Every person at some stage of their life begins to feel that he has to reveal its meaning. This can be a conscious search for the meaning of life, which is given to individual, chosen people, or an unconscious urge, as it is characteristic of the rest of the people. However, everyone will at some point have to find the answer to this question: What am I living for? Since the goal of development is to return all of us to our root.

When a person asks, “What is this life for?” in essence, he is asking, “What do I need this suffering for?” The suffering is personal or common, but everyone asks because his desires are not receiving fulfillment. Then a person begins to search, and some people come to study Kabbalah, while some people arrive at some other places.

Our development on the human level began hundreds of thousands years ago, from the beginning when humanity emerged, having risen above the animal level. It started from the development of the mind and language, but in fact, man was moved by that same question: “What am I living for?” Although, a person, who lived thousands of years ago, did not understand the essence of this question, just like today, when this question is being awakened in us, we do not exactly understand its true meaning. It is simply an unclear urge, which makes us move forward.

This is how the whole of humanity moves forward chasing wealth, fame, power, and knowledge without knowing that the goal of development is not in this, but in reaching one’s root, to find out: where I come from and what rules me, and really means, where should I go?

The desire to enjoy, awakening in us, asks us these questions, which are gradually becoming ever more precisely directed at the root from which the upper Light is shining through at us. This is how our system is set up.

But a person, who has already reached the last stage of development, and who has been brought to such a place where he begins to study, at first does not understand the connection between his need to find out what he lives for, what the meaning of his life is and what he studies. Often, he is not even aware of the question itself, which takes the form of various other questions, simple curiosity.

This is how he begins to study the science of Kabbalah, or at first he takes interest in some other methodologies, spending long years on this. Sometimes, under the pretense of Kabbalah, he is being sold various “miracles” and advices about how to succeed in life, and how to find out about your past, present and the future. However, if he really arrives at the science of Kabbalah, and not fortune tellers, then he discovers the Kabbalistic books for himself and he does not understand where all of this is located: the upper worlds and Partzufim.

He has no connection at all with these concepts. He does not know where all of that exists, beyond the borders of our world, our Galaxy, or even the whole universe? Is it somewhere up there, below, or maybe inside the material? It is very difficult for a person to understand how to relate to all of this.

A lot of time is spent on this. And even when a person listens, he does not hear that the science of Kabbalah only talks about the connection between people. He does not understand that by setting the correct connection, we reveal reality, which belongs to a new, higher dimension.

It is difficult for him, given his previous opinions and impressions about the science of Kabbalah, to connect it to human relationships. How can such a hidden and high science, such high names and worlds, actions and forces, have any connection to our relationships towards each other, between me and the neighbors, between me and my friends?

He simply cannot imagine that all of the upper worlds and what goes on inside of them is in essence the “psychological” connection between us, people. And if we begin to interact with each other, with bestowal and love, this means that we are using the spiritual force. In the event that we reach true love of our neighbor, and not that egoistic one, we’re used to in this world, which is calling the use of the other for the sake of my own pleasure love.

However, if I use myself for the sake of other people’s benefit, this is called love of one’s neighbor. When I relate this way to someone else, then in my relationship to him I begin to reveal the spiritual Partzufim, the upper worlds, Sefirot, angels, demons, spirits, and all of these spiritual forces, which are “for” or “against” my connection with others. They can be positive forces or negative ones, meaning the forces of “holiness” or “evil”.

All together, they unite into one common force, which I reveal in my love for the other, called the Creator, which have a number of various names that reflect the character of my connection with others.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/3/12, Writings of Rabash

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The difference between double concealment and single concealment is very great. It is a phase that takes a long time, even years. In the past, it took Kabbalists an even longer time.

The difference here is that in double concealment the person doesn’t know definitely, nor even approximately, what bestowal is, but only talks about it when he repeats what is written about it in the books. Thus, it is very difficult for him since all of these words are artificial.

We see this in his conversation, but he must do it like a child who, in the meantime, imitates the grown-ups and plays with dolls and cars. This is so, until he attains the state where the upper Light bestows on him, and it becomes enough to begin to feel the value of bestowal.

