The desire to receive pleasure that the Creator created is opposite to Him, the Light, the quality of bestowal, and this is why it only wishes to receive. However, when the creature reveals its opposition to the Creator and desires to become like Him, to bestow, it rises higher and higher in the qualities of bestowal that it receives directly from the Creator. Yet, its very central, original point remains concealed.

The desire to receive that becomes revealed to us in Malchut of the world of Infinity absolutely does not know anything about itself. It is just like an infant who sees something happening in front of him and wishes to participate, thinking that everything adults do is good.

In this same way, Malchut of the world of Infinity restricts itself and says that it wishes to be just like the Creator and nothing else. The Light agrees and plays with the child. It gives Malchut all the necessary strength. If you want a screen, here it is. Here are the Partzufim of Galgalta, AB, SAG, MA, and BON, and the world of Nekudim.

The first time the Light, the Creator, reveals the creature’s true essence to it is during the breaking of the vessels. Imagine the “cruelty” with which it was done. However, at this point, there is no creature. We are only referring to the matter of the desire to receive pleasure. During the breaking, just how opposite the creature is from the Light becomes revealed .

However, this is not yet its own revelation. It is the Light that breaks the desire, and itself together with the desire. In this way, the system of the world of Atzilut and the worlds of BYA (Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya) are created, and a certain perfect state is attained, where everything is prepared for the birth of man.

Man is born out of a special union of Malchut and Bina. When this unique creature, based on the union of the qualities of reception and bestowal, appears, it acquires the possibility to make its own conscious actions with the purpose of gradually attaining the purpose of creation.

This is a very complicated topic, and there are not enough words to express it. The Study of The Ten Sefirot reveals the structure of man in a very general form, without going into any special details. We only know that man arises from the middle third of Sefira Tifferet of the world of Yetzira, but it is impossible to understand the meaning of this without sensing the spiritual world. It is similar to speaking about a phenomenon in this world that you have never encountered.

So, man is born, and he begins to work with the entire system that was created before him, the system he came out of and thanks to which he was born. The system of worlds has a special interweaving of the forces of reception and bestowal with the purpose of leaving this special creature called man with the freedom of choice. Once the creature was broken, the broken souls begin to raise a prayer, MAN, and build Malchut of the world of Atzilut.

This is what our inner work consists of. If we want to connect between us and become like “one man with one heart,” we must become included in this Malchut and obligate it to rise toward Zeir Anpin of the world of Atzilut in order to connect with Him. We must work within the same boundaries and on the same levels where the Creator played with the creature, when it had no knowledge or understanding of anything: in Malchut of the world of Infinity and all the worlds that spread from there downward, until the creature acquired individual perception and consciousness.

We are not able to work within the area of our original qualities, our own “I.” We can only work on becoming included in the upper one, the Creator. This is because our root remains concealed until the very end of correction.

Thus, when we awaken Malchut, we do it through faith above reason. We only ask to be included in the upper one, only to become like Him, to join His actions. This adhesion is also done by the upper one, just like the entire descent of the worlds from Above downward. In the same way, we must obligate the upper one to lift us back from below upward.

However, we never touch upon our true, natural “I” anywhere along this entire path, and we never play with it. We do not touch upon the Creator’s essence, but only His attitude toward us. In the same way, we do not touch upon our own essence, but only our attitude toward Him. We work with the entire range of attitudes between us, except for these two extremes, these last points where, for now, we are absolutely powerless.

Once we complete our full inclusion in one another, Malchut in Bina and Bina in Malchut, me in the Creator and the Creator in me, a special union happens that is called “Rav Paalim uMekabtziel,” and the end of correction, Gmar Tikkkun, is attained.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/2/2011, TES

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What is meant by “my friend is concealed”? Sometimes I feel that a pleasant, wonderful sensation, understanding, or fulfillment that was present in me moves away, cools, and disappears. These levels of separation are called Nekudot – points. There are Taamim – tastes, which are felt during the Light’s exit, and there are Nekudot – points, impressions from the Light’s exit. Nekudot are precisely the place from which new vessels or desires form. We study this in Preface to the Science of Kabbalah and in Talmud Eser Sefirot.

