Our entire path consists of revealing the Creator’s actions toward us and finding the right reaction to them. It is called “work of the Creator,” when I wish to learn two things: Who is doing this to me, and what He is doing. In other words, I wish to reveal the action and the One who acts.

My attitude to the actions and the One who acts is formed through my attempts to reveal them. And in this regard I can already be referred to as a “human being,” the “I” that somehow relates to “what happens to me” and to “the One who controls me.”

The attitude to the action occurs “within reason,” that is, within and according to the mind. If I relate to the One who acts, to the Creator who controls these actions, in opposition to what I feel from His actions, then this is called “above reason” or despite of reason. If I relate to the Creator in direct dependence from His actions, this is called “within reason.”

However, we evaluate our whole work only in relation to the Creator. I may feel His actions as “bitter or sweet,” perceiving them as “good or evil,” according to my sensations. Yet simultaneously, I also have the attitude of “true or false” in regard to the Creator.

Not necessarily is bitter always true and sweet always false. If I rise above my sensation of “bitter or sweet,” and instead of caring about the sensation, I reveal that it comes from the Creator (who is good and does good), then it means that I am in faith above reason.

I am incapable of this on my own since I live by my sensations. However, I can receive help from the Creator, and the difference between “bitter and sweet” will no longer exist. Then this means that I am in bestowal and relate to Him by faith above reason.

I rose above my sensation due to the force that I received from Him, and now I accept pleasant and unpleasant states, “good” and “evil” equally. I don’t just succumb to the circumstances; I truly feel that way, and this determines the height of my relationship with the Creator.

The more opposition there is between good and evil, while perceiving them equally and blessing the Creator for the bad things as well as the good, the higher is my spiritual degree. It is the height to which I rise above my desires and fulfillment, be they pleasant or not. This is called the measure of faith in the Creator.
[21155]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/14/10, “Preparation for the Reception of Torah”

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Question: Is it enough for us to correct ourselves in order to correct the world?

Answer: No, it isn’t. Since all the souls are connected, a single soul (degree) can’t complete its correction without correcting the parts of the next degree. No person lives for his own sake; the whole system is a system of mutual bestowal.

Therefore, it is impossible for someone to correct himself for his own sake. Everyone lives in order to provide correction and fulfillment for others. It is impossible for a soul that corrects itself not to have a part which was corrected for it by the predecessors and a part that it must correct for others.

We know that the upper part of every soul, its GE (Galgalta ve Eynaim), exists in the lower part, the AHP (Awzen, Hotem, Peh), of the preceding, higher soul (Partzuf). The soul’s lower part, its AHP, is situated in the GE of the the lower soul.

Thus, our free choice is in the place where we are not connected to a higher or a lower soul; it is in the middle part of our soul, the middle part of the Sefira Tifferet. A free space from all souls is formed there; it is our freedom of will. In essence, it represents a special unification in our soul of the higher and lower souls. In this unification, they are equal, and, thus, they give us freedom of choice.

Outside of the middle part of Sefira Tifferet, the parts of the soul do not belong to the soul itself. The upper part pertains to the higher soul (the previous Partzuf), and the lower part pertains to the lower soul, its “successor.”

Therefore, a calculation is always performed on bestowal to the upper one and the lower one. The decision about this bestowal is made in the middle; there is no other freedom. This middle point arose artificially through the unification of Bina and Malchut. It is called Klipat Noga, and it constitutes my point of choice. Besides this point, everything else belongs not to me, but to the upper or lower Partzufim (plural of Partzuf) relative to me. I am situated in the middle, and I constantly need to decide how I am connected to them.

However, this point that makes the decision is, in fact, the “I” or “human being,” the one who is “similar” to the Creator. On one side, there is Malchut, and, on the other, there is Bina. Thus, there is a special contact of Bina and Malchut (the qualities of the Creator and the creature) at this point. This contact yields a free decision to make the creature similar to the Creator. It is called “Adam” or “similar.”

Until we reach this decision, we are not “human.” The human begins from 1) realization of the difference between Bina and Malchut, and 2) the connection between them. The human being grows from this point to the extent that he is able to serve others with his 613 desires: the upper ones with his 248 desires and the lower ones with his 365 desires.

If you don’t do this, you remain only a point. Yet, if you do, you develop your Galgalta ve Eynaim, and they spread out onto the common Soul: all the souls that are higher and lower than you.

