We all came from the World of Infinity, which is a single desire in which we’re all connected together as cells of a common body. The connection that existed before our descent into this world was maintained by the force of the Creator; He “suppressed” us with His Light and united us forcefully.

Then He left us, “restricted Himself,” and the Light disappeared. The desire began descending lower and lower as it moved further away from the Light, until it broke completely into small fragments. As a result, every fragment felt separated from the others and absolutely unconnected to them.

But then, we went through an even deeper downfall, and now we are beginning to reveal that we are connected to others; however, our connection is negative, making us want to use or even kill each other. Our connection is negative and opposite to what it ought to be.

We have to arrive at this realization in order to then start ascending toward a connection among us, to the same Malchut of the World of Infinity. However, this time we will rise to it on our own, by preparing ourselves with the help of the study and various actions, and by desiring to advance toward the corrected state.

The entire correction amounts to us uniting together. That’s why it’s written, “’Love your neighbor as yourself’ is the main rule of the Torah.” As the desire becomes corrected, it is filled with Light. According to the law of the equivalence of form, the more the desire opens itself up to bestowal, the more the Light will fill it. From the side of the Light there are no restrictions; all the restrictions are always done from the side of the desire.

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It is written, “I created evil and the Torah to correct it” because the Light in the Torah reforms. Correction occurs only according to a person’s intention. As the Ari explains through his student Chaim Vital in “The Preface to the Tree of Life” and as Baal HaSulam says in “Preface to Talmud of Ten Sefirot,” everything depends on the intention of a person who studies the Torah. All the books that talk about the correction of the soul are called “Torah.”

A person reaches a true demand for correction only if he intends to correct his soul and wants to attract the Light in order to be corrected. He has to reach the feeling that he needs to correct his qualities, which is attained by studying his qualities compared to the qualities of the Creator. Then he sees that there is a great distance between these qualities and understands the state that he must attain. At that point a demand for correction emerges in him.

Books that were written by the Kabbalists who reached spirituality and attained the Creator are called “sacred books” since they talk about bestowal and love for one’s neighbor. This is why it is written that people study the Torah only if they strive to reach bestowal.

“Torah” means the Light that comes to a person in order to correct him. The words of the Torah fill a person’s soul to the same degree as his level of correction. It says in the “Preface to the Book of Zohar” that the Torah is divided into 613 corrections (Taryag Eitin) and 613 fulfillments (Taryag Pkudin), where “613 corrections” signify the Lights that come to a person in order to correct his 613 desires to receive for himself, turning them into desires to receive for the sake of others. Thus, the Lights transform all our desires into the desire to bestow. The “613 fulfillments” are the Lights that fill our corrected desires with the Light of the Torah. This is why we always need to begin The Zohar lesson with the correct intention – each person on his own and all of us together. Our correction and our bright future depend on it.

There’s no doubt that when many people join together, they have much more power and strength than each one had by himself, especially now that they strive to reach the same goal together – the revelation of the Upper Force which governs them. A union such as this has much more power, making the intention even more important. This is why it is extremely important for us to learn to achieve the correct intentions before the lesson starts.

Baal HaSulam gives a detailed explanation of this in the “Preface to Talmud Eser Sefirot,” where he writes: “Therefore, each student has to reinforce his faith in the Creator and know that He governs over us,” where “reinforce the faith” means the strength of bestowal. In other words, before the lesson starts, I have to desire to attain the properties of bestowal. This is the reason why I study. “Then,” continues Baal HaSulam, “his heart will be ready because ‘Lishma’ will extend from ‘Lo Lishma.’” This means that out of our natural desire to receive, we will attain a true intention – the desire to reach the Upper Force – bestowal. It is the intention that defines the quality of our studies as well as all the results we can expect.

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A question I received: It is written that the Creator treats us mercifully. What does that mean?

My Answer: If the Creator didn’t treat us mercifully, then we’d never be able to correct ourselves. After all, in our initial state we are incapable of telling good from evil. Therefore, we naturally incline toward evil, since it is the basic quality that we are created from.

If the Upper Governance were to act from the side of evil with the same force as from the side of good, then we would always choose evil and we would be banished from the Upper World like any other sinner. If that were the case, we would never be able to reach the goal.

That is why a correction or addition is made from Above where my natural, inherent qualities aren’t taken into account. Indeed, it was the Creator who created the evil inclination; therefore, the only considered factor is how well I can utilize the means given to me – the group, the teacher, and the Kabbalah books – in order to take even the smallest step toward correction in spite of my nature. This is why it is written that the Creator treats us mercifully.

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A question I received: When we work on uniting with others, do we reveal the common ego or our personal egos?

My Answer: We all work on uniting in order to achieve a common desire to reveal the Creator, the quality of bestowal. There is no separation between the personal ego and the collective one. I depend on you, you depend on me, and everyone depends on everyone. If one person drills a hole in our collective boat, everyone will drown.

