Question: The holiday of Purim symbolizes the opposition of two forces: Mordechai and Haman. Then why are we commanded to get so drunk on this day that we can’t tell the difference between Haman and Mordechai?

Answer: This happens after the analysis where you use all of the Kelim, when everything is already clear to the utmost. You have hung Haman and his ten sons on a tree, or in other words, on the tail of the letter Kuf (ק). No more illumination comes beneath the Tabur in order to give life to the impure forces (Klipot). There are no Klipot since you have destroyed all the egoistic intentions.

Previously intentions for the sake of reception, Klipa were below. Klipa lives by virtue of the illumination from above. Above the Tabur are the letters or qualities of Kuf (ק), Reish (ר) , Shin (ש), and Tav (ת). Previously the tip of Tav also descended down, but its “leg was cut off” and now only Kuf descends beneath the Tabur. This means that the Lights descend down, giving life to the Klipa.

This is necessary because the Klipa helps us. It has to exist in order to give us the opportunity of free choice, to place us between good and evil.

Here, below, are Haman and his “family”—all of the egoistic qualities that have joined him. It is important to remember that this is talking precisely about intentions for the sake of reception, rather than about desires. After all, desire is just matter.

After that, from Yesod of Zeir Anpin to Nukva comes the illumination of Mordechai. It comes as a result of the ascent of a plea (MAN) from the souls of Israel, which are below, under the rule of Haman. Then they are all able to ascend upwards with the help of the illumination called Purim—the illumination of Mordechai.

In that case only Haman with his family remain below. After that the leg of the letter Kuf is annulled so the Klipot would no longer receive an illumination, or in other words, Haman is hung on the tree. Then the Klipot inside each of us die because they no longer realize or feel the opportunity to steal or to attain anything.

That is where it all ends. All the egoistic intentions disappear due to not having a footing and everything shifts above the Parsa, into the intention for the sake of bestowal, into the approaching end of correction. Now all of your Kelim are covered by the altruistic intention and you fill them with the Light of Hochma without any restrictions. That is because you have created great, perfect screens which free you from the necessity to make calculations.

The entire matter of Haman, who is under the power of the egoistic desire, has shifted to the altruistic intention. Stated differently, all the desires that were below have ascended upwards. They divided into two groups of 248 and 365 desires, and now even the lowers ones are above because you have cut off the egoistic intentions from them. Thus, nothing remains below.

And since there is nothing below, holiness (Kedusha) expands from Raglin until Sium, until the Mount of Olives.
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/20/11, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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We are inside of a screen on which our qualities are depicted. And if they are egoistic, then accordingly they are depicted before our desire to enjoy on the still, vegetative, animate, and human levels (in sizes 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4). Thus, we see them as the world around us. That means the reality I see, feel, and in which I live is an imprint or reflection of the desires and thoughts that are inside of me.

If in addition to my general nature, the qualities of reception, I also acquire a second nature, the quality of bestowal, then just like on a computer screen I reveal one more window on which I see the upper world—the force of my soul. Now I recognize that what I see in the first window is a projection of my receiving forces, while in the second window, I depict the form of my unification with other people for the sake of bestowal.

To the degree I am able to unite with others at least on the level of “don’t do to others what you hate,” to that extent I can recognize the spiritual world. And now everything depends on the calculation I make, on how I continuously awaken myself to transfer reality from the material world to the spiritual world.

The most perfect spiritual state is Purim, which comes from the word Pur—lot. In this state my desires are corrected and I am united with all of the souls, thus fulfilling my soul with the upper Light according to the law of equivalence of form.

Purim is the celebration of the final correction. When we celebrate this holiday, we attract the force from that corrected state which corrects and unites us.

The custom to wear masks and dress up in costumes on this day came to us because Haman (the egoistic desire) dresses into the clothing of Mordechai (the altruistic desire), which means that we can receive Light into the great desires of Haman through the qualities of Mordechai.

This is also why on the holiday of Purim there is a custom to eat cookies in the shape of a triangle called “Haman’s pockets.” A pocket symbolizes the desire to receive. We have to receive these desires from Haman and then, with the help of Mordechai, by means of the Light of Hassadim, the quality of bestowal, correct them by the intention for the sake of bestowal. Then we will be able to receive the Light of Hochma, the revelation of the Creator, meaning the state of the final correction.
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From the lecture on 3/15/11 on Purim

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Rabash, Dargot HaSulam (Steps of the Ladder), “The Matter of Tu Bishvat”: The Creator wishes for a person who observes a commandment, which is a fruit, to have both the tree and the fruit taste the same, in other words, for his intention to also be “Lishma,” for the sake of bestowal.