He begins to describe to himself, in his imagination, what bestowal is, how he exits himself toward others and loses himself there, how he begins to feel them and not himself. This is not even “we,” meaning, I am in connection with others. Instead, he ceases feeling himself and feels only what is external to him. It is not possible to convey this feeling with words, but it begins to be grasped within a person.

This is called reaching single concealment. Then, he begins to demand the disclosure of bestowal. It is now understood to him that it arrives only with the help of the reforming Light. In the transition from double concealment to single concealment, he sees that everything is realized only through the upper force and that only he, himself, can awaken this force through all kinds of actions, but not more than that.

Here, the demand matures in him that he must have the upper force that will produce within him the quality of bestowal. We are in this state now, before the congress in the desert, before the meeting with the Pharaoh and the exit from Egypt.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/7/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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In order to describe my state to myself, I need to see that I am within a sphere. It is the Creator who shows us everything that goes on within it. There is no event in the entire world that is initiated by another force.

All, from the cruelest enemies to the closest friends, including the Creator, are actors in a play shown to us. Everything is within a person’s perception, within his awareness.

Since he is already in single concealment, he now needs to see the world, respond, and relate to everything in a mature way, that in everything, he sees the relationship between himself and the Creator, through all of these messengers: all the inanimate, vegetative, animate and human levels of nature that are within his perception.

He feels all of his impressions in the natural way as they come; however, they actually come to him from the Creator. This is the way you need to relate to this. First of all, you need to make a calculation, and if you are able to from the result of these or those surrounding relationships, attain a connection, assimilation, adhesion and closeness to the Creator who is positioned behind them. Since they serve as signs of what he needs to correct, these imaginary images will disappear, and, in the end, you will discover the Light that will shine on you.

All of this is obtained thanks to a game called, “Come to Pharaoh.” In this game, we ask for the force of bestowal so that it will begin to rule inside us thanks to the reforming Light. Thus, we exit Egypt and enter the desert. Then, we begin to increase this force, to acquire it, to work with it, and to advance to the entrance of the spiritual world, to the land of Israel.
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From the 4^th  part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/7/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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When we speak about the Light we refer to the phenomenon that takes place in the desire. This means that I want to do good to someone without any personal accounts of self-profit. The more I check myself, the more I see that I really have no urge for personal benefit. This is the Light: It is as if some spirit is dressed in me and I want to bestow, to love others, and to want only the wellbeing of others, because by that I please the Creator.

When I work in a group, I summon the Reforming Light that builds in my “body”, in my desire, the phenomenon called the Light. Thus the surrounding Light (Ohr Makif) influences the desire so that it can feel the phenomenon of the Light internally.

Question: Where does the Ohr Makif come from?

Answer: It comes from a higher level. I can’t receive it inside me and so it “surrounds” me and prepares my desire, my vessel, in order to enter it later on. This Light is also inside me, but I don’t feel it yet. It is as if it is operating from a distance: Something ripens in me, but I feel it indirectly, according to the results.

One way or another, everything is inside a person: all the lights and all the worlds, including the world of Ein Sof (Infinity).

Question: In order to feel that, do I have to work in a group?

Answer: You have to follow the advice of Kabbalists, which we call the “faith of the sages,” and carry out their recommendations. You are brought to the group from Above, and you begin to work in it, even without asking any questions. Only later does the issue of freewill come up when you understand what is happening and can find your way around and realize: “So this is what I should do! I should love the friends…”

You approach the mutual work and from a “study circle” you become one whole, acquire one heart and one thought, make great collective efforts, and act in front of one another in order to evoke a deficiency in the friends and to raise the Creator’s greatness in their eyes.

Then people discover “the field that the Creator has blessed.” They don’t wander in the field like the sons of Jacob, but rather acquire the force of Joseph, which brings them together and takes them through the land of Egypt to the Land of Israel. This is all our work, and this is where our freewill begins.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/12/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Our work is perpetual. The upper Light is in a state of absolute rest, and its rest is constantly pushing us towards the goal. It is the same with us: If we constantly “press the gas pedal” yearning for the goal, we are in a state of rest because there is nothing else but this and I only operate in one direction.

