Question: According to the description of the “language of branches,” which defines the relationship between the root and the branch, it appears that these are certain forces or even fields that connect different states.

Answer: A field of energy is a certain state. Indeed, the language of branches connects together the field or domain of reception with that of bestowal. Every word is intended to indicate the path from one state to another and to take us from one state to the next.

It follows that the language of branches doesn’t explain something in one plane, whether in this world or the upper one, meaning in the plane of reception or the plane of bestowal. Rather, it shows you the path, it as if drags you away, wishing to take you from the state of reception to bestowal.

The main distinction of this language is that it takes us to another level, whereas all other languages remain in the same plane and don’t trigger an ascent to the next degree. The language of branches is called such because it aspires to raise you from the branches to the roots. It is built like a lift or a crane. That is why it indicates the spiritual root and also holds its complete cipher: TANTA (Taamim-Nekudot-Tagin-Otiot), the inner data of the root.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/11/2011, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Baal HaSulam, The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 1,“Table of Answers for Topics,” Question 56: What is the ordinary language in the wisdom of Kabbalah?

This language is a “language of branches” that points to their upper roots. That is because “You haven’t even a single blade of grass below that has not a root above.” Therefore, the sages of the Kabbalah have put together a language that is equipped to imply through the branches and teach of the upper roots.

There are no words that we hear or read in Kabbalistic books that don’t lead us upwards! In this world, we are able to express any concept in various ways: hearing a word, seeing it written, or saying it out-loud, but the essence of the word will still point to its root.

In other words, the language of branches doesn’t represent the root or constitute its material branch, but rather it shows us the attitude of the branch towards the root. Each word points from the bottom to the top, meaning from the property of reception to the property of bestowal.

Obviously, the words “down” and “up” do not imply position in space, but signify qualitative notions. When perceived in the correct way, each word always tends to move us from the state of reception to the state of bestowal. The more we penetrate each word, the more it elevates us towards the state of bestowal.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/11/2011, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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What is “faith above reason”? This is something that can only be understood through sensation, whenever it comes. And as long as it doesn’t come, we don’t even know that this kind of dichotomy exists in a person: a splitting into what is inside reason and what is above it.

We think that “above” reason means simply opposite to it. But that is not so. It is a cross section in a completely different dimension, one that we do not understand. This new dimension is called “spiritual space,” which becomes revealed to us. It’s as if one more world appears in my reality, which I did not even suppose existed before.

It’s like a cat that does not understand what a rich world man has. It thinks that it lives in the same world and has the same five senses as man, and it doesn’t need anything more! After all, man has the same thing.

The cat does not understand that man has his own world and all kinds of human calculations. A cat is incapable of understanding this.

And now imagine that this cat suddenly receives human feelings and reason, including all of the understanding that man has, which it did not even suppose existed before. To the cat, this is called “faith above reason”—above the feline reason that it had before.

But sometimes the cat falls from that level and becomes a cat once again, although one that’s stronger, wiser, and shrewder. However, it still exists in the boundaries that are fitting for a cat. And from there it will reascend again in order to become human!

These states are called spiritual ascents and descents. They are not the same as the psychological states where our mood gets worse and then better, and we consider ourselves in a “descent” when we’re down. A spiritual ascent is when you rise to true bestowal, to new desires.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/2/11, Shamati

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Question: How should we work with disturbances?

Answer: The disturbances are exactly what helps us to illuminate our state and strengthen the connection between us even more. A disturbance shows the place where you didn’t finish your work yet. In reality, it is helping you. We only call it a disturbance, but it is actually a revelation of a defect that you are now able to correct because it has become revealed.

Everything becomes revealed gradually, in a step by step manner. There are many more obstacles that will become revealed to you on the path. But for now, this is what has been given to you. And you shouldn’t consider it a disturbance or try to run away from it. Just accept it correctly.

You don’t have to drown in this problem or get held up in it. You should immediately try to overcome it: Rise above it and absorb it, and that way, keep going right above it.

I do not erase this problem and I don’t pretend that it doesn’t exist. I don’t try to come up with different tricks, trying to ignore it. I accept it so that above it, I will strengthen my connection with others and with the Creator even more.

For example, suppose I reveal certain unpleasant qualities in you. Until now, we were friends, but now there is something about you I don’t like anymore. But I have to accept it by faith above reason, meaning to understand that I see flaws in you due to my own flawed nature. And I have to desire to be connected with you regardless of anything, as if you were just an angel. After all, all of the defects I see in other people are actually showing me myself, just like in a mirror.

