Question: How can a student who lives far away in another country receive the same special force felt in the group that is physically beside you?

Answer: I want to clear up these doubts once and for all. If a student is 10,000 miles away from here, somewhere in Chile, for example, and receives an impression of “one ounce” during the lesson, it is equal in value to being right here in the study hall and receiving an impression of “100 ounces.”

It is the same. You are simply not taking into account the influence you feel here. There, it is one hundred times weaker than here. And when you come here, it seems that you exert yourself by one gram, but here everyone exerts themselves by one hundred ounces. You see that here the tension is a hundred times greater, and so you worry as to what you should do.

But you are not taking into account that the force of the magnetic field operates on you even from a distance, but only weaker. At the same time, you exert yourself relatively more compared to those who are here in the center. So although it may seem that you are missing something, you are not missing anything.

The Creator receives a person’s exertion taking into account the state he is in. The question is only whether you are building your environment correctly wherever you are. Do you make the best of your group by annulling yourself before them, before the Creator, and by that reach the revelation of the force of bestowal in order to bring Him contentment? If you do that wherever you are, then nothing more is required of you.

If you are thinking about moving to a place where a greater impression is felt, I am not sure that this is the right thing to do. It is because exerting yourself in another place according to different conditions equals a person’s exertion here under the conditions that I provide for my group. So you may very well gain more being far away than being here.
[104613]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/9/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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From Rabash’s Letter 5: … you should do more in love of friends. It is impossible to achieve lasting love, unless through Dvekut [adhesion], meaning that you will unite the two of you with a tight bond. And this can be only if you try to “undress” the clothing in which the inner soul is placed—the clothing called “self-love”…

And when you feel that you are at war, each of you will know and feel that he needs the help of his friend, and without him, his own strength will weaken, too. Then, when you understand that you must save your life, each of you will forget that he has a body he must keep, and you will both be tied by the thought of how to use the enemy.

Love of friends is attained by way of a war for its sake. It is impossible to attain adherence that indicates constant love without striving to leave the clothing of the evil inclination in which the soul is clothed. To leave this clothing of self-love is possible only if you exchange it for love of the other, for the screen and the Returning Light.

This, specifically, is what we must reach. When we begin to search for how to do this, we feel that everything essentially depends on our relationship to the other, things that are so contemptible in our world. All relationships in the world are established according to laws, protecting the rights of the individual, of democracy. However, when we see some of the truth through the influence of the Surrounding Light, we then understand that it is specifically through connection with the other that we realize the entire program of creation.

The other one, whether a friend or the Creator, is the same; there is no difference. If I want to rise above myself and reach the Creator, it is precisely then that I see that I require help from a friend. As long as all the friends have not come to my aid, according to how much I give myself over to them, I cannot do anything.

What we require is mutual cooperation where we depend upon each other. As much as I give myself over to others, to this extent they can help me, and when they come to help me, I stop thinking about myself. In spite of myself, I rise above myself.

However, the friends can come to help me only if I subdue myself with respect to them. With this, I oblige them to be concerned for me. This is saying that everything depends on the work of the individual regarding his environment. The more I subdue myself and am ready to adhere to the environment, to the teacher, to the books, to learning, to dissemination—which is to say, to all means for attaining the goal, trusting like an infant, surrendering myself to the lowest level—the closer I come to my spiritual realization.

I must begin my spiritual ascent from zero. The more I approach zero with my thoughts, desires, and deeds, the more I adhere to the group and oblige it to be concerned about me. I begin to receive the right influence from inside the group. Whatever level on which it is found at the moment is not even important. This influence makes it possible for me to nullify my self-love, departing from the egoistic shell (Klipa), from the evil inclination, and to start the spiritual work.
[104446]
From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/7/13

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From Rabash’s letter (No. 8): …at the end of the day, this is a group of people who have gathered in a certain place, under a certain leader, to be together. With superhuman courage they face up to all those who rise against them.

Indeed, they are brave men with a strong spirit, and they are determined not to retreat one inch. They are first-class fighters, fighting the war against the inclination to their last drop of blood, and their only wish is to win the battle for the glory of His name.

These words are said about the internal war that takes place inside us, as it is written, “There will always be a fight between good and bad inclinations.” The more we kindle this internal battle, the sooner we will understand that we have to exit from our ego, overpower it, escape from it, and rise above the materiality that we now sense.

There is no other way to escape from this world and attain the higher level other than by being under constant pressure, fear, and troubles that lead us to a condition that is defined as the “exodus from Egypt.” We begin revealing these qualities in us, and they make us come “out of our skin,” meaning to leave our bodies.

