Shamati #17 “What Does It Mean that the Sitra Achra Is Called ‘Malchut Without A Crown’”
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The Book of Zohar – Selected Chapter “VaYakhel (And Moses Assembled)” “Illuminations of the Fire,” Item 264, Lesson 14
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Talmud Eser Sefirot Part 2, Chapter 2, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Chapter 5, Item 54, Lesson 23
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Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah, Item 109, Lesson 48
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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Nation,” (Start with: “This is like the sin of Adam HaRishon”), Lesson 11
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The economic system should match the condition of society. Until now, we developed and modernized the egoistic system, in which everyone earned according to his strengths and abilities. Raw materials, the army, politics, fraud, and so on, everything was connected to the network of egoistic ties between us, and everyone’s formula was to maximize profit.

However, profit can be different. For instance, some pay huge amounts of money to be respected and feared. Others opt for something else, and it all depends on the type of society. But ultimately, all means become part of the network that connects us and essentially determines everything.

By joining it, we spoil it by our egoism, envy, lust, and vanity as individuals as well as nations because the general and the particular are equal. Consequently, this network, stretching over the entire world, is permeated by all kinds of desires, soaked by the sweat of history of countries and nations, and imbued with their religions and dreams about the future.…

Everything is woven into this network, and therefore, we cannot understand it. The entire reality is entangled in the network of our corrupted egoistic relationships. There are too many variables and factors of influence, and we do not know how to describe them with one formula: hundreds of countries, presidents and prime ministers, armies, money, natural resources, religious preferences and mentality, past achievements, and hopes for the future…

It is impossible to understand this immense set of data, and that is why our economic system is defined by that poor picture that we are able to discern from the common network. Respectively, the one who is able to understand it better can foresee and earn more.

This has happened so far. According to the law of equality of the general and the particular, I could extrapolate my qualities on the country and the whole world as we all existed in one egoistic nature. To a certain extent, I could understand the functioning principles of the country and the world, and build and coordinate government institutions of power and control accordingly.

However today, our connection is being replaced by another. A new program has been installed and is constantly updated to the latest version. It obliges us to increasingly seek unity and mutual guarantee, and although this does not comply with our desires, this is the state of affairs today.

We, on the other hand, do not know how to approach this network and are losing the ability to communicate with others correctly. The world experiences the deficit of trust: Banks do not trust manufacturers; governments do not trust each other. And this is natural. Before, the connection was clear: “You give to me, I give to you.” We understood each other in our egoism.

But the situation has changed. We have not changed ourselves; we are still in our old nature, and at the same time, we discover a new relationship that is totally incomprehensible to us from our previous positions. We do not even notice its altruistic nature.

This is where the problem lies, which the usual methods cannot solve. The question now is how society will advance towards unity. The reasons are unimportant: Either the economy, a security threat, or the need for social appeasement may push us toward it. In any case, only in the move toward unity will society suddenly begin to understand the world: “Ah, that’s how it is! What can be done now? What should we do?”

We should introduce integral upbringing. There are no other solutions. We must learn and become clear on how to build a new oneness not based on our previous connections and nature; how to change our nature a little. And even if I do not wish this at all, this is the only possibility to adapt to the nature that is being revealed to us, to the network of altruistic relationships. Only then will we be able to put our life in order; otherwise, we will lose the way completely and go bankrupt in every possible way.

The modern economy is built on the principle of “give and take,” as it is said: “Go and earn from each other.” What will happen if people, industrial sectors, countries, and the whole world are not able to deal with each other? The world will return to subsistence farming: I consume what I produce. This is a disaster, but the world might come to this.

And that is why an integral upbringing and the understanding of global relationships are so important today. We definitely need to find the right forms of presentation to explain this to the world.
[53312]
From the 5st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/1/2011, “The Nation”

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The Zohar, Chapter “VaYakhel (And Moses Assembled),” Item 217: The meaning of the book of Torah on this day. It is written, “And they read in the book, the Law [Heb: Torah] of God, distinctly, and they sensed and understood the reading.”

The secret of the book of Torah becomes revealed only between us. If we manage to create a space between us, which on one hand will be determined by the level of hate between us, separating us from each other, and on the other hand above the hatred, will create a connection between us, the hatred will give us the power of resistance, “a resistor,” while the connection between us will provide us with the current to operate this resistor.

Then, the work becomes revealed based on the current running through the resistor: We can operate an engine, heat or cool it down—anything can be done. These two opposite forces can benefit us when each one acts against the other.

Everything depends on the type of resistance that becomes revealed. The ego is constantly exploding, showing many opposite forms, detachment, hate, and the rejection between us. We want to remain in the same connection and love, but since our ego is constantly changing, our relationships also experience transformations.

The Light is at absolute rest, but our desire to receive pleasure is constantly changing, manifesting itself in various forms without any break. Therefore, we are constantly revealing new states called Partzufim. Thus, if we want to reveal the secrets of The Book of Zohar or the book of the Torah, they are only revealed in the connection between us.
[53175]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/31/2011, The Zohar

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Question: How can we avoid a didactic and threatening tone in our explanations?

