The created being is desire. The Creator or Light created the desire, the Kli (vessel), that matches Him. To the extent of His desire to please, fulfill, evoke the sensation of kindness, warmth, and overall good, He created a need directed towards Him, a need for His properties which He wants to be manifested in His creation.

But to make sure that this desire does not become automatic, that it operates, strives to be like the Light, and feels its existence, the mind develops next to it. The mind is an outcome, and this is why it is the main human characteristic: “What do you desire?” This does not refer to a natural desire; it is what I envision as a good state in my mind.

The difference between the desired and the actual is the vector of all our actions. People are judged according to this criterion: the direction of their actions, aspirations, and hopes. Our actions do not become realized on their own, but rather under the influence of the environment. The next optimal state can be unconditioned, and we select it under the influence of the environment. This way, the environment where we find ourselves forms us and our future.

And this is why man is given the mind and a sensation of lack. Now, he can use the environment to direct himself towards the next state which he himself chooses.

The vector of aspirations and its volume characterizes us. This is why we never judge a person according to his current state: It was evoked in him from Above. Instead, we evaluate a person according to the actions he performs in relation to his environment, with the purpose of evoking in him a certain direction of thoughts and desires for a new state.

And this is why we need to create an environment around us, which will precisely define our future state, the state that we aspire to. According to this future image that imagination paints to us, we evaluate ourselves and the group from a distance and ahead of time.

Just like the group, a person is only judged according to the vector: the direction of his aspiration and its strength. If a group wants to control itself, if a person wants to understand his direction, he always needs to see the next expected image before him. He needs to focus his attention solely on it, live only in it. Then our advancement will be quick, and the thoughts and Reshimot (informational data) arising in us will manifest immediately.

And this is why one’s primary task is to work on thought, imagine the next states as correctly and as vividly as possible. The thought creates and builds our future. It is the foundation of our action, and this way it brings it to reality.
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From Lesson 2 in Moscow 1/17/2011, Shamati

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Question: I have been placed into a specific environment by the Creator. But at the same time my environment’s response seems to slow me down. I lower myself before my friends, but they seem to tighten the reins and make me walk instead of gallop. What should I do?

Answer: There are different situations. People who have attained high spiritual degrees can pretend to be indifferent so that you exert more effort, yet nevertheless see them in a positive light, even though they appear to you to be slobs, loafers, and so on.

If the group consists of beginners and has an egoistic intention Lo Lishma (not for Her Name) before the Machsom (the barrier separating us from spirituality), then they must not pretend to be indifferent. They have to demonstrate ascent to one another; otherwise, they will not advance. They must be taught to awaken others, to make sure no one remains indifferent.

One needs to watch people. Some are unable to find a connection with those who dance, sing, laugh, and cry. They do not care about this. In this case, my friends need to notice that I don’t pay attention to their efforts and find a way to come up with tricks and games that will influence me.

This is the way to work with everyone. After all, the group consists of separate people, and this is why we must care for everyone’s ascent. But at the same time, after all the effort we have to be patient because everyone advances at their own speed.

Some are unable to grasp this principle for years; they are here, but they are not present. Others are drawn to the study process: Every page of Talmud Eser Sefirot that they have studied is spiritual attainment to them. Others are very good at teaching or other things, but they neglect everything else. So, we need to be patient.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/25/2011, Writings of Rabash

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The group must continuously work with every friend, and friends must work with the group. This is what is required of a person. When we arrange everything correctly, we accelerate time, and then we really feel the development.

But when we don’t, the development drags very slowly. We lose hold of the cause and the purpose, we are unable to distinguish the stages on the path, and everything happens without inner strength, an inner action, which needs to spur our advancement.

And this is why we must count the states, degrees, stages, and actions that we realize. We need to make sure our desire depends on us: not on the individual, but the environment.

Spirituality only exists in the Kelim (vessels, desires) that are “situated” between people. Suppose we have a special filter that helps us see the desires of people. Then we put another filter and instead of seeing their personal desires, we uncover their common desires which extend between them. These desires are the spiritual Kli.

The desires cannot exist separately in any individual person; they can only be awakened through a common action, a mutual guarantee, the principle of, “Do not do unto others what you don’t want others do unto you,”and “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Essentially, we build the Kli by moving these desires from one stage to another. This is the “half of the work” that is the responsibility of the creature.

Even this does not refer to actual desires. When we turn to the group, we see that nobody has a desire directed towards the spiritual goal. However, we can awaken ourselves towards an appeal, a common prayer, and this will evoke the Light which shapes our Kli.

And then, to the measure of its desire, the Kli begins to demand correction in a collective, group-like form and becomes a soul (Neshama). A “soul” is not one’s personal, individual inner sensation; it is a shared sensation that lives among all.

