Turn to the Ten

528.01Isaac said to put order in all the follies, meaning he raised all the calculations of sleep, roasting, and eating to Kedusha (Rabash, Assorted Notes, 560, “Generations”).

Question: How can one begin to raise such things to holiness and should this be done?

Answer: Of course, we need to constantly do this, to raise our connections, our thoughts, our desires, and our intentions higher and higher to the Creator, to holiness, to the quality of bestowal and love. We will try to do this as much as possible.

This is a process where we wish to receive fulfillment from the Creator for our thoughts and desires.

Question: In order to do this, does a person need to agree with the ten or can he begin this work independently?

Answer: He can do this independently, but it is better if he first agrees with his friends. After all, the Creator does not respond to individual requests. He needs the entire Kli. Therefore, before each action, you must turn to the ten.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/25/24, Writings of Rabash “Generations”

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Replenish the Work of the Kabbalist

226In matters that are above nature, it is impossible to pray (Rabash, Assorted Notes, 357, “Abraham Begot Isaac”).

Question: What are these things “above nature”?

Answer: Above nature is what we cannot pray for because have not reached that level, it is above our head, above our prayers.

In order to pray for the quality of bestowal, which is above our nature, we need to enter a state that explains the situation in which the Kabbalist who composed this prayer was. Then we will begin to understand and reveal the prayer that a person must raise in his state. We are, as it were, replenishing his work.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/24/24, Writings of Rabash “Abraham Begot Isaac”

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Seek Balance

232.05Question: What is the balance between receiving and bestowing forces in the ten? How can one achieve the correct balance?

Answer: This doesn’t happen immediately, it’s a gradual process. A person must examine all their actions, both in good and evil inclinations, in egoism and in bestowal. Once they do this, they can be confident that they are properly discerning between them and acting with good intentions for the Creator or if bad desires remain for the sake of the Sitra Achra (the other side).

In any case, your actions, even if incorrect or egoistic, will still reveal to you where you are and what needs to be done.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/8/24, Writings of Rabash “Jacob Sent”

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The Sequence of Unification

942Question: Is there any specific order to our connection in the tens? Should we first pray for the ten and then for the world Kli?

Answer: Currently we are not yet a Partzuf with a Rosh, Toch, Sof, ten Sefirot, and surrounding circles of light. We are merely a point around which concentric circles of light radiate.

This point does not yet influence the concentric circles. However, when it transforms into a Partzuf and begins to receive light into itself, then it will affect the surrounding light with its inner light.

Since the Kli is inherently common and includes all souls, even the inanimate, vegetative, and animate parts of creation, the question arises: how should we approach dissemination and in what order?

First and foremost dissemination should be directed toward the Jewish people, as they were once united.

Next, it should extend to the nations of the world, in accordance with their proximity to the process. Gradually, this influence should expand further and further.

For example, if you live in Germany, all German-speaking groups represent the primary field you can influence. Today, however, the Internet makes the entire world accessible to everyone.

Nevertheless, it is essential to consider the readiness of different civilizations. Europe and America are the closest to correction. Other parts of the world are currently more distant from the correct striving toward unity and bestowal.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/28/19, “Questions and Answers”

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The Creator is the Power of Correction and Fulfillment

264.01There were times when Kabbalists entered the spiritual world alone on their own. But that time has long passed. Starting with Abraham onward we see that a group has emerged.

All Kabbalistic laws and conditions for the development of the soul are built on “loving thy neighbor as thyself,” that is, on correcting egoism to the point of uniting with others into one common spiritual whole, one network.

The spiritual system called Adam (which means “similar to the Creator”) was broken on purpose. From its pieces we now must assemble, like a mosaic, the same system, only by ourselves, with our desires, our searches, to get closer to each other in order to unite. For this, we need the power of the Creator. This is our method.

Do you want to collect your soul? Then you need a force against your egoistic nature, which will glue you to others. Therefore, you must attract it. Thus, by collecting your soul, you are obliged to attract the Creator, and therefore you inevitably need Him.

It turns out that by collecting the fragments of the mosaic into a single whole, you come closer to the others, and then glue them together with the force of the Creator. The Creator is like glue, the force of correction. He fills the connecting parts together, because the circulation of His power becomes possible in them, the power of love, the power of light. This is how the manifestation of the Creator occurs. He acts as the power of correction and the power of fulfillment.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/2/19, “Questions and Answers”

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How Can I Cancel My “I” at the Congress?

945Question: The congress is approaching. This is my first experience, my first congress. Please tell me an effective, practical way to cancel my ego, my “I,”  at the congress?

