Question: What should be the minimal hold to the group, and what is most important about it?

Answer: There are many types of work and relationships in the group: when the friends are smaller than me, greater than me, or equal to me, and whether I relate to them as the revelation of the Creator or use them as a shield. The group is everything. It’s a desire I can manage, play with, and through it, I determine my attitude towards the Creator. Through the group I acquire a Masach (screen). All my requests, my prayers, my desires, my definitions, and my clarifications go through the group to the Creator.

The group is the compass with which I can focus on the Creator, the upper force. If I can connect with the friends and be incorporated in them, I will be more concentrated and more accurately focused on the Creator. In the corporeal world I see someone and I can approach him. But in the spiritual world, I don’t see the Creator, I don’t know what the attribute of bestowal is, or where it is, in what range of frequency. It’s as if I have a radio, but I don’t know how to find the station I am looking for among millions of other stations.

So I have a problem because I don’t know what spirituality is at all, and I imagine it in a totally wrong way. If it were simply the opposite it would be good, it would at least give me some direction. I don’t know where to look for it at all. I am standing in the middle of a circle and can go in any direction in 360 degrees, and according to my nature I will never be able to guess the right direction.

Therefore, there is only one means: the group, through which I can somehow imagine the attribute of bestowal. If I yearn to connect with them internally, then in that connection, in my yearning for them, I will begin to feel what the Creator’s attribute of bestowal is. Thus I can establish my attitude towards Him inside me.

Hence, the group becomes the most precious thing for me, a means by which I attain my only and most important goal. I begin to feel that it’s when I am with the group and we establish the connection among us, that I can discover the Creator. The Creator is revealed only in that state, in the collective deficiency, in the collective feeling that is created between me and the group. Otherwise He has nowhere to be revealed.

It is as if we build a stage together on which the Creator can appear and perform, inside the feeling of our collective connection, the mutual guarantee, our adhesion. If it didn’t exist, there wouldn’t be the attribute of bestowal in which the Creator could be revealed, because an equivalence of form is required for that.
[67713]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/25/12, Shamati #175

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All our work is building the environment. After all you can’t create yourself by yourself. This is what we have to create for humanity these days. If I have to correct myself, how can I do that? I simply need to create around me such an environment, the media and an education system, so that I will be the product of this environment.

But by creating it, I correct myself. It’s because through the process of creation I already begin to feel how it should be built and how I should exist, and accordingly what kind of an environment it should be so that it will affect me. I feel how I should build it now so that it will take on such a form that will influence me.

In the building process itself, we join the operating mind and understand what the Creator wanted to do by the shattering, why He prepared such building blocks, wood and building materials for us, and why we should build this house. Thanks to this we begin to discover Him. It looks as if I am building the environment so that it will correct me, and so that the corrected me will be incorporated in it and then…but it isn’t so. By building the environment I get to know the Creator.
[67846]
From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/20/12, The Zohar

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Study of The Ten Sefirot“: One concealment means that he believes in the Providence of reward and punishment. Yet, because of the accumulation of the suffering, he sometimes comes to thoughts of transgression.

The egoistic desire pressures a person and the slight revelation of the Creator’s posterior isn’t enough for him. But he still restrains himself as much as he can.

This is because even though he believes that the suffering came to him as a punishment, he is still like one who sees his friend from behind, and might doubt and mistake him for another. And these sins are only mistakes, since, as a whole, he does believe in Providence of reward and punishment.

So what are these states? Suppose a person’s egoistic desire weighs 100 kg and the Light gives him only 50 kg of power of resistance. If we subtract the 100 kg of evil from the 50 kg of the power of the Light, the result will be minus 50 kg. These 50 kg of the ego operate inside a person and lower him to the level of mistakes. If all the 100kg of the ego were set loose in us, a person could find himself on the level of sins.

If I am totally under the control of my egoistic desire, it is the level of sins. Here all my vessels, the ones that receive and ones that bestow, operate with the intention of in order to receive. But if some of my vessels can restrain themselves fearlessly, then I am on the level of mistakes. It all depends on the revelation of the Creator, on the way He appears to me.

This mechanism doesn’t work in our world. Here only the threat of a blow to the ego restrains us: whether it is the feeling of shame, or whether our pride may be hurt, or even physical harm. On the other hand, in the spiritual world the punishment is the inability to bestow. The threat of the inability to bestow restrains a person.

On the whole, it all depends on how much the Light influences me, in how many of my vessels I want It to bestow. Accordingly I am on the level of a “righteous” or an “evil person.”

