In the process of human development, each new state initially is perceived as good and desirable and we are pleased to enter into it. But then, gradually shortcomings existing within it are revealed and it ceases to please us. Over time, it gets worse and worse until it ends in a revolution, a struggle to move to the next stage.

We are now in this transition period. We need to make an audit of our entire previous development on the still, vegetative, and animate degrees, subject it to critical analysis and a general check to see that all this development did not work in our favor.

It was just the evolution of our egoism that made us continuously improve our material life and build systems that were able to fulfill it more and more. But it never made us happy because in the end, egoism always devoured all the fruits of our efforts, once again leaving us with nothing and an even greater sense of inner emptiness.

Having received a hundred, it is not content and wants two hundred, having received two hundred, it wants four hundred. It is a natural tendency and we will never be able to limit our egoistic appetite. It all ends when a person dies without satisfying even half of his aspirations. He never gets what he coveted, even at the end of his life.

Humanity must reveal the insignificance of its egoistic development. First of all, we need to clarify that this development was required and that we now have the opportunity to get out of the material plane and develop in a completely different direction of reality. We must move upward to a new dimension and into the matrix that is not related to this world.

To do this, we need to change our tendencies. Instead of constant absorption, which is characteristic of our egoistic nature that begins with cells and atoms and seeks only to absorb more good things, it is necessary to go directly opposite in order to feel the whole universe that is related to us.

Each of us must feel that all the others are part of us. Thus, we will feel that the whole world is one integral system. In our time, the world began to move toward such a form, but in a negative manner, showing us our inability to exist in an integral system.

We see that we are unable to succeed in the economy, in the education of children, or in any other area of life. After all, we ourselves are structured completely opposite to this integral system and everyone just grabs and pulls towards themselves.

Nature presents us with a new reality. The cause of the current crisis in human society is hidden within it. We remain in our original egoistic nature, but the total integral system is beginning to unfold before us in which everyone is connected to everyone else.

This system cannot work in an environment where everyone grabs only for himself. On the contrary, in order for this system to exist so that can we exist within it, we have to feel it as part of ourselves.

So today we need the wisdom of Kabbalah, which will reveal this upper system, the force of bestowal to us. It will explain its nature and how to work with it. Whether we wish it or not, the train of evolution is carrying us forward and bringing us to a new station. We find ourselves in a completely new condition and suddenly discover that all the previous methods no longer work.

All the capitalistic laws, under which everyone pulled everything towards himself and everyone felt comfortable, do not work. We thought we could continue like that forever, but this does not work because the force of bestowal began to work in our world. And if we are not equipped with it, if are not able to understand and feel it, to learn and begin to work with this second force, then with every moment we will lose control over what is happening and suffer more and more setbacks in our lives.

Therefore, we must study the wisdom of Kabbalah that explains all of reality “that has emerged in the worlds and those that are destined to be revealed, and in all the manners that can ever appear in the worlds, to the end of time,” as Baal HaSulam writes.

There is a science, a technique, by which we can move forward on the basis of our real experiences and sensations. As it is said that the judge has only the facts that are before his eyes and that the phenomenon that has not been comprehended is impossible to describe.

In our hands are the real tools for understanding reality. We have never had such an opportunity to see our future with confidence. Our present lives are arranged so that no one can know what the next moment brings him. The wisdom of Kabbalah gives us the opportunity not only to learn this, but also to control our own destiny. Today’s reality obliges us to do so.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/12/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Workshop

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Writings of Rabash, Letter 43  

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The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts

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Talmud Eser Sefirot Vol. 6, Part 16, Item 62

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Writings of Rabash, Letter 53  

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From Baal HaSulam, “The Teaching of Kabbalah and Its Essence”: What is the wisdom of Kabbalah? As a whole, the wisdom of Kabbalah concerns the revelation of Godliness, arranged on its path in all its aspects—those that have emerged in the worlds and those that are destined to be revealed, and in all the manners that can ever appear in the worlds, to the end of time.

There are many definitions for the wisdom of Kabbalah, but they all come down to the fact that it teaches a person how to reveal the upper force, the one force of nature. It is called one because it includes all the other forces of nature within it. It is the general force that includes all of nature together with everything that exists within it.

