Question: What can help me during the reading of The Zohar to see the point in the heart of my friends?
Answer: Ask! The Zohar is like electricity in the outlet on the wall: If you want, you can heat with it, if you want, to cool, plug anything into it. It is energy. The Zohar is the simple Light. You decide how to use it.
[84897]
From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/7/12, The Zohar

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Question: What is love above the ego?

Answer: First by the efforts a person makes in the group, in the study, in using all the options, he should value the attribute of bestowal very highly. A person goes through many states of giving and bestowal that he isn’t aware of at all, as he feels himself as “dead.” He can be in opposing states, wanting only to receive, or feel disappointed about the way or the opposite, meaning to be in high spirits. But a person should rise above all these opposite polar states. There is the state itself and I rise above it. The state was sent from Above by the Creator who thus wants to check how we respond and rise above every state.

A person usually feels indifference and disrespect. But if he says that he doesn’t want to believe what he sees and starts doing something about regaining his inspiration, the sensitivity, the feeling of vitality in bestowal, his special attitude towards his correction, meaning above the indifference and the disrespect, then he will gradually draw upon himself the Light that Reforms.

I begin to value the attribute of bestowal, the advancement towards the Creator, towards His revelation, the states that are above this world. If I already value this and aspire to bestow, I have a vessel. I want to feel that I’m lost within the attribute of bestowal, that I value it more than anything. Why did this suddenly happen? This is how the upper Light bestowed upon me and now I want to have this attribute too.

The question is also why do I want it? I may feel that I’ll feel better with it, that it will free me of all troubles and worries. Is it bad to feel that I don’t belong to this world? Many people want to detach themselves from it.

So I should check the reason why I’m doing this. The upper Light stimulates me and inserts the appreciation of bestowal into me, but what kind of bestowal, perhaps egoistic bestowal? I check myself with the help of the group and the friends, to see whether I can, with the help of my apparent aspiration for the attribute of bestowal, attain it and feel it. Do I want to bestow in order to bestow upon others, or am I doing this in order to receive something: respect or appreciation? I check all this within the group.

Why do I do that? So that I’ll feel good? No! So that others will feel good? Yes! But do I know that it’s so and that inside I don’t actually hope to get something in return? I check it by asking whether I aspire to bring the Creator pleasure through the friends. Here my true distant goal has to be revealed. I suddenly discover that I want to direct all my actions of bestowal towards the Creator.

But here too I still have to clarify things, since to bestow upon the Creator is undoubtedly worthwhile. After all, He will certainly understand, discover and pay me for my loyalty, and if I reach this, my whole life is filled with different priorities. But no! I want to bestow so that the Creator knows nothing about it and only in order to be in the attribute of bestowal.

I examine my actions according to the extent that I can rise above my egoistic desires. If I don’t constantly examine myself as to how to raise bestowal above receiving, I’ll not be able to hold on to bestowal under any circumstances. I must constantly check what I have gained and what I have lost and whether I can ignore my losses. This means, whether I can receive a filling and be above this.

I have constant calculations in my desires to receive as to what extent I can remain in true bestowal. One is based on the other. After all, there is no way to assess whether or not you are doing this for yourself, in the vessels of bestowal, in the aspiration to bestow, but only if under all this there are desires to receive which I restrict to build upon them a Masach and the Returning Light, which means my actions of bestowal.
[84853]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/5/12, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Question: With respect to the general public, our method should be the means by which they will be provided with basic needs such as food, safety, and health. How does it help them reveal the spiritual world?

Answer: They reveal the spiritual world more passively than we do.

We become connected with the upper one to bring the Light that Reforms and to resemble It. This Light we pass on, carrying the method of correction to people. And they perform only the necessary steps under our direction, not caring about the Light, and this practice of connection is enough to bring it to their environment. The Light will affect and advance them towards the understanding and feeling, and then they will want to receive it themselves to move towards unity and the revelation of the Creator, as it is written: “All shall know Me, young and old.”

