Entries in the 'Daily Kabbalah Lesson' Category

Life On The Degree Of Bestowal

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the process of reincarnation, the only thing that changes is the external form, our attitude or “clothing,” but not the inner, fundamental state. It is impossible to talk about that state at all in terms of loss of life, death.

The Light that expands in the spiritual Partzuf is called the Light of life. When it leaves the Partzuf, death comes. However, in spirituality things never go through life and death as we understand them because a person is always above his fulfillment. He is on the level of the screen and Reflected Light, in the state of Hafetz Hesed because he has acquired the level of bestowal.

If the Light comes, then it’s good because a person can receive it for the sake of bestowal and this gives him more life. And if the Light of life leaves and the Light of Hassadim remains, it is also life, but a small degree of it, until reaching the tiniest illumination that provides the bare minimum, a dreaming state. However, one way or another a person is always connected with the force of life.

Therefore, the science of Kabbalah does not attribute any significance to the bodily sensations that comprise our life and death. In Kabbalah these are completely different notions which are nothing like what we understand them to be.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/10/11 on Life and Death

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Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Is a Kabbalist able to measure precisely the “miraculous force” of the upper Light like in a scientific experiment, or is it an axiom for him, like it is an axiom for us?

Answer: No, we never know how we rise to the next degree. It is like in the example of Rabbi Shimon who fell so low right before attaining the highest degree, the final correction, that he became a regular person, just Shimon from the market.

When it comes to the next degree, we always operate through faith above reason, and we never know what will happen there. Since I already have experience, I can say that greater bestowal and greater love and unity await me there, but because I do not yet actually feel it, I have no ability to predict anything with even a 1% accuracy.

It is always something absolutely unexpected and new, a full “upgrade,” a complete change of all my components, improvement of the entire ten Sefirot. Usually, it is felt as a very strong renewal which gives such an overpowering impression that everything turns upside down in comparison to what it was before.

The entire perception of reality, sensations, and understanding change. This happens on every degree, regardless of where the person is. It is a new creature every time.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/8/2011 on The Importance of the Study

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Creation Swimming In An Ocean Of Light

Dr. Michael LaitmanThere are only two forces in the universe: the force of bestowal—the Creator, and the force of reception—creation. They begin from the state one opposite the other where the force of the Creator is infinite, like an ocean of Light that is at eternal rest. And the force of creation begins with a small point inside this Light of Infinity.

The Creator’s aim is to raise this point so it will become as big as the Light and equal to it in every way both in size and quality. This will mean that the good and generous Creator has carried out his good and benevolent action—the action of bestowal.

Therefore, the Creator gives creation all of the qualities that are present in the desire to receive pleasure, in opposition to what is present in the Creator, in the desire to bestow, so creation would independently decide and freely choose the state of the Creator, bestowal, as the highest and most desirable quality compared to everything that is present in creation. Even if it received the opportunity to acquire infinite fulfillment for its own sake, it would prefer to remain empty just to be closer to the quality of bestowal.

On this path creation has to go through an enormous amount of discernments, but they can all be divided into two parts: quantitative understanding and qualitative understanding. All the work of creation lies in realizing its evil. It has to understand how bad its egoistic quality of reception is compared to the Creator’s quality of bestowal.

And the reason it is bad is not because it causes creation to suffer. In that case creation would choose bestowal egoistically. Yet these discernments of good and evil should not depend on the desires of creation itself, meaning it cannot choose something that it would be able to enjoy naturally.

The choice has to be made from a point that is independent of your own desires so you would prefer bestowal for the sake of this quality because it is the most exalted one. And it shouldn’t happen because you plan to receive some kind of fulfillment or benefit from it.

Therefore, on this path creation always starts by asking, “Who is the Creator so I would listen to His voice?” And “What will I receive for all of this work?” That is, it reveals all of its desire, the entire vessel (Kli) and its size as well as quality, attains itself, and demands natural fulfillment according to its egoistic qualities.

Then it works by analyzing its desires from within, and reaches the understanding that it is completely limited and aspires only toward its own pleasure, which is therefore false. Under these conditions, it cannot objectively value the truth.

And when it tries to reach the truth in order not to depend on its own desires, to “hang” between the sky and the earth, it sees itself as “half sinner and half righteous” like on the scale of justice. From here on, creation already starts working on its own free choice.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/10/11 on Prayer

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 03.10.11

What Is Prayer?, Lesson 2
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The Book of Zohar — Introduction: “Ekev (Because),” Item 7, Lesson 2
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Talmud Eser Sefirot 3, Part 9, Item 6, Lesson 5
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Topic Lesson: Life and Death, Lesson 1
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He Whose Heart Is Broken

Dr. Michael LaitmanWritings of Rabash, Why does it say that “The Creator heals broken hearts”? It is because the most important thing for a person is the heart because it is the vessel for the Upper Light. But if the vessel is broken, then everything filling it spills to the outside.

