The Zohar, Chapter “Tazria (When A Woman Delivers)“: All the worlds, both the Upper and the lower, are inside man. Everything that was created in the world was created for man.

We perceive everything inside us and don’t feel anything outside. We don’t know where we are. We are inside some kind of movie that is played inside us like a film strip, and that is how we perceive the world.

We cannot come out of this movie and feel anything “outside it.” We cannot understand what the true reality is like and how it appears from outside, from the side, objectively.

Baal HaSulam explains in the “Preface to the Book of Zohar” that we perceive reality inside of us. There is a projector in the back side of our brain that projects to the “outside” everything that I perceive inside. That is why I “see” as if there is something outside of me.

Then I take those objects into my hands, eat and drink them, do things to them, and move around among them. I live among images that I created inside of me, but they seem to exist outside.

That is why our world is called invented or imaginary. I am the one who gives it form. If I change, then the picture of reality that I perceive and see around me will also change. Moreover, this reality is alive. It is not drawn on a piece of paper or in my imagination, since this machine called “me” creates this living reality in front of me on its own.

If I can view my inner film not through an egoistic projector “inside of me,” but through an altruistic projector “for others, away from myself,” then I will see what is happening now on the outside, inside. I will see everything inside of me, in the true reality (desire).
[24628]
From the lesson on 10/20/10, “Perception of Reality”

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We clarify everything that takes place not from the outside, but within ourselves for there is nothing outside of us. The Upper Light is simple, and we reveal it only when we equalize ourselves to it in our qualities.

Therefore, only attainment can expose all the details of perception. The realization of importance and lack thereof, our desires, high and low, exile and redemption, ascents and descents, creation and the Creator, all this is revealed only in relation to us.

Our reality is initially arranged in such a way that spirituality is unimportant to us. The Creator and the Shechina, as the place of His revelation in us, the quality of bestowal, the group in which we advance, everything that pertains to the Upper One has no importance to us.

Our desires are purposely created this way. They present us with an opportunity to create effort on the path to an opposite quality so that bestowal would become important in our eyes. Why is this work necessary? It is needed in order to reveal all the qualities of the Giver from the opposite state. And for this we need to acquire and to incorporate these qualities into ourselves.

Thereby we will change our external form from reception to bestowal. Our ” material,” meaning our initial desire will manifest externally as though it wishes to bestow. Whatever it does in regard to the group and the Creator, it will always display itself as giving. Otherwise, it won’t act at all.

Consequently, we need to ask to raise the importance of bestowal in our eyes, which is called bringing the Shechina to life from the dust. The Shechina is a Kli (vessel) in which the quality of bestowal is revealed. Shechina is unity of souls. Everyone unifies the souls in spite of the rejection, and then this place acquires a screen and the Reflected Light, the quality of bestowal, intention for bestowal. As this intention grows, we reveal more and more that the Light, the Creator, dwells in our vessel.

Thus, our whole work is conducted between two states: exile and redemption. In Hebrew these words are similar, only the word “redemption”  has the additional letter Aleph (א) which means the Creator, Light, the quality of bestowal that fills creation and ascends the throne in its desire.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/13/10, “Hezekiah Turned His Face to the Wall”

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We assign the Lights the names of the vessels: NHY, HBT, or HGT. Why can’t we just refer to the Lights with their permanent names: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, and Yechida? The fact of the matter is that there is no Light outside of the vessel! We cannot say anything about the Light on its own. The Light is an impression inside the vessel. I feel happiness or fear from it, and this happiness does not exist without me.

Therefore, the Creator is called “Bo-Re” (“come and see”); He is perceived only within the vessel (desire). We can only talk about matter and form clothed into matter, while abstract form is unattainable for us. Therefore, the vessels (desires) and the sensations in them are of the utmost importance.