We have to see this gradual disappearance of Light as the creation of new vessels/desires, like in a flirt or game. This separation, the sensation that the Light seems to leave you, is an invitation to pursue it, to show that you really desire it, that you won’t let it leave you. Even if it moves away or grows weaker, you desire to be merged with it in the impending darkness.

Through these games the Creator builds an attitude to Him within us that is independent from our will to enjoy. He moves away, but I am willing to be with Him in any case. He dwindles, but I still want to remain in this darkness. That is, these games are not played in relation to me, but in relation to my will to enjoy, my ego. And above my ego I wish to be merged with the Creator in spite of feeling darkness in my ego.

This is my ego, this is me—above it, and across from me there is Light. And I am willing for the ego to feel darkness and emptiness. This does not matter to me.

Most importantly, I know that in spite of my negative desire, the total absence of fulfillment in my ego, I want to be connected with the Light precisely in these situations. This means I am “above reason,” already in bestowal. Therefore, the Light’s separation builds desires for spirituality within me.
From the 6th lesson at the Toronto Convention 09/19/11
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Question: What is cancellation before the teacher?

Answer: It is cancellation relative to what the teacher explains, the message that he conveys. You may be able to discover this in a book, but he conveys this to you in a more lively manner. Theoretically, you can study without a teacher, but this is extremely difficult. You still have to awaken the soul that precedes you in the hierarchy, but if it is not next to you in some material embodiment, this is much more difficult.

The teacher is a whole system, rather than a “person.” This is a system that transmits the method, teaching, the Light to you, produces difficulties and problems in you, and works on you and your friends. This is the job of a guide who cares about the group and awakens in them desires and spiritual needs, who confuses and thus stimulates them to come to the solution sooner. But he should not rob them of the freedom of choice and turn them into blind admirers or hasidim; this is the most important.

The teacher should reveal himself before you and present himself in a way that you would not obey him fully and disappear before him. He should leave you room for your own efforts, keeping you in constant doubts about him, in the feeling of rejection, disregard, and darkness. Otherwise, it would be just worship, and you will not have a request to the Creator.

The teacher opens you to knowledge, but does not reveal himself. He shows you just the opposite to give you the opportunity to ask the Creator.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/2/2011, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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We are required to always accelerate time since a constant speed does not count in spirituality. What matters is an addition to the usual speed, acceleration that constantly increases the speed. From this we have to draw a conclusion on how we are required to act.

Baal HaSulam explains that this addition to the usual actions is called faith above reason. One cannot make this addition by his own, human effort. However, we are trying to reach it, and therefore, we cry out to the upper one, and our scream draws the Light that Reforms upon us.

This Light doesn’t just come when you are doing something. It comes when you open for it a new, empty place—and then it appears! Another empty place, and once again the Light appears. However, if everything remains the same way, as usual, then there is no reason for the Light to come since it already did its work and performed some action within you.

Therefore, we constantly have to add within ourselves new empty and dark voids in order to ask only for the force that will allow us to work as if we were full of Light.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/2/2011, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Question: Is the understanding that we are part of the general integral system and should make every effort to take care of it considered the first step into the spiritual world?

Answer: Yes, it is. As much as possible, we should disseminate the knowledge of it and the inner basis, the support for this view. In other words, working with people, we employ two channels: on the one side, studies and information, and on the other, education and upbringing.

A person should know the system in which he or she exists. Similarly, children should be taught about the laws of the country and the work of various government agencies. The most important thing for a child is to understand in what world he lives. Thus, humanity should be collectively taught integral laws, to bring it closer to the real case.

Then people will understand the principle of the global system in which we find ourselves and will be able to accept the new principles that we should adopt. Their implementation should be desirable to me so that I happily agree to the impact of the environment that will “operate” on me. I am ready for anesthesia in order to wake up refreshed again and again. Time after time, I will discover the new forces of bestowal in me, and thus, I will be included in the integral world.

Alone, I am not capable of anything. The only thing that I can do is to want to be cured, like a patient who is admitted to a hospital to be healed. He doesn’t know the healing process, and everything else except for his consent doesn’t depend on him. So, I turn to the environment to help me, ready to trust it: “Produce changes in me.”

