Question: For what should we ask the Creator?

Answer: There can only be one request: for the Light that Reforms, the force. I cannot change myself. The entire humanity is gradually becoming desperate trying to do it. It is becoming clear that in the end, we only get more confused even in the systems that we have built ourselves.

It is true that we must reach despair in our work. It is not easy. Baal HaSulam writes that there is no happier moment in a person’s life than the moment when he becomes completely disillusioned in his strength. And then, when he sees that he has no other choice, he turns to the Creator, and the Creator responds because his appeal is absolute.

The Light does not work before there is desire. There are 125 degrees on the way towards it. If I rise to the first degree, if I lack Light even to the smallest extent, then the Light influences me. Thus I enter the zone of Light. On the fifth degree, my need increases, and the Light works accordingly because I became closer to it. Such are the laws in the zone of Light.

So far we exist at the level of this world, we lack demand. As soon as a demand appears, the Light will immediately begin to work since it created the desire and maintains it. Desire can never do anything on its own.

In this case, how can the desire have a need (Hissaron) for the Light? There is a spark of Light in the desire, which was left in it after the breaking of the souls; it awakens you, and draws you towards the Light even though the desire pulls you down.

Nothing is expected of a person before the spark becomes manifested, he is simply being developed egoistically. But once the spark ignites, the Light stops working and gives you the opportunity to ask for it. At this stage you are brought to a place where you can magnify your spark until you begin to desire the Light’s influence.

[22348]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/1/10, Shamati #38

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Question: Кabbalists speak of the steps of spiritual ascension. At which step do we become independent masters of our destiny? When does the Creator hand us the reigns?

Answer: Climbing the spiritual ladder is a gradual process. It is the same in our life: With each year, children become more independent; they learn to walk, feed themselves, dress, attend school, shop, go to work, get married, and give birth, all of which characterizes a mature person.

Rabash once gave me the following example. Children are playing outside, and one of them suddenly has to leave. “Where are you going?” the others ask. He replies: “I’m going home, to get a snack.” At home, he opens the refrigerator, doesn’t see what he wants, and starts complaining to the mother: “Why didn’t you buy what I asked you to?” He feels that he “belongs” to the parents; hence, he expresses his dependence instead of independence.

But it takes several years, and later the young man visits the neighborhood. “How are you? Where are you going?” ask his friends. “My wife and I are visiting our parents who invited us for dinner tonight.” This is maturity: The person doesn’t feel like a master, yet at the same time, he is independent.

Thus, to be independent of the Creator, two factors need to be met: the ability to act independently and detachment. On one hand, you are constantly drawing away, but on the other, you become equivalent, close to Him.

[22351]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/1/10, Shamati #38

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Baal HaSulam, Shamati #38, “The Fear of God Is His Treasure”: In His treasury, the Creator has only the treasure of fear of God.

There are four levels of development:

1. This material world where we all exist;

2. The level (degree) of “preparation,” people who have the point in the heart and raise its importance above this world, above egoism, exist at this level;

3. Repentance (correction) from fear, the level of Bina, Hafetz Hesed at which a person turns into a righteous man. At this stage all 613 desires of the soul are being corrected to “bestow in order to bestow.”

4. Repentance (correction) from love, a degree of the complete righteous, a level at which all 613 desires are corrected into “receive in order to bestow,” similarity to the Creator.

The degree of fear is extremely important; it is a stepping stone on the way to becoming similar to the Creator. The Light gradually, little by little, increases egoistic desires in a person who rises above them and chooses to associate himself with the point in the heart. Later on, at the level of love, he starts using his desires “to receive in order to bestow.”

Thus, the degree of fear represents a vessel through which a person reveals the Creator (the Light of Infinity) when he reaches the next level, that of love. Developmental stages change each other at the pace of their own, and fear is the only thing that we have to worry about constantly since fear is diligent work on the screen and Reflected Light to keep us above our desires at all times.

Of course, all the work is done by the Light, but we have to ask for it ourselves. The group’s task is to carry out the goal and elevate its significance by maintaining unity and connection within which a general vessel emerges: the intention for the sake of bestowal, rising above one’s egoism.

This is how we help each other, unite our points in the hearts, and shape from them the vessel into which we receive the treasure. When our unity will manifest itself, the Light will immediately reveal itself in it too.
[22352]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/1/10, Shamati #38

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A person advances when he is able to withstand two lines: the right and the left. Within the line that extends from above downward he feels down, disappointed, desperate, weak, and dejected. But in the line that extends from below upwards, everything is opposite. That is when we reach an analysis.

For example, I feel totally exhausted physically, mentally, and morally. I cannot organize my thinking, my consciousness is blurred, and nothing is of any importance. I want to forget it all and fall asleep so I won’t feel anything.

However, ascending above this state for a moment, I assess it as a good state. There is a Psalm that reads, “For he who is dead is free.” Now I am free of my egoism; it has died and does not demand anything from me.

If a bit more Light comes to me, then I understand the reason for this state, that it was sent to me by the Creator. He wants me to figure it out: Why do I need a desire that does not want anything and is unable to do anything? Why did He send it to me?

