Entries in the 'Spiritual Work' Category

Through Praise and Gratitude

572.02The praise and the gratitude one gives for it expand the feelings, and one is elated by every single point in the holy work, he knows Whose servant he is, and thus soars ever higher (Baal HaSulam, Shamati 26, “One’s Future Depends and Is Tied to Gratitude for the Past”).

Question: What should our gratitude to the Creator be like in order to reveal Him?

Answer: We must reach a state where we feel, believe, and realize that everything before us belongs to the Creator and comes to us directly from Him. In this case, we gradually begin to feel ourselves within Him.

It is precisely in this work, in these actions, in these efforts, that we must reveal our constant, absolute connection with Him. That is what a person must attain, and we hope to achieve this as a result of our efforts.

In spirituality, that is, in the wisdom of Kabbalah, everything is determined by intention.

We must always be directed toward the Creator. If we have the opportunity to absorb all the impressions of the common Kli, we take them in. Then, the influence of the Creator’s revelation on us strengthens to the extent that we can unite our friends within ourselves, and as much as we strive to be one whole and, within this wholeness attain the Creator.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/22/25, “Continuing the Convention With an Ascent”

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Can We Join the Righteous?

961.2Question: What should be the prayer in order to become included in the righteous ones?

Answer: Ask the Creator to keep the friends together and all of you to be concerned about a single state. Then you will have a common serious memory that will not disappear.

Question: Can we demand that the Creator raise our friends to the level of our forefathers and that they would feel what Rabash, Baal HaSulam, or you felt?

Answer: It is unrealistic, but you can ask for it. If you keep asking about something constantly, not about the same thing but still more or less, then you will find a necessity to enter this state once again and sense it. I recommend it.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/23/25, “Continuing the Convention With an Ascent”

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The First and Second Conditions for Being Included in the Convention

938.04At the convention, it is best to try to annul yourself and completely dissolve into your friends. This is the very first condition by which I want to include myself in everyone and become an absolute zero in relation to them.

The second condition is to find such a layer of desire that can be used to be slightly ahead of everyone and pull them along.

That is, I must have a degree that in some way is different from zero, something that can pull everyone forward and so on more and more. Ascent is possible only by adding desire. But at the same time it must be reduced to zero, meaning it should not be used for myself.

There is a feeling that a wall stands before us that prevents us from opening our hearts and from asking for the light of correction. We must break this wall with our persistence.

Let us think about how to reach the state of Pesach at this convention, that is, to make a single leap from the desire to receive to the desire to bestow. Let us work on this together!
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/15/25, Preparation for the Congress “Reaching Lishma through Envy”

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Approach the Creator

1.02A person achieving the recognition of evil, where he sees how far he is both in mind and in heart, that everything is blocked and covered, that he sees no inlet making it possible to be rewarded with Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, this is called the “covering throne” (Rabash, Article 2, “What Is the Meaning of Failure in the Work?“).

Question: The one who ascends, who does not fear or flee, approaches the throne of glory. What can we be afraid of, and how can we overcome it?

Answer: It is written that the Creator is surrounded by a wall of fire, so approach Him with caution.
Even in the first verse of the article we are reading, one can sense the great turmoil, the great caution, and the fear that envelop those who attain the Creator when they begin to draw near to Him. It is like water boiling from fire.

We listen to what the Kabbalists tell us and generally agree with them because their words do not contradict us; in fact, we often find answers in them for certain states we experience.

However, even though we strongly desire to reveal the Creator—this desire being inherent, something we are born with—it varies in strength and form from person to person. But when we truly begin to draw near to the Creator, meaning to interact with Him directly, we sense a dual quality in His relationship with us.

On one hand, He draws us in; on the other, He pushes us away. Most importantly, there are times when we feel neither one nor the other or both at once, which leaves us uncertain about what to do.

Therefore, clarifying such states when we do not know what to do is our duty.

I believe that in the near future, even before the new year begins, we will strive to reveal the Creator. And after that I think we will begin to attain Him.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/24/25, Great is Repentance, for it Reaches Unto the Throne

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“He Who Comes to Purify Is Aided”

236.01“He who comes to purify is aided.” It follows that this throne, that was in such lowliness, meaning that he felt a state of lowliness and degradation, has been rewarded with the glory of the King being on it. It follows that that same lowliness has become the throne (Rabash, Article 2, “What Is the Meaning of Failure in the Work?“).

Question: How can one remain in lowliness at all times in order to crown the Creator?

Answer: I do not think we need to remain in lowliness all the time, because if that were the case, we would not have a Kli (vessel). A Kli is after all some kind of desire, a sense of pride. Think about it; we are born with a Kli, but over time we lose it.

