If I rise above my egoism and come out into the desires of other people, I receive an endless spiritual vessel where I can sense the entire Light of Infinity. This works very simply. It’s like a big pipe and the Light flows in it. There is a valve on top of this pipe with which I can significantly change the flow of the Light by opening it fully. This is how it works in our world where even a little child can turn the faucet and change the flow of the water. In relation to spirituality, I can do the same.

I have only a small desire for spirituality. It’s a single point in the heart. However, if I turn to the desires of other people and include myself into the common body of the soul as one of its cells, then I bestow to this common body, and in response, it begins to take care of me. Then I receive all of its endless capabilities.

Hence, this is not a coincidence that Kabbalah instructs us to come out of our desires and enter the desires of others. By doing so, we receive “613” times greater capabilities, spiritual vessels, and desires, compared to what we had before. Previously we only had a point in the heart, but now each of us receives the entire body for our use.

From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/10/10, Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot

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A question I received: Is it possible to ask the Creator to give points in the heart to those in whom they haven’t yet awakened?

My Answer: We need to pray for the whole of humanity to quickly reach a true spiritual need for the goal of creation. However, to pray means for you to aspire for inner unification with such tension and force that it will be felt by everyone else like a fire that is blazing within.

Imagine that humanity today is almost a lifeless body; maybe not completely dead yet, but in a state of unconsciousness. And we are its organs trying to revive ourselves and bring back life to this common organism. Gradually the whole body begins to awaken. This constitutes our work.

The most important work in dissemination is not in external efforts (the amount of books we release or materials on the internet); it is in the unification between us through which we rouse love, connection, and warmth in our whole worldwide unification of people who study Kabbalah. It is precisely this work that influences everyone else, and they suddenly begin to feel that there is something unique in all this! But what it is exactly, they don’t know. Nonetheless, they suddenly find us.

After all, every person’s heart somehow led him to Kabbalah though he himself didn’t understand how. It’s simply that once this need arose in him, he began to search, and suddenly he felt with his heart that his place is here. This is because his desire was already aimed in the same direction.

It was a very small desire for spirituality, a point in the heart was hiding deep within, but we ignited such a powerful fire that people felt it from afar. Therefore, everything depends on our inner unification. This is the most effective dissemination.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/11/10, Shamati #50

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Concealment and revelation are in us. These are the only things we can influence. After all, we exist in a constant and eternal universe, which has no beginning and which will never have an end. Although we talk about and imagine within the bounds of time that creation emerged and about reaching correction and executing the plan of creation by becoming fully included in the Creator, this is incorrect.

We are situated within a unique system, which is called “Nature” or the “Creator,” where no changes occur. Only we change in our sensations! So how can we begin to change ourselves consciously and according to our own choice in a controlled manner so that we would not experience any unpleasant and undesired changes?

There are certain changes in my inner desires, which alter my view of reality in such a way that I perceive them as problems, wars, and suffering. On the other hand, there are changes that are kind, but who knows how to control them?

This is taught to us by the science of Kabbalah. It is clear that if reality is invariable, then only by controlling our own qualities can we affect our picture of the world and decide which “soap opera” we wish to watch under the title of “My Life.” However, this does not mean that I am free to watch any movie` of any genre that I wish.

A program is already put together, and it advances me to revelation of the true picture, where all the concealments will fade and I will reveal the eternal and perfect state in its true form. Then I will see that reality is constant and invariable. If I understand all this, I can advance by the kind path. And if I don’t understand it, then I will be forced to move ahead by the path of suffering.

However, we are only talking about changes inside of a person that exists in some environment that is still unknown to him. This environment is called the Creator or Infinity. It is not in our power to change the order of our degrees; this order is already implanted in us. Who are we to know what this order should be?

However, we can hasten the process of going through it by tuning into it according to our own desire and by exerting effort. And the speed of the advancement will give us a different sensation. After all, it is one thing to advance toward a fatal event without agreeing with it but being unable to avoid it. And it is another thing to aspire to a desired goal! Then I will like the path, and I will advance toward it in joy.

In other words, everything depends on our preparation to the next states, which inevitably will come. However, my readiness determines my perception and the speed of my advancement. This is why we need the science of Kabbalah so much. By studying Kabbalah, we will be able to go through our development via a positive, pleasant, and short path instead of a long path through suffering.