Do I have free will here? It depends on whether I can demand that the Light will influence me as much as possible.

For example, I have a “cruel” egoistic desire that weighs 100 kg and I am ready to correct it only by 10 kg because I simply cannot ask for a greater correction; I can’t resist all the pleasures and put them under the intention of bestowal. Even when I am incorporated in the group, I am not ready to get rid of all my egoism. At the most, I am ready to “cut the edges,” to get rid of the “excess fat,” and not more than that; that’s all I can ask for. So what’s next? Will my request be accepted in such an egoistic manner?

Everyone should try and answer this question by himself.
[67602]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/25/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Our correction occurs at two stages: fear and love. These two stages become realized within us if the Light corrects our desires. This means that we have to aspire toward corrections but we don’t actualize them on our own. Such an approach differs drastically from what we’re used to in this world. In our world it’s up to me to search out the strength and the knowledge that’s needed to realize my plans. For spirituality, however, I have to search out the strength and the knowledge with which I’ll be ready for what the Light is going to realize within me.

On the spiritual path, all of our preparation is aimed at our creation. At each new level we prepare ourselves for a rebirth, thereby getting to know the Creator’s actions and working with Him as His partner. We prepare ourselves for birth and He begets us over and over again. Through this process and through His actions we get to know Him better.

Clearly, on this path we don’t attain the essence of the action that begets us. Possibly by the end of all corrections and after attaining a perfect degree we’ll understand how the Creator operates.

But for now our work consists of preparation. This preparation allows us to better sense and attain the Creator and His work; however, from this encounter we must draw exactly what is necessary for our preparation for the next birth. This is how we advance from one level to the next and this is the only thing that should concern us.
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/26/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Question: Why was there a need for the great move of all the worlds, when all the worlds rose together with Adam HaRishon (first man) on the evening of the sixth day of creation, if later on he sinned and fell even lower than the place where he was born?

Answer: After the sin of Adam HaRishon, all the worlds descended to the same place they are now, which is the world of Nikudim. Yet, as a result of all the ascents and descents, the environment where the souls are was created. From this point onward, the souls are placed in a world, in an environment, and thanks to that environment they can exist.

The levels of the inanimate, vegetative, and animate of the worlds, the worlds of Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya (BYA), allow the souls to exist in a “beastly form” and provide them with the necessary conditions for living. But after a person receives life, he can reach the existence of the soul on the level of the speaking in addition to the inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels. In order to do that, the souls have to connect, and then they build a network between them.

At first the worlds rise without a person’s participation according to the plan of creation. There is a plan called Beito (in its time) that ticks like clockwork and is fulfilled step-by-step like the movement of the hands of a clock. You can hasten the plan if you wish, and make the clock tick faster, but you have to make extra efforts for that. There is a preliminary plan, and everything moves according to the plan of creation and returns to its root.

The world of Atzilut by itself is Galgata ve Eynaim. If I insert Galgalta ve Eynaim into Awzen, the result is the world of Beria; if I insert the world of Atzilut into Hotem, the result is the world of Yetzira; if I insert it into Peh, the result is the world of Assiya. So the worlds of BYA are a copy of the world of Atzilut in Awzen, Hotem, and Peh (AHP), that is the incorporation of the attributes of Bina and Malchut. This is how the worlds of Beria, Yetizra and Assiya, which are the environment of Adam HaRishon, were created.

Now man is in the desire to receive in which there are different attributes of bestowal, different attributes of life. These attributes of life have no free will, and there are only levels of the inanimate, vegetative, and animate. It is exactly like in our world, where there are levels of inanimate, vegetative, and animate nature, which exist and are active around a person, creating for him an environment in which he can live.

We live by the world of Atzilut, by the Creator’s attributes that are around us in the natural forms of the inanimate, vegetative, and animate! Thanks to this we exist. But if I don’t want to exist by the level of the inanimate, vegetative, or animate, but rather by the level of the speaking, which is the world of Atzilut itself: I have to rise to it.

Then from the worlds of BYA, I collect the information about the meaning of life, from the attribute of bestowal (Galgalta ve Eynaim) that is incorporated in the attributes of receiving (AHP). I want to join the force of the attributes of bestowal (Galgalta ve Eynaim) and I express my desire for that by my attempts to connect the shattered parts and to raise them to the world of Atzilut.

