Comment: Very often in Kabbalah an example is given of a knife blade being brought to a person’s throat, and he must see the good who does good in this.

My Response: It depends on what level. May God grant us to reach such a level. For example, when Rabbi Akiva’s skin was removed, he did not feel physical suffering.

A person who is at such a high level does not suffer physically. Likewise, a person who feels that, on one hand a knife is placed at his throat, and on the other hand he is in adhesion with the Creator. It is about a state in which a person can do this.

Those who saw Rabbi Akiva on a physical level at that moment thought that he was suffering terribly; whereas he was simply enjoying the union with the Creator since he had risen above the physical state. The same applies for the “knife at the throat.” Otherwise, you will not achieve unification and merging with the Creator. This is not for us yet, so do not be afraid.

Question: Do you mean that a Kabbalist already perceives everything completely different at such levels?

Answer: Naturally. Baal HaSulam describes this very well in the article “Concealment and Disclosure of the Face of the Creator.” When the Creator is revealed, we see everything completely differently. Everything that seemed bad appears as good.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. When the Creator is Revealed” 5/4/10

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Question: What should a person add to their desires so that the greatness of the Creator will prevent them from straying from the path?

Answer: Remember that everything comes from the Creator.

Question: And where can one attain this vision?

Answer: Vision is granted from above, and it remains within a person as long as they desire to be entirely in the power of the Creator.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/8/25, Writings of Baal HaSulam “What Are Three Things that Broaden One’s Mind in the Work?”

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Question: The entire story of Purim is about Gmar Tikkun (final correction). Why do the Jews doubt again? After all, this situation has been repeated many times before; whenever they doubted and tried to receive for themselves, they ended up experiencing shattering, plagues, and similar consequences. What is different in the story of Purim that will make them stop doubting and trying to receive for themselves?

Answer: This is something we must reveal. But we understand that in order to receive the light of Hochma, the light of Hassadim is required as its covering.

Everything that happened to the people of Israel was necessary only to create a common vessel (Kli) together with the nations of the world that was capable of receiving the entire light of Hochma. That is all. In the end, that is how it will be.

Question: How are the Jews  different from the nations of the world? After all, they agree with Haman just as the nations of the world do. Does that mean they differ only because of their prior history?

Answer: No, not because of their history, but because of their obligation. They are obligated to choose a different path.
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From the Daily Kabbalah lesson 3/12/25, Writings of Baal HaSulam “An Article for Purim”

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In addition, he gave him the control, meaning that all the king’s slaves kneeled and bowed before Haman, “for the king had so commanded,” that he would receive control, and everyone accepted him.

The matter of kneeling is the acceptance of the ruling since they liked Haman’s way in the work more than Mordecai’s way. All the Jews in Shushan accepted Haman’s control until it was hard for them to understand Mordecai’s view (Baal HaSulam, Shamati 37, “An Article for Purim”).

All our qualities, except for the quality of bestowal that developed from the “point in the heart,” were under the rule of bestowal, which desires nothing for itself (Hafetz Hesed), and they fell silent and bowed. But at that moment when an explosion of egoism occurs, which is called “the king exalting Haman within us,” it immediately becomes clear to us and is unanimously recognized both by the heart and the mind that egoistic reception is a very advantageous direction in our work and allows us to achieve a great deal.

And this is not just ordinary, earthly egoism; we are talking about a level of egoism that grows beyond the level of Mordechai (from the words “Mor-Dror”), Bina. That is, these are impure (egoistic) spiritual desires (Klipa), “bestowal for the sake of one’s own egoism.” I perform spiritual acts of bestowal, but within them, I draw the light of Hochma for myself. This is the way of life that Haman proposes.

After all, if after the level of “bestowal for the sake of bestowal” a person awakens to the desire to receive, then it must be used! But how? The person has already become righteous, has attained the level of complete bestowal, and is entirely ruled by this quality.

However, their ego has not yet grown, it has merely quieted down and fallen silent. And then,  after the level of “bestowal for the sake of bestowal, the King exalts Haman,” the quality of Bina, and the quality of reception begins to grow within the person, and they begin to wonder how they can receive? At that point, they decide to use the quality of bestowal, Mordechai, to fill their egoistic desires; that is, to let Haman rule over Mordechai.

