Our forefathers lived ages ago, but those who are most important for us are our relatives: our grandfather, grandmother, father, and mother. Our mother and father are undoubtedly the most important since it is through them that we connect to all the generations that preceded them.

This refers both to our corporeal parents and to our spiritual parents. This is also how we connect to our upper father and mother (AVI), our spiritual parents, in order to receive the power, the Light, through them. All our work is in subduing ourselves before them.

Everything depends on the extent to which we can take an example from them and our wanting to be like them, to learn from them, and to subdue ourselves before their greatness. Our ego is intentionally meant for us to criticize them, and our work is to ascend above this criticism, although we disagree.

It is natural to disagree with our father and mother because we are on a lower level, but when we ascend above all the doubts, the questions, the difficulties, and the disagreements with the upper level, it is thanks to this that we ascend.

First, we totally nullify ourselves and incorporate in the upper like an embryo. Then, we move to the phase of Yenika (suckling) and Mochin (mind) and become more independent. All these levels are based on self-annulment, the restrictions of the ego, the acquisition of a Masach (screen), and on working above the criticism that is invoked in us toward the upper.

Therefore, the role of the nation is to annul themselves before the sages, the Kabbalists, to listen to them and serve them in any way possible. We actually must use the Kabbalist’s reason and listen to his advice when he tells us which steps we must take in order to advance spiritually.

This is also how we should act with regard to the world. Israel is called Li Rosh (I have a head), and so those who are on the level of Israel and attain spirituality must fulfill their role with regard to others. We either belong to Yashar El (straight to the Creator), and thus guide others, or to the nation, and then we subdue ourselves with regard to this guidance and follow it.

This refers especially to our nation when we try to reach a state in which everything that is written in the Torah is actually taking place in practice. We are the first generation that is trying, that is making an effort, to fulfill the Torah as well as to set an example for others, which means to reach a connection that is equal to the form of the upper, to the Creator’s form.

Thus, we establish relationships in the group and outside the group, among the nation and outside the nation. Thus, everything is organized in levels, in the shape of a pyramid, and the one below who subdues himself more than others, ascends higher than others.

Now, he is below since he has a Reshimo (reminiscence) from the big Masach that he once had and which he fulfilled it in order to bestow. Now that the Masach is shattered, he fell to the lowest level.

If he annuls himself, his ego, rises above it, and each time attributes himself to a level that is higher than he is, he will reach the top of the pyramid. Thus, the whole pyramid becomes a circle, and we return to the state of Ein Sof (Infinity), of one vessel and one Light.

During the time of the corrections, the time of the work, we have no other choice but to subdue ourselves before the upper. Everyone should understand who his upper is and from whom he receives the method, the Torah, the guidance along the way. Then, all the corrections will become the same, which means that they all form a circle.
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From the Preparation for the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/23/14

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Now everyone is equal, there are no exceptional people in the group and it may remain that way in contrast to all the previous generations since eventually we have to reach a certain Assembly of Kabbalists (“Sanhedrin,” a spiritual guidance).

Although there were differences among the Sanhedrin, we can imagine what hasn’t been fulfilled yet, but we can’t know anything in advance.

We have to act where we are now, find out what our role is and fulfill it. We shouldn’t worry about what may happen in the future. We shouldn’t ask about the future because that would be for our own benefit as our desire to receive is involved.

But with regard to the teacher, you must annul yourself when it comes to spiritual matters, as if you don’t exist. Otherwise, you will not be able to advance. Our advancement is only by annulling ourselves before the upper, so you have no other choice.

It says: “A blow from the elderly facilitates building, while building by the young leads to destruction.” Even if you think that the teacher is wrong, it makes no difference. Let him be wrong, and later you will see how the Creator turns this the other way around so that this mistake becomes a benefit.

There are states in which you have to accept everything that the teacher says without any doubt, to annul yourself, and follow his advice without clarifying why it is so and without wanting any proof. This is a small level of faith.

On a higher level of faith you’ll want to hear explanations as to why the teacher advises you to do certain things; you’ll criticize and see how much you object to a decision because you think differently, but yet you’ll still do it. You should fulfill it as if you have no complaints; you agree with him, and are totally adhered to him. Then you will be adhered to the teacher with entire your ego, especially if before you were against him.

