From the book The Light and the Sun: Most important in the gathering is that all are unified together and ask only for one thing—to find the Creator. And may everyone listen to his friend, and be small in his own eyes, and desire to hear something from the friend—how to serve the Creator and how to find the Creator.

It is necessary to make a distinction: There is I, there is the goal, the Creator, and there is a means of achieving it, our gathering, our unity. There is nothing else. Consequently, the means is as important as the goal because it leads me to the goal.

Everything depends on the realization of the importance of the goal. That is why we must constantly talk and think about it, raise it in our eyes. The realization of the importance of the goal is where it is revealed how much I can invest into it, to what extent we can work against our egoism.

The question is where my expectations are, where my eyes are turned: upwards or downwards? Towards the Good that Does Good or towards evil? Where am I heading? Everything depends on the realization of the importance of the goal that I take from the group.

And the problem is that this importance is not yet “spread” among the friends. The situation has undoubtedly improved, but the air between us is not “ringing” yet, not “sparkling,” not “charging” me….

I have to help the group, sparing no efforts, and when I am not able, I will be “nourished” by it.
[111777]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/5/13, “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself,” Lesson 3

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 4: The Creator Himself puts one’s hand on the good fate by giving him a life of pleasure and contentment within the corporeal life that is filled with torment and pain, and devoid of any content. […] there is no greater placement of one’s hand by Him than this.

And one’s choice refers only to the strengthening. This is because there is certainly a great effort and exertion here before one purifies one’s body to be able to keep the Torah and commandments correctly, not for his own pleasure, but to bring contentment to his Maker, which is called Lishma (for Her Name). Only in this manner is one endowed with a life of happiness and pleasantness that come with keeping the Torah.

However, before one comes to that purification, there is certainly a choice to strengthen in the good way by all sorts of means and tactics. Also, one should do whatever his hand finds the strength to do until he completes the work of purification and will not fall under his burden midway.

How can we understand this? In fact, these words paint a terrible picture: The Creator holds me “by the ears” or “by the shoulders” and directs my every step through pleasures or suffering, that is, He can do with me whatever He pleases. And besides that, there is something in which I have to “strengthen” myself above that which He sends me.

As a result, I have no choice in everyday life because I am relentlessly driven by pleasure and suffering. My nature automatically obeys their dictates, and there is nothing I can do about this. Some mechanism in me always turns my face towards pleasure and my back towards suffering. The “car” can only dodge evil and turn towards good.

In what can I strengthen then? How can I gain power over the “body”? How can I resist the “orders” of the Creator Who directs me from above on the “animate” degree? Is this possible?

The fact is that apart from the will of the Creator, there is another factor that I can use: the influence of the environment. Thus, I go against the Creator, against His nature, obtain something above the “animate” degree, and become something greater.

Baal HaSulam, “The Freedom”: Therefore, he who strives to continually choose a better environment is worthy of praise and reward. But here, too, it is not because of his good thoughts and deeds, which come to him without his choice, but because of his effort to acquire a good environment, which brings him these good thoughts and deeds.

Hence it is clear that we have freedom to build, above the “animate” level, the human degree—the human being, who will saddle an “animal” and will manage his nature. To do this, a person will also use two forces, but they will be different: Now he will define good and evil by means of a good environment that fulfills him.

Thus, the Creator controls a person at the level of “reason,” but self-management is realized “above reason.”

The key here is the extent to which I become integrated in the correct environment and absorbed by it. My good future depends only on this.
[111719]
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/7/13, Preparation for St. Petersburg Convention, “Principles for Building a Better Environment,” Lesson 4

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The topic of the first lesson of the convention in St. Petersburg is “There is None Else Besides Him.” This is the main topic that we always study.

In principle, we are in a special reality called the “Creator” and have to reveal Him. The “Creator” (Boreh) means to “come and see” (Bo-reh in Hebrew). If we already dwell in Him, in the upper white Light, then only He acts and there is none else besides Him. Only He “outlines,” forms us; He is the first and He is the last. All our thoughts and deeds stem from the actions of this upper Light. Nothing exists but Him.

We observe still, vegetative, and animate forms in which the Creator acts wholly, obliging them to make any movement. They have no freedom of will at all; they are entirely under His direct influence.