In principle, this is my job. It is not difficult. I need only not to waste myself on those areas in which I will not succeed on my own. There is no need to enter the system, where strict laws act. I have no chance to learn its gears. Only one thing is required of me: to want and to give the environment an opportunity to bring me into motion so that my gear starts turning as necessary. More precisely, my mind and feelings should coincide with its rotation because it turns correctly. I only reveal what is already there.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/2/2011, “Peace in the World”

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The goal of the work is to annul our ego and to try to connect between us. The heaviness we feel in this work stems from the lack of feeling the importance of this work.

On the contrary, everything is arranged so that I feel disregard: “Why do we need to connect? Who do we connect with?” I look at these people, at their faces, at their personalities, and I don’t feel any need to connect with them. I’m in such concealment that the reality I see before me repels me from connection.

This is why Kabbalists recommend building an environment, a group, essentially so that it will reveal to us the importance of the connection and love of friends. This is so because the more important the connection is to us, to that extent we will be able to annul ourselves and begin to connect with others. If I don’t try to find a way to obtain the strength, the importance of connection, I could wander for many years and not even get close to others in order to connect with them in a heartfelt way. Of course, according to this I don’t attain anything.

I heard many claims from people who are with us already for a long time: “I am here many years, what is happening with me? Why don’t I advance?” I didn’t answer them, but I would have liked to reply: “You are here ten years? You seem to me like someone who just got here. Have you connected to the group? Have you tried to build the Shechina (Divinity), the place where the upper Light that will be revealed to you and you will dwell? Have you worried about the vessel that is worthy of the revelation you are asking about? This is what has been placed upon you. Did you do this? So why are you counting ten years? Maybe during all these years you went backward and not forward?”

A person doesn’t examine correctly the efforts he makes in order to connect to others, but calculates the years according to the regular calendar, according to the revolving of the Earth on its axis around the sun. But did the person himself revolve several times in order to reach the goal? He remained as he was, and it is a sign that not even one year has passed.
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From the 6th lesson at the Toronto Convention 9/18/11

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Question: Isn’t it possible that the global, integral system is egoistic? Why does globalization reveal to us specifically the system of bestowal?

Answer: If we depend on each other, we can’t help but to be considerate of each other. And egoism is namely my indifference to everyone but myself. Today I discover that I exist in a system of cogwheels, and my negative influence over others comes back to me. Therefore, I must consider the interests of others as my own.

This is mutual bestowal—a very simple, egoistic altruism. We don’t speak with people about faith above reason, but we use facts from this world: “You see it for yourself that all of us are dependent on each other. In the general mechanism, all evil indeed returns like a boomerang. This implies that there is no other choice, and everyone must influence in a positive way in order to receive positive feedback.” What isn’t clear here? What’s more, if we are in danger, the connection between us becomes even closer.

From this we reach an obvious conclusion: Our ego disturbs us. If we were connected above our ego, absolutely and in a nice way, then the system would be ideal. We would reach a state where we would never receive anything negative from any place. All the cogwheels would turn as they should: I relate positively to everyone, with all my soul, and in response, I receive only good from them.

So, does it mean that we need to reach some unrealistic situation where everyone goes around with good desires for each other, like ants in an anthill? After all, they work together instinctively. Must we connect in this way against our ego? Is that possible? It seems that this will happen only on condition that the crisis, which in the meantime gets worse, will oblige us to reach specifically this: a mutual, complete connection in spite of all our hatred, envy, and rejection. But from where will we get this strength?

Let’s begin the advancement to a state of connection between us, let’s sign a “declaration of intentions” that we, nevertheless, want to be connected to some extent. Let us first sweeten the situation a little.

If this is the case, we will need to think of how we need to operate systems of connection between us: education, matrimony, social relationships, relations to nature, and especially the financial-economic system. We must reach a certain degree of social justice, of a balanced economy and to decrease the gap between different sectors of society. We will need to consider others as we do ourselves at least a little bit.

Let’s say, I will always give a part of what I take for myself to others. Let’s say everyone would pay a tithe, and then afterwards the money from the tithe would be divided between everyone, according to their situation. This won’t be like Social Security, which at times grants allowances regardless of one’s real income. No, we would all pay and then divide it according to the income of each and every one so as to somehow bridge social gaps between us.

Every big thing is done in stages, and it needs to start with realistic, simple steps, to be followed, of course, by additional ones.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/2/2011, “Peace in the World”

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Question: How do you see The Study of the Ten Sefirot? To me, it seems like something totally abstract. How could someone write it?

