Entries in the 'Group Work' Category

Knowledge That Accumulates In The Heart

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: I feel that I absolutely do not understand, perceive, or feel The Study of the Ten Sefirot. What should I do about it?

Answer: I wrote in one of my books that in 1982 I studied the chapter that speaks about the structure of the world of Atzilut (although it might not have been the first time). It has been almost thirty years, and I still cannot say that I understand absolutely everything.…

Atzilut is the world of correction. You are not able to understand how complicated this system is because you do not see beyond this world. You do not sense how great and enormous creation is, which includes entire worlds and Infinity! We do not realize what this is because we are accustomed to operate only within our tiny circle, and we judge everything else according to these measures.

We study The Study of the Ten Sefirot in order to attract the upper Light. The more we speak about it, the sooner we will understand that we also consist of the same pieces. This helps us to make certain that we are on the right path and attract the Light. We advance through ascents and descents, requests (MAN) and responses from Above (MAD).

The key in this entire study is to arrive at a simple solution that you need the Light that Reforms, which will reveal this upper system, this network, to you. And only then will you be able to understand what is happening. Otherwise, you will simply mechanically memorize the words.

If you are studying only to collect knowledge in your head, then you are simply wasting time. You can play with words and pretend to be a wise guy, but we study in order to think about our union and connection during the studies and search for the Light that will give us life.

Now, when I learn about the spiritual embryo, I must want to become an embryo! It is all I need. Otherwise, what is the point in reading: “the bestowing SAG,” without knowing what bestowal is, or “the screen of the fourth level,” without perceiving the screen. If we do not attract the Light, it is empty reading. It can take you even further from the truth because you will think that you have already grown and now understand everything.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/31/2011, TES

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Pride, Forcing You To Bang Your Head Against The Wall

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: We see terrible examples of hatred and hostility in history. What kind of hatred do we have to reveal in order to unite above it and rise to the spiritual world?

Answer: We cannot evaluate the past with its dreadful catastrophes and fratricidal wars. Jews fought one another more fiercely than the Romans or Greeks who attacked them. This is how the scrutiny of the shattering takes place. Good and evil blend together, desires intermix with intentions; all the catastrophes and problems happen on earth only to clarify all this.

This is part of the correction! Throughout the history of humankind, we see how much blood has been spilt and how many people have been killed—billions! Wars have been waged constantly; in all places, people have inflicted terrible harm upon one another! To the present day, every day, constant disputes and arguments happen all over the world, and all of that is the clarification of the desire to receive pleasure that has to reveal itself and come to the conclusion that it needs correction.

As a result, it discovers that it needs to correct itself and become one common desire. And when it realizes that it is incapable of doing this with its own power, it starts thinking: What kind of force can help it with this?

At first, a person, by his or her naivety, tries to correct everything with his or her own powers, and it takes a lot of effort and time. And regardless of how much it is explained to one that it is not he who makes corrections, it doesn’t help. One has to get desperate and bang one’s head against the wall a thousand times in order to finally say: “Oh, now I understand that I’m incapable of doing this alone! I need an external force, the Creator, the Light that Reforms!”

Now a person understands and feels from within, in the desire that he has clarified after having banged his head ten times against the wall, that redemption will come only from outside. And then he starts working in this direction and looks for the Light of correction.

But he searches for the Light alone at first, banging his head ten more times, until he suddenly realizes that the Light gets revealed only in a connection with others.

We have to go through all of that. There is nothing we can do about it.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/3/2011, The Zohar

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One Works – All Receive

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How do I come to terms with my friend being rewarded for my work?

Answer: If my action is for the sake of bestowal, I work and find pleasure in the actual work. And I want to pass the fulfillment to someone else.

But there is a subtlety because when I feel that I will profit from my work, the reward does not concern me. It is the same as telling a small child: “You will receive ten dollars for assembling all these blocks.” He does not understand what ten dollars is, but he enjoys assembling blocks! For this reason, the ten dollars that you find so valuable are not a reward for him.

