Question: In our world there are laws that we must abide by. How can I check my intention practically to see whether it is egoistic or whether it is the right intention?

Answer: How can I practically check my intention and advance? You are right, the most important thing is the intention, but you won’t be able to advance by yourself, I don’t know of any person who could study the wisdom of Kabbalah by himself. You will have to connect to us. Without a group, a teacher, friends, and assistance, you will simply waste a lot of time. So for a start, read the material for beginners. But if you are really interested and if you are about how I can change my intention, that is a high level and it already quite serious.

It is simply a waste of efforts and you are confusing yourself by that and will need much more time in order to come out of this confusion. You should connect to us. We are prepared for any situation, in any language, English Georgian, Russian, Hebrew, whichever language you want. Our books are published in 27 languages.
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From the Georgia Convention 11/5/12, Lesson 1

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After the shattering, under the influence of the informative genes (Reshimot), the shattered desires go through different states detached from spirituality on the levels of the still, vegetative, and animate nature. And so they gradually understand their state until they finally reach the human level.

Then they begin to understand that something brought them into our world, into a state in which they feel only themselves in a special desire called “body.” It is as if a particle from the upper world was thrown downward and immersed in some liquid in which it has remained.

Now a person is faced with a dilemma: Should he work for this world, for the sake of adding, for the benefit of the body, or should he work for the benefit of the soul? He has to choose one of the options.

Of course the choice isn’t up to a person, but rather stems from the reincarnations he has been through on the levels of the still, vegetative, and animate nature where he examined his state. A soul that has come closer to its fulfillment is called a “high soul,” and with it a person can already decide to act for the benefit of the soul and not of the body.

In order to act for the benefit of the soul, a person needs this whole world to help him reach the awe of the Creator. Fear is a spiritual vessel, a desire aimed at bestowal. The illumination from above called the “Light of the soul” is dressed into this desire, or more accurately into the intention that is built on top of it.

This intention is built from the depth of the desire (the thickness), a Masach (screen), and Returning Light—which make up a person’s spiritual vessel. Of course it is possible to develop it only from this world when we ascend from it up to the height of 125 degrees.

People who have reached this fulfillment according to their Reshimot come together. The upper Light operates on everyone equally, but if the informational genes are revealed, the Reshimot that are ready for this correction come very close to one another aspiring to connect. As a result a person comes to a group in our world.

But after he comes to a group another law begins to operate on him, which allows him freewill. After all the Reshimot have to be fulfilled in a person’s desire.

Even if it says “I am the first and I am the last” and “there is none else besides Him,” the preparation for this revelation, for the recognition of the greatness of the spiritual goal from the darkness of exile, is totally in a person’s hands.

Here nothing can be done. Whether this load seems heavy or light to a person depends on the height of the goal and on how much a person values the one he serves.

If he disrespects the teacher, the group, and the Creator, then nothing can help him. After all, these three components are inseparable and supreme for a person. If he doesn’t value them, he will eventually divert from the path and leave the spiritual development

If he works on it as he makes every possible effort so that it will save him, it will help him belittle his ego, his corporeal mind, and his life experience that seems to have some value. It is revealed as totally useless before the new states he has to go through, but it will also empower him and give him fuel to advance along this path.

This is only possible if the greatness of the goal, the group, the teacher, and the Creator are more important to a person than his egoism.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/09/12, Writings of Rabash

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Question: How does the Returning Light expand Malchut?

Answer: The vessel of Malchut is a tiny grain in which there is nothing. It is the smallest desire, an elementary particle with Reshimot (informational gene) inside. It is like a lifeless seed that only has the hope to come to life and that’s all.

But when Malchut within this tiny grain, when the “microprocessor” begins to calculate how to react to the Creator, creating Returning Light in it, its reaction to the Creator, and in the Returning Light it begins to feel the Creator Himself. The Creator is revealed within this reaction.

Then this Returning Light, the attitude of the created being towards the Creator, together with the attitude of the Creator towards him, which is now revealed above this grain, returns into the grain and expands it. Thus Malchut expands, and not only does it expand, but also takes on the form of the Creator. This form is dressed in the attitude of the created being towards the Creator. The two forms that are dressed in the desire expand it and give the desire the form called adhesion.

So when a student wants to ask a question his own way and stay with it by getting an answer, it works well in an ordinary university where the professor lectures from the podium. You may or may not agree with his method of teaching, you may accept it or not accept it, but in studying the wisdom of Kabbalah it doesn’t work, because the teacher “formats” the student. The student takes on the form of the teacher, just as I received it from my teacher. This is the holy study.

You can agree to that or not, but you won’t advance unless you receive it from me, even though you don’t like it now and it seems bad and distorted to you. Everything you receive from me can only be in my form and it must be dressed in you. This is the nature of the spiritual world, and there is nothing we can do about it; one form is dressed in another. This is why I insist that my students ask questions my way.

It is the “formatting” of the soul; it is the mutual work of the teacher and the student with the upper help.
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/3/12, The Study of the Ten

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Disregard for the teacher in our world is a small reflection of how we ignore the Creator because of His concealment. This disregard is the disclosure of the true ego that does not recognize the upper one and says: “I myself will rule!”

