Question: How is it possible to integrate and connect these two opposites: on one hand, we are asking the Creator to be revealed, and on the other hand, we prefer to work in concealment?

Answer: I am interested in there being a concealment within which I will be able to discover the Creator. I accept this concealment as the correct condition, although I feel bad that I am helpless and at the point of exhaustion. My desire to receive doesn’t run after pleasures because it doesn’t feel them due to the concealment.

Essentially, what is the concealment? The concealment is the discovery of the Light of Hassadim. There is no empty place devoid of the Creator, there is discovery of His mercy, which I don’t understand and don’t want, and so I consider them as concealment, as darkness.

Around me everything is filled with Light, but I don’t feel it because this is the Light of bestowal. So instead of love, instead of a nice and good relationship, I discover and see the bad relationships, problematic pressures from all sides, enemies, haters, and informers.

This is all revealed because my desires are not corrected yet. This is mercy, but it is in concealment! If I correct myself, then I will see revealed mercy.

And until then, I don’t see any mercy and must believe above reason that the Creator is now sending me the means to discover Him. There is nothing worse than emptiness than a dead state. It doesn’t give me any possibility to awaken.

But the moment I begin to discover and feel that problems are appearing that press upon me from all sides, then this is already mercy. I only lack my own Light of Hassidim, its reflected Light, to discover this mercy of the Creator.

So there is nothing worse than when apathy dominates us and doesn’t let us do anything with it. This state is also given from Above to teach us that even the worst action is still preferable to all this indifference. We are not prepared to struggle with indifference.

All of our work is to see and to feel at every moment how we are awakened apparently through the negative things that we feel. But in spite of it all, we need to see the true Upper Light within the reflected Light that we create. We are in the Light of the Infinite, and the moment when the characteristic of bestowal is activated within us, all concealment dissipates immediately.
[134529]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/2/14, Writings of Rabash

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Question: What can we wish for the people of Israel on their Independence Day holiday?

Answer: I wish for the people of Israel to be independent. There is nothing more important to a person than a feeling of independence. Independence means that we have all of the necessities: power, knowledge, and means, everything we need, and we know how to use it and for what purpose. We are confident about the goal and how to attain it, meaning that we are independent in this as well.

All of this feeling, this collection of conditions, is called “independence.” Independence is not just a lack of external pressure and freedom from everything. Something like this cannot be, and the world is advancing to a state where none of us can be independent, all of us depend upon each other and hold each with a vice.

Being independent means that we know what we want to attain and how to attain it, and we have all the means for this. It is possible to wish this for the people of Israel. But to have all of this requires a higher wisdom.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/4/14, Talk on the Unification of the Nation

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Question: Why does it say that the last redemption will be different from the exodus from Egypt?

Answer: These are the same principles. There cannot be anything that is basically new because the laws of the Light and the desire do not change. But the last redemption will certainly be different from the exodus from Egypt.

We should compare the conditions we are living in now and those of the past. The vessel of the Israeli nation that went down to Egypt wasn’t shattered. It was small but whole. This is how it began to join Egypt and enter the desire to enjoy for one’s self without the shattering, but while keeping its intention to bestow. Therefore, it says that the children of Israel didn’t change their name, their language, or their customs.

This is the reason why their exit from Egypt wasn’t an exit from the shattering. The Light operated and revealed who is who, separating Moses from Pharaoh, the right line from the left line, the rod from the serpent.

The nation of Israel remained Israel even in exile, which means that the connection between them was maintained. They wanted to tighten it even more and then they found out that it didn’t work, but the connection itself remained.

After the destruction of the first and the second Temples, however, the nation of Israel was shattered and mixed with the nations of the world, which means with the real Egyptians to such an extent that now it is under the domination of Egypt, which controls every step they make, every thought, every desire, all their manner of life. They have totally dissolved among the nations of the world in Egypt and have become totally assimilated. The ten tribes are lost and no one knows who and where they are. Even they don’t know anything about themselves. This is our state today.

So the current exodus from Egypt will be totally different from the previous one. Then there was the nucleus. The Israeli nation was under the domination of Pharaoh, but they knew that they were enslaved. The nation was in exile, but they understood that it was exile.

If we tell the Jews today that they are in exile, they will not believe it. Today redemption is considered getting a new Mercedes or a higher salary. In the past they were on a level where they understood that they lack the power of bestowal. They lack this understanding today.

So today’s exodus from exile first requires the recognition of the exile and the establishment of the nation in it. When we are in Egypt, we begin to feel that we are in exile, under the domination of the ego that doesn’t let us connect, which is called Pharaoh. Thus we begin to establish the nation of Israel among us from our group.

