Talmud Eser Sefirot, Volume 3, Part 8: Time and place in spirituality signify a renewal of form. Since a Partzuf grows only through a multitude of unions (Zivugim) and transfers of Lights that differ from one another, building it together, they are called "the months of the intrauterine development" or the period of embryonic development, which can last for 7, 9, or 12 months depending on the amount of portions of Light that are necessary to form it.

We study the changes that happen to the will to enjoy and count the number of these changes or renewals, which are called "months" (Hodesh, month, comes from the word Hidush, renewal). There is no time in spirituality. Time is determined by the number of changes that we have gone through, rather than the motion of the hand of a clock or the changes of some external factor. As much as I changed, that is how much time has gone by. This is how time is defined in spirituality.

Therefore, the period of an embryo’s development means that I go through one state after another ("I go through," Over, comes from the word embryo, Ibur). I have to go through a specific amount of changes in order to go from the intrauterine development inside the Upper One to development outside of Him.

Now I am also in the Upper One and He develops me. During this process of development I have absolutely no influence on the changes I undergo. I am forced to change by instincts and forces that I experience as suffering, and thus, I go through these changes against my will.

Then another phase comes: I start to feel that there is some kind of reason behind it, that there is a high need for it, and there is an Upper One who makes all these changes to me, wishing for me to start finding out about the system of governance, the cause and effect order of development, the beginning and goal of the whole path. That is how the whole world is beginning to awaken in our times.

After that we reach the realization that we have to evoke these changes ourselves. From a certain state onward there is no time that the Upper One changes for us, forcing us to develop. Now the Upper One only adds Lights for us, which we perceive as evil. However, this does not enable us to develop, but only to reach the realization that we have to demand development from the Upper One. That is, we must already participate in the development ourselves and demand it.

The Upper One does not force me to do the action itself, but only to request it so I would ask the Upper One to carry it out. My request has to be in the middle. For now this request can be expressed as a cry due to feeling bad.

After that I develop and am required to have this cry come out of the realization of goodness, when I understand that all of this is for my good. Even though I might feel bad in my sensations, I already realize that this is good for my development, because I have to ascend to the next level. Then the Upper One no longer demands a cry from me, but cooperation in development. This is called partnership.

After that we reach a state where the Upper One does not awaken me at all, but I have to search for an opportunity to awaken inside of me, using the environment. I have to awaken the Upper One so He would awaken me, and then agree with His action and tell Him exactly how to do it. It’s as if I understand and choose the best form of action for myself, and then the Upper One does it.

In the end we reach a state where I give the Upper One all the orders. In the beginning of the path He made all the actions upon me, from beginning to end, without my awareness. I did not know who is operating me, what He does, and where I am. But at the end of the path I determine everything from beginning to end, and only use the force of the Upper One.

Our entire path lies in that we acquire increasingly greater independence and self-sufficiency, becoming more and more similar to the Upper One.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/16/10, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Question from Germany: How can we raise MAN correctly in anticipation of the great convention in Berlin?

Answer: On January 28-30, 2011 there will be a European Kabbalah Convention held in Berlin. We have to prepare for it more than for any other convention because Europe is the most problematic continent, the source of all wars and problems in the world. This was the case over the  entire course of history and continues to be so to this day.

Therefore, if we can help people to stop and think about true unity instead of mutually beneficial cooperation at the Common Market, then it will be a big step forward for the whole world. Otherwise unfavorable events will once again begin developing on this continent and I think Europe’s residents already feel how this is starting.

Therefore, all of us together must work on positively influencing Europe.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/15/10, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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Lately we have been hearing a lot about various troubles and natural disasters, such as floods and snow storms in Europe, fires in Russia, hurricanes in the USA, and the recent fire in Israel. Experts in the field forecast that difficult times lie ahead for the whole world because the global warming and climate changes that have begun to happen entail very great problems.

Why is that so? It’s because we exist in nature, and the Gematria (numerical significance) of the words “nature” and “the Creator” are equal.

Baal HaSulam explains in the article “The Peace” that we have to view the Creator as the law of nature. We shouldn’t think that He can change if we ask Him for it. The sages of Kabbalah want to eradicate this illusion we have so we’ll stop believing that any change is possible from the Creator’s end.

