Until we reach the force of unity in which we reside in the center of the sphere of all the worlds, in the world of Infinity, and from where we withdrew from each other and descended into our external world, the same very source, the Creator, affects us with good and evil and entangles us from every direction, as it is written: “Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before.”

What does “behind and before” mean? Baal HaSulam explains that “You hem me in behind and before” means that it’s both when the Creator is revealed and concealed. After all, He is the only one who rules, and everybody will attain it. And then the notion of time and the feeling of past, present, and future will disappear. If there is only one force at work, nothing changes and everything is at absolute rest.

The attainment comes gradually, in correspondence with how we unify with this single force, the Creator. Besides, we don’t lose control of reality and turn into nothingness, but rather become like Him. We, together with Him, become the same exact magnificent, governing, singular force. And neither of us cancels the other: The Creator doesn’t nullify the created being, nor does the latter nullify the Creator. Moving forward and closer to Him, I don’t nullify myself. Instead, it is my ego that gets cancelled, while I rise like the Creator and come to adhesion with Him in all His perfection.

Then, I discover that I have been governed by this one force all the time, but it was simply hiding from me on purpose so that I would acquire it on my own and become as autonomous and magnificent as this singular force, the Creator. As I keep building myself in equivalence to Him, the Creator appears before me as an equal, magnificent partner and thereby we merge.

Every time when I gain autonomy, by transcending my ego in uniting with the group, I find the Creator within us, and thereby we unify together.
[42419]
From Lesson 8, WE! Convention 4/3/2011

Filed under: Conventions, Inner Work, Spirituality - No Comments →

The degrees of our connection, of how much tighter we bond with each other, are the spiritual ladder of rungs, the ladder of the worlds. We bond in the minimal degree, overcome the minimal thickness of our desire (Aviut Shoresh), and thereby attain the Creator only at the level of the Light of Nefesh.

When we unify in a greater degree, we attain Him as the Light of Ruach, followed by the Light of Neshama, Haya, and Yechida. Thus we pass forth from the world of Assiya to the world of Yetzira, followed by the worlds of Beria, Atzilut, Adam Kadmon, and finally reach the world of Infinity where our unity has no borders and everything is linked as one whole.

Until then, this unique force keeps working among us, confusing us, and nurturing us in all possible ways so that we would develop a need to unify among ourselves and merge with it. However, this force acts from “behind the scenes.” That’s how we play with children since we want them to “brainstorm” and use all their skill to do something independently. We know that only when a child exerts personal effort does he gain wisdom and understanding of life. In this, we are the same.

On the other hand, children have a tremendous natural yearning and desire to grow; they are always ready to act and learn about the world, while we are lazy and unable to make ourselves exert the necessary effort. And this is where the external force, the force of the group (and never the force of the Creator!) can do it, as it is written: “They helped everyone his friend.”
[42422]
From Lesson 8, WE! Convention 4/3/2011

Related Material:
The Most Serious Spoof
Joy Gives Us Strength On The Path
Grow Playfully

Filed under: Conventions, Inner Work, Spirituality - No Comments →

In our spiritual work we cannot do anything ourselves because we don’t know how to identify the unified force and relate it to many situations in our life. What should we attune ourselves to? Simply saying that the Creator is everywhere doesn’t help.

This is why we are given the group, and if we unite together, we discover this unified force called “there is none else besides Him” between us. The Creator deliberately split the creature He had made into a multitude of parts so that they would reassemble once more into a single thought, a single desire. Then, in this common desire, they will reveal the unified force that exists only in the connection they have formed, in unity and adhesion with them.

By uniting together into one desire, we don’t attain this force outside of us, but reveal ourselves and this force together as one whole. Indeed, there is no Light without a vessel (Kli), there is no Creator without the creature. The closer we bond together, the more we reveal the Creator within our unity.

In other words, our unification is the Creator. That is what it was at the start of creation, after which we dispersed and descended to this world in the form of small egoistic creatures.

