Every soul while correcting itself improves the condition of the collective soul, and by doing so, it helps all the others to correct themselves; they, in turn, also contribute their corrections to the common soul. First, everyone must realize the root of his soul by bringing his spiritual gene (Reshimo) to its individual, final correction (Gmar Tikkun Prati). Our individually corrected state is then our complete engagement in the collective soul of Adam HaRishon.

So, what is the common soul of Adam HaRishon after all? Is it all me, or am I a part of it? The common soul is all me, and all the others are perfect already. It is from them that I draw the desires which I must fulfill. I’m like one small organ in the body which has to provide for the entire body in all its parts with my share and my work. Hence, the whole body is revealed in relation to me, but only to the measure in which I fill it.

Suppose that I’m related to the vascular, lymphatic, or nervous system; I am uncovering only the parts that are related to that system. In this way, I disclose the entire system of Adam HaRishon in relation to me. I adjoin this tremendous desire of the common soul to myself. In relation to the others, I become like a mother, ZAT de Bina, or in other words, like “the cow that desires to feed its calf.” In fact, I must fill them with the fruits of my labor.

So, I begin to pull all their desires into myself. These unfilled desires have empty spaces that require my filling. They are unfulfilled because I haven’t accomplished my work. When I do, I begin to feel the entire system of Adam HaRishon.

In fact, this is my spiritual vessel or my will. It seems to be located in others, but it is mine. It turns out that I’m working like the Creator who wishes to fill the creatures. I act as bestowal in relation to this foreign desire, and they are, for me, the receiving ones. So, I unite with them and treat them with love like the Creator treats the entire collective soul.

However, I connect only with that section of the soul which is related to me or to the system that I am to fill. In this way, I attain the state where I feel myself as the whole Adam HaRishon and, through it, I discover the whole Creator. As I identify myself with the collective system of Adam HaRishon with which I am able to unite, and as I contribute my work to each part, I unite with all these parts in the corrected form.

In fact, everyone is corrected but me. It turns out that I disclose Adam HaRishon for what he is, and I acquire the life of this common soul which is the Malchut of the World of Infinity. This is the manner in which every person must realize themselves. They must correct their individual attitude, their personal egoism, and absorb the desires of all others, feel that they are his, fill them, and, through them, attain the entire system of Adam HaRishon. In this, they discover the whole Creator.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/2/10, Article “Which Degree Should One Achieve?”

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A question I received: When evil prevails and everything looks gloomy, where do we find strength to ask the Creator for help?

My Answer: Even if a person finds strength within himself to surmount a “downfall,” it will be an egoistic achievement. It won’t help his correction. Overcoming and advancement are possible only through the power that comes from the group.

You fell because the Creator gave you an additional desire which triggered a bigger connection with other souls. A bigger desire is not added into your “point in the heart,” but rather through its revelation as the wrong connection with other souls. You sense that you made one more step forward, but at the same time you know that it’s false and you have to correct it.

Correction is only possible under the condition that you are willing to be inspired by the group, acknowledge the benevolence brought about by unity, and ask the Upper Force to connect you with others. Only under these conditions will your correction be in the right place.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/1/10, Writings of Rabash

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Baal HaSulam writes in the Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot that if a person is engaged in the Torah (and Kabbalah) for the sake of some reward for his egoism, then it is like “a maid who inherits the mistress.” What does this mean?

There is an opportunity to draw the Surrounding Light upon oneself through engaging in the Torah. But its impact could be two-fold, depending on my intention. Instead of correction, it can make me even worse—“a handmaid who inherits her mistress.” Instead of ascending and becoming similar to the Creator, the quality of bestowal, I submerge myself deeper and deeper in egoism and love for myself.

Why are we given these opportunities? Isn’t it enough to simply study Kabbalah or the Torah? It isn’t enough to simply study; the intention defines what will become of a person. And it is the most important. It is here where the freedom of choice lies—where to switch myself under the influence of the Upper Force: downward, to the reception, toward my egoism, or upward, toward bestowal, toward the Creator?

The Torah itself (the Upper Light) is neutral—it can be either the elixir of life or the potion of death (a person doesn’t perceive that he is spiritually dead). As you decide and choose—so it will be!

