Baal HaSulam, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”: Now you can understand what our sages said (Berachot 7): “Serving in the Torah is greater than studying it, as it is said, ‘Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.’ It did not say studied, but poured.” This is perplexing; how can simple acts be greater than studying the wisdom and the knowledge?

But according to the above, we thoroughly understand that serving one’s Rav with one’s body and soul in order to bring contentment to one’s Rav bring one to Dvekut with one’s Rav, that is, to equivalence of form. Thus, one receives the thoughts and knowledge of the Rav by way of “mouth-to-mouth,” which is Dvekut of spirit with spirit. By that, one is rewarded with obtaining His greatness sufficiently to turn bestowal into reception, to become sufficient fuel for devotion, until one is rewarded with Dvekut with the Creator.

If there is a corrected intention, then certainly the study will be more important than everything. However, since the intention is not corrected, then necessarily the study will be for oneself. Therefore, the student must do everything possible to give contentment to the Elyon (upper) to the degree that he cannot make him happy by studying with the intention of giving contentment to the Creator. So, the maximum that remains for him is material actions.

Even though the action is also with an intention to receive, but the doing itself remains and therefore attracts the Light to it. In spite of this, in some way, the lower transmits to the higher what is in his power to transmit. As it is written, “Whatever your hand attains to do [as long as you are] with your strength, do” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). So, a connection is created between them in which each gives to the other. Therefore, Elisha did the right thing by pouring water on the hands of Elijah.

Serving the teacher in body and soul means acting according to the teacher’s desire. In particular, this relates to dissemination because this is the main thing that the Kabbalists recommended for us since they are our spiritual ancestors. Therefore, by involvement with dissemination, it is as if we are giving to them, are serving them, and to this degree, we attract the Light that Reforms to us through them. There is no greater bestowal to the higher than the continuation of his activities, his Torah, and his teaching, and bringing a greater and greater amount of souls to him in order to unite them and bring them to the Creator who will fill them; it is specifically with this that we give Him contentment.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/27/14, Topic of Lesson: “Teacher”

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Question: Is the inner concern we feel regarding the public’s suffering the right indicator for building the spiritual Kli?

Answer: When we invest our forces in working with the public, we want to succeed for egoistic reasons. Therefore it’s easy for us to continue this work. We invest so much in these people that we already feel them as if they are relatives and we want their success. Therefore dissemination expands our vessels. If we are “cooked” only within the group, ultimately it will degenerate and remain in a static state. We will find it more and more difficult to take steps toward one another and to come closer to each other. This is really what happens.

But if we take care of people, we begin to be concerned for their advancement and success. It’s reasonable that we will advance together with our students, even though each one of them advances according to his level. And when you come from your students to friends, then you already relate to them differently, not like before.

It’s very difficult to reach an immediate and strong connection directly with people who are on the same level with you so as to be like one man with one heart. But only after you are concerned about the people who are on a lower level than you, do you soften and get the feeling of bestowal within your desire to receive, and as a result of this, you will pass to that inclination a desire to bestow toward the friends.
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From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/25/14

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After the beginning stages of the right connection with the group, it’s necessary to continue through studying of The Book of Zohar with the same method that the students learned with Rabbi Shimon. They wrote this book themselves, revealed the levels, the spiritual states, and expressed them in writing. Rabbi Shimon taught, Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Elazar explained what he said.

The Ramchal described this in the book, Adir BaMarom: And Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai revealed the secrets of the Torah, and the friends listened to his voice, and they joined with him in this connection, each one answering for his part. That is what Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai wanted, that a book would be written that would include the sayings of all the members of his Yeshiva, and the book would be written about the Torah, for other writings speak about particular ideas, yet The Zohar that is made about the Torah is called the great opening of the entire Torah. And Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai commanded Rabbi Abba to be the writer and arrange all the things that the sages of the Yeshiva said, whenever and wherever they were, everything arranged according to the order in the Torah.

That is also how we must get along in groups in order to study The Book of Zohar, and then its Light will influence us. If we make an effort to be like the students of Rabbi Shimon in order to connect together so that all of us will be like one man with one heart and with love of friends, then the Light will influence us and will give us a greater sense of connection. And within this, we will begin to discover the network of connections between us called a Partzuf of ten Sefirot.

First within these ten Sefirot, the smallest Light will appear, Ohr Nefesh de Nefesh de Nefesh. But this is already a breath, some kind of feeling of the spiritual world. Although I still cannot act independently, I am found and exist in the spiritual world. So we develop the relationships between us more and more; we discover Ruach de Nefesh de Nefesh, and so on.

