Question: During the Arava convention our group received a huge new level. Now we have to cling to it and keep it, and this requires repulsions. But on the other hand, according to the example that Baal HaSulam brings, in order to jump on the table you need to jump above it. So what is the next point “above the table” that we should focus our efforts on?

Answer: This week everyone will go home and we will return to our daily routine. For me, personally, the daily routine is the main thing; the conventions are a result of that routine. Day after day, we will work on ourselves increasingly more strongly, opening what we attained now and getting ready for the new revelation. This is all our work.

The convention itself is not work. We made such great preparations and so we succeeded. Part of that success was the women’s convention. In addition to that, collecting money for our new home and uniting around this problem created a surprisingly powerful force. Of course, we mustn’t forget the congresses in Kharkov and Novosibirsk.

Eventually we see that we have matured. The world is advancing faster downhill while we are rising accordingly. Here we have to keep clear frameworks: attend the daily lessons, read my blog selectively, participate in the workshops, and disseminate.

The main thing is self-examination and self-report: a person must constantly check oneself and one’s connection with the group.

In this context, during the lessons and the workshops, we are expecting new states and increasingly deeper issues. Today during the lesson and the workshop we will already continue what we have started during the Arava convention.

In this type of work, we fill the vessel drop by drop, until we “leap” to the next level, and thus over and over again. Don’t neglect these daily additions that are accumulating “penny by penny.” There is no other way. By that we discover many vessels, desires, internally. Even if it seems that nothing happens, the outcome of these efforts will, in fact, be discovered later on.

It is the same with a child who has to go through different states in the human environment. If he doesn’t have such an environment during the first years of his life, then nothing will help afterward: No matter how much you invest in him, he will never be a human being. The different examples of Mowgli–children prove that. How could that be? The thing is that he did not develop his desires in time.

We are also dealing with things that are essential on the current level of our development, and so we have to dedicate the time to study and to internal changes by trying to value every moment in this work.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/20/13, Shamati #26

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If I experience a real descent, within my bones, for more than one moment, then it is a sign that I didn’t make the correct effort! I must fall to the bottom for a moment, like Rabbi Shimon who changed from a great sage person to a simple market vendor. But this descent should not last more than a moment; this is enough. And then, I need to start using the connection with the environment, mutual guarantee, and all the means that I prepared in advance.

At the time of descent, when I have fallen to the bottom of the sine wave, I cannot do anything, I become dead. From this hole, the stores I accumulated in the batteries of the group need to pull me out. But the moment that I exit a bit from the deepest descent, from the dead state, from the “ bottom,” I must ascend by myself, as much as I am able to participate on my own in this work.

If I ascended by one or two millimeters from the lowest state, then to this extent I am able to scream. If I rise three millimeters, then I can already yell even louder, etc. I am not allowed to wait for time to pass by itself! I must try to rise, no matter how difficult and futile it may seem. It is specifically here at the bottom of the sine wave, at the exit of the descent, that I must invest the most efforts. It will show that I truly long for the goal.

The main effort is in clarification, self-analysis: what for, why, what is the goal, who can help me, where is the Light that Reforms, how I can use that Light? I’m not going to pull myself out of the descent. I know that “a prisoner cannot liberate himself from prison”. Only the Light can help me, and I look for it.

The problem is that we try to correct ourselves by ourselves. It should be clear that this is impossible. But if I know that the Light can do this and that It operates according to my efforts, according to my equivalence of form towards Him, then I begin to work with it mutually, like partners. I only need to prepare myself each time, so that the Light will operate on me, and it acts. And again I prepare myself, and again it acts.

And in this way we alternately work together and I already have a common language with Him, understanding, and closeness even though we are opposite to each other. I do something and also He does something in response. In this way we begin to understand each other and connect.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/7/13, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Question: If I am on a lower level, where will I find the deficiency to rise to the upper level?

Answer: True, for the time being you are on a lower level and cannot desire the upper level, but you play as if you want to rise, and by that you summon the Reforming Light.