Therefore, by uniting together we are building the Creator. We are creating Him independently, which is why He is called the Creator (in Hebrew Bo-Reh or “come and see”). There is no other place where we can build Him, discern Him, unite and achieve adhesion with Him, but only within our unification in the group. And all of humanity will need to connect together in the same way.
[42427]
From Lesson 8, WE! Convention 4/3/2011

Filed under: Conventions, Group Work, Inner Work, Spirituality - 1 Comment →

Question: I feel that when I started studying Kabbalah, I could hear the Creator’s voice more clearly. And now, I feel my receptivity has decreased.

Answer: That is because the Creator wants to tune you to Himself even better and demonstrates to you that you are not attuned to Him well enough. And you should search so that the most exalted feeling that you have experienced so far would constantly be alive in you. You must, regardless of the obstacles, constantly tune to that previous feeling, while it will be new nonetheless.

In the beginning of creation, in our first state of existence (1), we felt only the Light of “Nefesh,” the smallest Light. And then, we descended into our world, into the broken state (2), and are now ascending from our world back to the third state (3).

The third state is the same as the first one, although we feel the Light of “Yechida” in it, which is 620 times greater than the initial one that we used to have in the first state. It is the Light of NRNHY (Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, Yechida).

Why is it so? It is due to the fact that we have attuned ourselves in spite of the obstacles! On the way from the first state to the third one, we were given numerous obstacles of all sorts, but regardless of them, we have attuned ourselves to the same Light of “Nefesh” that was in the beginning. The Light doesn’t change.

I have raised my receptivity and become a vibrating string instead of a thick metal pipe that I used to be at the start. I have become more subtle, sensitive, sensuous, and receptive.

As a result, in the first state that I used to exist in, I experience, not the Light of “Nefesh” that used to fill me at the still level when I didn’t feel anything, but rather I discover myself as equal to the Creator, that is, I reveal the great Light of “Yechida.” Why is it so? Just because I tuned myself to it. This is the process we undergo.
[41981]
From the Virtual Lesson in Russian, Fundamentals of Kabbalah 4/21/2011

Filed under: Conventions, Inner Work, Spirituality - No Comments →

Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article 34 “The Profit of a Land”: Every form points to another [opposite spiritual] form. Thus, all the descents where one feels that he has come to separation [from the others and within them, from unification with the Creator] are an opportunity to discern between something and its opposite.

In other words, one should learn the benefits of the ascents from the descents. Otherwise, one would be unable to appreciate the importance of being brought near from Above, and the ascents that he is given…[as it is said:] “As far as Light excelleth darkness.”

After all, only from separation can we appreciate unity between us and esteem the attainment of our unity as the attainment of the Creator, of the upper force. We have to try to give the correct definitions: Separation between us is a descent, while unity between us is an ascent. Separation, meaning a state of descent should bring us the sensation of the absence of Light, whereas an ascent should be felt as the presence of the upper Light, the Light of bestowal and love.

We have to correctly interpret the spiritual properties, the spiritual definitions. Then we will gradually get used to them and will begin to see the upper spiritual value in the words so hateful for us today: “unity,” “love,” and “adhesion.”

Only then can one assess and regard the matter of adhesion, by which the delight and pleasure in the Thought of Creation can be acquired, being “His desire to do good to His creations.”
[41832]
From Lesson 8, WE! Convention 4/3/2011

Related Material:
Unifying The Two Forces Of Nature Within
An Honorable Task Of Becoming Righteous
Going Towards Each Other

Filed under: Conventions, Group Work, Inner Work - No Comments →

Rabash, Shlavey HaSulam (Steps of the Ladder), Article “The Torah Is Called the Middle Line”: One must have faith that there is “None else beside Him,” meaning that only the Creator compels him to do righteous deeds. But since he has not yet merited knowing that he is compelled by the Creator, the Creator clothes in other people [who as though exist outside of a person] and carries out these deeds with their help.

We think that we are surrounded by lots of people, that they influence us in a variety of ways, and that we must react to them. But if we begin to relate to them (“them” meaning the group of people studying Kabbalah, and not the whole outside world) as the Creator’s manifestation, His presence between us, His presentation to us, then as we unite in the group, we begin to study and attain Him.