The Light illuminates my current state of downfall, revealing its causes, which in turn become the starting point for me to start growing anew. The sages said, “A righteous man rises in the place where egoism falls.” My egoism falls, and a righteous man is born from it. In one line I see that I have fallen to the bottom, but in two lines I begin ascending.

The recession happens only for the sake of the Light’s influence, so the Light would give me the second line to help me start thinking above the sensation I feel. It lifts me above the sensation of “sweet or bitter” to the analysis “true or false.”

A person must always place himself beneath the Light so the Light would lift him above the sensation and show him the truth, the reason, the One who does it. Even an unclear sensation or knowledge of the reason, the Creator, the One who depicts the picture of the world inside me, changes my perception of the picture to its opposite. Then I am happy that the Creator gave me such a negative, lowly sensation. It is weakness that enables me to act.

Once I figure out the situation, I have a goal and a means. Having been awakened, I begin to get up.
[22514]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/4/10, “What is the Help that One Should Ask of the Creator”

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As we advance spiritually, we egoistically begin to value the property of bestowal. It gives freedom and fulfillment; it allows one to be independent. This attitude towards the property of bestowal is called “Lo Lishma.” But later, under the influence of the Light, the property of bestowal itself becomes valuable to us. This attitude toward it is called “Lishma.”

All we need to do in order to attain this state is to follow the advice of the Kabbalists. The point in the heart brings us to a new environment, to a group, and we begin to unite with others regardless of whether we want it or not. These actions immediately help us to attract the Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif) on us. It is always around us, but this time we attract it intentionally.

The more effort I put into uniting with others, the stronger the influence of the Light is on me, and I begin to receive new impressions. Eventually, I assess bestowal as something good and regard it as something high and special. This is the influence of the environment.

The environment is not people. Our efforts, our common desires, enable us to evoke the Light the Reforms. All of us exist in an ocean of Light and we can attract it. This is what the proper environment is: an environment that helps me attract the Light and also the actual Light.

It influences us even when we do not do anything, but in this case, the process flows slowly with the natural speed of the development of Reshimot (spiritual genes). But when we begin to evoke the Light through studying, circulation, and unity of friends, we awaken the influence of the Light’s environment on us.
[22215]
From the Hoshana Rabbah Night Lesson 9/29/10, Shamati #8

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For seven days, we have been drawing the Surrounding Light, constructing the canopy of the shed. The Light expands from Aba ve Ima (AVI) of the World of Atzilut through Zeir Anpin (ZA). Zeir Anpin is represented by the branch of the palm tree.

Further on, the Light passes through HGT, the Sefirot of Hesed, Gevura, and Tifferet, symbolized by three branches of the myrtle tree, and through the Sefirot of Netzah-Hod, represented by two branches of the willow tree. After that, from Yesod of Partzuf Zeir Anpin, the Light enters Malchut, represented by the Etrog fruit. And this unification of all channels of Light from AVI to Malchut occurs under the canopy of a shed or under the screen that conceals the soul from the Light.

Having received all seven Surrounding Lights of correction during the seven days of the celebration is called “Great Supplication” (Hoshana Rabbah). I verify what I have attained, which screen or the property of bestowal. In fact, the effect of the Surrounding Light in our work is namely the screen. As soon as I acquire it, I, to the degree of the power of my screen, instantly begin to feel the Creator and to define our relationship.

This is why we honor this moment in our development as a special event, the beginning of work with the screen. This work builds me as a character in the spiritual world. That’s because without the screen I simply don’t exist. The screen’s degree, size, type, and form make me what I am. I do not determine the will to receive pleasure nor the will to bestow, the Light. What am I then? I am only the screen.
[22230]
From the Hoshana Rabbah Night Lesson 9/29/10, Shamati #8

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The Creator conceals Himself. But instead of tearing off the “cover” and revealing Him, I build His image in myself. The screen that He placed between us remains, but I make changes within myself which create in me the properties of the Creator, His image. Only in this way, having built His image within myself, can I see Him because by Himself, He is beyond any image.

In the darkness of my egoism, I build a shining image of the properties of bestowal and love, an image of the Light. The Creator remains just as hidden by the screen, but underneath the screen, I create His image as if He were standing before me. I shape the Light of bestowal (faith, Hassadim) and exist within it, not discovering the Creator on the other side of the screen.

I ask the Creator to not remove the concealing screen, but rather to allow me to exist in the shade, in darkness, so that the darkness will become like the Light for me and I will appreciate its importance. In fact, precisely because of it I am able to create out of myself similarity to the Creator, to become independent. Having hidden Himself, He has created a place for my similarity to Him. And to the measure of this similarity, the screen dividing us becomes transparent, and our images coincide.

The darkness helps me for otherwise the Light would fill me, nipping all aspirations in the bud. I would not feel the need for anything and would not be able to make any personal movement. In contrast to this, darkness creates a necessity for searching.

If the darkness simply dissipated, I would return to my usual, materialistic life. Because of this, I ask that the darkness will remain. It greatly helps my egoism: Nothing fills or calms it, so I will desire Light out of the darkness. I want to obtain the qualities of Light not merely by discovering the Creator, but by creating His image within myself.

