I have to change myself in conformity with the upper world. To do this I attract forces from that world through the group and change by means of those forces. Thus I ascend up 125 degrees and reveal the upper world. That is how it opens up to me, becoming more and more apparent.

In the process I am not working on something external, but on what is inside of me. I attract the forces of change to myself rather than applying my forces to something on the outside, the way we do in our world.

This determines my interactions with the environment: I do not want to change it, eliminate anything in it, or conquer it the way I conquer the people around me in this world, controlling them, submitting them to my power, and using them to achieve my own goals. This is especially vivid in our world among politicians.

In spirituality, however, everything is opposite: I work in the environment of friends quietly, often even without having any special discussions. If they were all chosen by the upper force to attain the spiritual world, then by bending down before them, I absorb their forces. These forces accumulate in me and join the point in my heart, and then I change.

This way, my criterion of progress is not the external conquests, but inner changes that manifest as new qualities and sensations, new understanding in relation to the study and the objects described in the science of Kabbalah. It isn’t simple to re-orient yourself and shift to the approach that accords with the spiritual world. It takes a lot of time for a person to reach despair and to discover that there is no other way, to understand that he has to act differently, to begin hearing and realizing what he hears, and to build everything in the right order, placing himself under the influence of the environment.

In essence, this is the most important thing. Whoever has taken these steps and formed the right attitude to the group, has already gone through the first and most dangerous stage of the path without falling prey to his own egoism. It is extremely important to place yourself in front of the environment the right way. Rabash particularly underlines this in his articles.

We can even say that the subsequent steps are easier to make because I already have the right approach and focus. I understand that the Light is primary, that it is the only thing that operates in reality, and we have to give it the opportunity to do so instead of getting in the way with our egoism, as if we have the strength and reason to do anything ourselves. In fact, the only opportunity we have is to naturally bend down our head before the environment and then to receive the forces for change and correction.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/28/11, Writings of Rabash

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In our world we are used to acting independently. I use all of my strength, knowledge, energy, potential of being connected with my environment, my inborn abilities, as well as habits ingrained by upbringing and education. I am the source; I am the center. Coming from myself I act and pave my path in the world.

At every step of the way we see how effective this approach is. After all, we were born by the power of egoism, the will to enjoy. And since we are already using that desire to “succeed” and attain self-profit, we therefore use everything we have, both our inner capabilities and the external means.

I have strength, reason, drive, and audacity—all the things that are inherent to me, and I use them outwardly, in the direction of going from within me to the outside. But that’s not what happens during the soul’s correction. If my set goal is not to succeed in this world, but in the spiritual world, if I want to break through into that world and acquire it, then I discover that I am not fit for it from the onset. I do not have the forces, understanding, or qualities that enable me to come closer on my own and to attack, break through, and conquer the upper world.

It takes time to realize this. But afterward, seeing that my regular “instruments” are powerless here, I experience weakness, give up, and don’t know what to do. Usually this brings a person to a great descent. After all, he does not have any means to attain what he desires. So what should he do?

There are two things concealed here that one must realize:

1. I do not belong or correspond to the spiritual world in any way, shape, or form. Now this is completely clear to me. And this moment of weakness is a good beginning. After all, in essence this is talking about the realization of my own nature, which is detached from the spiritual nature and will not help me in any way. I do not have any inclinations, means, tools, or possibilities of finding my way to the place where I want to be. I cannot make heads or tails of it. I am spiritually immobile and inaccessible.

2. I am able to obtain a force that will help me and a mind that will direct me at acquiring the upper world through the environment. After all, the environment is the means of attaining the upper world, and it is present right beside me. It is the group to which I am brought from Above and through which I can receive upper forces in order for them to influence me.

I do not acquire the spiritual world by aspiring to go from within myself outward to it. I do not buy it, absorb it, or break into it. Rather, in order to conquer the upper world, I must only adapt myself to it. Then I will discover that I am in it.

This way, the approach to the work and its result, as well as the reconciliation of myself and the upper world are completely opposite to what we work with in our world. Here I must attain, acquire, or conquer what I desire, while the spiritual world, to the contrary, is ready for me initially. I am already in it and all I have to do is change in order for this to become apparent.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/28/11, Writings of Rabash

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The purpose of creating man is to have him transform himself from being opposite to being similar to the Creator, meaning to have him acquire the property of acting solely for the sake of others instead of acting solely for his own benefit. This transformation of nature can be achieved by studying The Book of Zohar because in the degree of a person’s need, a force that reforms man’s nature becomes revealed during the reading.

Even though a person may not have the slightest desire to change and thinks solely about his own good, nevertheless, being under the influence of the environment, he gradually agrees that the ability to bestow is the most vital asset in his life. Thus, he studies with the group so he may enhance his aspiration to get reformed.