On the other hand, we ourselves have a certain point, created by Him, existing seemingly outside of Him. This point gives us the opportunity to know the Creator—the only one who affects us. In fact, in this way we do not go somewhere outside, do not become distant from Him, and do not violate any of His actions. The reality remains the same: There is no one else besides the Creator. However, due to this point that seems to be abstracted from Him, I can analyze myself and Him, I can deliberately and consciously lead myself to the only existing state in which there is none else besides Him.

I attain the Creator due to this work. I attribute every fragment of reality to His oneness, and thus I attain all His deeds, all the steps, direct and opposite Him, that He undertakes. So, returning to the state of unity and oneness of the Creator, I stand in all the power that He has given me and realize that really there is none else besides Him.

Thus, I bring Him pleasure, and this is the greatest pleasure that I can bring Him, and this means myself. After all, there is none else besides Him.

So now we need, against our desire, to reasonably and deliberately become included in the concept: “There is none else besides Him.”
[111373]
From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/3/13, Preparation the St. Petersburg Convention, Lesson 1

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All desires and thoughts that arise in a person in relation to spiritual work, for or against it, all of them come only from the Creator. We are always a consequence, while He is always the cause. He is always the source, the root, the first, and we are a consequence, created, the second.

Therefore, we must realize that we always feel our response to His influence, and we according to this understanding should respond. That is, if He gives us correct thoughts and desires, we should be thankful. If there are incorrect thoughts and desires, but at the same time He reminds us that He does this, then we should ask and be thankful for a reminder.
[111237]

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Preparation is the key to success!

• From this moment, I have to imagine the convention in its ideal form. What do I need to do this? Gathering of friends—what should they be? Emotional experiences—what kind and by what external means can we achieve them? Lectures—on what topic? Perhaps, I will recommend my own. What questions do I prepare; what would I like to ask after the lectures and workshops? How do I connect with everyone? How am I getting ready to perceive everyone? As a guest? As a host? As a friend? As a student? As a teacher? As a servant? Who am I in relation to everyone? And how should I behave in each state of this spectrum?
• I am working on what is the most difficult for me. For example, if I do not like to dance with everyone all together, then I prepare myself to participate in this in advance, sparing no efforts and pressuring myself with all my strength.
• I will try to stay in the correct intention constantly, to hold myself in it all the time because everyone depends on my intention. It is true that I transfer the Light through my thin “pipe” to them and thus I have to stay “online” constantly. I need to talk to my group of ten: everyone supports everyone else, so that none of use loses this “pipe.” We share it, and we want to turn it into a wide channel of communication for the entire convention.
• I am concerned that no one is disconnected from the right intention—concerned to the point of inner trembling, in fear and anxiety. When something happens to the baby, it is a disaster for us, the “end of the world.” Now, I worry even more. The problem is that this fear is not in our hands; we cannot feel it well; we are not sensitive to the detachment from intention. So, I should be literally in a fever, shaking with fear for everyone so that they do not lose the intention. Success depends on this.
• No matter what the friends do, no matter what they say, what songs they sing, I want everything to turn out for them as it should. I constantly worry and care about them as the mother of a baby who started doing something. I look at him with anxiety—if only he will succeed. It is said about this, “a concern in one’s heart, let him tell it to others.” My concern is transmitted to all.
• I try to come as early as possible in the morning to prepare everything, to speed up everything, and to start uniting with the friends, to sit and sing together even there are only fifty people, but we are already starting to fill the “space” of the conventions with our feeling.
• Each time, on the way to the convention and back, I try to make sure that none of my friends lose the mood, the intensity.
• The gathering of friends must be moving, emotional, as much as possible to prepare us for the lectures, talks, or workshops that will follow them. This is very important. All the speeches and songs should have a clear program and in the right proportion. The gatherings may not be long, but should be heart-felt. Without this preparation, a person will not be able to be included in the overall atmosphere, to the “air” of the convention, which should be breathed in, lived. The main thing is to affect and touch everyone. We need to think seriously how to achieve this.
• We need to find a mutual feeling, a mutual heart—obtained with the help of mind. We are rationally working on the feeling to become united.

[111035]

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/27/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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If from our current state we feel that there is a higher state, distinguishing the radiance that comes from it and anticipating its properties, we can use this upper state to advance to it. Then, we will make a step accelerating time (Achishena) instead of waiting for when this state comes naturally (Beito), and in this way we will bring the Creator joy and help our friends.

