We should understand what “Pharoah” symbolizes. The Creator created the will to receive as “existence from absence (Yesh Mi Ein),” meaning slightly different from the Light, only to separate them from each other.

All other things existing in the will to receive, except for this point of creation, are the Creator’s opposite forms. When the Light arrives and gives the will to receive its attributes, they transform within it into contrary attributes.

The entire essence of the will to receive is that it turns the Light’s attributes into the opposite ones. That transformer is called “existence from absence.” Actually, the will to receive only has that single attribute: to invert what arrives to it from the Creator. Thus, it turns out that everything existing within the will to receive, other than that single attribute of “existence from absence,” all of it is the Creator, only in an opposite form called “Pharaoh.”
[68979]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/6/2012, Writings of Rabash

Related Material:
Pharaoh’s Matter In The Creator’s Form
Don’t Negotiate With Pharaoh
Intercepting The Initiative From The Light

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

We should relate to all the problems in the groups as to the necessary revelation of evil that we should not conceal. So it’s good that the evil is revealed and we should reveal it, but only for one moment. If a person stalls and remains in the evil that has been revealed a moment longer than it is necessary for its correction, he is already in impurity (Klipa or shell).

This is called “the devil’s touch,” which is needed only for a moment so that we could reveal the evil and immediately correct it. We should be prepared for that. Unfortunately, however, I see that it doesn’t always happen that way, and people don’t correct the evil, but rather sink into it for a long time as if enjoying being in it. They don’t understand that such states are given to us on purpose, so that we will grow thanks to them.

The Creator always invites you: “Come to Pharaoh!” But do we come to Pharaoh together with the Creator from the point of Moses, which exists in us like the representatives of “Yashar-El” (straight to the Creator), meaning those aimed straight at the Creator, whom we want to reach through “Pharaoh”? Or are we merely coming to him to demand, to negotiate better conditions for us, like ordinary slaves who argue with their master by demanding more benefits and rewards?

In the meantime we forget what the approach of “come to Pharaoh” symbolizes. Instead of relating to the situation from the perspective of the spiritual goal, we slip into arguments or childish games, starting to deal with corporeal matters (as if there is some meaning in it) and trying to sort things out between us.

I warn all of you that we should leave these states as soon as possible and to be sensitive to everything that is happening with us, not forgetting that there is truly “none else besides Him” and that the invitation of “come to Pharaoh” always comes from the Creator. The Creator begins, and we, together with Him, should relate to Pharaoh from the point of Moses.
[68982]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/6/2012, Writings of Rabash

Related Material:
A Game Arranged From Above
Pharaoh = The Creator, Only Opposite
The Bad Serves The Good

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Inner Work - 1 Comment →

Question: If we succeed in keeping the mutual guarantee conditions during the convention, what will happen after the convention ends?

Answer: The mutual guarantee conditions do not exist, not before the gathering at the foot of Mt. Sinai, not during the receiving of the Torah, and not afterward. If we manage to fulfill these conditions for just one moment, that would be enough! It is just as it was then at the foot of Mt. Sinai.

You are not responsible for how you will change. All the changes take place in us due to the Light. I can only ask for strength from Above to be able to fulfill these conditions below. And we are ready for that.

What will happen a moment later? I am not responsible for that. If you were given a spiritual vessel and Light, you’ve reached revelation. Immediately after that there is a greater fall, to the golden calf. But never mind. There are many different stages ahead, but they take place in the revelation and the concealment of the Creator. It isn’t the way it is now when we don’t understand who we are, where we are, and who we are dealing with.

You will then be either in concealment or in revelation. Even if there is concealment, you will already know that there is the Creator who is concealed from you. This is already a revelation, the revelation of the concealment! Now I already know that He is concealed from me. It is as if we are playing hide and seek. I have signs of His presence, a feeling.

Suppose on the levels of 0-1-2-3 (Shoresh, Aleph, Bet, Gimel) He is revealed, and on the fourth level (Dalet), he is concealed. Therefore I feel it. If He weren’t revealed in all the other levels of my desire, I would exist like an animal. He is revealed a bit, once here and once there, on different levels, through different attainments, at a certain level of recognition, and so I feel His presence. Even when I don’t feel Him clearly and am not in contact with Him inside my vessel, it is called concealment.

