Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 25: Since the body is so corrupted that the soul cannot be fully purified before it rots in the ground, why does it return at the revival of the dead? And also the question about the words of our sages: “The dead are destined to be revived with their flaws, so it will not be said, ‘It is another.’”

…We stated there that this exaggerated will to receive is all the substance that He had created, for He needs nothing more than that, to carry out the Thought of Creation.

…We also said above, that during the six thousand years that are given to us for work in Torah and commandments, no corrections come to the body—to its exaggerated will to receive. All the corrections that come through our work relate only to the soul, which thus climbs the degrees of holiness and purity…

Our desire to receive is the whole matter of creation. It is divided into ten Sefirot: six Sefirot above, in Galgalta ve Eynaim (GE): HBD–HGT until Hazeh (chest), and four Sefirot below, in AHP: NHY.

GE are vessels of bestowal that we can correct, and so we correct them by raising them to the level of Arich Anpin in the course of six thousand years, which makes six hundred thousand (60 times 10,000 = 600,000). But the desire to receive itself remains uncorrected. It is because we have only corrected the vessels of GE and of AHP of Aliyah, but not the real AHP that is also called a “body.” We have only killed it, which means that we disconnect it from actions of bestowal, and this is called the “death of the body.”

But eventually, after the correction of all the vessels of bestowal, we can approach AHP, to perform the “revival of the dead” and correct it so that it will all be in order to bestow.

Here we refer to desires which I have treated as “dead” before, which means that I did not use them, restricted them, and limited them since I couldn’t receive the Light of livelihood in them. But now I take them out to the Light and correct them. These dead desires “are revived in their flaws” since I have to correct all the horrors of the great desire to receive and to change them into the opposite, into bestowal. Then, in them I will receive the greatest Light of NRNHY. Thus, the correction of GE is only a thin line; while below I acquire the whole measure, the whole sphere.

Question: What do I discover in the desire that is revived?

Answer: The Creator. You discover the upper force, the upper, eternal life beyond the body. You feel eternity and wholeness above matter, beyond quantum physics. You discover the field in which we actually live, and there you feel the real upper reality and not the tiny particle like you do today.

You feel all that by the correction of the senses. This is why our method is called the “wisdom of Kabbalah” (the wisdom of receiving), which means the wisdom of how to receive, how to perceive. Soon all of humanity will be pushed in this direction. After all, the goal of creation is not that we arrange a wonderful spiritual life for ourselves in this world. It is coming to an end in any case, and we will have to discover the upper dimension.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/19/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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Question: Who created the Creator?

Answer: We exist in a world that has a beginning, an end, time, limits, and expansion, that is to say, changes. And the spiritual world, even its lowest level, is wholeness. Wholeness cannot be changed; it cannot be that something whole has a beginning and an end. Therefore, the question about what happens in the spiritual world, to say nothing of the Creator, is illogical. For you see, nothing changes there.

Everything changes in our world only, and it is changed only from the first point to the last point, from the infinite state in which we are like an embryo, to that state in the infinite world in which we are completely corrected. In the entire spiritual transformation only the smallest fragment on this way—our world—undergoes changes. And there are no changes in all the rest; there reigns eternity and wholeness, time is absent.

Physicists and psychologists have already spoken about this. Therefore, there is no reason to discuss who created the Creator, was there something before Him or not.

I hope that in the near future we will make the necessary effort and you will feel what “beyond time” is that we learn about in The Book of Zohar in the “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”. This was described more than two thousand years ago. Already then, the Kabbalists wrote openly that time doesn’t exist, that the spiritual world is found beyond time, and that the current comprehension of our reality is false. Essentially, the world is found within a “matrix,” in a completely different dimension, where there is no time, space and movement.

That which seems to me as outside of me is essentially found within me. We will grow and will see all this.
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From the Meal before the European Convention in Germany 3/23/13

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Today I comprehend the picture of reality in the will to receive, and as a result of this I feel tired all the time and don’t want to open the windows of my perception wider; and there are those who prefer to close them completely. I limit myself all the time because my desire is very small, very narrow.

We build all kinds of devices that expand our view of the world: telescopes, microscopes, radio receivers, and we discover a reality that is much richer than that reality that we feel on our own. But we try to contract and even limit this segment of reality found within the range of our vision.

In the end, I become tired and closed until I die. I die because I agree with death and want to contract my instruments of perception. The picture becomes repulsive to me and gradually I fade together with the fading of my life. This is what happens with the will to receive.

