Question: Why aren’t we able to unite?

Answer: You aren’t able to unite because you don’t have enough desire. You need mutual guarantee, meaning something mutual, through which you support one another.

There is the state itself, and there is its derivative—a higher level. When separate desires get together to create a common force, like in an army, a soccer team, or a gang of criminals, this results in a unified desire of a group. But that is not enough.

The fact that we unite still doesn’t make us rise higher. We just unite our forces, the way any group or military troop does. But we have to ascend to a higher level where our desires will become mutual and we will want to support one another.

But in what regard do we support one another? In a regular group there is no problem supporting one another. Psychologists work with soccer teams, giving them pep talks before the game so the players feel mutual support and unity.

However, we have to attain mutual bestowal and love, which is something we do not have and which does not promise us any real reward. I don’t plan on hitting a ball into the net and earning a million dollars for it, and I don’t risk my life, the way soldiers in an army do. Rather, the goal I am pursuing is one that gives me no response: nothing good and nothing bad. It’s some sort of bestowal, and I don’t feel anything inside at the thought of it—neither profit nor loss.

In the best case scenario, I only feel a loss because I waste my energy on this. And in the worst case scenario, I don’t have any idea why I am doing this and who I am planning to bestow to.

It turns out that we work together in the group to create inner support for one another, to create a force instead of the Creator, which will provide every person with the force of bestowal. And if we work on this persistently, then among us we begin to reveal that we lack an additional vital force for the realization.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/30/11, Writings of Rabash

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Question: How can I awaken myself from hibernation and not wait for the awakening to come by itself? After all, you said after the convention that we have to make sure our friends don’t fall?

Answer: If we look at ourselves and at the states we go through objectively, from the side, we’ll acquire experience for all the future “generations,” meaning future states. Then we’ll know that after an ascent there is a descent, and satiation is followed by the fog and the dullness of senses.

It’s okay, this way you will learn the process. You will get to know it gradually, in a balanced way. The wisdom of Kabbalah is self-attainment, nothing more. Indeed, there is no one besides me. The more I know myself from within, the more I will reveal the Creator who created me.

There is no humanity, this world, or upper worlds.… Allow me to know myself and the states I experience! This is a hazy state, but it’s all right. And before that there was some other state, and it is great too. Meanwhile, we immediately want to shade, correct, turn, and break it, but what for?

First of all, we have to perform a clarification. The Light that clarifies comes separately, and so does the Light that reforms, and you cannot instantly reject it by saying that you don’t want this state. First you should examine what you are rejecting!

If you still are at the state of the convention, try not to fall out of it. But if you nevertheless fell, look how you are falling. By examining this state you will later know how to use it in a right way.

If I don’t experience these states, don’t know their pros and cons, why and where they come from, how will I know myself? Have I ever said that I should wipe off the state before examining it? To overcome a descent and to accelerate time means to end the clarification rapidly, to allow the correction, meaning the ascent, come straight away.

Still, this is another type of ascent. We know that Malchut of the upper one transforms into Keter of the lower one. It means that what I regarded as the ascent in the previous state becomes a descent currently, in my present state.

I have to rise qualitatively, by conscious decision and deep analysis so that my previous ascent would now be regarded as a descent. What I used to see as bestowal, after the clarification proves to be reception! Earlier it was for me Keter, but now I see that this is Malchut.

Yet, I will not be able to do that if I don’t perform a clear analysis of my ascent and descent, the haze. I analyze how I satiated myself, how tired I became, and how unwilling I am to do anything, and I do it like a scientist who is observing and testing his dog or experimental rabbit.

I have a precise scientific method, and the only thing I have to know is what it means to me “to bestow” and “to receive,” who I and my society are—and the Creator above. I use my feeling and reason as measuring devices, working with them to reveal every state.

To be in the middle line, I analyze: What comes from the side of reception and what from the side of bestowal, what comes from me and what from the environment, as well as where all these factors are in relation to the goal. Our measuring device is the three lines.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/15/2011, TES

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Each time I connect more strongly with the friends, I actually connect not to corporeal people, not to the friends I see before me, but with their internal desire. The Creator inserted this desire into them and prepared it for us on the ladder of spiritual degrees so that we will always have the means to ascend.

If I connect to my friends, I can rise with their help. When I connect to them again, I rise again. The first state is me at my present level, and in order to rise from it, I need to have a greater desire. Also, I need to draw the Light to this desire so that it will correct me. There are two important factors on my way: the group that increases my desire, and the Light that corrects this desire. Thus I rise to the next level.

The first preliminary condition is “make yourself a Rav (a teacher),” meaning to raise the goal in my eyes. Without the greatness of the goal I cannot start working with the friends.

But in order to increase the goal, I also need the friends. By myself, I cannot exalt the goal and want to attain bestowal and equivalence to the general force of bestowal that governs all of creation. In order to do that I must be impressed by the environment. Thus the environment is a preliminary requirement.

