Question: How can one grasp the Creator at a convention?

Answer: To do this, you need to feel the collective mass present at the convention and try to feel how the Creator is present within everyone, filling them. Then, you will develop the correct attitude toward Him to the point where you begin to feel Him.

You will start to feel Him in the movement of those present; something is happening within them; they are moving in some way, flowing and shifting.

For example, if a small raft floats on the surface of the water, you can see the movement of the water through the movement of the raft. Similarly, in the movement of the crowd, you will gradually feel the movement of the Creator through them.
[338959]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/5/19, Preparation for convention in Moldova “Turning to the Creator”

Related Material:
How Can We Receive the Force of the Creator at a Convention?
How Can We Grab the Creator
In the Ocean of the Creator’s Love

Filed under: Conventions, Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Events, Group Work, Spiritual Work - No Comments →

Question: The closer we come together, the more we drift apart, right?

Answer: The more egoism is revealed within us, the greater the connection we can build above it, and in so doing, we can perceive the Creator. This state is like a sandwich made of three layers: at the bottom is the egoistic quality (reception), on top is the quality of giving, and between them is the Creator.

Question: If we know in advance that closeness will lead to hatred, how can we move toward closeness?

Answer: The fact that you know this in advance does not matter. When rejection and hatred toward your friends arise, you will forget everything. You will think it is your personal problem, that you and no one else is doing this.

But after experiencing discord with your friends, you will begin to rise above this feeling. No tricks or preparations for the future will help you remain “good.” A new degree comes with new sensations and interactions, and all previous understandings and corrections no longer apply. A person is new every day.

So don’t dwell on what happened yesterday. You may look at the outward appearance of a friend, which you are familiar with, but inside, we are entirely different every day.
[339129]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/5/19, Preparation for convention in Moldova “Turning to the Creator”

Related Material:
The Creator Will Correct Everything
Always Ask For More
Love above Rejection

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Spiritual Work - No Comments →

Question: What determines the duration of states of ascents and descents?

Answer: The duration of ascents and descents depends on the intensity of the work within the ten. If the ten is actively working on itself, you can pass through these states very quickly and realize them with incredible speed.

There is a story about a student who came to Baal Shem Tov and said: “That is it, I cannot do this anymore. I have experienced several descents and ascents just this morning.” To this, Baal Shem Tov replied: “I go through 400 such states in a single day.”

First, ascents and descents can be calculated. Second, imagine what it means to experience 400 conscious transitions from a small state, to a greater or intermediate one, and so on.

And all of this occurs in sensations, in the awareness of joy, like a symphony unfolding within us, like a marvelous harmony. This is attainment, delight, the great deed of the Creator!
[339132]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/5/19, Preparation for convention in Moldova “Turning to the Creator”

Related Material:
Artificial Respiration
The Group Absorbs Your Descent
A Smooth Path Without Any Ups And Downs

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Spiritual Work, The Tens - No Comments →

True spiritual work happens when I am in the right environment, one that values the quality of giving and mutual inclusion. This environment can eventually influence me to the point where I feel it changing something within me.

Finally, after many, many years, I begin to sense that it is fundamentally transforming the basis of my worldview, my perception of the world, my sense of myself, and my understanding of myself and the Creator.

All of this results from consistent interaction within the ten. Without this, we cannot properly transform our egoistic traits into spiritual, altruistic ones under the influence of the upper light. We simply cannot.

However, when we are in the ten, we gradually begin to feel that it provides each of us with a spiritual example.

Why does this not happen immediately? Because each person perceives the ten according to their own level of corruption. That is, the more we desire to see it corrected, the more we actually perceive it as such, and in this way, we receive examples from our friends.
[338865]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/5/19, Preparation for convention in Moldova “Turning to the Creator”

Related Material:
The Ten—A Device For Revealing The Creator
Glasses To Correct Spiritual Vision
Mutual Influence

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Spiritual Work, The Tens - No Comments →

How can we achieve the quality of bestowal, as it is said: “Be merciful as He is merciful”? How can we come to a state of similarity of properties to the Creator? That is what prayer is for.

