Entries in the 'Daily Kabbalah Lesson' Category

A Flight To The Next World Without Moving From Your Seat

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe live in a single reality even though we give it the name “different worlds”, thinking that they exist separately from one another, in different places, as if there are places that are called: “this world,” “the world to come,” the worlds of Assyia, Yetzira, Beria, Atzilut, the Garden of Eden, or Hell. It seems to us that the system of the worlds is structured like our universe with many galaxies in different places, distant or close to one another

The spiritual space is called “place,” but a place is a desire to receive pleasure. It changes according to the acquired properties: closer or further from bestowal. However, a desire is the same desire that changes and as a result calls its states the worlds, different places. It is like a person who goes from state to a state can say that he moves from one place to another.

From the very beginning we are given the state that is called “this world.” In this state, in this reality, we have to connect with others who also want to change this reality, meaning to advance their perception. As soon as we change our desires we will feel as though we are moving into different places: directly flying from one space to another inside of our desires, sensations.

Besides this, in reality there are no other changes. Only with the help of the group and the Reforming Light—the Wisdom of Kabbalah, the method of correction—can we correct our perception and sensations without leaving the place where we exist. It means that in the very same desires that will be corrected, we will feel differently, as if in a different world.
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From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/24/12

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 08.27.12

Preparation to the Lesson

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Kabbalah for the Student “600,000 Souls,” (Starting with: “We learned that,” To: “And they said”), Lesson 3 

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The Book of Zohar – Selected Excerpt “Safra de Tzniyuta,” Lesson 6

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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Volume 1, Part 3, Chapter 11, Item 1, Lesson 26

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Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Last Generation,” Part 3 (Starting with: “One type,” To: “The necessity”), Lesson 2 

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Difficulties At The Beginning Of The Path

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Is my work only to ask the Creator to change my attitude when I feel bad? What if I don’t feel that everything comes from the Creator?

Answer: Indeed while a person is only starting and does not perceive, see, or any inner feeling, then it is difficult. He has just started on the path and is far from his goal, from the city, and he does not see it.

But in order to take the right direction towards this city, he must imagine that he goes in the direction of the city. In any condition, from the start, he should try to imagine the city lights ahead. We are given a group, books, and all kinds of tools for that until the work becomes clearer, and he will see more and more signs of his progress.

He will begin to distinguish between them because his desire will become more clarified, precise. He will accumulate experience: various impressions, signs from which the picture will begin to emerge.

But while he does not have that, he needs to work with what he has, and most importantly the work in the group. If I don’t see the Creator, the city, or the light in front of me, and I am in total darkness, in the middle of a dark field, not knowing where to go, then I imagine the group, its center. This center becomes the Creator for me, the goal on which I focus.

If I give myself to the group, this means that I give myself to the Creator, from the center of the group directly to him. I use all the forces available in the group to be together with them in adhesion, in unity, in bestowal to the group, and thus direct myself at the Creator. He has not been revealed yet, and I have to work with the group in this form.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/24/12, Writings of Rabash 

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“A Man Of Light”

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In The Study of the Ten Sefirot it says that a person who corrects himself begins to “illuminate,” what is this action?

Answer: A person begins to “illuminate” when his vessels begin to bestow. This illumination is already a self-movement that only a human being can perform. No other creature on the levels of the still, vegetative, and animate nature can illuminate, since it doesn’t connect with the Creator in any way; it doesn’t perform independent actions of bestowal like the Light.

The simple Light fills all of creation and thus illuminates. A “human being,” however, is a person who spurs himself towards the Light, and the Light illuminates because it has more intensity than the natural intensity it has when it arrives. A person becomes an amplifier for the Light: He illuminates by himself thanks to the Light that fills him.

There is an addition to the Light created by the person! It is because he has overcome his desire to receive by turning all his desire to receive into fuel, into a combustible material. When the Light comes, this material begins to burn like a candle! So it says that a person illuminates.

He is called “a man of the Light.” Can he radiate the Light? He has prepared his desire to receive in such a way that it is equivalent to the Light. Now when the Light goes through his desire it is illuminated by it like a fluorescent lamp that is filled with a special gas or with phosphorus that begins to shine under the influence of the Light.

When the Light comes, the desire is impressed and begins to illuminate from inside. This is what happens to a person who identifies with the Light. It is because he doesn’t swallow the Light inside him egoistically, but wants to carry on its action. You should know that in order for you desire to begin to illuminate, you have to restrict it and to place it under the Masach (screen) so that you will not want to swallow the Light for itself, but rather will want to connect with the actions of the Light in bestowal and to draw this Light for everyone else. Then you will illuminate and be called “a man of Light”!

