A correct Hisaron (deficiency, lack) is a purposeful aspiration to acquire the power of bestowal.

Suppose I have a healthy desire to receive all kinds of pleasures of this world, and in addition, I have received a point in the heart, that is, a desire to enjoy the future world. I do not know what the future world is, but I feel a need for additional pleasures, I need more than what this world can offer. Then a question arises: how can I give this desire for the future world the correct form?

If I simply increase this desire, then what emerges is a “Pharaoh,” enlarged egoism: “I want spirituality!!!” How can such an egoistic aspiration give rise to a desire of Lishma, that is, a desire directed toward the Creator?

The state of Lo Lishma implies that two desires exist within me simultaneously: I want spirituality, I want to acquire the power to bestow upon the Creator, and at the same time I want to receive for my own sake. In other words, in the state of Lo Lishma I consist of two desires—one toward the Creator and one toward myself.

Where do I, through working with my point in the heart, acquire the desire to bestow to the Creator? The desire to bestow appears within me even before the Machsom; it begins to manifest itself and grow within me.

But where does this desire come from? How is it born within me? That is the question.

I begin my spiritual development from the point in the heart, and gradually, two desires develop from this initial state: 1) A desire directed toward myself; that is, I enlarge my point in the heart and desire spirituality for my own sake. 2) A desire directed toward the Creator.

How does this happen? The reason is that the development of the point in the heart occurs under the influence of the surrounding light (Ohr Makif), which brings us the “charm of holiness” (Chen deKedusha).

Without the influence of the surrounding light, the point in the heart would simply grow in size while remaining at the level of a desire to absorb the entire spiritual world:

“I want the upper world! Give it to me, and that is all!” And its development would stop at this point. How does an aspiration toward the Creator arise within this egoistic desire for spirituality?

It is the result of the influence of the surrounding light. But under what conditions does the surrounding light actually influence me? Only if I seek ways to return to the source, to the root of bestowal. And the aspiration to return to the source arises within me as a result of working in the group.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/14/26, Rabash, “What Is, ‘If a Woman Inseminates First, She Delivers a Male Child,’ in the Work?”

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In the Study of the Ten Sefirot, we study how the development of the rungs takes place from above downward, from the Creator to this world. We see that each rung gives birth to a lower one by inverting itself, and by completely ceasing to be what it is.

It is like a seed planted in the ground that must completely decompose and rot so that a tree, something new, can grow from it. Therefore, moving from one rung to another is like crossing an abyss, like jumping over something that does not have a smooth transition from one state to the next.

The means of making this transition is called “above reason”; it is when what I see, know, and think about now on my current rung, I must, as it were, trample underfoot, cross out, and want to receive a higher fulfillment. How is this possible?

The means of acquiring higher reason is called Bina, the quality of Chafetz Hesed, where a person completely ceases to be a receiver and stops feeling and measuring himself within the Kelim of reception. This means that he does not use his nature and adheres to the upper one as an embryo (Ubar), that is, he neutralizes his receiving Kelim, and wants simply to be connected with the upper one.

These are leaps from the reason of the lower one to the quality of Bina, and then to the reason of the upper one, where he works with the receiving Kelim of a higher degree, and receives fulfillment accordingly. In essence, these are the stages of advancement.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/24/26, Rabash, “What Is a Flood of Water in the Work?”

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A person’s actions in spiritual work are called: “Demand, and you shall receive reward.”

This is because a person does not actively participate in the correction itself; he does not correct anything on his own. Rather, he only brings about a state in which the Reshimo that is felt within him as having just been born, and the light that is meant to correct this Reshimo (spiritual record) can perform their work through him so that he becomes the one who evokes and initiates the correction.

To “demand” means to strive to reach correction so that the light will prevail over the Reshimo, and correct it to an intention for the sake of bestowal. And to “receive reward” means that a person aspires only to this state. What helps him, of course, is not the action itself, but solely his intention.

Thus, everything we do is aimed at attaining the receiving of the Torah in a small state (Katnut), which is called the counting of the Omer, in the animate state, when we eat “barley,” until we come to the “food of man.” The “food of man” is “bread,” faith, the degree of Shavuot. “And they went both of them together” refers to Bina and Malchut.

Therefore our work takes place even before the state of “demand and receive reward.” It is work above reason, work of drawing the light that performs within us the wondrous property of correction.

This is work against the “minister of forgetfulness,” who, as an effective force, helps us forget the previous state, and awaken a deficiency (Hisaron) for the next one.

These are the actions of preparation for the receiving of the Torah, for the festival of Shavuot.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/22/26, Rabash, Letter 59

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Preparation to the Lesson

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1st part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 11 “What It Means that the Good Inclination and the Evil Inclination Guard a Person in the Work” (1991) (2.15.2002)

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2nd part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Matan Torah (The Giving of the Torah)”

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The unification of people is always a spiritual force, even on the material level. If we are talking about such a group, be it a sports team, kibbutz members, or anyone else, they also use a spiritual force by uniting for some goal.