The concealment is a certain revelation, when He is inside me, but I can’t perceive Him. I feel how He turns me, but I can’t operate mutually with Him.

The concealment can be in the fact that I only pay attention to different signs but don’t reveal Him as a clear feeling.
[70754]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/22/12, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

Related Material:
Single Concealment Before the Meeting With Pharaoh
Forward Toward Concealment
Double Concealment

Filed under: Conventions, Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Inner Work, Mutual Guarantee, My Similarity to the Creator - No Comments →

Malchut is separated into two levels of desire that differ by how quickly they react to the influence of the Light. All of the desire in Malchut needs to be corrected and returned back to Keter. This is called the nine Sefirot of the Reflected Light, the work of the creation. And when the construction of the whole upper system is completed, all the worlds and restrictions, all the examples of the relationships between Keter and Malchut, establishing complete conformity from above to below from the side of the Light, then it is creation and humanity’s turn, in other words, the total Malchut begins to awaken from the state most distant from the Creator.

In this awakening some awaken sooner and some later according to the law of similarity of qualities. The upper Light influences us and gradually strengthens its influence on the general Malchut, which is split apart.

Those parts that awaken before everyone else are called Israel, meaning those who aspire “straight to the Creator” (Yashar-El). While those who are not yet awakened due to their great depth of desire, for the time being are called the nations of the world. However, in the end everyone will arrive at unity with the Creator, as it is said: “And there shall be no outcast rejected from Him” and “Everything must return to its root.” However, there is a defined order according to which a part of the souls awakens earlier, and those awakened first are obliged to work on themselves and be a conductor of Light for the rest who are not able to awaken by themselves.

They will never awaken if the part of the souls that is awakened thanks to the Light does not exert influence on them. So it turns out that there is a part of the souls located under the direct influence of the Light and for this reason can awaken, while the other part can awaken only due to the influence of the Light through higher parts of the soul. This is how the Light gets to everyone.

That is why we separate these two groups in our dissemination. There are those, who awaken by themselves towards the Light and their relationship to it is studied by the science of Kabbalah. They need to take this system with its laws and explain it to the others using the language of that earthly system where we all are, using the language of “mutual guarantee.” And the relationships of everyone else to each other will not be called by the terms of the science of Kabbalah, but of the mutual guarantee.

In fact, this is the same science, the same methodology, but on two levels. The level for those who consciously aspire toward the Light is called Kabbalah. The level for those who simply long for a happy life is called mutual guarantee. But both of these parts are moving and getting closer to each other, egoistically (Lo Lishma) at first, and in the end will reach bestowal (Lishma).

That is why the problems and sufferings they experience are also different. Those who are in connection with the Light receive suffering relative to the Light called the sufferings of love. They are constantly judging themselves, searching and clarifying their relationship to the Light, how connected they are to it, and whether they love it or not.

While those who are at the other level will be obliged to check themselves relative to the mutual guarantee, whether they want it or not, whether they love each other or not. This is how the same aspirations, the same stages are realized in a concealed way, only on a lower level, in a somewhat similar way. Then they will at levels more advanced, more conscious and will even reach the revelation.

That is why for those, who are already in touch with the light, the following condition is given: “Be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.” Meaning that they must be in complete bestowal, in faith, “Lishma,” in unity with the Light, with the Creator. They are obliged to be the “servers of the Creator” relative to those, who are lower than them and do not have the direct connection with the Light, meaning, they have to be the teachers, educators, organizers of the whole necessary system of correction, to care about others. Thanks to this they will reach unity with the Creator. There is no other purpose of the people in whom the urge for spirituality awakens, besides working with the others and to serve as a transfer buffer for the correction of the world, and only due to this to become worthy of unity with the Creator. After those, who are called Israel, the whole of the world will arrive at such a union. This is how the world is built.
[70527]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/19/12, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

Related Material:
Servants Of The People
Spirituality Is Only Between Us
Passing The Correction To The World

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Inner Work, Kabbalah Dissemination, Mutual Guarantee, Unity - No Comments →

Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot,” 100: In other words, there would be no way or inlet for people to attain the Light of the King’s countenance had He not first behaved with them in concealment of the face. Thus, the whole concealment is but a preparation for the disclosure of the face.