He is initially Good and Does good; He is unchangeable and so is His attitude to us. Good Light descends to us from Him and grows weaker as it goes through the worlds or concealments. That is how we receive it in our sensations.

When we receive this Light, it passes through our nature, which is opposite to it and aimed entirely at reception. Thus, all of the good that comes to us turns to evil according to how opposite our qualities are to it. That’s because the Light is bestowal and love, whereas I am reception and hatred. Because of this difference, I perceive the Light’s good influence as evil in all its different manifestations.

All of my desires are so egoistic by nature that in order to satisfy them I am ready to use the whole world. Because I use them only for the sake of self-gratification, I will suffer more and more from one generation to the next, from one year to the next as I become more sensitive, developed, and dependent.

In this century humanity has reached a state where it does not know where to keep going and how to get out of the dead-end it has gotten itself into. Since we live in a global world, we depend on each other in every way, while our ego separates us and closes us in.

When the abundance of goodness descends to us from Above, it is not intended for some particular person, but for the common, integral ego. Therefore, we are setting ourselves up for very big disasters.

Even though we are trying to avoid it, as Baal HaSulam writes, nature or the Creator will inevitably win and obligate us to accept and implement the law of balance with Him.

The science of Kabbalah explains this law very simply. It says that the Creator influences us, and there is a system of worlds or filters between Him and ourselves, intended to let the Creator’s Light through selectively.

The law by which this system works from the Creator to us and from us to Him is called the law of equivalence of form or the law of balance. It turns out that to the same degree we receive influences from the Creator, we must correspond to them and bestow back to Him with the same force in order to observe the balance.

Since the Creator constantly increases His influence on us, we too must correct ourselves more and more. This is the purpose for which our ego keeps growing according to a specific formula, and it is according to the same formula that the influence from the Creator’s end is actualized.

However, if we transform our ego to bestowal, we will reach equivalence with Him and then the balance will be observed. Then no matter how much He influences us, we will perceive it correctly. He gives to me and I give to Him.

Stated differently, changing our nature, our egoistic desires to bestowal, love, care, and attention to other people, is the very solution to the problem. That is how we will reach the common balance: Nature will calm down and humanity will begin to feel differently.

Besides, we will reveal the Upper Dimension, the Upper World, and will discover that this entire system of filters or worlds exists inside us, while we exist in equivalence with the Creator, in equivalence of form and adhesion with Him.
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From the lecture in “Kabbalah L’Am Hall” on 12/7/10

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Question: The weekly Torah portion "Vaigash" is full of tears, encounters, and dramatic events that touch many people. What is it about this portion that stirs up so many feelings in us?

Answer: A person goes through very tragic and drastic states, including confusion and disorientation. He is like a baby that is in a forest or an absolutely unfamiliar place. He does not know what to do or whom to turn to. He goes through extremely frightening situations and is completely confused.

Usually we get very emotional when looking back at situations we have gone through in life, and similarly, in spirituality when I remember this, I feel overcome by feeling. Granted, now theses memories hold a certain sweetness. You look back to the past with love, the way people look at a child, while in fact, the states were very difficult back then!

A person does not know how to come out of them and without support from a teacher who is by his side, I don’t think it is even possible. Today the whole world has to reach correction and that’s why we have a group and dissemination, which give us a very powerful and expansive support from millions of people who are together with us in one system.

However, at the same time the path remains individual and every person goes through it based on his own inner impressions. These are astounding states! Even if they are very unpleasant at the time you actually go through them, they are still wonderful! They give you the depth of understanding and sensation of the entire creation, which comes later! A person begins to see, feel, and be included in all the worlds simultaneously!

Therefore, we shouldn’t give up on this and must advance. That is how we will come to the "promised land."
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From the program "Weekly Torah Portion" on 12/9/10

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Question: If the Creator’s plan is to bring man to the purpose of creation, what did He gain from the events that took place in Israel at the beginning of the month? What is their outcome?