Therefore, if the heart is broken, meaning, if the egoistic desire rules over the heart, then the Light cannot enter it. Everything a person receives egoistically goes to the impure forces (Klipot). This is called “a broken heart.”

Therefore, a person asks the Creator to help and cure his broken heart because nothing spiritual can enter it and only the Creator can save him. That is why it is written, “The Creator is close to those whose heart is broken.”

The Creator created creation perfect. But then, in order to give creation the ability to understand, feel, reveal, and value this perfect state, He had to take it through states that are opposite to perfection in every form. Then creation will prepare, acquiring the force, sensations, and ability to reveal the perfection that was created in it.

States that are opposite to perfection are called “breaking.” They exist only in relation to creation, inside its sensation and understanding. That is to say, a person reveals that his heart is broken—that all of his desires are broken and that he is ruled by egoism. And just like in a broken vessel, all of the fulfillment he is given spills to the outside and goes to the egoistic desires.

A person feels that he passionately desires bestowal, but is unable to do it because his entire heart is broken. He suddenly reveals that all of his thoughts and desires, his entire aspiration to bestowal is actually aimed at the total opposite: at egoistic reception.

That is to say, he is torn apart in two directions. The first is his passionate desire to the Creator, which seems to come from the bottom of his heart. But he reveals that in actuality, from the bottom of his heart he wants the opposite.

Then, as a result of these two opposite directions that become revealed inside him, a person feels that his heart is broken. That is why he asks the Creator to cure his heart so his intentions would be aimed at the Creator, at bestowal, at the neighbor—only in one direction, without returning back to himself.

Then it is considered a true prayer that is accepted from above, as it is written, “The Creator is close to those whose heart is broken.”

This discernment is the only thing we need.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/9/11 on Prayer

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The Path Through The Broken Heart

Dr. Michael LaitmanWith all our might we are trying to make at least some kind of practical action of bestowal, to see our environment as bestowing and perfect. We desire to lower ourselves before the environment and to see the friends as the greatest people of the generation so that through them we would receive the opportunity to come to the Creator. But the more we try to do this, the more we reveal that we only want this egoistically, in order to profit at everyone’s expense and to use everyone for our own sake.

These opportunities are constantly revealed to a person and he sees that he immediately recognizes them and wants to use society for his own interests. These are the best moments—revelations of truth. And if a person is willing to endure them and to advance without milling around in them, but continuing to move in the direction of bestowal to the environment, then he will reveal his desire more and more.

He will see that no matter how much he tries to act for the sake of bestowal, to bestow to the environment and to reveal the Creator through others in order to bestow to Him—in response to all the attempts he continuously reveals thoughts of the “broken egoism” and opposite intentions, meaning symptoms of the broken heart.

Only to the degree that a person aspires to bestowal and holiness does he reveal the expressions of the impure force that rules over him. And there is nothing you can do about it because we need this revelation. If egoism is revealed to a person so strongly that he comes to hate it and doesn’t want to remain in it, this is a prayer.

After that it is not necessary to ask for anything any longer. If one does, they will be artificial requests. A prayer is the sensation that is in the heart. If a person feels how much he suffers from his egoistic inclinations, which prevent him from using the means that should have brought him to bestowal to the Creator, then this is already enough. Through that he already becomes closer to the Creator. Everything turns out to be the other way around! He is closest to the Creator precisely when he reveals how broken and opposite to the Creator his heart is.

It follows that we should understand that our work is opposite to the work of a religious person who feels perfect, inspired, and exalted. In Kabbalah everything is opposite: the path to the Creator lies through the broken heart, which is precisely the time we discover how opposite we are to Him. And precisely from this profound descent, calling out to the Creator, we reveal that we have a point of contact with Him.

Therefore, joy and despair come simultaneously, supporting each other and uniting together. That is when the Creator becomes revealed as a result of the unification of these two opposites into one.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/9/11

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Blessed Are You Who Created The Worlds….

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe Zohar, Introduction, “The Intention in the Blessing,” Item 16: …For this reason, the blessing that a person blesses the Creator awakens to bestow upon the Creator blessings from above to all the worlds.

Question: What is a blessing?

