adhesion with the Creator is an indication that everything that happens is coming only from Him, and that He acts and influences me only with the help of the Light; “there is none else beside Him” and He is the “good and beneficent.” I try to discover these two facts and keep adhering to them. I try with all my might and I make sure not to leave either of them.

In everything that happens, I first look inside my mind and see that this comes as an influence on me from the good and benevolent and that “there is none else besides Him.”

In the representation that develops within me of this whole world and of what is within me, this entire system directs me towards that source that presents this representation of our world, this life, and me. It is here He wants me to discover only Him through all this theater, until the theater disappears and only He and I remain in adhesion.

So, we have no other work except to orient ourselves like this at every moment of our lives. And everything else is designed to help in this: studying the wisdom of Kabbalah in order to attract the Light that Reforms and awaken it further so that it will illuminate more strongly. I must be in a group with the friends so that they will frequently remind me about this.

I must be involved with dissemination to show how this one force acts in the world, because I go out to the world, wanting to lead it towards an arrangement where it will be connected into a single whole that is integrally linked with “there is none else beside Him.” All of these activities are designed only so that behind this whole world, behind the friends, behind the study, I will discover the Creator with whom I am in adhesion.

And that is how it always has been. Even now, we are in this state, only it is hidden. This brings me much confusion. This concealment is called Olam (world), from the word, “Olama” (concealment).

We must remove this world, remove this concealment, and then everything that we are feeling now with our senses will disappear, the entire still, vegetative, and animate nature. Everything will become connection between us, between our connected desires. To that degree, we discover the one power, the good and benevolent. Everything ends in a state of “one receives one,” one creature is filled by one Creator. This is the completion of correction.
[142093]
From the Convention In New Jersey “Day Two” 08/09/14, lesson 4

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Baal HaSulam writes in the article, “There is None Else Besides Him”: It is written, “there is none else besides Him.” This means that there is no other force in the world that has the ability to do anything against Him. This is the one and only force that decides and implements everything, and there is nothing outside of Him.

And what man sees, that there are things in the world that deny the higher household, the reason is that this is His will, in order to confuse the person, giving him a feeling that there are several causes, several forces.

And it is done this way intentionally so that through this confusion, through the dissipation, a person can direct himself precisely towards this force, as it is with a viewfinder. At first, the focus is diffuse so that afterwards it gradually becomes directed precisely. It is the same thing here.

Specifically, if we begin to feel a few forces, a few causes, a few sources for our lives, ultimately we reach a decision that all of this is being done by one force which intends to confuse us from all sides so that we will correct our vision, our perception, and in all kinds of situations happening to us, we will be focused more on it.

The method of the Creator is to confuse us, and precisely through this confusion we must discover Him, in order to understand Him more, to connect with Him more, to break through this blurred vision called, the left rejects and the right adducts.

The Creator acts in two directions: On the one hand, He rejects us, confuses us, gives us all kinds of exercises, as if we are going the wrong way, not towards Him, that this is not Him, and our friends are not our friends, and our teacher is not a teacher, and this is unnecessary. Instead it is the opposite.

All of this is so that we will scrutinize the truth and acquire it. Then it will already be ours and we won’t be confused any more.

Meaning that which the left rejects, confusing us, is considered correction. This means that there are things in the world, all kinds of situations, which to begin with, aim to confuse us, to divert a person from the right way, and by which he is rejected from Sanctity. And from this, to understand Him and get closer to the friends, the study, the understanding, and feeling.

It is precisely from this that we start the right way. We begin to feel and identify the direction of the right way. But our goal is not in this. If, with the help of these rejections, we become wiser, more understanding, and advanced, then in total, we would become wiser and more sophisticated beasts and no more than this. But we don’t need to attain the state in which we are wise and understand what is happening and how the Creator is giving us exercises. No, we must attain His level.

And so the Creator brings us to these confused, very difficult and unpleasant states, to exhaustion, from which there is apparently no possible way out, so that we will truly feel that without Him we have no chance of attaining the goal of creation, the goal of all life, and so that we require Him.

