Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 5: Therefore, common sense dictates that we grasp the opposite of what appears to be on the surface, and decide that we are truly noble and worthy creatures, of immeasurable importance, actually worthy of the Worker who had made us.

Question: How does this go along with what Rabash once said to you: “Now you are a rag like I am?”

Answer: There are many discernments and elements in the term “rag”: I am incapable of anything, I am dependent on the Creator, and I am happy about having discovered this fact. By that I see the beginning and the end of my actions, and in every action I have to make efforts in order to attain the concept of a “rag,” and then adhere to the Creator and by that obligate Him to do something.

So the state of a “rag” comes after all the exertion, according to the principle “I have exerted myself and I have found.” It’s the final stage and it’s a very important level in which I understand better that I have nothing, that I am totally “squeezed,” powerless, lacking energy and motivation which I must receive from the Light.

I can’t fulfill the correction, I can’t accumulate the necessary discernments, but I can attain the necessary desire to exert myself that I get from the environment. I could stay on the “animal” level forever, if the Creator did not let me rise to a higher level about which Baal HaSulam writes.
[101781]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/3/13,”Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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Question: How can we reach an equivalence of form with the teacher, meaning to share his perspective and to acquire his values?

Answer: It all depends on how well you understand what is said by the teacher because you can’t understand his perspective in any case. It isn’t about an external equivalence of form, but about a person who annuls himself and acquires the vessel of the other, in this case of his teacher. To the extent that the student connects to the desires of the teacher, he can advance.

He uses the wholeness that the teacher has, since the teacher’s state is certainly more whole than the state of the student, and the teacher is on at least a level higher than the student. So the student can receive the Light of Hassadim by adhering to the teacher, which will help him rise higher above himself in faith above reason, to be incorporated in the group, and to see the study in the Light of bestowal. By adhering to the teacher, the student receives spiritual vessels by which he can already start feeling internal actions, spirituality.
[101767]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/1/13, Shamati #25

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Question: How can we prepare the right “vessels” internally so that we will be able to hear what the upper says?

Answer: In order to hear the upper you have to connect. Malchut of Atzilut is called Knesset Israel (the assembly of Israel) since it assembles all those who yearn “straight to the Creator”-Yashar-El (Israel).

Then they all connect in Malchut of Atzilut and then Malchut of Atzilut raises a prayer (MAN) up to Zeir Anpin, and together rises as with a big brother to father and mother (upper AA). This is what happens in all the levels until the world of Ein Sof (Infinity).

So the connection with the upper is only possible if I am connected with those who are equal to me. First we have to create an “assembly,” a connection, a gathering of friends. The main thing is to annul yourself at least before one person, and by that you are ready for the connection with the other.

The term “upper” exists only inside us. Who is a teacher—“rav” (great in Hebrew)? He exists only in the center of the group. If you think about a teacher outside the center of the group, he is not called “rav” but simply a teacher, a scientist, or a wise man. He doesn’t become a guide.

A guide is someone who shows you the way. It is someone who is in the center of the group and who says, “You all have to connect around this center.”
[101764]
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/1/13, Shamati #25

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Baal HaSulam, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar“: This environment will help him obtain the greatness of his rav through love of friends who appreciate the rav.

Question: How does the love of friends help attain the greatness of the rav?

Answer: The term “rav” includes the Creator, and in general everything that helps a person rise to the next level. The friends are those who help a person not in rising to the next level, but rather in the recognition of the greatness of that level. A person doesn’t see himself on the next level, but with the help of the group and thanks to the influence of the friends, he begins to imagine the greatness of the next level.

We use the “fuel” of the group, although no one has attained the highest level yet. The general spirit and general atmosphere are enough because it is our nature: A person appreciates what his environment values and considers it to be important. It’s according to this principle that we grow.

Question: So why should I love the friends, isn’t it enough to simply appreciate them?

Answer: Love of friends is already the fulfillment. And the first step I should take is accepting the path and the goal, and agree to accept the system and the idea of the upper force to which we connect and attain. Then how can I raise these values above myself? Through the support of the environment that will help me feel the greatness of the goal.