But this is only true for great people. You should always listen to your ego until you can completely adhere to the teacher. It may be only minimal participation when you listen to what you have to do and do it. Perhaps you can invoke your own criticism, see how much you are against it, and still adhere to his opinion more and more. Thus, you grow inside the teacher like an embryo.

The more you annul your ego by fulfilling everything that the teacher wants while you are in complete disagreement, the more you turn yourself upside down like an embryo before leaving its mother’s womb. This is how you are born.

After your birth there is even greater work with more serious doubts and problems. They are typical of the state of smallness, the period of childhood, the wrath of childhood, the different Dinim, and it is always directed towards the upper. All our work is in annulling ourselves before the upper.
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From the Preparation for the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/23/14

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Question: If everyone has a spiritual mother and father (AVI) through which he receives the power of the Light, who is the teacher who conveys the method to the student?

Answer: The spiritual father and mother are the upper system with which you have to work. Later you will learn what it is, that it is a level that is higher than you.

You will learn how to connect to your spiritual teacher, what level he is on, and how he equates himself and incorporates in the general vessel that you are part of and with the upper Partzuf that is above you. You will discover all this.

We don’t yet see the spiritual hierarchy according to which we are built, and therefore all the students are equal. There are no differences between them. In our current state I don’t see any differences between their souls and cannot see anyone who is higher or anyone who is lower.

There are people who are not mature enough yet in order to advance to spirituality and so they drop out and leave the group. They come for a short while and then leave. But at the moment, I don’t see, among the students who stay, any souls that are closer to correction than others.

Everyone has to make an effort and then he will understand his role better. At the moment we are only getting close to the right effort that is focused on the connection between us. If a person dedicates his soul in order to connect to others in a circle, he actually fulfills himself. Then according to his fulfillment, we may be able to see that the root of his soul is higher.

But this refers only to those who really are “love sick” with regard to the friends.
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From the Preparation for the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/23/14

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The Rabash, Shlavei HaSulam (Rungs of the Ladder) (1987/88), Article 27, “What is, The Creator will not Tolerate the Proud, in the Work”: … Hence, when one prays, he acts as a “representative of the collective” because he is praying for the entire assembly of Israel, of which he is a part, and for this reason one offers a special prayer, namely requesting the Creator to give him help from above, in order to know his true deficiency, and precisely according to this, one prays for help.

Often, we stand on the path of the correction of the soul, not knowing what to do. Something happens to us, but what it is, is unclear. For example, we do not understand how to address the wide audience, how to take care of it.

From time from time, it will appear more distinct. We do not know what exactly to ask, what exactly we lack. This problem occurs constantly and we must get used to it.

In general, our Reshimot aimed at the purpose of creation, albeit broken, are directed toward correction. And it would seem once this Reshimo has been manifested in me, what more is there? It remains only to awaken, ask for the desire, and receive the Light that Reforms.

However, it is difficult to discern exactly what I am missing. Therefore, a person raises the “prayer before the prayer,” and this request is not verified yet, as much as our work with the masses is not verified. In this case, it is important to establish the primary connection, like an annoying child who in principle does not need anything but wants attention. Something similar happens between adults; it is a matter of communication or its renewal.

It is customary to behave with the Creator in the same way. Honestly, it is not important what question I ask Him. The very address helps me take the right direction. I want connection. I want His attention, I ask Him to look at me, and only then do I raise the true request.

The initial prayer does not even have to come from the heart. Let’s say that I open a prayer book, and reading the text, I tune in a bit to the desired wave. Then, the true desire is revealed to me from Above.

Why is this desire considered true if I have not experienced it before? It is because the Reshimot that remained after the breaking of the soul are revealed to me.

Thus, writes Rabash, the prayer that a man raises for what seems missing to him is just a wonderful means, due to which the Creator sends him from Above the answer for the knowledge of what he really lacks. This is what a person really asks the Creator about.

This happens because it is very difficult for us to find and extract the true Reshimot remaining from the breaking of the soul. They appear as a sequence on the path from here to the end of correction, and the main thing is to ask, to demand, so that the correct desire is revealed to me.

It is said about this, “Let them understand what they say; answer what they ask.” In other words, put the right prayer into their mouths.