We must go through several stages in our work. First of all, we need to descend to the degree described as “I created the evil inclination.” Here, a person becomes acquainted with his nature, and he sees how bad, opposite to goodness, he is.

Goodness is Light, the property of bestowal. Where can I see the property of bestowal so as to measure myself in comparison to it and determine the evil wherein I exist? Where is this evil and the Creator who created the evil inclination? I must attain the Creator who created the evil inclination in me, and opposite to it, I must have the Torah as a spice.

After all, there can be no darkness without light, and no light without darkness. We do not attain anything on its own, but only in comparison to its opposite. This is why man attains the bad nature in him only to the extent of his good deeds. This is the only way we can comprehend evil.

So, the sinners that the Torah speaks of are special and great people. The degree of the sinner is a very high degree. One works in relation to goodness, trying to overcome the evil in him and attain goodness. Then, he comes to understand evil, reveals the sin of Adam (Man or Human), and begins the process of correction. In this way, the revelation of evil is a part of this process.

Only after having understood evil, one begins to test whether the “tree” and the “fruit” are the same and whether they are in one direction, toward bestowal. After all, “fruit” is bestowal, not self-fulfillment.

One tries to be above his egoism. He determines it to be evil which he needs to rise above. Over and over, he discovers that he wants and is able to enjoy and determines this to be a “plague of Egypt.” He is ready for anything but self-fulfillment.

Then, he rises above all the possibilities to receive pleasure and comes to the real fruit: bestowal. Pleasure from bestowal is the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. This is faith above reason, the faith grown on the Tree of Knowledge. The only way one grows is by rising above evil, above the property of reception that is being revealed in him, and refusing to use it in any way. Then, fruit grows within him.

This symbolizes Tu Bishvat, the “New Year of the Trees.” Why is it trees instead of fruit? It’s because for now, one is still acquiring the property of bestowal and he is still to learn to receive for the sake of bestowal.

On the spiritual path, we constantly keep discovering incorrect forms in us. As Baal HaSulam writes in the “Introduction of Talmud Eser Sefirot,” only those whose degree of patience has withstood merit to enter the King’s palace, the “garden” with the Tree of Knowledge in the middle.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/20/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Tu Bishvat, “The New Year of the Trees,” symbolizes the fruit of the spiritual work, growth. On the first stage of our spiritual path we turn the egoistic intention Lo Lishma into an altruistic intention Lishma, bestowal for the sake of bestowal. Once a person acquires the property of Bina, he becomes a “tree of the field.”

Then a person moves to the stage of receiving for the sake of bestowal, and the barren tree of the field starts bearing fruit. This is a result of a person’s work, of his degree. Now, he uses his “tree” to grow fruit, fill the souls, and he relates to them as the source of bestowal, like the Creator. This way the person becomes equal to the Creator and completes the correction.

We Kabbalists see the completion of man’s entire work in Tu Bishvat. Overall, all holidays have dual roles: They embody a certain part of our path, and at the same time they contain a certain element in them that symbolizes its completion.

Passover, the celebration of the exit from Egypt, signifies what we already see, how we abandon egoism, and why. After all, it is impossible to leave it without knowing the purpose. Shavuot, the holiday of the giving of the Torah, is also more than the acquisition of the means of correction: We know why we receive it. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is the beginning of all the changes, and the final goal is already planted in the initial plan. The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, once again reminds us why we go through the chain of corrections. The same applies to Chanukah and Purim.

All these customs of our world symbolize the stages, milestones on the path of our spiritual correction. That is where they come from.

They do not seem to be special. On Tu Bishvat we eat fruit and sweets—what a weak hint! Purim also looks more like a children’s holiday. But in reality, these are the most important holidays, and their outcomes are the most convincing. This is because they refer to the results, the fruit of our efforts.

Purim represents the final correction, the end of the path. Then both forces, the positive and the negative, support one another and participate in attaining the final goal. Tu Bishvat also symbolizes the ripening of the fruit, and the difference between them is in the level of perception. The field tree is the vegetative level, while Purim is higher degrees.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/21/2011, “Because Man Is the Tree of the Field”

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Question: What inner meaning should be attached to kindling the Chanukah candles? What do we need to explain to children?

