Question: How do the Egyptians push the children of Israel to work in order to bestow?

Answer: By despair! A person performs egoistic actions, Lo Lishma (not for its own sake), but it doesn’t matter since we are below the Machsom (barrier).

Above the Machsom, there is the domination of the bestowal, the altruistic intention, while below the Machsom there is the domination of receiving, the intention for myself. After the shattering the desires fell below the Machsom. The shattering took place on purpose in order to provide the condition in which we will want to return to connection, even egoistically, and that is considered that we have the right intention.

This means that the Light that Reforms will operate on us from Above. The border of Parsa, the Machsom doesn’t stop the Surrounding Light and is not a barrier for it. The Surrounding Light can illuminate even with an egoistic intention and a prayer. The MAN can come from egoistic desires that only yearn a little for bestowal.

The Parsa is a very sensitive border, and so we can reach correction from every state.

The Egyptians, the desires to enjoy, are the ones who push Israel to work in order to bestow so that they can take all the gains afterward. It is like a snake that swallows all the fruit of our work. What else can be a means that helps me advance in addition to Egypt, in addition to my egoistic desires?

A person has no other means. There is a point in the heart that is pushed forward by egoistic vessels: thoughts, desires, and intentions. Without this obstacle I would have nothing but the sparks called the sons of Jacob. These sparks actually don’t want to do anything and are only a Reshimot (reminiscences) inside a person.

We can advance only by the cruel egoistic desires of this world and beyond it: the desires to attain, to understand, to ascend above life and death. Where can we get the energy to come to the lesson every morning and to disseminate? All this comes from the Pharaoh, from our ego. A person who suppresses his ego cannot advance.

Therefore, we don’t restrict our egoistic actions. On the contrary, the more the ego pushes us, the better. As it says, “he who is greater than his friend, his desire is even greater.” A person yearns to attain the Creator, and Pharaoh helps him advance.

We have to use the whole cruel ego we have, which means to go through the 49 gates of impurity. The Egyptians help us advance, but at the same time each time we receive the Light, and so we reach a state in which we have to escape. The Light that comes to us creates this special attitude towards the intention in us, but we perform all the actions at the Egyptians account.

So the best Pharaoh is that which gives us trouble and brings us to a state where we escape from it.
[132819]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/16/14, Writings of Rabash

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Question: Why do the Kabbalists call this way the easy way? It doesn’t seem easy to me.

Answer: I don’t know if this way is easy or hard; I simply see this way before me and know that I have nowhere to escape from it. This is my only way.

At the same time, I can work, have children, take care of a family, and be involved with other things, and all this is seemingly an additional burden, heavy sacks that hang on my donkey. I take them on because there is no choice. The Kabbalists said that I must do this to organize my life.

But other than that, with all this burden, I must go towards my goal. And I only look forward like a donkey with blinders on so that he will not look to the sides.

The stronger my connection with the group and the clearer the way, I will see with more certainty that I am directed only towards this goal. There is no reason to side step to later return back to this path because I only stop and slow myself down this way.

Start investing efforts and exertion and then you will see that through the example of friends and the influence of the Light, you advance correctly. You can see this through friends who are only beginners as well as the veterans. The Creator will open your eyes for you so that you will see all the forms that you need.

The group that you see is only in your imagination; this is not its true form. Believe me, there is a group here that is connected and directed towards a goal with unlimited power. But “All who find fault do so with their own flaws.” So if you try, then you will see everything you need and will get help according to your exertion.

Don’t think that the friends are small; you will get everything from this group. You simply don’t see it in its true form. Invest effort in being integrated into the group; to the degree that you enter into it and disappear with self-nullification, so will you advance. Love of friends supplements all deficiencies.

Question: But it’s impossible to understand everything that is written in the books as long as you don’t feel this yourself! Also in what you are saying now there is nothing to understand and carry out!

Answer: There is! You simply need to connect. There is no other form of practical work in our condition except connection. And for this connection, you must accept all the conditions that they give you. If you agree, then please, the way is open before you.

And if you don’t want to connect, then you are free to do what you want! We check the person only in relation to this condition. This is the only free choice that is given to him. It could be that this will take 10-20 years until he understands it. Well, so it will be 20 years, what can you do about it? But he must understand this condition and realize it. If that’s not enough for you, go back to this world to continue incarnation after incarnation, because we are in a process of correction.
[132932]
From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/16/14, Writings of Rabash

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Question: Why is it that when we hear about the importance of dissemination we are on fire and the burn with desire to go out to disseminate, but tomorrow all of our desire fades and disappears?