One must have faith that behind the human images stands the Creator and carries out all the deeds in people.
[41847]
From Lesson 8, WE! Convention 4/3/2011

Filed under: Conventions, Group Work, Inner Work, Perception, Spirituality - No Comments →

Education is a special topic. It is interesting that people almost did not think about education over the course of human history. A little person grew among the grown-ups and learned from them. Parents did not need to take special classes to learn how to raise their children. Like animals, we practiced regular and natural education.

Kindergartens and schools appeared during the industrialization period, when people started working in factories, and mothers also had to start working. Until then, most children grew naturally at home.

In reality, nothing is more important than education. No wonder we are now experiencing a crisis in this area. People never thought that they needed to follow a certain system in education and that the growing generation requires a sensible approach. Take us: Who teaches us? What criteria do they follow, which method, which program? Instead of receiving education in schools, we receive knowledge.

Overall, schools appeared when a need arose to bring peasants to the cities, so they needed to be taught elementary grammar and arithmetic in order to work with simple industrial machines. People needed to be taught to read and understand manuals. This was the beginning of the two hundred year old institution of school for the masses.

We envision general education as the continuation of the ancient human wisdom. However, essentially, people only began to rise above the animate level in the nineteenth to twentieth century.

People never gave a serious thought to proper education. What should a person become when he or she grows up? Do we turn him into a Human? These questions are ignored even now. We send a child to math, physics, or computer specialized schools, without thinking of the individual this person will become. Who cares about the individual? What matters is to find a good job in our “bourgeois” life.

Moreover, this is happening because humanity has not come to a consensus, a common opinion of what it means “to be a human.” We tell the child: “Be good to others so they will enjoy dealing with you.” This is what out education mostly comes down to.

The problem is that society does not demand a connection between people. And today, once we have come to a general crisis, the crisis of education especially stands out. This is because the young generation is new souls with new demands of the new world. We call them the “Indigo children,” stuff them with Ritalin, and think that they do not understand us. In reality, we are the ones who do not understand them; we are the ones lagging behind life. We were not taught to understand these children.

They demand development at a new level. Similarly, a person whose point in the heart awakens ceases to understand other people who live a regular, “corporeal” life. And our children also look at us and do not understand: “What are you living for? We do not want your life, we are not willing to live like you and are incapable of it.”

If we want to find a connection with them, we need to introduce a new kind of education. And even though we fall short of this role, being the transitional stage before the new generation, we still need to complete this stage to the end.
[40961]
From Lesson 6, WE! Convention 4/3/2011

Related Material:
Children Of The World, Unite!
Education: Challenge Accepted
The Urgent Need For An Education Method

Filed under: Children, Conventions, Education - No Comments →

We found the topic of education to be in high demand within the framework of mass dissemination of Kabbalah. Suddenly, this channel has opened wide before us. Everyone is ready to forge relationships and listen: “Just advise us about what to do with the growing generation which we are unable to approach.”

Our children are a completely different story: Judging by their questions and answers and their attitude towards life, we can see that they represent a completely different generation. We have put a lot of effort into them; let us hope that this will serve all of us.

We have named the upcoming year the year of education. We have dedicated the third hour of the morning lesson to developing the principles which we will use to formulate the method. We are beginning to document the materials, so you will soon be receiving them in all the different languages.

Moreover, it is very important to involve children in our website for children, try to push them, give them prizes for participation. We need to develop a connection between them—this guarantees success. We bring them closer to Kabbalistic sources and teach them unity in a simple way. At the same time, the Light flows through these sources, and we discover how advanced our beloved children are.

For example, in Israel 13-14 year-old children enroll in college level classes. Colleges are not ready to accept them to study psychology, assuming that these are regular children, so they will study education, communications, and other disciplines. This way they will finish high school and have a college diploma at the age of 17-18. And they are ready for this.

Moreover, our mentors and some parents will study together with them. We are referring to an education diploma, and education is our specialty. We need to become teachers, educators of the entire world. I hope that you will take this as good advice.