Answer: I am not going to check how the people changed. We act along the axis of time: There was a state before the fire, then there was a fire that took people’s lives and destroyed vegetation, and when it was over, the rain fell.

What changed in this period of time? You started asking questions: “Why did the rain start the day after the fire had been put out? Was it some kind of joke? During the fire we needed rain so much and begged for it so passionately, but there was no response. And when we didn’t need it any longer, it started raining cats and dogs bringing so much damage. We were struck twice.”

Indeed, it is exactly as the Torah describes: If Israel is unworthy, the rain falls at the wrong time in the wrong place. It is the law of nature. Above there is the Light, and below there is the will to receive (desire) that must reach equivalence with the Creator. The Light constantly works on desire, and the latter keeps changing.

The Creator does only this calculation: two states, the initial and the final one, must be the same. Based on this, He acts. Just as the Light created four phases of expansion of the Direct Light, it continues to develop everything within them.

The Creator doesn’t react; it is the law or Nature. What do you want from Him? Would you be willing to approach an erupting volcano and beg: “Do me a favor, stop erupting for a few minutes, I need to pass through?”

Why then do you think the Creator will respond to your prayers? In this case, you are worshiping an idol. You view Him as wishing stars that bring luck, as if with their help you may change your fate. It’s true that you can learn something about the future, but changing it is beyond your power.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/12/10, “A Handmaid that is Heir to Her Mistress”

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot,” Item 44: Thus, understanding His Providence is the reason for every good, and the lack of understanding is the reason for every bad. It turns out that this is the axis that all the people in the world circle, for better or for worse.”

We don’t comprehend the Creator’s governance; it is unclear to us how He feels about us. Therefore, we constantly beg Him for something: “So, where are You, the Good Who does good?”

And what do we get in response? “I am good and always bring you good, but what do you do with it?! You take all the good that I send you and turn it into evil, and instead of light and warmth of love, you receive a blazing flame. It is you who does not dress the Light of Hochma (Wisdom) in the Light of Hassadim (Mercy), and that is why instead of the Light of Hassadim you experience the destructive fire.”
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/3/10, “Introduction to The Study of Ten Sefirot”

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Question: How can we understand Reshimot in spiritual work? Can we perceive or understand them?

Answer: I do not hear how they are “clicking,” but I feel how I change from one moment to the next. These changes are the result of Reshimot that awaken along the chain that was built during my soul’s descent along all the degrees from Infinity down to this world. Now I ascend back along the same degrees, but only on the condition that the Light comes and the Reshimot change.

In reality, everyone ascends up this ladder, but every person does it differently: either by way of suffering or by way of Torah. The Light pours upon everyone, but each person uses it to the degree he is able. Inside this integral, single system, we all influence one another, and therefore the personal corrections on the path interweave with the group and universal corrections.

If we could take a bird’s eye view of the whole system and discern all the phases of its development, we would see the connection between the events in our world and would understand how inside the complex they advance certain parts toward correction. And this also happens either by way of suffering or by way of Torah.

In addition, we would see how by working with each other, we awaken the world more and more from the inside, and thereby help everyone take the right steps. Thus, the world advances toward the goal quickly and easily, instead of by the lengthy and painful way.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/12/10, The Zohar

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Question: If the lower Partzuf is in the dark, where does it get the strength to rise up and receive the Light?

Answer: Clearly, the lower Partzuf has no strength to rise to the upper Partzuf, but it does receive the desire to do so. A person receives the first awakening from Above, but later he has to realize it on his own. It is written: “The Creator lays a person’s hand on the good fate and says, ‘Choose this.’”

If you don’t, you will be given a second chance although it will happen in a different form. It is taken into consideration what states you are going through, but only in the context of free will. This means that you must respond correctly, or next time the setting presenting a choice will be more “aggressive” and not as favorable.

If the second time you miss what is expected of you, another awakening will occur yet again. After all, the plan of creation must come to fruition. But the settings will be getting tougher and more unpleasant. And so on.

Every time a person doesn’t act on an awakening sent to him from Above, the situation presenting the same choice gets more challenging. If he didn’t accept the properties of mercy (Hassadim) and didn’t use them for correction, then mercy turns into harsh properties of overcoming (Gevurot).