Naturally, everyone agrees with this, all of King Ahasuerus’ kingdom, all the person’s desires, including the Jews, meaning those who think about bestowal. They agree that one must bestow because that way, one can receive even more. And all the nations of the world and the Jews in the city of Shushan, all accept what Haman says, that bestowal for the sake of reception is the right path. But this is a truly impure spiritual force (Klipa) because it arises after a person has already attained the intention to bestow.

This kind of work is supported by feelings, intellect, and society. And indeed does the Creator not take pleasure when we receive from Him? Only one “smallest” thing is missing—adhesion, this inner point within Bina that comes from Keter. If one delves deeply into the quality of bestowal, into Bina, it too has its “four stages,” and in its very depths, at its final stage, we sense that the Creator desires adhesion, which is possible only through complete equivalence of form!

Yet all the other qualities of a person, except for Mordechai, do not sense this connection between Bina and Keter, their connection, through which Bina transforms itself into a receiver (ZAT deBina) in order to bestow to those below it. No one understands what is happening; everyone is confused. Only this one point within a person, Mordechai, refuses to bestow for its own sake and realizes that this is against the Creator, against the highest goal—adhesion.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/20/11, Writings of Baal HaSulam “An Article for Purim”

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Question: Essentially, we are trying to direct our efforts toward conveying information to others, whether it is Kabbalah or something else. So why don’t we just make internal movements to become Kabbalists? Why do we need to perform physical actions?

Answer: Physical actions are necessary to help one transition into an absolutely perfect state where there is no longer a perception of reality as our world and the rest of the worlds.

The fact is that there are both general correction and private correction. Private correction is the vision of general correction.

But there is no need to discuss this with people because it is just philosophy or psychology, which has no real connection to their lives and would bring them nothing. Delving into it is pointless.

Question: Is there a limitation to explaining certain things that should not be exceeded?

Answer: Yes, but only because a person cannot perceive it. In Kabbalah, forbidden means impossible. That is the only reason!

Otherwise there are no secrets. What secrets can there be if everything is open to all? It remains a secret only for those who are incapable of understanding. Can a small child comprehend what we are talking about? For them, it is called a mystery.

Question: But does the ultimate truth exist at all?

Answer: Of course. The complete revelation of the Creator to a person, full correction, that is the one and only truth in which we all exist.

We are already within it now, but we need to reveal it through our perception to reach it. To do this, we must practically change ourselves by constantly refining our feelings. That is our task.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. Private Correction” 7/27/10

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Question: Every important leader has security that practically tests what they eat and drink.

You constantly say that we are governed by the Creator. Moreover, you agree with Him and justify Him. Watching you, I get the impression that you are not afraid that someone might attack you from around the corner. Are you really so sure that the Creator is leading you so you have no fear of what might happen to you?

Answer: Why should I be afraid? At the very least, I am not overly suspicious.

First of all, I do not consider myself great, and I say this sincerely without trying to appear humble. I am engaged in the comprehension of the great. In this way, I always feel completely dependent on the Creator, the group, and everything, and therefore am small and insignificant. That is one side of it.

On the other hand I understand the greatness of the goal and the greatness of the task before us, the greatness of the mission I have received from the Creator, and I do not hide it. There is no bravado in this. How could there be if everything is because of Him?

But I do clearly understand that I am doing important, significant work. I am by no means being falsely modest, no. The behavior of a Kabbalist is a consequence of how he perceives himself in this world, in the world of the Creator, and in the world with everyone.

Of course, there are many evil and hostile forces. But I should not fear them, or else I would have no faith in the Creator. I believe that He governs everything and not some forces lurking around the corner.

At the same time, I do have a responsibility to take care of myself; this is what is said. I must do this but within reasonable limits.

Why should I behave like certain presidents surrounded by two hundred bodyguards who check what they eat and where they will take their next step?