I don’t raise the shattered parts of the desire to receive to the world of Atzilut, but only the shattered parts of the desire to bestow, the points in the heart that were separated from each other by the desire to receive (AHP) that entered them. I want the Light to come and to connect the points in the heart on top of the desire to receive. Then they will begin to work mutually with AHP. This means that I raise AHP to Galgalta ve Eynaim.
[57758]
From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/16/11, “Study of the Ten Sefirot“

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Question: How do we awaken envy in the group towards the writers of The Zohar in order to want to be similar to them, to reach their level?

Answer: It is difficult. They are very remote and incomprehensible to us. Additionally, we totally cannot understand what it is for a man to understand all of creation and to be in a place that is full of Light where the laws that manage the entire creation are revealed to him beyond the limits of our world, and to have understanding and feeling for the inclusive nature, of the great mind, the great thought, that operates everything, and that knows the same harmony that connects all the parts of creation to each other.

It is especially from this that all our pleasure comes. In spite of our thinking that pleasure is something emotional, and the desire to receive, as it were, only understands the language of feelings and emotional enthusiasm, it is not exactly so since we receive the emotional enthusiasm from the Light of Hochma (wisdom).

This slightly confuses us and we don’t completely understand what this is. But real pleasure is from obtaining the system of the upper providence and governance, where the Creator is revealed. We don’t obtain the abstract form and the essence but the form clothed in substance, the form of bestowal clothed in our substance, the substance of reception.

Thus the Creator (Boreh) is called Come and See (Bo – Reh) since we come and then see, come and attain. But we attain the Light of Hochma, how it clothes the entire system and manages all its parts from one end to the other. We see how different and distanced the parts are from each other by their egos, by the differences in their attributes, and how connected they are through these forms, the revelation and the completeness. We can’t even imagine that it could connect or complete them. It is especially the connection between the contradictions that gives great joy and the attainment of completeness.

It is that way with everything in our lives. Let’s suppose you see a movie or a certain incident. You are especially impressed that in the beginning the people were separated, opposing each other and suffering, and suddenly reconciliation and completeness appears. This is what most inspires a person. Let’s suppose there is some injustice, and then justice wins, or other situations similar to this; on this is built all creativity.

It is derived from the same upper root:In the beginning we see and obtain the great separation that exists between all the parts of the system, and then afterward, we obtain its completeness. From the separation we obtain the completeness, as it is said, “Cover all transgressions with love,” and the attainment comes from this, the understanding and appreciation of the Creator.
[67467]
From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/24/12, The Zohar

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot“: “Naturally, one who is imparted this open Providence is certain that he will not sin again, as one is certain that he will not cut into his own flesh and cause himself terrible suffering. In addition, one is certain that he will not neglect a Mitzva without performing it the instant it comes to his hand, as much as one is certain that he will not neglect any worldly pleasure or a great profit that comes into his hand.“

We don’t understand this. What does “open Providence” mean? If I reveal the good and the benevolent, it seems that I am free of all my worries, lying in the arms of the Creator like a baby lying in his mother’s arms. Does he try to solve anything, to understand anything?—no, he is simply wrapped with love.

Does this love weaken us? Doesn’t it make us lose our power of self-preservation?

This is the problem. Parents’ love spoils the children. If they treat them only with love, the children have no limits and eventually begin to hate the parents.

Baal HaSulam writes about parental love (in Letter 2): “Come and see a wonderful custom in this love, where apparently if the son is an only child of his father and his mother, he is obliged to love his father and mother more, because they show greater love to him than parents who have many sons.

But it isn’t so in reality, but rather the opposite, that if parents are strongly connected to their sons by their love then the value of loving the sons is minimized, until sometimes the sons feel that “any feeling of love in their heart is extinguished” which is nature’s law that is in the world.

And the simple reason is, that a father’s love to his son is natural…and the son doesn’t fear at all that this love may diminish, and he doesn’t hope that his love will grow, which is called “absolute love,” and then gradually the son grows lazy in showing his father good deeds…and it becomes his second nature, close to hatred…”

Children need two forces; they can’t hold on to one force only. Every person needs two “reins”: the force of receiving and the force of bestowal; a “shell” on the side of receiving and a “shell” on the side of bestowal. Only this provides us with some “coordinate system” and places us somewhere.

But if everyone treats me lovingly, it will confuse and irritate me. I have to decide, to settle down somewhere. My brain can’t stand this and so it may finally come to hatred.

How can I guard myself when the Creator is revealed, so that I can handle the revelation of His love? How can I create borders around me, limits, so as not to lose my independence, my “self”? How can I establish my attitude towards Him too?