We are discussing joint programs with the UN and UNESCO. Over the course of the year, you will receive many books, films, and educational games from us. We will try to create a large children’s portal on the Internet, designed for gradual advancement, as well as a virtual community, which will enable the children to feel much more united than we are. The entire world will be at their disposal for them to unite around the world, armed with the method, knowledge, and education and to become people in the full sense of the word.
[40955]
From Lesson 6, WE! Convention 4/3/2011

Related Material:
Fathers and Sons: Who Lacks Understanding?
Children Of The World, Unite!
A College Degree At The Age Of Twelve

Filed under: Children, Conventions, Education - No Comments →

In spirituality, “reason” represents the Light of Hochma (Wisdom) clothed in a vessel. In compliance with this Light, we sense and understand the Creator. The key here is not in the actual Light of Hochma, but in the Light of Hassadim (Mercy) which receives it, meaning in the measure of bestowal of which we are capable. These two Lights conform and adjust to one another.

In our world, we receive directly into our desire a certain portion of the Light without clothing it, without being similar to the Creator. This is why we are extremely limited in our reason. Our reason doesn’t develop us because it doesn’t teach us what to do next in order to reveal the Creator.

In contrast, in the spiritual world, we receive the upper Light, the Creator’s revelation, in the vessels of bestowal. This means I reveal the Creator with complete understanding of who and what He is.

In our world, I can look at a person and see a wall. To me he’s “impenetrable”; I don’t understand his language, don’t know his qualities or his thoughts. He’s concealed from me. But in the spiritual world, our contact means unification. I generate within the quality of bestowal, which is then clothed by the Light, and thereby I understand him. That is, I understand someone other than myself. My desire assumes his form, his structure. And the same process applies to everyone.

I have this raw, formless desire to receive which pertains to Malchut of Infinity. And through love and bestowal, I build in this desire various models to assume the forms of all souls existing outside of me. I create within, a space to construct a “set” of souls, and thereby I include everyone within me.

But this is only possible on the condition that I allocate within my desire a place for every soul, picturing where each should go. How can I know such a thing? Simply, to the extent that I bestow, I allow others to enter inside.

The resulting picture is very similar to the logo of the upcoming Moscow convention. A circle is my whole desire, and within it I allocate a segment for every friend. Gradually the circle is filled with souls, and in so doing, I return my own soul to myself. Indeed, presently it exists as if outside of me, but everything that I perceive as existing outside is my soul.

It follows that the quality of bestowal that I generate is merely a means, a condition that allows my soul to be returned within me.
[41704]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/28/2011, “The Acting Mind”

Related Material:
The Creator’s Acting Mind
Everyone Is Within Me And I Am Within Everyone
Where’s The Switch To Turn On The Light?

Filed under: Conventions, Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Inner Work - No Comments →

Question: What are our plans regarding the education of Palestinian children?

Answer: We have students from Arabic countries and other Muslim regions. I do not see any difference between them and all the others. We have students from the Palestinian Authority, Iran; during the lessons, we receive questions from people from Syria and other places. One of the international meetings about educational issues within the UNESCO framework was organized by a Saudi prince, and we received a personal invitation from him.

Education is a world problem, and through it, we can establish connections over countries and differences. Of course, there is the question of religion, and this will remain a source of deep separation between people until, in the words of  Baal HaSulam, we establish a single religion, that of love and bestowal.

Baal HaSulam writes in his article “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose” that there is no other religion besides love. Everything else is customs that people have accepted. Let us hope that the different crises together with our dissemination will make the world understand that they need to rise above the differences.

The education that we are developing is common for everyone, it does not have any specificity. So I think that as soon as our Arabic brothers will want to accept it and will be ready for it, there will be a method waiting for them: We are preparing it in Arabic as well.

Moreover, since the times of Abraham, Islam has a movement called Sufism. I have met its representatives many times. Naturally, they understand what it is we are talking about, and we can work with them to disseminate the new method of education.

The problem is that radical Islamic circles do not recognize them: Sufis have been exiled from Arabic countries and live in the US and in England. I hope that this position will change because nature prevails regardless. We must go through these stages—The Zohar describes this particular course of development. Soon the transition period will be over, and people will feel that they exist in a global world.
[41081]
From Lesson 6, WE! Convention 4/3/2011

Related Material:
Children Of The World, Unite!
Magical Circles In Pedagogy
Participation Of All Is The Key To Success

Filed under: Children, Conventions, Education, Q&A - No Comments →