Lesson Preparation

Lesson on the Topic: “Lag BaOmer“

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Mutual Guarantee,” Item 23

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In the work in the ten, it is insufficient to simply get closer in order to unite. We need to connect to each other to such an extent that no difference is felt between oneself and the group, and you do not feel yourself at all but only the unity of the ten as a single whole. This is the meaning of dissolving yourself in the ten.

Of course, this action can only happen through the action of the reforming Light. But the Light acts only in response to our demand. Nothing happens by itself because there is no coercion in spirituality: neither in the relation of an individual toward others, nor from the upper to the lower. It is possible only to awaken, which is only possible in an indirect way.

Nobody is coerced into achieving the quality of bestowal. Even if this is already what we want—to be forced and taught against our will quickly—it will not happen. The upper force does not behave in this manner because it cannot deprive us of our free will, without which it is impossible to achieve complete attainment. Everything is organized so as to bring us to the true, complete unity.

That is why we receive only hints pointing us toward connection, and even those are indirect. We must try to notice them.¹

As a result of connection, each one receives strength from all the others. This is only on the first level where each one receives strength from the ten. On the second level, with this strength, he once again connects with everyone and receives ten times more; on the third level, again ten times more, etc. Each time we multiply everything, we multiply our strength, but this all depends only on our readiness to annul ourselves to the group.²

In our world, an individual easily falls under society’s influence. Whether or not one wants to, one accepts the opinions of society through mass media and advertising. The more he follows society’s views, the more confident he feels, because he is thinking just like everyone else.

However, in spiritual work, everything is the reverse: an individual has no desire to connect to the group. He does not feel that this will give him confidence, he does not feel that the egoism will get anything out of it. He always has to work on overcoming himself, even to connect to the friends just a little bit. He does not see any egoistic benefit in replacing the opinions of this world for the opinions of a small Kabbalistic group.³

A Kabbalistic exercise is to detach from all your desires: food, sex, family, money, honor, knowledge, and bring them all to the Creator. Since, obviously, it is from Him that the Light that awakens in me the desire for all these fulfillments comes. And it is as if I reject this influence, reflecting the Light that triggers such motivations in me, such desires. I am left with one general desire for fulfillment, having no characteristics or concrete aspirations. I reject all concrete forms of fulfillment, as if removing my outer layer from myself, and return it to the Creator.⁴

We must discover and come to despise the qualities that hinder our achievement of unity, which distance us from it. If I seriously despise them, in a focused manner, correctly, consciously, then this hatred will distance me from these qualities and even turn them from hindering to assisting unity.

Hatred must serve the correction, that is, it must be thought through, weighed, and aimed at specific qualities. Hatred, disgust, and repulsion must help me turn rejection into connection; in other words: “love covers all transgressions.”⁵

Shame arises when I compare myself with the friends, with the Creator, and discover a huge difference between our states, our levels. Shame is a consequence of my lagging behind, my weakness, which I am possibly capable of avoiding. To a newborn, nothing is shameful. If there is something I do not understand, then I am unashamed: “Go to the craftsman who made me.”

Shame arises only when it is clear to me that I could have connected with the friends, could have done something to bring benefit to the group, but I did not do it. Shame is revealed in the place where I did not exert enough effort. But if it is a result of the qualities given to me by the Creator, then I do not feel shame. Shame is only experienced as a result of my causing harm, and it is my insufficient effort.⁶

We always have the opportunity to turn to the Creator and ask. But the reaction can feel as if it is completely nonexistent, or it can be either negative or positive. But if I want to advance further, then I must express gratitude for everything that I receive. Even having felt a negative reaction or nothing at all, I must act as if I received the desired answer.

After all, the request builds a spiritual vessel (Kli) in us. The Creator does not need my request. I need it! The request develops my desire, my need, and that is why “a prayer” means “to judge oneself.”

There is always a reaction, only we do not feel it, do not value it, because it does not come where we are expecting it, but in a different place. The reaction occurs without fail because we work against a system, not against a material force, and the system cannot take pity on us or just ignore us.

The answer always comes, only we do not notice it because it is in a different place, in different qualities, in a different time, and because it is not immediate. But do not doubt that each moment we exert an influence on reality. And if we do this consciously, then we influence it much more powerfully.⁷
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/15/18, Lesson on the Topic of “Dissolving Into the Ten” (Preparation for the Convention “All As One” in New Jersey 2018)
1 Minute 0:30
2 Minute 4:00
3 Minute 7:10
4 Minute 16:40
5 Minute 1:26:11
6 Minute 1:28:20
7 Minute 1:30:42

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Work In The Ten
Connecting Through Our Differences
New Life #982 – Building Connection Between Our Differences

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The whole correction is in reconnecting the single system of the common soul that was broken on purpose by the sin of Adam with the tree of knowledge. The breaking was a preparation for our work. We need to collect all the broken pieces and correctly connect them together.

