Entries in the 'Group Work' Category

Preparing To Meet The Light

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe upper Light is at absolute rest, which means that I shouldn’t hope that there’ll be changes on its end and need to change only myself, my desires. And even though it is said that the Lights agitate the desires, there is only just one Light. The Light is divided into five beams in correspondence to the desire being divided into five parts, and thus the desire senses the single Light as if there are five different Lights. The vessel changes and therefore it feels as if the Light agitates it.

And if everything depends on the desire, it means that the entire success is determined by its preparation. Depending on how the desire prepares itself, meaning whether or not it will be ready for the action, for its meeting with the Light, so it will be! This is why preparation determines the entire outcome of an action.

And we don’t know what the action will be. Perhaps it will be an even deeper fall into Egypt or one of the Egyptian plagues?! Or perhaps it will be the crossing of the Red Sea, which is not a very pleasant adventure either, or the escape from the Pharaoh’s army, or even receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai. All these situations can hardly be called pleasant pastimes—they all pass in trepidation, fear, hate, and great strain. But preparation determines whether or not we will be able to overcome all this.

Therefore, right now we need not think about the way the convention itself will go, but only about how we can prepare ourselves for the action of unification. And the degree that will be revealed to us within this unity will show us where we are: Perhaps we are still in Egypt, or we are about to exit it, or maybe we are already beyond its borders.

Everything depends only on the preparation of our desires (vessels, instruments), while the Light is at constant rest. Depending on how we prepare ourselves to correspond to the Light, we will receive its influence accordingly, that is, we will sense how we are acquiring its form.

You will see that there are no obstacles to preparation; it is always blessed and leads to advancement. While the action itself is a meeting with the Light, and it can lead to completely opposite results from what we were expecting. The result will always be for our benefit, but it can appear to us as a blow, like, for example, the plagues of Egypt, which signified the stages of advancement towards a spiritual birth. And we can go through them in the blink of an eye, one after another, in the duration of a single convention….
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/9/2012, “Questions and Answers Regarding the Brazil Congress” 

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The Foundation Of The Spiritual Ladder

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: If connection occurs on the spiritual level, why do we need to come to the convention and meet in person?

Answer: You don’t think that it’s possible to disconnect from the Internet entirely and instead of the lesson, to sit with your eyes closed and connect to us through internal channels, do you? Evidently, you’re not yet prepared for such internal connection and will begin to daydream and meditate.

We understand each other better when we meet. It’s necessary to meet at least once in order to feel what that is. We receive impressions from this world, from the five bodily senses of perception, and therefore we need to feel each other through the regular senses. We’re animals, not angels.

Our brain consists largely of cells that perceive smells, and they grow like seaweed covering the ocean floor. Despite all of our modern virtual networks, we act in this world according to our animal instincts. This is why we need the most direct contact; otherwise, on a subconscious level we’ll lack a great amount of data needed for a higher connection.

We are required to meet since we live in this world and from this world we begin our spiritual ascent along the rungs of the ladder! Thus, if we won’t lay the foundation for this ladder, we won’t be able to climb it.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/9/2012, “Questions and Answers Regarding the Brazil Congress”

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It All Starts With A Woman

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How important is women’s practical work? For example, how important is it for women to also take part in seminars on integration instead of doing their own thing?

Answer: Men will not be able to do anything on their own. Absolutely nothing!

They can get together, stand around, and sing as usual, these are good things, but it is just preparation. The real work cannot be without a strong women’s part generating its aspiration towards the same goal at the same time. It cannot be any other way! We see this everywhere, always. There are many examples in history. This comes from the structure of the upper Partzufim, the upper worlds; if we do not raise this desire to Malchut, it does not form, and without it, nothing happens. So women must take this very seriously.

First, I direct my attention towards the women’s part because everything starts with it. I really ask you to understand that here practically everything depends on the woman. Men can be “launched,” they can be manipulated, and women know this very well. The right way of manipulating men is based on seriously directing them towards the goal; a woman can literally do this with her desire alone, with just one word, with anything she does. It is very easy for her, and for men, it is very difficult, basically impossible, to advance on their own.

This is why there has always been a law in Kabbalah that unmarried men are not taken as students. This is because without the desire of a woman near you thinking about your succeeding, you will not be able to advance seriously.
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From the Vilnius Convention 3/23/12, Lesson 2

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Internal Preparation For The Convention

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is an internal preparation for the convention?

Answer: Internal preparation is a reverence for the property of bestowal as the force, property, value, that is above everything. On the basis of such preparation, you can then continue and work out various individual states, actions, and goals in order to reach the common goal and realize this property of bestowal within our matter, the desire to enjoy.