This gives rise to a problem. If they use this force for the sake of the Creator, then they win, move forward, prosper, and everything ends wonderfully. If, however, they take this force and use it for self-gratification, as they wanted to do in Soviet Russia or in the kibbutzim, then they get exactly what they eventually ended up with.

Why? Because, as Baal HaSulam explains in the article “The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee]“, they use the unification of souls, which is supposed to be a Kli for the Creator, for the light, as a Kli for achieving animalistic goals. If you unite several people and want something to come from it, then from their unification there must flow an intention for the sake of bestowal to the Creator and not for the sake of bestowal to oneself. Bestowal “for one’s own sake” brings about darkness, suffering, and misfortunes.

Let us say people unite to launch an enterprise, to get rich, to achieve something in this world. We see that all this is done precisely by means of unification. This also relates to the era of industrial development that began from the time of the Ari to the subsequent period of enlightenment. Such is the nature of development.

But all these steps in development were essentially not made out of a desire to draw closer to the Creator, but by creating groups of people in which one helps another. And all these groups, societies, or enterprises, whatever they may be, ultimately led to suffering. Through this, we come more quickly to the recognition of evil.

What does modern industry mean for us now that the whole world has become like a single village? Ultimately, through our pursuit of money, honor, and base pleasures, we reveal the flawed nature of our connection with one another.

We are tempted by trivialities like money and honors, supposedly a better life, but essentially, without our awareness, a higher force intends to show us that by uniting for reasons other than the sake of the Creator, humanity suffers a catastrophic loss. This realization dawns on us very quickly.

Rabash gives as an example a person who is given a desire for money and opens a restaurant to make a profit; however, in reality, this setup compels him to give to others. The money serves only as a lure. In essence, the Creator uses this to facilitate bestowal in the world prompting everyone to begin giving to others sooner. Consequently, Reshimot (spiritual records) multiply and combine in various ways, which causes an acceleration in our development toward correction.

In the same way, humanity is given a desire for money and various achievements, and groups of people unite among themselves in order to reveal the negative side in this. Everything that we see on the outside is the temptations given to us so that from our will to receive we perform various incorrect actions, and then come to the recognition of evil and, after correctly summing up the results, move onto the right tracks.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/22/26, Rabash, Letter 59

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Question: What should I be concerned about: ensuring that the spirit, intention, and aspiration exist within me, within the friends, or in the group as a whole?

Answer: I must ensure that all three of these factors exist as a single indivisible whole. Then, in whatever state I happen to be, my preparation will help me sense if I am somehow falling out of that unity.

I must not separate my work in the group, the group itself, its direction, and the work of the friends into “me,” “them,” and “our common goal.” Just as we must unite the person, their actions, and the Creator from a single point, so here too we must be as one person with one heart, one task, and one goal. This must truly be one.

We do this together, united as a single vessel, within the one Creator, with one fulfillment. What division can be made here? In the point of general unity, everything connects. So why should I divide this now when I am going to correctly realize my state? How can I separate these things?

It is a different matter when working in this way and I fall out of the “I–Creator–action” system, which is the group, the general Kli, then I immediately sense that I have fallen out. Otherwise, the Creator disappears, and I do not feel it; the group drifts away, and I do not feel that; I am absent from the entire process, and I do not feel that either.

Question: Can this be likened to the way an organ of the body cares for the whole body?

Answer: An organ of the body cares about its connection to the whole body so life, the spirit of life, may exist within it. Such is the concern of an individual regarding the group and the Creator. In other words, one must look at the group as a general Kli that is coming into connection with the Creator. Period.

Can one receive the Torah and receive the light if we are not fused together in such a desire? It is impossible. This will be revealed in a simple form. If we do not go through some critical state, critical mass, that is, unless I step outside myself to some definite measure, I will not begin to sense the revelation of the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/22/26, Rabash, Letter 59, 1962

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Each spiritual degree determines a person’s content (filling): their intellect, feelings, and abilities. What remains unchanged within a person are the ten primordial Sefirot, which are identical for everyone.

Therefore one never needs to worry about preserving what one currently possesses or remaining in a particular state because apart from the constant structure of the soul,  all of one’s fulfillments are subject to change.

Regardless of the filling I currently possess, I must strive to advance from degree to degree as quickly as possible because at each higher degree I will receive even greater delight, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

However, in order to move from one degree to another, I must let go of the previous degree, wish to be emptied of it, and become ready to receive a higher fulfillment. And this is precisely where the problem arises. If I am still filled by the degree I presently stand on, how can I desire a higher fulfillment? It appears to me as something different, alien, and even opposite to me, to such an extent that I simply do not agree to it.

