The desire is divided into two parts because of the “four phases of the Direct Light.” The first group of desires belongs to the root level, the first and half of the second level of thickness. The second group belongs to the second half of the second level –Bina, the third level, ZA and the fourth level, Malchut.

The first level is still part of the spreading of the Light that operates on the desire. The second part belongs to the desire to enjoy that performs different actions and wants to resemble the Light, which means that it belongs to the reaction of the desire to the Light. Its first part, the lower half of Bina is the plan of the operation, like a “head.”

But when the desire develops, every level includes all the levels that preceded it. In phase one there is the root phase, in phase two there is phase one and the root phase, in phase three there is the root phase, phase one, and phase two, in phase four there is the root phase, phase one, two, and three. This means that every level includes all the previous phases and it adds what mainly characterizes it.

Phase four, Malchut, is actually the created being in which all the other phases are included, the vessels that absorbed the attributes of the Light and are therefore close to correction. The purest levels of the desire that is in the created being is the root level and levels one and two are called “Israel,” while levels three and four are the other nations of the world that cannot correct themselves by themselves because the Light operates in the first levels while the desire determines everything in the last levels.

Therefore the “Israel” desires can be corrected under the influence of the Light. They only need to draw the Light to them when they work against their ego. They still have a small desire to enjoy and it’s as if it doesn’t disturb them from getting closer to the Creator. The third and the fourth levels cannot draw the Light by themselves since their desire is so strong that they cannot even think about these corrections.

But according to the thought of creation, it is these desires that have to be corrected since the fourth phase is the true created being and the Creator’s goal. Israel is the link between the Creator and Malchut that can absorb the attributes of the Light and with its help, when it’s incorporated and connected with the rest of the desire, to correct its thick part.

So there is a mixing of the desires and as a result, Israel includes the nations of the world and the nations of the world include Israel. This incorporation comes from Above, but later there should be a clarification with the help of the work of Israel. This part of the desire that has penetrated deeply into the other layers can draw the Light that Reforms and with its help, clarify itself.

Of course Israel has to feel the pressure of AHP, of the nations of the world who need this Light, so that the desire to draw the Light will be formed. Israel itself doesn’t need anything; it is initially only vessels of GE, Bina. But when it experiences the pressure of the nations of the world, it feels that it needs corrections.

Then Israel draws the Light that Reforms and corrects itself when it connects to the collective body, GE. The collective desire that they build then is called the “Land of Israel,” and the connection among them is called “Knesset Israel” (the Assembly of Israel) or Shechina, the assembly of all the souls of Israel, since that part is already aimed at the Light (Israel meaning “Yashar El” – “straight to the Creator”).

If Israel deals with the correction, the Surrounding Light begins to operate even on the second part of the desire, on the nations of the world, when it brings them peace. If Israel doesn’t worry about its correction, the nations of the world feel pressure and begin to pressure it more strongly. The nations of the world force Israel to unite whether in a good way or in a bad way.

The process of correction is mutual: GE starts it and then the nations of the world join it. How the process will take place is up to Israel, whether they hasten time, which means whether they aspire for correction or not.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/9/12, Shamati #46

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Question: What is the “heart of the group?”

Answer: “The heart of the group” are common desires that are able to exist in a mutual and devoted connection to one another. Together they can use the egoism that each person has risen above and bring these desires into sacrifice. That is, they now have work in the Temple, in their common house, their common desire. It’s within this adhesion to one another they discover adhesion to the Creator.

The unity between friends is a vessel and as a result of all these connected desires the adhesion to the Creator is revealed. It is said: “Through Your actions we shall know You.” The Light is revealed within the vessel.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/12/12, The Study of the Ten Sefirot

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Question: What are the signs that you are moving to the King’s palace correctly?

Answer: The King’s palace is not somewhere out there on a mountaintop. This is not the silhouette of a castle, luring us from a distance, or the shape of magical Disneyland.

