Question: Do you suppose that we already have the possibility of bringing everything to the center of the group and solving all our questions there?

Answer: If you are thinking of advancing spiritually, meaning toward the characteristic of bestowal, then you simply have no other choice. The center of the group is the point of departure for a channel that leads us by way of all the worlds to world of Infinity. Nothing else is given to us.

The center of the group is a place in which we balance each other. Everyone is different, but all are equal. All help each other even though all are different. In that, we completely nullify ourselves and absorb the desires of the others in order to realize them. Afterward, we present one complete and unified desire, and in this manner enter into this conduit through which we rise to the world of Infinity.

Question: Is it possible to bring material questions to the center of the group?

Answer: It is possible for a group to come with all kinds of material questions and to try to solve them with your friends. In every case, this will be much closer to the truth than what you would decide by yourself.

If all of your friends would be on a particular spiritual level, mutually balanced (this is talking about a group that is more or less correct), then in such a manner, you will be able to solve the problems in your lives.
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Question: Can we create a practical device based on the workshops that will help us after we disperse and go back to our homes?

Answer: I have already spoken about this practical device. Continue to hold yourself in that state in which we hold ourselves during the conventions.

It is necessary to try that the journey back home does not influence us. Nothing more is necessary, and even if the journey back is influential, we hold onto the connection. So then you cannot imagine how much our opposition will elevate us.

We need to hold onto that rope that raises us up during that later time when the environment—the entire world with its thoughts, deficiencies, and goals—pulls us back. Therefore, we need to hold more strongly to the group that is going forward so that those thoughts that pull us down will not tear us from it. Imagine a picture like this. Even if we hold onto a position for a short time, in spite of it all, we rise higher.

Precisely now, this movement forward will be realized in those people who will hold onto the group. I performed some work on you, and now it is your turn to work. Connect yourselves to the “fueling station,” and you will be filled with inspiration. Now, with the help of this inspiration that you received in potential, you need to realize it at least a little. Otherwise, it will dissolve with negative consequences.
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Question: I cannot do anything when I see hatred, pretense, and fraud in the way the friends behave.

Answer: Of course. Nobody is perfect. We are all spiritually defected. We all want to be corrected. When we ascend even a bit towards the Creator from this state, our actions are very desirable to Him.

It’s absolutely natural that I see that the friends are also as filthy as I am in their thoughts, in their feelings, in their evil plans, and in the different negative urges that they have. If I correct all that, I immediately fall into these defects over and over again. At least we acknowledge the fact that we are in one great sewage hole and that all our flawed thoughts and desires are our initial state.

Your tears are wonderful tears of the recognition of our state. It already indicates that the Upper Light influences you and helps you understand where you are in relation to it. It’s already the recognition of evil and not just some low level, but a state from which you can advance and leap forward.

So we have to turn these tears into tears of joy and to thank the Creator for giving you this recognition of your state and such support! You are not isolated on some Finnish farm weeping over your fate.

You are in a big group that provides you with support. You have a whole healthy system and you know that you are part of it, how it operates on you, and how you should use it in order to reach the center, the absolute balance. You have all that! So your tears are just the beginning, only the recognition of your state. I would even say that you are crying over yourselves. You should at least attribute it to yourselves and shed tears of joy since you understand who is managing you, and whose path you are following. It will come. Hold on to us and everything will be all right.
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Question: You say that there are no disturbances that cannot be overcome. So why are there cases where disturbances remain in spite of everything?

Answer: The only reason is a weak preliminary connection with the teacher, the group, and the sources.

There are no disturbances that cannot be overcome. A thought or desire is always sent to us like this; it is possible to overcome it. The next level appears before us and it is possible to approach it either by the way of sufferings (Beito – “in its time”) or in a good way (Achishena – I will hasten it”). If we go by the way of sufferings, then they surround us to such a degree that we are ready to overcome the obstacle that is placed before us by any means. But for this, we pay with time and blood.

If we go in the good way, then we rapidly overcome the disturbance because we are connected with the friends, the books, and the teacher from the start, and we know that the disturbance comes from the Creator. We can hold onto this thought like a bulldog and not let go for even a moment: “At least hold on for a little longer, another second, and then another!”

Don’t think about what lies ahead of us! A good athlete knows he has a second to hold on, then another second, and after that another; only in this case will he have the strength. And someone who thinks ahead isn’t psychologically strong enough. We only have the strength if we think about the present moment and we concentrate the time, the place, and the effort, all of the circumstances into one point.

It is not the disturbance itself, not its form, or circumstances; nothing depends on us, only the connection with the center of the group.
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Question: So that our request for spirituality will be right, we need to include in it the connection, the mutual nullification of one towards the other, as well as the entire world towards to which we convey our connection. What, above all, do we need to focus on, is it on our internal attack?