Answer: You need to show people that what you are talking about is not your imagination, but the phenomena and laws of nature.

For instance, I had an acquaintance in Russia who was an expert in materials strength. Once by chance, I attended his presentation. He was shown the specifications of a particular unit in a submarine, and he drew a conclusion: “It will not withstand it. Under the planned operating conditions, it will be disasterous.” And indeed, despite the emotions and distrust of his interlocutors, it happened the way he predicted.

I was impressed by his strictly scientific approach: These are the laws of nature, and nothing can be done here. The fact was that the unit could not withstand the pressure.

Thus, we have to show people that this is not our personal opinion, but these are the laws of nature. “Look and see for yourself. Shout as much as you wish, but it will not work.”

Everything depends on the correct explanation, in other words, on education. This is our entire work. Regardless of a person’s views, I just want to show everyone that my message doesn’t come from me; it is not my personal opinion and not my religion. This is the nature of things; check and make sure yourself.

Of course, I should prepare and adapt the material to make my presentation suitable for the audience. But overall, my task is to present the facts.

Imagine, a person is jumping from the 100th floor because at the level of the 99th floor, a green fabric is stretched, which appears to him to be a lawn. So, I need to push away this illusory “grass” ahead of time and show him the real distance to the ground.
[53302]
From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/30/2011, “The Nation”

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Question: 70 years ago Baal HaSulam warned people that the Holocaust was coming, but no one listened. Today we also warn of dire developments and the possibility of a world war. Why don’t we draw a clear parallel to the words of Baal HaSulam as proof that we are right?

Answer: The very quality of the human ego is such that it cannot see this scenario. People are simply unable to discern it.

And yet the present situation is different from that of the last century. 70 years ago Baal HaSulam studied with 5-6 of his regular students, but today there are many thousands that study his materials, which at the time he couldn’t take outside of the group. People the world over are beginning to accept this message and identify with it. Naturally, each to his own measure, but still.

There’s nothing you can do; these are the laws of evolution. If you could see the entire magnitude of Malchut that needs correction, you wouldn’t have these questions.

Imagine that you’re sailing from Europe to America without a map, and even when you’re only a few miles from land, you still can’t see it; you think that you are lost in the very heart of the ocean. Your field of vision is limited to the horizon, and you see only water until the very last moment when the edge of the continent appears over it.

The first to see it will be the person that sits at the highest point, provided there is someone on your ship who has climbed higher and sees further. “Land!” he’ll shout. But you won’t see it yet. Will you believe him?
[52960]
From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/29/2011, “The Nation”

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Turning Above with an appeal (raising MAN) is an action we do not feel. It is a consequence of many actions, deeds, hours of study, work on dissemination, uniting with the group, and internal analysis. All of this accumulates more and more until we reach a state where this cup overflows.

That is the reason why a person does not know when it will happen. He is putting in the effort, training, trying to prepare himself, and finally, he comes to execute this action as a result of all the great, provisional preparation. Then, he can say something about it.

However, in reality, this action is accumulated outside of himself, and it actually is not him preparing and finally executing the action. That is why it is said: “Each penny is accumulated into a big account.” Then, this common, large account activates in the upper one, forcing it to take action. All of the actions obey the law of equivalence of form, and that is why it happens when the appeal of the lower one begins to correspond to what the upper one is ready to do to him.

MAN is a prayer, an appeal, a desire, with which I turn to Above, and this is the only thing that I am capable of doing. When I call to Above with an appeal, I do not know whether it is correct or not. I do not know whether I have or have not done it because a prayer is called “the work in the heart,” and that is why we do not feel how we raise the prayer, the sparks left behind after the breaking (Reshimot).

We do not know what is really going on in the depths of our heart, and we only feel the consequence when we receive the answer to our prayer. The answer is felt in the heart. It expands and begins to perceive new phenomena from a different dimension, which is something that a person has never felt, understood, or known before.

The heart widens as a person comes out of himself and incorporates more and more into his circle. First, his circle includes a part of the world and then, the entire world, all of the upper worlds, and the spiritual steps.
[52428]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/24/2011, Shamati #81

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The entire work occurs above concealment. If everything is revealed, what else is to be done? Concealment allows me to be independent and to establish my work and position myself.

For the time being, a child is not as knowledgeable as we are and does not understand what we do. But it is this lack of knowledge in particular that enables him to eventually rise higher and become smarter than us. It helps him to receive from us our knowledge and besides, to add something from himself.

If a child knew everything we do at once, he would not grow up. Hence, an animal born with all natural instincts fully masters its natural program in a few days and does not develop any further.

We evolve due to concealment, due to us not having anything. Gradually, by way of numerous clarifications, I build my personality: new, different from all others, and beyond predecessors. And if nothing was concealed, there would be nothing to add. Concealment allows us to rise to the full height and comprehend.

If I received everything ready made, I would not know what’s happening. But by building each detail and connecting all of them together by myself, I assemble Malchut of the world of Infinity, based on my individuality, on my point of the soul—I get to know creation from end to end.
[53320]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/1/2011, Shamati #101

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Question: Is the wave of protests in Israel due to the role of the nation of Israel, or will all nations come to this eventually?