We begin to understand more and to feel the connection between us. The quality of our Partzuf gradually grows, and the general Light will begin to be clearer and clearer within it, in that it reveals its relationship to the Kli. This is how we reach a feeling for the general program that operates between us and we understand what is happening between us, what is happening in all of reality, in the entire world, and in all the worlds.

All this will be revealed within the ten Sefirot of the connection between us, exactly as the ten students of Rabbi Shimon discovered it when they were connected only within their group. They weren’t connected with the rest of the world at all nevertheless they discovered all of the infinite reality.

In other words, all of the means are in our hands. And in the meantime, the world deteriorates becoming darker and more sinister. It is written about these times that insolence will be multiplied beyond measure and all the problems and all kinds of misfortunes will befall the world. But we must understand that all of this is happening specifically because the Light is approaching our world, and the world must be more and more adapted to the Light. And if it doesn’t accommodate itself to the Light, then instead of Light, it will see Darkness, because it is in properties opposite to the Light. And therefore our obligation is immediately to begin to explain to the world what our best future depends upon. That it’s only through connection between us and thanks to The Book of Zohar that all of us can go out from the exile, from this Darkness.

Therefore, I am happy that we have begun to translate The Book of Zohar into several languages. We hope that this convention will be a good beginning for the acceptance of this gift that we have received: The Book of Zohar, and from here on we will continue with the correction with a much greater power than we have had until now.
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From the World Zohar Week “World Zohar Convention,” Day One 2/5/14, Lesson 2

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 64: …with respect to the wisdom of the Torah, it is increasingly revealed in the latter generations. This is so for the reason we have mentioned, that the overall measure is completed specifically by the latter ones. This is why more complete Lights are extended to them, although their own essence is far worse.

This stems from the reverse order of between vessels and Lights. The purer and more refined the vessels are the less Light is in them, even though these vessels are expressed and corrected by the vessels that precede them. And conversely, the greater and deeper the “thickness” of the vessels, the more difficult it is to correct them. In contrast to this, the Lights in them are greater and are revealed by means of their correction.

These lights are specifically clothed in the finest and most refined vessels, being that the Lights are implemented in the order of NRNHY, while the order of the correction of the vessel is KHB ZON. In other words, the vessels are revealed from Keter to Malchut, from the highest to the lowest, whereas with the Lights it’s the opposite, from Nefesh to Yechida, from the smallest to the greatest. They are linked between them in such a sequence.

This principle is not simple and confuses us and it’s very difficult for our understanding of the reciprocal relationships within the system in general, in every world and between the worlds. Sometimes we simply need to accept this as a general rule, as a law, until this gradually “settles” and is integrated with new internal vessels. And only after a person feels the essence does he begin to understand it. In the beginning the feeling comes within the corrected vessels to a particular degree; after that, understanding comes. So intellect always follows feeling.

People who are not linked to the inner essence of the Torah and are guided by their external intellect don’t understand this principle and therefore don’t see the uniqueness of our time and generation. They are familiar with the process of general deterioration; yet together with this, they remove themselves from the responsibility to correct the world. They suppose: “If we have deteriorated so much already, then all that is left for us is only to hope for the coming of the Messiah.”

Yet this is not right. Our generation is the most important for the general goal. And even though we are bent under the heavy burden of our ego, it is intended that we will work on it and will not be rid of it. Through work like this, we attract very great Lights for the highest souls that are beginning to correct humanity, and these souls are Adam, Abraham, and so forth. And we receive a thin and small Light according to our place in the general system, and we advance in this way until we reach the complete ten Sefirot of the entire creation.

Then in fact, we reach attainment and understand what difficult work we have carried out. Even if we were to make a mistake and be confused, even though we don’t succeed in solving and interpreting, even though we have erred and violated, this is unimportant. Otherwise it is impossible. In the end everything will reach the right analysis, the true account, and only then, on the highest level, can we correctly evaluate our state and discern its significance. And in the meantime, it’s up to us to proceed with “faith above reason” and believe in Baal HaSulam who wrote that the first generations were significant because of their refined desires, whereas we are significant because of our “thickness.”
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/27/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Question: How can I help the group to become a raspberry ball?

Answer: You need to be concerned about this as a person upon whom everything depends. And this is indeed the case. Our problem is that we think: “I am one among many thousands!” This is not true, each one is unique! These are not just words but the property of the integral system.

Therefore we cannot force a person to remain in the group and also cannot expel him from it. Each one chooses this through his actions, through his relationship to the group, for he becomes a foundation for human advancement.