Thus, the true prayer is revealed from Above. When a person comes to this in his mind and heart, when he merges with this desire, then he reaches this miraculous means, the prayer that precedes the prayer. He prays from the bottom of his heart, not yet knowing what he will ask later.

This state is called a “messenger of society.” A person prays for the whole community of Israel, in which he is included.
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From the Preparation for the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/20/14

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Question: If it is necessary to apply the spiritual law of Arvut (mutual guarantee) twenty-four hours per day, why were we given this entire world with all of these concerns—work, family, and children—that take up 95% of our time?

Answer: Everything is arranged such that, from all these conditions, you will reach the realization of the goal. If it takes 95% of the time, then 5% of the time is probably enough for spiritual work.

Ninety-five percent (95%) of the time you must work in the material world, and 5% is left to you for inner work and dissemination. This means that you are under conditions where the Creator says, “I will take upon myself 95% of your spiritual work!” Instead, you go to work, the market, the bank, the family, and so forth, and all that comprises this 95% of your time will be considered as if you were engaged in spiritual work.

However, during the 5%, you must be involved with spiritual work with all your might. If you do that, then 100% of your life will be dedicated to attaining the spiritual goal and correction.
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From the 5^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/13/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Halevi Epstein, Maor va Shemesh (Light and Sun), Chapter “VaYakhel” (And He Assembled): There is a great advantage in the connection of simple people to the righteous of the generation since simple people don’t have the heart to understand how to really worship the Creator and how to do everything clearly so that their actions will illuminate for the Creator.

It is only by connecting the righteous of the generation and by spurring their hearts with enthusiasm by the righteous’ holy words that they can understand how to really worship the Creator.

By connecting to the righteous of the generation whose work is clear and illuminating in all the worlds, it also illuminates the souls of Israel who will leave all their doings and also raise a scent of incense to the Creator.

The nature of the Light and the vessel, the created being that was created by the Light, is a circle in which at first there is no difference between all its parts, but if we speak about correction, we can see a hierarchy there.

The first restriction is made equally on all sides around the central point, but then by working with the Masach (screen) of the created being himself who wants to resemble the Light, the circle cannot remain anymore because on every level of Aviut (thickness) of the desire—the root level, levels one, two, three, and four—the created being tries to resemble the Light each time. Thus, we reach a form of a square as the corners of the square stem from the attributes of phase one, two, three, and four.

After the restriction, when it is impossible to work with Malchut itself anymore, but only with Malchut that is sweetened in Bina, the square becomes a triangle, and a Star of David is formed from these two triangles, the lower and the upper.

This is how the hierarchy of attaining the upper is created on the part of the lower, and thus the difference between the souls is created. It is because before the shattering, the souls are on different level of Aviut, and he who is greater than his friend, his desire is even greater, but he is greater since he has a Masach.

However, after the shattering and the loss of the Masach, those who had a greater ego fell lower than the others, from the high mountain to the bottom of the abyss. This is how the hierarchy of the correction is determined, from the lightest to the most serious. So there the levels of the patriarchs, the sons, the sages, the prophets, the kings, and the Kabbalists, and so forth, from the time of the second Temple until our time appears.

The corrections are derived and continue in a chain from the purest desire to the coarsest, and so the Light is conveyed from the top down, which means according to the purity of the vessels that are attained by the size of the Masach. First of all, it depends on the Reshimot (reminiscences) that are left in the shattered vessel. They actually determine when it is a person’s time to be corrected.

It isn’t up to a person who can only participate in the correction of the Reshimot by organizing the right environment. From the time of Moses until the receiving of the Torah, we constantly are drawn to the high souls that are before us, trying to adhere to them. It is because through them, we receive the Light from above, and, through them, we raise our prayer, MAN, and thus correct ourselves.
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From the Preparation for the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/23/14

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Rabash, Letter 24: You know what Baal HaSulam said, that from the relationship between man and man one learns how to behave in the relationship between man and the Creator. This is so because the Upper Light is in complete rest, and it is necessary to always evoke the love, “Until the love of our wedding pleases.”

That is, it is shown to you from above that you have to keep awakening the love of the Creator in this way and that you must always stand guard, all day and all night, when you feel a state of day or feel a state of night.

It follows that you must evoke the heart of the friends until the flame rises by itself. By that, you will be rewarded with awakening the love of the Creator upon us.