I am an ordinary person, and in this regard, I do not feel any sense of exceptionalism. My uniqueness is connected to the Creator and lies in my attempt to bring His idea, His will, into the world.
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From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. An Important Person” 6/28/10

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Sometimes a person feels that they understand the Creator more, and at other times it seems to them that they understand less. And so they ask the Creator to bring them closer to Him in order that they can better understand the Creator and be in unity with Him both in times of ascent and in times of descent.

They want to remain connected to the Creator in all states, and therefore it is important to them how they perceive the state sent by the Creator. If they feel distant from the Creator, and even more so if they believe that it is the Creator who has distanced them, they annul their own desire to receive pleasure and wish to act according to what the Creator wants from them.

A person must believe that the Creator is good and does good and always guides them toward holiness. Therefore, regardless of what they feel, beyond this feeling they must affirm that if it comes from the Creator, then undoubtedly it is a force meant to bring them closer to Him.

A person seeks to reduce their own desire, to accept that everything comes from the Creator, and to respond to Him. However, they can only respond from within their desire to receive pleasure. As a result, an internal struggle emerges in their relationship with the Creator, for and against, agreement and resistance. From the perspective of their egoism, they do not agree with the Creator, but they want it to be the opposite.

After all, they know that the Creator always strives to draw a person closer, and they wish to act according to the Creator’s will. The Creator always expects a person to take a step toward Him.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson, 3/1/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “There Is None Else Besides Him”

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Question: It is said that through pleasure and joy, a person attains fulfillment of both external and internal Kelim, which leads to an expansion of knowledge. What internal and external Kelim are being referred to?

Answer: These are the desires to be filled and to feel the Creator within oneself.

Internal Kelim are those that remain with me and always belong to me; I perceive them as my own. External Kelim are those that I must attract.

Question: How can one correctly attract these desires in connection with friends?

Answer: We work with the desires of our friends, combine them, and fill one another. It depends solely on us, on how much we see the unification of these desires.

Question: But in order to see the greatness of our friends, we have to work through obstacles. Does the effort to work above all these obstacles relate to external Kelim?

Answer: Not to external, not to internal, but to those that are being revealed. Desires are revealed within me, and I want to work with them either above them or below them.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/8/24, Baal HaSulam “What Are Three Things that Broaden One’s Mind in the Work?”

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Question: What does it mean to hold on to the Creator during descents?

Answer: Holding on to the Creator during descents is when it doesn’t matter at all how you feel about the Creator. What matters is how He feels about you. Pay attention to this.

Question: How can I focus on His attitude toward me rather than on the state I am going through right now?

Answer: It depends on how you evaluate yourself. Do you help the Creator reveal Himself in the world or not? If you help Him reveal Himself in the world, and this is the most important thing for you, then you bring the Creator closer to yourself, or you yourself come closer to Him.

Question: In moments of descent, can I hold on to my ten, to my friends?

Answer: You can hold on to your friends, but this is still an intermediate state. You must transition from it to the Creator.

Comment: When a descent occurs, the only means left are the friends in the ten, our meetings, lessons, and dissemination.

My Response: That is enough. If you gather all of this together and direct it as coming from the Creator, you can receive enormous strength from it.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/24/25, “Continuing the Convention With an Ascent”

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The Shechina appears within the organs, filling the outer and inner Kelim. This is called “broadening the mind.”

This is obtained through envy, lust, and honor, which bring a person out of the world.” (Baal HaSulam, Shamati 9, “What Are Three Things that Broaden One’s Mind in the Work?“)

Question: What is lust?

Answer: Lust is a person’s mature desire for the Creator in order to receive Him in his Kelim, to be filled with Him, to feel Him, and thus to recognize that only the revelation of the Creator can lead him to perfection.

Question: The quality of envy manifests as a feeling of envy for the power possessed by the Creator. In this case it is a desire for power, like a Klipa that not everyone can handle. Why is it that a Klipa is revealed that cannot be handled?

Answer: This is in the power of the Creator. What He desires, He reveals.

His desire to give a person an ascent, a descent, or a transition from one level to another all depends on His plans for the next level.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/8/25, Writings of Baal HaSulam “What Are Three Things that Broaden One’s Mind in the Work?”

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