Answer: The same problems will have to be solved in the entire world. On the corporeal level people will be obliged to provide mutual guarantee that will ensure social justice. Then the nations will be able to introduce a just distribution as they see it.

And it doesn’t matter how much you give to everyone. What is important is the final sensation: We are all together and we are fine. I am satisfied with what others have received and I am among them.

Regardless of which societies and countries we are talking about, the key is that everyone feels satisfied. And this is not a matter of money, but precisely of the final sensation.

In the interim phase, we have to provide to those who lack food and basic necessities. We need to raise the needy above the poverty line—there is no need to even discuss it. They receive the necessary supplement and together we move on to discussing our current problems. When a person has nothing to eat, there is nothing to talk with him about, while the rest depends on the sensation.
[52453]
From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/24/2011, Talk on Arvut and Social Justice

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Question: What is “Truth and Faith”?

Answer: Truth is a fair reward and punishment, when I work and receive what I’m entitled to for my work.

However, we see that life is not always arranged according to this principle. And a person who works more than everybody else does not necessarily receive more than everybody else. If that was the case, the world would be relatively straightforward.

But in order to pull us out of this egoistic straightforwardness, the Creator makes His additions and greatly confuses us. Thus, we see that a fair, true calculation does not always transpire, and there is a place for faith, meaning hope for good luck or some upper help beyond one’s understanding.

Faith destroys the principle of fair truth. This is why people get so confused in this world and hope for a miracle, a blessing, or a miraculous cure. The same confusion exists on the spiritual path as well: On one hand, everything is given to the measure of one’s effort, but on the other, everything depends on luck.

A person should work in order to join these two principles into one. It is written: “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named, but sacrifice him.” Meaning on one hand, you will see him giving birth to your “grandchildren,” all the new successors up to the end of correction, but on the other, he needs to be annihilated. How is that possible?

It is not clear to us now, but it constitutes the very first principle of entering the spiritual world, which Abraham had to adopt according to this story. A person corrects his vision in such a way that for the first time he is able to join two opposites into one.

It means that he ascended to the first degree and mastered a spiritual principle according to which two opposites merge into one whole. And now, he understands how to work with reason and faith above reason simultaneously—with hatred, the sins of which are covered by love.

If a person begins to grasp this principle and takes it into account in his or her work, even without having realized it yet, he will no longer experience difficult obstacles that push him backwards. He feels that these obstacles in particular are meant to advance him and sees that all these contradictions are an opportunity for him to ascend. And then he rises.

On the contrary: “Man’s pride shall bring him low.” If he does not accept this condition and is not willing to join two opposites into one, this becomes an impassable obstacle. That’s why he gets off the track and leaves the path.

Therefore, it is important to direct oneself correctly: straight to the world of Infinity, understanding that the difference between this world and the next one is in our ability to join two poles into one. That sets us a direction, just like taking an aim.

This principle is expressed in various ways: “Israel, Torah, and the Creator are one”; ascents and descents that have to become one whole; the group and I should work together so that I invest into it at the time of ascent and receive from it at the time of descent, meaning so that the group serves as my electrical current “rectifier.”

The main conclusion that follows from it with respect to this world is that we must not destroy a single quality either in ourselves or in the world. We need to bring them all to correction and combine them into one—to rise above them by uniting with the Creator.

We won’t be able to establish a good life and a fair society in our world if we don’t unite among ourselves as equals. Meaning, everyone will work for the benefit of society to the extent of his or her ability and receive according to his or her needs.

But we can fulfill this condition only if we aspire to it for the purpose of uniting with the Creator, meaning for the sake of the quality of love and bestowal that unites our opposite properties into one, infinitely perfect state.
[52315]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/23/2011, Shamati #43

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Question: Why does the egoism in our world  keep the mind and feelings from connecting?

Answer: It is an obvious fact that when we are very worried about something, the mind vanishes into thin air. And when we try to understand or examine something, then feelings disappear. These two different approaches, sensory and rational, cancel each other out.

This is a consequence of the breaking. Our root is in the breaking, when the screen that used to connect the mind and the heart, calculation and pleasure, disappeared. That is why in our world, we are unable to make a correct calculation based on feelings. And the more we can leave our feelings behind, the faster we can look at them from aside. The more we move away from our feelings, the more we are able to make a sound calculation in the place which has been freed up, on that same interval that is not filled by feelings.

It appears to us that we are able to connect the mind and the heart, but in reality we cannot. If I were 100 percent inside my sensation but started coming out of it by 30 percent, I would be able to work with my mind in the place that is 30 percent free from feelings.

In our world, feelings and the mind cannot work together. If the mind and feelings were connected, it would be the Reflected Light, a spiritual action. Before this occurs the Restriction (Tzimtzum) must happen, the reception of the Light that Reforms, the merger with the upper one by faith above reason so as to acquire the mind and the heart of the upper one, or to work above one’s feelings with the help of  a higher reason.

This already relates to spiritual work. It’s exactly the purpose of the screen: to connect the sensation and the mind, “The Torah and the work.”
[52733]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/8/2011, Shamati #45

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