It is known that in analog systems, all of their parts are absolutely linked with each other, as in the human body where the life of every cell depends upon the cells around it. This cell lives solely and only thanks to the sustenance that it gets from outside.

So a person cannot live alone either. If he throws himself into a forest and wants to live like a hermit detached from the whole world, he shouldn’t complain later that he cannot satisfy all of his needs. After all, we get everything required for life from the environment.

From the Shevirat HaKelim (shattering of the vessels) we see even more clearly how much each one of us is not personally ready to attract and receive any illumination, neither from the Light that Reforms, nor from the Light of fulfillment of a person who is already corrected. For all correction is in connection with others.

After this, connection is realized and exists to a particular degree, then it is possible to speak about fulfillment. So the only thing that we require is to be concerned about connection. This is because the inclination to connect is an inclination towards the Creator who is revealed within the connection.

Everyone must awaken the heart of the friend, provide him with an example of how he can himself be awakened and can yearn for the friends. It is necessary to awaken and ignite envy in each other’s heart, an inclination towards respect, and to use all means that will influence a person so that somehow he will push him forward towards connection.

We need to see our lives as a sequence of moments that come from the Creator to show us new observations all the time by placing us into new situations where we awaken our environment. For we have no other work besides awakening our environment with the goal of discovering the Creator within our mutual connection.

Serving the Creator becomes more and more concrete and concentrated in a very limited area. So Rabash writes that “all day and all night,” meaning in both of these situations, the good feelings and the bad feelings, we must understand that the Creator is giving us an opportunity at every moment to awaken the friends to mutual connection between us.

Only according to the manner in which I awaken the environment does the environment awaken me. I have no power to connect with the friends myself and I have no desire to ask for it. I get it only to the degree that I awaken them to connection. All of our work begins from this.

I cannot turn to the Creator by myself, I cannot yearn for connection, and I cannot yearn for correction. This is possible only through my awakening the others. Certainly, we first work on this within our inner circle. But we go out to external dissemination with the goal of awakening people so that they will also begin to move towards that point of connection.

To the degree that each one of us succeeds in awakening the friends, his inner circle, and the whole world, which is the outer circle, to this degree he will himself receive a desire to connect with them and will reach a place where the Creator is revealed.
[138163]
From the preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/24/14

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From Rabash’s Article “A Blessing Does Not Dwell in Things That Can Be Counted”: It is essential to know and believe that everything is given to us by the Creator: a vessel, desire, an aspiration to bestow, and the Light, the force that one receives to act for the sake of bestowal.

However, before anything else, one has to act. In other words, before acting, one should tell himself: “Nobody will help me except myself.” After that, one has to say: “If the Creator doesn’t build a house, all exertions of those who are building it are useless.”

The main job is to make the correct efforts, i.e., preparing one’s need of the Light that Reforms (our half-coin or the six weekdays before the completion of the work.) They are all about the ascents and descents, since only by going through ups and downs can one make clarifications.

The strength of the vessel is measured by the difference between the descents and ascents. We are obligated to do our best while being in both states: descents and ascents. We cannot run away or hide from the descents. Both these states are essential and desirable. All we can do is just try to convert descents into ascents, rather than waiting for mercy from heaven to do it for us.

If one is directed correctly, one starts shaping a vessel and builds one common desire together with one’s friends, a desire to reveal the Creator for the sake of pleasing Him, i.e., discovering that the Creator rejoices in our efforts.

We can exert in all sorts of states, during the ascents and descents and variations thereof. That’s why one should always say: “Nobody can help me except myself,” since each of the states consists of sensing and reason. Our job is clarifying both of them through our connection with others and attaining one common property, the Light that has to be revealed.

These efforts will make a basis for our next step. At each level, there is a division into “Nobody will help me except myself” and “There is none else besides Him,”  and we must try to connect both principles and make it one, as it is said: “The Angel kills and revives, and brings salvation.” Our impressions collect together, adhere to a particular step, and in the end, salvation comes.

Every single time we decipher the same words and properties at a higher level with a deeper understanding. This process makes our explanation of the words “salvation,” “kill,” and “revive” more internal. All these concepts climb the spiritual ladder and go from the state of receiving to the level of bestowal.