Thus, we must carry the method of unity to the people so that they feel good. We cannot explain what “good” actually means; however, the Reforming Light lies in these activities, and due to It, people will move further and further in the interpretation of their benefit until they come to The Good and Who Does Good.

Question: How is it combined with people’s simple needs, for example, for cheaper food?

Answer: We explain how to unite so that food becomes cheaper. Of course, no one wants to unite, but this is the condition if we want to achieve something, and that is why a person pays this price. And then, continuing to act in the same direction, he discovers that unity is a treasure in itself: not as a tool to help you achieve something, but as a state. This is how the Light acts, giving us a new understanding.

So, we explain to people that united together they will have many advantages. Mutual support will instill in them a sense of security; their life will become better, safer, etc. Of course, you have to pay for it by a measure of personal convenience, by a share of your egoism, but it is easy and attractive with overall participation. The strength of the masses does the job. And then, having approached realization, people will see that it really brings them benefits, that the solution to the problems has been found.
There will be no repeating of the scenario of Soviet Russia or Israeli kibbutzim; the script of unity is just for the sake of a better life. After all, today we are engaged in the process, and only through our participation people come together so that it is good and useful for development. Suddenly, they will feel that unity attracts them because therein lies a higher root, a higher state, something that fills them with the spirit of life. So, they will go ahead.

Question: Where do we need to start our explanations to involve them in the process?

Answer: We need to develop an approach that would allow properly explaining to people that unity can greatly improve society, to achieve discounts and mutually beneficial exchange, learning to help each other, instead of paying someone money, etc. Someone will voluntarily take on a children’s club, others will also contribute, and we will be able to live a normal life without money, discounted by the crisis. We will feel the need for and the benefits of reciprocity.

Of course, without the Light that Reforms, not intending to unite seriously, people would “run away” after having used each other. But here, thanks to our leadership, people will feel the need for internal growth. Time after time, they will discover higher desires that require fulfillment, for the time being egoistic. And then, gradually, people will come to the altruistic intention from Lo Lishma to Lishma (not for Her name to Her name).

Thus, everyone goes through the same process; only their starting point lies below our point. We begin with the state of “Yisrael,” with the aspirations “straight to the Creator” (Yashar-El), we have the urge to reveal the spiritual world. And they do not have this attraction, and that is why we have to pull them along, to be what is called the “Light for the nations.” We conduct the Light in the actions of unity, through which we train people. These actions benefit the people, and meanwhile, the Light hidden in them develops people.
[84764]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/5/12, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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Question: What does it mean to ask the Creator?
Answer: Asking the Creator means that you are aware of the power that operates in the entire creation, you realize that you depend on it, and no one but It acts. You begin to feel that indeed this power exists, operates, and manages everything; then you have whom to turn to and with what.

To do this, you need to reveal that it is not you who acts, but He, for good or for evil, in which He acts, He does what you need that He would do. And He causes you all possible evil, so that you pay attention to who you are, to what extent you are not capable of anything. This is what is revealed to the world in the current crisis.

And then you start to advance in this awareness and to learn on what you really depend until you reveal Him, firstly, as the evil because you feel bad. Then, you move slowly forward, you begin to grow wiser and realize that all this is for your own good, and even if you feel bad, you know that He acts on you in order to lead you to the good, as a teacher. And although in the earthly feelings you don’t think it is good, you start to recognize His properties, become aware of his actions and understand that they are good.

You identify with Him despite the bad feeling. And this gives you a new mind and feelings, the spiritual rather than the earthly ones. And although the body is suffering, you want to adhere to the plan of creation, for this purpose more than to your body. Then you ask Him to raise you, you are performing such acts, that this upper one gives you new values so that you adhere to His mind and feelings, to His plan, to everything that He does instead of remaining in your desire to enjoy. To the extent you are asking this, to that extent, the value of bestowal and love becomes higher than reception and rejection of others. Thus, you are advancing further and further.
[84537]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/1/12, The Book of Zohar

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At first, we attribute all of our vices and virtues to ourselves. When some bad quality is revealed within a person that is unbearable, then he begins to be sorry about his past or current actions. He especially regrets the past, either the immediate past or that farther away. However, because of this he doesn’t lower himself; it doesn’t make him humble although it may seem so to him.

