The Zohar, Chapter “Metzorah (The Leper),” Item 8: When the morning comes, all the armies and camps above praise the Creator.

Morning is a state where a person values the quality of bestowal. It is when one understands, knows, and feels that bestowal is the greatest thing possible.

Prior to that, love, bestowal, and connection with others appear as darkness because a person does not feel any benefit from them. He thinks, “What will I gain from this? It’s pointless, so why should I do it?” It seems tasteless to him.

However, if a person persistently continues to study and work in the group, then he is influenced by the Light that Reforms. This is called “working at night.”

This is followed by a new state: the quality of bestowal, the intention of giving. When this intention awakens in a person, it means morning has arrived.

Therefore, it is all talking about our inner states, rather than any external changes.

Then, several gates open to all sides (to the right and to the left), and Abraham’s gate, Hesed [mercy] opens in the assembly of Israel, Malchut, to summon all the people in the world to enjoy the Hassadim [mercies].

This is where we begin – kindness, Hassadim. How does a person achieve the state of morning? First he corrects himself through the quality of Hesed (mercy), and then he sees the Light of morning – the Light of Hassadim. Therefore, the morning prayer is called “Abraham.”

It is written, “And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba,” since Malchut is called Beersheba, and Abraham planted the tree of Hesed [mercy] in it.

All the changes that we see, such as day and night, the sun and the moon, occur only in regard to the person. Through our inner processes we awaken these forces one after another or all of them together, and in this manner we feel the passing of time.

“The sun comes up” means that a person is able to reveal the Light of Hochma which is clothed into the Light of Hassadim. If one is able to reveal only the Light of Hassadim, it is still morning, but before the sunrise. If one cannot reveal even the Light of Hassadim through his desires, it is called night.

We are situated in an infinite ocean of the Light of Hochma, but we don’t have the desires of bestowal, Hassadim, and thus we cannot reveal any Light.

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The Zohar, Chapter “Miketz (At the End),” Item 61: Nukva is called, “night,” and she is a mirror, which means illumination of Hochma. And since there is no illumination of Hochma in any Partzuf besides her, Nukva is called, “mirror” or “vision.” Accordingly, the name “night” is vision.

Nukva is the desire to be filled that is capable of becoming similar to the Creator, the desire to bestow, because it sees Him before it. All our desires rise to Nukva, to Malchut of the World of Atzilut.

If these desires are directed at bestowal and willing to unite with the other souls, they enter Malchut of the World of Atzilut and unite with each other. In this manner, they become similar to Zeir Anpin of the World of Atzilut and a connection emerges whereby Zeir Anpin and Malchut are in adhesion.

Nukva becomes similar to Zeir Anpin, or stated differently, the creature becomes similar to the Creator. When the creature prepares itself properly, the Creator is imprinted in it, and thus, creation becomes His “mirror.” For this reason, it is called a “photograph of the Creator.”

When our desire to receive pleasure takes on the same exact form as that of the Creator (in other words, when it becomes bestowing), it is called a “photograph of the Creator.”

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Only the Light can reveal the truth to you; you cannot do anything on your own. The advice that Kabbalists give you is: Try to achieve love for your neighbor. As a reward for your effort, you will feel that you hate everyone!

And an even greater reward given is realizing your own evil. Following that, yet another, higher reward will come: You will understand that you are able to act in order for the Upper Light to correct you. We need to go through all such stages and it is impossible to do this alone. This is why we are brought into a Kabbalistic group. After all, we are able to feel all of these things only in the connection with others, by practicing mutual bestowal.

This initial stage of realizing one’s evil is the most important and difficult stage. Everything else, after the realization of evil, is carried out very quickly and relatively simply.

Therefore, the greatest challenge is to overcome the first degree. It is written that “a thousand begin to study and only one comes out toward the Light.” Everyone stumbles on this first degree; they fall, leave, run away, and are thrown off the spiritual path.The most difficult time is the time of preparation because this specific degree of preparation readies us for the rest of the path.