From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/12/10, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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How, during the Ten Days of Repentance (Selichot), between the New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), can we see ourselves as the completely wicked? A “completely wicked” will surely attain repentance, Selichot. But we can feel as such only if the Light comes and exposes our true nature.

We are already the completely wicked, except that we don’t recognize it for there isn’t enough Light. In other words, to become the wicked, we don’t have to commit any transgressions since we are already in them. We just lack awareness of our evil. There isn’t anything we haven’t done in our egoism: stole, killed, and gossiped, but we didn’t realize it was a sin. And indeed, this isn’t the sin that the Torah is talking about and what the Creator implies.

To prepare to repent means to try to unite and through our unity draw the Light that Reforms. Then, we will unfold our sin, our unwillingness to be one. The only sin there is lies in the rejection of oneness. In fact, a person would do anything, even die, rather than unite with the others!

And when a person realizes that there is nothing more important than this but that he has no desire for it, he is ready to repent. We lack only awareness of our evil to be able to cry out and ask for the strength to unite, for the force of love and correction.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/14/10, “Preparation for the Reception of Torah”

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Question: What does a Kabbalist who has reached the final correction feel?

Answer: In the state of the final correction (Gmar Tikkun), enormous changes are constantly taking place. A soul exists in ascent and descent “simultaneously” since it feels these two opposite states as identical, as one. The two extremes are united in the soul as one whole because a person has corrected his perception of them and feels them as one occurrence.

However, as we ascend to the World of Infinity, “transitions” from emptiness to fulfillment do not cease to exist, but instead turn into a comparison of the Creator’s initial opposite acts: “existence from existence” and “existence from absence” (Yesh Mi Yesh Ve Yesh Mi Ain). And I, a human being, unite them within myself, adding to the Creator’s act.

This is what dictates the necessity of creating man: He needs to unite these opposites in himself and discover “existence from existence” out of “existence from absence,” that is, reveal the Creator.

From the Talk on The Light that Reforms 9/8/10

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Question: Why do we strive to achieve balance and absolute rest ingrained in our root, the World of Infinity, if you say that there, too, we experience ascents and descents, emptiness and fulfillment?

Answer: In the World of Infinity ascents and descents happen with infinite speed and frequency. This is exactly why we call this state “absolute” rest. The creature is alive only under the condition that it senses itself and its surroundings, and the sensation is built out of the “contact” of two opposite forces. It is said: “The sensation of Light originates from the sensation of darkness.” We perceive the interchange of various phenomena that are in “touch” with each other through their opposite qualities, such as “shadow and light.”

The state of Infinity means that the creature senses everything within itself simultaneously, and this is why such a state is considered “absolute rest.” This means that the creature exists at an infinitely high frequency of comparisons, contrasts, and judgments, all of which represent sensations.

This continuous frequency in particular allows the creature to be in all places of infinite space simultaneously. The sensation consists of impressions of deficiency and fulfillment (descent and ascent). The more often they happen in the creature, the higher the creature is on the ladder leading to perfection. The ability to be everywhere at the same time (with infinite frequency) means that we fill up space and sense rest. This is the End of the Correction of the Soul (Gmar Tikkun).

Quantum physicists haven’t yet discovered the fact that it is impossible to stop the movement of simple particles because it causes matter to disappear as they cannot exist without movement. Even if they managed to stop the particles, they would vanish since matter only exists in constant motion between two states: “emptiness or fulfillment.” By the way, quantum physicists confirm that a quantum can be in two places (states) at the same time.

Rest is not the absence of movement, but rather a continuous movement, which allows us to be in all places at the same time. Infinite speed doesn’t mean that I transition from one point to another instantly, but that I am in both at the same time. This is real rest.

From the Talk on The Light that Reforms 9/8/10

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Question: What is the Light that Reforms?

Answer: The Light that Reforms (or just Light) is a special impression, stimulation, or a special reaction in the desire. We call the Light “Nefesh,” “Ruach,” “Neshama,” “Haya,” and “Yechida.” How do I know what it is? My desire to unite starts feeling “vibrations,” receive filling, inspiration that I name “Nefesh,” “Ruach,” “Neshama,” “Haya,” and “Yechida.” This is what we call “Light:” a particular phenomenon in my desire to correct the breaking of the common soul.

On its own, the desire is formless; it has nothing. Even the lack of fulfillment cannot be sensed by it without the influence of the Light from afar. It is sensed only when the desire is stimulated at a particular “frequency” of a particular Light, this means that it demands fulfillment at the same “frequency,” meaning Light.

