Dear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.

There is a strict condition during the engagement in this wisdom: to not materialize the matters with imaginary and corporeal issues…. To rescue the readers from any materialization, I composed the book Talmud Eser Sefirot (The Study of the Ten Sefirot) by the Ari, in which I collected his major explanations and presented them in a simple and easy language.
– Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 156

Most students materialized the matters explained in Kabbalistic books and although the spiritual concepts are above time and above place, pictured them as set in times and places. Additionally, they were confused by the fact material is expressed in corporeal terms.

Thus, I have come out with this preface, to connect the matters and the foundations of the wisdom in a concise manner, so it will be readily available to those who want to study this science.
– Baal HaSulam, “General Preface to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot,” Item 1
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Question: Should the dissemination of the science of Kabbalah in America differ from its dissemination in other countries due to the influence of the “American dream,” which we are supposedly able to achieve here—the dream of lots of money, a good life,…? How can we fight this stereotype?

Answer: I think that other countries still have fantasies that it is possible to attain this “dream” in America. Yet, I think all of this is becoming a thing of the past. People have to wake up from the dream. I don’t think this “dream” will last much longer, both for those living in America and for those living abroad.

Look at how Americans are losing respect in the whole world, how people are no longer showing a good attitude to them and are in fact starting to look down upon them. And soon this will even turn into hatred. This is happening particularly because people do not wish to tolerate America’s attitude to them, the attitude of a country that allows itself the liberty to do anything it wishes.

Therefore, I don’t think this “American dream” has any power. As the crisis gets worse, more and more people in the world will reveal that the “American dream,” which has already melted, was built at their expense because America shrewdly exploited the whole world. And this will come back to it as a very powerful boomerang.

To the extent we disseminate the method of correction, which lies in unity, equality, and mutual guarantee, we will save ourselves from blame and blows, as it is written, “Love will cover all sins.” We won’t try to settle old scores, but will create new, kind relationships. Whatever happened happened. It’s not worth raking up the past.

If we start settling old scores, then the whole world will come to America with complaints because that is how its economic systems are built: at the expense of other nations. Only the method offered to us by the science of Kabbalah will cleanse all the old scores until today, and from here on we will begin building something new, without remembering any of what happened yesterday.
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From the New York lecture #2, 9/12/11

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It is extraordinarily difficult for us to change the ideas we have formed over the course of our entire lives until now. In fact, it’s simply impossible. One way or another, we remain with our old perception, even though it seems as if we are already changing. In fact, nothing is moving. However, now we have to change our old perspective to a new one, and this change has to happen in the whole world. So where can we get this new perception, an integral view?

Suppose that tomorrow the whole world wanted to turn into an integrally connected network where every person devotes his full energy to work for the sake of society (even though today no one wants this and no one feels this way, but let’s be dreamers for a moment). How will we find out how to build this system, how we should be connected and interact with one another?

How can we build such a government and society, production and trade, since all of this must exist as long as we live in the material bodies? Therefore, we are obligated to organize the entire system of relationships that ensures our life on earth in order to satisfy the needs of our animate bodies.

To do this we need many systems, but how can be build them by the laws of bestowal where every person is free and freely acts to maximally bestow to others, where every person knows what he should be doing in this ideally organized machine, in which all the cogwheels are spinning in harmony? This seems like a utopia, so how is it possible to actually make this transition?

It’s possible to write a novel about this, but how can we rationally envision an economic system that is necessary in such a society, the government and judicial structure, this entire mechanism, from the large elements to the tiniest bolts, including the supply of goods, care for the elderly, families, children, construction, and culture? The organization of all of this is very complex because everything has to operate in “perpetual motion” without the fuel that we are used to!

Everything has to work upon a different source of energy—love for the neighbor. But where will it come from? If I simply receive it from above, the way I now feel love for my own children, then I will be working automatically again, like a machine. So what’s the difference? Instead of egoistic love, I will be driven by love for the neighbor, so what will change?

Therefore, we have to build one thing upon the other so it would work upon resistance, ascent, the sensation of ourselves between two worlds or two desires where every person constantly rises above his egoism, which pulls him back toward the earth.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/6/11, “The Nation”

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Only the last, fourth phase (Behina Dalet) is considered to be a receiving vessel because it possesses two qualities: It is “possible” for it to refuse fulfillment, but it “intends” to receive it. If the fourth degree received fulfillment as unconsciously as does the first phase, it would not have free choice. However, the fourth degree does choose to receive.