Here we might argue, but I am acting against my egotistic desire, which constantly confuses me.

Still, if you try to keep the right direction with the help of the group and the books, you are at least close to resting.

Actually, it is only a psychological problem. If we decide, if we determine for ourselves what is most important for us and we don’t divert our attention to something else, if we go straight towards the goal, towards adhesion with the Creator, and add everything we can glean from the study, the teacher, the books, the group, and dissemination to it, we lock ourselves on the target and we only have to keep the right course.

In order to do that, everyone must be connected. Only then can you choose the goal, because you don’t actually know it, and it is attained from within the center of the group. Where is that center? You are the one who draws the crosshairs on the sight. You pass through the circles as their diameter gets smaller and smaller, and in every circle, you better get to know the Creator and His actions, and eventually you find the center: and meet Him.

Today we have to work on several planes:

1. All the friends are equal; there are no great ones or small ones.
2. Everyone must do his best and act in front of the others and show them how much he wants to love them. The friends should see only this yearning in him. We must constantly set an example for everyone so that no one will be able to avoid an equal attitude towards others. This is our obligation.
3. We do all this on purpose, so that we will be able to connect, and in the connection among us, discover love: first conditional love and then absolute love, until we reach the end of correction, Gmar Tikkun.

The whole process takes place in the group. There is nowhere to run to: You have a place for fulfillment, you have friends who yearn for the same thing, and you have the evil inclination, which actually constantly helps us look for the center of the circle. We have all that we need and we should support one another and constantly rise above the interruptions, as it says, “Love will cover all the sins.”

Let’s hope that we will advance this way, from success to success.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/12/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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There is nothing but the soul, the one “round” desire to receive, that is full of Light. The Light begins to operate inside; it spurs the desire and “warms it up,” puts it out of balance, and is revealed to it gradually. Throughout the process, the Lights and the vessels influence one another and descend from Ein Sof (Infinity).

Let’s take a system, any system, mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic. If it receives an electric shock, it is put out of balance in “one blow,” and begins to gradually quiet down until it returns to the previous balanced state.

This is what happened with Malchut of Ein Sof: the system received a “blow” when it discovered the contrast between the Light and the vessel, the horrible gap between the infinite minus (vessel) and the infinite plus (Light). This nightmare is terrible for the desire, and it cannot bear and digest this. Therefore it restricted itself and moved on to the next chain of actions. The desire won’t calm down until it performs them. After the decision that has been taken in Ein Sof, all the other decisions come automatically, all the way from top down, until our world.

Now our work begins; the work of ascending back to Ein Sof. The way back totally matches the descent that preceded it: We go through the same stages, but in an opposite order and according to our will, as we request the correction (MAN) first. This is the whole difference.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/12/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Question: What is frivolity when it comes to inner work?

Answer: Frivolity is a very wide notion: It ranges from my stopping my work completely to a state when I change from a more beneficial activity to a less beneficial one, but one that is more pleasant, convenient, and easier.

Frivolity may be manifested in doing things that completely contradict the path, to the extent of minor transgressions or even allowing myself a little “freedom” in thought, analysis, and desires.

Where does the expression “frivolity” come from? A “heavy head” means that a person is constantly judging himself, analyzing, and is full of thoughts. And easiness of mind means that he frees his head of proper activity, and then it becomes filled with different worthless foreign thoughts.

It can even be something that does not contradict the Creator in any way, when a person simply allows his head to be filled with thoughts of this corporeal world.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/12/12, Writings of Rabash

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In the “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Baal HaSulam raises the question: How is it possible to reach love without the revelation of the Creator? This question baffles us, because if the Host is before me and treats me with love, then I can also show the same feelings towards Him. But what can I do if He is concealed? How and who, can I love in this case?

I must have some kind of revelation, some perception, some understanding, an image and a direction in order to develop the love in me. Otherwise, how can we reach the vessels of bestowal in our world? Is it possible? After all, they are so different from my nature, from my character. It is like transcending from a protein form of life to a silicon form of life that is based on totally different elements. Actually it is simply impossible.