We need to find out whether by doing this we are going to make an action of bestowal or not. If this is bestowal, do we act above reason inside it? Of course the actions inside reason are preferable because it means that there is a revelation that gives us the power to act.

And the action above reason is the means of ascending to the next degree by the path of Achishena, accelerating time. But it is not entirely in our hands, we do not have the strength to rise to this height; rather, we use the elevator that is divided into two halves. First, we perform the action above reason and thus attract the force of correction, and then with the help of this force we carry out correction and rise to the next degree.

It is good if we clearly, “within reason,” see the means that enable us to rise to a higher degree. But it is better to work with them in “above reason” because it will be the path of the Light (Achishena).

Gradually, a person learns these principles and begins to work successfully. I hope that we are at this stage of discernment and soon everyone will accumulate enough impressions to become clear in everything and see the map of the route of his development in all its features.

It is worthwhile to keep in mind that the upper degree is achieved by faith above reason, that we use as the means of ascent, time acceleration. But we should seek not to remain in faith above reason but to go “inside reason,” that is, to attain more and more. The goal of each state is to reveal the Creator in our corrected desires.
[109015]
From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/3/13

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Question: If I share my joy and impressions with a friend, how do I know that it does not harm him?

Answer: There are two prohibitions in relations with friends.

The first prohibition is to tell no one about your relationships with the Creator. The only person with whom you can talk about this is your wife if she is constantly with you on the path. With the friends you can talk about anything related to your relationship with the group, studies, and anything else, except your relationship with the Creator.

The second prohibition is in no way, not by word, not by gesture, not by facial expressions,to express any disdain for spiritual work. Do not decrease friends’ desires, but all the time try to awaken and develop their desire towards the goal. Do not provoke any momentary, insignificant descent in them. Be careful not to trigger it even by some gesture: watch constantly for this. In the end you will have to feel yourself in ascent all the time. Otherwise, they will take this degradation from you.
[110413]
From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk 6/14/13, Lesson 3

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Question: It says that the “Creator is good and benevolent.” So what do the words “in pain you will bring forth children” mean? What is the meaning of this pain and sorrow?

Answer: Childbirth involves sorrow and pain, and while reading the Torah we are under the impression that the Creator is cruel especially towards women. He says to the woman: “Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you.” As if these are two opposing forces but are both aimed at the same cause.

Malchut, our desire, yearns for the source of the filling, for Zeir Anpin, for the male part. What is more, it exists in each of us, both in man and in woman. We yearn for the source of the filling and this egoistic filling rules over us and we cannot do anything about it. This is the attitude of the female part towards the male part.

“In pain you will bring forth children,” means that the birth of every new level, of every new feeling, of every attainment, is through the path of sufferings.

Each time a greater ego is revealed in us, so when we go through many states for a long time we begin to see that it is evil and that we must exit it like from Egypt, to pop out like a pit out of a cherry, under the same pressure that a baby successfully comes out of his mother’s womb during childbirth.

But every birth involves pain, since birth is every new level in which two opposing forces are involved, one of them is the inhibiting force of the embryo, since the ego holds on to him and doesn’t let him come out, at the same time the altruistic pushing force, that pushes the fruit out and doesn’t want to keep it inside is also revealed.

The struggle between these two opposing forces creates a transition process called “pain,” “in pain you will bring forth children.” On the whole, all the corporeal phenomena stem from spirituality. Thus we are born on every level.

So we have to approach the spiritual states by understanding that the group is our “womb,” and in it we have to create the two opposing forces. One of them is the egoistic force that sustains us and the other is the altruistic force of rejection that raises us all. By leaving the force that sustains us on the outside we are born only by the force that pushes us and that leads us onwards.

This spiritual process is typical of men, who go through it in every spiritual birth, on every spiritual level, exactly like women.
[110297]
From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk Day One 6/14/13, Lesson 3

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Question: Is it more important for us to strengthen unity or leave it as it is? Or is there an alternative?

Answer: I don’t think anything can hold with efforts without increasing them, for our ego is constantly growing.

We must always think about the basis on which everything rests. We live in a world that evolved egoistically, and we ourselves evolved egoistically; therefore we cannot avoid working on this.