On the other hand, with the will to bestow, which I build above the will to receive, I open myself and discover a reality that is found outside of me, outside the will to receive. This is an eternal reality, and it begins to supply me with forces of vitality. Now, even though my body will die in a natural manner, I already live in another “region” that is found beyond time and space. And there I receive the Light that streams from everywhere.

In our world we move from place to place where we see a kind of reality in that. But if I were to move close to the speed of light, then as a result of a change in the perception of space, I would see the reality that surrounds me from all sides. And the problem here is not my vision; rather the light itself seemingly reaches me in a form like this. In accordance with this, I emerge from a “linear” comprehension and enter into a “circular” one in the Surrounding Light (OM).

We contract time precisely this way. For with this, distance and time are “zeroed,” and I don’t just receive the Light from all sides, rather I begin to perceive all of the reality existing in circles; I rise above time. Now it no longer exists for me; it simply cannot exist. There are no more spaces between “today” and “tomorrow,” no spaces between two moments. I receive everything equally from all directions, everything is balanced, mutually nullified, and I am found everywhere all the time in one integrated whole, in the unified reality of creation.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/19/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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There is a kind of “virtual printer” inside me that prints the picture of my world. In other words, there is a program inside me that operates me and draws the world for me. It actually does not exist. Everything is internal, in my feelings, but the program gives them an effect of something that is external.

Question: What happens if the friends decide to focus on thoughts about creating one reality and mutual connection?

Answer: The program also is shows me the group in which I work. It just seems to me that I am among other people and that we make decisions together. The inner attributes project certain images, shadows in different forms, but they actually do not exist.

In the same way, our collective decision and my inner resistance to it are all determined by the program. There is only one way to correct it: If I know about it and about the reality that is projected by it, and I want to unite everything into one, to connect. In that case, I rise to the level of the programmer and understand why he has arranged all that for me.

On the one hand, I get to know the program, and, on the other hand, I see which pictures it draws in my imagination. So, when I correct my imagination through using it, I crosscheck them and unite them into one. Thus, I go through different corruptions and corrections, and eventually I discover the mind of the programmer, the plan of creation. This is the desired effect of the process—to be incorporated in the purpose of creation.

Question: Does this mean that the programmer wants us to be constantly in two worlds, the imaginary one and the real one?

Answer: It is essential that we discover the goal of creation by ourselves. What for? So we treat it with respect.

After all, the ego pulls me downward, offers me sleep and distracts me. If I want to wake myself up, there is only one way to do that: to use this program, the environment, and everything that is related to it, but only if, at the same time, I respect the programmer. This is called bringing Him contentment in Kabbalah.

Question: So, how should I integrate these two systems?

Answer: You simply should be together with the friends. Now, they seem like strangers that are external to me. Later, I will feel that, despite this picture, they are inside me. They are mine, my beloved, mutually connected and incorporated in one. Then, in the connection between them, I will begin to reveal the source, the Creator. All this will be like one whole.
[103178]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/19/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 20: And the same “body,” in its bad form that is given to us in the present, this too does not spoil our essence as this and all its properties are about to be annulled completely together with all the system of impurity that is its source, and everything that is about to be burned is as if it is already burned, and is considered as if it never existed.

The essence of the soul (Nefesh), clothed in the body, is merely at this stage of desire, but the desire to bestow is derived from a system of four worlds of ABYA of sanctity; it exists eternally, because this form of the desire to bestow is in equivalence of form with the source of life and is unchangeable.

We exist in the reality of Ein Sof (Infinity) and all the worlds (olamot), meaning the concealments (alamot), are only filters that adjust the picture of Ein Sof for us; the degree of concealment exists only in our perception and they will vanish the moment we are able to annul our body,” the desire to receive for itself.

However, this desire still needs to be revealed. Where does it really exist? In fact, today all my desires are actually acting at the beastly level. The real desire in order to receive is revealed only when I begin to work in order to bestow and find out everything that is opposed to the desire to bestow. Opposing the right line, the left line is revealed; against sanctity, impurity is revealed.

Here below, under the line of spiritual perception, we are in the imaginary world where our desires, as it is said, “All look like beasts.” But if by work in the group, in dissemination, in connection, for friends, for humanity, and finally for the Creator, we reveal our inclination toward Above, then we reveal our corrupted “body,” meaning the desire to receive with the intention to receive.

In order to correct this desire, the intention needs to change to in order to bestow. The desire to receive itself stays and above it I build a desire in order to bestow that is called soul (Neshama). Its essence is in my bestowal to everyone. By giving to everyone, loving everyone, I develop the soul above my “body.” And in this form, we are reach correction.

Then this world disappears, and I can see all the worlds to the world of Infinity.