Yesterday I spoke with a man who practically knows everything that is in our books. He really made great efforts in his study. His question was simple: “What’s the use of having studied all that?”

The point is that the revelation of the Creator doesn’t depend on the amount of knowledge and the number of years one studies. It only depends on the intensity of the mutual connection among us. This is the whole problem. Our spiritual vessel is called “mutual guarantee” and it depends only on how much we can connect with one another so that each one can depend on the other and trust him. It can even be a “baby,” in other words, a person who just started studying. Seniority has no meaning.

We study the material and “chew” it, but don’t think that if you study a certain additional number of pages you can discover the Creator. If you can’t do it now, you won’t be able to do it later either. You mustn’t postpone the redemption. We should expect the coming of the Messiah at any moment. The revelation doesn’t depend on anything physical.

Baal HaSulam says in letter 17: … when today will become tomorrow, and instead of now you shall say later. And there is no remedy for that except to make an effort to understand this mistake and this distortion, that the one who is saved by the Creator, is saved only as someone who needs help today, and if he can wait for tomorrow he will understand things at the end of his life.

And this is because of your negligence to fulfill my request and to make an effort in the love of friends, which I have explained to you in 70 languages (in every possible way), that this virtue is enough in order to complete all that you lack.

This means that a person didn’t do what he had to do and remained empty. He will only understand his mistakes at the end of his life, when it is too late.

So don’t think that we should study some more, or we should work on ourselves some more. Every person, even the newest student, must see himself as ready and worthy. The Creator Himself built the present situation for us. It isn’t my caprice. Until about a year or two ago I didn’t think about it, but now, when the external conditions have been revealed, when we must fulfill them, it is a sign that we are ready.

Even if I don’t understand and don’t feel what Kabbalists say, it isn’t an obstacle. When a person feels that he is empty, then it is the truth and is good. This is because our spiritual vessel is not in any of us at all, but only among us. Everyone feels the spiritual world outside him, in his mutual connection with others.

If we calculate things now and check how much more effort and preparation we need, then actually everyone thinks about his own deficiencies, and with himself one cannot have any calculations. No matter what is inside you, it has nothing to do with spirituality. This is your “beast.” The spiritual world is among us, in the space of our mutual connection. It is there that my spiritual vessel is found. Actually it is all of Ein Sof (Infinity).

You may ask: “So what have we done until now?” We worked in order to understand this, and not more than that. The understanding takes years, and all the rest is practical work when a man’s soul teaches him. It is written: “Love will cover all the sins.” “Will cover” means that it will complete everything. You don’t need anything more.
[70674]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/22/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

Related Material:
The Measure Of Our Exertion
Forward Toward Concealment
Mount Sinai In The Midst Of The Arava Desert

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Inner Work, Mutual Guarantee, My Similarity to the Creator - No Comments →

The upper Light is absolutely still. We are in an ocean of Light, like in an electrical, magnetic, or some other kind of field. It does not matter what kind of Light we have here. It exists; I do not need to create this second force, I just need to reveal it.

It turns out that every time we need to achieve a connection between us to form a detector, an instrument for revealing the field in which we exist. This detector is a desire, a need, which is sensitive to the field I am going to reveal: the quality of bestowal.

In other words, I must feel a need, a desire, to reveal the quality of bestowal. This is the only thing we lack, nothing else. As soon as we together reveal the need for the quality to bestow, we reveal it. That is, we must calibrate ourselves in relation to the quality of bestowal, to manage to reveal it without being in it, but only through an idea of what it represents. This is exactly what we are asking: to know what the quality of bestowal is, to be able to connect with one another the right way for the desire, the need, to bestow to appear in the connection between us. And that is all! This is the Kli (vessel) for revealing it.

We please the Creator with this attitude toward the quality to bestow, this field, the Creator. This is not that difficult and not so far away. All the effort needs to be in the thought: What is the detector of the quality of bestowal? And there is nothing else.