The wisdom of Kabbalah reveals the general system to a person, the general force in all the different manners and influences that it has on what is under its control.

We must distinguish between the part of the force that belongs to us that we can reveal, and the part that doesn’t belong to us. We don’t even know what else is going on in another reality that isn’t ours.

This means that the wisdom of Kabbalah is a practical wisdom like physics, chemistry and all the natural sciences, and it can therefore help us discover only what is accessible to us. We cannot imagine, or call by name, a reality that we cannot feel.

We can understand the fact that the upper force also exists externally to us and that we cannot feel it using our senses. But our attainment is only what is and can be dressed in our vessels, in our senses.

The wisdom of Kabbalah develops new senses within us in addition to the five corporeal senses we were born with: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. We can call these five senses animate, since they belong to the animate level in which our physical body exists.

But we can also develop new senses in addition to them, which are called: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin, and Malchut. These senses don’t work in the form of receiving and absorbing, but in the form of giving.

The force of bestowal doesn’t belong to us at all and we cannot perceive it, but we can develop in us such an attribute to receive it from above. It is then we will have a second force, a force of bestowal in addition to the force of receiving.

The force of bestowal is actually the upper force. We acquire this upper force of bestowal from the Creator and are then given the ability to work with two forces. We can resemble the Creator by using the force of bestowal, and then we can understand, feel, and begin to discover reality in the attribute of bestowal. This is the goal of the wisdom of Kabbalah.

We then rise above the still, vegetative, and animate levels in which we have developed in this world and transcend to a new level that is called the next world. We begin to perceive the new reality of the next world in the attribute of bestowal to the extent that we acquire it.

This opportunity is given to people who are attracted to it. Eventually, all of humanity has to reach this state, which is called “you shall see your world during your lifetime.” Then a person will be able to perceive and feel, in his senses, everything that happens in the whole reality.

This is the reason that Baal HaSulam says that “as a whole, the wisdom of Kabbalah concerns the revelation of Godliness,” the upper force of bestowal which sustains all of nature, “arranged on its path in all its aspects—those that have emerged in the worlds and those that are destined to be revealed, and in all the manners that can ever appear in the worlds, to the end of time.”

Therefore anyone who receives just a touch and an attraction to such a revelation can reveal all of reality in every way and by every possible means, above time, motion, place, and above all the limitations. It is because the force of bestowal is limitless.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/12/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Shamati #175 “And If the Way Be Too Long for Thee”

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The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts, “Bereshit,” “He Carved a Carving in the Upper Light,” Item 2  

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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 6, Part 16, Item 62

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” “The Corporeal Terms and Physical Names in Books of Kabbalah”

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Question: How do we need to perceive Talmud Eser Sefirot, reading about some phenomenon, concepts, names of Partzufim of worlds?

Answer: Talmud Eser Sefirot describes the system that takes care and manages us from the world of Ein Sof. In the world of Ein Sof is the whole plan of creation from beginning to the end, and the system of the worlds divides it into stages, to the following order of actions through which we grow.

Question: How does it acts on us, how it cleans us so we will be more connected to the group?

Answer: The upper system works on us on the condition that you agree that it works on you in order to bring you to unity with the Creator, meaning you choose the path of Torah, the path of Light, or the path of suffering, one of the two.

But in this system there are not two paths; there is only a sequence of forces that act in an accurate, determined form from the beginning of correction until the end of correction. It all depends on how you receive the influence of these Lights that come to you through all the Partzufim.

The system of the worlds bestows on the creatures in a clear organized manner. But the creatures can receive this bestowal in a correct form and progress in a nice and quick way, and by that bring contentment to the Creator, and if not, they find themselves in the path of suffering. The system always displays orders that are obliged to come from within it.

Question: What does it mean to receive this bestowal in a correct form?

Answer: In a correct form, is for connection. After all we need to connect our general vessel that will skip over the breakage and will take all this breakage inside. At first there was only one desire; later the Light came and divided it to two, by entering between us. Now, between our desires there is Light or the Creator, but with a minus, in a negative form

There is one creature, and there is another creature, and between them the Creator in a negative form, meaning Pharaoh, Light with the sign minus. And we need to reverse it to plus, all the while recognizing and determining in each action that is revealed that there is none else besides Him and He is the good that does good.