It follows that when I draw more pleasure from the work than the payment for it, the actual work becomes my reward, and the previous reward loses its meaning. In other words, I simply replace one payment with another. So is this what we refer to when it comes to spiritual work?

We are referring to a reward that I really want, and my work is not a pleasure for me, but actual hard work. Yet I overcome myself with the help of the force of the Light I have received in order to prefer work regardless of everything and to pass the reward to others. Without overcoming this, I will simply be replacing one egoistic fulfillment with another.

Either I am a messenger running to deliver a letter, or I am a runner who runs for pleasure. Do you feel the difference? The main thing is for the resistance, for the opposing force not to disappear but instead, to increase. We increase the strength of our bestowal and reveal the Light specifically through using it.

NRNHY is the Light of bestowal, which is revealed specifically over the action of overcoming. Otherwise it has nowhere to be revealed. It is like electricity, which manifests through opposition, and then power can be received from it.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/3/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Questions About One’s Relationship With The Environment

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Lately I’ve been meeting people that are telling me that I am doing the wrong things. I’m living my life the wrong way, I’ve the wrong wife. The way I think about life and other things are wrong.

In the group my friends tell me “how things are” as if they “knew” the Creator, as if they were on a higher level. I see people talking to me without respect for how I am and what I can contribute. I try to meet people around me with respect and listen to what they have to say, and I don’t tell them that they are living their lives in the wrong way.

But I am really upset about this, and I don’t know how to survive in this cold world any longer. Is this just my ego showing its face to me? If so, what should I do to correct it? (I have put the question out loud to the Creator, but I haven’t received any answer that I’ve understood anyway.)

Answer: This is the Creator protecting you from pride. Agree with everyone.

Question: I am a student of Bnei Baruch, and I think I understand all of the concepts covered in this blog. However, all of my attempts to explain these concepts to people close to me but outside Kabbalah meet various levels of resistance, ranging from “this is a utopia” to very aggressive outbursts of anger and words I don’t want to repeat here.

What would you advise me to do, except improving my own Kabbalah understanding and intention to achieve adhesion with the Creator?

Answer: Quit talking and study yourself.
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The Difference Between The Animate And The Human Desire

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe only desires that can be corrected are desires that have an addition, a special form of an attitude towards desire called an intention. There are instinctive desires for fulfillment on the still, vegetative, and animate levels, which are simply enrooted in us by nature. And there are desires that operate through an intention, which assume a special attitude towards the source of pleasure, and not the pleasure itself.

The reason I want to be rich is not because I receive pleasure from buying things with money, but because I am envious of my rich neighbor. I want to be big, beautiful, and slender, always comparing myself to the others. A certain attitude towards others is part of this, and it gives me an additional pleasure. If the attitude towards my neighbor disappears, I will have no reason for this pleasure.

Egoistic desire appears from the fact that we were once connected and then became distanced from one another. And this distance, breaking, affects our desire, increases it, and gives it the form of an attitude towards other, foreign, desires, and ultimately the Creator. In other words, it defines my attitude toward something that exists outside of me.

When it comes to a simple instinctive desire, I only want to fulfill it. And the others do not concern me at all—it is only my desire. But the desires of the “human” level are not my inherent desires, but acquired ones. I have acquired them by being connected with others some time ago or by being in an environment that rouses this kind of desires in me.

The desires that get corrected have an intention that appeared from the past connection into a single desire. This is why this intention is present in us and constantly awakens, demanding correction.

We attain the understanding of the creature, the Creator, and a 620 times greater fulfillment and connection specifically through the correction of this intention.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/3/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Love Will Cover All Deficits

Dr. Michael LaitmanIt is said in the Talmud that all in Israel guarantee for one another. But why is it only in Israel? Indeed, according to the purpose of creation, the entire world must come to mutual guarantee.

The fact is that Israel should do this first, as Baal HaSulam writes at the end of the “Introduction to The Book of Zohar.” The sons of Israel receive a special state in their development: They stand at Mount Sinai, meaning they discover evil between themselves, the abyss, rejection, true hatred, caused by the shattering that occurred at the root of our soul.