Baal HaSulam wrote in the book The House of the Gates to Intentions: There is a Creator and a creation, and he continues to explain that the creation’s entire problem is to reveal the Creator within which it exists. There is nothing else.

For this reason, when a person concentrates on the question: “How do I build the vessel for revealing the Creator, the quality to bestow, so it would reveal in me?”—he understand that this quality cannot reveal in him because he does not have a vessel for it, he lacks sensitivity for this quality.

Sensitivity to the quality to bestow can only appear from our revealing the desire for it together in our connection. My vessel gains sensitivity to the extent of our simultaneous rejection of one another and the desire to reveal the quality of bestowal between us. So I increase the extent of its sensitivity. And that is it.

Question: Why do I need to want to reveal the need for the quality of bestowal instead of revealing the actual quality?

Answer: There is no point to my revealing the actual quality to bestow: It exists. There is a treat in front of me, which contains everything. Everything in the world is in front of you. But you do not have an appetite for it and you cannot taste it. For example, if I am sick and have not eaten for two days, what do I think about? Revealing tastes? No I think about my need, my desire because, in fact, this is what I lack. Everything else is ready.

The upper Light is absolutely still. We are inside it. Increase your sensitivity, from opposition to it, from the negative, at least make it zero, and keep increasing it little by little until you reveal it.
[70651]
From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/22/12, The Zohar

Related Material:
Awaken The Dawn
The Wave That Carries Us Upward
A Detector For Revealing The Creator

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Inner Work, My Similarity to the Creator, Q&A, Zohar - No Comments →

The Creature is the force of our shared desire to enjoy, standing opposite the force of bestowal. These are two opposing forces, like “plus” and “minus,” the north and south poles of a magnet. The entire universe is the result of the interaction of these two forces.

And if these two forces meet and unite to carry out the work, to receive energy, it results in the form of the still, vegetative, and animate levels in our perception as they create the reality that is called our world.

But if, as a result of our development, we begin to feel the need to use these forces not with the force of reception ruling over the force of bestowal, but with the force of bestowal taking precedence over reception because the possibilities in this case are limitless, then our development will raise us to the level of the force of bestowal and we begin to feel the higher system, the upper world.

But instead of this, we still see the picture of this world, feeling the power of the egoistic force, and instead of forces, we imagine the material world. The egoistic desire paints for us the pictures of still, vegetative, and animate nature, which we call this world. From all this, it is difficult for us to imagine a spiritual reality.

The one who has experienced this revelation explains that it is not necessary to wait for natural development to occur, which will be achieved eventually by everyone: all parts of the desire to enjoy. But we can accelerate our development to reach the desired state in a matter of days, months, or years. As it is said: “You will see your world in your life time.”

Everything depends on how we try to reach unity, and not to reach unity in order to gather a greater collective force, but in order to achieve the force that is above us.That is, we unite not in order to add together the forces of all the participants, like in a sports team or military unit. In our connection, we want to reveal a new quality, which none of us has and which is called the property of bestowal.

If we reveal this property between us, not within everyone, but in our yearning towards others, which is called the Reflected Light, Hassadim, then in it we will discover the force directed at us, which is called the Creator. Inside the Light of Hassadim, the Light of Hochma is revealed; in the force of bestowal, coming from us, we discover the higher force of bestowal.

Thus, it all depends on how much each of us strives to exit himself and rise to the level of bestowing on others. You shouldn’t delude yourself that we are able to exit ourselves, unite with others in order to bestow, and reveal the upper Force in our aspiration to exit ourselves. It is impossible because we do not have these qualities in us, and none of my efforts can extract from me what I do not have. I do not have bestowal!

And what is inside of me? It is the directly opposite property, a consequence of the breaking, which was created in my root before my creation for this purpose. All of this was in order to reveal this contrast in me, for me to demand the real property of bestowal. I must demand it from the upper force because only It is able to turn my egoistic force, my ego, into bestowal and love,so the hatred will turn into love. But most importantly is that in the course of this work, I establish connection with the correcting force—with the Creator.

[70658]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Lesson 2/22/12, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

Related Material:
The Soul Develops Faster In “Civilized Conditions”
The Spiritual World Isn’t Mysticism
“See Your World In This Life”

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Egoism, Group Work, Inner Work, Mutual Guarantee, Unity - No Comments →

Question: What is the basis of the fusion of the three concepts: “Israel, the Light, and the Creator?

