We are honored to have had such a teacher Baal HaSulam who was the next incarnation of the soul of the great Ari. It is said that the Ari was Mashiach ben Yosef, that is, he connected the entire previous Kabbalah with the current state of the end of correction, with the generation of the era of the Messiah, for us.

Therefore, as soon as the Kabbalah of the Ari was revealed, the Kabbalists left all other streams of Kabbalah and accepted his method. This was not due to the fact that the method of the Ari was more understandable or that he rose above others in his comprehension, but because of the connection of his soul with the end of correction.

The soul of the Ari is directly connected with the end of correction, and therefore, through him and his teachings, we can also establish a connection with the final corrected state and correctly realize ourselves, all of us together and each one of us individually.

Baal HaSulam writes in the “Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot uMasbirot“: “You have not a generation without such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Indeed, that Godly man, Rav [teacher, great one] Isaac Luria [the ARI], troubled and provided us the fullest measure. He did wondrously more than his predecessors, and if I had a tongue that praises, I would praise that day when his wisdom appeared almost as the day when the Torah was given to Israel.”

Indeed, we are unable to measure the height of the Ari just as an infant cannot measure the actions of adults. But everything that we have today came from the Ari, and through his soul, we receive the highest impact and corrections. Baal HaSulam and Rabash stand behind the Ari in this chain.

The Ari himself did not write a single book—they were all written by his students. Some of the records were hidden in his grave and some were secretly kept in a chest, and thus, they came down to our time. Of course, a higher power and a higher design were at work in all this.

Otherwise, how is it possible that a higher desire would suddenly awaken in a merchant such as the Ari who traveled between Egypt, Israel, and Damascus and engaged in trade, and force him to settle in Israel and devote himself to Kabbalah.

All information about the Ari is very inaccurate: there are two synagogues in Safed named after him, and it is not clear which one he belonged to. Everything is very vague as if we are not talking about a person. There is no information about his family, wife, children, whether he had any descendants. Nothing is clear. Of course, no one has freedom of choice and everything that happened to the Ari was dictated from above, by the Creator.

Before the Ari, only a few select individuals were secretly engaging in Kabbalah. And after him, Kabbalah came out of hiding. The life of the Ari in Safed was not easy due to the many opponents of Kabbalah. After all, he began to reveal Kabbalah and to organize groups.

He was helped by the fact that Ramak, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero ,who had great authority in Safed, interceded for him, and he understood that the method of the Ari came from true, deep comprehension.

The Ari is unique in that he revealed the science of Kabbalah in a completely new way. It was he who introduced such concepts as the ten Sefirot, the direct and the reflected light, Malchut, the Masach, and precisely determined the structure of the worlds and Partzufim. All this is described in the book The Tree of Life written by Chaim Vital from the words of the teacher.

Chaim Vital studied with the Ari for only a year and a half before his teacher’s death. And during this year and a half he managed to obtain sufficient knowledge for twenty books. It took three more generations to collect and print these books. It is obvious that there is some kind of higher, superhuman power behind all this.

After the Ari, Kabbalah was revealed because he brought a special inner, spiritual strength to the world. And besides, his teachings began to slowly spread. It does not matter that he taught only in a small town in Safed. This spiritual power, which he brought closer to our world through his soul, began to be felt all over the world.

Thanks to this, a Kabbalist such as Baal Shem Tov appeared in Russia, who continued the work of the Ari and began to speak of the same concepts: worlds, Sefirot, Partzufim. It is customary in Hasidism to call this the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, but in essence, the foundation was laid by the teachings of the Ari.

Baal HaSulam wrote that he was the next incarnation of the soul of the Ari, that is, he had a direct connection with him and was able to directly comprehend everything that the Ari had attained. The next reincarnation of the soul is like the inheritance of the entire spiritual attainment of the father, which is passed on to the son.

Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot uMasbirot“: “There are not enough words to measure his holy work in our favor. The doors of attainment were locked and bolted, and he came and opened them for us.” Restriction, Masach, reflected light, the Ari describes not only how the light spreads from top to bottom but the specific development of the desire, its stages of coarsening, the connection of this process to the power of the screen. Therefore, he belongs to the generation of the correction and is considered the Mashiach (Messiah) Ben Yosef, after which the correction of Malchut herself begins, the era of Mashiach Ben David.

Maybe even before the Ari, Kabbalists reached the same heights, but they did not receive explicit understanding in the form of connection between the lights, the Kelim, and the screens. Their understanding came as a revelation from above and not from within their own Kelim, allowing them to build the world through their comprehension. Therefore, after the Ari and beyond, everyone can study Kabbalah and gradually comprehend what was revealed to him.

Without explaining how the desire works with the Masach and the reflected light, it is impossible to implement the correction. Therefore, the Kabbalists before the Ari made only preparation for correction, while the Ari revealed the work from the bottom up and revealed the method of correction, practical Kabbalah, to us.

The day of the departure of a Kabbalist is the day of his ascension. Therefore, on this day we want to be connected with the Ari, with his soul and his technique in a special way, even more than before, and we celebrate the day of his memory. In fact, this is a joyful day because his soul has realized itself and has risen to a higher level. Therefore, Kabbalists never grieve for the departed.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/4/19, “Memorial Day of the Ari”

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Principles of Forming a Team: Stop Gossip

Remark: Seventh rule: Any kind of gossip is prohibited in the team. Even criticism is possible only at a predetermined time, with special preparation.

My Comment: This is obvious. According to the previous condition that we see only ourselves and not others, what criticism can there be? It means that I criticize myself. Or I criticize the way I see others in myself. It is because I never see anyone else.

Question: How often do you recommend having meetings where we start criticizing each other and making claims?

Answer: Sometimes, as an exercise. Maybe once a month. No more than that.

Question: And until then should I keep everything to myself?

Answer: And until then do exercises: Everything I think about the other, I think about myself.

Remark: You said that in the early stages of team development, it is best to express criticism not directly but through responsible individuals. After all, if I tell a person directly, as an egoist, he will not accept it, and there will be a conflict.

My Comment: Yes. It is better to do this indirectly.

Question: Isn’t it better to have direct honest relationships between colleagues?

Answer: Maybe. But it depends on the stage of training.

Question: So, would you not advise criticizing directly at the initial stage?

Answer: No. Only when you have accumulated a sufficient number of mutual clarifications, collisions, and connections, when you begin to understand each other deeper, better, and the goal becomes more obvious and necessary, then you can move to this level of relationship.

Question: Do we need to determine in advance some topics that we will not talk about since we know they will cause conflicts? For example, politics, religion, and family. Or, on the contrary, should we reveal all this between us?

Answer: No. We do not talk about anything that might be received poorly by others. We should not bring up such topics until we have done so well that we simply stop seeing others as something other than ourselves. Then all this will go away. There will be no reason for restrictions.

Remark: Indeed, the difference between genders, between man and woman, national and religious differences are seated so deeply in a person that until he rises above them, it is better not to touch these topics. This can destroy any team: in business, in sports, everywhere.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/18/20

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Principles of Team Building: Seeing Your Flaws in Others

Question: The sixth rule: everyone judges the friend according to his own flaws. This is a very ancient principle.

At that moment when a person clearly sees the flaws of the other, what can cause him to understand that this is his uncorrected perception?

Answer: Only public opinion. If everyone around him understands that everyone sees in the other his own flaws, his own corruption, he begins to gradually understand that this is really so that he does not see anyone but himself. Thus, he begins to correct himself.

Question: Are there any exercises that will help me realize that this is in me?

Answer: Only if you hear it from others. It all depends on public opinion. You do not see yourself. You always see others, rather, yourself in others.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/18/20

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Team Building Principles: “Buy Yourself a Friend”

Question: Fifth rule: Each member of the group should try to “buy friends.” This is an ancient principle that sages of all generations have written about a lot.

