Question: If we have to rise above our egoism, then the more we strengthen it, the more difficult it is to rise above it. Thus paradoxically, the flourishing of culture deprives us of the opportunity to overcome our ego, doesn’t it?

Answer: Yes, it is true. But why do we develop in the egoistic form and, and what’s more, exponentially so? This is for us to see inside our ego how much it ultimately destroys us, and yet we are able overcome it.

We have no other matter besides our desire! Thus, the wisdom of Kabbalah is called “the wisdom of reception” (“Kabbalah” in Hebrew means “reception”). This wisdom explains how to realize one’s desire rather than destroy it. From our egoistic matter, we are building the form of a human (Adam), “similar” (Domeh) to the upper one, the Creator.

Thus, on one hand, the ego has to grow up to the point when we become disappointed in our real egoistic form which always wants to grab for itself. Then, I will begin to use my ego in its inverse form and each time turn it into bestowal. To the extent I can do this, I will acquire forces for my soul.

Today we have reached a certain “ceiling,” “satiation,” meaning the maximum possible egoism in receiving for ourselves until we consume the last fruit of the Earth. This will lead us to the realization of our evil. Either in a good way or bad, we will understand that we must act in the opposite manner and use our egoism for bestowal.
[44667]
From the Lecture in Rome 5/20/2011

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Question: Once a person rises above all his material interests and connects with the upper nature, the Creator, does physical death no longer have meaning for him?

Answer: This is true. When I asked my teacher about this at the very beginning of my path, he said that a person studying Kabbalah has to reach a state when he starts to treat the life of his material body like a shirt: It’s as if he takes a dirty shirt off at the end of the day and throws it into the laundry and tomorrow puts on a new one. Our body is exactly like this.

These are real things. They stem from the study of “Self” when I exit the perception of my life inside my bodily desires. Right now, we live for our material body! But if I exit this sensation and connect with the upper reality above it, I immediately begin to feel the eternal flow of life.
[44674]
From the Lecture in Rome 5/20/2011

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Question: The more I want to unite with my friends, the more I’m repulsed by them. I have nothing to give the friends but negative emotions. I’m feeling an intense feeling of disharmony. The convention is becoming a big obstacle for me. What do I do?

Answer: Very good! That is precisely the kind of people we need! Because the measure of your desire is expressed precisely in your efforts to establish a connection with others in spite of this repulsion. Thanks to the force of this effort you will acquire the force of the quality of bestowal, which may help you to immediately ascend to the first degree.

Question: I have this feeling that everyone around is ready to hear us, but we’re struggling to pass the Light to everyone else. Can the convention help us shift from this point?

Answer: Anything is possible at a convention. Some can cling to the quality of unification and bestowal for the first time. Others can actively participate in the formation of a collective quality of bestowal. Others yet, who have already received this quality of bestowal, exist in it, and perceive the upper world, can help the rest of the people in this. There is a whole spectrum of people at a convention: from those who want spirituality, to those who don’t know what they want yet, to those who are already in attainment and conscious of what they are attaining.
[44603]
From the Virtual Lesson 5/29/2011, Fundamentals of Kabbalah Series

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Question: How can women include themselves in the common desire during the convention? What should they do?

Answer: They should do the same as the men. I do not understand why women always separate themselves. When you tell them that they are like everyone else, it doesn’t make them happy.

A man procures actively, just like in our world. He is a hunter. He works on an active connection, coming out of himself, becoming closer with others, while a woman stands behind him and takes a more passive role.

However, everything a man procures then passes through a woman. A new degree is produced in the woman both for her and the man due to the fact that whatever the man attains goes through her. This happens in the exact same way that they, together, produce the new generation in our world. It is the woman who continues the development, the human race.

Question: My husband and I study Kabbalah. My husband attended the conventions, but now he is proposing that I go. Should I use this opportunity or send my husband instead?