The palace of the Creator is inside in the human heart, and this is not the picture that a person would want to imagine. It is not pleasant for him to think about how to turn his heart into the palace of the Creator. It immediately requires a person to do something; it forces him to undergo unpleasant states, to take on the laws of bestowal, to change oneself in order to transform himself, his desire, into the temple of the Creator.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/10/12, Writings of Rabash 

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There is nothing in the Creator but love. But because we have no idea what love is, the Creator created different means in the created being by which we can attain love.

Love is something strange which our ego doesn’t understand; it’s unnatural. How can it be that by tasting the different flavors the host has served before me, I will feel the love of the host? What does one thing have to with the other?

This is the essence of the creation, “something from nothing.” In the “nothing” there is something of the “something.” And so from the “nothing,” from the desire to receive, I can reach the “something,” which means that from the impression within the desire to receive I can reach love, an attribute that is totally detached from the created being in every aspect.

Suddenly there is a kind of miracle, when as a result of some actions and phenomena within the desire to receive it attains an attribute that belongs to the upper Godly nature.

This remains totally incomprehensible to us; how can such a miracle called “love” be born from the actions of “give and take”? It has nothing to do with the desire to receive.

Every time, on every level, we have to complete the actions and the impressions that we experience in the desire to receive so that we will be able to bring them all together and rise to the attainment of the attribute of bestowal.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/3/12, The Study of the Ten Sefirot

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Baal HaSulam, Shamati #211 “As Though Standing Before A King”: One who is sitting at one’s home is not like one who is standing before a King. This means that faith should be that he will feel as though he is standing before the King all day long. Then his love and fear will certainly be complete. And as long as he has not achieved this kind of faith, he should not rest, “for that is our lives, and the length of our days,” and we will accept no recompense.

Our main goal is to attain the Creator as if we stand before a King, not having even the slightest feeling of rejection when we get other types of various rewards from Him: knowledge of what’s written in the books, respect, honor, and other sorts of fulfillments. On the contrary, only the revelation of the Creator grants to us the wisdom of Kabbalah alongside its true implementation.

This goal should constantly be in front of a man and nothing less than that! This is the only goal one should aspire for. Unless a person starts to sense the Creator, his ego doesn’t conform and it repeatedly confuses him thereby strengthening his ultimate goal.

“One who is sitting at one’s home” means that a man is still inside his ego and doesn’t realize what exactly is going on, but rather sees the world through the prism of his selfishness. The world he sees is adequate to his level of egoism; it’s full of downsides that replace a picture of the authentic reality around him. The moment one exits “his home,” he discovers the King and attains Him; thus, he acquires the faith that corrects him.

This is why the entire preparation period that we are currently experiencing is meant only to obtain the desire to reveal the King, the property of bestowal, to stay in this property and eventually exit our current “home.” This is the only goal we should aspire to!
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From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/31/12

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There is a well-known fable that describes the relationship between a person and the Creator. It is the fable about the guest and the host. After the host has set the table and put out all the refreshments for the guest, the guest feels great shame that simply burns him. He is ready to do anything as long as he doesn’t feel that shame. Then the host, feeling pity for the guest, creates concealment.

But what does he conceal? If the host just conceals himself, the guest will comfortably eat all the refreshments on the table and that will be the end. The guest will remain an unfeeling egoist that only knows how to receive and will go on existing only in the corporeal form totally detached from the host.

So it turns out that the concealment of the host alone is not enough. The pleasures should also be concealed and then played with by revealing them to the extent that the guest can repay the host with the same attitude that the host reveals to the guest in small portions.

All these three components: the pleasure, the feeling of the host, and the guest’s appetite should be revealed gradually and all three should be compatible to one another. Then the right conditions should be created for the guest in small portions, in which he will be able to establish the same attitude towards the Creator, with the same love that the Creator treats him.

How is that possible? The smallest degree on which the host reveals the pleasure in the refreshments and shows his attitude towards the guest is a great degree for the guest. This is because for him it is a new life, which he didn’t feel in the concealment. He should develop in him the readiness to treat the host this way in advance, just as the host treats him on the very first level. When the flavors of the refreshments are revealed, the guest will not have to deal with them, but will use them as a means: to receive them and build his love for the host above them.