How intensely you illuminate is determined by your spiritual level.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/23/12, The Study of the Ten Sefirot

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Time Of Ripening

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam: “Time to Act”: For a long time now, my conscience has burdened me with a demand to come out and create a fundamental composition regarding the essence of Judaism, religion, and the wisdom of Kabbalah, and spread it among the nation, so people will come to know and properly understand these exalted matters in their true meaning.

We have to understand how difficult it is for a Kabbalist to act outside his framework. After all, there are significant restrictions on the revelations of the wisdom of Kabbalah.

Even now, when not much has been revealed yet, we see that humanity has acquired from the wisdom of Kabbalah the foundations of the animate level of existence in many aspects. It has enriched the world by different methods throughout history: by the Greek philosophers and by different students who leaked the wisdom. The religions were born as a result: first Judaism, then Christianity, and then Islam. Different beliefs stemmed from this in the days of Abraham among the people of the East.

Eventually everything stems from crumbs of the wisdom of Kabbalah, which speaks about the forces that operate in the world and which bring a person to the predetermined correction.

On this basis people have established philosophical approaches, metaphysical studies, different theological doctrines, etc. Later these patterns became a great obstacle on the way to the truth. People were confused since they took separate systematic descriptions from the wisdom of Kabbalah and they created different systems and concepts from them as they saw fit. Thus, they tried to confirm their own claim to truth and power, denying the accuracy of Kabbalah. We should learn from these examples: People have a systematic perspective from the wisdom of Kabbalah and turn it into something that is beneficial to them.

Because of this there was a ban on revealing the wisdom of Kabbalah. After all, if the Light is poured into an unprepared vessel, it is called “immature fruit,” and it is an obstacle in receiving the truth; it evokes hatred towards Israel and distances people from correction.

As a result the sages were very careful and didn’t reveal the wisdom of Kabbalah. Even if a person had heard about it he couldn’t get any information about it. Only in the last thirty years did Kabbalah books begin to appear in stores although not everywhere. Before, it was simply impossible to find them.

Moreover, Kabbalists set serious limitations regarding potential student and even spread negative rumors to keep the Jewish people from approaching the wisdom of Kabbalah. If a person is not intended for it, if doesn’t have a true burning desire, he shouldn’t deal with this wisdom. First he has to go through certain phases of development, since we are all parts of the general desire that ripens gradually.

Only today has the time come when there is nothing to fear anymore. On the contrary, we have to spread the wisdom of Kabbalah, which means to act in opposite ways.

On the whole, Baal HaSulam was the first Kabbalist to reveal this wisdom to the masses. He wrote a lot for the general public, including the newspaper The Nation and other articles. Who knows what thoughts, concern and efforts it cost him since he was in Warsaw at the beginning of the last century when he decided that there was no choice and that we have to turn to everyone.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/23/12, “Time to Act”

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After The Convention A New Day Begins

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe know that when we get inspiration by the study, the group, or by certain actions that we perform, meaning when we are influenced by the environment, we immediately change our values and according to this awakening are ready to advance in “faith above reason” and to work in bestowal and love.

When this awakening fades, we return to our ordinary values. The question is what can you do when you descend to the ordinary corporeal values? After all, you still remember how you were impressed previously by the upper values since you were under the influence of the environment and you were several levels higher than you are now. Why were you given this state?

You were not lowered so that you would simply try to return to the state you were in previously, but so that in the current lower state you can appreciate the upper values that impressed you before. You should want to live according to the values that were attained under the influence of the group even when the upper state disappears and does not illuminate on you anymore.

Although the illumination disappears from our corporeal recognition, you can renew it and keep the same upper values by your exertion, by spurring yourself. This is all our work.

This is called keeping the covenant. Although a person is not in the state of ascent he was before, he is still adhered to the same upper values.

It is as if you were raised to a certain level and then brought down again, and now you have to return to the same level by yourself. Then you are brought up again to an even higher level and brought down again and rise by yourself. Although the Light doesn’t illuminate on you anymore, you want to keep all the conditions of that level in “faith above reason.” You want to keep the same dedication for the group and the Creator, although you don’t get any support from them now. This is how you can advance.

This means that you are keeping the conditions of the covenant. Even if you signed this covenant when you were overflowing with evident feelings of love and were greatly impressed, now this attitude is not revealed, but you find the powers inside you to keep the covenant in the current conditions, just like it was before.