Thus, everything is determined by our responsiveness to what is happening around us.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/6/10, “Introduction from The Book of Zohar,” Article “Who Created These”

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We are all outcomes of the Light, and therefore, we have to attain it. All of our strongest desires, prayers, and yearnings are aimed toward the Light.

We subconsciously desire this alone, and, in truth, throughout our entire lives we are after nothing but it. All of the other fulfillments and sources of pleasure, such as food, clothes, new cars, and whatever else all come from the Light! We only perceive them in a certain form, as some type of pleasure, such as a car, a child, family, warmth, rest, a beautiful landscape, and so on. However, in fact, there is only Light, which depicts all of these objects for me, and I feel only it.

Therefore, people will gradually cease being interested in of all these things and will instead try to find their source: the Light itself and not its derivatives. I won’t desire to have a certain car anymore because what does it actually give me? It gives me pleasure. Yet, in truth I wish to get this pleasure in its “pure form,” without the actual car. Why do I need this chunk of metal? After all, it pleases me only when I drive it, and when I don’t, there is no pleasure. So, when I get tired of driving, it just stands by the house. But I still seek pleasure!

While we were undergoing our historical evolution, we constantly aspired to find things and "waves" that were more subtle and elusive. That is why everything in the world today is becoming smaller in size; quantity is becoming quality. We are the same: Instead of investigating the corporeal world, we are starting to yearn for spiritual attainment.

People don’t yet understand it yet, but the number of suicides and terrorist acts, the rise in drug abuse and the divorce rate are all indicators of man’s enormous lack of fulfillment. It is so great that, in fact, man is unable to fill this lack in his life. And that is a sign of man’s need for the Light itself, rather than all the other substitutes that the Light can depict in us.
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From the program "Kabbalah for Beginners" on 12/08/10

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Question: Why did the Creator set up such a cruel joke: There wasn’t a drop of rain for a very long time, which resulted in a horrible fire, but as soon as people put it out by making unfathomable efforts, the very next day a heavy rain came down that only interfered with agricultural work? If the Creator controls everything, why didn’t He send the rain sooner?

Answer: Along the same lines, you could ask: Why did He cause the fire to happen to us? After all, what would be the point of igniting a fire and then sending rain in order to put it out immediately? If I love someone, I won’t beat him up in order to then be nice to him.

Clearly, everything comes from the Creator. As soon as the airplanes put out the fire, the rain immediately began, and this happened on purpose in order to teach us something.

The Creator ignites the fire and He also puts it out, while we have to learn from this and draw conclusions. We are inside a system that is entirely governed by the Upper Light and nothing can come out from its power, as it is written, “The hearts of the ministers and kings are completely in the hands of the Creator.”

All of nature is the Creator, and there is no freedom of will there. Our freedom lies only in our attitude to what it happening.

If I adopt a different attitude, then will the fire happen or not? Your attitude will change your reality or the way you perceive it.

Instead of perceiving Upper Light that comes in the form of harshness (Gvurot), as a consuming fire, you will feel it as the warmth of love. This depends only on your attitude: Do you love it or hate it?

Imagine that the person you hate most in the world is now hugging you. You will turn to ice, horrified by this embrace. And now think of how different it would be if you were hugging a person you loved.

The only thing that comes to us from the Creator is love and Light, but we do not feel it and cannot accept it. From Above there is always Light coming to us, wishing to fill the common desire of the whole world and the entire universe overall. This Light methodically advances this desire to the goal, to equivalence of form with itself.

If the creation below organizes itself in the appropriate manner, then it will feel a good attitude from Above. And if it doesn’t, then it will feel the reverse.

Everything depends only on you! Nothing changes from Above. Even when we say that we can change something with our prayer, that we can raise MAN and receive a response from Above, MAD, which brings us Light and returns us to the Source and changes us, none of this affects the influence of the Upper Light in the slightest. The Light constantly comes to creation, leading it to the final goal.

All the changes take place only relative to our sensation. No matter what, the train is moving forward and nothing can stop it or slow it down.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/7/10, “A Handmaid that is Heir to Her Mistress”

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