A Kabbalistic group is the AHP of the Upper One, Malchut that incorporates many other souls in it. I’m the lower one, and my task is to connect my point in the heart to those other souls even though they are foreign to me. If I annul my point in the heart relative to the Upper One, it turns into my GE (Galgalta ve-Eynaim) and, thanks to the Upper One, acquires a form. The Upper One gives it everything that it needs for growth, providing it with the structure, meaning with all the souls, the entire World of Infinity, the whole vessel of the common soul.

If you want to become a spiritual object (Partzuf), adhere to the Upper One, and its AHP will become your newly revealed world. To the measure that you cling to the AHP of the Upper One, your point in the heart expands, thanks to the AHP’s parts.

To adhere means to accept its rule over me, as Baal HaSulam writes in the article “The Freedom.” The AHP of the Upper One is my environment. By clinging to it, I receive from it everything I need much like an embryo receives blood, oxygen, and nutrients from its mother. I do so in order for my point in the heart to grow into a spiritual organism.

This organism will resemble whatever I received from the AHP of the Upper One, the group. Yet, it will be its manifestation in my point in the heart, my spiritual gene. In other words, it will be shared by them both, the group and my own point in the heart. This is similar to how a child looks a little like his mother and his father, yet receives his essence from the Creator.

I pass myself into the “hands” of the Upper One; I introduce my desire into it, my demand to become the part in which the right and the left lines unite and realize the act of bestowal. To the extent that I accomplish it, that is, to the extent to which the semen annuls itself before the mother and obliges her to develop it, the mother starts taking care of it in return.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/14/10, “Preface to the Sulam Commentary”

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There is no Light without a vessel, and no fulfillment without a desire. The Upper Light is in a state of complete rest; it fills and surrounds creation entirely. Everything depends solely on our desire, our vessels of perception. If we yearn for this particular fulfillment, we will perceive it. However, if our desire does not correspond precisely to the frequency or quality of the fulfillment (meaning there is no equivalence of properties between the desire and what fills it), then we don’t feel fulfillment. Multiple examples of the corporeal world attest to this.

We have to bring our desire to the Upper Light to be filled. To do this correctly, the desire has to correspond to the Light, that is, to be in bestowal. How are we going to acquire this force of bestowal? Kabbalists say that the power of bestowal exists in every person, but is very small and remains this way in the person alone.

It can grow only if a person unites with the others. If he wishes to attain bestowal and is willing to do whatever it takes in order to receive from the group and the friends their desires to bestow, then he acquires from them many such desires. He does so in the degree in which he annuls himself and exalts the friends in his own eyes. In this way he is able to receive from them a greater desire to bestow, in both quality and quantity. And if a person possesses the desire to bestow, then the Light during the reading of The Zohar will work on him; it will begin to organize his desire and fill it.

Therefore, preparation to reading The Zohar should take place in the group, in the mutual “incorporation” into each other, in order to form a strong desire. In this case, we will succeed. We can accelerate time and shorten it, without the need to submerge ourselves in prolonged corporeal suffering. We can transform earthly suffering into the torments of love, which means suffering from not having the qualities of bestowal, from not having the desire to give that we must attain. We can work with the group and friends, and in doing so acquire such a will.

As we see, everything is in our hands. We can actually condense time to zero. The Creator created only the point “existence from absence.” The rest He handed to us, so that we increase our desire from the size of the point in the heart to the expanse of Malchut of Infinity. This is only possible if we unite. Therefore we only have a single opportunity to attain the desire for the Light: to strive to be together within our small desires to bestow.

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

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Every soul while correcting itself improves the condition of the collective soul, and by doing so, it helps all the others to correct themselves; they, in turn, also contribute their corrections to the common soul. First, everyone must realize the root of his soul by bringing his spiritual gene (Reshimo) to its individual, final correction (Gmar Tikkun Prati). Our individually corrected state is then our complete engagement in the collective soul of Adam HaRishon.

So, what is the common soul of Adam HaRishon after all? Is it all me, or am I a part of it? The common soul is all me, and all the others are perfect already. It is from them that I draw the desires which I must fulfill. I’m like one small organ in the body which has to provide for the entire body in all its parts with my share and my work. Hence, the whole body is revealed in relation to me, but only to the measure in which I fill it.