Instead of regretting the past, he must decide above this feeling of regret, which is given to him by the Creator, that there is none else besides the Creator. After all, everything that happened in the past was done by the Creator. And man has no reason to regret it.

On the contrary, he must not give into his egoistic feelings supposing that he is now a righteous person if he repents for his bad deeds, his bad attitude toward someone, his mistakes, weakness and anger. After all, the Creator arranged everything this way and it is He who is showing man that he is not able to connect all of these events with the Creator.

That’s why one needs to regret not about the past or what happened, but about the fact that you are currently unable to attribute everything only to the Creator. And if that’s so, then where does the vanity of a man lie? Not in the fact that he was once bad, but in the fact that he can’t determine above all his perceptions, that there is none else besides the Creator. This is what his lowliness and weakness lies in.
[84550]
From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/2/12

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Preparation to the Lesson

Writings of Rabash, “Igrot,” Letter 18

The Book of Zohar – Selected Excerpts “Beresheet Bet (Genesis 2),” Lesson 150

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Volume 1, Part 3, Chapter 6, Item 4, Lesson 14

“Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 69, Lesson 24

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Question: When we turn to the general public we first of all propose they unite in order to solve their daily troubles. Then the real meaning of the unity will be revealed, is this true?

Answer: Yes. From an egoistic intention (Lo Lishma—not for Her sake) we move on to an altruistic intention (Lishma—for Her sake). Baal HaSulam writes about it in the Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot (items 138-139): “People turn to the Torah from the worst state.” We may ask, who let them? Who gave them permission to do so? The sources describe in legends how the angels asked the Creator: “How can You give Your Torah, Your study to such lowly creatures?” But Moses beat the angels by asking: “Do you feel envy? Is there an evil inclination in you?” This is the only way; we have to use the force of the Light in the situations that the Creator sends us on purpose when there is nothing in our soul.

So we have to present the method of correction to people and explain that we should connect and unite. The more softly and accessibly we convey this message, the faster they will accept it and will not deteriorate into real hunger and real critical states.

Today we are not dying of hunger, but we do feel the limitations and the growing pressure of the circumstances. If now, while the situation is not threatening yet, we manage to convince people, things will work out. If we don’t, things will get worse and deteriorate to a level in which we will be able to meet the masses and reach them. Then we will be able to present the right explanations to them and they will listen to us.

But we have to bring them the information about what is going on now, out of love and concern. Not even a fraction of the evil has been revealed and we already have to think about how to overcome the crisis. But today we “go out to the people” not in order to take part in demonstrations, but in order to explain.

What is more, in Israel we cooperate with other social movements in order to create a connecting network among the people. There are many organizations and circles that can cooperate with us in the process. Our participation is enough in order to start the support from Above.
[84856]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/5/12, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” item 63: Thus, in our generation, although the essence of the souls is the worst, which is why they could not be selected for Kedusha thus far, they are the ones that complete the Partzuf of the world and the Partzuf of the souls with respect to the Kelim, and the work completed only through them…Hence, only after the completion of these lowly souls can the Highest Lights manifest, and not before.

The vessels that belong to the upper third of development (HBD) are very “transparent” and pure. The desires of the second third (HGT) are “thick,” but they still belong to the phases of “smallness” of Ibur and Yenika. The Light of Hochma cannot be revealed in them, and it is only a preparation for all the generations.

We begin to count from the First Man until the period of 6,000 years since there is a correlation between the spiritual roots and the corporeal branches. The large vessels couldn’t be revealed during the first 4,000 years. During the first third of the last 2,000 years, the process also started from the “shattering of the vessels” (the destruction of the Temple), and three-fourths of that period were in exile. It is only since the time of the Ari that the time of redemption began.