Right now, while we are in this world we are unaware that we are preparing ourselves for the degrees that will come later on, after a thousand different actions. And later when a person has attained high spiritual degrees, he receives freedom of will specifically by virtue of going through the preparation. It provides the foundation for all the other actions and gives us the ability to make those actions freely.

It is impossible for us to have freedom otherwise, while being on the degree of reception for the sake of bestowal.

It is only when we reveal the “transgressions” of the past – from the period of preparation – that we gain the opportunity to feel separate from the Creator, and therefore, free. This is an exceptionally high state where you are situated completely within Him, but in spite of this, you have the opportunity to say, “I can still be independent!” This is why our preparation today is so important.

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The Zohar, Chapter “Bo (Come Unto Pharaoh),” Item 66: And God said: ‘Let the earth put forth grass.’ The earth is Malchut. (In Hebrew Earth is “Eretz,” originating from the word “Ratzon,” desire.) And the “herb yielding seeds” are the Light that grows out of the sowing of the hidden Light.

How can something grow out of a desire? Growth is possible when the force of bestowal is present in it. If an inanimate desire receives the intention of bestowal and aspires to the Light, then it transforms into a vegetative desire.

Initially, there was only an inanimate desire. But if you take the part of the inanimate desire that can become like the Light, it can transform into a plant. In other words, the plant is the same inanimate desire with an additional Light operating inside it and developing it.

In order for a plant to transform into an animal, an additional portion of Light is needed to influence the desire and transform it to the higher level. The same applies to the “human” level.

Everything grows from a still desire (“earthly dust”) due to the Light’s influence on it. The Light that influenced the desire to receive, “Yesh Mi Ain” (existence from absence) created the desire’s degrees from above downwards. These degrees are: inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human.

The same happens during the ascent from below upwards. The Light acts and builds a plant from the inanimate desire by bringing in its own quality. Then it takes the plant, adds a bit more of the Light’s quality – the quality of bestowal, and thus creates an animal. Then it takes the animal, adds some more quality of bestowal, and thus makes a human being. But everything comes from the inanimate level of matter.

It says in Beresheet that the Creator took some earth and water and made a man, which means that He influenced the inanimate matter by His force of bestowal. Then He took some of the inanimate desire and transformed it into a plant, and then He took some from the plant, added His desire of bestowal to it, and thus derived an animal.

In any case, only the Light’s influence develops a desire and builds the inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human levels. This is the primary act of creation (Beresheet).

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A question I received: We learn in the science of Kabbalah that the state of adulthood (Gadlut) has to be preceded by a state of being small (Katnut). What does this teach us in regard to spiritual work?

My Answer: Everything happens step by step. Correction is always carried out from easy to difficult. We grow in this world according to the same principle. We are given exercises and Reshimot are revealed inside us, starting from the simple ones to the more complex ones.

We need to organize our spiritual progress in the same manner, without thinking that we can skip any stage. The chain of Reshimot obliges us to go through all the states gradually, one after another. We cannot miss any state or skip any degree.

Therefore, if I am not advancing to the next state, it is a sign that I still have not realized my present state, and hence I haven’t prepared myself for a change and a transition to the next state. There are no trade-offs here. The Creator cannot “throw” you upward. That would be like asking, “Why didn’t He create me in a perfect state initially?” If He did, you would lack the desire and a sense through which to perceive that state. You need to attain it on your own.

For the same reason, you cannot jump over or skip a few degrees right now. This is impossible since you will lack the right desire. How will you feel a more elevated state if you haven’t acquired a desire, a vessel for perceiving it?

Attaining a higher state means increasing your desire, widening your vessel of perception and making it more bestowing.

If you haven’t achieved the quality of bestowal, then you will not feel it. The whole spiritual world exists here and now – so go ahead, take it, if you can. The Upper Light is at absolute rest, but you lack the right desire for it.

You are saying, “I want to jump a few degrees up!” Well, try it. You will find that you cannot make that jump. You need to ascend gradually, step by step, by developing according to the four stages. That is how you will continually ascend higher and higher.