It is a common mistake to think that every one of the four phases exists independently from the others and that everything before it was forgotten. However, the third phase (Behina Gimel) is the result of the second phase and is even more refined. All the qualities of the second phase (Behina Bet) exist within the third phase and are added to it without erasing anything from the past. For this reason, if Behina Bet said that it was free and did not wish to receive, this quality, with all its definitions and understandings, exists in the fourth phase, Behina Dalet.

Before turning into the fourth phase, the third phase receives all the wisdom, Hochma. Then, as if it neglects this wisdom; it rejects it and wishes to become Zeir Anpin: have the Light of Hassadim (Mercy) with the illumination of Hochma (Wisdom). All of these definitions exist in the third phase at the moment it turns into the fourth phase.

This is why Behina Dalet can choose to either receive or not, but it makes the choice to receive. In other words, it is defined by the “possible” category because both are possible. Behina Dalet is able to do both, and it is not a will-weak robot like the first phase that automatically receives everything that Keter gives it. Behina Dalet says: “I will receive because I want to.”

In other words, it is not subject to this fulfillment; it chooses it. It has free choice as to whether to receive, and this is why it is called “possible.” After all, it is possible to escape without receiving. However, no, it wants to receive, and it does it “intentionally.” It is absolutely free in the choice of its state.

Every subsequent degree contains the Light of all the previous degrees. When it is said that the Light has disappeared, this means that it does not want to consider it as its main fulfillment. For example, Bina says that it does not want the Light of Hochma, but it does not disappear anywhere. After all, if it did not have the Light of Hochma, how could it say that it did not want it? Then, it would not be Bina. It is much the same way as a woman likes to sit her husband next to her and tell him how she does not need him at all. Such is the female personality of Malchut.

It’s only if you were rich that you could have the right to say that you did not want any of your riches and be in a state of pure bestowal, Hafetz Hesed. Otherwise, if you have nothing, what could you rise above, in bestowal? You cannot be a righteous one if you have not a penny, but talk about sharing with everyone as if you were as rich as Rothschild.

First, reach the degree of “Rothschild.” Receive all this power and might, all the money. Feel everything that you have, not like a little child without the understanding of bills, but attaining the full power in your hands that can buy all the pleasures of this world, everything but love.

Then, give it all for love. Then, we really will see that all you wanted was bestowal, Hafetz Hesed. It will not work any other way.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/1/2011, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Shamati #7 “What Is the Habit Becomes a Second Nature in the Work“
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Preface to the Book of Zohar, Item 1, Lesson 1
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It is written, “Love will cover all sins.” This implies that love is impossible without “sins” and without working on them. Our relationships with one another should be approached with wisdom, knowing that forms of communication are always composed of deficiencies and fulfillment. Therefore, we must strive to love and not give up when we discover hatred along the way! This is a very good thing if we know and understand that this is a way to advance. Then we unveil the truth – followed by love, to the extent of the force of our hatred. Mount Sinai (the mountain of hate) becomes the holy mountain, Mount Moriah.

This is why the soul was divided into so many parts, so many people. Even if you live in some remote area and are cut-off from people, you still have a connection with someone, even a virtual one, and that means you can work on this as well. After all, only Kabbalists, who have spiritual attainment, can work directly in relation to the Creator, whereas you still need some external image that is outside of you so it would repel you and you would be in contact with it to make your calculations.

This cannot be a family member, such as your child or wife. It has to be a person who isn’t related to you by any pre-existing, natural ties. Then you will be required to develop forms of connection with him that will be filled with hate and over it – love. Therefore, we need to achieve the connection, the mutual guarantee above all the differences. Love can only be built over hatred. Bring all of your desires there, all of your demands, and all of your arguments. We must accept all of these conditions that have unfolded and are yet to unfold as given from Above!

Let people of all walks of life and political views get together: left, right, religious and secular, with all their stereotypes and misconceptions, because this is what we received from Above. The Creator placed us in such conditions that above them we can discover reciprocity, connection, and guarantee, but we can only do it together, by supporting each other. With this connection, we construct an organism that can survive forever.

We do not erase a single property or flaw that each of us was born with. Let everyone come with all of their errors and transgressions. We are concerned with only one thing: How to bond together under one roof, under the dome of love for one’s neighbor as for oneself, so that love would cover all sins.

I look at it as a part of the Creator and the creation given to me from Above, where my task is to simply connect them all. The Creator is always sending me obstacles, revealing a new degree of hatred, rejection, and disagreement. But above it all, I keep expanding and cultivating my love, thereby ascending the steps of the spiritual ladder.

Therefore, without destruction, without the 9th of Av, it is impossible to reach the Day of Love, the 15th of Av.
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From the lesson on 8/15/11, Selected passages on the Day of Love

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The approach of Kabbalah is highly scientific. However, we do not impose it; we just want to point out the obvious facts of the interconnected world that are impossible to ignore.