Answer: This is deliberately arranged so that we will overcome our desire. If it were pleasant for us to disseminate, we would get no benefit.

And so we have to make an effort against our desire because we think that this is important for spiritual development, even though on the physical level it does not seem important to us and is even repulsive. It follows that this is really work for us.

We must understand that where resistance from the body is not felt, there is no spiritual reward! It’s very simple. So if we don’t want to go out to disseminate and we find a thousand justifications for ourselves, if this is disgusting and repulsive to us, if we are ashamed and think that we are not suited for this work, all of this resistance is specifically given to us to overcome it and get a spiritual reward.

This is called an act of overcoming through effort. The effort is accumulated drop after drop, “joined into a great amount,” until our counter jumps to the next digit and we get spiritual elevation.

This means that we have no choice; it is impossible to advance otherwise. So I am happy to hear that you do not have the ability and desire and that you don’t know where to disseminate and how; these are all excuses, but this specifically gives you the opportunity to make an effort!

Understand that if you see an opportunity to take action without effort, it is preferable not to do it! If it is pleasant for you to go out to the community, and you want this very much, are excited and happy, then you will not receive a great reward for this activity, for you have not acted against your ego.
[132076]
From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/3/14, Questions and Answers with Dr. Laitman

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When we explain the method of connection to a person, we have to explain the basis for the method. Therefore, we say that it isn’t something that we invented but that it stems from nature. We see that nature has been managing us for ages, advancing us and bringing us to a state in which we all find ourselves connected to one another.

By nature we are all connected, but on our part, we don’t want this connection. It turns out that we are in a system that connects us in every possible way, but we object and act as if there is no connection between us. Therefore, there is a crisis.

This system operates on us as if we are connected and thus operates and manages us, while we don’t want it. This leads to confusion and to a great mess in everything that we do. This phenomenon began a couple of decades ago when we began to realize that we are all connected.

Previously there was no such thing. We simply grew and grew until suddenly the connection was closed. It happens with small children who don’t feel that they need friends and play by themselves until the age of two or three. Then the child grows and realizes that there are other children and that it is interesting to play with them.

Humanity has developed in the same way; up to a certain point each developed separately and suddenly nature forces us to be together. Do you agree to accept the condition that everyone is connected? We are destroying the world and our life if we carry on the way we live now.

The correction is in studying and investigating nature and becoming compatible with it by identifying, and becoming in line and balanced with it so that we will live well. Balance is the principle law of nature. All of nature is drawn to balance.

This is very reasonable and can be explained. Otherwise, why do we ask everyone to be in good relations with one another, in connection? Are we communists or small children who don’t understand that it’s impossible to implement that?

But it isn’t about whether it’s possible or not, but simply that we have no choice. It isn’t a theory that was made by anyone; we learn from nature what it means to be in harmony with it. All of nature aspires for balance and we also have to attain it. Then everyone will feel good. It’s a physical law, a physical law that is expressed in the relations between people.
[132191]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/2/14, Writings of Rabash

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Question: What does it mean that suffering shortens time?

Answer:  The sufferings and clarifications shorten time because I must feel:

Evil in the desire to receive and good in the desire to bestow.
Bad alone and good together.
Bad outside of the center of the group and good within the center of the group.

All of this is against my substance, my desire. If I strive against my desire, I feel anguish and I am not ready to carry this out. A person is not ready to suffer willingly, and where there is suffering, he cannot enter.

Only provided that he has a greater goal that covers up the suffering will he be ready to accept them, like a patient who agrees to an operation. Even though it is unpleasant and dangerous, he goes along with this or otherwise he will die. So don’t consider him to be a hero; he indeed understands that without this it is impossible to go on and that it is worthwhile for him to accept the suffering and remain alive.

Every beast and every person makes a calculation like this. But we need to go against our desire to receive, without any justification of the desire to receive.

When I go against my ego and try to be integrated into society and into a group, to be together with them and to carry out what they want, I have no justification for this. I cannot say that there will be some kind of benefit from this for me. I don’t see a purpose for which it is worthwhile for me to yield and do what they want. There is no justification; I can’t swap a cow for a donkey. So how will I do this?

