Question: What do we mean by “unity” when we speak to the world?

Answer: To unite according to the condition of mutual guarantee means to be as one man with one heart. In order to unite hearts into one, to unite all desires into one desire the way it was before the breaking of the vessels, we go through two stages.

In the first stage we neutralize the will to receive for the sake of reception and thereby carry out the condition of Hafetz Hesed, “Do not do to another what is hateful to yourself.” By virtue of this I no longer harm my neighbor. I no longer judge a person by how good or bad he is, how much I can use him, control him, and deceive him.

I no longer look for profit from the world. I simply don’t want anything. Once I attain the entire magnitude and guile of my evil, which pushes me to harm others at every second, I yearn to maximally minimize the use of my desires. I only ask for the things I cannot do without, the bare necessities, hoping that then I will attain the quality of bestowal.

I want to become a point, like Malchut that becomes included in Bina. Just one point. It’s as if I don’t exist. My “I” is included in Bina and devoted to it,like a drop of semen in a womb. For now I am just a drop that does not exist by virtue of itself, but on account of the upper one.

This is the first stage where our hearts are not united yet, but they also aren’t repelled from one another.

At the next stage they start coming closer, as it is written, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” With all of my heart (because I don’t have other instruments), I check the heart of the neighbor and see the extent to which I can fulfill him and receive from him. My heart works entirely to serve and fulfill his heart, and he treats me the same way. This is the unity of hearts that we attain by carrying out the principle of love for the neighbor as for ourselves, thereby becoming as one man with one heart.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/27/11, “The Peace”

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The world’s correction begins when we unite into a group and reveal the force of bestowal among us. Then this group corrects the whole world, which is already ready to unite with it, to join its message. That is how we move towards the end of correction, to our total realization.

By virtue of what do we begin to feel, understand, and realize that correction is necessary? Based on what do we make this conclusion? According to which science, which experimental data?

Life itself is already illustrating this necessity. It is clearly demonstrating that we are in the integral world, all of whose parts are interconnected. However, we are connected by hatred and an awful state of affairs. These relationships are the crisis that is unraveling between people, with repulsion and egoism reigning among them. All of our connections are enveloped by this crisis and therefore our life is becoming more and more difficult. We suffer more and more due to the lack of purpose.

From here we can see that we are nearing a certain realization, and apparently, we have to take some measures. After that we will gradually discover that we are powerless in the face of the world. We cannot correct anything in the external society.

We have quarreled with nature to the maximum, destroying it to such an extent that there is a deadly threat hovering above us. In the end, all that remains is for us to correct ourselves. If we become corrected for the sake of unification, then apparently, our life will become better and safer. Thus, science and bitter experience create a foundation for us, allowing us to realize first hand that it’s worthwhile for us to correct ourselves.

To some extent the outside world already agrees with the presence of the global crisis and the need to achieve true unification among us. Suppose people see that we are obligated, compelled to unite. But how?

A question mark arises before them, which is very significant. After all, if the masses become imbued by it, if they see that there is nothing else to do, they will scream for help, for salvation. It is written, “The sons of Israel cried out from the work.” And even though the masses are not “the sons of Israel,” meaning they don’t aspire straight to the Creator, they are nevertheless ready for it. That is how a nation comes out of Egypt. Who can see and understand the general picture, besides several leaders?

Before our very eyes, humanity is gradually tumbling down toward this state. There are enough facts proving this, and they can strengthen us on the path.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/27/11, “The Peace”

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Question: Why does the burning desire that used to be there at the beginning gradually disappear? One continues to experience good or bad feelings, but sometimes one feels indifference and a complete absence of feelings.

Answer: This is also part of the “game” and concealment. Either one hides his desire to enjoy and acts above it, or one is given concealment from Above. Then, this is not concealment on one’s egoism because one has to make it himself. From Above, they hide from him what he should hide from himself!

It turns out that he loses the connection with the upper luminescence, that little illumination that he was given from Above, and he feels himself completely cut off, as if he has nothing. Sometimes, he realizes that he has lost everything, and at times he does not feel even that, and he starts living like a simple animal. Detachment from the upper source means an animal existence.

If there is a feeling that something higher exists, this is an awakening of the human within us. When we begin to search for something higher, a person starts to grow from within, like a plant does. When we start to take proactive steps, to work in the group with the friends, then we can raise ourselves to the animate level of the human degree. When we realize the form of mutual bestowal, this means that we have reached the genuine, human degree.

