Question: What actions should the clarification of truth and lies lead me to?

Answer: Figuring out the truth and lie leads me to the only action—annulling myself before the upper. After all, the truth is in the upper, while in me, given that I am the lowest, it is always a lie. To reveal the upper, I must accept Him by faith above reason. All the conditions the upper gives me, I must recognize as the truth, and all my inner impulses as lies.

It turns out I want to come out of myself and stick to the upper, to receive His values and try to follow them according to His mind. It is like a child who wants to use his father’s mind, and due to this, he grows up, acquiring the mind of an adult.

Due to our annulment before the upper, we gain additional opportunities. This is not how it works in our world. If I annul myself before you in this world, it means I give up one of my opinions and accept yours because I consider you to be more intelligent, cultured, educated, or a better scientist. I am annulling myself on a specific issue so I can learn from you.

But in the spiritual world, I have to annul myself before the upper in everything, so that nothing of my own remains in me. Not even like a child before adults, but much more. I need to annul myself as if I do not exist at all: annulment in thoughts and feelings. But I do it rationally and with great wisdom. Special psychological work is required here. I examine myself and observe how I annul myself before the upper to clothe in Him and adopt His state.

This form of annulling myself before the upper allows me to rise to His level. First, there is my complete self-annulment before the upper, which is called the “embryo” (Ibur). Then, there is an even greater self-annulment, which is called feeding (Yenika). And then, even greater self-annulment, called adulthood (Mochin).

Initially, it is a very simple self-annulment, although it is not easy for us to resolve ourselves. I annul myself as if I simply do not exist and turn into a single point, a drop of seed in the womb of the upper. This is just the beginning of my self-annulment. But then, to master this degree, I need to take all my previous thoughts and desires and transform them to match the upper.

They will always be the opposite because Malchut of the upper has turned into Keter of the lower; therefore, the dregs of the upper were food for me—sweetness and truth. What was garbage at the upper level (in Malchut of the upper), waste I did not want to use, turned into food, sweetness, and truth for the lower.

If I want to do other work, I have to turn all the bitterness I feel now into sweetness, and everything I thought was sweet should become bitter at the degree of the upper. All my truth, when transferred to the level of the upper, must turn into a lie, and all my lies must become the truth of the upper. This means that Malchut of the upper turns into Keter of the lower. If I want to rise, I have to do the inverse work.

But first, I just annul myself without figuring out where the truth or lie is. No matter what happens, all I care about is annulling myself before the upper as if I do not exist, and turn into a point, a drop of seed. But then I start analyzing myself and turn bitterness into sweetness and lies into truth, and so I climb the degrees.

In the nine months of embryo development, I am constantly growing due to the fact that I am annulling myself more and more, turning all my lies into truth, all the bitter tastes of giving into sweetness. It is a vast and continuous work to transform yourself into your opposite in all your desires and thoughts, turning them all to giving, bestowal, and feeling the sweetness in all this.

Clearly, this change occurs due to the light coming to me. But I must constantly annul myself at an ever higher level for the light to work on me. The light that comes to me during these 9 months of growth of the embryo is called “blood” (Dam), from the word “inanimate” (Domem), which gradually corrects me. Then, I go through the stage of “feeding” and become an “adult.”

The whole ascent from the lower to the upper consists of the work of self-annulment. Therefore, through disseminating this knowledge and reaching out to the general public, we realize our self-annulment. After all, by annulling ourselves before the people, before this world, by serving it, we annul ourselves before the Creator in it. Because it was the Creator who placed this whole world before us.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/30/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Scrutiny of Bitter and Sweet, True and False”

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I never chase famous or wealthy people. They are absolutely empty; there is nothing you can do with them. Nothing! They exist in a society in a kind of shell that deadens them.

They are forced to play their games, to act out their performances in life. These are unfortunate people who are already dead while still alive.

So why would I need them? What can I gain from them? You have to play along with them, say what they want to hear, flatter them. Then they will pay you. But in doing so, you stop being straightforward and honest with yourself, and directed toward the goal. That is why I cannot even imagine how a Kabbalist could be involved in such things.

