Question: For whose sake should I demand unity now? For the group or for the whole world?

Answer: The common soul divides into many parts, and the order of their awakening divides into many phases. Meanwhile, we are going through two processes:

1. Being a part that received an awakening from Above, we are obligated to actualize it and become corrected. Only after being awakened in this way does a person ask the question about the meaning of life and find the answer by revealing the Creator. This task is incumbent on us first and foremost.

This might seem like a super egoistic endeavor. However, revealing the Creator means revealing the quality of bestowal, love for the neighbor, and realizing it through unity with others. Bestowal is self-rejection, self-nullification. You come out of yourself towards others and there you find your soul.

Therefore, the first impression is deceptive. You are endeavoring to find your soul and to fulfill it with eternal pleasure. The Creator Himself has given you this opportunity and endowed you with an impulse to achieve this. Any way you say it, it sounds extremely egocentric, but the real content, the inner essence is above egoism.

That’s because we actualize all of this together by means of bestowal, love, unity, and mutual help. We do it by aspiring to come out of ourselves, instead of absorbing everything inside.

In the past Kabbalists did not have the opportunity to disseminate the science of Kabbalah throughout the world, to study it publicly, and to teach others. Yet, back then the particular correction of their souls in small groups was also aimed at the benefit of the whole world. That’s because they acquired a great force of bestowal which operated among all the souls in the world, even though the world did not feel it.

2. Today we have to act in one more direction. We not only correct ourselves and acquire a greater inner force of bestowal in our groups, but also disseminate the Kabbalistic knowledge all over the world.

These are the two parallel vectors of our efforts, and they are both necessary.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/6/10, The Zohar

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The Book of Zohar — Selections, Chapter “Mi Barah Eleh (Who Created These),” Lesson 3
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Talmud Eser Sefirot 3, Part 8, Item 5, Lesson 5
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Baal HaSulam, “Beit Shaar HaKavanot,” Item 70
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Introduction to The Book of Zohar, Questions and Answers: Israel and the Nations
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There is Israel in the inner sense (Isra-El, Yashar Kel, straight to the Creator), which is a person with a point in the heart or one who aspires to spirituality. Besides, there is an external meaning to the nation of Israel. However, they also aren’t just people, but souls who were chosen in Ancient Babylon by the force called Abraham (the force of Hesed, bestowal) out of the general breakage called “the Babylonian confusion.”

Back then this confusion took place on the first degree of desire and it was from there (from Babylon) that Abraham chose these desires, which desired to correct themselves. Later they attained the level of Mochin de Haya – the First Temple, meaning that they already ascended to the level of AB and SAG, and then broke.

Now these Kelim are included in the general desire and it’s clear that compared to others, they contain a preliminary preparation, which helps them begin to ascend. These Kelim are called Israel in our world.

That is why there is a difference between a person who was born a Jew and one who was not born a Jew but who belongs to Israel by virtue of his point in the heart. A person who was born part of Israel probably has an inclination to ascend inherent from the previous breakage.

However, if a person does not belong to the nation of Israel by birth, it is unknown who he is because we do not know where the ten lost tribes of Israel are located, as they were dispersed after the breaking of the First Temple. They did not take part in building the Second Temple and therefore did not reach “unfounded hatred,” which was the reason for its destruction. They only went through the first breakage, not being able to “receive for the sake of bestowal.” However, it’s as if they kept the degree of “bestowal for the sake of bestowal” in an unbroken state!

That is to say, now as we ascend from below upwards and attain the level of “bestowal for the sake of bestowal” in the general mass, we will reveal the ten lost tribes! We will attain equivalence of form with them and then they will be found.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/5/10, Introduction to the Book of Zohar

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Bina represents pure bestowal, Hafetz Hesed. Bina can be situated in the head of the Partzuf and outside of it. Bina is not subject to restriction (Tzimtzum), and yet, she does come out outside because this allows her to endow the lower ones with her own attributes.

While being above the screen, Bina is blocked, locked inside the head. On the other hand, having gotten out, she performs bestowal to the lower ones, and everything they have they receive from her.

However, this “sneaking-out” doesn’t reflect on her in particular. While coming out, she doesn’t seem to have left the head at all and easily maintains communication with the upper Partzufim. Bina is free and may be present as Above, so below. Our salvation is possible thanks to this particular property of Bina.

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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/2/10, The Zohar, Introduction, “The Buds”

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The studying of the wisdom of Kabbalah is founded on Segula, meaning the drawing of the Light that Reforms. The entire Torah, the method of correction, is designated for this. This is why it says: “I created the evil inclination, and I created the Torah as a spice.”

The Torah is regarded as a “spice” for a reason. It never replaces desire but “spices” it up with intention thereby readying it for consumption. In the same fashion, a dish is spiced; otherwise, it wouldn’t be edible. A dab of spices finishes it off.

Therefore, regardless of what text we are studying, our intentions must not change. Kabbalists wrote their books while being in spiritual attainment. However, we haven’t entered the spiritual world yet and cannot directly use their instructions as a guide in the Upper reality. At this stage, while reading, we are expected to hope, to anticipate a “miracle.” Let my eyes open so I may see what I am reading about for myself.

It will occur only if my aspiration is correct. Everything depends on what I demand from the studies and how closely my expectations match the force lain in the Kabbalistic texts. It will respond only if I keep aiming at it and wish for it to arrive and endow me with the property of bestowal. Then, I will rise above my egoism and experience true closeness with the other souls, together with whom we will reveal the Creator.