Today, we are living in the final phase of the last 2,000 years (NHY) when the vessels have acquired thickness and toughness and have become heavy and bulky under the weight of the growing ego. Of course, we don’t blame anyone for anything. It is simply our nature, and it is very hard and insensitive.

Compared to us, it was very easy to discover the Lights and attain adhesion in the previous vessels in the thickness of the root and the first levels (HBD and HGT). Then, too, of course, a person had to work hard, but, still as Rabash used to say, even in the 19th century there were Jewish people who were ready to devote their lives to revealing the Creator. To adhere to Him, they gladly gave up corporeal pleasures. That period ended with World War I since wars reveal the evil in order to oblige the world to connect more strongly.

Today, everything is different. Offer a person a million dollars or adhesion with the Creator, and he would take the money without any hesitation. In the 20th century, the world advanced so much that it is very hard for us to understand the world of our ancestors. It is hard to imagine previous situations since a very special period has begun, a very hard period of the development of our desire.

However, we also can divide this period, just like all the other periods, into HaVaYaH. Then, we can see that we are at a certain point in our development where many desires and forces are accumulated. What is more, this phase also is divided into several parts, and we begin to see the thickest desires.

Today, besides the Light of Neshama, the Lights of Haya and Yechida also have to be revealed, a phase which is called AHP de Aliyah. The previous generation helps us with the Lights of Nefesh and Ruach that they already have attained, while we, thanks to their support, approach the corrections we have to make at the level of the Light of Neshama, which is not mutually incorporated with the previous generations, but independently.

By working in the world of Beria, we constantly discover the Light of Neshama, while the Lights of Haya and Yechida will be revealed to us only during the ascents, by incorporation. They also are necessary, especially in the current phase. This is a very special addition that requires a totally different kind of work, of to receive in order to bestow.
[84768]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/5/12, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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We constantly have two feelings inside us: One is the “point in the heart,” and the other one is external to it. We all see a “double” world. This perception is given to us on purpose so that we will be able to correct ourselves and the world.

If you saw the world one dimensionally, like an ordinary person who perceives the world only on the corporeal level, then you wouldn’t be able to manage. If, in your ascent up the spiritual ladder, you perceived only the spiritual form that is revealed on the next level each time, this would also be a problem since you wouldn’t be able to serve as the link between the spiritual world and this world.

So those who ascend the spiritual ladder are given the perception of this world as “Shimon from the market,” and also the perception of the spiritual world. They perceive a double reality, but this doesn’t disturb them.

Until the full redemption of egoism of the world is achieved, the final correction, when all the souls are connected, which we must bring, we will continue to live in this world.
[84696]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/2/12, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Question: What do my efforts consist of if all that is needed is to ask the Creator to do everything?

Answer: This is what your efforts are: to reveal that there is “none else besides Him,” that He acts in everything, that He is the first and He is the last, that the world is full with Him, and we just don’t feel this force since we are in concealment.

You exist in something that works, acts, goes around, turns everything, and you do not see any of that. You do not recognize that, and there is darkness and silence around you.

So what have you left to do? First of all, reveal what a fascinating mechanism, what a perfect system you are in, how you are connected to it, and how now you can participate only a little bit in its governance and afterward, more and more, to such an extent that you will be taking action and launching this entire system. And for now, you are absolutely detached from what is happening in it, and this system is influencing you drop by drop in order only to support your existence.

Try to imagine this picture. See what you are starting with and what you will achieve. Today, you are like a sleepy fly that is crawling around in a dark corner of a huge king’s castle, not knowing anything about it. And you are being awakened gradually, until you wake up, until you grow up and realize. And then the Light suddenly will light up, and you will begin to see what is happening around you, just like in a film of a fairy tale.
[84540]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/1/12, The Zohar

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