If we make a demand to Him, shout at Him so that He will come and help, so that He will connect us, so that He will correct our perception, so that He will rescue us, then this is a most happy state in His eyes. This is because then He can approach us, carry out these corrections, and we will be together.

This is the goal of all the rejections.
[141888]
From the Convention In New Jersey “Day Two” 8/09/14, Lesson 4

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Convention in Sochi, Lesson 2

Convention in Sochi, Lesson 3

Convention in Sochi, Lesson 4

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Convention in Sochi, Lesson 1

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Question: What do we do when the feeling of unity begins to subside?

Answer: I advise everyone to seriously engage in even greater unity. Moreover, it should be distinctly aimed at creating one single desire directed at connection where the Creator will appear.

You must develop this thought in you, seek it constantly, analyze, collect, process, and refine it. It should constantly churn inside of you and you need to “suck” it like hard candy.

Strive to support each other and treat each other with great sensitivity. Do not distract one another from thinking about spirituality. Reread what Kabbalists write about the conditions of uniting at Mount Sinai in order to “be as one man with one heart.” These are the conditions for revelation of the Creator.

The entire world group stands at the threshold of this event. What is required in order to come to it? Find materials about standing at Mount Sinai and read them, trying not to perceive the language of the sources as religious.

Constantly remain in an increasingly more precise, pointed, common, mutual, and intertwining intention so that all your intentions will connect between you and create one single whole through which the Creator will be revealed. You can achieve this.

Do not confuse this most important goal with going out to the broad public. Going out among the people is meant only to “tighten” you a little more, to give you additional spiritual needs.
[141605]
From the Convention In Sochi “Day Two” 7/14/14, Lesson 6

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Question: When I deal with the general public, it’s quite hard for me to feel them. Even though our knowledge about these issues is vast, maybe there is a shorter and more sensory, psychological way to approach them? My inability to find connection with these people hurts me a lot.

Answer: I understand that you cannot descend to the street level. It is very difficult. Often, it is much easier to ascend than to descend. However, this stage has to be covered.

For example, Baal HaSulam ascended on his own, but in order to write The Study of the Ten Sefirot, he asked the Creator to lower him. In his article “The Prophecy,” Baal HaSulam wrote: “…even if I descend from my sublime degree, I must make a heartfelt plea to the Creator, to grant me attainment and knowledge of the prophecy and wisdom, and the words by which to help the forlorn people of the world, to raise them to the same degree of wisdom and pleasantness as mine.”

Lowering to these people is very difficult! It’s anti-spiritual! It’s against the entire creation; it’s hard even in this realm! A real teacher who can lower to the level of a child and talk with him as an equal is a rare and wonderful professional. Usually, it is done mechanically.

In the workshops, you should practice to think as common people do, sense them and talk with them at their level. At the same time, it is quite dangerous. Try doing it very accurately and measure your ability to play as if you are one of them.

You have to learn how to transition between our level and lower degrees. You should dynamically switch between various levels and be in different states: become as a man, a woman, a child, a more or less educated person, or an ignorant one. You should play these roles very seriously and feel their reaction, needs, demands, and opinions.

At the same time, you have to remain at your own level and still be “dressed” in their image. This is called “Levush” (clothing). Only then you’ll establish a good contact with them.

Let’s say, your level allows you to define the other people’s degrees. How can you descend from your level and make contact with them? This process is called a “descent,” “clothing,” it is a pedagogically spiritual maneuver. Teachers use this method subconsciously. In our system, it should be accurately measured.

You must make a special Zivug de Aka’a (cohesion with the Light); i.e., you should transform yourself into a lower state and make contact with ordinary people in a way that both of your states merge. It is a very interesting job that we will have to learn to do. That’s why we are called “the teachers of humanity.”

It is very good that we already have a demand for this kind of work. Try talking about these issues with each other. This is actually all that the The Study of the Ten Sefirot is about. All our work is about it too. Then, through working on these states among you, you’ll start feeling them internally.