It is like a child who wants to play and enjoy what seems good to him, while his parents compel him to change, to work hard, and tell him: “Look, you need to become this way, act this way, this is good for you.”

But the child neither sees nor feels that studying for twenty years, acquiring a profession, and then working is good for him. The parents see this as something good, but they do not understand his life because his life consists of games, that they have no interest in whatsoever.

So it is with us on every degree in relation to the higher one. In fact, it is even more so because in spirituality the difference between degrees is a genuine opposition. Nothing from the lower degree is suitable for the higher one. Everything must be renewed.

The difficulty of spiritual ascent lies precisely in this. Every higher degree is perceived by the lower one as something undesirable, incomprehensible, and contrary to its nature. Therefore, the transition from degree to degree requires a willingness to relinquish what presently feels right, true, and fulfilling, in order to receive something that cannot yet be appreciated from the perspective of the current state.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/24/26, Rabash, “What Is a Flood of Water in the Work?”

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How can you accelerate the transition between states? Only by clarifying in every situation that all the circumstances depend on me. This is a very simple psychological method.

I am facing some kind of problem, a different one every time, so I have to identify my desire and clarify within it which aspects depend on me and which do not; what is within my power and what is not, how to realize this desire, and understand what exactly I need from it.

If I have conducted a correct analysis and clarified my state, I should ultimately conclude that a desire has been revealed in me in its natural form. But I, in turn, must connect this desire to the Creator. That is precisely what our job is.

Because I connect my desire to the Creator, the right intention descends upon it, and now I can use this desire correctly. I combine desire and intention, and thus complete the work.

The Creator endowed me with a desire, I gave this desire an intention, and now we are interacting, adhering to, and connecting with Him. That is all.

Question: Simply put, should I connect every desire to the Creator?

Answer: If you knew exactly what your desire is, if you knew who the Creator is, what His properties are, and could connect your desire to Him, then there would be no problem. However, first you must ascertain who the Creator is, what it means to attach desires to Him, that is, the inner meaning of this action.

It is not enough to realize that desire comes from the Creator. We must also investigate and analyze this desire: why it was given to me, what I want from it, and what the Creator wants, etc. As a result, through this analytical chain, my intention becomes clear—my attitude toward what I received from Him.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/14/26, Rabash, “What Is, ‘If a Woman Inseminates First, She Delivers a Male Child,’ in the Work?”

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Question: What does the process of acquiring a Kli mean?

Answer: Acquiring a Kli is the process in which you determine the correct attitude toward spirituality: how I imagine it to myself, how I am tuned to the spiritual wavelength, how ready I am to disconnect from this world in order to fully devote myself to spirituality.

This is what is called “building a Kli for spirituality.” A Kli is a desire.

Question: So we must fight with every new obstacle?

Answer: No, we cannot fight with every obstacle. If now I am in a state of despair, how can I rejoice? I cannot. Well, I can if I force myself, for example, to dance. However, this will produce only a short-term effect. Therefore, true advancement can only be through the group. Working in it, I acquire and attach additional Kelim to myself.

Question: So when the next obstacle manifests, must I tell myself that this manifestation of force from above is an angel?

Answer: It is desirable to imagine that it is an angel hindering you, and not you yourself. Then we will be able to force ourselves to work against this foreign force. Later, we will still forget about it. After all, this angel is smarter than us, it confuses us, and we simply forget. In the end, nothing will remain for you except working in the group. Listen! That is exactly how it will be!

Question: But what if this state lasts for an unlimited time?

Answer: Imagine the best state in which you would like to be, and work for the group so that it also wishes this. Very simple. There is no need to be too smart!

Question: But why can a person not go through all these states?

Answer: Because these states are him. He cannot overcome himself. For this, he needs a force from outside that will change him. And the force from outside can be either the Creator or the group. The group is the Creator, but only this force is in our dimension.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/20/26, Rabash, “The Difference between Charity and Gift”

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Question: Do Kabbalists observe the commandment “Honor your father and your mother?”

Answer: Kabbalah confers a person an extremely special status. It teaches him to stand before the Creator. There is a Creator, and there is a creation. Apart from these two elements, there is really nothing; everything is included inside the person.

A single person stands before a single Creator. And all these definitions—father, parents, friends, neighbors, wife, children, country, universe, worlds—are all inside a person connected to the Creator.

Therefore, when we talk about inner work, we do not mean biological bodies, even the parents who gave you life, or relatives, friends, etc. Only according to the spirit, only according to connection with the Creator, are connections formed with the rest of creation. We no longer look at bodies but at inner definitions (Avhanot) in terms of spirituality.

For example, “father” and “mother” (Aba ve Ima) are the upper Partzufim (spiritual bodies). As it is written, “And a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife.” in spiritual terms, this means the revelation of a new Hisaron (deficiencies). With this Hisaron, a person turns to the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/20/26, Rabash, “The Difference between Charity and Gift”

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