Now we also exist in the world of Infinity. And now, too, everything depends on my intention. Nothing is immutable and constant, as everything is being depicted and happens only in my qualities.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/13/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar” 

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” item 26: We have already stated that the first state necessitates the third state, to fully materialize as was in the Thought of Creation—in the first state—not omitting a single thing.

The three states of Creation, the initial state (1), the intermediate state (2) and the final state (3) obligate one another to exist. At the beginning the creation is in Ein Sof (Infinity). In the second state we (WE) are in our world. Then third state is the end of correction.

During the transition from the first state to the second state, we go through shattering and restrictions, and during the transition from the second state to the third state, we go through and ascent and corrections. In addition, we correct GE on the way and then AHP of Aliya. Thus we advance from the Light of Nefesh to the Lights of NRNHY.

We should remember that all these states exist only in our perception, but we have to use everything that we have until we attain one desire that is filled by one thought. It is because the desire is emotions (a heart) and the thought is the mind. They have to connect so that in the connection between them we will attain the Creator.

This will become our final state, and this is our goal today. We don’t know what comes after that, but we should know that after the end of correction we will go in some unknown direction. The creation will continue since we have corrected the vessels, our desires.

It is like fixing a broken-down car and learning how to drive it: The job is done, the repairs are completed, and I learned how to drive it. I sit in my perfectly fixed car and what’s next? What have I corrected my vessels for?

So the equivalence of form with the Creator is only the beginning. Then He opens the door of His palace for me inviting me in…

We rise to His level, and we don’t know what will be next. I don’t see that Kabbalists have hinted about this. They hint that there is something afterward in terms that we can understand. We simply cannot understand these dimensions.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/19/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar“

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 19: …And all this agony is felt only by the Klipa of our body, created only to be perished and buried. This teaches us that the will to receive for oneself was created only to be eradicated, to be abolished from the world and to be turned into a will to bestow. And the pains we suffer are but discoveries of its nothingness and the harm in it.

We are confined to a “cage” called this world that is all affliction. On the other hand, all 125 spiritual steps on which we continually obtain an altruistic intention (Lishma) by working in three lines reveal “the Good who doeth Good” to us. Consequently, our current state and this world are “non-existent” in the spiritual sense of the word, since genuine “existence” means similarity with the Creator, the intention to bestow. When we annul the boundaries of this world and rise above it, we enter the realm where there is “the Good who doeth Good.”

It goes without saying that this work contains multiple “surprises” that are of a very unpleasant nature. Each time, we suddenly find wicked things in ourselves. It so happens because it gives us a chance to correct the evil inside us. Our path is all about the correction of broken vessels.

However, in this world we don’t correct anything; rather it is a preparation period. Only after it’s over do we approach a real correction and find answers to our questions: “Why,” “what for,” and “how” should we implement this knowledge? However, we won’t understand the answers with our current intellect, since at the spiritual plane, all clarifications are done in a reverse order…
[102523]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/12/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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A person’s success depends upon the environment that he manages to organize for himself. To this extent he gradually begins to change his concept: what day and night are, light and darkness. He now begins to see that what he previously considered to be the light—his success relative to others, the filling of his egoistic desires of pride—now seems like total darkness, as a terrible state from which he must escape in order to think about bestowal upon others, about the friend’s success, and about bestowal upon the Creator.

This is actually what becomes the light and day for a person now, instead of the light and day he felt previously in his own success. To the extent that he can annul and restrict himself forcefully, he encounters great resistance on the part of his body, and the more he sees the importance of the other and of the Creator, the more he advances. Eventually, he fills the measure of his exertion and receives enough Light that Reforms so that the Masach (screen) can be born in him. Then a resisting force toward the desire to receive begins to operate in him, and, thanks to the equivalence of form with the Light that he has attained, he is rewarded with the first revelation.

Our work is to find the right criteria for checking: Where is day and where is night, where is darkness and where is the Light? According to these values, I have to judge: Is it for my own benefit or for the Creator? If I begin to understand that it’s totally opposite from my previous criteria, it’s a sign that I am already on the right track. If I begin to have an inner struggle with which principle to assess the state, it’s a sign that I am already advancing.

If I pray that my scale of values, the measuring system of the light and darkness, day and night, be changed so that I will be able to see them spiritually, then it’s an even more advanced state. When I adhere to bestowal with all my might and try to see every state from this perspective, then I am ready to detach myself from the desire to receive. If I constantly ask for this to happen, and if I constantly feel that the Creator is sending me interruptions in order to strengthen my request, then I am already close to it, in order to actually work in Lishma (for its sake).