I am asking everyone to send their suggestions on how to conduct the convention in Brazil. We will discuss them during the lessons, and in this way we will learn from our common action and prepare our common desire. In other words, the convention will be a realization of what we will prepare together.

Everybody must prepare themselves, wherever in the world they may be. It cannot be that a person returns from work, does all the household chores, and when there is a little free time left, suddenly remembers that there is a convention going on, turns on the broadcast, and begins to watch.

Nothing will come out of it. A person should prepare in advance, anticipate, and plan what he will be doing together with us and how he will advance due to these actions. The action itself is worth nothing; everything depends on the preparation.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/9/2012, “Questions and Answers Regarding the Brazil Congress”  

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Israel’s Role In The World

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe role of our general, international group is to give the world the method of correction. This group is in contact with the Light that Reforms—for itself and for the whole world. This group today is called “Israel.” What is special about it?

Let’s start from the fact that the Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif or OM), meaning the Light that Reforms, is at the upper degree, and it is abstracted and concealed from us. But it can shine upon us to the extent that we awaken ourselves. Thus we can turn to the Light and it can respond to our request.

When does it answer our request? When the request matches the Light, that is, if we ask according to the way it is designated to respond. We are Galgalta ve Eynaim (GE), or Israel. And besides, we have to connect to AHP and to get a response from it. Together, GE and AHP make up ten Sefirot, meaning a spiritual Partzuf, or the general creature.

From this we can understand what is happening to us. We have to awaken the nations of the world (1) so that they will want change (2) To do that, we have to turn to the Light that Reforms (3) and to get its help (4) so that we will change ourselves and will serve AHP.

So what should we do in the meantime? Kabbalists say that in the meantime there is nothing we can do. Similarly, the wisdom of Kabbalah was concealed throughout history: People kept and passed it on in secret because the masses didn’t feel the need for it. But when the world went into a new era that requires the revelation of the wisdom of Kabbalah, then the “corporeal” people of Israel got their land back in order to carry out their mission and Kabbalists began to talk about this wisdom.


Everything exists for AHP, for the nations of the world, generality that essentially includes all of humanity. In this sense everyone is equal in the eyes of the Creator. And indeed, it says that in the end of correction all people in the world will know the Creator.

Still, before we perform the first action and turn to the nations, we have to be ready for that. Therefore, we are given the chance to make the first steps without any connection to them, without their knowledge, and so we develop during the first years, thus preparing ourselves for the job.

But at a certain point we cannot advance any further if we don’t become the means for the correction of the nations, that is, if we don’t bring them the method of correction. And while doing so, we don’t correct anyone—it is the upper Light that corrects everyone, including us.

So we should ask ourselves about our role more assertively. The answer is that we exist only in order to bring correction to the world. We can stay on the level of Hafetz Hesed, on the level of Bina, that has no desire for itself and is totally aimed at the needs of the lower one. For this purpose Bina is divided into GE that are aimed at the Creator and AHP that are aimed at creation, and the cutting line between these two parts is our free will.

This is the role of Bina. All our dissemination, all our attitude towards people should be determined by this schema.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/9/2012, “The Role of Israel and the World” 

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Dissolving In The Group

Dr. Michael LaitmanAll of our many years of study (we have people who have already been studying for 10-15 years) are only intended to make you reach a state when you begin to work in the group, as you realize that there is nothing else. And everything that you have done over the course of many years was only intended to finally make you understand that the only thing that can change you and reveal to you that what you want is right in front of you, even though it is the very last step.

We usually take a very long time to get there, convincing ourselves and trying to somehow wriggle out of it, go somewhere aside. We study Kabbalah, do anything we need to do in regards to dissemination—anything at all—just to avoid working in the group.

And even once we already understand that there is no other solution, still, at the very last moment, we escape finding reasons to not participate in this process. We cannot allow ourselves to close our eyes, throw ourselves into the group, like in water, and completely disappear in it. A lot more time passes, months, sometimes even years, until a person finally enters the group.

But we can shorten this time with our joint effort, and we will try to do it.

The length of time a person has been studying does not matter, neither does his knowledge, whether he is smart or not, strong or weak, persistent, stable, or lazy. When you enter the group and join its common force, we “disappear” in it, you dissolve in the common qualities of your friends to such extent that you acquire the integration of all their abilities, and they all become yours.

No need to come up with excuses for yourself, such as I am still young, I am not yet ready for this, maybe after some time, at the next convention. Now! There must be no other thoughts! There is nothing else beside this place and this action that we must take.

And the action is very simple—try to perform the so-called First Restriction (Tzimtzum Aleph), rise as much as possible over our egoism without taking any of its persuasions, reasons, catches, and quirks into consideration; we must understand that this points to the faults in our aspiration, our intention.