Moreover, the sensation depends only on the perception of the Kli (vessel) itself. We don’t know what actually happens; rather, we learn only our reaction to the occurrences. However, we don’t know what phenomenon occurs outside of the vessel.

Some Light flows through my vessel, and my soul quivers. Then a different Light flows through me, and I am overfilled with delight. So what’s the difference? The difference is only in the vessel itself. I don’t know what kind of Light flows through, and I will never be able to say anything about it; I can only speak of my reaction.

Meanwhile, it is the same Light flowing through me all the time. Doesn’t it change?! I don’t know this; I cannot measure anything in Him. I only measure my vessel, its impressions and changes. Yet what suddenly causes my vessel to change? It changes under the influence of the spiritual genes (Reshimot) and on its own. I don’t even know for sure how or due to what it changes.

However, I always talk only about my vessel, and this is very important since it determines the whole principle of perceiving reality which is inside us rather than somewhere outside. Therefore, “one judges according to his flaws,” and all clarifications occur in the desires, while the Light is the sensation within the vessel.

Our whole work occurs only within our desire, and our sensitivity to the Light depends only on us. If I raise my sensitivity, I ascend through the spiritual degrees from this world to the World of Infinity. The whole difference between the degrees consists of my sensitivity to what happens. In fact, I am in the World of Infinity even now, so why do I perceive this horrible world instead?

The only reason is my lack of sensitivity. I need to get sharper glasses, then binoculars, then a telescope, and I will see a different world. The whole reality consists of sensations within me. Therefore, Kabbalah is called an inner science since it reveals only what is hidden inside us. “Come and see” (Bo-Re) your Creator inside you!

All the religions, methodologies, and belief systems insist that we need to correct ourselves in relation to the outside world. Yet in the science of Kabbalah we correct only ourselves: The group as well as the entire world, everything exists within me. It is unacceptable to think otherwise since the above principle forces me to correct myself exclusively. I will not waste my energy and time on making mistakes while trying to correct the world and other people.

This principle acts in regard to all of humanity in general as well as in regard to the group in particular. Consequently, we gradually reveal the truth: A person needs to correct only himself, and thereby the whole world will be corrected, from the innermost to the outermost circles. “A human being is a small world.”
[23446]
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/13/10, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Rabash, Shlavei HaSulam, “Show Me Your Honor”
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “BeShalach (When Pharaoh Sent),” Item 135
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Rav Yehuda Ashlag, “Beit Shaar HaKavanot,” Lesson 7
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Baal HaSulam, “600,000 Souls”
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Question: Baal HaSulam writes that “the most important sensation is the noetic sensation, given to man alone.” Does he mean that the mind is a type of sensation?

Answer: No, he doesn’t. We evolve through sensations or feelings. Feelings change, and we study what we feel. We consist of the heart (Liba) and the mind (Mocha). The purpose of evolution of the mind is to help us understand what we feel.

Uniting the heart and mind is called the expansion of the Light of Hochma (Wisdom) in the Light of Hassadim (Mercy). This is perfection, the Light of AB-SAG. The Light of Hochma or AB fully expands in the Light of Hassadim or SAG, which results in the soul’s attainment of the Light of Keter.

This is a thought which expands within and understands the desires, and the desires understand the thought. They “intertwine” complementing each other. And then, with the help of the mind, the feelings unfold and evolve (intensify), and with their help a greater development of the mind occurs.

If I get a stronger impression, my mind evolves and studies the cause of impressions. Our bestowing and receiving desires and thoughts constantly undergo development, the Light of Hassadim and the Light of Hochma grow. By clothing in each other they acquire perfection. Elokut (Godliness) indicates the clothing of the Lights in each other.

The degree of faith is expressed by the Light of Hassadim, and complete faith and love are expressed in clothing of the Light of Hochma in the Light of Hassadim.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/13/10, “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence”

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Question: Many people see that this world is sliding down into the darkness and they want to save it. However, your words about love for the neighbor and unity seem unrealistic to them. Moreover, when you mention the Creator, they attribute it to religion and don’t want to hear anything more. So how can you explain anything to them?