Suppose that I’m related to the vascular, lymphatic, or nervous system; I am uncovering only the parts that are related to that system. In this way, I disclose the entire system of Adam HaRishon in relation to me. I adjoin this tremendous desire of the common soul to myself. In relation to the others, I become like a mother, ZAT de Bina, or in other words, like “the cow that desires to feed its calf.” In fact, I must fill them with the fruits of my labor.

So, I begin to pull all their desires into myself. These unfilled desires have empty spaces that require my filling. They are unfulfilled because I haven’t accomplished my work. When I do, I begin to feel the entire system of Adam HaRishon.

In fact, this is my spiritual vessel or my will. It seems to be located in others, but it is mine. It turns out that I’m working like the Creator who wishes to fill the creatures. I act as bestowal in relation to this foreign desire, and they are, for me, the receiving ones. So, I unite with them and treat them with love like the Creator treats the entire collective soul.

However, I connect only with that section of the soul which is related to me or to the system that I am to fill. In this way, I attain the state where I feel myself as the whole Adam HaRishon and, through it, I discover the whole Creator. As I identify myself with the collective system of Adam HaRishon with which I am able to unite, and as I contribute my work to each part, I unite with all these parts in the corrected form.

In fact, everyone is corrected but me. It turns out that I disclose Adam HaRishon for what he is, and I acquire the life of this common soul which is the Malchut of the World of Infinity. This is the manner in which every person must realize themselves. They must correct their individual attitude, their personal egoism, and absorb the desires of all others, feel that they are his, fill them, and, through them, attain the entire system of Adam HaRishon. In this, they discover the whole Creator.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/2/10, Article “Which Degree Should One Achieve?”

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A question I received: How can I direct myself correctly toward the goal?

My Answer: The Creator gave me binoculars through which I can see my destination in the distance and walk toward it. These binoculars are a handful of souls, which I join and through them recognize the goal. I start moving toward the goal with their help.

From all the souls, the Creator selected a group of souls for me. This group of souls is an organ of the collective soul, the organ to which I belong. The Creator not only selected the group of souls, He also led me to connecting with them so that the group of souls could become the unity of the souls that are intended for me. This unity of souls helps me advance. I attain it by connecting into it, and through it, I attain the general system of the single soul.

I am not yet connected with these souls and don’t recognize them. The entire connection is as if under water. Above the water, I see physical bodies like my own since the Creator brought me to a physical group. The Creator gave me an opportunity to begin entering the inner network of souls through my organizing the physical connection with friends, assuming various responsibilities, chores, duties, and the group statute.

In my intrinsic unity with them, “submerging under the water,” I discover that this group is already fully corrected while I am not. I see that through the group, I am given an opportunity to join the corrected system. Through this group, I am given the opportunity to enter a part of the entire system of Adam, of Malchut of Infinity.

I have to reach the attitude of “love thy neighbor as thyself” regarding my friends, while my attitude regarding all the other people in the world should be to “condone every man.” “To love the other” means to unite with the opinion and the will of this group the Creator has led me to.

I can either choose to accept the group that the Creator has brought me to or remain seemingly “free” (but which in reality is precisely following His orders). Herein lies my free will: to move consciously with the group or by force (seemingly free) like all others.

From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/28/10, Baal HaSulam, Letter 1 – 1920

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By studying Kabbalah, we come into contact with the Light itself. By uniting with others who desire the same goal and studying together, we actively tune into Malchut of the World of Infinity where all people exist in their inner oneness, as one whole. As we desire to exist in this state actively, we draw the concealed Light to ourselves from this perfect state, thereby hastening our spiritual development. This is called becoming Isra-El, aspiring “directly to the Creator,” one who “hastens time,” who draws the Light to himself on his own through his studies and forces Him to be revealed. It also means one who “illuminates time,” meaning one who wants the Light to direct him to bestowal (Sanctity is the quality of bestowal).

It turns out that studying in a Kabbalistic group gives us the “reins” or the “steering wheel” through which we can control ourselves – our forms of development and its speed – as we become independent of the Light. However, on the other hand, the Light is very powerful and it has a program of development for each of us, as well as for all of us together. Therefore, when we try to hasten our development on our own, suddenly we begin to feel how dependent we are on this Light, on its awakening. Only with its help can we advance.

The Light raises and lowers me, which rouses within me the desire to develop in order to make myself “similar to the Creator,” a human being, by rising above this animate level and this whole material life. I wait for the Light to begin to influence me. I prepare myself to surrender to it completely, to attune as much as possible to the studies, the group, dissemination, and to solve all the questions that have accumulated during the darkness and the concealment.