Answer: Of course, it is best to send your husband to the convention because a man attracts the Light, while a woman receives and realizes it. This is why between the two of you, your husband’s presence at the convention is more important.
[44534]
From the Virtual Lesson, Fundamentals of Kabbalah 5/29/2011

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Question: What would you wish for a person who has not yet decided to attend the Moscow convention?

Answer: I would wish the undecided to quickly and categorically decide: “I am going to the convention!” Right now, you have this opportunity, and you do not know when another one will present itself. Even if we were to have yearly conventions in Russia, you should not wait for next year.

Question: If I really want to be at the convention, but I am unable to go, what should I be doing during the convention?

Answer: When a person is unable to attend the convention, he should be with us virtually as much as the time allows. First of all, conventions are held on weekends, so you should free yourself from all things and problems, of all responsibilities as much as possible.

Try to get together with your friends who study Kabbalah and create the same convention-like atmosphere. Set a table with treats and have a good time together observing us. Be with us with your heart and soul.

Question: What should I do when I am afraid of the problems and disturbances that arise before me? How can I overcome this?

Answer: You need to connect with the group, with your friends, and with us. You need to try to evoke the upper Light, and you will see it lift you above these problems. I do not see a solution other than this.
[44537]
From the Virtual Lesson, Fundamentals of Kabbalah 5/29/2011

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Question: When we are in such close proximity at the Kabbalah conventions, what are we trying to overcome, the grip of the ego? Or are we trying to feel our friends’ desire, to make everybody feel good? What should we think about while we are there?

Answer: I personally recommend that you try feeling the collective state as much as possible. Don’t dig into yourself, don’t do the “soul-searching.” You’ll never find the soul anyway because you don’t have one and neither does anybody else. Your soul is beyond you!

Try to feel the collective state, the common spirit of this exalted gathering of desires for unity, attended by people who put huge effort and means into it, anticipating such an event for many months or even years so as to reveal in this unity the integral upper force of Nature, the force of love and bestowal—the Creator. You need to catch the collective spirit. And when it starts working in you, do the only correct and most effective action: lose yourself in this common spirit, just like an embryo in the mother’s womb.

Then you will get to feel how this property of bestowal gradually works on you, forming and building in you a new sensory organ for this new property (or dimension). This new sensory organ isn’t aimed at you, the precious, but at the will to bestow, at those whom you love.

If you want to succeed, leave all thoughts about yourself and dissolve in the convention’s collective spirit. Take advantage of every minute we spend together.
[44360]
From the Virtual Lesson 5/29/2011, Fundamentals of Kabbalah Series

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The goal of our development is to become similar to the force of nature, the one great integral force affecting everything. This force includes all the forces of nature that we discover in our sciences: physics, chemistry, biology, zoology, botany, geology, and astronomy. All of them are included in this single law.

This integral law that we reveal as a kind, mutual connection unites all parts of reality, which are interconnected by mutual love and bestowal. This entire system is integrated, analog, where everything except humans exists in complete harmony. In this entire system, as if in a huge sphere, there’s a part called “human” or “humanity,” which is imperfect. This is the most important part, the most developed, and at the same time imperfect because it has to realize its nature consciously.

Inanimate nature, the vegetative and animate world exist within this sphere instinctively and obey this law because they don’t reflect on how they should live. They are activated by the forces of nature that leave them no choice, no inner freedom. The forces operate them completely, and they execute nature’s commands by all 100 percent.

Whereas the human being has freedom. He is left with an empty part inside this sphere so that he would fill this emptiness with himself. Like from a piece of dough, he must sculpt a form from himself that would fit accurately in the mosaic of nature, united with all its parts by thousands of connections.

This mosaic is not flat and not even three-dimensional, but multi-dimensional and multifaceted on the psychological, psychosomatic, spiritual, and material levels; it is connected with all forms of nature in myriad ways. In our sciences we discover only a small part of the whole system of laws in this sphere. And we have to know everything.
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From the 1st lesson at the Rome Convention on 5/21/11

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