Entries in the 'Spiritual Work' Category

New Intentions Will Open Up

528.03Question: What should be the qualitative characteristics of our condition when large receiving Kelim of Haman can get out from under the restriction and receive for the sake of bestowal?

Answer: This is our prayer, nothing else. It is just our request to the Creator that He will correct our Kelim, connect them, and they will be able to receive the upper light (Ohr Hochma).

Question: We must be united in one desire. How to work with it?

After all, if we have the same desire, we think and assume the same way. But everyone has their job. How can we avoid the confusion of my work and the work of my friends?

Answer: Do what is in front of you, what is closer to you, what you understand. And then, gradually, new desires and intentions will open up in you, and you will correct them. That is happening gradually.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/24/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Haman Pockets”

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Two Ways to Adhesion with the Creator

294.2Question: According to Kabbalah, there are two ways of human development: the path of Torah and the path of suffering. I think everyone understands what the path of suffering is; all of us, the created beings, feel it ourselves. What is the path of the Torah?

Answer: Since humanity has a purpose to reach complete adhesion with the Creator as a result of its spiritual development, then the movement toward this is called the path of Torah. After all, the ascent to the Creator, compliance with His conditions, and similarity to Him are based on knowing exactly what He wants and what we must achieve.

In parallel, there is another path—the path of suffering, which develops us and pushes us forward. These can be man-made or natural problems, wars in general, and everything that humanity suffers from and what it would like to avoid.

Therefore, the Torah explains that if we want to live in peace without being involved in wars, then we need to consider what the Creator requires of us. If we do not do this, then He will urge us to correct with blows and suffering.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 3/14/24

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How Can We Increase Our Sensitivity to Suffering?

294.2Question: Can we say that the path of Torah accelerates the process of human development?

Answer: Yes, the path of Torah corrects and accelerates the development of people because they do not have to spend a long time in a period of suffering. As a rule, suffering on the physical level lasts a long time and is less effective for human development than if it all happens at the level of thoughts and desires.

Question: How can we increase our sensitivity to suffering?

Answer: We can increase sensitivity to suffering by talking about it, discussing it, and trying to somehow support each other. Then these sufferings will look more significant in our eyes. We will really begin to want to get closer to them in the sense of eradicating them, making sure that they do not appear in our world.

This can be compared, for example, to smoking. Let us say a person smokes for decades and after 30 to 40 years begins to feel unwell.

If he reads several books about the dangers of smoking and attends several sessions where they explain to him that smoking is bad for health, then he will understand everything himself, and he no longer needs 30 to 40 years to experience this himself and contract the related diseases.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual states” 3/14/24

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Prayer Is Connection with the Creator

624.02Question: It is said that prayer is connection between us and the Creator. What is special about this connection? After all, we feel connection with Him when we study, unite, and disseminate, do we not?

Answer: What your heart desires at every moment is prayer.

Question: Should we constantly focus on this, or are these individual efforts within the group?

Answer: Prayer can happen at any time both within and outside the group. The main thing is for each person to try to be directed toward the Creator. But if prayer goes through the group, it is much stronger.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/26/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “After the Tzimtzum”

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Our Strength Is In Unity

933We will succeed in destroying the Jews because they are separated from one another; hence, our power against them will certainly prevail (Shamati 144, “There is a Certain People).

Question: What is our power?

Answer: The thing is, egoistic forces want to enter our environment and divide us so that we are not united among us. In such a case, they distance us from the Creator and can do whatever they want with us.

But if we unite among ourselves and with the whole world, then our collective power will represent the spiritual force. We need nothing else beside that. Our strength lies only in unity.

Question: What do we lack for such unity to become an example for the world?

Answer: We lack coming closer to each other and attempts to eliminate all bad thoughts and desires that flow from one to the other. We must rapidly gain strength and speed of unity in order to dispel all opposing thoughts and actions.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/21/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “There Is a Certain People”

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Clothing in the Light of Hasadim

608.02Question: Receiving the light of Hochma is the purpose of creation. But the Kli decides not to receive this light directly but only through the light of Hassadim. Why does it make such a decision?

Answer: Because it is impossible to accept the light of Hohma otherwise. If the Kli wants to receive the light of Hochma without clothing itself in the light of Hassadim, then it shatters. That is, we should always think about how the light of Hochma should be clothed in the light of Hassadim so we could take both lights into ourselves.

Question: How do we clothe ourselves in the light of Hassadim in practice?

Answer: When we work for the sake of bestowal to each other and all together for the sake of bestowal to the Creator, then this is the clothing of Hassadim.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/24/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Haman Pockets”

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Natural Disasters and Suffering

284.07Question: Different types of suffering exist from large-scale disasters to various diseases. Can we say that there are certain types of suffering for each desire?

Answer: No, that is not true. But you can generally say so in terms of quantity, quality, and type. We do not do this because we must act to eradicate all suffering.

Question: What do earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters have to do with relationships between people?

Answer: In human understanding, natural disasters have nothing to do with our relationships. But let’s reduce everything to a common denominator—nature. We can understand, guess, and even foresee that such and such actions may be the consequences of such and such relationships between people.

The destructive relationship between us is the cause of all suffering even on the inanimate level.

Explosions on the Sun, or explosions of stars, storms at sea, typhoons in the ocean, etc.—all this has to do with human actions.

Question: On what basis do you claim this?

Answer: Based on the fact that all nature is global, interconnected, integral, and there is nothing that does not influence everything.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual states” 3/14/24

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Women’s Gossip

582.03Question: There is an opinion that women tend to gossip more than men. Does this come from them being more egoistic, or is it just the female nature?

Answer: For men, this manifests itself as a motivation to action, and for women, it manifests itself simply in conversation. That is why women do more harm.

Question: Does this mean they have more work with the vice of slander?

Answer: No, working on oneself is when a person works against his vice but they do not do it.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual states” 3/7/24

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Slander Does not Solve Problems

49.01Question: What should a person do if they hear slander from another person? He himself does not slander, but simply hears it.

Answer: Regardless, this is bad. We must explain to people that slander is never the solution to a problem. Even if a person is partially right in expressing his thoughts, it is still the wrong path, the wrong method of solving the problem.

The solution should be different. Simply expressing one’s opinion against others only fuels the fire further without bringing a solution. And then, as it is said, all three suffer: the one who speaks, the one who hears, and the one who is spoken about.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 3/7/24

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Questions about Spiritual Work—103

533.02Question: At what point will we strengthen our feeling that the Creator is the one who acts?

Answer: You should feel Him at least as your friend. You, the friends, and the Creator are together in one circle. The Creator determines everything. And you direct your gaze toward Him wishing for Him to feel you, to unite you, and to advance you.

Question: How can one convert the fear for one’s life and for the lives of loved ones into awe before the greatness of the Creator?

Answer: You need to pay more attention to the Creator, and then He will take His place in your imagination. I cannot suggest anything else.

Question: How important is it when praying to the Creator to expect a response from Him?

Answer: Do not expect anything. You need to act, demand, ask the Creator, and turn to Him together with the friends so that He helps you and guides you. This should be your collective effort. You will receive a response from Him in any case.

Question: How can I be sure that I am bringing contentment to the Creator with my actions and not the other way around?

Answer: It depends on the ten and on the extent you work together for Him.

Question: How can one integrate into the line “The Creator, the teacher, and us” in a timely way?

Answer: Simply direct yourself through the teacher and through the friends to the Creator, and always keep to this line.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/27/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “His Divorce and His Hand Come as One”

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