Then, I have to receive a greater desire from them in order to attain that goal since the fact that the goal is important doesn’t necessarily mean that I would yearn for it. I envy the friends who yearn for this goal, and I take this desire from them. Then I have to work on my connection with them, “to buy them,” by investing my powers in them so that I can the draw the Light that reforms through them.

Thus, all the work, on every level, is possible only within the group! It is only with the help of our powerful connection that we can go through all these levels and attain the goal. From the beginning to the end, what determines the interaction between the environment and me is my work in the group.

Therefore, the condition “make yourself a teacher and buy yourself a friend” is essential for all our actions at every level until the actual end of correction. All our work is around that, all of our internal, personal, and social life, and our study and dissemination is devoted to that. It is all meant only in order to reinforce the environment and its effect on me, to bring me closer to the environment so that I can invest more in it.

So when we assemble without being on the spiritual levels where there is no distance between us, when we connect, see, and feel each other with our ordinary senses, we have to try to be impressed by the desires of the friends, by their stature, great efforts, seriousness, and devotion to the cause.

The higher we perceive these attributes, the greater the opportunity we will have to connect and to demand the upper Light to correct our connection and become revealed in it in the form of the Inner Light.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/1/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Rabash, Letter No. 9, Article “But Man Will Sell His Roof”: If I really wish to love my neighbor, I need a group.

Love for one’s neighbor allows man to develop a spiritual quality where he seems to “exit himself.” All of our current actions and perceptions are built on our absorbing everything. We only perceive what enters our senses, and we do not perceive the enormous universe that remains outside of their limits. We do not even know what it is like.

This is why there is another possibility for existence besides this short and flawed life that we perceive in the quality to receive. This existence is in the bestowing organs of perception, not the absorbing ones.

When we acquire the quality to bestow, we enter an area that exists outside of us, and we begin to exist in it. We only need our physical body to overcome this potential barrier and come out of the quality to receive into the quality to bestow.

For this reason, I need a group, which was created for me to see how every friend makes an effort. Making mutual efforts helps every one of us. The environment influences man, inspires, guides, and pushes him forward. This gives the strength to overcome the potential barrier between our world and the so-called “other” world that can be experienced in the quality of bestowal.

Due to this, my small force of love, when I come out of myself and enter the state of bestowal, grows, and I will be able to work in the name of others much more than on my own.

A group is made up of certain people. And of course, someone wished to create this specific group.

In other words, people gather together who are inclined to strive to come out of themselves. They feel that they must understand why they exist, to understand the meaning of life and the secret of creation. This pushes them to unite. To be more precise, they are not being pushed by their own desires, but by being in a single field: the field of the quality to bestow, the upper Light that exists outside of us and attracts these special desires.

And he must have chosen these people because they are ready for the task. We instinctively search for a group, feel certain special qualities of people, their actions and thoughts, and we advance this way.

We move in this world just like an electric charge in an electric or magnetic field toward a point of maximum correspondence to the environment. Even though we think that we move autonomously, we are driven by this specific force that pushes us forward toward the place where we can receive answers to all the questions that interest us, in other words, where we can acquire fulfillment to our biggest, inner, and secret desire.

This is why every one of us has a spark of exiting himself, a spark of love for his neighbor. Truthfully, it is still egoistic and manifests in our desire to come out of ourselves in order to consume that other world. For now, we are still moving in his exact key.

But then an interesting change of intention will happen. We will begin to change under the influence of this field, this Light. We will begin to feel that the quality to bestow is actually divine and special. Once we possess this quality, we will really come out into the most unlimited field of existence.

This spark, on its own, is unable to ignite the flame of love to shine in every one of us. It is necessary for these sparks to unify for this. Then, in our unity, when we develop the power of bestowal, the power of unity, these sparks merge into one big spark from which the Light appears. The perception of the Light appears in us to the extent of our similarity to the one common spark, our common desire to bestow.
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From the Sunday Virtual Lesson Series 11/27/2011

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The creature must have a long journey in order to achieve its purpose and rise to the level of the Creator, the Light, and become equal to Him in its essence and height. Initially, the desire develops according to the four phases of the Direct Light, revealing how opposite it is to the Creator. It goes through the First Restriction (Tzimtzum Aleph) and acquires the screen (Masach), beginning to build the system of concealment in the relationship between itself and the Light.

They are connected to the extent of the ability of the desire to enjoy to become like the Light, and they are concealed to the extent of the lack of its ability to do it. This is called the condition of balance, the correspondence of the form of the Light and the desire. This serves as the foundation for the building of the ladder of degrees. At its very height, the vessel, the desire, is absolutely one-hundred percent similar to the Light. The further we descend down this ladder from the very topmost state, the stronger the concealment becomes.