So it turns out that the restriction and the Masach (screen) have to precede the revelation of the Light, the Creator. This means that first and foremost we need the fear of the Creator. A person must develop this attribute: awe, fear of not succeeding to bestow upon the Creator, constant worry about that; what if the Creator is suddenly revealed and I am not protected from the egoistic pleasure and will not be able to love Him back? The necessary preparation for the revelation of the Creator is in this fear.

This awe is on all the levels, but in different forms and in different intensity, but the awe is an essential condition. If a person acquires it, he is ready for the revelation of the Creator.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/3/12, Shamati #38

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In order to get the real and complete picture of reality, we need to disconnect somewhat from that same reality that we are used to, and as much as possible, to try to imagine the permanent state which is the desire to receive that was created by the Creator. All movements take place only within this desire, within its consciousness.

If this desire tries to understand and feel its real state, then this is called movement. It is precisely in this state that we find ourselves, but in our understanding and feelings we grasp a different, imaginary reality. This kind of exercise, a game in which we are involved in order to make an effort, like children, trying to succeed in the game, and through this to gain knowledge, feeling, understanding, intelligence and development.

If not for these games, then the child would grow up like a beast: from a small beast into a large beast. But it is specifically through the games that each time he learns, changes, and becomes a man.

And here we are, exactly in the same state. On purpose, He gave us a feeling that is far from the truth so that we would try to resemble the truth, like small children who play at being grownups. To the extent of our attempts, we begin to grasp this real situation, enter it, and feel that we are within it.

It turns out that the wisdom of Kabbalah is comprised of advice about how to attain this real state, which laws operate there, what activities occur, and what we can do in order to gradually pass from our present state to a state that is more advanced through these actions, thoughts, and desires.

All of this is called the work of the Creator, since through it, we want to resemble the Creator. The Creator is the general force, the general desire, attribute. And in order to resemble this attribute, which is called the Creator, we must create within us conditions to reveal Him. This is specifically what we do step by step with the help of the advice of the Kabbalists.

Our gradual corrections are completely contradictory and opposed to bestowal, until complete resemblance to it, which is called the spiritual ladder, where we rise from the attributes of reception to the attributes of bestowal. In these ascending levels, we learn about the spiritual acts, the understanding of the attribute of bestowal in all forms.

The correction of these egotistic attributes to attributes of bestowal is called fulfilling Mitzvot (commandments/precepts).
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/31/12, Writings of Rabash 

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Question: Is the fear whether you can bestow upon the Creator based on tangible fears or does it replaces them?

Answer: The fear of the Creator replaces all the earthly fears. Tangible fears are only an incentive, a condition from which we must come to a different fear.

You cannot be disturbed by several fears. This happens only in our world because of confusion and misunderstanding. But as soon as you approach the truth, it becomes clear to you become that there is only one source and only one reason for everything happening.

Then, your fears are no longer directed in different ways regarding money, honor, health, various benefits, or fear that someone may hurt you. If you are really moving towards the Creator, then you have a clear knowledge and feeling that He is the source of all things. So, what should you worry about?

You aim only at the Creator. Everything else is revealed to you only as a reason for the different fears so that on the basis of them you recognize that there is none else besides the Creator. Whom else could you fear?
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/3/12, Shamati #38

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Baal HaSulam: “A Handmaid that Is Heir to Her Mistress”: Since the very power of the mistress—the dominion of the internality—is by the force of our wisdom and knowledge, as it is written, “we are distinguished, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.” And now the handmaid has stepped forth and prides herself in public that she is the heir of this wisdom. And you should know that this power of theirs is the shackle by which the legs of the children of Israel are chained in the exile, under their dominion.

Question: According to what scale can a person determine what he studies, whether the method of correction or just “wisdom?”

Answer: It depends in which vessels he wants to receive what he studies.

In fact we are drawn to wisdom, but imagine that there are no books, paper, or writing instruments, and you simply sit and study. You don’t remember anything of what you study. After all, you study in order to improve yourself, to build new attributes that will enable you to discover a new world each time—this is the correct study.

Question: But we have to disseminate, and on the whole this obligates us to study in the traditional sense. Do we need “wisdom” in order to disseminate the wisdom of Kabbalah?