Answer: Kabbalah is a natural science, not a religion. And it can be explained on a level that’s clear to any person.

Do you accept the fact that our world has become integral and global? Do you see that there is a general force in the world that controls it? We are revealing how everything is inseparably interconnected and develops along specific phases.

We don’t know what will happen at the next moment, but everything in nature is absolutely thought and planned out. And we can use the forces that are inherent in nature.

All of nature is connected in a single system, so let’s also come together and become one system! That way we will attract a positive influence from nature. I am not talking about something artificial, but on the contrary, if we want to use any forces of nature, we have to come closer to the same phenomena, become similar to them and establish a connection with them. This rule applies to everything and to any forces of nature, including electrostatic and magnetic forces we can feel as well as forces that are concealed.

The more similar we are to these forces, the more we can use them and feel their influence. The closer my thoughts are to yours, the more I feel you and the more connected I am to you. Then we can become close, understand one another, and help each other.

In other words, we have to understand the following:

1. We are inside of Nature and are an integral part of it, but we are not its masters; we are not above it.
2. We have to admit that we are connected together, and all of modern science shows this fact.
3. We are the most flawed part of nature, leading it to a catastrophe, while all the rest of nature besides us is in harmony. If there are any problems in it, they’re all because of us.

Therefore, we have to find the right formula of existence! Everyone can agree that it is the formula of mutual participation and interconnection, as the general, integral system obligates us.
[24741]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/24/10, “Matan Torah”

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Every person wants to live in a world built on love, yet no one believes this is possible. Love exists only in children’s fairytales because every person understands that this is good for a child, that it makes life safer than animosity.

But what if it were possible to make the world like that? We live in a world that’s hostile to us, where everyone is fighting and competing with one another, and where life is becoming worse and worse.

“A person is a small world”; man’s anger and cruelty toward the world are starting to turn against him when he actualizes his egoistic desires and hates himself! This split personality is becoming more and more prominent.

Now imagine that you could shift your view and all your relationships to the path of care and love. What if we could suddenly raise and correct the whole world so no one would steal, no one would harm another person, and no one would use others to their detriment? We would see a reverse world and no one would be afraid that tomorrow their life would be destroyed. People wouldn’t be afraid that tomorrow we will destroy the earth and bury ourselves under the waste from our own production.

Love would oblige us to act in the best and most correct way. We wouldn’t have to search for billions of occupations just to keep the population busy, producing things no one needs. Even if they wouldn’t work, every person would receive what he needs because then people also wouldn’t need any excesses since they would live in a kind, amiable world.

Then we wouldn’t pollute the earth with unnecessary products, which is 90% of all the things being produced. If we look at nature, there is nothing wasted. Look at how life is organized in the animal kingdom, from the beginning of creation to its end, in all the forms that are included in nature’s cycle where everything is repeatedly used to 100% capacity.

All the cycles are absolutely closed, with the exception of the things man does. When man produces anything, he does not return it to nature in the natural form, but only in the form of toxins which poison nature.

However, if we treated each other with love, we would make the world absolutely clean! Love would ensure that we did not demand any excess for ourselves and then everything would normalize. How different would things be from today where all the oceans are full of garbage and radioactive waste.

The only thing we lack in our world is attention toward one another and mutual participation in the integral system, and we will get there out of despair.
[24733]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/24/10, “Matan Torah”

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Question: Is there a difference between studying The Book of Zohar at the congress with the masses and studying it in our group at the morning lessons? What is more important, quality or quantity?

Answer: Quantity doesn’t demean quality. Within a mass of people, there always are those who can unite to a greater or lesser degree, and there are those who can’t unite at all or who forget about it. In either case, quantity has its advantage, as it is written: “I dwell among my people.”