This attitude appears in us towards the friends, teacher, and towards the Creator. But regarding the Creator, it’s hidden as long as you do not prepare yourself by working with what was given to you, that is, until you begin to see the friends and the teacher as great and big, and perceive those who are below as small, in need of your care. You find yourself in the middle, obliged to everyone!
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/4/12, Lesson About the Greatness of the Rav

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A student who wants to acquire wisdom from a teacher has to receive it in the right form, in the dressing of the upper acting mind. The same thing happens in an ordinary school to a certain extent, since each of us is born as raw material from which a certain form is later molded and is accordingly filled with different knowledge.

We always receive from others both the essence of the knowledge and the external form it is dressed in. This is how it happens in the upper spiritual roots and in our world. So it is very important from whom you learn. The knowledge is conveyed in the same way through books without the live contact with the author. Even in external corporeal sciences we always acquire knowledge as if “the Direct Light is dressed in the Returning Light.”

So it is especially true when speaking about the wisdom of Kabbalah. Here in order to convey information, there has to be a connection that is called “mouth to mouth,” a connection of “spirit in spirit,” which means that the Returning Light has to be compatible to a certain extent in giving and receiving. Of course, they are on different levels, but there is a certain resemblance between them, and so the lower can receive an illumination from the upper one.

These are intentional actions that take place in one’s understanding and recognition when there is a spiritual revelation.

If in external science we are concerned with the inner content, the knowledge itself, in the wisdom of Kabbalah we are concerned about the external form, the adhesion, and then in it, to the extent of the adhesion, we receive the Internal Light, and not in any other way.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/4/12, Lesson About the Greatness of the Rav

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Baal HaSulam, “Letter 43”: And the sages said: “the reverence for your teacher is like the reverence for Heaven.” And this is why Rizhner was proud that he had attained the highest level of all the sages in his generation, since he had acquired the faith of the sages more than anyone in his generation

And we should understand that faith isn’t the question, since even six-year-old children can acquire it, but it is his feeling of the greatness and the awe his soul felt by the wisdom of the sages, that part of His wisdom renders superfluous to those who revere Him.

Passing on the wisdom refers to the passing of the Light of Hochma and not to external wisdom. Therefore, it depends on the connection between the spiritual Partzufim. An upper Partzuf gives birth to a lower Partzuf from its “chest” downwards, like GE gives birth to AB. First GE gives birth to the internal Partzuf of AB and then the external Partzuf of AB stems from it, which comes after Galgalta, by being dressed on it from the outside, from its “chest” downwards. This is the order of the Partzufim.

Passing on the Light is impossible without such a connection between the spiritual Partzufim, without the lower being adhered to the upper one in some way. The place of adhesion is where the upper and the lower connect into one whole. Then the lower can receive from the upper and the upper can pass something on to it. If there is no such place of adhesion, of connection between them, then the lower cannot be born and cannot receive the Light from the upper.

After the shattering, we find ourselves in this world and we develop as a result of the Reshimot (reminiscences) that are evoked in a certain order, from the lighter ones to the heavier ones. Here we already have to work from the bottom up and to acquire a stronger Masach (screen) over our ego each time in order to adhere to the upper one.

We also receive the Masach from the upper by the Light that Reforms. The order of the degrees never changes; it only seems to us that it doesn’t exist since we don’t feel it. Actually we are all connected, since the shattering is only revealed with regards to a person himself, according to his attainment and his feeling.

So the whole system is revealed to us according to the order the Reshimot are evoked from the bottom up. We only have to add our labor to attain adhesion with the Creator. This adhesion is attained through the group, a teacher, and all the means that we have including the studying. Thus we receive the Light that Reforms and through the studying and the connection with the group and the teacher we reach adhesion with the Creator; that’s the way it works.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/4/12, Lesson About the Greatness of the Rav

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Religious schools instill an attitude of respect in children towards the teacher and spiritual leaders from early childhood. This tradition comes from spiritual principles. But since mostly secular people come to Kabbalah, it is very difficult for them to change their attitude towards teachers, which they have become accustomed to in school and college.

We are not used to attributing a higher degree to the teacher who gives us spiritual attainment. We think that a teacher recites things written in books and sometimes provides more detailed explanations.

It is incomprehensible and unnatural that in the Kabbalistic approach you receive spirituality through the teacher. But in Kabbalah, adhesion with the teacher precedes adhesion with the Creator. It is impossible to attain greater trepidation in relation to the Creator, than the kind that you feel in relation to your spiritual teacher and the group. This is the way a person builds himself; this is why the entire world has been given to him.

But you need to work on it; otherwise, you will not attain the goal. Lack of respect for the teacher is a modern problem, which shows us how much we still need to correct ourselves. This is not a coincidence, but an enormous addition of egoism, which needs to be corrected.

This additional egoism is additional distance, which separates us from the Creator, and it shows through the fact that we don’t respect the group or the teacher and thus distance ourselves from the Creator.