Answer: The basis is that these concepts are not separated. Everything is One. Reality is simple: the desire to receive filled with light. And the question is only one: How can we discover where we really are? How can we discover this reality? How can we add the knowledge about it to our lives, to our current state? In the end, this is what the wisdom of Kabbalah reveals.

Beside this, there is nothing. This reality is permanent. There is no time, place, or distance, but reality simply exists. We can’t imagine this to ourselves without the characteristics of this world, but it exists. Within it we discover both the Kli (vessel or desire) and the Light, meaning all of its components, and thus we reach real existence.

We don’t understand how separated we are today from the truth. Israel, the Light, and the Creator seem separated to us. But we need to connect them into One.

The person who tries to discover the true reality is called Israel since he yearns “directly to the Creator (Yashar Kel).” Light is the Light that reforms, that brings a person to the goal. The goal is the Creator, the upper force, the root to which we long for. Thus everything is connected at the root, and through this, I return to Him, I really become like Him.
[70668]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/22/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

Related Material:
On The Verge Of The First Revelation
The Lens Through Which You Can See The Creator
Holography Of The Spiritual World

Filed under: Collective Soul, Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Inner Work, My Similarity to the Creator, Q&A - No Comments →

I am this point in the heart, and there is nothing in me except that. I long to exit from this point towards others, towards spirituality, towards the group, but I am not capable of externally escaping myself with my own strength since the point can only maintain itself and nothing more than that. This is what I need. And below this point is my ego. In the meantime, it is small and physical, at the level of the animate.

In order for me to have this tendency towards the group, this point is absolutely not enough. I need an environment that influences me in addition to my point in the heart, and then I will receive the force to bond to the group. So, then in some way, I succeed to be included in the correct environment (1). The environment begins to influence me with the importance of bestowal, the goal of spirituality (2). And this gives me the strength to begin to be included, just a bit, into the group (3).

But when I try to be included in the group, I feel an unpleasant response: criticism, evil, rejection, and hate (4). And thus I constantly work: 1-2-3-4, and again 1-2-3-4….. When I feel this hatred, I again return to the friends and ask them to influence me so that the strength to overcome myself and connect to the group will appear for me in spite of the rejection. This is how we constantly work, in parallel to studying and dissemination work.

And when all the forces and these tensions accumulate, we feel that we are in need of help, as is said, “Man will help his friends.” These forces of the environment that take care of me are already not enough for me. I need greater support from the other people. It is already not enough that the environment will supply the awakening for me. I need a real force that will allow me to be included into the group itself. I won’t have strength like this, if I don’t receive it from the others.
[70655]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/22/12, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

Related Material:
The Largest Group Is the Integral World
Swept Away By The Spirit Of Love
Turn To Friends With A Smile

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Group Work, Inner Work, Mutual Guarantee - No Comments →

From the Constitution of the Arava Convention: During all the days of the convention I commit to disconnect internally and externally from the physical world and to forget about myself. I disconnect myself and am ready to escape from the present state, to jump into the Red Sea, to lose my head, to leave everything, remain naked and destitute, and to accept whatever comes, only because it comes from Above.

We should rise above everything that we are. Constant efforts are required here.

It says: “They helped every one his friend.” If the whole group aspires towards this ascent, to faith above reason, it will work on everyone, and it will be easy for everyone. Now we find it hard to connect, but if we want to use the power of unity, we will suddenly feel a relief.

When the general force operates on a person, the difficulties disappear. He stops fearing, and the current sweeps him away. This is what we must attain.

Actually, all the conditions are easy if we carry them out through unification.

In the convention everyone is responsible for all. It is mutuality, mutual guarantee. Everyone worries about the others, about unity. Inside me I should constantly pray for the friends so that they will connect, so that their desire will finally come true. If this prayer lives inside me, then undoubtedly I am also inside.
[70538] 
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/21/2012, Constitution of the Arava Convention  

Related Material:
Guarantors For Each Other
Only Forward
Don’t Be Afraid To Be Infected If You Want To Be Charged

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