We count on the upper Light, but it operates only when we want it. So how can we want it, and to want it even more strongly than we want to exist in our present state? How can we yearn for something without seeing, feeling, or understanding anything?

I start from my ego, from my desire to receive. How can I kill it? I am ready to do so only in return for a greater ego. Otherwise I don’t have the power to do it. So where can I get the third force? After all, without it I can’t reach a decision and I can’t fulfill it.

To answer that Baal HaSulam gives us that we have a “precious gem” that enables us to transform ourselves so that we will be like the Creator.

But first we have to understand the question itself. It is depicted by the example of the rich man and the poor man: If the rich man loves the poor man, the poor man begins to take advantage of the situation and to “manipulate” the rich man; “If he already loves me, then I can receive from him.”

But where can I find this love, so that I can start to act? Where can I feel that the Creator loves and bestows so that I can start manipulating if not Him then myself? One way or the other, I need the connection. How is the Creator revealed to me? How does He enable me to perceive the precious gem and to succeed? We should ask ourselves this question.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/2/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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When a person despairs from his life, he begins to search for a way to justify his existence, for a reason life is worth living. Actually, what motivates him is the ego, the pride that hides within, which demands an explanation: How do I exist if it’s not worthwhile living?

I must find something to exist for. Everyone, constantly, searches for this justification for himself. It doesn’t matter who he is. The pride from the feeling that he is a person, derives from the point of creation itself, “Something from nothing,” from the contradiction of the “something” and this “nothing.”

This brings him to search for the meaning to which accordingly he chooses the way of life, the profession, and the style of behavior at each moment. This point motivates him during each moment of his life. And when this question becomes real, then the person finds the wisdom of Kabbalah, and enters the influence of the Light that reforms and begins to develops.

This first question: “What am I living for,” “Is life worthwhile living,” “How can I justify my existence,” matures into a very clear question about the meaning of life. And then a person begins to study, is included in a group, and receives the books and the teacher.

And gradually he begins to feel that he is in concealment. It is as if something is hidden from him, even though he doesn’t understand what concealment and disclosure are. He simply feels changes in his mood in relation to others, in measures of patience and annoyance, as much as he understands or not until he finds himself in a fog and is confused. In this way these states change within him.

And of course, the relation to life is constantly changing. Sometimes he feels that it is worthwhile to exist, that life is shining on him to the point that he is ready to sing from happiness, and sometimes he feels the opposite. All of this is the work of the Light that awakens and moves the person and in this way builds in him the spiritual Kelim (vessels, desires).

And the Kli is measured according to the size of the gap between the highest and lowest points in relation to the feeling, the understanding, recognition, and values from how the person examines the closeness or distance of the desired goal.

Thus he progressively advances. In the beginning he evaluates his state only according to his mood, if it is good or bad. And later, he already begins to examine it according to more accurate criterion: how much he succeeded in understanding and feeling, more or less. The mood doesn’t worry him so much, but the most important thing is to understand, to feel and to advance. The truth becomes for us more important than the pleasure.

In this way he advances, until he feels himself in double concealment.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/7/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Question: What conditions should we fulfill so our request is accepted by the upper one?

Answer: The request should match the abilities of the lower one. If a small child asks according to his conditions and makes efforts, then he grows by getting the answer, illumination. Besides that, we aren’t required to do anything else but to ask according to our degree, our internal state and external conditions, which are given to us.

We need to consider both the internal and external conditions. We think only about ourselves, but it is wrong; we should take into account the entire world, all the conditions. So it works in the material world, and in the spiritual one.

In the spiritual world, the soul is an internal component, and the worlds are the external one. If the souls do not bring themselves in balance with the external system, the worlds, then no action is possible. We still do not understand this in our world, and I am sometimes amazed when I hear from some students that they are not concerned about dissemination, the connection with the world.

But what is the world? It is our external vessels. You cannot address the upper one correctly without considering both the internality and externality.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/9/12, “Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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