In my request, I must necessarily realize that if I simply ask the Creator for something, then I am asking for myself, for my egoism, no matter how I twist it. But if I ask through my friends, only in connection with them, then I can ask correctly from everyone in general and for myself.

That is, a person has no opportunity to ask correctly if he is alone. Only if he is in connection with others and asks for the group, including himself but for the group, then his request is to some extent spiritual.

And if he asks for them, they are the goal; he pushes them to the Creator and wants to see them merge with Him because he is like Malchut and they are like the first nine Sefirot, then his request is truly spiritual.

Therefore, we must go through several stages of preparation for prayer in order to ask the Creator correctly.

If we ask incorrectly, He will still hear us, we are in Him, inside Him. But then this field will react to us according to our egoistic desires and push us to greater and greater egoism as it happens when we ask unconsciously.

But with the help of these pushes toward egoism, we will reveal the Pharaoh. It turns out that he is evil and not so kind; we are in exile in him and must get out of this. Then we will begin to ask for others and not for ourselves. And we will see ourselves only as asking, as representatives of all humanity.

We must definitely do this. We must try to understand our request. What is it for: for ourselves, for the group, for all of humanity or for the Creator? If it is for ourselves, even for the group, even for humanity, this may still be an egoistic request, for the Creator too. How can we rebuild all of this in an altruistic way? It is when I really ask for others.
[338972]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/5/19, Preparation for convention in Moldova “Turning to the Creator”

Related Material:
Prayer for the Many
Ask For Others
The Prayer The Creator Hears

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Prayer and Intention, Spiritual Work - No Comments →

Question: On one hand I have to imagine my friends as perfect, that the Creator resides in them, and that I have to absorb everything in them. On the other hand we must pray for them. What request can I have for them if I imagine they are in a state of perfection, and the Creator fills them?

Answer: On one hand I have to imagine my friends as perfect, be included in them, and remain in them, in their perfection. On the other hand I have to ask and pray for them. How can these two states be reconciled?

Indeed, it is impossible to reconcile them at the same time. Both states happen, and I need to exist in both alternately.

At the congress, I also must see which state I find myself in. But, in general, a congress carries more states of praising the group, the Creator, and the path of our rapprochement.
[339073]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/5/19, Preparation for convention in Moldova “Turning to the Creator”

Related Material:
Everyone Includes Everything
Include Everyone in Your Prayers
The Prayer Of Many

Filed under: Conventions, Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Events, Group Work, Spiritual Work, The Tens - No Comments →

The Torah, derived from the word “Or” (Light), is a method of correction. It is written: “Better they abandoned Me but kept My Torah” ( Jerusalem Talmud, Chagigah 1.7). That means stop praying and asking as the entire world does for egoistic benefit and instead try to request a directed influence from Me so that I may draw you closer to Myself and make you participants in My actions.

That is what the Creator desires from us. To achieve this, we must change ourselves, become similar to Him, and then we will participate in His actions. Not merely participate but actually carry them out as His proxies and instruments. To the extent that our desires align with His, we will perform this work.

At this stage, our work will be called “the work of the Creator.” We will not merely recognize that everything is done by the Creator; we will begin to adopt His actions and perform them. It is not that we will become independent in this state, but we will appear to be so.

This feeling of autonomy is marvelous; it elevates us to a state where the Creator gradually, step by step, entrusts us with the governance of all creation. We will, as it were, govern it in His stead. That is the state of “receiving for the sake of bestowal.”

I believe these states are more or less clear to us theoretically, but practically they can only be realized in a group. This is why the convention is so essential to us. Learning at home and listening to these teachings is not the issue; the challenge lies in attempting to integrate with others and come under their influence despite our egoism.

