The end of correction, which Kabbalists describe in their writings, has to be realized in our world, in matter, in all our vilest, most “materialistic” relationships. This is the correction where “the darkness shines as Light” (Psalms 139:12) and “his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives” (Zechariah 14:4).

The animate part of me remains the same. My body does not start working for the sake of bestowal. Besides, it operates that way initially. The whole of nature, besides man, works for bestowal. We just don’t see that since we evaluate everything by our standards.

We think that animals only devour each other, but in reality, this is not true. We simply cannot attribute the intention to bestow to them because we do not feel or understand them. But in fact, nature rules over them directing them toward bestowal, and they obey its orders. However, the same cannot be said about man. He carries out the orders of his egoism, which is aimed at reception, and moreover, he mires nature by judging it according to his own faults.

When man corrects himself, he takes on the global form and sees the global picture. Simultaneously, we say that the inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels of nature become corrected as well, but what that means is that they become corrected in our new perception. Animals do not actually have to be corrected. It is you who will see that the wolf and sheep live in peace, just like today your eyes see that one eats the other.

In the article “The Creator’s Concealment and Revelation,” Baal HaSulam writes that you see wars and strife in the world because you are like that yourself.
[51696]
From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/18/11, “The Nation”

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Question: How can I connect with the world if the whole world thinks only about itself?

Answer: That does not matter. It just seems to you that the world thinks about itself. In reality, it does not think about itself, but it is you who perceives the world in this way.

When you become corrected and connect everyone to yourself, you will suddenly find out that there are no “others.” Your flawed egoism made the whole world appear broken into parts and made it seem like you need to correct them, while in fact, you were correcting yourself.
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From the virtual lesson on 8/14/11

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If we want to advance to the true perception of reality, then it is possible only in our corrected qualities. Indeed, in our current qualities, we feel only this reality in which we are born, live, and die. Again, we are born, live, and die, and this is everything what we have.

If we want to obtain a different, opposite perception of reality, we should acquire the additional properties suitable for this: the quality of giving instead of receiving, and bestowal instead of consumption. Our constant desire is to absorb everything into “ourselves,” but this is only half of nature. The other half is bestowal, the tendency toward the outside.

That is why all of our work is to strive to achieve the second half of nature, to acquire the second force existing in the world. This time is called the period of preparation.

This is where we are now, trying through the group, the study, and various other means to achieve the state where we will obtain the second force of bestowal. Then, using the two forces of reception and bestowal together, we will come to know the entire reality in which we live.

People who have already received this second force of nature and, together with it, have acquired the perception of all of reality, are called Kabbalists. The science itself is called the science of Kabbalah, the science of reception, because a person acquires all of reality, rather than just the tiny part he is able to absorb in his current qualities. Then, as Kabbalists say, a person reaches a state where he rises above the current perception to an eternal, perfect reality.
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From the lesson on 8/12/11, The Zohar

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Rather than existing in this tiny part of reality, when a person wishes to break through to its second part, the eternal and perfect part, then he has several means to do it: teacher, group, and books. The teacher explains that such an opportunity exists. He explains that it can be realized with the help of a group where everyone strives toward the perception of the true, perfect reality, and with the books that speak of the same perfect reality.

When we try to be together, it’s as though every person comes out of himself, out of his ego, because he must feel that he exists in the others. Then, when he tries to be above himself, in the others, connected with them, and he reads about the perception of reality in bestowal, this is the way he makes himself similar to the future state, as if he were already there.

To the extent of his aspiration, he evokes the second force from there that exists in reality, the force of bestowal, besides the small force of reception given to him from nature. Then, the force of bestowal comes and makes the changes in him.

A person can perceive these changes as an additional force of reception that comes to him, instead of the force of bestowal that changes him, and this type of perception is also correct. However, besides that, he attains the same force of bestowal. In this way, man advances, sometimes to the right and sometimes to the left, but driven by the same force of bestowal.

He must attain this force of bestowal together with the force of reception. These two forces begin to be revealed to man as two lines, the right and the left. Then, man advances, sometimes in a state of descent and sometimes in a state of ascent. He does not know yet what descent and ascent are exactly, and so far, he identifies them by his current sensations.

However, as time goes by, he begins to feel that he needs to use these two lines by being between them. In this way, he takes control of them and begins to combine them in the middle line.

Essentially, our entire work consists of studying together, wishing to connect with one another in our hearts, and aspiring toward unity above all the disagreements and differences because all of these things only concern our animate existence, which stays here in this world. We want to connect together in our desires, our points in the heart, above these things.