Everyone must have a feeling of responsibility, a feeling of personal destiny; not only does the fate of the world depend on me, but that of the whole creation, of all advancement towards the Creator. And this is truly so. When we attain spirituality, we begin to understand that everyone except for me is in a completely corrected state, and I am the only one who wasn’t corrected, and everything acts in such a manner as to show me this in their reflection.

What we see in the world is our reflection: Someone kills someone, someone steals, abuses someone, this is all our ego that is demonstrating itself to us. How can I be relaxed and remove myself from this state?

To feel responsibility for the whole world, this is our obligation. Each one of us, this is the universe! Today the physicists already speak about multiple universes, and this is truly so: Many universes are included one within the other.

Therefore feeling our task is something very important for we are the main participants in creation. On the other hand, we must not panic. Our work is realized correctly only through the group, and nobody is exempt from this. It’s interesting that even those that we attract among the masses will feel this activity as their great mission.
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From the World Zohar Week “Integral Education Convention” Day Three 2/4/14, Workshop 5

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Question: A couple of days ago you said that if we keep the same level of connection that we have attained the Messiah will come. Are we headed in the right direction? How can we provide the mutual support and how do we continue our work correctly?

Answer: We are heading in the right direction and I am really pleased with the outcome of the convention and with your conduct after the convention. However, we still lack the inner connection, which it isn’t up to us but up to the world around us since we have to draw it after us. Therefore, we will not receive the force of the Messiah until there are hundreds of thousands and even millions behind us since we need to receive the force of Messiah for them.

We have to build up a “layer of fat,” so that there will be a place around us in which people will understand, hear, and feel to some extent what the solution to the crisis is. Then our prayer will not be egoistic and not in order to receive. We don’t receive anything in spirituality for no reason, but only if we have whom to convey it to on the outside. Otherwise it will be a fall, a terrible shattering!

Only when we connect to millions will we gradually be able to convey the Light that Reforms to them and our spiritual attainment will be a billion times greater than what we convey to them. So we need a quantity of people on the outside to whom we will be connected more or less, which can be the result of a lecture that we give, giving someone a book, or telling someone about our ideas, etc. There is no need for any physical connection since it’s by these actions that they already connect to us to some extent through the virtual spiritual network.

We are on the right track and we try to fulfill everything. The main thing is to participate in the lessons and in dissemination: no matter whether the outcome seems good or not. We have to provide people with the minimal information that this is the only way to correct the world, and that’s enough. If we could attract two million people this way, we would really be rewarded with the Light that would raise us to the next level. It’s called Messiah, or the force that draws us through the Machsom (barrier) from the lowest state to the next higher state.

Question: When does an ordinary person connect to us? Suppose he reads something and says that he agrees, is that it, does he already become part of us?

Answer: He has to participate in the connection between us in some way, at least passively, like reading what is on our site or by reading the material that you send him. No matter how a person responds, as long as you nourish him a little with excerpts or articles or invite him to a meal without asking for anything in return but simply inviting him since we gather together. If he only reads something that we publicize, he is already part of us; don’t underestimate these small weak connections!
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Question: If we are the ones who correct the shortcomings of the wider public, including them in our desires and elevating them, then what is left for the rest of humanity to do?

Answer: Obviously we don’t resolve the work for them.

Question: Is this saying that they will also pass through the same states on the way to connection?

Answer: They must pass through those same states through which we pass, but on the smallest scale.

Suppose that for fifty years I developed and built a computer. Eventually I brought it home and turned it on. But the moment that I turned around, my grandson immediately sat in front of the screen and began to press the keys of the keyboard. I am fundamentally a person who is used to the right approach, carefully learning the instruction manuals, and he throws them up in the air: “Grandpa, everything is very simple here! I will just try a few things and then I will explain everything to you.”

He learns instinctively, interactively, feels within himself, and easily guesses how we get the result. Apparently the computer is built for the way he thinks and not the way I do. For me this computer was produced from suffering and effort and my grandson doesn’t need to make the effort; instead he grasps everything naturally. In other words, I made a great correction so that my grandson would get everything ready-made. And now he can work more efficiently than I can on the device that I built.

Lurking here are two opposites, two levels. We carry out greater and more difficult work, and apparently others only reap the fruit and rise more easily to the level of their generation.

For them everything will be much simpler, natural. We invest years in order to attain some kind of result, in order to find the form of the workshops that will raise new questions, and they will immediately get it and understand that certainly this is what should be done. Following the trouble that we take now, sweating and being in doubt, with them the complete picture will be immediately managed in their heads.

Question: If this is the case, is it necessary for the whole world to participate in at least one workshop and then everything will begin to be arranged by itself, or must we direct people again and again?

Answer: They will get feelings and intelligence “automatically”, regardless of the forms that this process will take.