Answer: A blessing is a special force from above, the force of Bina that influences Malchut. The Creator is called Blessed if I turn to Him from Malchut with the request for the forces of bestowal to come to me, to enter me, and become part of me.

When I include these forces inside of me, it means I receive a blessing, the qualities of Bina that become included in Malchut. According to these qualities, which I received from the Creator, I can call Him Blessed. Otherwise I do not have the same qualities for which I can value and thank Him.

Why do I want to receive these qualities from Bina? It’s so that I won’t curse the Creator, but will bless Him. That is to say, all of the corrections that I try to acquire are not for my own benefit, but only in order to love, to respect, and to bless the Creator.

Therefore, the words “Blessed are You” in the blessings of prayer mean that I have already gone through the corrections enabling me to work for the sake of bestowal, that I have received blessing from Him, and am now in the quality of bestowal and love. And I bless the Creator for this opportunity.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/9/11, The Zohar

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Convention = Acceleration

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How can we unite at the upcoming convention in New Jersey so we will accelerate time?

Answer: The convention is the maximum acceleration possible in our world. There is no action that’s more powerful. That is how I experience it myself.

I saw the same thing with Rabash during the simplest actions made by the group to unite. Even if we didn’t travel somewhere together and did not connect other people from the whole world to us, it was still very important to him.

After every convention I feel how we ascend a level higher and I gain the ability to explain the material in new ways. I think everyone feels this.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/9/11 on Time

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The Unique Force Of Kabbalah Conventions

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Do Kabbalah conventions serve as a final result of our practical work? What can you say about the upcoming convention in North America?

Answer: My attitude to such gatherings is very positive, and I think they provide an opportunity for great advancement. I see that with every convention, I get better and better at giving simpler explanations which are easier for people to digest. They start to understand me better, and we become closer to one another.

Every such meeting is a leap up. One visit to a Kabbalah convention is worth a month of daily studies. It gives a person internal and external impressions and many positive results. Once a year, we organize a congress in North America, so try not to let this opportunity pass by.

If you do have the opportunity, but it appears to you like there isn’t enough time or finances, this is an obstacle that was placed intentionally before you. You should honestly examine yourself, being aware that you stand before a profound decision. A person who has such an opportunity once a year and doesn’t come will lose a great deal since he loses the bond with this path.

Surely, there may be objective reasons which prevent a person from coming, such as being incarcerated in prison. However, if one is able to, but it is difficult for him, that is not an excuse. It is a test from Above, and he should leap over the obstacle placed in his way.

Many groups and individuals will gather. It is a very different kind of power, and we connect to the whole world from there. I will do my best to pass an internal charge to the people who will be so close in front of me at that moment. People keep feeling it later, after the event, unlike those who could come and did not.

It probably doesn’t matter that much how one studies day by day, whether in the virtual group or a physical one. It depends on a person and the relationships in the group. However, neither a physical nor virtual group can replace a collective gathering such as a convention where hundreds or thousands of people get together and unify.

There are those who left a group for different reasons, but a convention is something else, and everyone should go there without making any calculations regarding attitudes within the group or what have you. He just comes in order to unify with the world Kli (vessel) and ascend the new spiritual rung thereby.

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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/4/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Woman Is Where Changes Take Place

Dr. Michael LaitmanTo influence the men in a wholesome and powerful way, the women must also unite, but they should unite with an understanding of the principles of our work and what exactly to demand from the men. To do so, they must know what the Light is that the men need to draw and what it has to beget.

A woman in spirituality is a force even greater than a man. A man is just a force, a screen, whereas a woman is the place where all kinds of changes occur. She begets a new rung and nourishes it. Conception, nurturing, and maturing to adulthood, all of it lies within the female’s part of the collective or individual soul.

As regards a man, he only delivers the Light. It is said that he “provides the whitening,” and that completes his role, as it were. After that, he resides within a mother and through her, supplies the forces to develop the souls.

As regards the offspring, everything comes from the mother, the female part. All spiritual growth goes through a woman, and it is the female part that begets souls. The same is mentioned in the Torah. For example, “Abraham” and “Sarah” are two parts of the soul who beget a new soul, and their more advanced state is regarded as “Isaac.” Who gives birth to him? Obviously, it is Sarah.

We must function as nature dictates. Having aligned ourselves with the material nature, we will move on from it to the spiritual one, thanks to which we will accomplish what we set out to do without harming ourselves.

Vice versa, the more harm we inflict by indulging our egoism, the more we will scream about the “equality” that in reality ruins families and society, and the fewer our chances will become. Some politicians may benefit from it, but it won’t be us.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/6/11 on Women

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