Answer: We aspire to bestowal and love for our neighbor, and that should become for us the Light which fills us with pleasure. If we all connect like one man with one heart, we will begin sensing the spiritual world, the Creator, eternal life. This is called kindling Chanukah lights.

Chanukah is still not the end of correction, but only a stop on the path. We reach the property of Bina, bestowal for the sake of bestowal; we come out of our egoism, meaning we rise from Malchut to Bina.

For now, I am still unable to descend back from Bina and start using Malchut. I only rise above reason. This is called Chanukah. This is why we are not supposed to use this Light; we can only look at it.

Afterward, when we achieve the holiday of Purim, we take this Light and use it in our desire to receive pleasure so that “the darkness will shine like the Light.” Then, all powers of Bina descend to Malchut, and Malchut herself begins to shine.

This is the end of correction, while Chanukah (Chanu-Ko, “they stopped here”) is still a stop over, a break in the middle of the path. It is like a generation wandering in the desert and discerning the ways to rise above their ego.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/1/2010, Writings of Rabash, Letter 43

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Question: We see that our efforts should result in a miracle. What must we do for it to happen?

Answer: We have to really want it, like a small child. However, a miracle happens after numerous efforts. You have to see what a monster your ego is and how it gets in your way, blocking all that’s good. You have to come to hate the ego despite the fact that you grew up on Pharaoh’s “lap,” played with his crown (Keter), and were a true prince who had everything.

Now, you hate your ego passionately and can’t remain in it. You’re ready to receive blows to the ego. You intentionally subject it to the ten plagues of Egypt in order to disconnect from it.

However, when we feel a blow, we instantly try to hide from it because we associate ourselves with the ego. Yet, if I disconnect from the ego, then I will agree to accept the blows: Let the ego receive the blows and suffer; the ego is not my “I.” I’m simply next to it.

Then, I’ll gradually begin to separate myself from the ego until I go through all ten plagues. I don’t associate myself with the ego, although the ego is suffering a great deal. This is the only way I can rise above it and escape.

Escape is exiting from Egypt. This is when I’ve almost disconnected from the ego, but there is still a thin thread left which I cut off in order to disconnect myself completely and run off into the darkness of night.

We must go through all the disconnections before reaching the final one by means of methodical blows. We have to rise above them.

Our work consists of no longer wishing to associate ourselves with Pharaoh: He is separate from me, and I’m separate from him. It’s true that I grew up in his home. I came from him, but it’s not my “I.” Now, Pharaoh is my biggest enemy.

The miracle is in the help that you get. This is how all miracles happen: We work and put in the effort in disconnecting from the ego and elevating ourselves, and in the end, a miracle occurs. The Light makes it happen after you’ve put in all your effort.

So, after working hard, let’s wait for a miracle. Happy Hanukkah!
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/1/10, Writings of Rabash, “Hanukkah”

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Question: In the article dedicated to the Hanukkah celebration, we read about choosing the environment. How does one relate to the other?

Answer: What is another way to come to the celebration of Hanukkah in the soul? Only with the help of environment that wakes a person up to demand the property of bestowal. And then we start asking it, by raising MAN (female waters, a prayer): It is our revolt against the “Greeks” above whom we must rise with our collective desire.

This is a war against inner doubts; waged until we defeat them all and climb to the top of the mountain made of these doubts (mountain in Hebrew is “har,” from the word “Irurim,” doubts) to the holiday of Hanukkah. And when we are in the final stage of the climb, when Hanukkah ends, all of its 8 days (the 7 Sefirot of Zeir Anpin plus Malchut), then we start approaching Purim. Now we collect the desires we rose above and attach them to Bina, thereby reaching the big, mature state of adulthood (Gadlut).
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/2/10, The Writings of Rabash

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Question: What should we do this Hanukkah so that the spiritual world becomes reality?

Answer: All of us around the world have reached the point of breakthrough. We are approaching the exodus from Egypt, from the sensation of just our world inside our ego.

On the one hand, we feel that the Pharaoh, egoism is holding us by the toes and stubbornly refuses to let us go. On the other, we understand that we must break out of our ego. These forces are fighting one another.

Every day brings us greater understanding that the spiritual world and its perception are above the ego, which is called faith above reason. However, when we attempt to reach the spiritual world, we feel that we still lack the forces to make the breakthrough and escape from Egypt.