In general, in the way of spiritual advancement, every level is the opposite of its predecessor; therefore, it is impossible to speculate, to assess a particular state based on another state. In my estimation people feeling that connection in the form of the workshops makes it possible for them to solve all problems in life. And so they will themselves seek and adopt the method through the Internet, television, and so forth without much talk, like children who don’t need instructions to operate a computer. And the current fashion is transient.

Question: So it could be that it is up to us to bring into public awareness an expansion of the information touching upon the new method as quickly as possible?

Answer: No. If we ourselves don’t make more of an effort, other people will also remain “outside of the business.” The grandson is smart because his grandfather and father took the trouble throughout their lives, they “gained” his new mind, new understanding.

It is up to us to make an effort to a particular level and then suddenly there will be a breakthrough, and a buyer will be found for our “merchandise.”
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/18/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Question: During the congress, we learned to feel each other better, to sense the desires of the friends. At the same time, our sensitivity to all other people that we come across in everyday life became sharper too.

Answer: It is simply becoming clear who they are. After all, when we look at small children, we understand them. Likewise, right now, when we look at the masses, we understand what they actually are: nothing—essentially children.

Question: What should be happening inside of us at the moment we go among them to disseminate?

Answer: Nothing. Love, forgive, and understand them. They are ordinary people with all their weaknesses, thoughts, and desires—everything that is instilled into them through the program of nature. How else could you relate to them? Nature is operating in them and they, like wind-up dolls, are executing their program.

Thus, your work is to treat them calmly and steadfastly, the same way that they treat each other, except in a benevolent way.

Question: All the while maintaining a connection with the group and the Creator?

Answer: The group and the Creator, this is something completely different. It pertains to the upper world, whereas 99% of the population belong to the animal world. So, interact with them on that level.

Question: However, when you see that the majority of the people are suffering, it creates a feeling of guilt and responsibility for them.

Answer: The feeling of responsibility arises because we, through our spiritual degree, can improve their condition, and if there is a feeling of guilt, it means that we are blaming the Creator.
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Question: You said we are lacking a few million people to connect with us. But what exactly are we missing: their shortcomings or our own efforts to create a spiritual womb and fetus?

Answer: The question is why do we want to be born and become mature in the spiritual world? Why do we want to resemble the Creator? The Creator is the bestower, the lover, the bringer of life! In what way could we be like Him? Where and to whom can we express our bestowal?

In what way do we prove that we want to be like Him? It’s only in our relationship with the external community. This is because we don’t have a deficiency that we can raise to the Creator if we don’t work with the external community. Through work with the friends, we can only attain a state of Bina, Hafetz Hesed. We have seemingly created some kind of engine, but it’s not clear what else to do with it, to what kind of use do we put it?

There is no work for this engine and so we remain without movement on the still level. We corrected our group, we silenced the engine, and with this everything is done. It’s even impossible to finish the correction of our group if from the start we don’t prepare for whom we are going to use it. Likewise, we must also be in dissemination because otherwise it’s impossible to be like the Creator. We must be like the Creator towards the wider public.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/12/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Question: We always try to understand that everything comes from Above, and this begs the question: To what extent do you need to accept the conditions that are given to you, and to what extent do you need to try to rise above them and adhere to the group regardless of the circumstances? In other words, when do you need to accept the conditions that you have, and when do you rise above them in connection to the group?

Answer: First and foremost, one should cling to the Source of all of these conditions. As for whether any effort needs to be exerted in this or not, it depends on the circumstances. What difference does it make? The important thing is to constantly be glued to the Source.

I might like it or I might not, this varies, although it is not important. I grab Him and shout, “You are mine!” and that is it. And then you need to separate from yourself whatever your egoism is feeling at the time, whatever I feel by addressing Him, that is, to go in faith above reason. But the most important thing is to seize Him and not let go.

Often, we are given circumstances where even if we do not wish to, we are still required to accept them with our minds. How do we act in such cases?

If my friends or certain life circumstances are telling me that everything that is happening to me right now comes from the Creator, then however unpleasant this may be for me, since I am unable to agree with it right now because it completely churns me, I nevertheless need to accept Him as the source of all that is happening. Moreover, as a good and kind source, one that is necessary for me so that I would work with it and bring myself to a state when all the time, to whatever extent possible, I remain with Him.

Do I perceive it as an obstacle? – Yes.

Is this obstacle for my own benefit? – Yes.

Is it pleasant or unpleasant? – Unpleasant.

Still, I have to gradually come to a state where this obstacle will fade away. This requires a lot of patience and a lot of work, and then everything will turn into sweetness.
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From a lesson in Russian, 2/10/2014

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