Only these conditions allow us to rise. It happens by a single circumstance: We should retain and work with our internal properties that are opposite by nature. One doesn’t escape by soaring into spirituality. We can’t do it by floating in the skies or leaving this material world below, nor is it about detaching from this corporeality. At the same time, we shouldn’t submerge into this realm or consider that this world as something that exists on its own.

We have to stay in the middle and realize that both forms are given to us by the Creator and that we are supposed to combine them together. By no means should we run away or hide from the desire to be pleased; rather, above this desire we have to stay confident that it’s the Upper Force that governs everything around us. It’s a unique and complicated approach for which we need an internal inborn readiness that is called “the root of the soul.” As well, we also need a group that is ready to follow this path, as it is written in Rabash’s letter: At the end of the day, this is a group of people who have gathered in a certain place, under a certain leader, to be together.

There are not many such groups. On the contrary, the farther we advance, the more will be the supporters around us and the fewer the people inside the group. The more precious a quality is the less it’s found in nature. Our goal is to rise to a “superhuman level.”

We can achieve it only by leading a merciless war against our egos. This war is called a “Holy War,” meaning the “war for the sake of the Creator.” In order to lead this war, we should connect both worlds with the Creator, agree to live in two parallel realms, and thank Him for everything that He sends to us. We should understand that everything is originated from one place and is given to us to make us grow.

Rabash writes to us about these issues: …at the end of the day, this is a group of people who have gathered in a certain place, under a certain leader, to be together. With superhuman courage they face up to all those who rise against them… This implies our internal problems. Indeed, they are brave men with a strong spirit, and they are determined not to retreat one inch…meaning that they won’t move towards materiality. They are first-class fighters, fighting the war against the inclination to their last drop of blood, and their only wish is to win the battle for the glory of His name.

This explains why we have to strengthen; if we manage to achieve everything that we spoke about and attain the states that we went through during this Passover, there is no doubt that we will end up being at the doorstep that is already in front of us.
[104062]
From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/2/13

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Question: What does the effort beyond human power mean?

Answer: The effort beyond human power is what is not directed in the natural human direction, at personal benefit. It’s revealed within the group, in dedication to their environment, and this is beyond human, personal efforts. In addition to that when a person reveals this, he finds himself unable to do such things. That’s why he turns to the Creator with a request to help him make such an effort.

It’s said, “For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, ‘Peace be within you!’” It’s impossible to turn to the Creator with a request that is not aimed at the benefit of the Creator Himself but below Him. But the human being is allowed to turn to the Creator for help in building his vessel. This is the only justifiable prayer.
[104604]
From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/9/13, Writings of Rabash

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What did we attain at the European Convention? First of all, we created between us a certain mutual understanding.

We assembled together as one European group. It isn’t important that the languages and in part also the mentality separate between us. It’s Babylon as it was 3800 years ago, when it disintegrated into separate parts. Today, we are that same Babylon and come together again, but it’s not to continue the Babylonian suffering. Rather, it’s in order to unite according to the method revealed to the world back then.

It’s as if we are closing the circle, returning to the same state. It isn’t important that instead of three million Babylonians today we have seven billion. It’s simply a further division of the general soul so that for each one of us it will be easier to correct his small particle. But essentially, we represent the part of Babylon that is ready for this correction. Our entire world Kli (vessel or desire) is specifically the “cream” that rises to the top and needs to be gathered and united, and then the correction of the whole world will take place.

I think we attained here such mutual understanding, and now we have some serious work to do: to realize our mission.

You will see how each of you will come to be in great demand, how each of you can become a teacher, an educator. People will clutch at you like at straws since they don’t understand the situation they are in and in particular, the method of correction that they will suddenly discover: “How can we unite? How do we sit in a circle? What should we talk about? How do we interact between ourselves? How do we discover the contact between us?”

Here we refer to fine details we feel from within because we live them, while to explain it to someone in a scientific or systematic way is difficult and very complex. Everyone understands that if a person feels something inside, that’s one thing, but when he begins to pass it on to someone else and the other person, who doesn’t understand or feel the material, repeats it only in a mechanical way, then that’s something else completely.

Thus, each one of you will be very much in demand. Begin to be involved in integral and virtual education and you will see how people will be drawn to you. Each one of you will be worth your weight in gold.