Answer: Indeed, there is nothing more important. I would say that this is the only thing we need since the congress represents the power of unification of thousands and thousands of people around the world.

And everyone who flies, arrives, comes, or crawls to the congress must prepare to enter it. A person must know in advance that he or she is taking part in the congress with the purpose of canceling oneself, can not removing one’s ego as if it does not exist. This cannot be achieved; it is a lie. It is our nature, and the more we go forward, the more our egoism will develop in us.

We need to know how to rise above the ego, and at the same time begin to feel the opposite property in ourselves. That is, I am an egoist, I want this, I would like that. We need to reduce the action of egoism, its implementation, but in no case should we think that we should annihilate or destroy it.

On the contrary, it comes from the Creator. Egoism is a higher power. It is the only thing that we have. We cannot refuse it, because then we would refuse our nature. We need to create another layer over egoism, like a sandwich, which would turn it into its opposite property, altruism, into a connection between us.
Moreover, we are creating this connection only between world Bnei Baruch members, and not in relation to other people in the world. We are not ready for this yet.

Therefore, let us tune in and stop thinking about our egoism, it does not interest us now. Everyone is interested in how one receives such an impact from thousands of people to feel that one rises above one’s ego and consists of two layers: egoism and altruism, the property of receiving and the property of giving.

This is exactly how we need to prepare for the congress. And at the congress you will feel the force that exists between everyone. How to use it depends on your preparedness.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/2/19, “Questions and Answers”

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 12/16/24

Preparation to the Lesson

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1st part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, “One Commandment”

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2nd part of the Lesson — Lesson on the Topic “To Bestow in Order to Bestow”

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3rd part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam “Study of the Ten Sefirot, Vol. 1, Part 1, Chapter 1″

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Selected Highlights

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Questions about Joy on the Spiritual Path

939.01Question: How can we build a desire in the ten so that we feel good and bring joy to the Creator?

Answer: First of all you need to think about what you do for the Creator and only then for yourself.

Question: I am happy that I have the Creator, the teacher, and the friends, and I do not want any more joys.

Answer: That is the correct state.

Question: It is written that the measure of joy testifies to the measure of truth contained in the faith. If we are not in joy for a long time, what does this mean?

Answer: It means that you have no faith.

Question: Is joy a consequence that arises after the correct connection and good deeds in relation to the ten or the Creator?

Answer: It does not matter. But joy is always a consequence of a good deed.

Question: I want not just to rejoice, but to deserve joy.

Answer: Try to deserve it by raising the Creator higher and higher and connecting everything that happens with Him.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/21/24, Writings of Rabash “Concerning Joy”

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Audio Version Of The Blog – 12/15/24

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 27


Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 27

What Causes a Person to Escape the Struggle?

There are many reasons, but ultimately, they all come down to one: a lack of sufficient support from the environment. Baal HaSulam states that such a person has not exercised their free choice to surround themselves with supportive people, books, or study. Regardless of the physical environment they are in, even near a great teacher, they might still escape, depending on how much they connect with those who support them.

The “environment” is not the place that we are in, nor is it merely the company of a group of good and strong people who influence us. It is whether we want and allow ourselves to be influenced. The rule is that there is no coercion in spirituality. No one can change under compulsion from the outside. We change and are influenced according to our desire, and not by coercion. “No coercion” is not merely a prohibition that we need to observe. It is impossible to force anything even if no prohibition were in place. That is, even if we want to be forced and ask our friends to force us, and even if we receive blows to force us, even then, we cannot be forced. The person himself is the only one who can compel his own change.

All change can take place only with the person’s consent, willingness, and free choice. We will change when we open a way for the light to enter. Outside, there is the light of Ein Sof (infinity); it can be a large group, a great teacher, a society, even the “holy society” of Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai, but the degree to which we open ourselves up to it determines the extent of influence that the society can have on us. If we fail to make such an opening, then we can be sitting among friends, and they can be talking and making actions with a fire burning between them, but it will have absolutely no effect on us. We will remain cool and indifferent, can drink another cup of coffee, sit with them a little longer, and that will be it. Despite all good intentions, the friends will be unable to influence us.

Therefore, Baal HaSulam writes in his “Speech for the Conclusion of The Zohar” that everything depends on how much a student serves his teacher. It refers to the extent in which we serve the group, as this degree of dedication opens the door for the teacher or the group to influence us in return. This is called “free choice.” Free choice is the extent to which we let a positive environment influence us. We should engage in self-reflection and examine how genuinely we relate to our environment in order to receive strength from it. The extent of our progress depends on the strength we are willing to receive from the group.

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