Also, it’s interesting because when one goes through these states, when one dresses in numerous new Partzufim, one becomes “round” and equal to the world of Infinity. This is the type of connection among people through which unity, love, and complete merging occurs.
[141055]
From the Convention In Sochi “Day Two” 7/14/14, Lesson 4

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Question: Should friends maintain a connection between them that is similar to that between a mother and child?

Answer: Yes, it is a special internal unity between you and your friends that stretches deep into your most internal feelings, thoughts, and relation to the goal.

Comment: Often, it so happens that even if I demonstrate my internal concern to somebody, I don’t receive the same attitude in return. So, I end up in having a very weird connection with this person.

Answer: You don’t receive anything in return, so what? It is not written anywhere that a friend has to love you. Love is the feeling that if I love my friend, I am happy. It’s not about being loved and therefore feeling good.

You should not have claims against your friends for neglecting you (as you think they do.) Not at all! These reproaches have to be directed not to them, but to the Creator. You always talk with the Creator, not with your friends. This is the problem that is constantly overlooked.
[141050]
From the Convention In Sochi “Day Two” 7/14/14, Lesson 4

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Question: By nullifying himself a person must nullify his ego, transforming his essence. But terrible fear appears in me: If the physical ego disappears, what will be left? Does spirituality blur and obscure then?

Answer: This is a very good and genuine feeling. If you feel this way, it is a sign that what is appearing in you is the correct impression of how much you are a primitive, small, and simple egoist. And if the ego disappears, then what will be left? Not your “I” or anything?

All of the spiritual perspectives are found on the other side of the ego. Through rejecting it, you will begin to feel a new dimension.
[141599]
From the Convention In Sochi “Day Two” 7/14/14, Lesson 6

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Question: If physical lust and greed take a person over, tearing this life apart and destroying it, and as it seems to him, spiritual life as well, how can the group influence this?

Answer: It is very difficult to contend with jealousy, sexual attraction, and other particular disturbances. It is desirable to transform these disturbances into positive desires.

How is it possible to do this? Try to make a connection like this in the family that will completely satisfy you; even though that “lust” may appear while studying Kabbalah, this arousal is not at all hormonal, rather it is much higher. But anyway, that is what must be done.

Envy can be converted into a positive movement.

When you begin to learn more, realizing yourselves in connection with other people, you will gradually begin to feel that all of this is being given to you by the Creator. Ultimately our movement forward is based upon receiving all kinds of disturbances and using them correctly.

The disturbances seem physiological to us, but this is not so. You will never be able to calm them down or nullify them by any physical means but only through spiritual correction. It only seems to you that if you play them out until your senses are dulled, or what is called being “completely detached,” that this will help you. This won’t help!

Salvation is only through more rapid advancement in a group that will influence you so that no possibilities remain, not only to act but even to think about this. It is very important to place yourself in a framework like this so you won’t have the power or thought of carrying out these activities.
[141596]
From the Convention In Sochi “Day Two” 7/14/14, Lesson 6

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Question: Can a married man and an unmarried woman discuss the greatness of the goal in a single circle?

Answer: This is not easy, but it is possible to delineate the wisdom of Kabbalah with all the rest and orient yourself so that the entire difference between men and women disappears: with whom you are dealing with, how, and why.

But this requires serious, permanent work. For spirituality there should be a particular time, for materialism, another time. It is even necessary to give the body what it requires. Everything depends upon who the people are, what the connections and situations are.

I think that nevertheless it is better to conduct discussions in separate circles to prevent problems that can appear between the sexes and can very quietly lead people away from the goal, confusing them, and making them unable to separate from obsessive, disturbing thoughts. As a general rule, all kinds of arguments, issues, and conversations arise.

I am in favor of giving people equal rights, but not mixing. Give women all kinds of preference in all kinds of things, show them signs of attention and respect and in no way show disrespect.

Respect their readiness to invest themselves in the common goal, ask them to help you so they will not distract you; they are stronger than men in this regard.

And women must understand that the purity and morality of the group is in their hands. If they want, they will behave so that the men will not even look in their direction. In such a case you will truly have a strong and good group.
[141514]
From the Convention In Sochi “Day Two” 7/14/14, Lesson 6

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