We will move on from these facts to the changes in human nature because now, by getting an integral education, people are beginning to think in terms of an integral system. Earlier, they saw it and perceived it through the prism of their egoism, “me and others,” whereas now, a person is gradually beginning to feel the world through a prism that absorbs all visible light. He does not focus on personal gain, but on the good of all humankind. His view is becoming general and his mind is acquiring a different way of thinking. His perception passes through everyone else.

An example could be the mistress of the house, a mother who takes care of her children, her husband, and the home, arranging everything. She looks at life and tomorrow not in connection with her personally, but in connection with her household. She sees the reality of today and tomorrow not out of herself, but out of them.

If a person gradually begins to look at the world in this manner, he rises to a new degree. A new system of perception of reality develops in him. He does not feel a reality within himself personally, egoistically, and individually, but he sees the way everyone else feels it.

In essence, this is the rule, “Love the other as yourself.” A person gradually approaches this state where he is not only in confrontation with humanity and in closeness with some individual people, but he begins feeling himself inside this “pot,” within humanity, within the general system.

Then his perception, view, and way of thinking and feeling change; his entire reality changes. He comes out of himself and reveals a new reality that he did not feel before, a new dimension in his new perception.

If humanity advances toward this intention, it will reach what we call the upper spiritual world. This is not just a name, but it has everything to do with perception and bestowal instead of self-reception.

Moreover, the word “bestowal” is not used in the regular sense. It is when I feel the commonality of all of us, and if I do not care about everyone, I do not get anything myself. Today we are beginning to understand this, albeit slowly.

It will cost us a lot of pain and effort, but if we introduce global education, people will start paying attention to various examples from movies, plays, novels, television programs, and stories that demonstrate that good and evil are considered only with respect to society. We are in a global system where we are experiencing a global process that is accompanied by changes which we can implement ourselves only on condition that we start developing a new kind of education.

I spoke about this at the World Spirit Forum in Arosa back in 2005. However, we still see that people are not ready for this, despite being incapable of escaping it, and even though they are already on the verge of disaster.

For example, a few months ago the USA national debt exceeded the country’s total resources. In other words, even if they sold everything they have, they still would not be able to meet their obligations. If they recognize collapse and declare bankruptcy, the world will fall after them. Therefore, the world is demanding, “Keep on playing. Continue printing money as if you have something to cover it with.”

These are the games we are playing. This is not the economy in the former, classical sense. We just keep moving further with our eyes closed, relying on chance, rather than udnertaking correction. We have no other alternative than an integral education, and we are already aware of this.

The economy is the language of our egoism. Our relationships are built on the principle of “you give to me, and I give to you,” on the system of maximum gain at the expense of others. It’s precisely in the language of economy that we communicate in our egoistic interactions because the economy is the essence of our egoistic unity.

We built it according to certain rules and because of it, we can exist. We are experiencing the crisis in this system first because the egoistic connections between us have reached the ultimate state, and it is no longer possible to live this way.

Therefore, under the circumstances, I appeal to people not even as a Kabbalist, but as an ordinary person who worries about the future of humanity. I do not need anything myself. I just urge people to look at what is in front of every one of us in equal measure.

I do not give home-grown advice. I do not suggest self-made theories, nor do I propose any new, special science. First of all, I say: Let us be guided only by science because it is equally recognized by everyone.
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From a conversation about a new book on 7/11/11

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When we are talking about spiritual concepts, if there is no hatred in the beginning, there will be no love later on. It is written, “I created the evil inclination and I created the Torah as a spice because the Light in it returns one to the source.”

The good source is love. But it cannot be revealed unless evil, hatred, and rejection are disclosed first. We should get used to the fact that love and hatred are always revealed and work together.

This is why we discover both hatred and love in our society, and we should understand that one is impossible without the other. We are not perfect angels, preserved at the inanimate level, but people with all of our cruel egoism.

To the extent that you yearn to feel love, you will discover only greater hatred. That is the only way you will become worthy of “the exit from Egypt” and will come to “Mount Sinai.” The mountain of hatred, “Mount Sinai” is the result of our previous work.

The Tower of Babel is only the beginning; nothing was revealed there. Therefore, 20 generations from Adam HaRishon until Abraham, being the first generations of Kabbalists, are called the forefathers. This is only the initial preparation because a strong desire was not revealed there yet.