But keep in mind that all of this belongs to our inner work and not to professional skills in dissemination.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/28/11, Shamati

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We have two states with respect to the force that develops us: appeal and gratitude. The most productive state is that of appeal. Gratitude is very useful as well because in it, we are in adhesion with the upper one, and in so doing we accumulate strength for the future, for when another appeal comes.

But our revelation that we are independent individuals who identify themselves with the Creator takes place precisely during the appeal. A wonderful example of this are King David’s psalms, which express absolutely the creature’s attitude toward the Creator in all its possible forms.

That is why he is called “King David” (“Malchut” means “kingdom”). This is a force that reveals and pulls me out (from the word “Moshech”), which is why the force that executes the final correction is called Mashiach ben David (Messiah Son of David). The Psalms are an expression of the creature’s complete desire in appeal and gratitude, in both of these states. By unifying these states, we actualize ourselves. And then the creature’s full desire is revealed correctly: as the Creator that exists and clothes in it.

Thus, all the completed states bring us to the finish, and the Thought of Creation that made the creature is now revealed in it, in the creature’s very consciousness. Herein lies the sole difference between the starting and finishing point of the path. From the state when the creature barely feels its own existence, as a kind of point detached from the Creator, it attains its own state within and realizes that it exists in complete adhesion with the Creator, and at the same time it is completely independent.

There is no reality other than the Thought of Creation. There is no process other than that of the creature attaining the state in which it exists from the very beginning. And every time the appeal must be achieved first. It is the tears of which the prophets spoke: “My soul weeps in darkness,” the highest possible state, when man demands the strength to attain his true state out of darkness, before the goal of creation is actualized within him.

And only after it is completed do we come to gratitude, song, and gratitude in which we achieve a partial adhesion with the Creator, until we come to complete attainment and adhesion.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/4/2011, Shamati #18

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Question: Regarding mutual guarantee, you bring in the example of the work of the organs in the human body, where each organ lives in mutual guarantee with the others. The system is closed and united.

However, there is no uniform system in human society. Here and there, people become united in various groups which, as a rule, fight against each other. However, there is no perception of human society as one general system similar to the human body. I do not feel the other person as part of my body and thus, do not provide him with mutual guarantee.

Answer: You are saying the following: All the examples that you bring in from scientific research, as well as what we observe in nature according to the principle of “a judge has only what his eyes can see” are beautiful examples. Everything is good and wonderful, but I personally do not feel it. I can understand it logically, but an understanding in my mind is not enough to compel me to exist in an integral form.

If it were in my sensations, if I knew that by not acting together with you, I do not succeed and that I need you in order to reach some life-important goal, everything would be fine. Yet, you are saying that a good life is possible on condition that you and I are connected. Then, we will reach a better life, the goal, and emerge from the crisis and all the environmental issues. However, I do not feel that. I can understand this as do the scientists.

But why do these scientists not go out together and shout? What prevents them from doing this? Don’t they see the facts? They do! Why do they not unite, go out, and begin shouting: “Friends, a bit more of this, and the world will explode! The Earth will collapse and crumble into pieces!” Why do they not scream about this, foreseeing the very unpleasant events in the future?

This is because they all have the same problem. I can give you a list of thousands of scientists, sociologists, political scientists, leading economists, and many clever people who observe our problems and see that we must pursue only unity. Why do they not unite? It’s because they do not feel it, but only see it.

There is a difference between feelings and the mind. What exists in the mind does not oblige a person. How many times does it happen in our personal lives that we see and know that we should not do something, but we still do it. Let’s use smoking as an example. Although they say that smoking is harmful, the pleasant sensations or laziness leaves me under the power of this habit.

What can I do? I do not see other people besides us who would be able to realize this. We must organize this environment by force. When the environment artificially begins to talk about the need for unity, for global and integral interconnection, this environment will bring a new sensation to everyone.

Then, everyone will feel: “I really need this! Why don’t I have it?” In the same way, we are impressed by advertising flickering before us. It will pass from the mind to feelings. A feeling is a desire, and the mind is a thought. I have to be impressed within my desire and plead to obtain it. A desire should be an intense longing for something.

This is possible only through envy, lust, and a desire for honor, when I see that everyone talks about this, that they value and advertise these facts to me. Otherwise, it means nothing to me. This is how they advertise a new mattress: “You must buy it! Without it, you do not know what good sleep is!”