Afterward we will have to start working with the public, explaining to them that we are in exile, that connection is a good thing, and that it will help us become a nation. The more we see ourselves as a nation, the more strongly we will feel how our ego dominates us and doesn’t let us be together. This work precedes the exodus from Egypt.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/27/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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The Book Of Zohar, “Pinchas” item 152: Israel, the Creator made them the heart of the world, and this is the way Israel are among the other nations, like a heart among the other organs. And just like the organs of the body cannot exist in the world even for a moment without the heart, the other nations also cannot exist in the world without Israel.

There are no differences in the world of Ein Sof (infinity). There everyone is equal since the upper Light has created everyone equally according to its nature.

Then there was the first restriction (Tzimtzum Aleph) one and the Light disappeared equally from all the borders of Malchut of Ein Sof, and concentrated around a middle point. That’s the way it actually was until the shattering of the vessels.

After the shattering, the vessels fell and were arranged from the top down, and since then, the vessels with the smallest Aviut (thickness) are on top.

In the world of Nikudim there were already ten Sefirot. Its upper part was Bina and the bottom part was Malchut. So the vessels of the root phase, phase one, and part of phase two are the vessels of bestowal (Israel) and the vessels of Aviut three and four are vessels of receiving (the nations of the world).

Thus the vessels of Bina are clarified first. Abraham started this process back in ancient Babylon. As the first point, the right line, Abraham turned to all the Babylonians, to all the vessels, but those who joined him were the vessels of bestowal who felt the Light that illuminated from Abraham when he spread his message. Therefore, they are called Israel according to the Reshimot (spiritual genes) that were revealed in them.

The others dispersed all over the globe and today they make up all of humanity, which is seven billion people.

Later, we have to understand that there is a great difference in the inner essence of the people who belong to these two categories: Israel and the nations of the world. In Israel, there is Reshimo of Malchut in Bina, and in the nations of the world, there is the Reshimo of Bina in Malchut, accordingly.  Malchut dominates the nations of the world and the level of Bina is in it, and Bina dominates Israel with Malchut incorporated in it.

Thus the Reshimot of Malchut and Bina were integrated as a result of the shattering, and this integration exists in every person, since we are all products of the shattering of the common soul of Adam HaRishon (the first man). However, in some people, Malchut dominates Bina, and in others Bina dominates Malchut.

This leads to a great difference during the awakening. Israel awakens when the Light that Reforms affects them, while those who are under the domination of Malchut cannot awaken by this Light. They can only join Bina as Malchut. When Malchut annuls itself before Bina, it builds itself.

This is what we base our dissemination on. After all, even in Israel, there are those who are similar to the nations of the world, and in the nations of the world, there are those who are similar to Israel. Those from the nations of the world who resemble Israel come and join us. Those of us who resemble the nations of the world join the nations of the world. This is how the diffusion takes place, about which it says: “Israel went to exile only in order to attach the souls of the gentiles to them.” This process determines our work and we understand that the law, according to which the correction is done, from the lightest to the more serious part, operates here. This is why we start with people who are attracted to us and then we expand the circles of our dissemination.

Moreover, according to The Zohar, Israel are the heart of the world. This means that the Light can only come to the world through someone who is connected, someone who can be a pipe, an adaptor, a link, between the Creator and the vessels, which are the nations of the world. It is the role of Israel since they are connected both to Bina and to Malchut as Malchut is connected to Keter in its upper part, and in its lower part, ZAT of Bina is connected to Malchut.

Therefore, Israel is a special group that we have to gather all over the world. By this kind of work we establish the passage in this world between humanity and the Creator.

But the goal of creation, on behalf of the Creator, is that humanity will come in contact with Him. We are merely a passageway and we serve both the Creator and humanity. Our honor and our destiny is actually in establishing this contact. If it weren’t for the connection between the Creator and the nations of the world and if we didn’t think that we would delight Him by bringing all of humanity to Him, we wouldn’t fulfill our role.

So we have to treat the nations of the world very nicely and care about what happens to them. Today we see that they have problems, troubles, and afflictions and this should be a sign to us that we are not succeeding in our work.
[134199]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/2/14, The Mission of the people of Israel

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Preparation for the Lesson

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “Thou Hast Hemmed Me In Behind and Before”

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Workshop

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“The Book of Zohar” — Selected Excerpts, “Emor,” “Counting the Omer“

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 39

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Giving of the Torah”

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Question: How do you pray through the center of the group if you don’t feel this center?

Answer: Pray as much as you can for the time being. A person is born lacking any understanding, like an animal, three kilos that come out of the mother and begin to develop. Gradually he grows and becomes wiser as he understands and feels more.

Everything always starts from zero. The main thing is the quality and the exertion. “One may acquire his world in an hour.” This means that a person restricts and focuses his small exertion in the right place, and creates a lever. Although he has little power and cannot lift a heavy load, he can lift it if he increases the handle length of the lever.