It all depends on my attitude to the Upper Force—as with, for instance, the force of electricity: It can heat, and it can cool. The choice is mine. You can study Kabbalah (the Torah in general) only if from the very beginning you establish an objective to attain bestowal (Lishma). Otherwise, you should not even open the book. Naturally, everybody starts this studying egoistically (Lo Lishma), but we don’t have another choice; we were born in this egoism. Yet, we must be clear that we desire to attain bestowal. The Torah is given to us solely for this purpose: “I created the evil inclination and handed down the Torah for its correction.”

This is what we must teach first of all. This is the prime directive in the upbringing of a person: in kindergarten, school, and society. He has to understand that he is growing up in order to unite with all the others as equals, in absolutely mutual bestowal. And when, gradually, his desires become disclosed, he has to start learning Kabbalah in order for him to learn how to correct his egoistical intentions into altruistic ones. This is called to come from Lo Lishma to Lishma.

This concerns adults and children alike. Primarily, we must explain to a person that Kabbalah and the Torah are handed to us solely to change our nature. There isn’t any other purpose! Otherwise, a person will only increase his egoism with its help, wishing to receive this world and the future one for himself.

From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/3/10, Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot

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A person cannot acquire a spiritual vessel, the desire to receive the property of bestowal from Above without annulling himself before the group. Without this, he will study but to no avail. Moreover, if he puts himself above others, then his study will become “the potion of death” and turn him into a “bat in the night.” Conversely, if a person puts himself below the friends, then his study will make him a “rooster greeting the dawn.”

Therefore, everything depends solely on one’s attitude to the group and the friends. Furthermore, it’s not what one does outwardly; most important is what is happening inside one’s heart. Namely:

1) To what extent he feels (still egoistically) that without the friends he will not achieve the goal;

2) How much he works in order to see them as greater. In reality, it is very difficult and one should at least understand that the Creator has chosen these friends for him.

Until one starts relating to the others like to his own family, who are important and necessary for him, the Light will not affect him positively.

I ascend the first step if I perceive everyone as “1” and myself as “0”; that in relation to them, I am proportionately  “0.1,” meaning that I perceive myself as 10 times lesser than them. But at the second step, egoism brings me the “burdening of the heart,” and I will have to perceive them 100 times more important than me; and at the third step, 1,000 times. Otherwise, I won’t be able to ask the Light that Reforms to affect me. Every time I wish to ascend, I must first descend even deeper. Thus, every time one feels a greater gap between himself and the society (10, 100, and 1,000 times more).

This advancement is impossible without the support of the environment and the common objective burning passionately in everyone. By this, everyone gains motivation, inspiration, importance of spirituality, as well as the understanding that this is the only worthy occupation in life.

We begin with the love of friends which helps us draw the Surrounding Light, which corrects us and gives us a genuine love of others, whereby we come to love of the Creator. Therefore, this principle applies throughout our whole spiritual ascent, in every action, from start to finish along the path.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/30/10, Article, “According to What is Explained Concerning ‘Love Thy Friend’”

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A question I received: How can I conduct my point in the heart through the group, which functions as a spiritual amplifier?

My Answer: There are external means that we use: books, the group, the teacher, our study system, and connections around the whole world. These are the conditions that Kabbalists have fixed for us. If we realize them by building external boundaries for ourselves, and bring our desire for spirituality into this system, then this desire begins to grow.

Initially, I have just my single point in the heart. Then, I give it to my friends, thus receiving from them the points that belong to them. This system of connection between us, the souls, already exists. Everything is already prepared in advance during the descent of the worlds from above downwards, in order for us to ascend from our world to the World of Infinity.

All I have to do is tune into this system: Lower myself, see all others as corrected, and desire to receive the Light of Correction through them. Then I will receive desires for bestowal from all the other people, which will increase my desire. This will happen even though I initially had only my own small point in the heart, which probably wasn’t even aimed at the right goal. Yet, I invested in the group, desired to be a part of it, and therefore, I performed an act of bestowal. In response, I received a real force from others, a real desire to bestow.

You suddenly see that you really desire and value this. And then you start to experience fear: “Will I be able to attain bestowal to the Creator or will I complete my life in vain?” These are still egoistic thoughts, but they are already concerning how to attain bestowal. This is called “Lo Lishma“: When one a) aspires to give, and b) thinks about profiting.

It turns out that through the group you receive a more internal direction – to the Creator. But when you aspire to the Creator, you come closer to faith, and thus begin to draw the Surrounding Light upon yourself. It’s not that the Light changes, but it’s you who change, and therefore, the Light influences you differently. Now it can give you the quality of bestowal. When you acquire this quality, you begin to rise above your egoism.