Between you and me a big “minus” is revealed and we reverse it to ”plus,” reverse the darkness to light. Finally, between us, in this whole system, the Light becomes revealed. And this means that we clothe in the Creator, that we are in adhesion with Him.

The main thing is not to forget, that all the evil is simply the Creator that is revealed in an inverted form. By the breakage, the Light entered inside the vessel, and if now we will reverse it from evil to good, then we will reach the adhesion of the Light and vessel, about this it is said: “He and His name are one.”
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/8/14, The Study of the Ten Sefirot

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Writings of Rabash “Shlavei HaSulam,“ “The Importance of a Prayer of Many”

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The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts, “Bereshit,” “He Carved a Carving in the Upper Light,” Item 1  

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “Introduction to the Preface of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” “The Actuality of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”

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Rabash Letter No. 57: “I did not tell you this truth but in order that you will not leave and not despair from mercy. And although you don’t see anything, even at time that the measure of efforts is complete, this is the time of prayer.”

Question: Is prayer a part of the effort or does it come separately?

Answer: Prayer is the result of all efforts. When you give a complete effort and the measure is complete, then the prayer is born. You need to do all that is in your hands and strength, and after that you will understand that only the Creator is able to implement His plan. And then you will turn to Him!

Question: What does it mean, to finish your measurement of effort?

Answer: It means to finish all kinds of attempts to connect with friends in order to bestow to the Creator. And you despair from truly not attaining the real quality of bestowal, and then you burst with a prayer.

In the beginning you just hear that it is good to come to bestowal, but you need to come to a state that you want to be the one that bestows; you beg for bestowal, as if you can’t live without it.

You can’t measure your vessel, and judging by the fact that is is empty, you decide you have finished your measurement of effort. From a state that is forced on you bursts a prayer, for which you immediately receive an answer, then the change happens. According to these changes you understand that you finished the measure of effort.

The prayer comes after man checks himself and sees that it is impossible to change something by himself; rather, everything is in the hands of the Creator. And this brings him to adhesion with the Creator.

You are not required to create this prayer artificially. But naturally from inside of you will burst your cry, which will be your prayer. Prayer is the work of the heart.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/26/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Question: People are different, so how can they influence different processes in nature together with other people?

Answer: Everything depends on the level of bestowal. If we speak about the levels in nature of the still, vegetative, and animate, humanity is destroying and corrupting the environment and causing great harm to the ecology. At the same time, however, the upper providence is arranged so that it enables a person to gradually learn from his actions until he understands because everything exists and operates for a purpose. Even though we should have already disappeared from the surface of the earth because of our corruptions, nature is still arranged from above in a way that it can bear us and allow us to continue until we learn and grow wiser and gradually realize, according to our human nature, that we have to change.

Question: Won’t humanity reach the recognition and the revelation as to how the world is arranged and how the different forces operating in it are arranged up until the very last moment of its evolution? Is it our eternal fate to live in such a mess, wars and outbursts of desires?

Answer: There is no mess and no coincidence. We are in a very accurate, rigid, and deterministic system. Everything is arranged in a clear and accurate manner without any defects or flaws.

There are no concepts such as “as if,” “suddenly,” or “approximately,” etc. The more we learn about nature according to different sciences, the more clearly the very accurate unchangeable laws are revealed to us. We divide and classify our knowledge in different fields, but, in fact, there are no different sciences like chemistry, physics, etc, in the world around us.

It is only the unknown areas that have not been explored and studied as yet by which we can attempt to clarify things, but it is merely our perception that stems from ignorance. We simply cannot perceive the whole general picture.

Still, if we delve deeper into this issue, we see that nothing in creation happens for no reason, suddenly, as if, or approximately. It is on our part that we see things that way as “one judges according to his own flaws.” If our mind could grasp and penetrate the depths of nature, we could see a magnificent system in which everything exists in perfection. We could actually see what Godliness is and that everything is related to everything on all levels from the top down. The natures of the still, vegetative, animate, and human beings are one in their spiritual and corporeal revelation, and by one movement of my arm, I can move and operate all the worlds. This is how it is all built. There is no event that can remain unfelt and not affect the whole system.