In the corporeal world, we think that each one of us is a Kli. But in spirituality, it is the other way around: A Kli is that which is common between us. Corporeality is the receiving Kli which absorbs everything, while spirituality is a bestowing Kli which emits bestowal outwardly.

Measurements are always done on the outside, and this is why we are unable to recognize the spiritual world; we are unable to explain, reveal, and perceive it. This is because there, everything is evaluated only according to collectivity, the mutual strength.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/25/2011, Writings of Rabash

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“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Donkey Driver,” Item 74: A man was driving their donkeys, meaning leading their donkeys.

Rabbi Aba said, “Let us open the doors of Torah for now is the time and the hour for our ways to be corrected.” “Driving” means stinging since it is an alias to the donkey driver because of his custom to sting the donkeys with a needle so they will go quicker.

The entire creation needs to be brought to adhesion with the Creator. Everything that happens in reality, including the rotation of any atom, is only moving toward this goal. There are no other actions in the world, whether they occur with the consent of the lower ones or lack thereof.

There is a special force from Above that drives us toward this goal, which is called the “donkey driver.” If we become like the sages described in The Zohar, we will go together with the “driver,” and he will be helping us along the way.

However, if we do not, the same “driver” will sting our “donkeys,” our desire to receive pleasure, with its sharp stick. This is the entire suffering that the world is experiencing when it refuses to move toward the goal consciously with understanding.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/10/2011, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Donkey Driver”

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“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Donkey Driver,” Item 81: “My Sabbaths.” Et [“of,” this word appears only in the Hebrew of “My Sabbaths”] comes to include the Sabbath zone, two thousand cubits to each side. This is why he added the word Et [Aleph-Tav]. “My Sabbaths” is in plural form, the upper Sabbath and the lower Sabbath: two are included together and concealed together.

Sabbath stands for complete correction (Gmar Tikkun). In reference to time, the entire process when we are preparing ourselves for the complete correction is called “Saturday night,” and in reference to distance it is called “2000 cubits.”

All of us have already entered into that period. This is a reason why the world is experiencing all these painful events which force us to hasten our correction.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/10/2011, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Article “The Donkey Driver”

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Question: Why can’t I ask for correction on behalf of all? And if I do, how do I make sure that my plea is for all and that I am not deceiving myself?

Answer: A person pleads from an aching heart. But this is why we are given a mind, the environment, and the Surrounding Light so that we don’t act solely from our egoistic desire.

What I feel within my desire is regarded as a prayer. If I am simply chanting some words while my heart feels something totally different, it won’t help. You may fool somebody else this way, but it doesn’t work with the Creator.

This is why I have such instruments as the teacher, the group, and Kabbalistic texts. All together, it is regarded as the “environment.” I turn to this environment artificially and wish to receive support and additional strength from it. The environment starts influencing me in response, which is called the “environment’s support.”

But if through the teacher I turn to the group, and through the group to the text, then in the end of this chain I come to the Creator who is revealed within this environment. And as a result, I draw His assistance while the environment becomes a means for me. In that case, I receive not just support, but correction.

Everything depends on how I turn to the environment and how I arrange it relative to me: whether I turn to its most internal part or only the external one. The other key is whether I use it egoistically or not. But in the end, everything is measured by what kind of prayer I produce as a result.

If later this plea returns to the environment yet again, and I wish to reveal the Creator there, it means that my first chain of actions was correct. If, as a result of studying, working, and everything I do, I eventually begin to associate my future with the group, with the correct transformed system of ties between us, and look for the Creator as well as for all my future fulfillment there, then I had been doing the job right!
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/23/2011, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Question: Today I am unable to ask even for my own correction, so how can I ask for the entire world?

Answer: To ask for oneself or for the world is the same thing. Suppose you don’t have enough air. But we all have to breathe, so if others don’t have it, I won’t have it either, and if there is air, it will be for all. It cannot be sliced.

It’s impossible to ask for an individual correction since correction is based precisely on our unification. One can’t ask the Light for oneself because the Light is a universal force of bestowal that dwells between us. If I am an element of an electrical network, how can I ask for the current to pass only through me? It cannot reach me if it doesn’t pass through the entire network.

This should help us comprehend the nature of the global, integrated world which we are beginning to feel now. You can’t ask anything for yourself; it won’t help. If you keep trying to isolate yourself, you will only draw greater blows upon yourself.

Your plea for yourself, your protectionism, “separatism” will help you only in realizing your evil. You will be forced to admit that you are asking incorrectly! And how can this knowledge be passed onto you except by blows? The more you pray about your own well-being, the more you will be beaten until you learn that you can’t ask only for yourself.

You will see that not only does it not help, but it also brings an opposite result. At some point you will realize that fulfillment can be only collective. And if everybody doesn’t receive it, then you won’t get it either for you are the last one in line for it!

Understand what the Creator wants to teach you. And the sooner you will grasp it, the better. After all, if He has to use a number of blows to show you your place in the very end of this chain, how long are you willing to suffer? You’d better learn it fast so you can start living accordingly.

