The Zohar, Chapter “VeYechi (And Jacob Lived),” Item 442: This is so because since the day the Temple was ruined below, the Creator swore that He would not enter Jerusalem above until Israel enter Jerusalem below. It is written about it, “A holy man among you who is holy, and I will not come into a city.” That is, even though there is a holy man among you, I will still not come into the city—Jerusalem above—until Israel enter Jerusalem below.

When we were children, adults used to tell us various things which we didn’t understand. However, time after time, they explained to us what we should do or think one way or the other. The same happens when we read The Book of Zohar. We are simply told about something concealed from us, something we don’t know or recognize, but, gradually, it enters us.

This is the most natural form of teaching for every person. It doesn’t matter what world he lives in and what he studies. After all, he doesn’t have any preliminary preparation for new knowledge and sensations. He doesn’t have the correct instruments or properties of perception (Kelim, vessels). A person needs to develop the mind and sensations. Then, he can sense a new phenomenon and later study what it means.

Therefore, the first stage is reading or listening about something unknown to us and feeling dumb; we should appreciate this. This is the natural process of treating our children, and it is clear to us that this its the way it should be done. We explain things to them again and again.

The problem is that a child has an aspiration to know, to learn, to see us as big people, and to follow our example. In our spiritual upbringing, we, adults, have to create such an inner aspiration by ourselves. This is possible only when using envy in the group.
[22053]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/27/10, The Zohar

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Question: How is the Creator’s revelation related to what we read in Talmud Eser Sefirot (Study of the Ten Sefirot)?

Answer: Kabbalists write about the Creator’s revelation as the only necessary action in our world in order to prepare us for it. For this, we need to receive an impression from the Light of Hochma (Wisdom) and the Light of Hassadim (Mercy) and thus form the impressions (Reshimot, spiritual reminiscences) of these influences in our matter (desire) which neither feels nor perceives the spiritual world.

For every influence of the Light, we need to evaluate who receives pleasure from the revelation (reception): I, the Creator, or both? This is why the Light comes from the system of Aba ve Ima (father and mother) while Zeir Anpin (HaVaYaH) operates as the reference point for Malchut, determining what she needs to become in order to become like Him, to receive and bestow Light.

The influence from Above constantly changes Zeir Anpin’s attitude toward Malchut as if he were turning his different sides to her and, this way, she changes. She needs to feel the sensations from Zeir Anpin while the only thing needed from her is her readiness to become like Him.

This is our work because we make up the body of Malchut. Zeir Anpin, on the other hand, teaches us to properly perceive the Light or the three lines by influencing Malchut. He shapes us like a child by filling us with impressions and explanations: the impressions in an obvious manner while the explanations in a concealed manner as if they manifest on their own within us and do not come from Him.

We learn how Malchut is being developed from Above in the Study of the Ten Sefirot. We study how Zeir Anpin prepares Malchut (Nukva) for adhesion with Him in their absolute similarity and absolute opposition.
[22060]
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/27/10, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Question: Why should I support a friend? Why can’t we just turn to the Creator and ascend with the assistance of the Surrounding Light?

Answer: None of us can turn to the Surrounding Light, the Upper Force, the Creator, unless it’s done from the place of the breaking, a discernment of the connection to the group. A person cannot contact the Light directly due to a lack of similar properties, even the opposite ones. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out one’s request together with others, either in unity or the lack thereof.

The Creator created one will to receive and that hasn’t changed. It’s what we call the World of Infinity where we all exist together. Below the World of Infinity, we exist in a state of separation; we are unconscious and unaware, totally disconnected from spirituality. These states are included in each other and manifest solely within our sensations. In order to attain Infinity, I have to do the following: 1) come to the state of separation, 2) discover that we are broken, and 3) finally ascend to the place where we are all together.

I cannot turn to the Creator directly since the Creator is the force that exists in the corrected Kli. I either ask for the strength to be corrected along with everyone else, or if I have already gained connection with the others, then I turn to the Creator. There is no Creator without the created being, and there is no Upper Force that I can find without the Kli.
[21960]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/26/10, “They Helped Everyone His Friend”

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Question: Is a man’s wife one of the "neighbors" or "friends" who he needs to “love as himself?”

Answer: Our life in this world is arranged so that we have to connect for the sake of the spiritual goal in our families too. This is a consequence of the highest and brightest spiritual root, and it applies to every person in the world.

As a result of the breaking, our souls have separated and become opposite to one another. This applies not only to the “man – Creator” or “group –  Creator,” but also to the “husband – wife” pair. We have come to the stage of the breaking of the family unit, so spouses, too, will have to realize the principle of “love thy neighbor as thyself.”

It works between a husband and wife the same way as towards other people. And when a husband and wife will merit this connection, Shechina, the Creator, will dwell between them. This means that in all their actions from the most material to the most spiritual one, they will strive to remain in one intention: to be connected only through mutual bestowal, the Creator.