When we read The Zohar with this intention, the book speaks of our corrected states, about the way we reveal the quality of bestowal in the connection between us which is the same as the Creator, the Light, the spiritual world, the upper world. For this reason, every person must imagine this state when reading The Zohar.
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From the lesson on 8/12/11, The Zohar

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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They key in this entire picture is to understand that we exist in one state. When the point in the heart awakens in us, it pushes us to reveal the true reality which fully depends on the efforts of the actual person and nothing else.

The entire reality already exists in its complete perfection and magnificence. But we are unable to attain the perception of the true reality without the revelation of evil, suffering, and sorrow.

Then, the person naturally justifies all the stages of his path during the process of the development of his desires. He understands that all the suffering that every part of his soul experienced was necessary to reveal the true state which was perfect from the very beginning. He saw these desires as separate, broken, distant, and suffering because this was the only way for him to understand this enormous anguish. He could attain this suffering only due to the fact that it got divided into numerous pieces which he perceived as foreign.

Gradually, with the help of the Light which corrects his attitude towards them, man reveals that these are his own parts, and to this extent, he acquires the ability to justify everything the world has gone through over the course of its history.

This is how he accumulates within himself all the suffering of this enormous vessel, desire, and can bear it. This is a huge combined suffering of all souls throughout time, collected into one vessel with love towards and in unity with them. And then he reaches the state of “grieving for Jerusalem,” which is the collective broken Malchut. And when he reveals it, he also discovers its joy.

From this it becomes clear that the breaking was necessary to help us reveal the suffering of this entire enormous soul while being opposite to its perfection. This is why a person justifies all of these actions: the breaking and the entire process of correction, seeing this great mercy and the Creator’s absolute love for him.

If not for the breaking, he would not be able to bear such an enormous empty Kli (desire)—opposite to its great bestowal! For this reason, the breaking we are in today is a joyous opportunity to attain absolute desire, absolute trepidation, and grieve for Jerusalem to finally feel its joy.
[50748]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/9/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Question: I remember that as a child, I was always dreaming about growing up faster and becoming independent. When I grew up, I suddenly started to appreciate things I had as a child. Does the preparation period also contain moments that we have to truly appreciate or do we need to go through it as fast as possible?

Answer: In spirituality things do not happen the same way as in the corporeal life since spirituality is perfection on every degree. This is where the difficulty lies: You have to find a deficiency on every degree in order to advance further.

Every spiritual state is part of Infinity. However, only this part becomes revealed to you while the rest remains in concealment. This is why it seems to you that it’s final, that it’s already the world of Infinity! You receive the full 10 Sefirot on your level.

First of all, you do not regret your past. Although there is a special state when we do that to help ourselves to move forward. However, usually we reveal how necessary it was to go through something in the past, how perfect was the upper governance, and how small we were by not realizing that even then we existed in the world of Infinity and did not see it only because of the lack of developed desires, organs of perception (Kelim).
[49535]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/28/2011, Shamati #50

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In the News (from news.com.au): “The human brain creates its own version of reality, and the world we see around us is mostly make-believe, according to a top British scientist [Bruce Hood, Ph.D.]….

“’A lot of the world is make-believe. We’re only aware of a fraction of what’s going on,’ Prof. Hood told The (London) Times. ‘We have this impression of an expansive panorama in front of our eyes, but all we are ever seeing is an area the size of our thumbs at an arm’s distance. The rest is filled in, as the brain creates a stable environment.’

“He added, ‘Though you might think you’re an individual and captain of your ship, a lot of processes are being controlled by those around you and your environment’….

“‘One thing I guarantee is that I will leave the audience wondering if they can ever trust their brain again,’ he said.”

My Comment: Kabbalah says that we live in an imaginary world painted by our egoistic properties. If we acquire the higher properties, opposite to egoism, we will feel the true, upper, external, and eternal world and begin to exist in the newly acquired properties forever as well (see “Perception” section).
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Baal HaSulam, “The Peace”: Nature has prepared a wonderful foundation in the mother’s womb so that no stranger may harm the new life. It tends to its every need like a trained nanny who will not forget it even for a moment…. Like a loving mother, it brings it to such loving, loyal people it can trust, called “Mother” and “Father,” to assist it through its days of weakness until it grows and is able to sustain itself….

But those who examine that reality from the perspective of provision and persistence of existence can clearly see great disorder and confusion, as though there were no leader and no guidance. Everyone does that which is right in his own eyes, building himself on the ruin of others….