It is here that a place for the prayer of many is created, which is a request to receive the power of bestowal. I want to bestow without any compensation. This is against my nature, and it is impossible to carry this out. If they were to give me compensation, on the contrary, I surely would bestow in order to receive. If I need to give someone ten dollars and get back, let’s say, something worth a thousand dollars, I will happily bestow.

I have no problem in bestowing in order to receive, everyone does this. But here we are talking about bestowing without any compensation for myself, without any fulfillment. How is it possible to do this? There are no such actions in our world. For everything I do, there must be an opposite reaction from the other side. Otherwise this would be a perpetual motion machine, an eternal engine that constantly supplies energy and power without being charged.

There is nothing like this in our world, yet there is in spirituality! This is the power of the Creator who can bestow without any compensation. I want to get this power. If through a small illumination the desire to acquire this characteristic grows in me, this is a sign that I have already advanced to Lishma and I have already begun to demand: “Give me the power to bestow without anything in return.”

I want to be wise, sensitive, and understanding, so that I will be able to bestow and have all that I need for this bestowal. And so I receive this ability.
[133412]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/23/14, Writings of Rabash

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Rabash’s Article, “Come Unto Pharaoh – 2”: The fact was that everything that they built would fall. This means that every time they built for themselves some structure in the work, the Egyptians came, meaning the alien thoughts of the Egyptians, and ruined all their work. In other words, all the work that they did with all their efforts to overcome and to serve in the work of holiness was swallowed in the ground.

Thus, each day they had to start over, and it seemed to them as though they were never engaged in the work of holiness. Moreover, each time they contemplated moving forward, they saw that not only did they not progress, they even regressed, since new “who” and “what” questions would always surface in their minds.

These are the well-known questions of Pharaoh: (Exodus 5:2) Who is the LORD, that I should hearken unto His voice? and (Exodus 12:26) What mean ye by this service? And the questions became heavier and heavier, and if the person advances from day to day, he sees himself less and less successful. But it’s necessary to accept this as reliable evidence of advancement for this happens with each and every one when he approaches the exodus from Egypt.

Precisely because the person invests much effort, they show him how much he doesn’t succeed. Therefore there is no chance of advancing if the person isn’t fortified by study, the Rav, and the group. And this applies to both men and women. There is no difference between them; the process is the same process.
[132829]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/16/14, Writings of Rabash

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Question: Bread is baked in fire. What does this phase symbolize in the spiritual correction?

Answer: After having reached the right combination between the desire to receive and the intention of in order to bestow, I insert it into the attribute of Din (judgment), the attribute of fire, the attribute of the tough and right correction, the proper use, and so it is put through fire. Many corrections in the Bible that are described as being put through fire symbolize purification.

Fire is the feeling of Din, the purification of the ego that remains. The ego has to cook, to warm up, to burn, and only the part that remains is ready to be food for humans. This is one of the main methods of correction.

We must purify our desire from the ego, so that it will remain without an intention for ourselves, and to add to it an intention of for the sake of others, love, and mutual connection with others. If it’s in the right form, it’s put through fire or through other hard trials, and in this process, the desire with the intention of in order to bestow is stabilized, which means that the bread is baked.
[133489]
From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 11/27/13

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Question: What does it mean to ask the friends for help?

Answer: Help can only come in the direction of connection, when everyone yearns to attain a connection in which there is maximal mutual bestowal upon one another for the sake of revealing of the Creator. We try to create more and more connections between us by trying this or that and the Egyptians help us by showing us which connection is right and which is not. They show us our mistakes, the places where we did not connect correctly and did not achieve mutual benefit.

Thus, they help us advance, and it is called that Pharaoh brought the children of Israel to the Creator. Thus we constantly search for what the true attribute of bestowal should be. We cannot discover it, but we appeal by requests, prayers, cries, by clarifying things between us and the Creator until we finally understand it.

But we have to find it by ourselves. There is help, an illumination from Above, according to our exertion. But we cannot receive this revelation for free, since we would not feel anything then. It has to be the result of our efforts, our searching, and our requests. Everything has to start from our inner impulse, from an awakening from below. If we connect with others in a way that matches the first revelation, then it happens and brings us to redemption.

We have to look for the next form of bestowal that is more and more advanced each time in order to find the Creator in a clear, illuminated, and more outstanding way. The Creator’s form is actually us. The form of bestowal that we discover among us is the Light. Now we don’t see or feel it but later the Light will sustain us.