Granted, right now it seems absolutely unreal and undesirable to you. But on the other hand, there is no choice: You will have to come to the same conclusion anyway. So try whatever you may to fool your egoism and run ahead of the blows by asking for the correction of all at least artificially.

During the lesson, let’s ask the Light to come and give us this experience, understanding, direction,and a minimal aspiration for this goal. Let’s do it for pragmatic reasons at least, in order to avoid the blows. After all, everyone receives fulfillment last.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/23/2011, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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If life passes, and there are good and bad states in it, then the entire wisdom lies in our ability to enjoy the unpleasant states as well. This is what we call life wisdom: How to treat what is bad so that to see in it either our attitude to, preparation for, or part of a good state.

In fact, it is truly so, similar to feeling hungry before being satiated or tired before getting much desired rest. It cannot be otherwise. There has to be “darkness” before the “dawn,” as it is written: “And there was evening and there was morning.”

For example, I enjoy the thought that soon I am going on vacation. Then part of this vacation I am experiencing already, right now, although realistically it hasn’t started for me yet.

Then I start thinking: “Do I really need to be on vacation? Or, can I start enjoying it right here and now even more than when it starts?” And indeed, when we actually go on vacation, we don’t enjoy it as much because we enjoy the anticipation of and preparation for it.

That’s what the wisdom of life is. When we use it, we always live in beautiful illusions and enjoy each moment. And this is an authentic approach since we never get fulfilled within the desire. Everything lies solely above it.
[33503]
From the Talk with Rachel Laitman, before shooting a TV show 1/19/2011

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Question: If all that is needed from the creatures is preparation, what principle does it bring into our work?

Answer: All work is done by the Creator; everything comes from Above, and nothing is up to the Kelim (vessels, desires) except for the cooperative preparation of their attitude to the Giver, to the Creator. Everyone exists together with other souls, with all other created beings and the Creator, the Source. This is the only way we should prepare ourselves.

The principle is very simple. We have to discuss it over and over again, think about it, play with it so that we process it better and better in our desires and thoughts. The vital moment here is to use the environment: We strive to establish interconnection, unite as equals with each other. And as soon as we reveal even a drop of this connection, we will immediately be able to establish a connection with the Creator, the Giver. This is what our first spiritual step will be.

Afterwards, having bonded even tighter, we will enter the second rung of connection with the Creator. And so forth at each new step: In the degree of our bond with each other we construct the Kli, the vessel, fit to receive the Creator’s abundance. In our interconnection, we build the intention to bestow to Him.

So it follows that the key is in the environment, the group, the adhesion with mutual intention, according to the principle of, “Israel, the Torah and the Creator are one.” “Israel” is individual souls, desires, that despite their egoism strive to bond with each other and to become equal, unified, as one man with one heart, in mutual guarantee, in love of others as they love themselves. Thereby, we present the Giver with an opportunity to bestow to us; we bring Him our intention: to receive in order to bestow pleasure to Him.

We are as first blood brothers who unify before their mother. She cannot bestow to each of us separately, only to all of us together. Her love is one for all.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/24/2011, Writings of Rabash

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There always has to be one goal before us: to come to equivalence, adhesion with the Creator. Adhesion is the complete correspondence of properties, when the force of bestowal rules within us.

Our matter, the desire for pleasure, doesn’t change while the method to employ it does: The desire for pleasures must be used to bestow. And to achieve this, we need to feel the desires of others. Only then do we discover that while receiving, we are able to bestow.

A spiritual action seems very odd and not like material acts. Only if we reveal a deep, powerful, mutual connection between us, uncovering the adhesion, camaraderie, guarantee, love, and reciprocity among us, can we interact like cogwheels in a unified system: Receiving what the other wants to give me, I thereby bestow to him.

It turns out the created beings only receive, but first they must disclose that they reside in mutual bestowal and express it exactly in this manner. How do we achieve this?

The Creator, the integral force of bestowal, is present among and within all. Therefore, if everyone nullifies himself and we, together, start desiring to bestow to Him, then by receiving from each other, we will indeed be able to bestow. In this case, nobody receives from the others, but rather all receive from the Creator. Yet there is a condition to it: While we receive from Him, we have to be one.

It can be likened to a mother who has many children and wishes to give love to all of them. When they are willing to maintain mutual guarantee and unity in order to love her back, when they are ready to receive her love only together because they are bonded with one another, then they delight her, and she is happy to bestow love to them, while they are happy to receive her gifts. Such receiving is considered to be absolute bestowal.

Obviously, the created beings cannot do much except prepare themselves, and they are not expected to do more. They only need to prepare the format in which they will receive the Creator’s abundance. They don’t practice bestowal as such, but they do bestow in intention. Having arranged receiving in such manner, they delight the Giver.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/24/2011, Writings of Rabash

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