Every person can reveal this, and this is precisely why the Creator divided the first man into two parts: Adam and Eve. This opportunity is already preset in every married couple in this world. I am convinced that we must correct this area. After all, until we bring all the corrections to their completion on the lowest degree, the corrections won’t exist Above either.

It is not enough to feel like we are connected. In this world, we have to connect in all our material things in a perfect form, like in the World of Infinity. And then these two vertexes, our world and the World of Infinity, will connect and everything will return to its perfect state. We need to connect these two worlds: the highest one and the lowest one.

For this reason, everything needs to be happening in accordance with the spiritual laws both in family life and in one’s attitude toward children and adults. And of course, when a husband and wife both study Kabbalah and are able to reach this kind of attitude and intention toward one another, this reveals opportunities to do one of a kind work that is possible only with a spouse.
[22129]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/28/10, “The Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings”

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Question: What is intention, a thought or a feeling?

Answer: Intention is my connection to the end of the action. I need to stretch the binding thread from me to the end of the action: Now, I intend to disclose the place where I will reveal the Creator by acquiring the equivalence of form.

In other words, right now, I intend to reveal the force of bestowal in myself to the extent that I can, and in this force that I obtain, I will reveal Him. Then, the force of bestowal will emanate from me, and the Creator will be revealed. A connection will arise between us called “mating, coupling” (Zivug), unification, or adhesion.

I imagine this desired state for myself, and this is called my intention. It is what exactly that I intend to achieve, what future state I picture for myself, and wish for it to occur.
[21970]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/26/10, The Zohar

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Question: What are the signs of a good connection between friends?

Answer: The spirit of life between them, elation and inspiration regardless of the current states all point to a good connection between friends. The Light performs various actions on us, disclosing hatred, separation, and the breaking between us. It then corrects us. Then it reveals the breaking again and corrects again, and this continues until we become completely corrected.

We understand that we go through various states on this path; some of them are more pleasant or understandable than others. We always justify them since they come from the One who is good and does good, and there is none else besides Him. We just try to maintain the unity and keep up the general spirit: our spirit of life.

This is, in fact, the desired state. All 125 spiritual degrees are situated precisely here, in maintaining the connection and the spirit of life above the ascents and descents. When separation or unity are revealed between souls, you reveal the whole story of the Torah, which you have to go through yourself.

You reveal the evil inclination there: Egypt, exile, and their cause, the whole depth of the evil that arose from the breaking, and the order of corrections. You reveal the actions that lead to unity there, the “patriarchs” and the “sons.” You discover the souls, meaning our parts which are interconnected to some degree. You reveal the whole history that you read about in the form of processes that you are going through. You identify yourself with every soul and reveal its path of correction.
[21954]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/26/10, “They Helped Everyone His Friend”

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Question: A “blessing” is the force of Bina, which comes from Above and raises the souls. Does the notion of a "blessing" apply to the relationships between friends or souls?

Answer: No, there is only support between friends or souls because I cannot give another person the force of bestowal. I can only help another with my support so that he may acquire this force from Above, the only source of strength and correction.

However, without the help of my friend in creating a common desire (called "MAN") for mutual connection and for revealing the quality of bestowal (the Creator), I cannot appeal to the Creator concerning correction. I myself lack the desire to appeal to Him. This desire needs to come from revealing the lack of connection between my friend and me.

Therefore, we have no choice but to reveal the states between us and raise them toward correction. In order for this to happen, I need to reveal these states as evil, sense the vital need to see them as good, acquire the force of faith, and be confident that I undoubtedly can make an appeal, that I have to Whom to appeal to and the support of the group.

Yet, this is only the case if I appeal with the force received in the group rather than on my own. Only if the group supports me, and we reveal the lack of connection in it, the breaking between us, then I use both its support and its breaking. In other words, I take all of the support towards achieving correction along with everything negative and appeal to the Creator with it.

This means that each of us appeals personally, but each appeal is made with what one took from the revelation of the breaking and with mutual guarantee. And with these two forces, one raises an appeal to the Creator.

Then this appeal is called “MAN” (Mayin Nukvin, the waters of Nukva). It has the power of support and mutual help, which they wish to express to each other, and it has the power of their desire to correct the breaking, purposely prepared for them by the Creator. It turns out they are what connects to spirituality, to the Creator since their mutual support is already a connection to spirituality, and the lack of fulfillment that they reveal is a lack of connection, the breaking.

On one hand, their MAN has the force of mutual bestowal and support, which they are willing to express to each other. However, they are still the Nukva, which is the revelation of the mutual breaking where there is no real power of bestowal. Then this works since they have what is needed to appeal to the Creator.