I am like that “rooster” from the parable about the rooster and the bat that waits for the dawn. I am waiting for the Light to come and illuminate the path for me, and I rejoice when the Light comes. However, the “bat,” who does not prepare himself for the coming of the Light, perceives the awakening from Above as darkness.

Although we exist in one common system, only those who await the coming of the Light perceive it as something desirable; for them it is truly Light. On the contrary, those who do not wish to draw closer to the Light, to bestowal, and to love one’s neighbor, will feel continuously greater crises and problems in this world.

We all exist in the World of Infinity, but everything depends on our preparation. We can either feel infinite Light or infinite darkness there, or we can feel nothing at all as though we are unconscious and merely carrying out an animate existence. Everything depends on our desire to become human, meaning “similar” to the Creator in His love and bestowal.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/21/10, Shamati #241

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The Zohar was revealed only during our times since we have now gone through the inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels of our development and reached the human level (human, "Adam" – from the word "Edame," which means "similar" to the Creator). Therefore, presently we feel a crisis, helplessness, despair, and disappointment in our lives. This is precisely why The Zohar is being revealed: so that we could realize our connection, reach the same system of connection between us as exists in Malchut of Infinity where we are all connected as one whole.

The first stage of correction is called "don’t do to another what you hate." This is the level of Hafetz Hesed (not wanting anything for yourself), the "return from fear (trepidation)." The second stage of correction is even higher; it is the level of "love your neighbor as yourself," the "return from love," receiving for the sake of bestowal. We have yet to perform these two corrections, and they both are realized in the relationships between people.

Then the Creator is revealed in our corrected relationships to the extent that we love and bestow to the neighbor, as it is written: "From love for the neighbor to love for the Creator." Not a single correction can be carried out in any other way except by realizing it in a group of Kabbalists (i.e., those who desire to reach the level of a human being).

In the relationship between them, they build a system of Malchut of Infinity as they wish to feel the Light of Infinity, the Creator, in it. The Zohar needs to provide us with the strength for this, this desire and the inner attainments. Therefore, while we read The Zohar we need to try to be in the intention that we are all one whole that our points in the heart, the desires for the spiritual, unite as one. From these common desires, we build our spiritual vessel, the Shechina, Malchut of Infinity, in which we will feel the Creator.

We need to feel that we are together, like the authors of The Zohar, the group of Rabbi Shimon, and within this system of connection between us, we should try to imagine what this Book is telling us about. After all, the only thing written about in The Zohar is the connection between us. Although this is described in various forms and images that seem to be from this world, it is only the forces of our soul that are described in The Zohar.

From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/21/10, The Zohar

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The Zohar, Chapter “VaYikra (The Lord Called),” Item 80: When he reached her, he saw that she was lying in the dust. Who saw the glory of the queen at that time, and the king’s requests of her? Finally, the king held her in his arms, raised her, and brought her to his palace. And he swore to her that he would never part from her again and will never be far from her.

Every time the breaking is greater and the exiles are more real. The last exile can not even be compared to the one before. This is because the difference between them is in the revelation of evil in the thickness of the egoistic desire (Aviut) on the level of Aleph (Ego-1), Bet (Ego-2), Gimel (Ego-3), and Dalet (Ego-4).

Ego-4 was revealed during the last exile while all the previous exiles were merely preparation for this one. After all, it is Ego-4 that needs to be corrected. All the other exiles (as well as all the other levels of the ego) do not exist on their own, just like the still, vegetative, and animate levels have to exist for the sole purpose of engendering the human kind, Ego-4.

Similarly, the fourth level of the development of desire, Malchut, cannot become revealed without the levels 0, 1, 2, and 3. But it is specifically Malchut on level 4 which is the goal; all the corrections happen in it.

This is why this last exile is special, it corresponds to the “human” level within the desire to receive pleasure. It is precisely in it that the needs, aspirations, desires, and the Creator’s goals regarding all the creatures (including levels 0,1,2 and 3), what He desires of them, become revealed.

Likewise, this fourth and last exile in its turn is divided into subcategories: still, vegetative, animate, and human. It began almost 2,000 years ago, but it is only now that we are entering the fourth, human level of the fourth exile. Now is when we reveal the lack of fulfillment on the human level. We witness depression, breakdown of the family unit, crisis in education, and all that relates to the “human” level. Hunger (animate level) is no longer the main problem. Now the main issue is the inner problems of the human level which did not exist in previous states.