When I come to a convention, my focus is on whether I can absorb, like a sponge, everything that others possess. That is precisely what I want, not egoistically, but to absorb everything so that I can become like them and reflect back everything I have received. These two actions are what we must strive to perform.

To achieve this, we need to open ourselves. Everything else should be set aside for the duration of the convention. I must include within myself everything that the convention can influence me with, include everyone within me, and strive to fully absorb their aspirations, desires, and everything else.
[339037]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/5/19, Preparation for convention in Moldova “Turning to the Creator”

Related Material:
Why Do We Gather at Conventions?
The Great Force of Convention
The Meaning of Congresses

Filed under: Conventions, Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Events, Group Work, Prayer and Intention, Spiritual Work - No Comments →

Question: What is bestowal?

Answer: Bestowal is the sequence of actions where you first completely nullify your own desires and opinions, immerse yourself in the desires of another person, and then apply all your abilities to fulfill or satisfy their desires.

For example, suppose you want to buy a new iPhone, but your mother does not understand why you would spend so much money on another “toy.” You start explaining to her how amazing this phone is, listing all its features: Internet, video, and photos.

Essentially, you are trying to get her to connect with your desires, to feel what you feel, and to admire this new “toy.”

You want her to share your desire for this new phone so much that she becomes “lit up” by it and wishes to gift it to her beloved son. This is called “love for one’s neighbor.”

Similarly, I must feel the desire of the friend and feel obligated to fulfill it with all my abilities, even before fulfilling my own desires. It is as if my personal desires no longer exist within me!
[46490]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/24/11, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot uMasbirot“

Related Material:
Bestowal: To Live In The Other
Love Is Mutual Inclusion
Like A Loving Mother Giving To Her Child

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Q&A, Spiritual Work - No Comments →

We are coming to the convention so that this common gathering of people will influence me, an egoist, and I will begin to understand that it is precisely this influence of society that will bring me out of my stupid egoistic, individualistic state, and convince me that I need to rise above my egoism. This is the meaning of a convention.

Otherwise, what is the point? To hear? I can hear it on the Internet too. In fact, it is all just for the sake of feeling the enormous power of your friends. Therefore, let’s try to get together so that this force affects us.

Frankly speaking, this is exactly why I come to a convention. You may say: “Is this a purely selfish, egoistic thought?” Yes, it is an egoistic thought! I hope to get more from you than you get from me. That is why it is said: “I learned from all my students.” This is what the great Kabbalist said two and a half thousand years ago. Such is the impact of the group!

We often return to the example of Rabbi Yossi Ben Kisma, a great Kabbalist! I am nowhere near him! Also, each of his students was many, many times greater than us. It does not matter, he learned from them.

So all the work is just about unification. Therefore, at the convention, try to prove yourself to be as immersed in what is happening as possible. Maximum dissolution! Forget about yourself! Feel others as if they exist within you, in your mind and in your heart. This is already the beginning of the spiritual degree.
[339045]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/5/19, Preparation for convention in Moldova “Turning to the Creator”

Related Material:
Why Do We Gather at Conventions?
The Meaning of Congresses
The Advantage of Congresses

Filed under: Conventions, Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Events, Group Work, Spiritual Work - No Comments →

Question: What should a prayer be directed toward in Lo Lishma and what should a prayer be directed at in Lishma?

Answer: All prayers must be directed toward the Creator, only to Him. He will respond to one of them, but we do not know in advance which one.

Question: I feel that the Creator hears my prayers, but often I do not know how to align my intention toward love for the Creator through the ten. How can I correctly set this intention?

Answer: Consult with the ten; they will guide you.
[339172]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/4/25, “Connecting to Lishma“

Related Material:
Attract the Attention of the Creator
Turn Only to the Creator
Constantly Turn To The Creator

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Prayer and Intention, Spiritual Work, The Tens - No Comments →