And then, rising above all this, they can achieve unity, mutual guarantee. It is said: “Love will cover all sins.” This force of love will be revealed in them above hatred.

And then, it will be poured to all others, who cannot reveal hatred and love so much. These souls belong to the category of the “nations of the world”: Their desires are less strong, and the force of breaking is weaker in them. The chasm that has opened within them is not as deep, and the passions raging in them are not as cruel, although they are the carriers of the receiving desire.

Of course, at the end of correction, everyone is united in one vessel, without any distinctions. However, on the way, there is a category of souls that carry out correction first. This category is called “Israel” (ישראל), which also means “my head” (Li rosh – לי ראש). And the others get everything ready and are called the “nations of the world.”

Today, we are standing at the threshold of the final ascent. So everyone who feels the pull towards correction and the need to unite for the sake of this are called “Israel.” They stand at the head according to the mission that they must carry out in the process of correction. “Israel” also means “straight to the Creator” (Bo-rehישר-א – ל) since the purpose of correction is to come to the upper force, to attain complete bestowal.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/3/2011, “The Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings”

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The Force That Shines Within You

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe begin our spiritual path by an awakening from Above, from a so-called “point in the heart.” It awakens during one of our reincarnations at a certain moment under certain circumstances. We don’t know why, but a person suddenly lacks a sensation of fulfillment in his desire to enjoy in anything that he does in life.

On the other hand, he starts sensing a new, additional desire that draws him somewhere.  As it often happens in our life, he begins to feel both points simultaneously. Let’s say, he gets disappointed in some work; it seems to him that some other occupation could satisfy him better. He gets dissatisfied in various life situations and at the same time begins to see new possibilities.

The same applies here. Eventually, I become disappointed in my life, and this doesn’t require dramatic circumstances, like bankruptcies or other problems. I simply don’t feel satisfaction. At the same time, I start following a new, unclear direction, and I arrive at a place that seems to better fulfill me.

What’s the difference? So far, there is no difference. Many people join various circles, societies, groups, or New Age spiritual movements, or they fulfill themselves by playing sports or getting involved in various hobbies.

At first, when a person finds the wisdom of Kabbalah, it’s not clear to him what’s going on and how this is different from other places. He hears: “If you want to achieve anything, you should join the group,” but this idea doesn’t seem to be special since there are so many other places where the same condition is brought forward.

Very seldom is a person required to unite with others; usually it entails an exquisitely external effort. Every so often he is expected to make an internal effort to connect with others, for example, let’s say a military unit in which everybody should take care of others in order to achieve the goal, which is clearly egoistic.

This is very different in a Kabbalistic group. They say: “Only by reaching bestowal will you gain a general force of giving.” But where do you get it? Not only should you strive to connect with your friends, but you also should demand that a new special force reveals itself from within your unity.

This force will reveal itself as a result of your new activities, meaning your desire to connect in a non-egoistic way, like in a military team, but rather in accordance with advice of Kabbalists, the teachers who lead us towards a new upper dimension. If you listen to what they say and read what they write about the upper dimension, you’ll join the group and will try to reach unity with your friends. You’ll also learn how to love your friends, and you’ll read books that elucidate the connection and love between you.

You should expect that the books and the efforts to connect with others will reveal a new force called “bestowal and love.” Thus you will grow from within this force of love and bestowal. The upper force that shines within you will grant you this sensation.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/1/2011, Writings of Rabash

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A Student’s Obligation Is To Be Happy!

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe should always strive for perfection! A person develops only because he constantly walks the right line, which is expressed by happiness. We should always picture the good states: the states of development, ascent, high spirits, awe, the Creator’s greatness, and the importance of the goal.

This is what all our work and concern should be aimed at so we do not allow the ego to bring us to despair. This is very important.

Sometimes it may seem that we drown in self-criticism and seriously and painfully delve into ourselves. These may be considered signs of a great man working on himself. Yet it isn’t working on yourself, but rather following your egoism.