If the friends present themselves as one whole, their study evokes an impact of the concealed force which then manifests as mutual love and bestowal. And despite the fact that nobody takes their transformation seriously, eventually, under the influence of the environment and the force hidden in the collective studying of The Zohar, everybody experiences authentic changes—everyone acquires the Creator’s nature and feels the upper world.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/24/2011, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar”

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The Zohar, Introduction, “General Explanations for All Fourteen Commandments and How They Divide Into the Seven Days of ‘Creation’,” Item 1: …Rabbi Shimon explains the fourteen Mitzvot, which include all 613 Mitzvot, as the seven days of creation include 7,000 years. This is why he divided them into seven days of creation and tied each to its ascribed day. And since they include all 613 Mitzvot, it is worthwhile exerting to keep each day.

What does it mean to observe a commandment (Mitzva)? How do I even know what that commandment is? And what can I do now if I don’t even know what it is talking about?

Nevertheless, I have to read this text with the intention that it will correct me. After all, for now we don’t even know how to connect to the text or extract the spiritual action from it so it would become an instruction manual for us, the Torah, because “Torah” comes from the word “Oraa,” instructions. For it is written, “A man’s soul shall teach him.”

When each of us will have a soul instead of its embryo or spiritual spark, then inside of our soul we will reveal various phenomena. These phenomena will become “my book,” “my Torah,” my revelation, according to the instruction to write the Torah on one’s heart, where the heart refers to all of a person’s desires.
From them we will find out how to advance, how to take the next steps, and will take them inside of us. That is exactly how we will perform various actions inside of us according to the instruction manual.

But for now we are looking at the instruction manual without realizing what the instructions are saying. We do not know what it is talking about because we do not feel what each of them is talking about inside of us, where various parts of our soul are, and what connection between them is.

Therefore, we must only ask and pray to reveal the inner structure of our soul: Where are these desires in the states that are being described, what exactly is the book talking about, and what actions does it describe which we must perform inside of us?

The intention to desire and to attain this is the right intention, which Baal HaSulam describes in Item 155 of “Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot”: …through the yearning and the great desire to understand what they are learning, they awaken upon themselves the Lights that surround their souls.”
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/28/11, The Zohar

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Question: What does it mean that the Light discerns one’s state? Does the mind have a role in it as well?

Answer: No, it doesn’t. When the Light discerns my state, I don’t need the earthly mind because it does not add anything. I need spiritual discernments, which come from the sensations of my desires and the Upper Light. I have to feel them, or at least come closer to them, entering the neutral zone between the will to enjoy and the will to bestow.

I can be 1) inside my egoistic desire, 2) at the neutral territory, having come out of my desire and aspiring to attain spirituality, or 3) in the spiritual intention.

When I am at the neutral zone, I don’t understand what is happening to me yet, but still, I act only for the sake of the goal. Then the Light influences me and I go through various states without being aware of them. I cannot tell what is happening the way a baby cannot tell what is happening to him. He is entirely in the aspiration to grow, and with that aspiration he evokes the Light, the force of growth and development. We are the same.
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/28/11, The Zohar

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Torah, Bamidbar, 25: Behold, I give him My covenant of peace…because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.

In essence we are always looking for the covenant, the connection with the Creator in order to receive all of the means from Him, to arrange them correctly, and to accelerate our development. That is why the Creator endowed man with a mind: It’s only so we would be able to rise above our instincts to force our development, forestalling the speed of Nature, the Creator. That is how we “forestall” (Okvim) Him, similar to how Jacob bought Esau’s birthright.

This is what our path to the goal is like and we have to build it accordingly. Our entire activity is meant to eventually accelerate the phases of development, exceeding its natural speed. Of course, we thereby change our attitude to development and our sensations in the process. We work exactly on what is incumbent on man (Adam), filling our lives with “the Creator’s work” instead of the animate existence, which is completely devoid of the understanding of the process and the goal. Therein lies the entire difference between opposition and peace in the spiritual world.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/27/11, Writings of Rabash

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“Light” by itself does not exist. A certain phenomenon occurs within the creature, and the creature calls it “the Light.”

As the creature awakens to sense this phenomenon, it means that the Light spreads within it. However, in reality nothing spreads, nor does it come from anywhere! A desire simply awakens within me and I call its character, form, shape, and color “the Light” which spreads within, enters, and exits me.  It exists in a process.

Yet, other than my inner desire there are no other processes that are occurring. I call part of these processes “the desire” and part “the Light.” In other words, my desire changes, and as a result, I call the phenomena that occur within it “the Light.”
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/31/2010, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Ninety-nine point nine percent of all changes in us occur while we don’t see and are unaware of them although we do influence and expedite these acts by striving to be corrected. But they take place just like the physical processes in our bodies that we also don’t need to think about.