This is why the King sent the queen into a long exile somewhere far away. On the other hand, He needs to give her the opportunity to come out of this descent, to ensure that this exit is towards a connection with Him, on a human level. Thus, He must gradually unveil this broken state and reveal Himself in it. The queen lies in dust, while the King must reveal Himself to her in this precise state.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/16/10, The Zohar

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All words are names of the qualities of Malchut; this is the only thing we read about in Kabbalah books. You might object because the letters originate in the following way: nine come from ZAT de Bina, nine come from Zeir Anpin, and just the last four letters of the alphabet are contained in Malchut . So why do all the words come from Malchut? It’s because we receive everything as an imprint in Malchut, no matter where it comes from.

Every name is the will to enjoy through the action of bestowal, meaning through reception for the sake of bestowal. The intention to bestow is what gives the desire a specific form. We don’t name the desire and the Light themselves, but their connection, the relationship between desire and Light. Only it has a name.

For example, a “plant” is not just a desire to enjoy, but a desire that contains the force of the Light that forms it into a plant, which is a desire of the vegetative type. The original Kli HaVaYaH is not yet a name, but just its basis. Names are fulfillments that are contained inside this name, or the Lights that can clothe inside this matter according to equivalence of form. This is why all the names come from Malchut.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/4/10, Beit Shaar HaKavanot

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The Zohar, Chapter “VaEra (And I Appeared),” Item 6: …each degree comprises GAR and ZAT, which is ZA, and there is attainment only in ZA of each degree, even in ZA de [of] GAR, called Daat. However, no one can attain in the GAR of each degree, even in the GAR of the degree of Assiya.

We perceive everything inside of Malchut. Malchut is called “the Creator’s image.” Presently we do not see the true picture of the world, but only what enters our five senses (sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch) and is presented in our brain. We receive an impression from the information delivered to us by our senses, and sense reality that seemingly exists before us within, in the back of our brain.

The same happens to Malchut. Baal HaSulam explains in “Preface to the Book of Zohar” that along with Malchut, there exist the first nine Sefirot; however, Malchut does not know what those nine Sefirot are. She attains these Sefirot after including them within herself, sensing them as something that appears before her.

Thus, Malchut discovers the first nine Sefirot to the extent that she is able to act like them, from below upward. When Malchut becomes like Keter by repelling the Direct Light and forming the Reflected Light, from within the Reflected Light, she attains the fact that before her are the first nine Sefirot, that is, the lower one begins to act outside of itself, outward, and sees what is happening in the Reflected Light.

The same applies to us in this world. We see something that exists before us in accordance with our ego, depending on what is beneficial to us and what isn’t. Whatever doesn’t affect our ego, cannot bring us benefit or cause harm – we do not detect.

This stems from the spiritual roots: Malchut senses the first nine Sefirot only to the measure of the Reflected Light, which the Direct Light imprints within itself. This is the picture that appears to Malchut as though existing before her. Nothing else exists as far as she’s concerned, for she doesn’t sense anything above that.

If Malchut were to have the desire to enjoy of the Root (0) phase, she would not detect before her anything other than the Root phase. If Malchut were to have a greater desire to enjoy, she would see before her a wider picture of reality. Everything is determined by the thickness of our desire (Aviut) and the Light it reflects. That is why nothing in Kabbalah speaks of what truly exists in reality, for everything depends on the measure of one’s attainment.

From the Evening Zohar Lesson 4/28/10

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The cornerstone of spiritual work is a constant concern about the environment. The greater its importance in my eyes, the more I will strive to attach myself to it, to absorb myself inside it. Every time, these external circles will enter me more and more, like waves that accumulate, until I extend over the whole Malchut of Infinity, and perceive everyone as myself. The whole huge desire (Kli) will become my own, and the Light or the Creator will be revealed inside this single desire.

Everything depends on the intensity of a person’s work within his environment, their influence on each other, and a mutual demand. This is how we determine the speed of our development.

A person is unable to advance on his own. The environment is the only means for advancement. Every time a person moves closer to it, he ascends with its help.

It is necessary to completely realize the importance of the environment. The construction of the whole desire (Kli) comes from the separation of internal and external parts. All the clarifications are made between these parts, between a person and the environment.

For the time being, we are unable to reveal this and we are still unable to understand exactly where the correction of the desires occurs. However, when we draw enough Surrounding Light to ascend to the spiritual world, we certainly feel that spiritual work between the environment and me has already begun. The clarifications and corrections occur only there.

From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/19/10, Shamati #225

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