Therefore, we need more events such as the recent Unity Day, which was held by all the world groups with great success. Our world group is already big and diverse enough, giving great power of unity to our Kli. Therefore, we have come to a state where we are fighting against the “Greeks” in us, wishing to be free of them.

The difference between the Pharaoh and the “Greeks” is the level of the struggle: The Pharaoh represents the passions of the material world such as the desires for food, sex, family, wealth, fame, and so on, while the Greeks represent the struggle between materialism and Kabbalah. A person who stops being tempted by these things despite having all of them, and who realizes that other things are more important in life, wages the war for ascension above this world since his life lacks meaning. He doesn’t know what to live for.

Thus, the Maccabean War is a spiritual war. The ancient Greek philosophers argued that our world is real and that we have to live in it and develop it. This approach is opposite to the wisdom of Kabbalah, which says that we must rise above this world because it can no longer fill us; we have to realize the thought of creation.

We have reached a very advanced level, although we always want to achieve more. I think that all of us, including those who are advancing together with us in groups, as well as individual students all over the world, will quickly prevail in this war.
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From the lecture on 11/30/2010

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Question: Why do we feel comfortable when there are candles glowing in a room?

Answer: We relate a candle to warmth, light, and hope. That is how we perceive it according to our spiritual root.

The candles of Chanukah symbolize the outcome of man’s war with his ego. What is a candle, really? It’s a body that contains oil, a wick inside the oil, and a fire burning on the wick. Each of these components has a meaning: The body is the spiritual vessel or Kli, the oil symbolizes the Light of Hochma that becomes revealed to us, and the wick stands for the discernments we make. All of this together gives us fire, the Light.

When a person makes enough inner discernments, waging a war with his ego, desiring to ascend above it, independent of the egoistic approach where all his actions are aimed only at fulfilling himself, when he desires to get rid of his egoistic nature, this is called “the war of the Maccabees against the Greeks.”

In Hebrew the Maccabees are called Makabim, which is an abbreviation of the phrase, “Those who are going toward the Creator, follow me.” In essence we separate from the “Greeks” inside us – the rational thinking, the egoistic desire to enjoy – and slightly rise above everything earthly to bestowal and love for the neighbor. The level of Bina means, “Do not do to another what you hate.”

In other words, a candle is a good, beautiful symbol of the spiritual nature. That is why we feel so good and comfortable when it glows.
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From the program “Kabbalah for Beginners” on 12/1/10

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Our egoistic desire is regarded as “the Greeks” or “knowledge,” which means that we wish to advance following the mind and heart we possess at the moment. And indeed, what can we lean and rely on? Only on what we have. This, however, is the root of the problem since with these Kelim (vessels) we cannot enter the spiritual world.

But the spiritual world is here and now; there is neither distance that we need to cover, nor a dimension where we have to attain it. We attain the spiritual world in additional organs of perception that we must grow within above our own intellect and rationality, that is, above the ego that we have to correctly prepare in order to begin experiencing the spiritual world with it for the first time.

This is regarded as the Maccabean Revolt, and their victory in this war is Hanukkah which means “stopped here” (“Hanu Ko”) because we make a stop on the journey. This state is called “Hafetz Hesed” (wishing nothing for himself) or Bina; it is the revelation of the Creator or the first correction of the ego.

At this stage, a person rises above his ego and starts acquiring an additional sensation called “bestowal.” With its help, he begins to feel the spiritual world. But even though a person does sense the spiritual world, he remains in its reality passively, like an embryo in its mother’s waters.

This is what is regarded as a “stop” specifically because a person isn’t prepared yet to possess clear knowledge and perception called “attainment” when everything is transparent and open for him,  and when he becomes exactly like the Creator and manages the entire spiritual world.

To compare this state to the arrangement with the guest and the Host: Despite the growing desire to feel pleasure, at the stage of Hanukkah a person refuses to receive from the Host. At this point, it is the spiritual work of a person, meaning that he doesn’t wish to receive anything or participate in the spiritual world; he wishes just to be present in it.

This is why during this holiday, it is prohibited to use the light from the Hanukkah candles, but only observe it. Besides, Hanukkah is considered to be the time when a miracle takes place because we exit from our ego to the outside. In other words, this is a miracle of victory over the ego after the ascent or exodus from it (from Egypt). It is liberation from desires and thoughts that hold us in this world and don’t allow us to experience the spiritual world.
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Kabbalah for the Nation Introductory Lesson Series, “Hanukkah” 11/30/10

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