The Creator will turn to us only when we have a passageway to the external world, and not otherwise. This is written about in every Kabbalah book. This is how nature is created: by an open, complete dissemination system. And if through us there will be an open channel to the external world, then through it, the upper Light will pass and shine upon the world. It won’t stop in any place, only circulate and become revealed. If we don’t hinder but allow for an open channel, the Light will flow through us.
[104360]
From the European Convention in Germany 3/24/13, Lesson 6

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If we are connected in mutual love in the group, then everyone should feel what everyone else feels. Then there wouldn’t be the case that someone feels good and another feels bad; everyone would feel what is happening in one heart. Whoever doesn’t share the general concern will not feel the general joy that follows.

We don’t know why the Creator suddenly creates such situations in which some people are more connected than others. It depends on many factors and especially on everyone’s preparation and to what extent one feels that it is his group.

In that case even people who were always part of “Egypt,” which means that they seemingly harm the “sons of Israel” who suffer because of them, now have the same chance to advance to spirituality. These two parts of the group have an equal chance to advance and it becomes clear that these are two sides of the same “coin,” of the same state.

Those who don’t find themselves physically in the dark can feel as if they actually experience the general suffering, thanks to their adhesion to those who have received the blow. The whole global group cannot feel the same problem physically, but it all depends on our adhesion, on the connection between the friends.

Then everyone feels a foreign pain, like an illness of a beloved person. The whole global group can share the same pain. Even the whole world can do that, if we correct ourselves, grow stronger, and rise. Then the waves of our worries, different types of waves, good and bad, will spread in every direction and will make a “noise” in the world that can be joyful or worrisome. Then the general state will be corrected together with us.

The Light is born from the dark. Thus there will be an opposite result to all the critical problems. The next state is born in the dark and every birth is oppositeness. It’s always like a breakthrough out of a dead end.
[104531]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/4/13, Shamati #36

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A mature approach to problems is when you know that you can reach the goal only by overcoming the problem. You overcome the unpleasant feelings in your desire to receive, above the darkness, and there you ask for connection with the group, with the Creator. Even your prayer is false, and internally you only wait for the problem to go away, for the darkness to dissipate at least a little, so that you will be able to rest, to relax, and to feel secure to some extent.

But you hold yourself and look for a connection and adhesion with the group, with the books, and with the teacher. You are like a baby who wants them to hold you in their arms. You look for all the support you can get that allows you to ask not for the darkness to dissipate, but rather to rise above the darkness and to think about the Creator, and not about your own feelings. Your concern is to bring Him contentment and not yourself.

If you can think this way, then to that extent you already feel joy. When you can yearn for bringing the Creator even greater contentment through the group and all the other means, then you feel even greater joy. If you cannot, then you should ask for that so that you will feel life in the external vessels, in the foreign vessels, which means “outside your own skin,” where your soul is.

The symptoms of the “illness” will go away since you will stop thinking about them and will adhere to the Creator and not to the bodily symptoms. You will come out of your skin, as if you die, and adhere to the Creator, to the soul and not to the body. This is called living in faith above reason, coming out of yourself, the transition between life and death, at least to some extent.

Then you gradually add to this transition and thus beat death. We have to at least understand the pattern of this transition, and then everything will be according to the same principle, in the same manner.
[104528]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/4/13, Shamati #36

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Writings of Rabash, Volume 1, Essay 30: “What to Look For in the Assembly of Friends”: For this reason, it makes no difference if the friend is slandering him and must certainly hate him. Instead, a person who wishes to acquire love of others, that person needs the correction of loving the other.

Therefore, when a person makes the effort and judges him to a scale of merit, it is a Segula [remedy/power/virtue], where by the toil that a person makes, which is called “an awakening from below,” he is given strength from above to be able to love all the friends without exception.

A person doesn’t ask for the friends to love him. Instead, he asks for the power to love the friends even though he feels coldness, rejection, and hatred from their side. He only needs a power that makes it possible for him to love—above all failures and problems that he discovers on all sides.

It is written: “They have eyes and see not,” and everyone rejects according to his own flaws. The Creator arranges all the conditions, and indeed, everyone except me has already reached the end of correction. It means that I must correct myself, and only to that the degree will the true picture appear before me time after time. Even now the true picture appears before me, but only according to the degree of my corruption. After that, when I partially correct myself, I will see something else.

The entire world will be transformed before my eyes. After all, the world doesn’t depend on anyone or anything other than my vessels (desires). The world itself is the abstract, formless Light, and it is me in particular who imparts certain forms to it.

Hence, if I see a bad relationship from a friend, I need to make the right request. Indeed, I feel a lack of something, and this “something” is in the hands of the Creator who is good and benevolent and ready to give me the desired. And all the conditions are arranged so that I will ask correctly.