Answer: You are right. When I first came to Kabbalah and saw that it uses incomprehensible terms to describe some unclear interrelationships between who knows what, I didn’t understand what kind of wisdom, belief system, or religion it is. It was simply very strange, just like reading about something that is totally unfamiliar, just like finding a diary of total strangers.

Then, for a long while, I read and studied it by heart and tried to make sense of it. Thanks to the close relationship with my teacher and my dissemination activities, I began to understand that by studying the totally unfamiliar ties between unfamiliar objects, I evoke their influence upon me. By the way, this is quite ordinary in our world: We begin to deal with something that is totally unfamiliar to us, we learn about it, and it becomes clear to us.

After several years of studying, the same thing happened to me: I began to feel much more clearly that I exist in some network of connections between people. They were certainly not among the bodies, but rather among their essences, among their desires and their thoughts. Everyone is part of this network: those who lived in this world, are living in it now, and haven’t been born into it yet, and they exist there as equals, regardless of their physical bodies.

Everything I learned in the wisdom of Kabbalah turned into the explanation of these ties, from the strongest to the most broken ones. It explained the conditions under which these ties improve, what the quality of the ties depends on, the limitations on our deeds, and more. This perception was very theoretical, in the form of the network of connections between the “self” of every individual. By the way, I wrote about this network created by the upper force, upon which all the worlds including ours rest, in my first Kabbalah book in 1983.

The more you exert yourself so that the network between your “self” and everyone else’s “self” is revealed, the stronger is the influence of this network that you evoke upon yourself (the Surrounding Light, the Light that Reforms, the Light of the Torah), and this network, the mutual connections of all of creation, becomes clearer and clearer to you. Thus, our world grows pale in contrast to the upper network of forces that determines everything.

Afterwards, it becomes quite clear which of your efforts (desires) evoke certain reactions in the network. Thus a conscious movement begins (conscious actions) through the correct inclusion (bestowal) in the network.

By attaining this network (the spiritual world, these ties), we begin to attain the entire development of our world: to draw closer towards this network and reveal the self (the Creator) in it. We begin to understand the reasons for the global crisis and its solution in order to hasten our inclusion in the network—in the upper world, in the attributes of love and bestowal that reign there.
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Question: What helps a person nullify himself?

Answer: Most importantly, a person shouldn’t be too self-confident and self-reliant because all of his desires, strength, and thoughts, all that there is within him is always opposite to bestowal and to the upper one. A person’s main weakness is his mind because it prevents him from overcoming his ego and nullifying himself. There is noting else but this.

Our desires to receive are not suitable for the spiritual world. You can only nullify them before the upper one. Thanks to this annulment, you will obtain His desires.

Within the desires of the upper one you begin to nullify yourself in relation to others and thereby obtain all of their desires. On the account of bestowing to them, you connect the whole Malchut of the world of Infinity to yourself.

One might ask: “When do I finally start receiving?” However, there is no such thing as receiving in the spiritual world. Reception does not exist there, only bestowal! Even when you receive, it essentially happens in the form of bestowal. In spiritual reality, the form of reception simply does not exist.

It’s just as in our world we only know how to receive and don’t understand what bestowal is. Each moment of my life I think of, live in, and subsist only on reception. Whereas in the spiritual reality, there is only bestowal and no reception. Even when you receive, you don’t make any calculations, but think only about how much you can turn this into bestowal.

In the spiritual world the word “receiving” has a completely different meaning than in our world. In our world I know I will receive pleasure and it will remain in me. I am the final stop of this pleasure. However, in spirituality I simply pass the pleasure on.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/28/2011, “Pticha”

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Question: What does “merging with the group” feel like? How and where do we sense this?

Answer: Imagine that you are not looking at people, but rather at the internal configuration of connection that exists between them, at the force that works between them. You are trying to penetrate through them into this force and connect with it. When you reveal this force between them, you indeed reveal the Creator there.

This common force that connects them all is the Light or the Creator. You have to reach it. Your egoistic attitude towards yourself, your rejection of the environment, distances you from this force, from the Creator. As soon as you break this outer layer, you connect with the Creator. He always exists within the group.
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From the Sunday Virtual Lesson Series 9/25/2011

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