Otherwise, spiritual ascent is impossible. The order in which the Reshimot come out is predetermined. Reshimot are instilled in us and await their turn to be realized.

The Light of Infinity is Above, and it is ready to correct you and fulfill you. However, your desire is preventing it.

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A question I received: Why does it seem to us that there exists this whole material reality?

My Answer: Right now it seems as if this material world exists and that there is a city where people live. This is what I see right now. However, the science of Kabbalah explains to us that we are in a state of sleeping and we are only imagining all of this.

We don’t need to deny it; we simply need to reveal another, additional world, which is more internal and more authentic. We do not build it on our own; we only demand for it to be revealed to us by the Upper Force, the force of bestowal. This force operates in reality in addition to the force of reception, which controls this whole material world, including all of its molecules, atoms, and bodies, on all the levels – the inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human.

Right now everything is operated by this receiving, egoistic force. However, we are told: “There is also a force of bestowal.” This is not referring to egoistic bestowal, which we are familiar with in this world and which is a form of reception in disguise. Rather, there exists another quality – one of absolute bestowal, as well as an additional reality where everything is the other way around.

This whole reality is inside you, and you are inside it. You are acting and living in it, yet it is hidden from you.
[8376]

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Each desire consists of two parts: the Upper and the lower, Galgalta ve Eynaim, which is connected to the Upper Partzuf and the AHP, which is connected to the lower. This is the way that all the souls are connected in the spiritual world, where they are dependent upon each other.

It turns out that with my bestowing part (Galgalta ve Eynaim), I am fully under the control of the Upper Level and I wish to belong to it. Meanwhile, with my lower part (AHP), I am completely connected to the lower one and I care for it.

I bestow in both cases. However, with regard to the Upper One, I bestow by canceling myself, whereas with regard to the lower one, I bestow by caring for it. The more I am able to cancel myself before the Upper One and to receive from it, the more I can give to the lower one later.

This is what happens between all the souls, and therefore, everything depends on our mutual connection. It turns out that a person has nothing left to call his own, since his Upper Part is determined by the Upper Level, and his lower part is determined by the lower one. If he is united with both the Upper One and the lower one, then he fully belongs to them, and now he can reveal his “I” precisely in this form. Then his point in the heart picks up strength and flourishes as it realizes itself.

This is like the mother of a family for whom the most important thing is the upper level, her husband, and the lower level, her children. She does not see her existence separate from them and for this reason she is the most important member of the family; it is she who holds everything together.

It is the same for every soul; by receiving Light from Above and transferring it below, it becomes important to everyone.

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A question I received: Why can’t I reveal the Light of Hochma?

My Answer: Because you don’t have the Light of Hassadim. You have only the desire to receive, which doesn’t feel good in the Light of Hochma because it cannot receive pleasure from it. The Light of Hochma cannot be felt in the egoistic desires. It can be revealed only to the extent of the presence of the Light of Hassadim, your intention to bestow (Bina of the four stages of the Direct Light).

You can have an infinite Kli with infinite Light of Hochma in it, but if you don’t have the Light of Hassadim, you will experience complete darkness, a state called “hell.” Even a tiny spark of the Light of Hochma without Hassadim feels like suffering, illness, disaster and crisis.

We are given a tiny feeling of the Light of Hochma in the Light of Hassadim by the Creator’s mercy. This gives us a feeling of life so we would be able to exist and develop with free will, in order to acquire the Light of Hassadim and reach the full revelation of the Light of Hochma.

The Creator develops us by “playing” with us. When He shines upon us with the Light of Hochma, we feel bad, but it is done in order for us to understand that we need the Light of Hassadim (a screen, Ohr Hozer, the Reflected Light, the intention to bestow and love). Then we will reveal the Light of Hochma in the Light of Hassadim, reflected by the screen.

Over time, as one receives blows depending on the amount of luminescence of Hochma, one starts asking the question, “Why am I suffering? What is going on? What is the meaning of my life?” That person is then brought to the group, the teacher, and the studying of the science of Kabbalah where he gradually finds out that the only thing he needs is the Light of Hassadim.