Question: But you do have a few famous students?

Answer: Do I single them out? I put them below everyone else. What difference does it make if one is a famous composer and another is a well-known actor? He is famous to outsiders who scream with excitement and throw their hats in the air when they see him because he entertains them from the stage.

But I do not pay any attention to that; I do not value it. Just like I do not value the few lawyers and economists who study with me. What is the difference? Do they stand out because of their spiritual potential, their inner capabilities, and how they realize them? Now that is a different matter. But everything corporeal has no relation to Kabbalah.

Being fully committed to the goal, that is what I value in a person. That is what I thank the Creator for. I have nothing good in my character or qualities except for one thing: I do not let go of the goal. Of course, this was given to me from above; it is not my own merit. But it is the only thing I truly appreciate in myself. Not that I take pride in it, but I value it.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. It is Better to be Empty than Full” 6/23/10

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If during the lesson you make an effort to concentrate as much as possible on what I am saying, you will feel how through these words I am opening a path for you to develop your soul.

We have texts that we study and discuss in a group. At the same time, we are influenced by the laws of nature, the laws of ten, the laws that bind us at a higher level, and the laws that bind us at a lower level, and we must constantly be in this cycle.

And when I get inside the book, it becomes my rightful ruler, like a mother to an infant who changes his diapers, bathes him, and changes his clothes over and over again. We must strive to reach a state where the Creator would want to care for us just like a mother cares for a baby.

Nothing limits us in our work, and everyone has the opportunity to make even greater efforts. But it happens that despite investing a lot, we get minimal results.

And this is a consequence of the fact that in our work there are forces acting on a person’s desires, and there are forces acting on a person’s connection with reality. And we must strive to achieve the greatest success in both of these areas.

We need to choose words and passages from The Book of Zohar that will draw the maximum illumination to us and so move forward.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/24/25, Continuing the Convention With an Ascent

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World Kabbalah Convention Connecting to Lishma, Lesson 2

Question: You say that one must rely on the teacher, on his opinion. But when you hear the advice of the teacher, sometimes it seems that there is a contradiction in it.

How can we help each other so that each friend has clarity in relation to what you say?

Answer: When you begin to receive the “revelation of the heavens,” then it will not seem to you that you need to speak in an understandable language because you will feel these states inside yourself. We must come to this. This is called the study of Kabbalah.

Question: Is the internal connection of the student with the teacher a quality of faith above reason, and on whom does it depend?

Answer: The connection of the student with the teacher depends only on the student.

Question: We turn to the Creator with prayers and requests for unity and adhesion. Is there a place for such an appeal to the teacher-sage?

Answer: I am here precisely to give you the end of this chain.
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From the International Kabbalah Convention “Unite In Lishma” – 2/20/25, Lesson 2

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Question: What is the teacher’s place in the virtual community? Can the system you want to create exist without a teacher?

Answer: I think it can. It is like how there used to be czars and kings and then they were replaced by parliamentary republics.

Therefore such a system can work because if a connection is established between each individual and his virtual environment, which simply more clearly shows the individual the correct attitude of society toward him, then he only has to implement it.

Rabash says in his articles that the Creator is called the teacher. Therefore the earthly teacher fades into the background.

I believe that it is quite possible to create such a system of interconnection, to launch it into implementation, and to enable my students to move forward with its help. This will be the final act of my life. And then they can move on their own.

Question: Is there a chance that without a teacher, students will get confused and will not progress? Anyway, the teacher is in spiritual attainment, and here people do not know where they are going.

Answer: It depends on the system we create. At first a person is required to gradually enter into his spiritual environment Lo Lishma.

I see this as a very serious realization of a spiritual construct. We can see from the examples of the Tamagotchi toy that a person begins to work with a computer as with a living organism, and treats the virtual environment as if it were alive. It kind of animates him, humanizes him.

We want to create an image of the right group for ourselves on the computer, which wants to position, show, manifest, and expose itself relative to each of us.