Bear in mind that this oppositeness, set before the eyes of every sensible, educated person, has preoccupied humanity even in ancient days. And there are many theories to explain these two apparent opposites in Providence, which occupy the same world.

On one hand, we see that nature is wise and assiduous toward every creature. It develops every element successively and carefully. Look at the structure of organisms, their ability to grow, to give birth to offspring, and to interact. Everything is built in an integral form, every person has his own place and is in balance with others. If we could see the balanced world, undisturbed by human despotism, we would reveal a wonderful system, one that is not static, but perfectly balanced for development.

However, we do not see the causes of this development and do not understand why everything has to be precisely this way. Therefore, we do not understand the phases of the path. Besides, we look at it through the prism of our egoism and evaluate it according to our criteria. Therefore, we see the world upside down, as if flipping it over in our perception.

Nevertheless, from scientific research it is clear to us that in order to develop the species, nature has created, produced, and formed all of the necessary systems that take care of the ideal creativity.

But on the other hand, a problem arises with the subsequent existence. Once any part of nature grows up and “stands up on its own feet,” it starts fighting for survival and integrating into the environment without parental help. This happens to all living creatures, but among people it takes on the most difficult forms because a person has to prepare for life in a society that is complex and artificial, built upon a multitude of mechanisms. Envy and lust for power ignite within him, pushing him to oppose others. Others seem successful, while he seems to be lagging behind them because of his nature or due to the circumstances.

Nature, which took such great care of us while we were growing, now places us in conditions that require efforts to survive. So does the Creator exist or not? If everything was all right, then we would say, “Thank God.” But if everything is not all right, then what you can say?

This is the problem that Baal HaSulam describes before he talks about the attempts to solve it.
[49845]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/31/11

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Man was created with the desire to enjoy which aspires to be fulfilled, feels deficient if it is not, and sees the whole meaning of its existence in it. Besides this, man has no sensation. All our sensations come solely from pleasures that we see before us—that is from what our world is built. Reality is comprised of the pictures of pleasures that our imagination paints for us.

We see around us the still, vegetative, animate world, and other people because our desire is composed of four levels at which we experience images of all possible pleasures. But if we do not want to live among these illusions and wish to see the real world, we must view it not from the desire to enjoy but from the desire to bestow. In fact, it is there that we find our root and our connection with it, meaning the Thought of ​​Creation, its program and purpose. But egoistic desire separates us from it all, from the true knowledge, sensation, and purpose.

We have a unique opportunity to get closer to the true picture, to put a veil on the picture painted for us by our egoism. And it isn’t that we should stop seeing it all together, but rather stop giving it as much importance as we do today. Instead, we must search for the picture of roots that lie behind it, which emerges in the very same desires if they change direction from receiving to bestowal.

Desire is one, but all of its parts (the still, vegetative, animate, and human) must be transformed into bestowal. And then we will see the roots of that very picture which is seen in our desire to receive pleasure for ourselves.

This is done by “the shadow of holiness.” After all, when a person strives for this kind of shadow, he tries to make it himself. But soon he finds that he is incapable of it. He finds that his flight from the desire to enjoy and trying to put a “shadow” on it, meaning make the screen, restriction, and work above it, is impossible without outside help. It requires a miracle!

A miracle is something out of the person’s hands and not available to him directly as an obvious means. And gradually he comes to the conclusion that the very root, the upper force he wants to disclose, should help him and deliver the concealment.

But since a person asks for it on his own volition, it is counted as if he created this shadow. And so he conceals his desire to enjoy more and more, which is regarded as, “do not do to someone what is hateful to you,” and he acquires the property of Bina, bestowal in order to bestow (Hafetz Hesed).

And when he finishes the job and rises above all of his egoistic desires to Mount Sinai, he starts to work, even receiving in order to bestow, in “loving his neighbor as himself.” Gradually, all desire turns into bestowal, and so on until the end of correction.

All of this is accomplished by way of concealment or so-called “modesty.” It is the work when a person is looking how to hide from his desire to enjoy, to not use it directly, selfishly, and certainly not to use it instinctively without thinking, but only after rigorous analysis and testing. This is the very first stage of our work.

If the human in us learns to hide from the desire to enjoy within us, he separates himself from this desire and rises above the screen. And at that moment, he is connected with the root and makes calculations above reason. Thus he keeps walking the path and advances.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/25/2011, Shamati #39

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