When my intention and aspiration are not strong enough, I will feel something distracting me. And this every disturbance points to what I need to add to my intention to seriously direct it and make it strong enough in its size and vector. In other words, I need to be aimed straight towards the goal and to have enough strength to direct me towards it.

This is why we perceive disturbances as a given. We never resent them, we never become mad at ourselves; on the contrary, every time they appear, we rise above them, and invest ourselves even more into becoming closer with others.

The main thing is to have patience towards our friends, like we are patient with small children, our favorite small child. There is nothing we can do about it; it is also our egoism, which does not allow us to connect with others and shows us where we must bring ourselves closer and position ourselves.
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From the Vilnius Convention 3/23/12, Lesson 2

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Three Levels In A Group

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe are usually on one of three levels in relation to our friends:

1. When the friend and the group are greater than us, in other words, we regard our friends and the group as higher than us in order to feel their greatness;
2. When friends and the group are beneath us;
3. When they are equal to us.

When I regard them as those greater than me, I put myself in a state when I am able to learn from them, receive from them what they have, like someone small learns from those greater than him. They are able to influence me. I receive their energy, strength, and excitement.

If I perceive them as being smaller than me, then I am able to give to them like a big one gives to the small.

I have a certain kind of communication with them in either case, when I either receive the greatness of the goal from them, or ignite it in them by introducing my might, my investment into the greatness of the goal, the greatness of unity. And all this is in order to reach a state of being equal to them. And then we will really be friends.

In the case when they are above me, they are my teacher. When they are beneath me, they are the students. And only when we are equal are we friends. This is the way we attune our thoughts in regard to the group. And I always see: where I can add, what I can receive, and where I can become completely equal with them.

The comparison must always be the goal. And the state of being below or above them is the state when I adjust myself in relation to them.
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From the Vilnius Convention 3/23/12, Lesson 2

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Tuning In The Group

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn relation to our friends, we take into account not their personal properties, but rather something that belongs to our spiritual path. I don’t care about their everyday problems. We sweep all of this aside and forget everything that exists around us. We are interested only in one thing—their aspiration upward! This is their point in the heart and I am dealing with it! This is my tuning point!

It absolutely doesn’t matter to me what properties they have. They may be impatient, good, or not so good: It doesn’t matter! All of these are our animal earthy properties. They all stay at the level of our world. The most important thing for me is to unite with their point in the heart. This is what they aspire to the same way as I do.

The tuning in the group is a very special and fine action.
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From the Vilnius Convention 3/23/12, Lesson 2

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Obstacles Guide Us On The Way

Dr. Michael LaitmanObstacles usually come from two directions. The moment I want to bestow, familiar questions immediately come up: What do I need this for, what is this work for, and who is the Creator that I should listen to Him? However, if I operate for myself, the ego allows me to do whatever I want. It always supports me and makes me feel successful.

This means that if you follow the way of the truth, you will not encounter success, but only obstacles, barriers, and difficulties along the way. Whereas if you follow the way of lies, there are no problems and you will succeed in everything that you do. So, it turns out that obstacles and interruptions will surround me on every side and divert me from every direction: both by good and evil—by reward or punishment.

All these obstacles are essential because they guide us and help us exit our ego. In fact, they are not actually disturbances, but a way to correct our direction. With every step we make, we must learn how to aim ourselves in the right direction according to our desire to receive and our desire to bestow upon the Creator, according to our insignificance and the Creator’s greatness. Therefore, we always receive signs and signals from these two sources, from our ego and from the Creator. According to these signs, we can aim ourselves toward the goal.

This is why we should see all the unpleasant situations, hardships, confusions, hardening of the heart, and anger as corrections and tuning us on the way to the goal, to the Creator.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/4/2012, Writings of Rabash 

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Conditions For Receiving The Upper Knowledge

Dr. Michael LaitmanKnowing what is written in Kabbalah books means to connect with what is said, as it is written, “And Adam knew Eve.” We acquire knowledge by rising and connecting with the upper degrees. This is possible only through the connection between us that enables us to imagine the place where we receive spiritual filling, knowledge.

Therefore, even if we yearn to know what is written, we must not detach ourselves from the place, from the conditions, through which we can receive the upper knowledge. The place where we connect is where the revelation occurs. Otherwise, you will want to receive the upper knowledge about the spiritual world in your beastly, corporeal mind, and this is impossible.

Spirituality only operates in connection and is based on the intensity of the connection. Then, everything gathers into one point and returns to the spark from which all of creation started. If we don’t aim in the right direction, we will never understand what is written in Kabbalah books. We will come up with endless interpretations, but we will not come closer to the truth by that.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/8/2012, The Zohar 

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