A person will see in this the appearance of the group to him; that is what the group wants to show him. Everything is absolutely clear here according to the rules outlined by Rabash.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. Virtual Community, Part 6” 5/18/10

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Question: You say Rabash was the first to outline the rules for working in a group. Didn’t Baal HaSulam describe them?

Answer: Kabbalists did not talk much about it; they hid such things, considering them very personal.

They simply described the structure of the upper worlds so that by reading their works you could attract the upper light. But prior to that, how you should shape yourself, you and the group, the desire to move forward, and the ascent to greater bestowal for which you need the upper light was practically not discussed. This is each person’s inner work, his work in the heart.

Therefore, before Rabash, humanity did not need a massive explanation and the implementation of group work. Rabash described the rules of interacting in the group very clearly, but did not disclose his writings because the time had not yet come.

We see that his method of working in a group is the most important thing he has done for the world. In fact, he has done a lot, but this is the most important and most necessary thing for us. Right now, this technique can be implemented in our organization and in us.

There is a reason we are called by his name: Bnei Baruch. Indeed, apart from that, we do not need anything else. As Baal HaSulam said, love of friends covers absolutely all our problems.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. Virtual Community, Part 4” 5/17/10

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My teacher, Rabash, passed away in my arms. I did everything I could to keep him alive, but what is beyond our power is simply beyond our power.

We must help a person because we never truly know the final verdict concerning them. That is why we are obligated to make every effort to ease their life. But the moment they are gone, that is it.

After his passing, I shut myself away for several months, dedicating myself completely to the study of Kabbalah, cutting myself off from everyone except him. Though, to be honest, I was always only with him anyway.

I didn’t feel, and still don’t feel, a significant difference whether he is physically near me or not.
When I was a young student, it was very important for me to be physically close to him, to listen, to see, to ask questions, to feel my connection to him. It gave me a sense of security, a way forward, confidence in myself “at his expense,” so to speak.

But over time, I became more or less independent, relatively speaking, of course. Still, I have no illusions about the fact that even today, we are in contact. I feel it absolutely clearly, just as one can feel a close person nearby, perhaps in the next room or standing behind you.

The thing is, there’s an image you form inside yourself from his physical presence, impressions, and expressions toward you. And then, there is his spiritual presence in relation to you when you create his spiritual image. In this way, you remain connected.

Question: But when people say, “I’m still in contact with my teacher,” it immediately brings to mind an image of a ghost hovering around, whispering, “Tell him this… Let him do that…”

Answer: That’s all just human nonsense.

Your next level, where you connect with him, exists within you just like everything else.
You cannot connect with him unless you yourself rise to the level of souls, unless you reveal the collective soul from within your own point in the heart. In it, you feel all other souls, absolutely everything!

To what extent depends on your level, but you do begin to feel it, like a small child feeling the world around them. There is still some contact.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. The Death of Rabash…” 4/10/10

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Question: Why do you say it is preferable to watch lessons in a large group? Does it  amplify your information?

Answer: Of course. It is said: “In the multitude of people is the King’s glory.” We are very small by ourselves. But if a thousand people are listening to a lesson, wow! And if it is ten thousand? WOW! We look at the headcount and the numbers, but we do not understand the quality.

Question: Is the group a very strong amplifier?

Answer: Yes, there is a big difference between whether I give information to one person or a thousand. After all, it is distributed among all according to each person’s disposition. There are instances when you can study with one person, expressly tune them in, and lead them toward a spiritual goal. However, there is no such thing today. Today it is only going out to the masses.

At one time I was a student of Rabash, and he was constantly engaged with me. Every morning we went for walks together, and every week we would go on a two-day trip to Tiberias. However, these are isolated instances that Kabbalists had in the past.

But now we have crossed a line, and I do not think it can happen again. There is no such option today. I do not see anyone I can bring near me and shape into a leader of the next generation.

This would be in great contrast with all the others and would harm the general dissemination of Kabbalah, which is very relevant now.

In the past, there was no way to disseminate, but this is no longer the case. Nowadays dissemination is only for the masses.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. The Group—Informational Amplifier” 4/17/10

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Question: You constantly say that the group is the most important thing we should focus on. But at the same time, you’ve mentioned that you didn’t have a group. How were you able to overcome that and make progress without it?