This means that a wise approach can shorten the time and help one gain power. In the past, loads were lifted onto ships by a system of chains and a pulley block. Many chains had to be pulled, but they were able to lift tons of cargo.

It is the same in the spiritual work. I cannot directly approach Pharaoh and this whole confusion. But I am given a chance to organize a circle of physical bodies in this world, in a state where I am totally detached from spirituality and don’t belong to it. Then I am able to start thinking about physical connections with my corporeal brain, practically from zero, but not yet from a mental or spiritual perspective.

I am given such an opportunity on every level. If I focus on the center of the group, by mutual guarantee, mutual responsibility, care, and support of others, in the connection between us, together with the teacher and the Kabbalah books, I can focus the relatively small effort I can make on one small point and thus break through.

But if I disperse my efforts, it will lead to nothing; the outcome will be a serpent. This small point determines what the outcome will be, whether a serpent or a rod. This point is the focus on the center of the group, where we want to delight the Creator.

Dissemination is based on being one man in one heart. The center of the group is our one common heart. We have to think about this option, about this form. But if I wander in endless directions, nothing will work. I will perform many actions, which will also eventually accumulate, but very slowly. I don’t gain anything and don’t shorten time.

Question: What does our concentration on one action depend on?

Answer: It depends on mutual work, on focusing, and on mutual support when everyone focuses in the heart and mind in our center and in our mutual connection.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/20/14, Shamati #59

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Question: All world problems are created because of separation among the people of Israel. The Bnei Baruch group is the center for correction of the world. What does the central group lack for connection in Israel itself?

Answer: I don’t think that the problem is only in our group. It cannot be connected and united with the rest of the groups if they don’t help it and begin to be integrated into it. So this is not just about Israel, but about the one common world group.

When we say that in Israel there is a unique atmosphere, we mean that here, in this nation, in this territory, there is an obligation first and foremost to offer people the method of the wisdom of connection. And in this, the central group, whose mission is to serve the people of Israel, is united.

But around it there are other groups that must join us to help us and to push us.

 

We need to receive power from each other. But first and foremost, we require the support of the other groups in order to disseminate the wisdom of connection among the people of Israel. And the rest of the groups must be doing this in their own territories.

So the main thing is unity among the people of Israel. If we actualize the idea of unity here, this will spread further and encompass the whole world.

For the inner network of connections between all people in the world are derived from here: The egoistic is derived from Babylon and the altruistic is derived from Israel. This link doesn’t exist now. Our mission is to create it.
[134312]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/24/14, Questions and Answers with Dr. Laitman

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Question: On one hand, nature is not letting us breathe: wars, crises, and disasters. On the other hand, within the world group we cannot come to an agreement about dissemination projects. In addition to this, the number of friends hasn’t increased. Do we have enough time to do anything?

Answer: Our power is not in quantity but in quality. That we are few is not important; that we cannot reach agreement is what has been a big problem.

We don’t even need to think about the number of people: how many come, go, or remain. Our task is not to gather this year, let’s say, a million people around us.

Our task is for our small group to be connected to the Creator, on one hand, and to society, to the world, on the other hand. First of all it must be qualitatively correct, and this is the main thing. Second, our lack of success in attracting people to us doesn’t indicate that they cannot be found in the world. Don’t complain that nobody wants to learn, that nobody wants to advance; people come and go.

It could be that we are guilty of not talking in an interesting and understandable way; we don’t let a person feel that he needs to give and make an investment.

We don’t show him what the benefit and progress is; we don’t explain that the characteristic of bestowal is most useful, most desirable, personally and generally. We devote little attention to working with every friend who comes so that he will understand that for humanity and for him there is no other way.

Also, if we are talking about it, maybe it is with too technical of a language, not being concerned whether it will enter into a person and become his personal knowledge. The problem here is in the group and not in the friends that come and go. If the group complains that many are leaving it, this indicates that it has not found a way to work with people.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/24/14, Questions and Answers with Dr. Laitman

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Question: What is the difference between bestowing and receiving desires?

Answer: The main difference is the intention. It should always be for the sake of giving. It is the intention that defines which desires are good to use.

First, we restrict our desires, then depending on the strength, magnitude, and type of the intention, we work with the desires.

The desire (stomach, heart) does not make a decision of whether or not it can be used; rather, it is the intention that makes this decision. Intentions encompass our joint aspiration to bestow as well as our neighbors’ desires. We calculate chances of filling other people’s will to receive. In other words, we use the desires of others to fulfill our neighbors.

The work that precedes the action is called “bonding in thoughts.” Thus, one connects with one’s neighbor in their thoughts. Practical implementation follows.

When we work with AHP’s will to receive, there has to be a bestowing intention above it. However, it is not just about elevating above the desire. We have to turn a desire upside down as if we plow the ground.