How should one buy a friend? Your attention, concessions, cancellation of personal interests? Or are there some other principles?

Answer: However you can buy him, buy him. Gifts, words, actions. Anything.

Question: That is, it is a tool. And the result? What will it give me?

Answer: You attract him to you. After all, a friend is someone who can support you, agree with you. Even based on purely selfish interests.

Question: Meaning, by my attention I buy him and thereby buy his support?

Answer: Naturally.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/18/20

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Question: To what extent and how will I become free from the chains of popular views and the impact of the external society if I study the wisdom of Kabbalah?

Answer: I can tell you from my experience that you totally cease to feel the impact of the external society and that you perceive it as childish babble because you try to implement the upper spiritual principles of nature.

Remark: People will say that it is arrogance.

My Comment: Let them say so; it makes no difference. When I reveal the upper goal of nature and it illuminates for me, different popular views have no effect on me and I am simply above them. If you know that this is the truth, you regret that others are unaware of this truth, but you do not descend to the beastly level of existence because of it.

Question: Aren’t you sorry that a person does not understand the truth?

Answer: I would like to bring the truth to the whole world so that people will see and hear what the wisdom of Kabbalah says and so that everyone will open their eyes, and then once they see the truth about the whole system and how nature is managed, they will decide what to do independently. I would like that very much, but unfortunately an individual can attain it only by his own efforts.

Question: But as a result of his efforts, does a person still come to a free, conscious decision? I mean, doesn’t he simply force himself to choose the path to the truth but seemingly feels it?

Answer: Yes, no one can do it for him. As we say, “Freedom is a conscious necessity.”
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah” 11/17/19

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Principles of Forming a Team: Unification

Question: The fourth rule is the unification of the team. We are talking about creating any team no matter in what sphere of human activity.

The best way to interact with a friend is by example. You need to constantly encourage any actions aimed at bringing the team together. Here it is important to deliberately show your intentions and actions and not be modest. A person must show the other their respect, effort to listen, and understand because this is how they set an example to others.

How important is it to show that I am making an effort to listen to the other person?

Answer: It is extremely important to show interest and deliberately demonstrate it. This is the responsibility of all members of the group, not just the person on duty.

Question: Even if it is hard for me to listen to someone?

Answer: On the contrary, you listen to him, raise your hand, ask a question, and thus inspire the entire group with it.

Question: What will give me strength and motivation?

Answer: The fact that you have to do it. You were given the authority.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/18/20

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Principles of Forming a Team: Preserving Individuality

Comment: The third rule: a careful attitude to the personality of each friend so that no one loses one’s individuality.

My Response: We should assume that everyone is making the utmost effort depending on how much they have absorbed our course and understand its importance. Therefore, everything he does, he does as a result of our efforts.

In other words, I look at a person as a mechanism that is acting now as a result of my influence. And if he does not act correctly, I should attribute this to myself and say that this is my fault.

Question: Besides the rules of the circle, which allow a person to express themselves without fear of criticism, what other exercises can be recommended to preserve a person’s individuality?

Answer: I think they should do a lot of talking among themselves until they understand themselves and others and until they get used to the fact that everyone has their own freewill, their own ability to interact with others. Through these interactions, they will gradually begin to learn about human nature, and thus they will have the ability to tolerate each other.

Question: What is their interaction? What other interaction can there be that allows them to display their individual inclinations?

Answer: They must infect each other with a positive virus. After all, everyone who comes to a group that is engaged in connection begins to receive creative inspiration from it, meaning how to gather together even more and how in the connection with each other to reveal the force of mutual bestowal up to the force of love.

Question: For many years I worked with groups in the army. When groups are formed there, people go through many different states. External circumstances cause very strong changes in them. They help each other, go through various physical activities, and create some kind of relationship between them, and so on.