This is so even when I still don’t have a true desire to love the friend who hates me, I feel that I depend on him in my relationship toward him. So, I ask to see the reason, to see the truth.

Everyone needs to reach a request like this by himself. If I don’t work on changing my relationship in regard to the friends, then in general, what am I doing? Whom do I want to change: them or myself?

One needs to answer this question inside and make the decision. Whoever changes himself “serves the Creator,” and he truly realizes the method of the wisdom of Kabbalah. And whoever wants to correct others and not himself should join the government and other organizations.

In the wisdom of Kabbalah I cannot demand another relationship toward myself. The goal of people who have gathered here is to correct themselves. Accordingly, this is how we relate to the friends: We understand that all of us together are moving  toward correction, toward love, supporting each other and helping each other to change, until we truly begin to love.
[104443]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/7/13, Writings of Rabash

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We may be starting a special process in which the group is now taking on such a form that we finally can feel not our personal individual states, but the general states that we are going through. We will begin to go through them together, and this is called being the people of Israel in Egypt, when one blow follows another, and then we rise above them together.

The ten plagues of Egypt don’t take place far away from us, where Pharaoh is, so that we can observe them from a distance and rejoice. These blows take place inside us, and our personal Pharaoh experiences them! So, we have been awarded to advance toward the final state of the group as one nation.

Whoever doesn’t feel the darkness yet should be worried since it means that he doesn’t work enough on the connection with the group and that he still lacks the inner work. He subconsciously may be escaping the problem, keeping his distance, instead of touching the truth a little. A person’s defensive force is operating here, scaring a person and preventing him from entering the group and clarifying things.

If he has no desire to “leap out of his body,” it means that he was not awarded with the Creator’s pressure that squeezes him like a cherry so that the pit will pop out. How else can one jump into the waves of the Red Sea? Only in this way, under pressure, like on a cherry. Can you imagine what great pressure that is?

If the spiritual world is above the corporeal world, which means above life and death, then I should feel that I am ready for this transition! This body, this life with everything in it, isn’t worth anything compared to the world into which I am moving.

The shell that prevents us from advancing can be broken only by the force of love and mutual concern, only by the general work together with everyone. If you don’t feel the general concern for the society, for the community, for the whole, global Bnei Baruch community, for the whole world, you will not be able to be involved in this process.

Part of the group already may be going through it while you are standing on the side as it is passing you by, and you don’t hear, see, or feel it. Instinctively, you ignore the difficulties and guard yourself, thus keeping yourself at a distance.

We must be involved in everything that the group, the community, and the global Bnei Baruch society deals with, and be sensitive and on the alert as to all the worries and the changes that everyone experiences. Whoever is not actively involved in this general process are called “women,” “children,” “slaves,” and “sheep and goats.” These categories determine all the types of people in our global group who somehow are connected to us, but only externally.

So, accordingly, only “600,000 souls” receive the Torah.
[104378]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/5/13, Shamati #61

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Question: Each of us has already filled his personal measure of exertion, and if we only connect for the one small collective blow, we will breakthrough. What does this collective blow mean? Do I have to clarify the general state of the whole group instead of my personal clarifications?

Answer: A blow is not a mental clarification, but an effort in our heart in order to be incorporated in one another, in order to connect and to devote myself to society so that I can draw the Light that Reforms for the friends; this is what every individual should do for everyone.

We are in a circle, and if everyone annuls himself and adds his desire to that circle, then we can build a certain zone of general bestowal, of the general desire, inside the circle. Everyone annuls himself, restricts himself on the level of first restriction (Tzimtzum Aleph –TA), a Masach (screen), and tries to be in a state of giving to everyone.

It turns out that we build one common heart and mind between us that is similar to the Creator. The force of bestowal, the Light, appears according to the equivalence of form. This whole collective zone that is full of Light is called the general soul because the Light that fills the vessel is called a soul or the revelation of the Creator.

This pattern continues the whole way. There are 125 degrees of my ego: from the 1^st to the 125^th degree; I discover them one by one, restrict each one on the level of the first restriction, then the Masach, a state of smallness, and then a state of greatness, while being incorporated in everyone. This is all our work.

Thus, by rising higher above my ego, I build 125 degrees of ascent, the entrance into the general collective heart, into everyone. Then it becomes the world of Ein Sof (Infinity) for me, that is, full of the Light of Ein Sof. Where do I discover it? In the connection with all the friends which all of humanity later joins. Behind each of us there are many other millions of people who join us and connect through us, who are incorporated in the general collective force that we have formed.
[103934]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/28/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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