Question: What is faith in spiritual work during the period of preparation?

Answer: We are not talking about ordinary people, the masses. The society from which I can receive influence is our group.

What is faith before the Machsom for us? Rabash writes in his articles that before the Machsom, there is faith in books and in those who wrote them, the sages. These things come to a person only through a group. That is, the group’s “brainwashing” creates knowledge in me that I do not really attain, but since an external force controls me, it brings it to me as a fact.

We see this in the masses, on the outside, and should also take advantage of it here, inside. That is, if we decide to talk about Baal HaSulam, Rabash, ARI, and Rashbi as people who are our teachers, leading us forward, and what they said is sacred to us and above all else, then the group should “brainwash” me with this, so the power I get from this is called faith.

I myself have not yet attained this with my five senses in such a way that it becomes a fact for me. I am not at the end of correction when I can say that everything is for the good and that the Creator does only good. All of this is nothing more than words to me.

But because I have a group, I get it from them in a way that turns words into facts for me. The power that turns this into facts is called faith. Thus, instead of knowledge, instead of attainment, I use the power of faith.

Let us say I have a glass of tea before me, and I am willing to pay ten shekels for it. In the same way, by the power of faith, I can be willing to pay ten shekels for something I do not see or know. For example, they tell me to have a glass of beer, but I know nothing about beer; they tell me it is very good, and I believe them, so I will pay ten shekels for it.

I can believe so much that I will give a million, I will give my whole life just to achieve this. It all depends on the strength of the faith I receive from the group. That is, faith is instead of knowledge.

When I am below Machsom, I have no other force to reach the goal. Although I do not feel this goal, I do not see or hear it, only the power of faith I receive from my friends can help me. Nothing else can serve as a driving force for me.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/9/26, Rabash, “Man Is Rewarded with Righteousness and Peace through the Torah”

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Question: You say that the situation in Israel depends on us. But no matter how much I have tried to concentrate on this thought, I cannot feel that such responsibility truly rests on me. Apparently, I lack the force of faith?

Answer: This can come either as a result of a positive force, the force of faith given from above, or due to the influence of a negative force from below, the feeling that there is no other way out. One of the two. A person will see that nothing else can be done, that no one has a clear idea of how to emerge from the situation that has been created. Meanwhile, the problems keep growing endlessly; things become worse and worse.

Therefore, to the extent that he is able, a person draws strength from the Torah, but otherwise, such a decision matures within him out of despair because he finds himself in an absolute dead end! Even ending your life will not solve these problems. We will still face eternity: our problems will not end with the arrival of death; they are above that transition!

We will see this wall not only from our world; we will see that this wall rises even in the upper world and separates us from the solution to the problem. For our existence is not only in this world, and a bullet to the temple is by no means the solution to all problems.

A person will feel all these problems above the life in this world as well, he will perceive them in their eternal, spiritual form. Life and death are not such significant concepts, and a person will come to feel something far greater.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/7/26, Rabash, “What Are the Times of Prayer and Gratitude in the Work?”

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“These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man. He was complete in his generations. Noah walked with God.”

RASHI interprets, to teach you that the generations of the righteous are primarily good deeds. RASHI explains why he says, “These are the generations of Noah.” It should have said the names of his sons, meaning Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And why does it say, “These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man?” He explains that it is because the generations of the righteous are primarily good deeds (Rabash, “These Are the Generations of Noah”).

What is meant by a lineage or offspring? First of all, Noah was a “righteous man, complete in his generations” on his degree, and he “walked with God,” meaning with the qualities of the Creator, the qualities of Bina “Complete,” “righteous,” and “God” all refer to Bina.

“Noah” signifies a vessel of bestowal, a stage of preparation, whereas “Abraham” represents one who already works with the vessels of reception. First, we acquire vessels of bestowal, the qualities of the Creator, and then, by means of those qualities, we correct the qualities of the created being. Such is the process.

In order to bring creation to this state, it was necessary to mix the vessels of reception with the vessels of bestowal. The Creator had to enter the creation, become embedded within it, and shatter it.

The created being, from a state of feeling complete, strong, intelligent, capable of achieving things, and controlling life, must come to feel like a shattered vessel, with everything mixed together. In every action and every thought, he feels torn between two opposing parts struggling within him, one prevailing and then the other.

When a person reaches such a state, he no longer feels strong or righteous. On the contrary, he begins to feel that he can start the work of correction precisely from this mixture of vessels of reception and vessels of bestowal.

As he accumulates experience, he sees that he is nothing but a vessel of reception and possesses no power of his own. Only if vessels of bestowal come from above will he receive the help and support needed to do something with his nature.

Then he sees that there is no connection between himself and the desire to bestow, no connection with the forces of the Creator. In this way, he arrives at a state in which he begins to hate his own vessels and to love that which is above him, above the Machsom.