There is a connection between the levels: If you want to be on a higher level than you are now, the Light comes to you from that upper level and it isn’t imaginary anymore but real, and it influences you from a distance by bringing you closer to it. Thus you advance. This is called your prayer, MAN.

There is an upper Partzuf and a lower Partzuf. The lower cannot rise to the level of the upper, but it performs different actions as if showing that it wants to become like the upper. This desire is feigned, but it is called a prayer. It’s a lie and hypocrisy, but I want to rise!

The upper Light, MAD, comes in response to my prayer. Although I am below, I am answered according to the gap between my hypocritical lie and some real desire for the upper; this is the gap between the desired and the actual. In fact, it isn’t real, but I still want some change.

The actual comes from the heart and what we desire comes from the point in the heart. If the point in the heart has awoken in a person, then there is a dichotomy. The greater the gap (Delta – ∆) between the heart and the point in the heart, the stronger the MAN, and thus it summons a greater effect from Above, MAD.

The lower has to attain such a false feeling, as if the connection with the upper is more important for him than the filling. In order to do that there is the environment around me that influences me from all sides. The more correctly I place myself in the environment, this Delta (∆), I basically define the Delta in my prayer between the heart and the point in the heart.

The first impression is made by my action in the group (1) and this brings me to the second Delta (∆) between the desire of the heart and the point in the heart (2). This is what determines the intensity of my prayer, MAN (3), upon which comes a stronger Light from Above (4).
[98253]
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/10/13, The Study of the Ten Sefirot

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Question: How can I find out what I should focus on and what exactly my self-realization is?

Answer: You will never be able to discern this by yourself. A person cannot find his place and self-realization unless he realizes himself within the group.

Some time ago I had a bad car accident and my liver was injured. A part of my liver had to be removed. Can we say that this removed part of the liver has any realization now? When it was inside the body and was connected with all its organs, this part was providing the body what it needed and in turn it was receiving from the body all the necessary things. This is called realization.

However, when this part is cut off from the body it doesn’t even know that it’s liver. Only if you decide to get connected to the body will you learn who you are. But for now you are simply a “stem cell” from which any organ can be formed and you don’t understand your function.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/20/12, “Introduction to the Study of Ten Sefirot

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Question: In our group there is still no clear, transparent, understandable declaration. What should we care of in making a declaration because its scope could be more or less strict?

Answer: Write one statement: “Love thy neighbor as thyself” and then everything that Rabash recommends for achieving this condition: to lower yourself before the friends, feel them as great, high, and yourself as completely dependent upon them, to be all together in one desire, and to help each other in everything.

Feel that you benefit from the fact that you agree with it, that you annul yourself. The only exceptions are the questions in which you have to express your opinion as an expert because you are sure that something is a detriment and there is a better option, etc. This applies to dissemination, repairs, something that relates only to this world.

As for the relationships between friends, they are all described by Rabash, and it’s best to define them in one word, “love.”
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From the Novosibirsk Convention 12/9/12, Lesson 7

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Question: The conventions force us to connect and to unite, to act quickly and efficiently, to reach incredible results. What can help us do this everyday?

Answer: A feeling of responsibility. Imagine tired parents or even sick parents whose child is crying and asking for something; they still get up and do everything for him. It isn’t easy since no one wants to do that; there is only the obligation. It’s the same in the group where everyone must feel the obligation and the responsibility. I have to feel that I am in the same boat with them and I can’t drill a hole in it.

Of course I can say, “Friends, I don’t feel well today, please excuse me I am sick,” and sleep some more, but how can I do that if I know that they are waiting for me? If you think that no one will notice your absence since you are not that important and not outstanding, you are wrong.

I am telling you this from my own experience of feeling the upper world: Each of you is no less important than I am. So your inaction is a lack of investment in the general vessel. You should understand this, and not forget; remind one another of this responsibility so that it will always be your priority.

It’s the first condition since the Creator created one man, me and all the others, only so that I will be able to stabilize myself with their help. On the other hand, the Creator created my friend and me so that I will help him and only will serve as a means for his ascent to the Creator. It is indeed so!