After all, I mustn’t conceal myself from the Creator’s love. He wants to reveal it to me to the fullest, and I seem to object; “No, that’s enough. I already see that you are treating me well.” This would be showing contempt to Him.

So the revelation of the Creator brings about many more problems than His concealment. A person has to establish internal systems that will enable him to manage himself under much stricter limitations. This is an ascent up the spiritual levels: stricter limitations, in order to work above the egoism and to build greater Masachim (screens).

At the same time, the stronger the desire is, the stronger the love is. In our world too, we love naughty children more than quiet children. The absolute love is actually perceived in “bad” desires and vessels. It is there that it is felt as positive or negative and from there, eventually it receives a response from the Creator. Eventually when a person’s worst vessels are corrected, he can return the same absolute love for the Creator…
[67485]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/24/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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It isn’t easy to reach the understanding that the most important thing for us is the deficiency and that day and night and good and bad are measured in comparison to it.

If there is a deficiency, it is good and is called “day.” If there is no deficiency, it is called “night.” This is how you should always check yourself. This is completely opposite from what we are used to because it doesn’t match the feelings in our desire to receive but rather in our tendency for bestowal, for holiness.

You should picture yourself standing in front of the King, trying to please Him, to bestow upon Him. But what can you bestow upon Him, with what can you please Him so that it can be considered our bestowal? We should check what He enjoys.

All the actions the Creator enjoys are called Mitzvot, and they can be performed only with the help of the reforming Light, called the Torah. All the Mitzvot are in the connections among the created beings, and so love thy friend as thyself is a great rule in the Torah. It is called the correction of the general desire by means of the Torah because the Light in it reforms. Then thanks to all the actions in which we connect, one great bestowal is created, called the general vessel, the one soul.

This yearning is called day, and the actions of connection are called Mitzvot. The general attribute that is revealed in that is called the attribute of bestowal, or Masach, the Reforming Light, in which the Host’s pleasure is revealed and the Host Himself. The direct Light is revealed in the returning Light according to the equivalence of form. Thus we advance.
[67586]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/25/12, Shamati #175

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Question: From the lessons I understand what I should feel, but in reality I don’t feel it. How do I come to this sensation?

Answer: The fact is that one cannot actualize anything within himself on his own. Indeed, every one of us is but a point, and any actions are only possible between us. That’s where all the corrections are made.

You may feel your own individual desire for correction, but you can only actualize it in the connection with your friend. That is the only way to perform all the measurements and tests.

Today all that you see within yourself are violations on an animate degree, both inadvertent and deliberate. Whatever may upset you about yourself, none of these things are real, as they pertain to the still, vegetative, and animate degrees. But have you revealed your blunders and malicious intentions in your connection with the friends, in the aspiration to unite with them?

If you remember how you mistreated someone in your life, this doesn’t apply to the domain of correction. Even if it was someone in your family, it still pertains to the still, vegetative, and animate degrees. This is not yours, but something that’s revealed to you in your desire to receive.

In contrast, we must correct only what becomes revealed as a result of our efforts to unite with the group. I reveal that I’m incapable of it and that I’m filled with hatred for the friends. By trying to weld together Israel, Torah, and the Creator, I reveal the blunders and malicious intentions, and then I correct them. I work exclusively on this “territory,” on the human degree.

Everything else is irrelevant. In all other ways I am simply driven by nature. Nature may drive me through suffering and unpleasant states, but I need not correct them.

Only to the extent of my correction in the group, with the Creator, everything that happened in the past will be corrected as well. And then the still, vegetative, and animate degrees will rise together with man.
[67599]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/25/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Question: What does it mean to funnel your request “through the group,” through unity?

Answer: “Through the group” means that I funnel my desire through the integral system. And if it is able to become similar to this integral system, this is a sign that my desire is similar to the Creator’s desire. It is written, “Make your desire like His.”

If I cannot do this, then I still address Him through the group and ask for the force of correction. But this does not mean that I funnel my desire through the group to the Creator so He would respond to me and fill me with His force of bestowal so I could bestow in practice.

On the contrary, I turn to the group and see how much I hate others, don’t want to be with them, am rejected by them or reject them. And then in these discernments, in the struggles and collisions with everyone, precisely all of these corrupted states are what I raise upward and ask, “Correct them! I am waiting! I want to unite with the others!” Then it’s a wonderful prayer.
[67580]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/25/12, The Zohar

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