Then, the Light first influences the desire in such a way that it makes it appropriate to the Light according to its quality, so that the desire would also act for the sake of bestowal. To the extent that bestowal is present in the desire, the Light is revealed in it.

Everything is realized in the desire; everything begins and ends in it. Nothing comes in or out from outside of the desire, and, thus, everything only depends on our sensation.

Therefore, first I need to develop a desire for a particular fulfillment. Then, I search for how to receive it. I perform some actions in order to correspond to the fulfillment since I begin to realize that it depends on the extent of similarity.

To the extent that I begin to correspond to the fulfillment, I feel a need for it. Then, I feel my similarity to the fulfillment which is called the quality of bestowal, the screen, and the Reflected Light (Ohr Hozer). Only afterward do I feel the fulfillment itself. It fulfills my initial desire to receive it as well as my desire to bestow which I created now. It receives pleasure from the fact that I receive fulfillment in equivalence of qualities. Thus, I now have double fulfillment.

This is called “the righteous inherit twice.” I enjoy the reception in my natural desires (Kelim) as well as the bestowal in my corrected Kelim above my natural desire. However, these are all sensations and impressions only in the desire to receive pleasure, and they all are called types of Light. Even the lack of fulfillment is Light.

After all, if such “fulfillment with hunger” did not exist, I would never feel the need for fulfillment. In addition, if there were no “hunger to bestow,” I would never enjoy the quality of bestowal or similarity to the Creator.

From the Talk on The Light that Reforms 9/8/10

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Question: Let’s say a person is on the path of spiritual attainment and is studying Kabbalah. He is surrounded by the world where all kinds of things are happening. Yet you say it doesn’t matter; we should keep following the path and not get disturbed for these are merely “special effects” to divert us from the main destination. But why, if a person doesn’t fall for it and keeps going toward the goal, are these “special effects” still necessary?

Answer: They are needed for you to work them out: to rise above them and unite with the goal. These “special effects” and all that is created in the world are to aim you at the destination, lift you up, make your trajectory sharper, and hasten it. They are there to aim you at the goal at a greater precision and promote your advancement toward it.

Question cont.: What about the situation where someone puts a knife at my throat? Should I just tell him: “I am sorry, but I am in a hurry: I have a Kabbalah lesson to attend”? You say that you fear nothing and neither should we because everything is for our best, isn’t it?

Answer: Yes, it is done solely for this purpose. A person can feel it when he is working on himself in order to try to build within himself the image of the Creator. He sees that all these images that are being created by him, for him, within him, and outside of him, are solely for him to correctly assemble the image of the Creator within. And the image of the Creator is His qualities; it’s not a picture, but a character, where the character is the property of bestowal and love.

From talks with Vladek Zankovskiy

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The key is to reveal the first point of the soul: the property of mutual guarantee. This is similar to the state of  a body awakening from unconsciousness. That is the state the broken soul exists in. Such awakening of the soul may occur only when it is impacted by the Upper Light (Ohr Makif, the Surrounding Light) and is filled with the Upper Light (Ohr Pnimi, the Inner Light).

There are questions concerning our world: What is the secret of life of the material body, and where does life come from? We could collect and connect all the necessary body tissues in a laboratory, but how do we light the spark of life in it so it may live? The source of life is not in our hands; we only manipulate the body while it is alive.

But where in the bodily tissues does life reside, the force that makes the body alive? We cannot create vegetative matter from still matter, nor can we make animals from plants, and humans from animals. That is because the life force expands from its concealed plane.

This life force can be revealed in mutual guarantee as the inner force of our oneness, if we desire to annul alienation between us and attract the force of the Creator. This life force is regarded as “the Creator.” When it becomes revealed to us, we start to understand to what extent all our previous existence has been just an outermost wrapper on this force.

From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/12/10, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

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We “descended” from the World of Infinity to this world, from the property of bestowal to the property of reception. As we descend, the property of bestowal within us is decreasing, and, accordingly, the fulfillment (the Light, the sensation of the Creator) within us is diminishing as well. This continues until we reach the state of “our world,” where all traces of the Light and the spiritual vessel (the desire to bestow) disappear totally, and we find ourselves completely cut off from spirituality.