The first time that the desire was disclosed was in Babylon, which is where the science of Kabbalah originated. There was already a small mountain of hatred there: “The Tower of Babel” above which it was possible to rise. The science of Kabbalah, the science of connection, was born there, and people who were capable of connecting emerged there as well. Thus, is always revealed above hatred.

Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of the fact that the world today is revealing hatred. We just have to let it be revealed naturally and precede the blow with a remedy so that hatred will be revealed with understanding consciously. And we have to be confident in the fact that we have the precise instructions on how to use it correctly.
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From the lesson on 8/15/11, Selected excerpts on The Day of Love

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First of all, I have to commit myself to bonding with others in order to reveal the property of bestowal. But it takes a long time to reach this need, which is called “the time of preparation.” At this stage, I reveal the extent to which I am unable to connect with others, do not desire, and hate it,

This is where I find the hatred. In truth, it’s not hate for another person, but for the property of bestowal itself. Rejecting another person is rejecting the Creator, His property of bestowal. That’s why I have to arrange the support of my environment, of that very friend with whom I want to connect by asking for his help: “I hate you, and I need your help!” After all, there is a very special force called the “mutual guarantee“, as it is said: “So help a man his neighbor.”

That is how I get the support that is deposited in my account since I drew it from another source. And to the extent I achieve this mutual guarantee, where I support him and he supports me, we try to get closer to one other and cannot! Then we discover that the mutual guarantee does not help either because the One who maintains it is absent. We need the Creator to be a witness, a guarantor who signs our contract.

It’s as if we are lacking the “head of the bank” and therefore our guarantee is invalid. It has to be supported by capital and power. That force which can unite us is the Light! And the Light is revealed through our reciprocity. This is what sets us apart from all other cases of guarantee, such as between criminals who have united in order to steal. After all, they did not bond to implement mutual bestowal.

This is a profound discernment which shows why we are able to realize ourselves in this way, although bonding did not help everyone else who pursued material goals and did not draw the Light that reforms to them. There must be a mutual guarantee which contains the force of the Creator, the force of the Light inside of it.

This is described as: “Israel (aiming straight to the Creator), the Torah (the Light of correction), and the Creator are one.” This is the only way to connect: When we (the Creator, the group, and me) are together. Otherwise, it won’t work. There won’t be a force that can engage the engine, and then we will simply get off track. We will not be able to examine ourselves, as if we are in a dead circuit with no electricity in it.

But if we work in a way where one supports another, with the Creator’s power unfolding between us, this is the only way we will arrive at the correct system where the Creator is revealed. That is how the quality of bestowal is revealed among the creatures. We create spiritual vessels out of ourselves, and within them the Light, the Creator is revealed.
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From the lesson on 8/15/11, Selected passages on the Day of Love

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Kabbalists left us clear instructions on what to do with the hatred that becomes revealed to us, telling us that it should be viewed as a means of work by continuously correcting it. Above this hatred, we should constantly build a bridge between us.

That is why a general, global crisis is being revealed in the world today—a global lack of connection between us. And it is being revealed precisely in order for us to create this connection!

This is so simple, and the picture that emerges is so clear. I don’t see any difficulties here. We just have to explain it again and again in order to open a person’s eyes. What is happening in front of us right now is a clear revelation of the broken vessel, whose parts are unable to connect with one another and therefore, they suffer.

We want to lovingly inform all of these broken parts that we won’t feel better unless we glue our broken vessel together. A few years ago I already said that there is a crisis ahead of us, and now it has happened. Soon we will reveal newer and newer problems, and it will only keep gaining speed.

We have to understand that what’s happening is the revelation of our breaking, and we have to arm ourselves with the remedy that prevents the illness. Then we will accept every blow with understanding and will immediately correct it.

This way, we can transform the evil that becomes revealed to goodness, increasing it by 620 times! After all, the Light of NaRaNHY is “620 times” greater than the Light of Neshama of the still level. And if I now turn hatred to love, I earn 620 times more Light!

Imagine how wonderful it would be if goodness 620 times greater than the force of evil was now revealed in the world !? What else would the world lack? Everything would be present in abundance, including sources of energy, good ecology, tranquility, and harmony.

Besides, inside of this we would reveal immortality and eternity because upon this bridge between us, we reveal a connection with the Root and rise to Its level! All forms of connection are present inside of us, and we have to start working on them: on the virtual, global, integral connection. We have to correct all of these destroyed connections and turn them into good ones.

Let us hope that we will attain love on this “day of love,” which is celebrated today. This is a good sign, and the perfect time to enter all of the virtual networks and explain what is love. Let this be our act of “love dissemination.” With this appeal, I turn to all of my readers and students all over the world!
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From the lesson on 8/15/11, Selected excerpts on the Day of Love

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