Answer: No attack is necessary. We always need to strengthen ourselves together, for the system we are in is integral and eternal.

We need to live in a state of unity, and then we will understand that we are within this volume all the time, that we are eternal and perfect! And all the rest is disjointed, damaged, and dying; it detaches us from eternity, from the perfect coupling between us. Try to imagine for yourselves where eternity and wholeness are, where our existence is, and why they are different, and you will see that these are two parallel planes. It’s not worthwhile to fall into the lower plane.

Question: But if I am not in attack all the time, then apparently I fall.

Answer: But don’t attack. It’s not necessary to attack the Klipot (impure forces), it’s simply necessary to understand that they come for your proper development. You can call this an attack if this is easier for you.

After this, you begin to love the Klipot, to bless the bad as well as the good, because all this is necessary for your advancement forward. And even more than this, all of these disturbances are the engine for our advancement.

Question: It follows that we push ourselves because of the disturbances.

Answer: Certainly! For this is all of our material! It’s revealed to you more and more. Imagine that your intellect and your desire are becoming many times larger, and if you use them correctly, then accordingly the powers in you grow as well. And that is how you grow.

In our world a child grows because he accepts and digests nourishment. This very complicated process is also built upon the problems of processing what is completely unnatural for him.
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Question: During the three conventions that have passed, and in particular after them, there is a hatred of the Creator, the friends, and the “point in the heart” that is revealed. How should one work with this hatred?

Answer: If possible, don’t work with the hatred itself in any form. The more that you “chew” on all the negative characteristics and emotions that appear within you, the more you will be linked to them. You will exist more within them, and you will be nourished by the impure forces (Klipot). Therefore you shouldn’t remain in these states.

I understand that they are like leeches; they cling onto a person from all directions and suck his blood. But in every way possible you must rise above states like these with an inner yearning for the friends, for the Creator. It’s forbidden in any circumstance to remain with the Klipot. This will begin to fill you with a completely different fulfillment, the opposite of the Creator, from which it will be very difficult to depart afterwards, because you will begin to get used to it.

We are compelled to do something! The moment feelings like these appear, we must struggle with them. Begin to play, to sing, to read something from our materials, to become involved with spiritual work in any form, only don’t remain in a state that is the opposite of the approach, don’t become distant from Him.

In no way should you begin to dig into whatever hatred appears, where it comes from, and for what. Even in the end, this will bring you to something good; in spite of it all, there is no need for these thoughts. They are given to you as disturbances, so begin to work against them, meaning leave them at rest. If you are in some kind of connection with the forces of impurity, with these thoughts, even if inside yourself you begin to curse them and seemingly don’t love them, but you are with them all the time, you are feeding them, and they live from this action.

Question: How is it possible to help a friend leave a state like this?

Answer: Drag him to a group, arrange a feast for him, but don’t sit and complain about his fate—sing, learn, do something together. Help the friend, in other words, don’t leave him with negative thoughts, rather with all your power pull him out of them. This is the only way.

But if he is against this, you are not obliged to remain together with him; rather, it’s necessary to show him prominently that if he doesn’t want your help, you will abandon him. You don’t have to “die” together with him.
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After the beginning stages of the right connection with the group, it’s necessary to continue through studying of The Book of Zohar with the same method that the students learned with Rabbi Shimon. They wrote this book themselves, revealed the levels, the spiritual states, and expressed them in writing. Rabbi Shimon taught, Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Elazar explained what he said.

The Ramchal described this in the book, Adir BaMarom: And Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai revealed the secrets of the Torah, and the friends listened to his voice, and they joined with him in this connection, each one answering for his part. That is what Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai wanted, that a book would be written that would include the sayings of all the members of his Yeshiva, and the book would be written about the Torah, for other writings speak about particular ideas, yet The Zohar that is made about the Torah is called the great opening of the entire Torah. And Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai commanded Rabbi Abba to be the writer and arrange all the things that the sages of the Yeshiva said, whenever and wherever they were, everything arranged according to the order in the Torah.

That is also how we must get along in groups in order to study The Book of Zohar, and then its Light will influence us. If we make an effort to be like the students of Rabbi Shimon in order to connect together so that all of us will be like one man with one heart and with love of friends, then the Light will influence us and will give us a greater sense of connection. And within this, we will begin to discover the network of connections between us called a Partzuf of ten Sefirot.

First within these ten Sefirot, the smallest Light will appear, Ohr Nefesh de Nefesh de Nefesh. But this is already a breath, some kind of feeling of the spiritual world. Although I still cannot act independently, I am found and exist in the spiritual world. So we develop the relationships between us more and more; we discover Ruach de Nefesh de Nefesh, and so on.

We begin to understand more and to feel the connection between us. The quality of our Partzuf gradually grows, and the general Light will begin to be clearer and clearer within it, in that it reveals its relationship to the Kli. This is how we reach a feeling for the general program that operates between us and we understand what is happening between us, what is happening in all of reality, in the entire world, and in all the worlds.