That is why the science of Kabbalah teaches us how to build a screen of bestowal (the intention to bestow and love, Ohr Hassadim). To the extent we are capable of bestowing, the Creator will also be revealed to us as One who Bestows, like in the example of the guest and the host.

Related Material:
Laitman. com Post: When Darkness Is Full Of Light
Laitman. com Post: Our Entire Life Occurs Between Two Lights – Hochma and Hassadim
Laitman. com Post: Shameless Enjoyment
Attaining the Worlds Beyond: “The Work Along the Three Lines”
Introduction to the Book of Zohar: “Items 39-44”
Importance Of The Giver – 5 Minutes Of Light (5:35)

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When reading The Book of Zohar we should be concerned with only one thing: our desire to reach the next state, which is unity and integration. Throughout all of creation unity currently appears to be split into separate parts. Creation appears enormous and we have no idea where to look for it inside ourselves, as The Zohar tells us to.

Nevertheless, we should desire to see all of this within one general system where everything is connected, where all desires, thoughts, qualities, and actions work in harmony within one common soul. In addition, all of this is within me; the function of this corrected soul is the act of bestowal that I reveal inside myself.

The question arises: What does “bestowal” mean? Is it when the heart gives to the brain, the brain gives to the liver, and the liver gives to the lungs? Can we really call that “bestowal”? After all, how is bestowal possible within one body? If the organs don’t give to each other, they simply die. So how can we call these qualities “bestowal” if we see them as a part of one general soul? As soon as you start seeing them as a single unit and sense them as “your own organs,” it stops being considered bestowal because you cannot really give to yourself.

The answer to this dilemma is that all “sinners” and all “sins” that we reveal as a result of this process stay intact. The “evil inclination” always remains, even while we build connections with other souls above it. Therefore, even though the system of souls is revealed within me, at the same time all of my previous hatred for others continues to be present. However, above it I reveal love and connection between us all.

This is why there is no contradiction between the understanding that all that exists is one general system, and at the same time, that all parts of the system act in mutual bestowal.

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A question I received: Is all of human history just something that appears within me?

My Answer: I perceive reality only here and now. I imagine inside me that there is a history taking place “over time,” that something “was” and “will be”; however, all this is but my own imagination. Did this really happen in the past? It only took place in my consciousness; I perceived it as happening. However, there is nothing outside of me; everything exists only inside my will to enjoy.

History is a process that I imagine taking place over time. But there is no time! There is no movement, and there is no space; we only image them. There is only a “place” called “the will to enjoy,” and around this desire there are records of information called Reshimot passing by, like a reel of film being unraveled and giving me the sensation that I live inside this movie.

Within my desire, all of realty divides into “me” and “the rest of nature,” which includes the inanimate objects, plants, animals, and people. This division into two distant and opposite parts was created in me deliberately, so I would correct my ego by uniting the two parts of my desire together.

One part of my desire hates the other, because one part appears to me as external, such as the people outside me, and the other part appears as internal, myself. This is why I reject others and do things that seemingly benefit myself.

As a result of my studies, I have to understand that the things which appear external to me only seem this way in order for me to overcome this division and correct my desire. I have to change my desire to one of bestowing by ceasing to see the difference between my two desires – the external and internal. Therein lies my salvation, which enables me to come out of my current egoistic state and attain bestowal, thus entering a new reality. By acquiring the intention to bestow, I will feel the spiritual world.

This does not mean that I go through the preparation here and later on I will be “transferred” to another place. Rather, to the degree I reveal love for you instead of hatred, I will begin to feel the spiritual world, the world to come. It is comprised of desires that I attach to myself. So I shouldn’t look for faraway worlds, because it’s all here. Everything lies in the connection between me and those who now seem distant and hateful to me.

Later on I will reveal that I had hated myself and only harmed myself. The more harm I inflicted on others, the more I will have to correct myself later on.
[8246]

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