We use our will to receive, AHP, and must sense pleasure inside it. We are capable of acting only because of the delight we feel. Let’s say you come to my place and I want to treat you. However, you reject my dishes and take a symbolic treat from the table. I went the extra mile cooking meat and fish for you, but you tried only a small piece of parsley.

In other words, you try the treat I prepared for you, but it has nothing to do with what is called “using the will to receive.” This is how the bestowing desires work: You refrain from your egoistic desire; all you want is to please me. Although, you realize that I will be satisfied only if all of your intentions and desires are aimed solely to make me happy, if you ate meat and fish, you would inevitably sense pleasure for your own sake.

However, there is a technique with the help of which even when you self-indulge you still feel pleasure only because your indulgence is aimed at the host’s benefit and pleasure. As of now, we can’t understand or imagine what’s behind these words. You continue eating, thus showing to the host that you enjoy the meal without any embarrassment or restraint. At the same time, your internal intentions are aimed solely at pleasing the host.

Question: Why can we receive only in the bestowing desires?

Answer: This is because after the first restriction happened, the will to receive stopped being a vessel that receives the Light. The intention for the sake of bestowal becomes the “vessel” since it is the condition that allows us to receive.

In order to enjoy the meal, it is not enough to be hungry. Gradually, we will understand this concept. We come to realization of this fact as a result of the general crisis we are in. All of a sudden we feel that our desires to receive are empty.

The emptiness doesn’t mean that our will to receive is not filled. However, we don’t regard or sense our current state as a fulfillment. What is missing? There is no purpose in our life.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/29/14, Shamati #141 “The Holiday of Passover”

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We have always believed that we develop through our own powers without understanding that it is not by our own initiative, but comes from within nature. Now this inner power is lost and a person doesn’t know what to do. This is well illustrated in the younger generation that has no need for great achievements; it is not really bustling about or interested in anything, but simply prefers to pass the time and hang out.

For the youth there is no longer that power that once drove us to build and to do great things. The youth lack interest and vigor, and all of this is the result of inner factors. The higher power doesn’t work within a person, doesn’t arouse him, but only organizes external environmental conditions.

In this way, it is as if nature says to us that it is up to us to understand what kind of a world we are living in. We must think about what direction we want to go and what areas we want to develop. How do we get the power and the intelligence to develop and how do we realize this?

Previously, it happened by itself in the mind and heart of a person, together with the supervision of the higher power that forced him to act instinctively. Because of this we saw how to develop, how to build our lives, to learn, to work, and what to pass on to our children. But today this is not done automatically, but is given to us as an act of grace. as a result, we begin to feel and to understand that previously the power of nature developed us and we ourselves knew where to turn. This desire was awakened in us by itself.

But now it is not awakened and we begin to understand that indeed new times have come and we don’t understand what they want from us because we don’t want anything. This means that within us no desires have awakened. So what is there to do?

Environmental conditions are becoming more and more difficult. Soon we will see that there is nothing to eat or drink, that it will be more and more difficult to build more or less acceptable living conditions. The environmental conditions will become worse and worse in order to obligate a person to choose a goal and a method of inner development.

The person has apparently become the master of his life and fate, but how does he know how to manage it when everything, the nations, the societies, and people are connected to each other.

This leads us to acquire a method for managing our lives. In all of the previous generations, a person was wise because a power, a desire, and different aspirations were awakened in him. Although he had confusion and doubted what kind of society and what kind of development to choose, he instinctively figured it out and knew how to construct his life.

In our time, in this new state, it is up to us to attain everything from above, thanks to our efforts. But we don’t have a concept of how to get the inner part required for our development from above: the intelligence, the emotion, and the intention. We only know that we lack this and we cannot get along without this method that we receive from above. It previously worked instinctively, from within. But now in order to receive it,  requires our preliminary work, effort, request, and prayer (MAN). So we require the wisdom of Kabbalah. But the way of natural development Beito (in its time) is long and difficult. This is called the “four hundred years of exile” until we pass through all the stages of inner development, phases 1, 2, 3 and 4, and then through blows and troubles, we discover the desired form.

But together with this, it is no coincidence that the method of Kabbalah already exists in our world, was given to people, passed on to humanity, adapted and translated into many languages. So it is possible to use it, to study it, and to realize it in an organized and well-tested form. Then we will advance by the way of Achishena (I will hasten it). In this way we don’t need to go through those sufferings that we would go through if we were to advance by the way of in its time, by the way of all the phases of development.

We acquire these discernments without suffering; it is said, “the Righteous takes his part and the part of his friend in the Garden of Eden.” All of this comes to us as a result of effort and connection. Through this we save a lot of time and suffering. This is our work.

So we must develop widespread dissemination now, first of all to the people dwelling in the land of Israel and after that to the entire world. And all of this is so that humanity will not search blindly for the way of development, for this is liable to bring great troubles, like the previous development did through endless wars.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/25/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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