Therefore, we must mutually complement one another and constantly hold on to that since by that we create mutual guarantee among us. We mustn’t forget that. I can’t allow myself any concessions; I can’t pretend that I am sick or make up any excuses for my inaction. On the contrary, despite the obstacles that the Creator places before me, I have to participate as much as I can in everything. On His part, He will add different excuses for my ego, of course, but the group must remind me that this is how the Creator plays with me.
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From the Novosibirsk Convention 12/9/12, Lesson 7

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Starting now and going forward, we need to advance independently. And here a very interesting point is revealed. Up to a certain moment, I felt that I was completely influencing my students. During that time I taught my students according to the same system that our spiritual fathers learned.

But lately it is revealed that without support, without connection, without general mutual work, I can no longer teach them. For this, the students’ efforts, their assistance, and mutual work are required. All of this is essential. If from their side, there is a desire, a deficiency, then I can speak and explain in an approachable way. If there is an effort, then accordingly we can advance forward. This means that here an exact process of correction is taking place. We have arrived at this point.

It turns out that we are dependent on each other. Thus I turn to the entire world group since I am not able to do anything alone. If in the past I pushed you and could do something, now everything is closed. The general desire transforms into being truly mutual, and unity and connection are revealed in it.

This is not yet our attainment since in the meantime everything is taking place without any connection to our desire. But we must understand that it’s only through the general mutual effort, both yours and mine, that we will be able to advance forward. There will appear before us new opportunities to express our ideas, new explanations, and although the system remains the same since everything comes from the Light and the Kli, a new form of submission and recognition will appear, its sensation.

Thus, I very much request for you to be more active, to participate more in everything, to connect to the lessons. The general advancement depends only on our mutual actions! Let’s solve this problem together since acts of correction are possible only through our efforts that are aimed at taking charge of our ego and rising above it through an opposite attribute. If there is no effort, then there is no correction.

Under no circumstances should one annul the ego. We must rise above it. Suppressing the ego means not allowing it to command us, but together with it to feel it, live with it, and rise above it in our actions. This work must be aimed only at my worldwide group and at the Creator.
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From the Novosibirsk Convention 12/9/12, Lesson 5

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Question: Whom should I aspire to bring contentment to: the group or the Creator?

Answer: You cannot bring contentment to the Creator without bringing contentment to the group. This is a necessary condition. Otherwise you will be deceiving yourself that you are aspiring to bestowal when in reality you care about your own pocket rather than about the benefit of others.

Imagine it so that you can please the Creator only on the condition that you bring contentment to His children, who in fact are the group. You cannot do anything for Him since all of His desires are focused only on the creature.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/10/13, TES

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Question: Some people are in great inner tension during the convention; others are joyful and going along with the flow. What should be our correct state?

Answer: Both are correct, and it is necessary to join these two states so with all your strength and great tension to try to go with the flow, to stay as close as possible to the center, and move together with it. We need to be included in the flow of the convention like two liquids that are mixed together.

But for this, I need to apply efforts, of course, because every moment I must feel that I move. I cannot go towards the goal without this movement, I must keep the same direction all the time, like a rocket which constantly adjusts its trajectory: alternately, once the force of reception, then the force of bestowal, the force of reception, then force of bestowal.

I keep balance between the two, without erasing any of them; I do not lose the awareness of my desire (Aviut), but connect all this together and advance.

There are people who naturally integrate into the general flow because their desire is lighter in comparison to others. No one is to blame or to be praised; everyone has his own natural character. And there are people with more severe, internal tension who cannot go with the general flow, and it takes them great efforts.

The first ones, who easily merge with the environment, add inspiration to everyone. And the second, for whom it is difficult to be with others, add effort. It turns out that there is the Reshimo from the screen and from the desire (Reshimo de Hitlabshut and Reshimo de Aviut), and thus general connection occurs.
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From the Arava Convention 1/17/13, Lesson

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