Above our world, in the worlds of Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya, there exist the broken souls, that is, the souls that sense their egoism. We need to “enter” there from our world, meaning to reveal that our souls are broken and disconnected. Afterward, we have to pass the border that separates the Worlds of BYA from the World of Atzilut (Parsa), that is, to fulfill the requirement of joining the process of correction: to wish to attain love and complete unification.

By doing so we awaken our broken souls so that they include themselves into Malchut of the World of Atzilut which initially is merely a point that exists on Hazeh (chest) of Zeir Anpin. Above Zeir Anpin, there is GAR of the World of Azilut: Atik, Arich Anpin, Aba ve Ima, and Yeshsut. Above it, we find the next border: Tabur of Galgalta, the World of Adam Kadmon, and the World of Infinity.

In our world, our souls are points. This is how a person perceives his spiritual state called “this world.” Later, by attracting upon himself the Light that develops him, a person attains the sensation of himself in the worlds of BYA, that is, the sensation of the broken, egoistic desires (the states of the Egyptian exile).

From there, we need to ascend toward the Light, meaning above Parsa because it’s impossible to perform the correction in the worlds of BYA, where there is no Light of correction but rather, the Light that exposes the evil. The Worlds of BYA (a place, a state, a sensation) are intended for the realization of evil, of the broken souls, so that we reveal how bad we are and how strong the grip of the evil inclination is. Then, to the measure of this revelation, we will be able to ascend upward and connect to Malchut of the World of Atzilut.

The inclusion into Malchut of the World of Atzilut is called raising MAN, our prayer. Malchut of the World of Atzilut passes our prayer to Zeir Anpin of the World of Atzilut, and, as a result, ZON raises the MAN to Bina of the World of Atzilut. Then the Light (the Reflected Light or the Light of AB-SAG) comes from Above, corrects the connection in ZON, and fills them (ZON).

That is, we only need to raise Malchut of the World of Atzilut, Shechina, that is now in exile. Everything that exists in the Worlds of BYA are parts of this Malchut, Shechina. We need to raise our desires there. Malchut of the World of Atzilut is the “Assembly of the souls of Israel” (Israel is those who aspire “straight to the Creator”), that is, the connection of the broken desires.

Inasmuch as we are able to connect, we include ourselves into Malchut of the World of Atzilut. Surely, we cannot accomplish it ourselves; we can only ask.

Malchut passes our request about uniting to Zeir Anpin, and to this very measure reveals that she wants to connect with Him. Meanwhile, ZA has to receive the desire to connect with Malchut from Bina. And then both, ZA and Malchut (ZON) rise, each with its own desire, to Ima (Bina), which unites them.

Afterward, ZA descends to its place, gives birth to Malchut, and connects her to itself. To the extent that ZON are connected, the souls that exist in them participate in this connection and get filled from it. That is because these souls comprise the body of Malchut.
[21081]
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/12/10, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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As we rise from the point of this world (the lowest point where the sensation of spirituality fades) to the uppermost point of the World of Infinity (where everything is corrected and revealed), we all go through the same stages. However, everyone goes through them according to the root of his or her soul or “according to their taste.”

In our world, we all feel one common world with the same senses. However, our qualities exist in a unique combination in every single person. Therefore, the picture of the world that arises in each person is also completely unique. It depends on the individual combination of his qualities that come from the root of his soul.

Nevertheless, we all climb the same rungs of the same spiritual ladder. Thus, there is one science for all concerning the revelation of a higher life: the science of Kabbalah. It explains to each person how he has to advance.

Everything we read about in The Zohar concerns our advanced states which everyone will have to go through. To the extent that we desire to feel them, we draw the force (the Light or Ohr Makif) from these degrees, and it develops us. As much as we exert our “baby” effort, we grow, develop, and ascend.

It is essential for us to rouse the influence of our advanced states upon us. Therefore, the second and much more important aspect in our approach to reading The Book of Zohar is to understand that ascent implies unification. We climb a “pyramid” or a “cone” to the extent that we unite in our points in the heart.

Therefore, all 125 degrees of the ladder from our world to complete perfection are 125 degrees of unification of desires until they merge completely in the quality of absolute bestowal. This means that the more we unite, the higher we rise, and to the extent that we connect, the quality of bestowal (the Creator) is revealed between us. As much as we are able to unite, we reveal the measure of unification between us, and this determines the measure of revelation of the quality of bestowal or the Creator.

Therefore, when we read The Book of Zohar, we wish to be in this state, and we await its manifestation within us and between us.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/12/10, The Zohar

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