This continues until the feeling becomes so intense that he truly cannot exist without receiving the qualities of bestowal in place of his own qualities. Then he is given strength from above to make a Tzimtzum (restriction) on his own qualities and begin acquiring the qualities of bestowal.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/1/26, Rabash, “These Are the Generations of Noah”

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Each of us belongs to a group that is governed by various laws and agreements. To which of them am I obliged to annul, and which should I view critically, possibly reject, or demand that they be changed? After all, if I do not relate to them in this way, the group will be unable to influence me.

If I enter a group without any resistance, I will not feel any impact from it. Influence is felt only when a force comes and changes something. Any good product is produced as a result of the action of one force upon another. The greater these forces are and the stronger they oppose one another, the greater the benefit and the yield. So how should I relate to the group now?

First and foremost by fully engaging both mind and heart. The approach here is absolutely clear and precise: under no circumstances may I change anything that has been accepted by the group without obtaining the consent of all the others. I am obligated to participate in everything the group requires of me. Even if I am “emotionally incapable” of doing it and do not agree with it, I must participate together with everyone else; otherwise, it cannot be called being in the group.

At the same time, I am obligated to critically analyze the situation, formulate my proposals, present them to the entire group, and try to convince everyone that I am right. This approach is standard in ordinary society as well: in the Knesset or any parliament, the laws are, in general, self-evident. There is no need here to act “above reason.”

There is only one thing that must be done above reason: to intend to bring yourself into alignment with the upper force This cannot be deviated from. Adhesion with the Creator is the primary principle. Anything else, before being added to it, must be examined for compliance with this fundamental principle, and based on the results, it should it be decided whether it is beneficial for us or not.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/1/26, Rabash, “These Are the Generations of Noah”

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Before arriving at the state of sensing the master, we have no concept of either “for the sake of receiving” or “for the sake of giving.” It is all just child’s play, a preparatory period we must go through in order to accumulate various Reshimot (spiritual records) for the future. Intention is acquired through sensing the giver, feeling someone else, someone distinct and different from oneself.

In this world, until I cross the Machsom, I do not feel others; I do not sense anything outside myself because my desire to receive is so underdeveloped. If I do not sense what lies outside of me, I have no intention.

Toward whom will the intention develop for the sake of receiving or for the sake of giving if I do not feel anyone outside myself? The fact that I perceive the existence of other people does not mean they are outside of me. I perceive them as a baby does; an infant is unconcerned with anyone else and is incapable of sensing anyone but itself.

Similarly, we are unable to sense another as a giver or a receiver, and therefore we cannot develop an intention for the sake of receiving or for the sake of giving. We have no understanding of this; we are simply mired in our nature, trapped within the desire to receive.

As for intention, we do not exist within the realm of intentions at all, neither for the sake of receiving nor for the sake of giving. In this regard, our state is like a point created by the Creator as something from nothing. He created the desire to enjoy without any intention; intention emerged only in Malchut of the world of infinity when it began to sense the giver.

This occurred in the worlds at the zero stage, whereas the preparation took place during the descent of the Partzufim (spiritual structures) from above to below. At that time creation, intention, and desire did not yet exist.

Now we begin from the bottom up, starting with the desire to enjoy without an intention. After the Machsom (barrier), we begin to acquire the intention “for the sake of receiving” in the left line, in the Klipot; and conversely, “for the sake of bestowal” in the right line, within holiness; and in the middle line we acquire the intention to the extent we are able to resemble the Creator in intention during the act of receiving.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/6/26, Rabash, “Why Is the Torah Called ‘Middle Line’ in the Work? – 1”

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After the shattering of the world of Nekudim, and subsequently its correction in the world of Atzilut, nothing remained that required correction except the Lev HaEven (stony heart), whose correction will take place at the final correction (Gmar Tikkun).

Then Adam HaRishon appeared, and all his parts underwent further shattering until they fell to the very lowest place known as “this world,” where the need for correction is not perceived. Only when the point in the heart awakens within us do we have something to correct.

In a person who works on himself from the point in the heart, the vessels of bestowal gradually begin to operate more strongly, and he comes to see that he consists of two opposite parts that constantly struggle within him and determine his thoughts and actions. As the vessels of bestowal become stronger within the mixture of vessels of reception, he begins to understand that the nature of reception is inferior to the nature of bestowal.

Then he sees that he possesses no nature of bestowal whatsoever, only reception. As a result, he begins to hate the nature of reception and to love the nature of bestowal. He feels that everything good lies beyond the Machsom, and he is drawn to it so strongly that he is ready to relinquish everything he has with joy. Therefore when the force from above arrives, he gladly accepts it.