Thus a person advances. First he is given an example and the next time he has to perform by himself the same action he was shown. This is what happens time after time. The state a person attains by making efforts to find the powers to rise to the same values in “faith above reason” is called “a day” for him.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/21/12, Writings of Rabash

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 08.26.12

Preparation to the Lesson

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Kabbalah for the Student “600,000 Souls,” (Starting with: “We learned that”, To: “And they said”), Lesson 2

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The Book of Zohar – Selected Excerpt “Safra de Tzniyuta,” Lesson 5

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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Volume 1, Part 3, Chapter 11, Item 1, Lesson 25

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Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Last Generation,” “Pragmatic Commune” (To: “The necessity”)

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Surrounded By Absolute Good

Dr. Michael LaitmanOur awakening to the Creator usually starts when a certain grievance towards Him arises in us. Only rarely do we turn to the Creator with gratitude, and more often we do so with complaints and grievances.

Such grievances awaken in a person repeatedly. But if he nevertheless remains in a group and continues to study, drawing the Light to himself, then he begins to realize that all the problems, suffering, hardening of the heart, shame—all are situations that the Creator arranges for him in life, and the most unpleasant ones especially are designed to show him that everything comes from the Creator.

And secondly, he needs to understand that he shouldn’t ask for all these problems to be fixed since then he would be turning to the Creator from his egoism. But a person must turn to the Creator above all of these problems, agreeing with Him, rejoicing, and seeing in all of these actions, which evoke in him various unpleasant reactions, the Creator’s kindness and mercy that accompany him throughout his entire life. He needs to ask for correction of his attitude to the Creator.

He needs to try to correct himself above all of these unpleasant sensations, perceiving them as obstacles above which he can rise if he desires to perceive them as kind help in attaining the property of bestowal. And then, all of these unpleasant situations, pain, shame, and confusions will appear to him as the opposite, as help and mercy from the Creator who sends them so that a person would accept them as good, and above them will ask for his correction.

And in completing this stage, a person asks for the possibility to be ready for anything that comes from the Creator, blessing in advance for all the bad as for the good. This means to accept the Creator’s direct and indirect governance, as it is written: “Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before.”

So our work consists not in asking the unpleasant sensations, situations, influences, and disturbances to be removed and solved. Instead, we need to be prepared to see the Creator’s hand in all of these actions, especially sent so that above them, we would build our correct attitude and form vessels of bestowal. And do it to such an extent that these problems and disturbances will not only stop bothering us, but we will see in them a special mercy and benevolence.

Then we will not ask the Creator to solve our problems, and instead we will correct our properties ourselves, because we will see the benefit of these problems. And instead of all kinds of evil, we will see only good in the same places.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/23/12, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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The Force Of Prayer And The Force Of Gratitude

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, Letter #32: In order for a prayer to be complete, a person must come to feel that closeness to the Creator is his lawful right and necessity, as if for an organ that is separated from the body. Because then he will be able to pour out the indignation of his heart before the Creator.

But at the same time, he must praise and thank the Creator for the closeness allowed to him, as if it is a high favor that he receives undeservedly. Because then, he will be able to feel a true gratitude to the Creator who chose him to serve Him out of all the people who stand before Him.

This is big and difficult work, composed of two such opposites that must always be combined in our heart. The second condition, which requires one to feel oneself as insignificant and distant from the Creator, while the Creator’s help as undeserved mercy, is much more difficult than the first. In most cases, a person stumbles precisely on this.

A person, who rises above the still, vegetative, and animate levels is someone who includes two forces in himself: reception and bestowal. These two forces he needs to multiply to the full measure determined in the thought of creation, to Malchut of the World of Infinity. Therefore, he must constantly work on increasing in himself the forces of reception and bestowal.

Without the force of reception, he won’t be able to reveal the Creator, while without the force of bestowal, he won’t be able to come closer to Him, that is, to adhere to Him. Both of these forces need to intertwine and support each other, and a screen binds them together in the middle line.

Work with these two forces is called prayer and gratitude. In prayer, a person must feel close to the Creator, asking and penetrating straight into the Creator’s heart. He needs to imagine himself inside the Creator, because one normally makes requests of someone who is close to him.

However, in gratitude, a person needs to feel himself as low and small, and the Creator as high and distant. Only then a person can be truly grateful for the fact that the Creator chose him specifically.

It turns out that you need to feel the Creator sometimes close, and sometimes distant, working with both of these directions in full force. And it is a lot more difficult to work on the second condition.
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From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/21/2012

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 08.24.12

Preparation to the Lesson

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Writings of Rabash “Dargot HaSulam,” Article 798

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The Book of Zohar – Selected Excerpt “Safra de Tzniyuta,” Lesson 4

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Preface to The Book of Zohar, Item 35, Lesson 23

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Kabbalah for the Student, “Body and Soul”

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