The Creator places us in conditions to which we must respond. All these conditions distance us from Him, obscure our path, and dull our feelings.

I must turn to Him, speak with Him, and demand from Him: “If You created me with certain qualities, then please give me the opportunity to realize them.” We must demand this from the Creator. It should become part of our daily practice.

Question: It is said that one who comes to purify is aided. In such a state, is it more correct to ask specifically for the correction of this state, or to rise toward a single great state, a great heart?

Answer: To rise toward a single great state.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/24/25, Great is Repentance, for it Reaches Unto the Throne

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Awakening to Enter Holiness

629.3Conversely, great lights are deposited in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], unlike corporeal pleasures, in which only sparks of the light of Kedusha fell.

Hence, Klipot [shells/peels] give one an awakening to enter Kedusha because they want to be rewarded with great lights. This is called Lo Lishma [not for Her sake]. Afterward, from this Lo Lishma, he can be rewarded with Lishma (Rabash, Article 119, “From Lo Lishma to Lishma“).

Question: As I understand it, the primary motivating factor for desiring greater lights is the Klipa. But what is the form of work when the desire for greater lights fades, when there seem to be neither positive nor negative stimuli, just some kind of emptiness?

Answer: This is not emptiness. This is done so that a person begins to discern the lights—a small light, a larger one, even larger, and so on— and thereby builds a ladder before him by which he can ascend. The foundation of his work lies in understanding why he is doing this and how he distinguishes greater lights from lesser ones, greater desires from lesser ones. In this process there is nothing except serving the Creator.
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From Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/15/25, “Reaching Lishma through Envy”

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When Smart Questions Disappear

284.02Question: How can we focus more on what you want to give us and build our next step from that? After all, books like The Zohar and TES are very sublime.

Answer: You will be fine. These so-called smart questions will soon disappear and you will start asking about what matters: how we can reach the Creator faster, correct ourselves, and be around Him, support each other, and create a place for the revelation of the Creator to all. This is what we must do.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/23/25, Continuing the Convention With an Ascent

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The Goal of the Congress

585.02World Kabbalah Convention “Connecting to Lishma,” Lesson 2

Question: What is the role of reason in spiritual work if the main thing is to go above knowledge? How can we verify that we are truly going above reason and not just suppressing our doubts?

Answer: We learn to perceive the world around us, not in the attribute of reception, but in the quality of bestowal. In this case, we will sense the Creator in our perception of reality.

In order to properly experience everything that exists, we must first absorb the perception of reality of the creatures, then the perception of reality of the Creator, and then build our sense of reality on their basis. We consider this to be the goal of our forum.

We need to find contact with the Creator in which He constantly changes His attitude toward us, and we must change our attitude toward Him accordingly.

As a result, we will begin to feel His actions and His intentions, and we will act accordingly until we see that only the Creator rules over all our feelings.
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From the International Kabbalah Convention “Unite In Lishma” – 2/20/25, Lesson 2

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What Should We Ask for from the Creator?

294.2Question: What should I ask for to pass through the “wall of fire” that the Creator has surrounded Himself with?

Answer: Ask that your soul not be harmed by the fire, and then you will gradually be able to get used to it and will begin to understand what you need in order to survive in its vicinity.

Comment: I still get thrown out and I return to thinking about myself instead of being in my friends, in the Creator.

My Response: All the same, nothing will help you until you begin to feel the force within you that will push you toward the Creator, toward turning to Him. In that case, you will begin to discern what exists between you that you can use to draw closer to the Creator. This is already serious work.

Question: How to demand the force that will push me toward the Creator?

Answer: You have to create this force yourself. You cannot receive it just like that from the Creator, but if you desire the Creator and want to reveal Him, get to know His qualities and actions, then in this case, you will be able to plead Him to teach you.

These are not such difficult actions; the main thing is to be consistent in them. That is, see, reveal, and understand how the Creator interacts with you and how you wish for Him to understand how you respond to Him.

I am addressing these words to everyone.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/24/25, Great is Repentance, for it Reaches Unto the Throne

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To Achieve Spiritual Result

243.01Question: Right now the congress is such a high bar for me that it is impossible to reach in individual work. But judging by the primary sources, it is possible. How can it be done?

Answer: It is impossible to do it alone. It is only possible if the majority of the people sitting here agree with you, and you will want together to achieve some spiritual result.

Question: Is this some kind of a new arrangement between us?

Answer: No, it is an old arrangement; you just have to put it into action.

Question: So essentially we continue to work in tens the same way as we did before but on a different level?

Answer: Yes.
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From the Daily Kabbalah lesson 2/24/25, Continuing the Convention With an Ascent

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