The “environment” is the Kabbalah books, the friends, and the teacher. Together they lead me to the Creator. This means that all these factors must constantly be important to me, above my self-importance. Only then will I be able to advance.

Question: But still, in ordinary life the environment influences us even if we don’t think positively about it…

Answer: True, whether we like it or not, the environment influences us by using our ego, our desire to receive which is always ready to enjoy. It is simply shown different types of pleasure; it perceives them like bait and swallows them.

On the other hand, I am not attracted to the goals that the group presents. On the contrary, because of them I have to give up things and to aspire to receive pleasure from bestowal, which I don’t really understand. I don’t understand it to such an extent that I even feel repulsed by it. The whole way is made of concessions, of self-annulment, of annulment before the group, although nothing in me is attracted to anything like that.

So it turns out that I don’t like the group and teacher’s message about the Creator. There has to be mutual work on the part of the individual and on the part of the group. The friends have to work together so that everyone will feel that these things are obligatory and desirable, so that every person will see how essential and important he or she is and that the general enthusiasm will flood his consciousness and his soul.

If we don’t create a kind of “brainwash” here, we will simply not be able to advance. External impressions will not help us here and neither will nice words or the friends’ actions. Internally, a person will still reject the idea of bestowal if it isn’t reinforced by the group’s serious attitude where everyone is ready to invest in it and to spur one another on.

People who hold on to their externality spin around the goal, around the system for decades. Some of them become Hassidim, some become involved in dry studying, and others deal with dissemination, but they don’t implement the method in the correct efficient way.

All this happens when the environment is not strong enough to sweep a person towards the goal. After all, by that we fight our nature, our desire to receive, which we have to neutralize and to even draw towards bestowal. This is extremely difficult, but this is the key. If we succeed, we will break through to the upper dimension, and if not, then as we say “we will retire”…
[101637]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/21/13, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”

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Question: What is the most critical point in the group work when friends’ egoism breaks out in the group?

Answer: I think that here women should go to the forefront.

When there are serious problems between men, women should somehow subtly try to smooth the conflict, to indicate, as a mother to a child, that all this is temporary, that these relations are manifested between them on purpose and they should not be carried away, like children, and forget about the cause while being entangled in the consequences.

If it happens that men are not in a position to resolve a conflict themselves, then the women help them.

And on the other hand, men should restrain women if they start criticizing each other, gossiping, and using an “evil tongue.”
[101751]
From the Virtual Lesson 2/24/13

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Question: If I have a problem with someone in the group, how should I behave in the group and outside of it?

Answer: It is best to speak openly, not during the lesson, but while talking with the friends.

It is necessary, in spite of everything, to say what you think about your friend and why. Ask for an explanation of whether your attitude towards him is correct and what can be done.

This will strengthen the group. Thus you set a good example of how it is possible to turn estrangement into friendliness. This is exactly a spiritual action.
[101747]
From the Virtual Lesson 2/24/13

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Question: Sometimes I am amazed by my own thoughts, where do they come from?

Answer: From the Creator.

Question: But when I think about my thoughts, it also comes from Him. So where am I actually?

Answer: I have to attribute everything to Him, all to one source, to the Light that pours from Above and evokes the Reshimot below. The meeting between the Light and the Reshimot is what created the reality I am in. From this develops my sense of reality.

There are five levels of development in me and I want to attain my source, my Creator, which means that I have reached the fifth level. Then I want to attain what I am made of: the “Light” and the Reshimot.

In other words I ask about the meaning of life: Where does life come from? What for and how?

Usually this question comes as a result of unpleasant feelings, when I feel bad. In that case Kabbalists tell us that a person cannot understand and do anything by himself. First I have to gather and to build a system in which I will operate—both from the perspective of the Reshimot and from the perspective of the Light.

In this system, there is me and the other, and this allows me to evoke the Reshimot and the Light in him. Then I begin to resemble the Creator, as it says, “We shall know You from Your actions.”

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Baal HaSulam, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose” Go and ask a botanist how many phases the fruit undergoes from the time it becomes visible until it is completely ripe.