What will happen here? Where will all these experiences come from?

Answer: As we give people different tasks, there will be tension in the team and they will feel to what extent this is doable or not.

Each person will have some functions in the group but people must exchange them periodically: someone responsible for printing the study material, someone for physical meetings, and someone for preparing coffee, and so on. They must serve themselves.

The individuality of each person can be manifested in the fact that he tries to invest as much as possible in the group, in its connection. To the extent that he invests in the group, pushes it to unity, he has the opportunity to come together with it to the revelation of the Creator.

Question: In any team, there is a person responsible for raising motivation. Should it be one person or should everyone be responsible for team spirit?

Answer: At least one person should be on duty for such purposes.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/18/20

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Principles of Forming a Team: Equality

Question: The second rule is the work on the main principle in the team that is called equality. We clearly see that we all are different, we all have different potential. What are the team members equal in?

Answer: Despite the fact that we have different potential, by being together and working for the same goal, meaning for connection, and relative to it, each one, to the extent of their efforts and abilities given to them by nature, becomes equal to others. Therefore, there are no juniors and seniors, lucky and unlucky, among us. After all, we all try to connect. Everyone makes as much effort to connect as one can.

Comment: Yes, but we are talking about some kind of relative equality. In the outside world, we see that one person is making ten kilos of effort, and another is making one kilo of effort.

My Response: So what? If you can lift ten kilos and I can only lift one kilo, can’t we participate in the work together?

Comment: We can. However, I want to receive accordingly. If I lift more, I want to have more respect, attention, and everything else.

My Response: Naturally, you will receive it. Of course.

Question: Then this is already inequality. If we are talking about some kind of relative equality, what will it be manifested in?

Answer: Equality is manifested in the fact that everyone gives to the extent of their physical, internal, and moral capabilities and receives in accordance with this. Everyone receives from making an effort.

Comment: Yet I, with my egoistic perception, cannot know what a person’s capabilities are. When I look at him, I see that this person is constantly underperforming. I think he can do more, but he does not. Naturally, this causes irritation and conflict.

My Response: This should be decided by the force of the team. If the team knows how to influence each of its members correctly, then everything will be fine, and if not, then there is nothing that can be done.

In principle, equality is not how we understand it in the corporeal world. After all, equality must be conditional. I cannot lift ten kilos and it is easy for you, so what kind of equality can there be?

It means that there must be some general framework accepted by everyone that everyone can observe and adhere to. One must make “X” effort to comply with them and the other must make an “X + 2″ effort, but this depends on the potential.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/18/20

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Question: We devote our entire life to the development of our egoism. And what can we leave to the children? How do we make the right correction?

Answer: We Kabbalists are trying to prescribe for the future generation, and even for our own, a method for the correct use of negative internal human forces and external positive forces, meaning the egoistic forces inside us and altruistic forces outside of us, in order to correct a person, to make him or her harmonious with the surrounding society and with the general nature.

This is something we must setup now in our generation. And the next generation, including our own, will begin to apply it and will continue to develop everything in practice for the future generations.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah” 5/17/20

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Team Building Principles: The Importance of the Goal

Question: There must be certain rules in a group that will constantly return people to the values we cultivate that are not in the outside world.

The first rule: artificial cultivation of the importance of these meetings, because  we can achieve any goal only together. An active presence of people at each meeting is required, as well as their participation in all team activities.

What leverage can the group use to make everyone feel responsible for everyone so that people have the importance of these meetings, even if they do not always feel it?

Answer: And what will a person receive from this? First of all, I would ask what I will gain from the fact that I become actively involved in all meetings, convergences, and outings in society, and try to propagate everywhere an integral connection between all members of society.

Therefore, a person must be given a very clear understanding that his health and the health of his children, society, their well-being, protection from coronavirus or some other misfortune depends only on the measure of uniting the society, and now he is trying to make this society healthier.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/18/20

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