If this ad is working all the time, I have no choice. As a result, I will recall the name of that company, and on some occasion, I will go to a store and buy it. If not I, the majority of people will succumb to this ad. It works in this way. Therefore, up to 70 percent of the cost of goods is put into advertising.

We can see how much advertising directs us at its object. That is why we have to deal only with advertising. And it’s not because of someone’s interest, but because we have no choice. Let’s start to advertise this important message to ourselves.

Then, through real brainwashing, we will come to understand the importance of integration, unity, and mutual guarantee. Then, we will miss this; we will suddenly desire this. Why? It’s because the general awareness of the importance prevailing in the environment will rule over me since I am under its influence.
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From the Talk about a New Book 7/11/2011

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Question: How should I relate to antipathy and hatred when they arise not toward friends in the group, but toward outsiders who aren’t with us on the spiritual path?

Answer: Why would I suddenly hate outsiders who have nothing to do with my spiritual path? I view them as angels without free will. If they aren’t in the group and don’t have free will, of what could I possibly accuse them? They are acting like puppets, following orders from Above.

That doesn’t mean I should disregard them. Simply, I understand that they do not act freely and independently. In everything that happens to them, I see the Creator’s hand. Consequently, I need to work either “for” or “against.”

As concerns external actions, I need to relate to people in the corrected form, trying to make sure that everybody has everything they need. Or I can begin working with them and pass knowledge about Kabbalah to them.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/31/2011, Shamati #26

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Question: How can the reading of text that I do not understand help me connect with the group or to desire this?

Answer: By itself, the reading of text is not effective. The thought of what it is exactly that I desire does help. It is like a source of strength.

Suppose you are given a medication, and you cure what you intended to cure with it. The medication affects the entire body, and you have to decide exactly what you want to treat, be it the leg, arm, head, a wound, or whatever you wish. The medication itself is universal.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/31/2011, The Zohar

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Question: What is the purpose in the distracting thoughts which come during the reading of The Book of Zohar and prevent me from focusing on it?

Answer: All of this is given from Above, and we don’t know why we have these or other thoughts in one form or another, or why they are necessary. We can make various calculations, but we will never find out the real reason for them.

Thoughts can be very obsessive, and all of a sudden, they can disappear and never come back again. They can come in bouts; now I think about one thing and then, about something else. Obviously, they are necessary. After all, the soul is growing based on these thoughts.

Therefore, we have to take them into account, that is, to understand that all of this comes from Above, and there are no coincidences. We receive conditions from Above and based on them, we have to grow.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/31/2011, The Zohar

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Question: What does it mean that “Above, they always agree with a person’s choice as to what spiritual degree he desires to reach”?

Answer: Above, they always agree with how high a person wants to ascend, what his desire and intention are. The Creator lays down the law and does not change it, as it is written: “The law is set and cannot be broken.” It creates the desire to enjoy, and these two forces, bestowal and reception, begin to work in the universe. And it is the created being that sets the balance between them.

The force of bestowal that comes from the Creator is absolute, unlimited, and invariable. The Absolute cannot change; He is always ready to serve you. To what extent? He is ready to serve you as much as you want, but only to the extent that you want it.

In other words: “The upper one always agrees with the decisions of the lower one.” The Creator doesn’t interfere in our decisions; in fact, everything is done solely by Him but because you engage Him. He does everything, but always on your demand. It is as if you are always writing and sending your demands to Him: Do this or that, for the benefit or detriment—and it is so constantly. And He carries everything out.

It is said: “The shop is open, and the hand is writing,” meaning that we enter His store and take anything we want on credit regardless of whether or not we wish to repay. This is the way the Creator set up the universe: He works according to the law of absolute love and bestowal. And to whatever degree you are “for” or “against” this law, you will feel accordingly. And this very feeling will push you forward.

If you act in order to consciously bring yourself to bestowal, then the law will affect you positively, and you will feel less and less difference between it and you. However, if you don’t want to get closer to it or you move even farther away, you’ll feel worse and worse. But this feeling will still push you to return.

However, on the Creator’s part there is no change. After all, if He could change, he would not be called the Absolute as it would mean that He could be better or worse. And so it is said: “I do not change my HaVaYaH,” that is, “the law is set and cannot be broken.”
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/29/2011, Shamati #61

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