The problem is that I don’t see the purpose on my way to it; I don’t feel what the end of correction will be like. It isn’t by chance that it says, “Why don’t you show a fool a work that is half done?” In the middle of the way I cannot see the end.

It is clear to me that I am a fool since I don’t see the final wholeness, but what can I do about it? What can be demanded of me at this point? My life isn’t going well corporeally or spiritually, everything goes wrong in my life so why should I justify the Creator all of a sudden?

Wise people may know that the apple is destined to ripen, but I don’t see anything; it is bitter and that’s it.

This means that I need “the faith in sages,” the faith in those who have already been through this path; I have to adhere to a wise person, a teacher, to such an extent so that I can use his wholeness, only then will I be able to justify the creation and the Creator. But until then, I don’t hear what they say to me. Without the feeling of wholeness that is acquired from the upper, which means from the group and the teacher, I will always be a chip of wood floating in the sea, being thrown from side to side by the waves.

Question: But still, examples like the apple or the worm in the radish give us some clue?

Answer: They calm you down and help us quiet our conscience: “All this is not in vain; it cannot be that nature will not allow the apple to ripen. It means that all our sufferings will pay off…”

It is true, but this is already religion. People are fed these “conclusions” in order to calm them down: “Wait, soon you will reach Heaven…”

We see it differently: I want to attain wholeness now, and it is possible only by adhesion to the group and the teacher. I need the final result now since otherwise I will not make one step forward.

However, if I cannot use this means, I will not be able to advance. In Shamati, article 25, it says: Instead, there is only one counsel then, to cling to his teacher and to the books. This is called “From the mouth of books and from the mouth of authors.” Only by cleaving to them can he change his mind and will for the better. However, witty arguments will not help him change his mind, but only the remedy of Dvekut (adhesion), for this is a wondrous cure, as the Dvekut reforms him.

In other words, all the concepts upon which he builds his building, saying one must always follow in the path of the Creator, is founded in the Dvekut with his teacher. Thus, if he loses the foundation, then all the concepts are powerless, since they will now be lacking the foundation.

Hence, one must not rely on one’s own mind, but cleave once more to books and authors, for only that can help him, and no wit and intellect, as they are lifeless.
[101644]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/28/13,”Introduction to The Book of Zohar”

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Question: What is the concealment made of?

Answer: The concealment was made of our corrupt feelings and mind. It is as if I am trying to understand something but do not succeed. I make efforts, “breaking my head”, trying to approach it from one direction and from another direction, but I cannot understand this. I find different points to hold on to, but I cannot penetrate it so that it will make sense to me. The reason for that is lack of connection, which means lack of vessels of perception.

It is like a puzzle that has to be put together so that each bulge will perfectly match the designated dent. It is the same thing here, I lack the right dents in my deficiency so that the part of the puzzle will enter me and connect with me. And then I will understand, realize and feel, and the picture will suddenly be revealed to me.

I remember that when I was Rabash’s student, I came complaining indignantly to him that the concealment lasts for so long. But the concealment stems from lack of equivalence, from lack of compatibility between your inner attributes and deficiencies and the world that has to enter you. For the time being, your deficiency cannot perceive this form, so what can be done here? You are like a child who is trying forcefully to put a cube through a round hole. But the child does not understand that he will not succeed and so he keeps on pushing the cube and crying.

We too don’t understand the need for compatibility here, and that it is attained by observation and by efforts. It is hard and we see how a kid cannot stand this situation. It is the same with us as the reason is always incompatibility, lack of equivalence. Whole and perfect pictures come from Above, but we have to become compatible to them.

So every event in your life, every situation that is not felt as totally perfect, like the Creator’s image, indicates a lack of vessels of perception, some kind of your incompatibility with the upper.

First, be thankful for the feeling of deficiency; it is already a revelation. You don’t need to calm and to silence this feeling, but rather work with it purposefully. Rejoice that the evils are being revealed and start correcting them.
[101686]
From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/25/13, The Study of the Ten Sefirot

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