So what was previously darkness turns to light and what was light for myself turns to darkness, and I actually run from it. Everything turns to the opposite state: day and night. What had been the darkness of the night before turns into the bright light of the day.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/12/13, Shamati #16

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Our spiritual growth and development begins from the restriction of the desire to receive, which initially dominates us. The moment we try to restrict ourselves, we enter the state of spiritual Ibur (gestation) about which is said: “An embryo in his mother’s womb sees from one end of the world to the other. There is a lit candle above his head and he is taught the whole Torah“.

This means that he is not limited in any way since he has totally restricted himself—the small egoistic desire he has at that moment in which he feels the corporeal world. It’s because he hasn’t felt the spiritual world at all, but only this world, the fictitious reality, like a person who is unconscious and is hallucinating. But when he restricts his desire to receive, he becomes unlimited, he doesn’t need to receive anymore since the Light of Ein Sof (Infinity) illuminates for him like the Surrounding Light, which is like being in a mother’s womb. Thus he goes through the stages of Ibur.

After he is born, he already begins to work with the first Aviut (thickness) of the desire instead of the root Aviut, and then he is limited again. The Light of Ein Sof that doesn’t grow weaker in any way, doesn’t reach him since he doesn’t try to totally annul himself and adhere to the upper. He builds Masachim (screens) of his own and increases his desires in order to actually reach the Light of Ein Sof by his own work and to dress it in his vessels.

There are different limitations in his work now, and the Light illuminates only to the extent that he can receive it in order to bestow in his corrected vessels. Therefore it says that “the Creator hates the bodies,” which means the desires to receive. The desire to bestow, however, is not called a body anymore, but a soul, a Godly part from Above.

Thus, there is a state in which a person restricts himself so that the Light of Ein Sof can reach him limitlessly. But the wholeness is in allowing the Light of Ein Sof to be revealed without any restrictions on a person’s part. A person has to discover himself with the help of a Masach and to work on the level of Ein Sof by himself, in order to attain full adhesion with the Light that is not limited by any restrictions.
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From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/12/13, Shamati #15

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At any given moment the Creator kneads a person like dough, and the question is to what extent a person feels that and is ready to feel it and to accept the Creator’s ceaseless work on him.

There are different periods, since on every level we have to go through all the discernments: the still nature, the vegetative, the animate, and the “speaking.” And there is a certain time that we are asleep. This doesn’t depend on us, but is rather part of the general work on all of creation that also includes us. We feel only a small part of what is happening with us, so there are many periods in which we are unconscious of what we go through.

First we have to yearn to acknowledge that there is none beside Him. Second, you have to nullify yourself and try to be objective. An “objective perspective” is looking through a “lens” and not through your own eyes; it is looking through some independent tool that is external to my subjective sight and that can enlarge or minimize different details and sharpen the focus artificially, regardless of my feelings and preferences. This is called a subjective perspective that photographs the situation like a camera.

We have to feel many inner subtleties and discernments in order to become such a camera lens. What do I want to photograph by using my camera? I want to photograph the Creator! So what kind of camera do I need for that?

My desire to receive is a photographic film in a camera on which I take a picture. This desire has to be independent of me and under full restriction, free of my subjective approach, of my attitude. I have to rise above it, and then it will reflect the true picture and not the picture that I have made and retouched Adobe Photoshop. This is the first phase of the work.

Everything depends on how sensitive I can be with regard to all the figures and the relations the Creator displays before me, which are constantly changing, to what extent I am ready to start a dialogue with Him according to what is happening to me and to detach from myself as much as I can. This is very difficult, since to detach from myself actually means that I carefully examine myself in order to constantly see what ties me to my ego.

To the extent that I do this kind of work, I can identify the Creator’s image more clearly. To the extent that I neutralize myself at any given moment, I allow the Creator to imprint Himself in me, to be revealed in my photographic film, on the layer that is sensitive to the Light.

This sensitivity depends on the “silver coating,” the material used in photography, and it depends on how much I cover and conceal myself. Then internally, the Creator’s image in its opposite form can appear in my matter, like a negative.

I can receive such a coating only if I subdue myself before the environment. I have no such coat, no Masach (screen), behind which I can hide my ego; I have nothing to cover myself with. The only chance is to place myself under the care of the environment, like a baby who wants to hide in his mother’s arms.

But a baby does it instinctively because of his ego, the desire to do good for himself, whereas we have to do a great deal of work against our ego in order to annul it, to subdue myself before the teacher, the group, the study, and the dissemination. This will provide us with the coat.
[102477]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/11/13, Shamati #15

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