All these stages that a person undergoes are not revealed to him instantly or clearly, and therefore he cannot know exactly what stage he is passing through at any given moment. Everything accumulates gradually. Part of the path is traversed in a manner, as it is written, “Noah walked with the Creator,” and part is traversed in vessels similar to those of Abraham.

The change of the name Avram to Avraham signifies a change in his state and place that was brought about by crossing the Machsom. The title Ivri (Hebrew) was given to Abraham because he Avar (crossed over) the boundary between the two worlds. From this root come the terms Ivrit (the Hebrew language) and Ivri (Hebrew, Jew).
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/1/26, Rabash, “These Are the Generations of Noah”

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In the material world, when two forces begin to operate within a person, the desire to bestow (that arises from the “point in the heart” and is only the beginning and not yet the actual desire to bestow) and the desire to receive literally bring a person to the point of explosion.

However, strictly speaking, on the spiritual levels, there is no such thing as a desire to bestow! We us this term to refer to either a corrected desire to receive or the incoming light, the light of the Creator, whose inherent property is a desire to bestow.

If, however, we speak of a desire to bestow within the created being, this is either the desire to receive corrected to bestowal for the sake of bestowal or even to reception for the sake of bestowal, or we are speaking about the light that appears within the Kli and brings it correction. In that case, this light, this force, that the vessel receives, is called the desire to bestow.

We become confused due to the laconic language. It is essential to understand what Baal HaSulam means when he speaks of two forces in a person called the Kelim of reception and the Kelim of bestowal.

The concept of Kelim of bestowal is quite peculiar. A Kli is defined as a Hisaron (a need, a lack, an unfulfilled desire).

Desire is called a place. We are beginning to understand that the Kelim of bestowal are egoistic Kelim that have received correction for the sake of bestowal, and that they fill themselves only with what they bestow. How? By filling themselves. If they do not fill themselves, they will not be able to bestow.

Therefore, the use of a place, the vessel for the sake of bestowal is called Kelim of bestowal. Only then we are speaking about the created being.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/1/26, Rabash, “These Are the Generations of Noah”

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There is a specific technique for ascending the spiritual ladder, a process of moving from a lower rung to a higher one, time and again, where each successive rung is opposite to the previous one. On every rung, there is an opposition between the Kli and the light, between the nature of a person and the fulfillment within.

Gradually a person reaches a state where they gather all of their nature that is opposite to the Creator, as well as all the qualities of the Creator, within themselves. From the attainment of these two opposites, a Kli is born within them, a vessel that can receive “for the sake of bestowal,” and thereby fulfills the purpose of creation: “to delight His creations.”

In parallel, we see how all of humanity undergoes this process in an “animalistic” form. While the reasons for feeling good or bad were simple a few millennia ago, today everything has become much more complicated; life has grown extremely contradictory, full of opposing states and conflicting feelings.

This will continue until a person integrates all their impressions, understands and senses the purpose of creation, and becomes ready to perceive eternity and perfection.

The Kli that is required to perceive eternity and perfection must be diametrically opposite to them, characterized by the absence of perfection, eternity, and a total sensation of emptiness or lack of fulfillment. It is not possible to simply bestow this Kli to a person, for it would completely nullify him, and that is worse than death.

It is necessary to provide these Kelim (vessels) in way that allows a person to know how to work within them. Therefore, they are gradually taught how to work with the most terrible Kelim and how to go through the most difficult states in order to reach positive ones.

Our path consists of two opposing tracks: the right line and the left line. One can derive benefit from every state and advance only by means of the tool known as “above reason,” that is, by desiring the upper force to lift me from my current level to a higher one.

There I will experience a different life, a different reason, a different sensation, and different fulfillment because I ascend to each level with my “empty box” and receive fulfillment there. This is what is meant by “every day, a person is new.”

We must derive only one thing from our studies, efforts, and work: that the upper force lift us into a higher state where we will receive a different, new, and better fulfillment. Baal HaSulam writes about this as of the force of the “flood,” the force of overcoming.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/24/26, Rabash, “What Is a Flood of Water in the Work?”

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Question: What does it mean to not work on awareness of the Creator’s greatness during an ascent”?

Answer: Rabash writes that an action by which a person causes a break in contact with the Creator is called a transgression. Even if it concerns the smallest state, the smallest degree of the contact with the Creator, if this state disappears, we say that it disappears because of a transgression.

On the other hand, this is necessary, because without a descent there can be no new ascent to a higher degree. There are no ascents without descents. Just as we say that Adam HaRishon committed a sin and caused a transgression, so it is here.

The reason for a descent is always that during an ascent, at some point a person ceases to enjoy adhesion with the Creator and begins to enjoy what he receives as a result of that adhesion: a feeling of perfection, eternity, and belonging to spirituality.