Therefore, the individual and the group are united as one (Echad). If we are marching into battle together to reach a goal, then does it really matter if it’s an individual or a group? It is like a team: either we win together or we die together. A society has all that an individual has and vice-versa. Therefore, the concept of “the individual” disappears and it becomes irrelevant whether I succeed or someone else does. It is everyone’s success or failure that matters. The group and I are the same thing.

This is called a mutual guarantee. The fact is that we are unable to achieve it on our own, but it’s what the Light of Correction (Ohr Makif) wants for us. We are given a condition: to unite as one man with one heart. However, we are unable to do this. We reveal our inability to bond, which is known as “the broken Tablets.” We understand that we are incapable of this since we are opposite to the Torah.

Unity is not what I imagined spirituality to be. I imagined it as something I can acquire using my ego. However, when it comes down to it, I don’t want spirituality because it is opposite to everything I ever imagined it to be. This is true evil being revealed in me: the fact that I don’t want unity and I am unable to achieve it. This is called the “Golden Calf,” where the Upper Force makes a calf for me. It is done by Aaron, the quality of kindness (Chesed), and this revelation occurs inside a person as a result of tremendous effort.

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The Zohar, Chapter “Miketz (At the End),” Item 113: “And Joseph was the governor over the land.” Joseph is the sun, Zeir Anpin (ZA), since Joseph is Yesod de ZA, which governs the moon (Nukva), shines to her, and feeds her. He is the provider of all the people of the land, for all are fed by that river that stretches out of Eden, which is Yesod, called, “Joseph,” and from there the souls fly off to every person. This is why everyone bows before that place, for there is nothing in the world that does not depend on luck, which is Yesod.

Everything depends on the Light of Fulfillment and the Light of Correction that comes from Yesod to Malchut and to the souls that are included in Malchut. Malchut can receive these Lights when it, together with all the souls in it, reaches equivalence of form with Yesod.

Yesod contains all the qualities that are above it, all the Sefirot of Zeir Anpin. If the souls in Malchut are able to reach unity and become one, as Yesod, then they receive the Light called “Mazal” (luck), which corrects them.

This is why the condition for receiving the Torah is “to love your neighbor as yourself” and to unite “as one man with one heart.” If we are ready for this unification (despite not being able to make it happen, since only the Light does all the actions), then the Light actualizes this in response to our desire.

If we desire to unite, then even though this aspiration is still “Lo Lishma,” meaning it is purely external and artificial, nevertheless the Light understands it and affects us. Because of the difference between our levels, the Light understands similar to how we understand our little children: We know what each of them is capable of on his level according to his character and qualities.

If, according to our souls’ conditions, they are ready to be connected with each other and to become equivalent to Yesod, then there is a point of contact between Malchut and Yesod and the souls inside Malchut receive the Light that Reforms. Therefore it is written that everything depends on luck (“Mazal”) – on the Light coming from Yesod to Malchut.

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The Zohar, Chapter “Miketz (At the End),” Item 117: When a person rises in the morning, he should wash his hands from a Natlah of water, which is a vessel from which to take water [a special cup for ritual hand-washing].

“Morning” means that the Light of Hassadim comes and the illumination of Hochma is revealed. A person feels the spiritual quality of giving and love as darkness inside of his egoistic (receiving) desires. By correcting them, he awakens for morning and experiences the dawn, and then the day. Inside of his corrected desires he feels the Light of Bestowal.

All of this occurs inside the same desires. At first a person feels that the spiritual world is darkness – something that is repulsive and undesired because it is related to bestowal and the need to love the neighbor. He then goes through correction by studying during the nights (and according to the connection of “branch and root,” we also study at night). Thus, he prepares for the coming of day; he reaches the understanding that spirituality, bestowal, and love for one’s neighbor is day – that it is good, and therefore, he desires it.

Because of his intention, the Surrounding Light gradually begins to influence him, making the state that seemed like darkness to him before look desirable. The same state turns into day and begins to shine.

These corrections that a person performs to his desires are called “hand-washing,” since “hands” are the receiving desires, which need to be cleansed of egoistic intentions before they can be used. The “special cup for ritual hand-washing,” the Upper Vessel, Bina, pours the Light of Correction upon our receiving desires.

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We have to read The Zohar over and over until the Light begins to influence us. At first people feel very inspired when reading The Zohar, and this feeling lasts for the first month or two. During this period they do not understand anything yet, but they become very inspired by whatever is happening.

Then this feeling disappears and everything begins to appear dull. When you read The Zohar, you start feeling this way very fast. All of a sudden we have nothing to hold on to in the text, and we simply read it with the understanding that this is what we need to be doing even while we feel indifferent to the material, it seems “tasteless,” and even repulsive.