At the top, there is zero concealment and one-hundred percent desire. At the bottom, there is zero desire and one-hundred percent concealment. If you pick a point along the path from above downward, it will be partially revealed and partially concealed. A certain part of the Light becomes revealed, and the rest remains concealed. This is how the spiritual degrees and the worlds are formed, namely Adam Kadmon, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya.

Everything is built on the basis of correspondence, that is, to the degree of similarity between the desire and the Light. In this way, the ladder descends to the level of our world where the desire completely separates from the Light in order to become independent.

We seem to live a life that is completely independent from the Light because we do not know anything about it. This is exactly why we can begin to rise from this independent point that is separate from the Light and bring ourselves to the state of correspondence with it: We can change ourselves and become more like it. This is what it means to rise up the rungs of the ladder all the way to full correspondence. This is called the final correction (Gmar Tikkun).

The universe is made in such a way that at first, the system of concealment is built, from Above downward. As we rise from below upward, we need to use this concealment to discover ourselves as similar to the Light. The law of correspondence of qualities always remains. After all, the reason that the Creator created the creature was to please it, that is, to bring the creature to a state of absolute correspondence with Him and adhesion.

We must realize our similarity to the Creator in every state, on every degree. To do this, one first needs to value it: to wish to become like the Light and make this appear incredibly important to him. The quality of the Light, the quality of bestowal, must become the most honorable and elevated quality in our eyes. We must strive to correspond with it to the extent of all our strengths and abilities, as much as we can.

Accepting this condition and becoming like the Light, bestowal, as much as possible is called “make yourself a Rav” (important, big). This means that this quality of bestowal must become bigger (Rav) than all my egoistic qualities.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/1/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Only the force that I develop in front of myself to attract me to bestowal is a sign of spiritual advancement. Sometimes, we do not understand what is going on; why there is no advancement if so much effort has been applied. We are on this path for so many years, but still cannot finish the period of preparation. What else is required of us?

And we do not understand that we have been waiting all that time for some kind of force to come and push us instead of using our own actions to create the force that would attract us forward rather than pushing from behind. We take this motivation from the environment in order to move forward due to the greatness of the goal, bestowal.

This is all our work, the freedom of choice, annulling ourselves and raising the environment. Everything is in order to become inspired by the goal and elevate it. It is not enough that I attach myself to it. I need a very powerful force of attraction that can outweigh my ego and make me revolve around this goal day and night, to lose sleep over it.

If I manage to create such a large attractive force, then I will move forward.

This is the human level, opposite to all the previous steps. This is not a natural development that comes from nature and happens by itself. Sufferings will not help there; they will not propel me forward. Only my own efforts and concentration of forces, using all the advices of Kabbalists and all the means that will influence me and inspire the greatness of the goal, will help me move forward so that I rush towards it.

And the goal is bestowal to which I am going without any other calculations, goals, or rewards, nothing, but pure bestowal.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/28/11, Shamati

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Baal Hasulam, “The Freedom”: “All their wisdom did not help them find a bridge on which to cross that wide and deep crevice that spreads between the spiritual entity and the corporeal atom. Thus, science has gained nothing from all these metaphysical methods.”

A person inherits his attributes from his parents. These attributes cannot be changed, but society influences them and gives them different forms. Eventually a person doesn’t express himself but rather expresses the external society.

The attributes can differ but what matters is the form they are given: a person can be a great gangster or a great scientist, can slaughter animals or slaughter people. The distance between a policeman and a thief is very small, and they both understand each other.

So society does whatever it wants with a person. Although there is the preliminary kernel in a person, the influencing factors do whatever they want with him. This is the way things are on the corporeal level, and so we don’t decide anything here.

However, on the spiritual level we have to discover the root of a person’s soul, the point in the heart, and to place it in an environment that will provide it with the reforming Light. We have to build a spiritual environment that will provide a person with this spiritual Light that will influence the point in his heart and open it.

A person, on his part has to lower himself in front of the right environment and to neutralize his ego in order to remove the egotistic covers from the point in the heart. He has to bring his point out and to connect it with the other points, so that it will really look like yearning for bestowal. Although their intention is still egoistic, they are attracted to mutual bestowal, to the force that resembles, at least to some extent, the reforming Light. This is the only way to draw it. This Light influences the egoistic forces in us that are trying to keep in contact, despite the hatred we feel.

So there is the preliminary point in the heart, the root of a person’s soul, and there is the reforming Light, the force that develops the root of the soul. All the egoistic conditions in a person and in the environment, meaning the group, were meant to develop the force of bestowal, the intention to reach bestowal as much as possible. It is for this reason that we see ourselves dressed in an egoistic shell, and we also see the group as repulsive. This allows us to bring out our point and to place it against the reforming Light. Otherwise, we would simply not be able to do it.