Answer: “Wisdom” is needed so that there will be a “basis” for the connection with the Light and the changes inside you. According to the wisdom of Kabbalah it isn’t the wise that learns.

Question: So what do I tell people during the lectures and the lesson?

Answer: You approach people with the “wisdom” and gradually explain to them that the main thing is not the amount of knowledge but the inner change. It is in the inner change, to the extent that it is compatible with the Light that we begin to feel spiritual phenomena.

By perceiving and understanding this, you see that the standard is very high: “I can do anything, but this is beyond my powers.” You feel helpless and here you have an opportunity to raise MAN, a request, and to really reach the breaking of your heart.

Question: But what can you do with the yearning for the wisdom of Kabbalah?

Answer: Build “faith above reason,” so that the demand for bestowal will be above the demand for receiving. By that you don’t annul the wisdom; on the contrary, when you rise in “faith above reason,” your knowledge increases according to your faith.

This is because “faith” is the feeling of the Creator, equivalence in form with Him. You yearn to acquire a vessel of bestowal, because in it you will reveal the Creator and will be able to understand, feel Him, and bring Him contentment. Your goal is not to fill your corporeal vessels, the desires that yearn for wisdom. You need them only so that you will know exactly how to “format” yourself and to become equivalent to the Creator. We need such a mind.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/4/12, “A Handmaid That Is Heir to Her Mistress”

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Inner work is divided into night and day. “Before sunrise” man prays for the salvation of the Shechina from exile. These are such internal states, when man feels that he is in exile from the quality of bestowal, from the good desire, from the land of Israel, the desire directed straight at the Creator (Isra-el).

One needs to delve into this feeling a little bit in order to feel the depth of his egoistic desires. After all, if you are not in the land of Israel, it means that you are in Egyptian slavery! It is necessary to realize how great the concealment is and that you are not able to come out of it by the means of your own strength.

However, one must not lose control of this state, and after checking yourself, you must wake up and come out of it, rise and take care that you have strength, and it was not completely lost in the feeling of exile.

Now, you need to gradually awaken and in the darkness, prepare your desires in expectation of Light. Bitter dissatisfaction, which you felt in Egypt, must transform from the material feeling that you feel bad into a call, an urging towards corrections. It was necessary because otherwise you would not have woken up.

You need to see what corrections you need and begin attuning yourself to bestowal until you reach a true demand for bestowal, meaning towards obtaining an anti-egoistic screen.

We do not understand that we are in bestowal; it is not simple at all. The unity, which man attains with the Creator, gives him great fulfillment; it softens his heart and gives the feeling of complete freedom from one’s egoism, and starts to rule over it. The Light comes and takes power over man if he reaches correct unity with a close one.

And for this, one needs very strong desires in order to not lose one’s head, to maintain control over oneself, and to accept this feeling precisely for the sake of giving pleasure to the Creator. Since here, there is a great danger of beginning to enjoy for yourself, and then man will not fall simply into petty earthly egoistic desires, but into the true Klipot.

That is why we need to prepare our desires for the Light in the darkness of the night, and then right before dawn the upper spiritual Partzufim Aba ve Ima unite. All of the spiritual pleasures that we receive and the Upper Light, all of that is the consequence of unity, meaning the Light, the warmth, which is born from it.

That is why, on one hand, one needs to passionately aspire towards unity, but on the other hand, to stop and strongly control oneself in order not to cleave to it naturally and egoistically, but only consciously and deliberately. It is as if a man is running full-speed, eager to reach unity, but at the very last moment just before touching it, he must stop abruptly and check himself! This is the whole meaning of the wars when entering the land of Israel.

He must clearly identify whether he will now reveal this unity specifically for the sake of bestowal or not. Since when he is not yet in unity, it is not that scary what kind of intentions he will have. For now, his actions are egoistic and the intentions are broken. However, when he begins to enter unity, a danger to enter the unclean forces emerges, the Klipot.

The result of unity and the revelation, which has been reached due to it, must be directed only at the benefit for the Creator, and not for one’s own benefit. Here is where the true war against one’s desire to enjoy begins.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/2/12, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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