Nothing material pertains to correction, spirituality, or the breaking. Initially we don’t have anything spiritual that needs to be corrected because without revealing our broken relationships, we have nothing to work with. Spirituality begins with disclosing the breaking.
[21974]
From the 2nd part of the DailyKabbalah Lesson 9/26/10, The Zohar

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Question: Please elaborate on the type of connection in a family of which it is written: “Husband and wife, and the Creator (Shechina) between them.”

My Answer: This means that I want any connection between the two of us to be actualized through the Upper force, that I wish to regard my spouse as a partner given to me by the Creator. It’s just like Adam asked after his transgression: “Was it not You who had given me this woman?” Therefore, in a man’s attitude toward his wife dwells the Creator, and this is something we will yet reveal.

If a husband and wife are interconnected, this becomes a powerful means for revealing the Creator. It is a great fortune if a person is provided this field of work. And one doesn’t need a lot of time to realize it, only a few minutes a day. The rest of the time he has to devote to the group and the study.

Every connection transpires on its own level, but they are all united in that their sole purpose is to reveal the Creator. With respect to the friends in the group, we want the Creator to dwell among us. Herein lies the purpose in unifying into a group as well as a family. These are the different levels of connection with the same Shechina, and everybody who exists on the other side of Her (my wife, the group, the friends, and the whole world) are, in fact, parts of my own soul.

Regarding a wife, it is written that the Creator took a part of the man’s soul and made a helper against him. Similarly, the entire world is set against me as a result of the breaking as “help against me.” All this is part of my soul as well. Presently, I feel all this as external and separate from me, but thanks to the Shechina and the Creator’s presence, it all merges for me into a single whole. If I draw the Upper Light, the Creator, the middle line, He will unite all of it into one.

If we examine where the deepest and soundest connection is made – between a husband and wife, the friends in the group, all of humanity, or the entire universe – the innermost connection is found between a husband and wife.
[22126]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/28/10, “The Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings”

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Question: How do I come to a state when I ask and concern myself with one thing only? How do I worry only about finding the place of the Creator’s revelation so as to delight Him and to yearn for it, both in the heart and mind?

Answer: Such a state is superhuman; it is above my nature. I am unable to achieve it, and I want nothing to do with it. I do not foretaste anything I would feel if I were to reveal the Creator. When speaking of preparing a place for Him, of bestowing to Him, I, as if, chase away all possible pleasures, leaving behind only a stale aftertaste.

So how do I change my attitude? After all, the place of the Creator’s revelation needs to exist in my desire. I need to wish for it in my very bones; I need to want to feel the Creator’s delight.

In order to make the object of my concern something opposite to myself, I have to change myself. And the Kabbalists say that there is a force in the world that can do that. But first I must prepare and make the request; I must perform the work that truly depends on me, not something superhuman, but work that is within my reach.

And so I begin the preparation with others like me, via the correct study and environment. Here, every action is within my power. The sensations may not be entirely pleasant, and I may be constantly searching, but I still find the fuel to advance.

I fuel myself with false states, primarily working off envy. When I look at the friends, I get jealous. They are better and smarter than I am. Perhaps some of them are already sensing the spiritual reality. Who knows, I may be sitting next to somebody who’s already there, while I am still mired in ignorance.

If we gather the means that the Kabbalists speak of,  try to apply them to our environment, and rise above reason with the help of envy, then we truly begin to correct the Shechina, the very place in which we will receive the Creator’s revelation for His benefit.

This feat is possible. I must merely carry out as many mechanical, tasteless actions as I can by lowering my head before the environment. In this “submission” to the friends lies the key to success.
[22041]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/27/10, “What in the Work, is Israel Who Exiled Divinity, is with Them”

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Question: How do I soften my heart?

My Answer: You can do it by working in the group, through the examples we show one another, and by the Light that we want to draw during the study. There are no other means. Don’t look for means of spiritual advancement where there aren’t any: in psychology, other methods, or sciences. The entire work is done in the group.

There are the friends, and there is the study. The more we realize the advice of the Kabbalists, the more “assets” we will accumulate. There is nowhere to run from the place of the breaking, the place of our interconnection. By locating it, we will reveal the full depth of the spiritual system’s breaking that exists only between us. It is also here, between us, that we must discover unity, the spirit of life, joy, and aspiration toward the goal.

There are no other places to look. The key lies in our mutual aid. I must learn from the examples of others and show them examples in return. We must read about it together. By distracting ourselves in searching for recipes other than what the Kabbalists have left for us, we will only increase our confusion. There are no other means than the books, the teacher, and the friends.

Together, we have to look for the opportunity to reveal our connection or lack thereof, to reveal the need, the mutual guarantee, the energy, mutual support, and the Creator among us. If we focus all our work and fixate ourselves only on this place, we will achieve the result very quickly. Either we surrender and retreat, or we finally make it through this narrow pass and reach the goal.
[21952]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/26/10, “They Helped Everyone His Friend”

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