And it is said, “Describe to yourself… , make it in your eyes… , …which is renewed all the time”. Which is to say, we need “to see” all the time, it is impossible otherwise.

Therefore we need to understand clearly that what existed a minute ago has finished its action already; we apparently were friends, we decided to work together, and a minute later all of our good intentions evaporated, that is how quickly everything changes in us. So we need to comprehend everything in the right way, meaning to get used to this, to support this with that.

We examine all this with constant effort. Nothing exists in spirituality at constant velocity. According to Einstein’s theory, something that moves in a straight line at constant velocity is the same as something that is at rest.

The spiritual world is beyond the speed of light. Even the great Kabbalist Maimonides wrote in the 12^th century that spirituality is found beyond the speed of light.

The speed of light is a constant everywhere. So by the concept of “beyond the speed of light” we mean a change in velocity. If we have something that is growing all the time, this is spirituality. In spirituality we take into account the differential, which is to say, the change. If there is a change that is growing all the time, in spirituality this is considered to be a velocity, and not acceleration. Which is to say, everything is at a higher order of magnitude there; what is considered to be velocity in our world (for instance, movement at a velocity of 200 kilometers per second), in spirituality this would be considered to be standing still, since there is no change in this.

In other words, all of those states that don’t change in us don’t exist in spirituality. And only our positive additions, efforts above an ego that is growing for the needs of the goal, which is evolving all the time in us, only these are considered to exist spiritually.

Therefore maintaining an old state won’t work, for the ego is growing. Even in our world everything is found in constant movement: We age, go forward, something is always happening. It is only in our feelings that the ego is as if is slowing us down.

So if you don’t want to be stuck, you have one and only one possibility, that everything around you will be in an internal movement and you will be connected with it all. So how is it possible to be connected with it all? Only through establishing a covenant, when you reach an agreement that you will pull each other all the time, wake each other up, and support each other.

If you direct yourselves in this way, then you can assure yourself spiritual advancement, otherwise, not: The ego will grow and “pull” you wherever it goes. The friends must awaken you in the right way and then you can realize this precisely.

But it is impossible to remain in a single state; nature will not allow this. Then it will push you down, so that through the crisis you will be convinced that it is necessary rise up. This is the only way!

This problem exists everywhere, both in families and in groups; people suppose that they can preserve our state, and so we hold onto a position and maintain it.
[109987]
From the 2^nd Preparation for the Convention in Krasnoyarsk 6/13/13

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In spirituality, adultery means using the uncorrected desire.

The point is that the male part of the spiritual vessel is a Masach (screen), an intention of “in order to bestow,” and the female part is “the desire to receive.” To receive in order to bestow is the correct use of the desire, its correct fulfillment.

So, adultery means using the incorrect desire. It isn’t your wife, it’s not your correct desire. You must choose the desire correctly, to be engaged to each of them, to get married, to connect, to adhere, to mate, and to give birth to the next state above it. Then, the Light will come and fill it.

How many new desires emerge in a person every minute? Every minute he is different and his desires are different but since the entire world is you, your application, then on the whole there are no strange desires.

The fact that we see that there are seven billion different people in the world or three billion couples is actually what is in one person as the desires constantly change and so do their Masachim (screens).

A person is a sum, an integral element, that includes all of humanity. All of humanity is a kind of an exhibition, a photograph, a replica of our inner states. This means that during the phase of correction, a person goes through, let’s say, three billion states and so he sees three billion couples external to him.

The Torah doesn’t speak about problems that we encounter in this world. Adultery has been part of human history and there was no way to extinguish this phenomenon that flourished in every age.

Sexual desires are considered the most basic elementary pleasures, which means that sexual pleasure is actually the greatest pleasure. A person cannot reject any pleasure; he can use them correctly.

Prohibitions in Christianity and, on the other hand, the annulment of prohibitions and bigamy in Islam, are like the “right line” and the “left line” with regard to Judaism where it is normal to have one wife and adultery is forbidden.

From a spiritual point of view, a person has the desire that must be fulfilled at any given moment. It is called his female part. He must prepare a Masach with the right intention of that desire in order to bestow, and thus use it. The result, which means the actual bestowal, the Light that is born in the new system, is called “his offspring.”
[109833]
From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 3/04/13

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