The difficulty of this work is that every time we do something in practice, adding some part, perhaps not even consciously, then as we move to the next part, the previous one disappears. After all, there are new qualities, new sensations, and new conditions.

Even when we read some article we have read before dozens of times, every time we as if hear it for the first time. Everything done in the past vanishes like water in sand and nothing remains. This is actually a good sign that we are moving from one quality to another, and each time we are renewed.

Nevertheless, this brings us to despair because it is not what is accepted in our world: if I study, I must at least remember something, feel something, keep something in my heart and mind, and gain experience. Here there is no experience, as if every day you begin everything from scratch and do not feel whether you did anything before or not.

But this is just a sign that each time we are receiving new qualities for work, new broken desires that we did not have before.

Another difficulty of the work is that we were given a task to assemble the whole “puzzle” of the broken common soul, but we are unable to do it! After all, to assemble this puzzle we need to depict the complete picture that will be revealed to us only at the end of correction. So how do we assemble it?

It is written about this, “The Lord will finish the work” (“The Lord will accomplish that which concerneth me” (Tehilim, Psalms 138)). That is, we just need to put half a shekel, to invest a certain amount of effort by always trying to do this work, like a little child who tries and sweats, but nothing happens. Then we ask the upper force for help, we pray, and it does everything for us. That is, the upper force does all the work; we just need to discover the deficiency for it.

Therefore, the work seems incomprehensible, incessant, and incomplete to us. After all, the correct work at the end should lead to a cry, a request. According to this world’s traditions, the cry and request for help testify to our failure because we are giving up and admitting our inability to do the work. Yet in spiritual work, on the contrary, one must see great success in reaching a prayer, a request, tears, and a broken heart.

This is called the revelation of the truth, and nothing else is required—all the rest the Creator will finish for us. It turns out that this work is very different from what we are used to in our world. We need to remember this and support each other, trying to change our attitude to the work, to its results, and to our role. Egoistic work in this world cannot be an example for our work in the spiritual world.

The conclusion is very simple, “It is not for you to finish the work, nor are you free to idle away from it” (Avot, Chapter 2:21). Our task is to perform our part, to provide our half shekel, and the Creator will add the second half for us. We just need to reveal the deficiency for this: to find out we cannot do it ourselves and at the same time be glad that we are helpless because then we have a reason to ask for help and we know to whom we turn. That is, we feel dependent on the upper force and are glad that we ourselves do not have any strength other than the spiritual spark that pulls us forward.

Our progress always goes into minus, toward revealing the lack, weakness, helplessness, emptiness, and impotence, which only the Creator can correct. This requires changing your attitude to work, understanding that “The opinion of the Torah is opposite to the opinion of the landlords.” “Landlords” are those who know how to learn and do everything without involving any help from above. And the one who studies Kabbalah, on the contrary, feels weak and incapable of anything. This means that he was rewarded with the revelation of truth.

The Creator gave us this work so that we would reveal that the upper force does all the work. Therefore, our work is called “The work of the Lord”: we reveal that He is the source of all the corruption and the source of all the corrections, He gives the work and accepts it, and the goal is an adhesion with Him.

We need a covenant and mutual guarantee to bring about the Creator’s work on us. Without this request, the upper force that organizes everything and assembles us into one Kli will not come. ¹

There is no worse state than to not think about the Creator, to disconnect from Him. After all, then the Creator as if does not exist, we erase Him from the world. We please Him by the fact that we cling to Him, like little children who require help from their father. Most importantly, the request should be directed toward correction. There is no greater pleasure for the Creator than our realization that He is the source of all of creation and the only force acting in it, apart from which there is nothing else.

The created being is the one who is able to reveal this and thereby bring contentment to the Creator. This happens when we discover that we cannot do the work ourselves and require the Creator’s help. We bring Him contentment exactly by the fact that we call upon Him to work. In spirituality, everything is not the way it is in corporeality, because the work itself is the reward. ²

First of all, it is necessary to reach mutual guarantee (Arvut) between us, and through it we will be able to keep all the “commandments,” that is, connect the broken desires. We will do it with the help of the Light that reforms, which is called “the Torah,” we will reveal the Creator within our connection and adhere to Him, which is the purpose of creation. Therefore, everything starts from the mutual guarantee: without it, we can neither keep the commandments (that is, unite the parts of the soul together) and the Torah (that is, draw the Light of correction), nor reveal the Creator, since He is revealed only in our connection. ³
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/23/18, Lesson  on the topic of “Signing The Arvut In The Ten” (Preparation for the Convention “All As One” in New Jersey 2018)
1 Minute 0:20
2 Minute 23:25
3 Minute 62:18