Such an intention is, indeed, aimed at the realization of the method. Thereby, I do utilize it as prescribed, which is regarded as “studying the Torah.” After all, I anticipate the arrival of the Light that Reforms like a rooster that is preparing to greet the dawn. If, however, I am contemplating egoistic rewards, I resemble a bat that doesn’t need light at all.

This work needn’t be despised either. It isn’t desirable, of course, but it still leads to the goal, only through the dark, by making a loop, through jungles of problems, until after numerous incarnations a person arrives at the question of purpose.

Therefore, darkness radiated by the Torah also helps somewhat. Baal HaSulam writes that we don’t always move ahead in the correct intentions and sometimes act like bats.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/2/10, The Zohar, Introduction, Article “The Buds”

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The Book of Zohar — Selections, Chapter “Mi Barah Eleh (Who Created These),” Lesson 2
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Talmud Eser Sefirot 3, Part 8, Item 4, Lesson 4
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Baal HaSulam, “Beit Shaar HaKavanot,” Item 68
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Introduction to The Book of Zohar
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From ancient times and almost to our present day, the Kabbalists walked parallel to philosophic thought, until its flame died out. Throughout all our history we have been propelled by our growing will to enjoy which pushes every new generation to accomplish increasingly greater deeds in the field of the ego. By actualizing our desires, we utilize our sound egoistic reason in order to acquire, amass, capture, develop, and so on.

But today egoistic development has come to an end; the time has come for correction. The ego in our world has exhausted itself, having been revealed to its full measure as was needed.

Now, looking at the world enclosed in this “wrapper,” we cannot find anything else with which to fill our lives. And when this renewal ceases and there is nothing else to enjoy, man finds himself in trouble.

This is the present situation in the world. What direction do we develop in? Should we fly to Mars or at least to the Moon? What for? Submerge to the ocean floor? What for? Look for species unknown to science? What for?

These days we don’t need anything anymore. The egoistic desire has been fully manifested, and no new whims or aspirations emerge in us. The game is over. This signals the end of philosophy and, in general, the end of the entire rational consumer approach which calls for us to use our reason so as to fulfill our desires. The desires fade, and the mind, which is their direct consequence surrenders its position.

Soon we will see humanity grow increasingly dumb. Looking at it from the standpoint of Kabbalah, it will be downright shocking to see what people are saying, what they’re writing, what TV shows they’re watching. We will come to a point when people will turn into little kids, playing “games” the likes of which would have been considered demented 50 to100 years ago.

This is why philosophy is dying out. Over the past several decades it has been desperately trying to save itself, having been left on the roadside of history. It is no longer being taken seriously since our supply of desires has run out.

We’re no longer seeking any great achievements. Hence, we don’t need human reason, and so the majority are quite happy limiting themselves to the level of the animal one. The cycle is complete and now we must give a faithful account of the “work completed.”

So, while the philosophers were “on top,” the Kabbalists kept quiet, waiting for the egoistic development to conclude. And now that it has, we find ourselves at a breaking point: With the old behind us, we must now reveal the next stage.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/24/10, The Zohar, Introduction, “The Night of the Bride”

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Writings of Rabash, Dargot HaSulam “The Virtue of the Little One”
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The Book of Zohar – Selections, Chapter “Tzav (Command),” Item 151
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Explanation of the Article, “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Lesson 6
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Special Talk: Tragedy in Northern Israel and Balance in Nature
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Question: While reading The Zohar, who can I identify with in the text instead of imagining some abstract forces?

Answer: We can imagine only one thing: the connection between us. In the end, we exist inside Malchut. Parts of Malchut unite with each other in all possible connections. It is a net of connections that constantly change, like in an electric device or computer. The matter, the desire to receive pleasure, remains an unchanged, rigid desire.

The forces inside the desire begin to work, serving as the material with which they can connect to each other. We exist within this desire along with the force that works in it. And everything that this force does inside the desire is done because we created it this way, as though we printed it using a model, and that’s it.

Inside this desire are “impulses,” the forces of good and evil, Light and darkness, two influences from the Creator which pass through this desire. We perceive and feel our reality as “me” and “the world” I live and feel within this material. We are talking only about the forces that act inside this matter, the desire to receive pleasure.

Thus as we read The Zohar, we wish to completely leave the picture of this world since it is false. I am situated in the desire to enjoy, and the force that acts in it is presented to me. And there is nothing else, no pictures or images.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/28/10, The Zohar

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Question: What does raising MAN mean?

Answer: MAN is a plea to become like the Creator. It occurs when a person feels helpless, as though he’s in a middle of a desert. He is stripped of all things, he’s withered, and others can’t help him. He understands that he has no chance of reaching love and bestowal. He feels weak and “surrounded by lions,” desires that are “devouring” him. His life is in danger and he is unable to get out of this state and enter bestowal.

The whole world is at a person’s feet except for bestowal and love for his friend or the Creator. It doesn’t matter what pleasures the ego fills itself with; if the quality of love and bestowal doesn’t stand behind all of these things, the person is lost in the desert. In this desert, this empty ego, a person’s spiritual desire becomes so powerful that it makes him cry out, and this cry reaches the goal.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/28/10, The Zohar, Introduction, Article “The Rose”

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