From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/10/10, Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot

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“Preface to the Sulam Commentary,” Item.61. “A Great Rule in Time and Place,” Know that everything in the wisdom of Kabbalah that expresses time and place do not refer to the imaginary time and place in corporeality, since everything in spirituality is above time and above space. Rather, “before” and “after” refer to cause and consequence. We refer to the cause as “before” and to the consequence as “after,” since every cause precedes its consequence…Аlso “above and below” and “ascent and descent” are measures of coarseness and purity of the desire because “ascent” means purification of the desire, and “descent” means the coarsening.

And when we say that a lower degree rose, it means that the lower one has been purified and became as pure as the Higher Degree. Hence, it is considered to have clung to it because equivalence of form attaches the spirituals to one another…Study them in this manner, that is, in spiritual meanings, according to the issue.“

Kabbalah uses the language of roots and branches, which uses words from our world to describe what takes place in the spiritual one, the Upper World. In the spiritual world, meanings of our world such as time, motion, space, distance, and direction don’t exist. But the very same names that we use to identify some objects and actions in our world signify, in the spiritual world, forces, qualities, and their actions.

Therefore, we need to do our best to try to imagine spiritual actions behind these words. Such efforts are very useful because they create a request (MAN), the desire, the need to understand and perceive the Upper world, and begin living in it. Through such actions we help ourselves to enter it.

Thus, in Baal HaSulam’s article “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 155, it is written that even though we don’t understand what we are studying, due to our strong desire and will to understand the studied material, we draw the light that surrounds our souls. As a result, it brings to us qualities that we need in order to perceive the spiritual world.

It doesn’t mean that some new external picture is revealed to us. But our desire brings about a change in our perception, in our inner qualities, in which we begin to see what we are reading.

It’s all right if you don’t know what purification and coarsening of the desire means or what the ascent and descent of the screen is, but you must try to imagine this in the form of desires and intentions. This is all there is: a desire, its intention, and the Light which works on them. This is how I should connect these words with what I know and how I should be impressed by what is written.

This is already enough to connect with this system. Let it be incorrect; it doesn’t matter! What matters is my effort, my desire to enter this system however artificial it is. Granted, I don’t feel a sensory connection, but it’s natural, and Above, nothing more is expected of me.

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

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A question I received: Is egoistic bestowal a higher degree than egoistic reception?

My Answer: "Bestowing in order to receive" is a more advanced degree, a more intricate reception. Obviously, one can gain more and cause greater harm to others with its help. Yet egoistic bestowal lets a person understand that bestowal is a valuable quality that helps him gain.

Direct reception is limited in its possibilities, while bestowal can provide greater opportunities and benefit. Humanity would not have developed if people had not opened businesses where they gave to others by selling their services in order to profit. People would have simply withdrawn into themselves, like animals that can only receive egoistically. Only man with his developed egoism understands how to give for his own benefit, meaning in order to have a much greater return at a later time.

However, Kabbalah only speaks about the unity among us, and for this reason even the first degree, egoistic reception, speaks about relations among friends and not about everyday life. All of these degrees pertain to my connection with the other souls and the revelation of the Creator within this connection.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/9/10, Article, “Could Anything Negative Come Down from the Sky?”

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A question I received: How can we demand correction at present when we are entirely in egoistic desires?

My Answer: Of course, we can’t demand correction at present. If I’m an absolute egoist, how can I ask for correction? However, what’s demanded from me is to ask for a bit of bestowal to the extent that I’m able to ask while still in egoism. This means that while you’re in Lo Lishma, (that is, in a lie, in the ego, in your desire for pleasure, and in thoughts about yourself), you are making a weak cry that you want to be giving.

Of course, it’s a lie, and you don’t want to love others, to give to them, and become similar to the Creator. You simply don’t know what bestowal is, and because of this, you are able to say these words. If you knew what it was, you’d run away immediately. The truth is concealed from you so that you don’t know what you are asking for. Bestowal is so opposite to your nature that it’s really death for your present desires and qualities.