With the help of downfalls that are called “death in the work” and recoveries that are called “ascents,” we cultivate our future salvation, i.e., we approach perfection.
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From the Preparation for the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/3/14

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Question: Baal HaSulam wrote in the newspaper The Nation about the threat of the Holocaust almost eighty years ago. Is our situation today better than it was then, or does it only seem that way to us since hatred and anti-Semitism have just kept going and growing everywhere?

Answer: The situation today is much worse than what it was before the Second World War. This is because the threatening situation that is being created today is everywhere and not just for one nation and some of its allies.

This was a small area in relation to the entire world, and the Jews could rely on the help of other people and nations. Today, there is nobody and nothing to rely upon. Even the United Nations, which is the representative of all the nations, is against Israel. So, we have nowhere to flee.

Besides this, the situation today is much worse than before because it was founded on and has grown on the basis of a general breakdown, the global crisis, in everything and in all aspects. Humanity is going to lose all rational direction and lose everything. When it finds itself in such a bad state, it will blame the Jews for all of its problems and failures. We hear about these accusations from everyone because the crisis is global.

This is such a terrible situation that in comparison Hitler will seem like a little child playing pranks in his backyard. The present Holocaust could spread around the entire globe.

Question: We see that many European nations who supported us before are now united with our enemies, and so we need to mobilize all of our forces, and it could be that we are doing this, but I don’t see true understanding among the public. Everyone is more concerned about money and property, and doesn’t want to hear us that much. How do we awaken people and explain that the situation today is similar to the situation that existed before the Holocaust?

Answer: Try to bring this to people. Baal HaSulam didn’t succeed, but we must succeed in doing this. He did everything possible, and he published a newspaper when everyone was afraid of saying a word. The haters broke his windows with stones many times.

We are facing dissemination operations that are broad and powerful in scope, but we must prepare ourselves for them by searching and finding points of contact with people and influential points both in Israel and the entire world. We are succeeding every day in making our explanations more accessible. It might also be worthwhile for us to publish a newspaper and distribute it both on the street and on the Internet.

It is necessary to try to do everything possible. I am looking at the future optimistically. I see the great rate with which we now have begun dissemination. The main thing is not to reduce the rate or pressure and to organize workshops in circles and  roundtables. Then we surely will succeed and can advance people towards the goal of creation more rapidly than the troubles that come at us and overtake us from behind.

If we advance even more rapidly, then these troubles will become helpful and will serve us as a support. In the beginning, we only run away from them, and after that, we completely turn them around. We yearn for a state of “bestowal for the sake of bestowal,” and after that, a state of “reception for the sake of bestowal,” and then we use the troubles and problems for our own good.
[137920]
From the 5^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/20/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Baal HaSulam, The Nation: It is also clear that such an enormous effort, a solid and steel-hard unity is required, from all parts of the nation, without exception. If we do not come out with united ranks toward the mighty forces that are standing on our way to harm us, we will find that our hope is doomed in advance.

Baal HaSulam says that the Israeli nation must connect above all the differences. We were connected in the past and we must reach the same connection and unity now. By that, we overcome all the interferences and leap over everything, thus bringing ourselves and the entire world to the inevitable  correction.

If we don’t, a whip will appear that will force us to reach correction, but that will be along the path of suffering, the path of “in its time.”

Question: The problem is that the nation doesn’t have a real need for connection. People admit that we are approaching the public prematurely.

Answer: Does that mean that we must wait until the troubles and the afflictions increase? Will we be able to speak about unity only when things get worse?

But wise men can see what is being born in the world. We still can put on the right glasses, or bring our eyes to binoculars or even a telescope, or look through a microscope in order to identify lethal bacteria before they kill us.

This is what we do in science or in medicine. In every area, we try to identify the illness before it breaks out, and weed it out. This is what wise people do.

Why should we wait until people feel bad and look for changes? We must intensify our educational measures and dissemination actions now. When people feel so threatened by the buds of evil, they will feel compelled to connect. What we see as minor evil, they see as great evil and great troubles.

However, here too, we must be cautious. Scaring people isn’t our way, although it is very efficient. Doctors usually use this method, as do green organizations that scare us by speaking about ecological disasters that are coming.

We must operate differently. We shouldn’t use the method of scaring people but simply show them what they immediately gain when they connect.
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From the 5^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/22/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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