Question: Why can’t humanity reach this level of evolution and see this picture?

Answer: We cannot do that in our egoistic mind and our egoistic feelings. We can only perceive the whole picture if we acquire the attribute of bestowal, the second and altruistic force.

Therefore, we study only on the levels of the still, vegetative, and animate and only on an elementary level, which is not bestowal and reception.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/7/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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The shattering was on purpose, in order to allow us to prepare our soul for the revelation of the Upper Light within it. When we try to correct the shattering and establish relationships of love and mutual bestowal among us, we discover that we cannot do so.

It is good that we cannot do so by ourselves since then we yearn for the Light, for the force of bestowal, that should help us. We want that force to appear among us and enable us to connect into one network of mutual bestowal.

I draw the Light to the extent that I want to bestow unto others and to love them. When the Light appears, I feel the connection with the friends and I begin to see and to feel them thanks to the influence of the Light. The Light puts us through different states with different connections, and I can thus see and learn how our collective vessel begins to connect and how all its parts are integrated correctly by the Light.

I don’t actually see the Light, but I feel its actions which help me connect with the friends. I see what is going on in the network of the connections that are revealed between us, and thus I study the actions of the Light and begin to understand and to feel it. It is said: “From Your actions we will know You.”

Thus, the network of connections between us is gradually built to the extent that I need it. The friends help me yearn for it, I exert myself and so we draw the Light and build this network.

Inside the network we discover the Upper Light and how it formats us, which means that we attain it according to its actions. But this isn’t enough either, because we have to rise from the love of the created beings to the love of the Creator. Once we reach the love of friends, we rise to a higher level by our desire to be equal to the force that operates in the network of connections between us.

This means that we don’t want to resemble the actual connection between us on the first floor, but the force that operates inside it, which is called the second floor.

This is how three levels are created. The first level is the ground floor, which is where we are during the period of preparation.

We ascend to the first floor when we reach the love of friends. It is only called love of friends, but in fact, these are my efforts to build the network of connections between us with all the complete ten Sefirot since all of creation is comprised of ten Sefirot. It is then that the Creator is revealed within this network.

We actually build Malchut, the Shechina, which is the place where the Creator can dwell and be revealed. Building such a place is called love of friends in the ordinary words of this world, but we should understand that it refers to the building of the spiritual vessels, to the network of connections.

Thanks to this, we actually reconstruct the network of connection, correct the shattering, and begin to understand the Creator’s actions. If the Creator hadn’t shattered this structure, we would never have been able to reveal it, but would have been angels who are in their natural attribute of bestowal.

But since we ask for the revelation of the Creator in order that He will connect us after the shattering and help us, we will thus know His actions and attain “the advantage of the Light in the darkness.” This is how we can imagine the vessel and the Light within it because they become two separate entities, like a body and the Light that fills it.

We shouldn’t think that the love of friends is redundant. Years go by before a person begins to understand the importance of the love of friends as a result of the influence of small portions of Light. We can increase the importance of that by our actions in front of one another. In fact, no one feels the real importance, which is great; in this way we reconstruct the shattered soul. Then we discover our adhesion to the Creator within it.

It is impossible to treat the Creator better than the friends! It is impossible to connect to Him, to bestow unto Him and to love Him more than connecting, bestowing unto and loving the friends. After all, everything is determined by the vessels.

Everyone should understand that eventually there is no choice but to annul before the group, to try to connect with everyone with all one’s heart and soul so that instead of feeling oneself, we will only feel everyone together as one whole.

It is because we want to hasten our development and to help ourselves reach the state in which we will finally begin to discover the spiritual space that we organize a convention of connection and gather in order to make a collective effort to connect.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/2/14, Writings of Rabash

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Teaching of Kabbalah and Its Essence”

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The Book of Zohar “Introduction,” “On the Night of the Bride,” Item 138 

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “Introduction to the Preface of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” “Abstract Names”

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