I support the screen that divides us myself: The Creator gradually removes it, but I immediately raise the concealment to 100%. Thus, I build a canopy, the “roof of the tent,” as I am not willing to accept the Upper Light directly. Rejecting it, I obtain the property of bestowal and exist in darkness as in Light. For my egoism it is darkness, but for the giving intentions it is Light.
[22218]
From the Hoshana Rabbah Night Lesson 9/29/10, Shamati #8

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Question: On the night of Hoshana Rabbah ("Great Supplication," the seventh day of the Holiday of Sukkot) it is customary to check the “shadow,” meaning the screen with which one can then receive the Light. How is this screen formed?

Answer: Each of us is an egoistic desire. When we wish to reach spirituality, we unite into a group. Naturally, none of us desires to engage in exercises of “bestowal,” but each has a “spark” on top of his egoistic desires which pulls us into the unknown.

Kabbalists explain that we exist in a field of “Light.” This field encompasses all of reality and influences us in such a way that the “sparks” awaken in every person. To the extent that they are roused, they interact with the field of Light which orients them, and people gather in one physical and/or virtual place, consequently wishing to unite. This is called a group, a connection of people through their spiritual desires. Egoism is left behind by everyone and they unite through their mutual aspirations for spirituality.

If we begin to aspire to mutual bestowal, we rouse the influence of the Light in the common efforts and begin to change. Gradually, we feel continuously greater egoistic desires, but at the same time, their value drops in our eyes. And we raise the spiritual desire on the scale of values.

The construction of the Sukkah (hut) indicates raising the quality of bestowal (the roof) over the desire to receive. We wish to separate bestowal and reception so that the Light does not enter the egoistic desire through the covering of the Sukkah.

The Light corrects us in such a way that all of our spiritual desires make their way over the roof of the Sukkah, and the egoistic desire remains inside. In other words, we hide the egoistic desire in the shadow. We build a covering on each desire for we do not wish to use these desires egoistically. By creating such a “shade,” we acquire a spiritual sensation in which we feel spiritual reality: the world that we perceive in the quality of bestowal.
[22205]
From the Hoshana Rabbah Night Lesson 9/29/10, Shamati #8

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We feel like we receive a “shadow,” the darkness, but this is because a greater Light comes while I am not yet prepared to receive or perceive it properly. Therefore, I sense darkness, the contrast between us. In other words, the feeling of descent is the revelation of new desires (Kelim) where for now I perceive how opposite they are to the Light that influences me.

If I am ready, then a greater Light reveals a greater desire within me. However, as long as the Light and the desire have opposite intentions (the Light has the intention to bestow, while the desire has the intention to receive), I perceive this distance between them as a descent.

Yet, this state needs to be appreciated because, essentially, this is already the opposite side of a higher degree. All sensations of darkness, descents, and rejection come from a new, stronger Light that reveals greater desires (Kelim) in us.

I exist in an infinite desire (Kli); my soul is infinite. After all, there are no creatures besides me; all the others are parts of my soul. The Light gradually increases and reveals greater layers of the desire within me.

The more the Light shines, the greater the desire that becomes revealed. When a stronger Light comes to me, it reveals an even stronger corresponding desire. But every time a new desire is revealed, I perceive it as greater separation between myself and “spirituality,” the force of life, because the properties of the desire are opposite to those of the Light, and so I feel bad. One needs to prepare himself for this state ahead of time so that when it comes, he would understand that it awakens him towards correction.

If I did not feel evil, the fall into separation between myself and the Light, I would not be able to begin correction. The revelation of evil is intended to push me ahead. For this reason, the feeling of a “shadow” of the impure worlds (Tzel de Tuma) is necessary in order to attain the “holy shadow” (Tzel de Kedusha). We should value these shadows.

[22201]

From the Hoshana Rabbah Night Lesson 9/29/10, Shamati #243

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Question: Do we draw more Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif) if we study in a group, and does everyone receive it equally or to the extent of his individual aspiration?

Answer: All of our efforts get accumulated in the group. When many people unite into a group, we create a special “space” between us where everyone exists in mutual bestowal. It is in this space that the Surrounding Light is revealed. It was there before also, but in a concealed and passive form, and now even if it still remains hidden, it already actively influences our aspirations to unite.

Initially, we are all situated in a field of Light, but we don’t feel it. We rouse the Light’s influence to the extent that we exert effort in the place where we can build a connection between us and become similar to the Light. It corrects us, and when the quality of bestowal emerges between us, it becomes clearly revealed.

Striving for mutual bestowal all together, we reveal the presence of the force of bestowal. However, each person reveals this force or the Light according to his individual qualities and to the extent that he exerts effort in the unification of the group.

For this reason, joint work is required. Alone a person will never be able to reveal the Surrounding Light. His efforts to bestow and to create the place where the Light can be revealed have to be applied in relation to someone.
[22209]
From the Hoshana Rabbah Night Lesson 9/29/10, Shamati #8

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