The reason we feel this way is because we are being revealed an additional egoistic desire which aggravates the connections between us. The Zohar shines upon us to the extent that we connect with one another. At the very beginning we are given a connection of the points in the heart. As we begin to read The Zohar using the initial connection that was given to us, our points in the heart awaken and desire to reveal something new and unknown. The name itself, “The Zohar,” inspires us.

As we begin to read, the Surrounding Light shines upon us and helps us to raise the points in the heart above our regular egoism, leaving it beneath. This is why in the beginning we feel a connection between us and an aspiration towards a common spiritual goal. All of this happens because of the Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif) which comes and creates this state for us.

But a month or two later, our egoistic desire grows due to the Light’s influence. On one hand, the Light causes us to be inspired, but on the other hand, our egoism becomes bigger and because of this, every person feels heavy within, as if there is a force pulling him down. There is only one thing we can do to save ourselves: increase the connection between all of us. Nothing else can help.

We need to use all the possible methods, even artificial ones, to renew this connection. If we increase this connection even slightly, then we will be able to rise above the burdening of the heart and our egoism because we will return to the connected system of creation.

We are receiving a revelation of our lack of correction and being shown how much we are separated from everyone else. When I try to oppose this separation, then the impression and inspiration from The Zohar immediately comes back. It works instantaneously! As soon as you begin to experience a feeling of heaviness, you should immediately do something to strengthen your connection with others. For example, start thinking about how much you want to unite with them and to become closer to them in order to connect your souls. This small, forced action is enough for you to immediately begin to feel the Light’s increased influence and for the to heaviness to disappear. You will then feel the same inspiration and excitement that The Zohar gave you during the first lessons.

This is how it works. You have to put all the necessary effort into it; you do not get any “discounts” in this regard. The effort lies in trying to unite among ourselves until we cry out for the Surrounding Light to come to us because only the Light can give us the inspiration and the feeling of how great The Zohar is. Then this text will suddenly come to life for us.

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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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Questions I received on Kabbalah dissemination:

Question: How do we ask the Creator to rise above the hatred and repulsion of our personal life towards others?

My Answer: Do this by disseminating Kabbalah, because we will be able to accomplish this by attracting the Light.

Question: Should we feel pleasure from disseminating?

My Answer: Yes, because the more we disseminate, the bigger is the correction that we introduce into the world.

Question: If the two million subscribers to Kabbalah were to have the intention to ask for spiritual ascent and unity at a point in time in the future and they were to commit to it for at least a week, would this not bring us closer to revealing more Light or breaking the illusion we live in? And if it were possible, could we not try by preparing a quality advertising campaign on Facebook, TV, internet radio, Twitter, and other venues to take action?

My Answer: The matter depends on all of us! Start organizing this worldwide campaign!

Question: What is the purpose of the other Kabbalah learning center in the world? If Bnei Baruch is the only learning center which provides authentic Kabbalah, is this one meant to mislead people? How can we explain this to them to be able to help them?

My Answer: We have to disseminate the authentic Kabbalistic sources and demonstrate to everyone that only free studies and a true understanding of these sources provide the Light of Correction.

Question: Why do you think that more and more people are drawing to the study of Kabbalah?

My Answer: Because you also sent a question to me, for example!

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Baal HaSulam Article:”Messiah’s Shofar”

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Our whole work is to achieve the prayer in the heart, an appeal to the Upper Force, the Creator. He directs and controls everything. Therefore, we only need to ask Him for the right thing.

Our request should be correct and deliberate, and this is precisely what the science of Kabbalah teaches: How to appeal to the Light, the force that created us. It will perform any action we desire under the condition that our desire agrees with the Creator’s general program – to bring us to a perfect state.

In much the same way, a child may cry begging his Mom to let him play with a sharp knife, but she will never give it to him. Yet if he asks for something beneficial, she will gladly carry out his request. The same applies to our requests; “Make your desire similar to His desire” and you will receive everything.

We are not studying any hidden secrets in the science of Kabbalah; we are studying ourselves and the Creator. We get to know Him by virtue of the Kabbalists’ explanations of what we should ask from Him. The Light that Reforms will do all the rest.

The Creator created the evil inclination, and our task is to reveal it. As soon as we reveal it, we can be sure that we’ll know how to ask the Creator for its correction. We don’t realize that our evil is the opposite imprint of the Creator. By imprinting Himself in us, He used the Light to create the will to enjoy. It is like the patrix and the matrix. Reception is the opposite form of bestowal; they enter each other and unite like two parts of one whole. Therefore, as soon as we reveal our evil, we will immediately find out how to appeal to the Creator for its correction.

This does not need to be studied in the books. The books simply attune us and develop our sensations. A person is taught all the rest by his soul. And you don’t need a great mind to learn; just keep going and it will happen!

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