All this will be revealed within the ten Sefirot of the connection between us, exactly as the ten students of Rabbi Shimon discovered it when they were connected only within their group. They weren’t connected with the rest of the world at all nevertheless they discovered all of the infinite reality.

In other words, all of the means are in our hands. And in the meantime, the world deteriorates becoming darker and more sinister. It is written about these times that insolence will be multiplied beyond measure and all the problems and all kinds of misfortunes will befall the world. But we must understand that all of this is happening specifically because the Light is approaching our world, and the world must be more and more adapted to the Light. And if it doesn’t accommodate itself to the Light, then instead of Light, it will see Darkness, because it is in properties opposite to the Light. And therefore our obligation is immediately to begin to explain to the world what our best future depends upon. That it’s only through connection between us and thanks to The Book of Zohar that all of us can go out from the exile, from this Darkness.

Therefore, I am happy that we have begun to translate The Book of Zohar into several languages. We hope that this convention will be a good beginning for the acceptance of this gift that we have received: The Book of Zohar, and from here on we will continue with the correction with a much greater power than we have had until now.
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From the World Zohar Week “World Zohar Convention,” Day One 2/5/14, Lesson 2

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Question: Our world is a world of consequences. Do we need, by ourselves, to build the same whip that will force and commit us to correction? Is that the way of hastening (Achishena) time?

Answer: The way of Achishena is not the whip, but a way that attracts us to the purpose of creation due to its elevation in our eyes. We need to raise and elevate the goal so much so it will be so special, so desired, for us that we are prepared to do anything for it. And it won’t be difficult for us to go to it. Then we feel no pain, only inspiration.

For the sake of a higher purpose, people are capable of much: conquering mountain peaks, performing spacewalks, diving to the ocean floor instead of sitting comfortably on the sofa and watching football. People who are involved with creativity or with science burn themselves out, literally. They are willing to experiment with new drugs on themselves and conduct experiments that endanger their lives.

Everything depends on the importance of the goal! After all, our goal is not so difficult. If you arrange yourself in a group and the group begins to support each of its friends, then that will be the easy and wonderful way of inspiration, and you won’t feel even one drop of suffering.

What is that whip that you intend to use on yourself? Self-torment? A thing like that shouldn’t happen. All kinds of religious movements are arranged according to restrictions, while Kabbalah speaks about our path needing to be joyful.

In one of the Shamati articles, it says that the ego runs in front of everyone and shouts, “Catch the thief.” If you feel it is difficult for you, it says that you are progressing in an incorrect way. Make a clarification!
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From the World Zohar Week “Integral Education Convention” Day Three 2/04/14, Workshop 5

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Question: In our movement there are two ways: the good way and the way of suffering. My ego doesn’t want to submit to others. How is it possible to oblige it to go in the good way? I understand that suffering is not good.

Answer: You cannot oblige it as long as the group doesn’t convince you of it. You are stubbornly opposed like a donkey, holding on to the ego with all your strength, and you cannot change your mind for the better by yourself.

In the beginning stage we nullify our opinion under the influence of all kinds of blows. And after that we can nullify it, soften it, and change it only under the influence of the group. The group must teach you how to relate to your problem.

Question: But the group is made up of people like me.

Answer: This is what you think: “Who are they after all? What do they understand or know? They, know nothing!” That’s why you sit within your problems.

You must elevate and magnify every friend as the greatest of the generation. And then you will see how it’s possible to hear them. Another ear will appear to you, not beastly, rather spiritual. You will begin to comprehend and understand their words and thoughts in a completely differently; you will feel them differently within yourself if you begin to elevate and magnify them as great. This is the whole problem.

I keep getting answers from my students to questions that I myself cannot answer. I am not ashamed to admit it. It’s said: “I have learned much from my teachers, more from my friends, and from my students most of all.” You must lower yourself before them, and then you will be able to hear them.
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From the World Zohar Week “Integral Education Convention” Day Three 2/4/14, Workshop 5

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Question: What is the right intention we should have when we open The Book of Zohar?

Answer: The Book of Zohar was written as a result of the connection between souls and so it operates and influences us in the right way if we connect. Even if I read it by myself, it will affect me by pushing me to connect. But it is impossible to understand this book unless you are connected with other people.

It isn’t just an intellectual understanding, but a revelation.  I feel how I overcome my ego and begin to feel the others in my connection with others. I feel new powers and new attributes in the connection with others, and so I discover the upper world.

The Book of Zohar gives me the feeling of the others by revealing a force field of love and bestowal between us which is the spiritual world. This is the right outcome that we should expect from studying The Book of Zohar.
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From the World Zohar Week “World Zohar Convention,” Day One 2/5/14, Lesson 1

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