Being serious doesn’t mean to walk around with a sad face, but to be in great tension, to constantly keep the feeling of the greatness of the goal. You should raise yourself to the image of the desired goal as you imagine it. This should keep you in constant yearning and awe to reach the state of bestowal upon the Creator, to please Him as a loved one.

It says: “You shall have no other gods.” Can you imagine a situation in which only the Creator is in front of you as your constant goal? If so, you should develop your attitude towards Him and understand how, under what conditions, and in which case can you bestow upon Him? It is only when you are together with the friends yearning to be with them. That is, we have a common desire, one direction, in which everyone connects and is drawn to Him in order to make Him happy. After all, there is nothing else we can give Him!

To imagine this situation and to live with this yearning is the initial state from which a person begins the right movement towards the goal. This is called the right line.

When the left light appears opposite to this, we will understand that it was given to us so that we will raise the right line even higher until we attain actual bestowal. We can reach it only if the left line grows, and we advance above it.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/1/2011, Writings of Rabash

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The Flame Of Love Above Seething Hatred

Dr. Michael LaitmanIt is written that the students of Rabbi Shimon, before writing The Book of Zohar, felt an enormous hatred toward each other, seething like a flame. Then, they would start to work on The Book of Zohar that had not yet been written, to study the connection between them, meaning that they would begin to build a connection with one another based on hatred. Then, with an inspiration and an enormous force of overcoming, they would reveal the flame of love instead of the flame of hatred, as it is written: “A white fire on the basis of a black flame.”

Thus, they described their revelations, the forms of relationships between them, revealing love above hatred. In fact, that is the essence of Torah and The Zohar.

If one day we reveal such relationships, we will understand what they wrote about in The Zohar. Until then, let’s try to yearn toward connection with one another, and as a result, reveal an even greater rejection. And again, based on that, let’s seek unity and reveal an even greater rejection. Thus we will feel such “entries” and “exits” each time, as it is said: “From Zion (“Zion” derives from the word “Yetzia,” exit) will the Torah come forth”—specifically from exits. That is how we advance.

Thus, while reading The Zohar, let’s think only about the states of separation and unity. There is nothing else. The authors of The Zohar write about these states and the contrasts between them, only on the spiritual degrees, where real hatred becomes aroused and true love reigns.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/3/2011, The Zohar

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Falling Upwards

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: When I check my integrity, I see that I can’t constantly worry about mutual guarantee. I find it much easier to take some concrete external issue and make a check mark in my diary.

Answer: This is also good. The “check marks” are also necessary. After all, our way is all about the recognition of evil. The problem is that we hardly see that we advance.

I feel stupid, but I still come to study and participate in the group activities. I feel desperate, helpless, and lacking in intention, but still I go on. At the same time, I don’t understand that it is the Light that operates on me in this way. If it weren’t for the Light, I wouldn’t be able to move. I would totally collapse.

So I experience ups and downs simultaneously. Although you feel desperate, you can still go on. Although you feel disrespect and regret, you still hug your friends and sing with them. If you are constantly moving forward, falling but also rising, these are not separate periods of despair and encouragement that change from time to time, but rather two lines that are opposite each other and between which there is the amplitude of the states you are in. This is already a sign of advancement.

You should understand that if I recognize the evil in me more accurately today, it is already a great step forward because it is the Light that reveals in me what I couldn’t see previously. Yesterday I thought that I don’t harm you in any way, and today I am surprised to discover that I treat you badly. Tomorrow I will feel sorry that I can’t change.

On one hand, this makes me feel more desperate, and on the other, I should say to myself: “Just a minute, where does all this come from? I feel worse because a greater Light flows upon me. So this is a sign that I am winning, I am growing, and the evil inclination is growing with me, in competition with me.”

The quality of the evil revealed in me is a sign of advancement. It isn’t easy to attain it, and such a discovery costs dearly. After all, I acquire a great treasure and finally discover the shattering and how to correct it.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/31/2011, “The Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings”

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