This is what you wanted to achieve from the very beginning, but the Light arranged everything so that it happened according to your own desire, rather than by force. Suddenly you feel how you are filled by the quality of faith, meaning the quality of bestowal, Bina. It gives you freedom from your ego! And it’s not that it liberates you from your egoism, but it gives you the power to ascend above it. That’s when you rise above the Machsom.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/27/10, Article, “Love of Friends”

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A question I received: How can I annul myself before the environment if I have no desire to do so?

My Answer: Understand that there is no choice; you are facing the wall. There is a group; annul yourself before it and you’ll receive from it the importance of the goal. It’s like filling up at a gas station. You refuel in the environment, and hence can drive a few more miles. If you refuel again, then you can drive a little further, and so on. You are saying: “I don’t want to get any fuel; it’s hard for me to drive to the gas station, what should I do?” You have no choice, strict laws are at work here.

Ask for your friends to help you, as it is said: “Help a fellow man.” But after you clarify all the conditions, there is nothing to ask for. You should act. Don’t expect to find a back door to spirituality for it does not exist!

There is only one principle: “We are under the influence of the environment which we choose.” The Creator created it this way because we are parts of a single soul, and everybody depends on everybody else. This dependency remains even after the breaking of the vessels. It’s either a good or bad influence, but in any case, a person is completely dependent on the environment.

You were presented with the opportunity to enter the society that aspires to spirituality. However, now it is you who decides how to get established in it. The Creator puts your hand on a good fortune and says: “Take it!” Now everything depends on you, whether you’ll take it or not. He can’t help you with anything else, for otherwise He will deprive you of free will. If He does your work instead of you, your individuality will cease to exist.

But if a person wants to stick to his old ways, meaning behave according to his nature as does the animal within him, it is his choice. How can he become “human”? He has to rise above the “animal” within and understand that he should overcome himself and annul himself before the group. From the first moment, any act consists only in feeling the importance of the others and uniting with them. You won’t be able to do anything alone.

Only together can we change and attain anything. If it’s not together, all that you do will be in vain. You won’t realize yourself as a human being and will remain an animal. A “human” is he who was born by annulling himself before this special environment. It sounds paradoxical, but it is so.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/30/10, Article, “According to What is Explained Concerning ‘Love Thy Friend’”

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A “friend” is not just any person; he is a companion who stands opposite me. I gradually acquire love for him in order to reach love of the Creator. This formula is rigid and doesn’t change. First I appeal to the Creator, and in order to connect to Him, I have to unite with my friends.

I labor in love of friends because that is the necessary condition for attaining love of the Creator. A friend and the Creator are linked because with respect to my desire to receive pleasure, they are equal. The Creator and my friend are equally distant from me, and I relate to them in the same way.

The Creator is pure bestowal. I hate my friend as much as I hate bestowal, and therefore, I reject them both. If I don’t achieve this attitude and view my friend and the Creator in the same way, then I can’t work properly. It is similar to aligning one’s eye to aim at a target. If my aim is more toward the Creator, or more toward my friend, then it is no longer precise. I must aim precisely at the target, so that he who aspires for the Creator (Isra-El – straight to the Creator) and the Creator (the Light of correction) merge into a single whole.

A Kabbalistic group is a spiritual vessel, a system of souls, while the Creator is the One who fills it. The vessel becomes just like the Light. Then I realize that it is one and the same since there is no Light without a vessel (Kli).

Everything merges into one. The group becomes the model of the Creator for me. In my attitude toward them, I learn how to relate to Him, whether to love or to hate him. Certainly the only way to relate to the Creator is with bestowal. So, I am presented with the group to test how much I can bestow. My ego is what creates the distance, the disparity of form between the Creator and the group. If it weren’t for my ego, then there would be no difference between them.

So why do I feel a difference now? It is only because I receive pleasure from the Creator and nothing from the group. That is the only difference.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/26/10, Article, “What does ‘Love Thyself as Thy Friend’ Give Us?”

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The Light acts on our will that is similar to Him. This measure of congruence of the will to the Light is called faith. If I read Kabbalistic sources with a purely egoistical desire and purpose, they will not affect me.

The point in the heart is a broken point; it draws a person to spirituality but only because he feels bad. He isn’t yearning, yet, for the “Good that does Good,” for bestowal and love. So far, he merely isn’t satisfied with earthly life: The future is dark and life has no purpose. These simply provide an egoistic motivation for seeking spirituality. But the Light cannot affect such desire even from afar. It acts on the will according to the measure of faith in it, that is, it acts only on one’s yearning for bestowal.