At this point, we are not talking about some special group of people, meaning those who are bright, determined, capable of inner work, and well trained. The Creator dwells within the entire nation, not just in some small group of special characters that He Himself advanced and brought together into the tip of the pyramid. Regardless, He still says that He dwells among the masses.

The Upper Governance cares most of all about the still level (in humanity), less about the vegetative one, less so about the animate, and the least about the speaking level. The weaker the created being, the less free will it has, the less autonomously it can work for the correction of creation (according to the Plan of Creation and the common system), the more the Upper Governance gets clothed in it, and this is a sign of revelation of Godliness (Elokut).

In other words, we are not talking about revelation of the Creator in some exalted souls such as Rashbi and all the great Kabbalists. The revelation of the Creator is measured with regard to society, not individuals. Therefore, we should not neglect large quantity but value it. The power of the masses lies in quantity, not some individual characters that have personally attained spirituality and perform personal spiritual work.

It is the common work which matters the most because by doing it, we allow the Light to be revealed and attain the revelation of the Creator. As to the personal, special work of some individuals, our group, or several groups, it is necessary solely in order to connect to this huge mass (several million people into billions of them) and through us, bring to it the spirit of life.

Therefore, the aim, intention, and goal are namely the society and the people. Hence, we need to disseminate the wisdom of Kabbalah in the masses.
[24423]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/21/10, The Zohar

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Question: If a person falls out of the common circle, won’t this break the union of friends?

Answer: For now I still don’t see that people’s deeds indicate that a union has been made…. There are clear principles regarding this.

First of all: Does a person constantly worry about strengthening the group? Does he worry about the intention of his friends? Does he want them to be in ascent and to feel confident that they will attain the goal? Is he fighting himself for all of this?

And secondly: Does he actually raise his friends’ mood? Does he give them the confidence and realization that the goal is important?

You can tell by a person that he does this not only when he feels good, but in all the states, even if he is tired or devoid of any strength. Seeing his own lack of power, he turns to the group once again and tries to receive forces from it.

The problem is not that he feels bad and wants to raise his spirits, but that the bad mood does not enable him to strengthen the group and carry out the union. Therefore, even when he is devoid of strength, he turns to the friends, but not for his own sake, but because it hurts him that he cannot serve them while in this state.

There are other, clearer signs as well: How much does he care to ensure that the group has the most comfortable order of study and the best organization of all matters so it will advance on the spiritual path easier and faster? Does he care about this from the bottom of his heart or treat it formally as a duty?

This is something you can’t hide. You can tell how important the group and the goal are to a person.
[24661]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/24/10, Writings of Rabash

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The Creator brings a person to a specific place and tells him, “Take it.” A person has to accept this place and check: What kind of people are there, what is their goal, and what sources do they study? The check is performed through the mind and feeling, according to all of one’s notions and concepts.

A person checks all of this “upon his arrival” and then he has to make a decision: Will he stay here or not? Without making this firm decision he cannot make any further actions and he cannot advance!

We are talking about the inner circle that Kabbalah calls “600,000 souls,” which is the nucleus. A person must clearly feel that he has accepted and entered the spiritual environment. That is why Kabbalistic groups always had an agreement, a statute, and a list of friends who have decided to enter the group and who were accepted by the group.

What does it mean to “become part of the environment”? The correction of the soul requires total dedication. It is written, “A person will sell the roof of his house.” In other words, for the sake of spirituality a person “sells” everything he has in life besides the vital necessity. No matter how much his understanding grows, a person always tries to go higher, above it.

He makes an agreement with the friends, promising to support and strengthen them with all his power and to be together with them so the common unity will enable every person to rise higher. All the forces for ascending can only be received from the unification with the group in which a person finds the Light.

The faster a person makes the decision, the faster he will advance. And vice versa: By being indecisive and failing to make a decision, he stands in one place. The decision is made once and after that a person has to carry it out.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/24/10, Writings of Rabash

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