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The Sin Of Adam Is The Cause Of All Of Our Troubles
New Life #982 – Building Connection Between Our Differences
The History Of Humanity – The Development Of The Mutual Guarantee (Arvut) – Part 3

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Lesson Preparation

Lesson on the Topic: “Strengthening in “There is None Else Besides Him” (Preparation for the Convention “All As One” in New Jersey 2018)

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Part 3,  Histaklut Pnimit, Chapter 14, Item 3

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Mutual Guarantee,” Item 20

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Lesson Preparation

Lesson on the Topic: “Purpose of the Gathering” (Preparation for the Convention “All As One” in New Jersey 2018)

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Part 3,  Histaklut Pnimit, Chapter 14, Item 1

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Mutual Guarantee,” Item 18

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Lesson Preparation

Lesson on the Topic: “Strengthening in “There is None Else Besides Him” (Preparation for the Convention “All As One” in New Jersey 2018)

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Part 3,  Histaklut Pnimit, Chapter 12, Item 3

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Mutual Guarantee”

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We must understand that for now, we are still acting from the will to receive. It might be unpleasant, but this is the truth; by understanding this, I advance, attracting the reforming Light. The Light is attracted by me being opposite to it. Acknowledging that I am within my ego helps me establish connection to the upper Light; therefore, it is written that “The Torah was given to the sinners.”
From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/25/18, Writings of Rabash, Vol. 2, Article 38 What Is, “A Cup of Blessing Must Be Full,” in the Work?

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Anyone Can Receive, And To Bestow?
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Lesson Preparation

Lesson on the Topic: “Connecting the Whole World to a Single Ten” (Preparation for the Convention “All As One” in New Jersey 2018)

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Part 3,  Histaklut Pnimit, Chapter 7, Item 1

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Giving of the Torah,” Item 15

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You should always remain in the middle line, instead of jumping from one extreme to the other, from exhilaration and euphoria to utter dismay and criticism. That is not the right approach. I can remain joyful during a big descent and calm during a strong ascent because I keep holding on to the goal.

My mood is determined by the extent to which my states are aimed at the goal. Therefore, there cannot be powerful mood swings if everything is connected and leads to one goal. I am then safe from sharp mood changes, like a child who either laughs or cries, but I constantly check my states as to whether they are serving the goal.

If we hold on to the goal, then during good or hard times, we would not succumb to the momentary moods, we would feel about the same level.

In honor of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of Israel, we remembered a lot from our great history. But I would have celebrated this holiday differently, not delving in the past, but emphasizing the future, showing that the State of Israel is a symbol of a new beginning for all of humanity, the unity around the idea of attainment of the Creator that refers to absolutely everyone the same way.

This is exactly what the people of Israel returned to their land for. We are celebrating the fact that we and all of humanity received an opportunity of a new beginning, a new renaissance. This is what we want to show ourselves and the world; this is the real holiday, not the suffering that we’ve endured in the past.

We have to advertise not our past, but our future that belongs to the entire world. Israel is a special country, unlike any other. So we should not pride ourselves too much on our material achievements in high tech and agriculture. The main thing that brings us joy is the ability to guarantee humanity a happy future. That would be a real holiday and a lift in spirit!

The science of Kabbalah is an ancient science with thousands of years of history. But the main thing is that it guarantees the world a good future. ¹
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/20/18, Lesson on the topic of “Discovering the Creator’s Force in the Ten” (Preparation for the Convention “All As One” in New Jersey 2018)
¹ Minute 1:45

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Malchut of the world of Infinity (Ein Sof) decides that it must become like Keter, the root phase. And so, it makes a restriction (Tzimtzum) to fulfill its desire, its goal.

Now everything will be determined not by the desire to enjoy contained within her, but she, above her own will, will want to establish the goal of her development. As the Creator wanted to do everything for her, for His creation, so she wants all her thoughts to be aimed at bestowal.

The realization of this goal is called the screen (Masach). The thought is called the reflected Light. The first action needed here is restriction (Tzimtzum). From now on, decisions are made not by my desire to enjoy, but by the screen.

The transition from a personal screen to a common one is called crossing the Machsom, the border of the upper world. The first time we act within our desire covered by the common screen is considered as crossing the Machsom.
[223828]
From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/25/18, Talmud Eser Sefirot, Part 2

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Malchut That Wanted To Attain Keter

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