In this Light we discover the thought of creation, the attributes of the upper. Thus we build the infrastructure for His revelation which is called Divinity. The form of bestowal with its mission is called Creator. The Creator is dressed in the created being. The created being is the spiritual Partzuf that is built as a result of the connection between us. Therefore it says that we make the Creator that is called Bo-re (come and see).

Question: So where is the request for help from the friends here?

Answer: The request should be mutual. This is called mutual guarantee. It has to be incorporated in mutual bestowal. Everything is aimed at one direction. Mutual guarantee is the common efforts to attain the Creator’s form and His attributes.
[132898]
From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/16/14, Writings of Rabash

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Question: How can we balance the study, the dissemination, and our ordinary life in the family and at work correctly?

Answer: We always feel pressure in every direction: The family demands that we spend all our time with it, at work, we have to make great efforts in what we do. But we always have to choose what is most important.

Everything depends on importance. There are people who can dedicate more time to the study and to dissemination, and others have less time. There are those who say that nothing depends on them, and others do everything possible for their spiritual development since otherwise their life will come to nothing. One thing depends on another, on the importance of the spiritual development that is established in the group.

We are living in a very special time, and we can see this in the way the world develops and the changes in it, and even by the changes in the climate. So, we have to consider how we make decisions and how much the world depends on us.

If we don’t convey the Light that Reforms to the world, it will be our fault. This is the mission of the Jews, of Israel. Israel means Yashar-El (straight to the Creator), and it is a conductor, an adapter. If we don’t convey the upper Light down to the entire world, we create a problem.

We must be the conductor and even the amplifier of the Light by our good work. Besides, we have to arrange the Light correctly by pouring it to the world through us like through a funnel so that it will be soft and smooth, and at the right angle. Our adaptor is rather complicated, and it has ten Sefirot.

However, if we don’t do all that and don’t adapt the Light correctly, we cannot connect and adapt the created beings, the entire world, to the Creator. First, we have to correct ourselves, and that is the reason that we feel pressure. The world is putting great negative pressure on us in the form of hatred and anti-Semitism.

There is also pressure from Above since we are like a bottleneck through which the Light and the abundance must pour unto those below. Therefore, we are in a special time and can advance seriously and powerfully. However, on the other hand, we also can lose everything.
[132073]
From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/03/14, Questions and Answers with Dr. Laitman

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Question: Rabash writes, “Then he has no other choice but to pray to the Creator to give him some life, so he will feel that he is dangerously ill and needs to cure the soul.” What is this request and feeling?

Answer: I see how my friends are connected. They go out together to some particular activity, helping each other, feeling closeness, understanding each other. Whereas, when I pass by them, I don’t feel any connection to them, no mutual participation. I am always drawn towards solitude. I have no desire to be together with everyone. What is there to do?!

And so I ask the Creator to show me how much this isn’t good that I am such an individualist, detached from others, not feeling anyone. I hear how they talk to each other, how they can be close.

They stimulate each other and go out to tasks, to dissemination, and I don’t. I am not excited when I look at them. As far as it seems, I am coarser than they are, more egoistic. And I want to be integrated into their connection. Otherwise I could sit next to them, but not be within the group.

Suppose that our main group has 400 men. How many of them truly want to connect?  Maybe it’s a total of 30 or 40. After all, this is not just about participants, but about those who want to connect and feel that through this they discover the higher power as one man with one heart; this is the condition for discovering the Creator.

And I don’t feel this! I only hear about the need to connect, but don’t feel it. I hear that the friends are gathering, planning some kind of dissemination activity, and I think to myself: “Well, next time I will join them! This is not yet the time. I have more important things to do!”

I even purposefully engage in some things to find justification for my absence. Ultimately I see that I have no correction at all. And so I ask the Creator to give me a bad feeling, recognition of the evil in my separation from the friends so that I’ll be able to decide that I must connect. This is called the “recognition of evil,” clarification.

It could be that I am concerned that it’s personally bad for me that I am not connected with the friends and that I didn’t go to them. It could be that I see that they are more advanced and am envious of them and that the greatness of the group must pull me forward. I don’t ask to suffer, but rather for recognition of my evil nature.

Certainly this is unpleasant, but this unpleasantness summons great happiness in me, for this releases me and saves me from the situation in which I am found. Otherwise I will have to die in Egypt.
[133462]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/23/14, Writings of Rabash

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