So the shell is called “helpmate.” It enables me to place my point under the Light.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/28/11, Baal HaSulam “The Freedom”

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Question: How does the Creator help us defeat the “Greeks” within us? After all, the “Israel” within me (a person who yearns for the Creator) seems so helpless facing them.

Answer: Yes, it is said that an old foolish king and a clever child struggle with each other. Our nature is the evil inclination, the thick egotistic shell in which one tiny point is hidden, and it has no way of breaking out. This is why we have to awaken ourselves!

You are like a little worm sitting inside a bitter radish or an apple. How can you get out? It is impossible. It surrounds you on all sides and there is no way out. You cannot do anything against such forces.

But if there are more friends like you inside, and each one has a point in the heart, then you collect all these points, read The Book of Zohar, and connect to it wanting to understand what is going on and what the Creator wants from us. This way you connect with the upper system and draw the Surrounding Light that reforms.

Then you have a chance, but only thanks to the Light. The Light is the Creator that is revealed to you.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/27/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Spirituality is built on diversions from it, on disagreement that is intentionally evoked in a person in order to create in him the right attitude to the revelation of the system that controls us. This system is currently concealed from us because we are unable to reveal it. After all, we are made only of the desire to receive.

If above this desire, we build another desire, the desire to bestow, we will start to understand what bestowal is. Accordingly, we will begin to see and feel the system that governs us, that is external to us and ties us together.

We feel that we are egoistic individuals. Each one thinks about himself and feels only himself. This is the first force that exists in nature. There is a second force that operates in it and ties all these egoists together. But this network remains invisible to us because we lack the senses to discover it.

However, if we overcome all the difficult questions, problems, and disagreements we have with the system that manages us and accept its rule as good and correct (even though our egoistic fragments of the shattered soul do not see that it connects us), we will begin to discover its actions.

Each of us is a little egoist submerged in his little ego. But the connection between us is based on love and belongs to a totally different natural system. When we begin to discover this system, we realize that it operates according to the laws of bestowal.

If we want to discover this system, we have to rise above ourselves. Now, we aspire to connect using egoistic connections, that is, to spread our egoism in the entire system and to use each other. However, if we disagree with this egoistic intention and rise above our desire as if we aspire to create the right connections, then even if we cannot do that, we will begin to do things that lead in this direction.

First, we will create a group. Then, we will begin to study these new relationships together. This will draw the surrounding Light that reforms. This Light erases the egoistic intentions that one has toward others and changes them to the right ones. Thus, I gradually begin to discover the system in its true form.

Seeing the system helps a person advance. Having discovered it, one begins to use it in his work.

It may not be clear why a person should reveal this system. He could continue working in the state of concealment like it is before the first revelation. But the point is that the revelation gives us extra work. Instead of making it easier, it becomes much harder and adds more questions and difficulties.

It is only by clarifying these questions and difficulties, thanks to our rising above them, that a “wick” forms, a place where the Light can hold in the “oil.” Then, the oil is lit thanks to difficult questions that form the wick. Thus, we advance toward acquiring the desire to bestow.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/25/2011, Writings of Rabash

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After experiencing the point of unity during the convention, we must strive towards that same state, towards that strong general unity above all the disturbances of the outside world. It’s as if during the convention a cloud of our united desires, intentions, aspirations, and brotherhood hovered over us.

And although each one of us is now experiencing a different state and we are all thrown in our own directions, we must still try to maintain the same state of unity. If we are able to maintain this point of unity despite all of the disturbances, we grow.

A parent gives you a drop of semen. It is said that the father gives “white semen” (Loven), the mother gives the “red” (Odem), and the Creator gives the soul. You have nothing but a single point, and that is enough. And now you have to grow to the level of Infinity, but how?

This is why you receive additional egoism that serves as the means for your growth. The egoism becomes the “meat” that we have to grow over our point, or the drop of semen. Each time egoism confuses us, kills, and tears us apart. However, we mustn’t pay attention to it and nevertheless must remain in our point of unity. Then, the egoism will become included in this unity, and with our efforts we’ll connect it to the point of unity.

Due to the egoism, this point will begin to grow. At first there is a point in the center of the egoism, and it’s completely surrounded by it. Then it starts to expand and take over the egoism. This is how we grow.

The moment that we overcome all the disturbances of this world and are able to maintain the point of unity attained at the convention, then after few such attempts, we’ll obtain the first full measure called a Partzuf of the full ten Sefirot, or the spiritual birth.

I ask you to continuously re-watch all the convention lessons and events. After all, if a person in his current state goes back to those events, he obtains that previous state along with his new egoism, thereby correcting himself.

Nothing else is needed! Now, through our egoism and through all that’s happening to us, we must grow the spiritual drop of semen that we received at the convention.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/22/2011, “Introduction to TES”

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