I am not the one to pump blood through my arteries and it’s not my job to make sure my lymphatic and nervous system, as well as all my organs, work well. If anything, I can “unplug” altogether and fall into a sleeping mode, worrying about nothing, and my body will continue to live and even grow.

In spiritual development it occurs in the same manner. There are many processes that we don’t need to be conscious of and determine their form and order. There is one very narrow interval where we make our own decisions and input our participation. And it is sufficient, it’s all we need to achieve everything!

We reveal “oneness.” And by way of this oneness, the adhesion to which we aspire, we acquire the knowledge of all the other elements of the system that we didn’t know. I am given free will so that I will work on achieving adhesion with the Creator. I am told that if I switch my intention to an altruistic one, I will get to understand the Creator. And if I understand the Creator, then this whole system opens for me and I comprehend everything!

Therefore, I don’t need to work on the entire system and examine it all in order to learn, explore, and understand all of its incredible diversity and vast multitude of phenomena. Since I acquire the desire to bestow, I understand everything that takes place within it.

We work within a tiny field while the whole big world is revealed to us. It is written: “Make an opening for me, the size of a needle’s eye, and I will open the gates of the upper world for you.” Otherwise, it would be impossible to learn about this boundless system of infinite complexity that has a countless number of parts connected by constantly changing, infinitely possible ties and everyone by his or her free choice defines the changes for all the others.

In mathematics, we know how to define one unknown factor by the other in an equation. If we have two unknown factors, then we need two equations. But in this case, we are dealing with an infinite number of unknown components, so we need an infinite number of equations connected into one system. Thus, it is a matrix with a countless number of conditions, each of which changes according to its own law.

We can’t solve such a problem since our corporeal mind is unable to accomplish it. We don’t possess mathematical instruments to approach it in the first place. But we can accomplish this in the spiritual world because we grow the Kelim of bestowal (acquire desires to bestow) and receive the power over everything therein.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/24/2011, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Question: When we start experiencing pressure on our egoism through the blows it receives, what is the correct way to appeal to the group? What should I focus on?

Answer: If a person doesn’t have an inner demand to the group, what can he say to it? Whatever we do, we do it willingly. If a person doesn’t see why he should turn to the group, he won’t.

I appeal to the group if I feel helpless, if I see that there is nothing that can save me, that I am unable to reform myself and achieve something, if I realize that all my learned intelligence and potential will have no solution for me.

Only then am I willing to ask the friends for help. The demand surfaces in me when I search and desire to break away from this horrible state of being. That is when I discover that I can turn only to the group.

I appeal to it externally or internally. The friends may not even feel it, but I do wish to receive support and strength from them. And then I turn to them with a plea.

Otherwise, can I really listen to advice and ask the group for help? Lip service won’t help here; it’s just a waste of breath. Only when a true desire has ripened in me do I turn to the friends. It doesn’t matter whether they feel it or not. There is the force of desire in my plea, which makes it true.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/23/2011, Writings of Rabash

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From now on we can’t advance as we did before, blindfolded toward the unknown, without comprehension, wisdom, and precise knowledge, like animals running in an indefinite direction, fleeing to a place of safety to escape danger. This is how we have been advancing during the course of history, but today we must start evolving like the humans we are.

A human is someone who “has eyes” and sees the road ahead, knowing exactly where he is going. First, one attains the future state of existence in its “potential form,” and then he actualizes it in practice.

The forms we must now transition to are the forms of similarity to the Creator. Therefore, before anything else, we must manifest them in the connection between us, thanks to which we will acquire new properties. Then we will collectively realize our future state in practice: a stronger, tighter connection with one another, based on bestowal, wherein the Creator will be revealed.

In this manner, we will progress step by step, until we pass through all the 125 spiritual degrees. It will signify the exodus from exile to total freedom. Starting today and on, our advancement must be sighted and aware, without repeating the previous mistakes that we continually and methodically made time after time during all stages of human evolution.

Each time we tried to do something without knowing about the future, the leader who shouted loudest was given the opportunity to alter nature and human society. That person would carry out his ideas until either being overthrown or dying naturally, after which we discovered that everything he did was wrong. And the cycle would repeat all over again, from one error to the next.

Today, among all else, we are dealing with a predicament pertaining to the leadership of the world and this new trend. We are yet to see what an enormous obstacle it poses on our path and how worthless these leaders are. Eventually, they will be replaced by a worthy government, similar to the ancient “Sanhedrin” (assembly of Kabbalists), that is, an authentic spiritual council standing at the head of all of humanity.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/29/2010, “The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Philosophy”

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