Answer: Everyone has their own path, and often we don’t even understand why things happen to us the way they do. For each person, it’s very individual both internally and externally. That’s fate. This is how I was led to the study of Kabbalah, and this is how I continue to be guided.

Is it really me doing or creating anything today? Absolutely not. When someone says the name “Michael Laitman,” I don’t associate myself with it at all! It feels like I’m nameless.

When I’m introduced as a doctor, philosopher, Kabbalist, or head of Bnei Baruch, it feels like that’s the title of someone else. It’s as if I put on a robe, sit in an important chair, and lead from there. Then I move over here and sit in my “pajamas.” Because these are completely different people. Completely different!

Comment: But you have only one mind.

My Response: I’m not talking about that, but about the role I have to play. I know that I’m compelled to do it, that I’m being driven to it, it’s necessary, and I do it. I agree with it, I’m grateful for it because I understand its importance and, essentially, I know that I need it.

This is the case for many people in the world who hold significant positions. A person can’t just leave it behind; the role obligates them. Any major leader would probably love to escape to a village somewhere, relax, and just be themselves for a while. And if we’re talking about a mother of a large family, she knows she’s obligated to do what she does for the sake of her children.

I simply feel my duty. And beyond that, I feel an obligation from above, not just on a corporeal level, where someone appoints you and that’s it. In the same way, I was led to Rabash, and that’s exactly how he related to me.

One of my friends who studied with Rabash once recalled going to the sea with him and asking why he treated Laitman the way he did. Rabash replied, “That’s his soul. It makes me relate to him this way.” I didn’t even know or imagine that he would say something like that to others.

So, it’s a role, not some sort of privilege, a role imposed on a person based on the root of their soul so that they fulfill it within the general system. It may be important or not important relative to others, but that doesn’t matter. It’s simply a role.

We can talk about the importance of parents in relation to their children. But fundamentally, their importance lies in the fact that they are obligated to care for their children, not in the fact that they are bigger, stronger, or smarter. On the contrary, they are obliged to do everything to serve their children. The same goes for me.

You might say, “But there’s also vanity and self-importance.” If that’s the case, then a person loses everything. Because when fulfilling a role assigned by the Creator, ultimately doing His work, if a person seeks personal satisfaction, power, or vanity instead of asking for spiritual elevation, the quality of bestowal, they miss the point entirely.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Your Way” 5/29/10

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Question: How can one find the spiritual image to which they can nullify themselves?

Answer: I cannot even say. It simply arises, that is all. It is the result of the influence of the upper light.

There is nothing to invent here. You do not need to imagine anything. There are no fantasies or meditations, no fairy-tale notions. You simply have to wait until the upper light creates a clear inner vision in you when you begin to understand that in all people, it is their soul that speaks, and they are all connected through it into one unified whole.

Let’s say there is a pot of soup in front of you. You can scoop out a spoonful, a second, a third, but each spoonful is part of the same soup. You separated it out.

I see one person, another, a third… I can distinguish them in some way from this “soup,” from the collective soul, but in essence, they are absolutely united within it. And it is only my “spoon” that separates them: this one is Vladek, that one is Grisha, Misha, Vova, and so on. But in reality, this separation does not exist, it is only relative to my “spoon.”

Question: You say that by humbling oneself before one’s friends during study, one can attract the light. Will this reveal the feeling of separation to me?

Answer: On the contrary, I will see the common bond between friends, that it is one single soul.

I do not see them as faces or even as separate individuals. I see their unity, something like a “pot of soup.”

Question: But you have many students. Over time, do you not see their distinct images?

Answer: No, I do not scan them. Not at all! I do not remember faces, and names even less.

Maybe I remember 30 to 40 names, and even that is unlikely because for me, a person is not associated with their name or face, with any external factors. I simply see them; they are inside together with the others, they wish to be with them, they strive for this.

In essence, all people are together, we are all one unified soul, one single “soup.”
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. Image in the Spiritual” 6/2/10

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