When I was a student, what helped me correct my attitude was that I was always imagining the higher system where we all exist, but which is concealed from us. And in this system, every one who is lower is absolutely attached to his upper. The actual system did not break; the breaking only took place in our perception. Our entire work consists of bringing ourselves to the point where we are able to perceive and reveal the actual system.

And once the spiritual system becomes revealed, the connections between all its parts will also be revealed to us. The ladder of spiritual degrees does not change, and when one soul becomes revealed first, and another one is revealed after it, this order remains forever. And this is why we will always receive through the great spiritual fathers, Kabbalists, who have lived before us and completed their corrections. We will always receive through Baal HaSulam and Rabash.

And if you continue this path and once merit spiritual attainment, you will receive it through me. This is the way the spiritual ladder is.

We need to work on this, otherwise a connection will not appear between us. It is written: “Make yourself a Rav (‘Rav’ means big) and buy yourself a friend, and justify every person,” and all this is preparation for the adhesion with the Creator. Naturally, the teacher does not need the compliments that a student needs. But the student needs to prepare himself for the revelation of the Creator.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/4/12, Lesson About the Greatness of the Rav

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Question: Have there ever been people who listened to Kabbalists and followed their advice?

Answer: In ancient times, it was not about one Kabbalist or another, but about a whole period of development: the era of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and Joshua…Those are periods, rather than people as such. The spirit of the person was active in that time and made what it did. For example, Moses built the nation and contributed the methodology of correction to the desires that were unveiling at that time. As a result, he brought the nation to the Land of Israel, that is, to the revelation of the Creator.

Everything is carried out by the Kabbalists, although we cannot see it during the exile. Kabbalists are the ones by whom the world is being “charged,” which allows it to exist. Without a sparkle of Light, this world would never have appeared in the first place and matter could not have existed. There always are the Kabbalists who, according to their Kelim, belong to the generality of humanity as well as to a spiritual degree.

It is said that “the tail of the lion,” the nine lower Sefirot of the world of Atzilut, together with the Light of Hochma descend to the worlds of BYA and become “the head of the fox” (shualim), in other words, those who ask questions (shoalim). After all, that’s where the broken vessels are located, and so, the question arises: How do we correct them?

We need this connection as well as a permanent opportunity to transition between the levels. In this world, it is ensured by the Kabbalists. On one hand, they are dressed the same as others so that they can teach us. On the other hand, they are a part of a higher degree. There is no other way to achieve this because we are a part of the general system that lives in accordance with rigid laws.

Returning to the question:. After a long exile, Jewish people listened to the advice of the great Kabbalists during the time of Baal Shem Tov and his disciples. They led the nation, guided it forward, and gave birth to generations who lived in accordance with spiritual attainment—to people who connected “the ground” of this world with the height of Ein Sof (Infinity). It was a period of great Kabbalists who were operating in both worlds at the same time.

As to the severe detachment (interruption) of the spiritual connection that was created within the last one hundred years, it is probably something that was supposed to happen. The situation is really critical at this time. And yet, it is said: “I have not forsaken Israel.” Even today, there are Kabbalists who convey illumination from the spiritual world to ours.

Our world is a tiny dark spot in the center of spiritual universe. It is essential to bring the Light into it, otherwise it won’t be able to endure. Throughout all the worlds, the Light descends directly to this plane, to our corrupt desires, and Kabbalists are the ones who safeguard this ray of Light.

You call them “people,” although it has nothing to do with a body, but rather it is about certain desires or states (Kelim). They act deliberately, so that they can descend even lower and be closer to us. For example, Baal HaSulam asked to be lowered in order to be able to write and help those living below.
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From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/12/12, “The Nation” 

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Question: Do a lot of people complain about your unbearable character? Are you always like this, with everyone and in everything?

Answer: I’ll try to “explain myself.” Kabbalah formulates our task for existence in this world as “Efforts and findings” (Igati ve Matsati). Meaning, the application of the correct efforts leads to a finding, to one’s revelation of the Creator’s benevolence (Metsiyat hen be’eyney HaShem), to reveal the love of the Creator. This revelation (of the currently concealed relationship of the Creator towards each one) happens to the extent of qualitative comparison (similarity of qualities, Ishtavut aTsura).

So, there are two types of relationships of the teacher towards the student:

• The teacher always acts toward the student softly, gives the student time to develop, not indicating the mistakes.
• The teacher acts towards the student in an instructing way, as the Creator. However, the instruction of the Creator is concealed, while a teacher demonstrates it in order to direct the student based on the example of the relationship between them onto the correct understanding of the relationship between the student and the Creator. This helps the student to more quickly understand what it means to find benevolence, how to draw attention from the relationship towards the teacher to address the Creator, to attain the “finding.”

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A spiritual teacher is a system that builds me, puts me on my feet, guides me, and leads me until I reach the goal. It’s like a father and mother caring for a child, without whom the child would not have survived. He exists only thanks to them because he instinctively clings to them and thus gets from them all the necessary care and successfully grows into an adult.

In our world, in this role are the physical father and mother, and in the spiritual world, the system of Aba ve Ima (the upper father and mother), a person’s spiritual teacher, the highest Partzuf.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/05/12, Shamati #25

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