From a complete detachment caused by the fact that the upper source was concealed from him, a person reaches a point where he himself hides this upper source from the desire to enjoy. Then, he grows up like a human, above this concealment.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/25/2011, Shamati #39

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Question: How does one test whether his effort is sufficient?

Answer: Efforts are usually made above reason, above knowledge, when it seems to a person that everything is extremely difficult and impossible, and that he has had enough. He no longer believes in the teacher with his “folly” or in the Creator who is concealed, making it impossible to tell what He wants from him. And he has many complaints about the group as a whole, as well about every person individually.

However, at the same time we need to say that this image that I see is only according to my own faults, my egoism! It’s because in reality, I exist in the world of Infinity. And the group is the souls that I am completely connected with. And the teacher is the part above us that leads us to the connection with the already corrected souls so that we together with them can correct the souls that are still uncorrected. And the Creator will become revealed between us; for now He is concealed for our own good.

If a person imagines this state correctly, if he understands that this world is imaginary and he needs to dig deeper through this illusory image, to its inner form so as to reveal the strings that connect us, like on the reverse side of an embroidered image, he then will be able to put everything in place and demand to be changed.

He will reveal perfection through being in harmony with all the desires, in other words, with the group and the Creator, the quality of bestowal. He will feel that he has attained perfection this way and there is nothing greater than this, no need or desire for anything greater because this is the most perfect state for him!
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/24/2011, Shamati #187

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Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut (The Mutual Guarantee)”: The commandment of “love thy friend as thyself”… cannot be observed by an individual, but only through the consent of an entire nation. And this is why it took until they came out of Egypt, that they became worthy of observing it.

The full measure of man’s great desire as well as the full measure of his aversion to others have to manifest within him. The magnitude of his desire is Pharaoh, the extent of his rejection is Mount Sinai, and the measure of his aspiration straight to the Creator is Moses. Thus the entire Biblical story of the exodus from Egypt is outlined within man’s soul.

And until then he does not need the Kabbalistic method; he does not need corrections. He doesn’t strive for actualization, isn’t ready to be as one man with one heart with everybody, and doesn’t demand help of the Creator.

This scream is yet to emerge in the group, but we must come to it. Then we will discover that we are truly dealing with a method here: the means of correcting desire.

And then they were first asked if each and every one of the nation agreed to take that commandment upon himself. And once they agreed to it, they were given the method.

What is this question that is asked of everyone? Indeed, it is the Creator asking them. And what does their consent signify?

In other words, a desire, a lack, aimed precisely at correction must manifest within man. “Do you wish to correct your nature to that of bestowal or not? Are you sure this is what you want? Are you ready to unite with the friends? You’re incapable of it, but do you desire unity or not?”

Here you need to want to escape the ego (Pharaoh) at any cost, even if it means crossing the Red Sea (in Hebrew, Yam Suf – final sea). “To escape at any cost”—that is what everybody must feel. If that is the case, then we are ready to unite and receive the force of unification called “the light that Reforms.” That is what we call the giving of the method, the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/24/2011, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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Question: We received a letter from a friend in the tent city in Tel Aviv that is part of the fight to lower housing prices. He writes, “I don’t study Kabbalah, but we understand that we have tried everything and we understand that we have to unite and consolidate.” They are sitting there now and writing a proclamation, but they don’t know how to make it acceptable for everyone. They heard that Kabbalah has practical solutions. What can we offer them?

Answer: There is a notion known as “the prayer of many.” They should ask on behalf of everyone, including themselves. If they act this way, they will achieve success. This is the right form of unification. And if they don’t do that, then nothing will work.

Today the integral force already reigns in the world and is becoming revealed more and more all the time, and all the systems are shifting to this new work regime.
Besides, I would recommend that they read at least a few of our books in their free time. We cannot hand out our materials to them because then people will suspect that we are doing this out of selfish motives. But if they wish, we would be happy to give them any materials, and by reading them they will understand what we mean and how they should act. This will give them the assistance of the upper force, and then they will see with their own eyes how their power and success grow.

This will happen in actuality. Let’s try it out.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/27/11, “The Peace”

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Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”: The Israeli nation had been constructed as a sort of gateway by which the sparks of purity would shine upon the whole of the human race the world over.