Faith is tested by a person’s devotion to the path and purpose. One must check the purity of his intention to attain the quality of bestowal. Faith itself, the attribute of bestowal, is received from Above as a reward for efforts made. When one is deserving, then the “night” will end and he will see “the light of day.”

If a person uses Torah for his own egoistical fulfillment, it becomes the potion of death for him. This means he is not only “spiritually dead,” but also he is “drugged” by death because he thinks that it is spiritual life! He raises his egoism even higher and cannot believe that he is living in deception.

Exit into the truth: If we do everything together, if everyone receives from all others such forces that one can easily demand the Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif) to act on him, then the path becomes a wonderful adventure. Just cling on to each other!

If you stay alone, there immediately grows a wall before you. If you unite with the others in order to walk together, the wall immediately falls and spreads itself into a wide highway. There is either a wall or the highway. The choice is to be among friends each moment or not. Everything is done by the Upper Light; we must obey only this one condition.

From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/27/10, Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot

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We are created from matter which cannot receive Light. Therefore, the only way for us to exist is to enter Bina, the Creator. Bina works on us and raises us up to Her. Her lower part (AHP) descends to us and seems as darkness, which feels undesirable to us. She shines on us with the Light of Bestowal and Mercy (Hassadim), but since we don’t wish to bestow, we perceive it as darkness.

We prepare ourselves to view bestowal as desirable with the help of the Surrounding Light when we work together. Gradually we begin to recognize that there is the Upper One within us. We realize that He is truly the Upper One and we begin to value the quality of bestowal as spiritual. Then, we are prepared to unite with Him and annul ourselves. We are willing to forget about our egoistic desires and attach ourselves to the Upper One like a drop of semen in a mother’s womb.

Then, the Upper One can bring us up; can raise our desires that are ready to adhere to Him. Up where? In the spiritual world is there some other place, higher or lower? No; it is here within us where He begins to cultivate the qualities of bestowal more and more.

This means He is raising us up because we view the quality of bestowal as ascension. Every step we complete results from our more closely uniting with one another and building a system from ourselves that we can present to the Upper One for correction. In this way, we ascend to Bina, and the Light contained in Her expands downward to this world.

Thus, the desires that attach to the Upper One are now not only able to annul themselves, but also to receive and realize the quality of bestowal, to absorb and use it. Obviously, the will remains as receiving, but it changes its intent. So does our world, which is created from the will to receive pleasure; it also begins to gradually receive Effulgence from Above—since the will to bestow appears in it.

From the 2nd Part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/26/10, “The Preface to the Sulam Commentary”

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From Rabash’s article, “Love of Friends”: And a certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying: ‘What seekest thou?’ And he said: ‘I seek my brethren. Tell me, I pray thee, where they are feeding the flock’” (Genesis, 37).

A person who’s lost his way in the field of life cannot live like that for a long time. He seeks advice and people who are similar to him, his brothers. He feels that he has to find another path, but not on the corporeal dimension where he exists like an animal; rather, this path should help him above this life and become human.

That’s why he is looking for those who “feed the flock,” meaning control their animals. He wants to join them and become their brother so that they teach him how to be a “shepherd” and how to rise above the animal within him.

He feels that he’s lost his way in the field, that he is that very “animal,” the wondering donkey (“donkey,” Hamor in Hebrew, is derived from the word Homer, “matter, substance”). A person wants to elevate a human within him by freeing himself from the “animal’s” rule. That’s why he seeks people that control their “animals” and who can help him strengthen himself on this path. They are his brothers, and he is looking for them!

A man “wandering in the field [desire]” refers to a place from which the crop of the field [life’s results] … should spring. “Animals” (people without a higher goal) are wondering in the field to sustain themselves here and now. But how do I find the path that turns me into a “human” and acquire “…the crop [spiritual power and knowledge] of the field to sustain the world [bring it spiritual life]?

And the works of the field are plowing, sowing, and reaping. This is the work of a “human” through which he gets fulfillment. It is said about that: “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.…” It stands for the hard work that we do with tears in our eyes, getting good results only at the end. We have to press forward despite the tears and all the heaviness, and hence need strong support from the environment. … and this is called “a field which the Lord has blessed.”

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