In other words, the person is already enjoying what is felt in the Kelim rather than the sensation of the Creator caused by adhesion with Him. The moment he ceases to experience this state in his connection with the Creator and turns it toward himself is called a transgression.

Although he enjoys spirituality, the feeling of belonging to eternity and bestowal to the Creator, these pleasures should be for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake. Therefore, this leads to the loss of the degree; the light departs, as though the person has once again returned to his desire to receive. The light, sensing a desire to receive in front of it, withdraws as a result of the restriction that has existed since the first restriction (Tzimtzum Aleph).

Therefore a state of forgetfulness is induced in such a way that not the entire degree is lost, but only the light on that degree. The degree itself remains, and only the light of Mochin disappears. The person becomes dull and continues to drift unconsciously, as though his head has descended to the level of the body, like an animal.

He may continue to observe the Torah, study, and participate in the activities of the group, but without any goal, like an animal. Therefore, we term the aimless life of people whose heads are not higher than their bodies the animate level; their minds serve only the body. This means that the force responsible for governing forgetfulness is not acting with the person in its intended way. After all, the Creator wants a person to complete a degree in such a state that his descent is immediately connected to the feeling of a new Hisaron and to a new ascent.

Can it be done differently? In truth, no. We speak of Adam HaRishon as having committed a transgression, a sinner who sinned. Yet just as this was beyond his control, it also beyond ours. At the final stage of realizing a Reshimo (spiritual record), at its highest point, we pause for a single moment to think of ourselves; it is a mandatory state. Then we fall, and that too is a mandatory state.

However, the real question is not about the person himself and not about the fact that he stopped thinking about the Creator and began to think about himself and thereby loses awareness of the Creator’s greatness. The issue is that he lacks a crucial preparatory foundation: the foundation of the environment.

If a person has the proper environment, one immediately senses that they cannot continue to relate to the group in an ordinary way, as one relates to their family, the world at large, or as a religious person might. If a person has prepared the right environment (a group working for the Creator), they instantly perceive that their descent represents a shift from the direction toward the Creator to the direction of the self. This, in essence, is what is called sin.

Thus, the sin lies not in a person falls, but in failing to prepare oneself and being unable to rise immediately after descending.

As Baal HaSulam writes, the Creator puts a person’s hand on a good fate: He brings him to a group, to the correct state, and says: “Take this for yourself.”

“Take” means: “Now choose a stronger group,” so that you will be surrounded by an environment that will obligate you to constantly develop an intention for bestowal and to strive for adhesion with the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/22/26, Rabash, Letter 59

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A correct Hisaron (deficiency, lack) is a purposeful aspiration to acquire the power of bestowal.

Suppose I have a healthy desire to receive all kinds of pleasures of this world, and in addition, I have received a point in the heart, that is, a desire to enjoy the future world. I do not know what the future world is, but I feel a need for additional pleasures, I need more than what this world can offer. Then a question arises: how can I give this desire for the future world the correct form?

If I simply increase this desire, then what emerges is a “Pharaoh,” enlarged egoism: “I want spirituality!!!” How can such an egoistic aspiration give rise to a desire of Lishma, that is, a desire directed toward the Creator?

The state of Lo Lishma implies that two desires exist within me simultaneously: I want spirituality, I want to acquire the power to bestow upon the Creator, and at the same time I want to receive for my own sake. In other words, in the state of Lo Lishma I consist of two desires—one toward the Creator and one toward myself.

Where do I, through working with my point in the heart, acquire the desire to bestow to the Creator? The desire to bestow appears within me even before the Machsom; it begins to manifest itself and grow within me.

But where does this desire come from? How is it born within me? That is the question.

I begin my spiritual development from the point in the heart, and gradually, two desires develop from this initial state: 1) A desire directed toward myself; that is, I enlarge my point in the heart and desire spirituality for my own sake. 2) A desire directed toward the Creator.

How does this happen? The reason is that the development of the point in the heart occurs under the influence of the surrounding light (Ohr Makif), which brings us the “charm of holiness” (Chen deKedusha).

Without the influence of the surrounding light, the point in the heart would simply grow in size while remaining at the level of a desire to absorb the entire spiritual world:

“I want the upper world! Give it to me, and that is all!” And its development would stop at this point. How does an aspiration toward the Creator arise within this egoistic desire for spirituality?

It is the result of the influence of the surrounding light. But under what conditions does the surrounding light actually influence me? Only if I seek ways to return to the source, to the root of bestowal. And the aspiration to return to the source arises within me as a result of working in the group.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/14/26, Rabash, “What Is, ‘If a Woman Inseminates First, She Delivers a Male Child,’ in the Work?”

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