People who receive a craving or impulse directed straight to the Creator are scarce. It is said in the Torah: “You were the fewest of all people.” It will remain like this. These people receive the awakening from Above and aspire straight to the Creator (Yashar-El in Hebrew), while the majority do not get a “wake-up call,” but just more life problems.

Those who are called “Israel” according to the direction of their yearning, correct and prepare themselves because they have received from Above both the awakening and the method that covers all stages of the path. And therefore, they prepare themselves to help with the correction of other people who get no awakening, no methodology, no teacher—nothing.

Humanity needs a kind of a representative, a contact, like a stem that connects the fruit to the tree, an adapter, a transition link, a connector, connecting people to the Source. It has part of the Source and part of the world. This part is called “Israel.”

People who belong to Israel should feel themselves as the representatives of the Creator and work accordingly. However, in addition, due to the breaking, they include the properties of the nations of the world and according to this should maintain their connection with the rest of humanity.

The order is as follows: At the beginning, the part of humanity formed by Abraham and called “Israel” experiences the spiritual ascent and establishes the connection with the Creator (1); this happened during the First and the Second Temples. Then, this part descends “into people” (2).

Then, the mixing takes place (3), during which part of Israel stands out from the nation. It corrects itself (4) and rises back, but it already has the connection with the nation. Then, Israel can address the nations of the world (5), correct them, and they reach the Creator together (6).

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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/24/2011, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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The reading of The Zohar can be compared to a long awaited meeting with a person you love, someone you wished to be closer to. When the two of you finally meet, it doesn’t matter to you what exactly he is saying. The most important thing is that while being next to him and hearing his voice, you feel your closeness. The actual words are not important. Let him talk. You don’t even listen to them that closely. Through the words, you want to feel how you come closer to him and feel him more.

And it’s the same with The Book of Zohar. All the different words and stories that are written in it seem to confuse us, but then, we understand why this is written there: It is because all of it are names of our connections. But I don’t care about what is written in the book exactly, what it is talking about. What matters is that I am close to it at this time. Because I rejoice at being connected with it, I don’t really pay attention to its words. The most important thing is that we are close.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/27/11, The Zohar

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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Part 2, Item 1: This Kav [line] is like one thin Tzinor [tube], where the waters of the Ohr Elyon [upper Light] of Ein Sof [Infinity] expand and Nimshachim (extend) to the Olamot [worlds] in that place of Halal [space] and Avir [air].

All of the work takes place inside of the same will to enjoy which sometimes imagines itself full of Light and sometimes – empty. It’s similar to what sometimes happens to us when we seem to have everything, but feel as if we don’t have anything.

The true state does not change – the will to enjoy is entirely filled with Light and is in the world of Infinity. All the changes exist only in creation’s perception. Its desire continually changes and it imagines that it doesn’t have anything, whereas at other times it imagines that it has everything. Sometimes it wants to receive and sometimes – to bestow. Different forms clothe into the matter and they are determined by creation depending on its impression of the Light.

More accurately, it’s not the creation that determines it, but the Light that becomes absorbed into creation more and more deeply, evoking all sorts of sensations in it. But everything occurs in the will to enjoy. It feels empty, remaining after the restriction in the world of Infinity.

Now it wants to behave differently and in this common desire, called Malchut of the world of Infinity, it wants to reveal desires that act purposefully and are called “a line, a tube” – meaning, bestowal aimed at the Host. From all of my desires, I choose those I can aim at Him, and I use them.

I receive into them, but for the sake of bestowing to the Host. In all my other desires I am incapable of bestowing to Him. They are too great and their taste is overly intense. I don’t have the strength to receive into them and at the same time to think about the Host, to bestow to Him.

That is, into this tube enter the weakest desires and the weakest Lights that I can give to the Host. All the rest of the infinite emptiness remaining around this tube are my great desires and great tastes that I am unable to receive for the sake of bestowal. This entire Infinity remains outside of this line.

And everything happens inside of the same desire, the same creation that works on itself in this way, becoming more perfect and developed, revealing more and more qualities, tastes, Lights, and elements inside itself and qualitatively changing.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/26/11, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Shamati #50 “Two States,″ (start with: “The important thing…” TO: “By that one can attain adhesion with Him”
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The Book of Zohar – Selected, Chapter “Truma,(Donation) 2,” “The Seven Blessings of the Bride,” Item 788, Lesson 34
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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Part 2 ,”Ohr Pnimi,” Item 2, Lesson 2
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Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah, Item 42, Lesson 27
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag “The Peace,” Lesson 1
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