In the science of Kabbalah, we study the relationship between Lights and desires. There is a vessel or desire with the Light opposite to it. Beside this, there is another state in which desire is not true but false, and the Light which is opposite to it is not Direct but Surrounding. This is exactly the state that we’re in now. However, for now, we ask that this Light come and bring us this desire to give as if we want to become giving, and it works because of this.

The system is designed such that, from our current state in which we do not want the next state, but nonetheless are asking for it, we can come to this next state, we can start wanting it, receive it, and be in it. This is caused by Reshimot, the spiritual genes, which remain in us from the corrected state that later shattered. These Reshimot awaken Lights in the World of Atzilut that are far from us. We can attract them to influence us, and then they are called Surrounding Lights.

Certainly, we’re in a lie and don’t want bestowal or to love our neighbor. It is true. The Torah does not hide this fact from us. On the contrary, it tells us that the Creator is concealed and the spiritual world is concealed because if you saw it, you would never want it.

Thus, spirituality is concealed so that you can imagine that it’s good for you even in your egoistic desires. When you imagine some egoistic reward for yourself, as if you want the spiritual world, the Light still influences you and changes your desires and thoughts from receiving to giving. This is how it works. The system was designed exactly for this process.

It works in this way not only in our state when we ascend from this receiving level to the first degree of giving; after crossing the Machsom (the barrier to spirituality), we ascend from state to state according to the same principle: by desiring the undesirable. Although, at those stages “a person’s soul teaches him,” and we have some support because we are already in the spiritual world.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/2/10, The Zohar

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The Zohar, Chapter “Tetzaveh (Command),” Item 102: …When it was said, “Fetch two he-goats, one for Me and one for that delator, the Sitra Achra, so he will think that he has eaten from My own meal, and will not know of the joy of our other meal. He will take that part,” GAR of the left, which is sent to the desert, to the place of ruin, to give him back his dominion, meaning to the middle point of the ruined world….

We read in all the Kabbalistic books about actions that we need to do in order to reveal the real world by having proper vision and perception. For example, when I don’t know where I am, I try to make my senses more acute, I clean my glasses to clear the fog before my eyes. I try different things to help orient myself to the strange place that I can’t make out.

Kabbalists give us the same kind of prescription: the things that we need to do in order to clear our sensory channels: vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch (five Sefirot), in order to orient ourselves in the new space and to be able to discern it. This is why The Zohar tells us that if there is a disturbance in our perception, the so called “GAR of the left,” then we need to stop using it, and “send it to the desert.”

In other words, The Zohar describes the way we are to work with our senses and what we need to do in order to become closer to the proper orientation in the space where we exist. Essentially, the entire wisdom of Kabbalah only speaks about attaining the perception of a new reality instead of perceiving this imaginary world.

After all, we’re not actually going anywhere, we don’t fly or move, we remain in the same place and state. We simply keep perfecting our senses. This is why Kabbalah is called the science of reception, the science of perception (in Hebrew, the word “Kabbalah” comes from the word “Lekabel” – to receive).

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/3/10, The Zohar

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An old friend of mine, a famous physicist whom I’ve known since my studies in St. Petersburg, Yuri Magarshak (USA), and another physicist, Eugene Levitch (Israel), published an article entitled “Apocalypse” in the Russian online magazine “Vremya.” In the article, they argue that the tragedy in the Mexican Gulf may result in a blazing tornado and bring about an apocalyptic turn of events. In response, I would like to make a few comments:

1. A recent catastrophe of previously unseen magnitude can change life on our planet, and by all means, will cause changes in global economics and politics. All we can do is to watch what’s going on because humankind has no remedy to quell this disaster.

2. Things happen not in accordance with apocalyptic forecasts, but according to a Kabbalistic scenario. It predicts that our generation will go through such tremendous affliction that it will be forced to seek an answer to the question, “What is the purpose of our existence?” After we discover the answer to this question, we will have to build our future accordingly.

3. According to Kabbalah, Nature executes its own plan of human development and forces us to transition from unconscious existence triggered by suffering to conscious development. The ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is only one link in the chain. As a result of our development, people will reveal the hidden part of Nature and will attain perfection and eternity.

4. Kabbalah shows us how to pass this stage of our development without suffering. Instead, it shows us how to be driven by a benevolent goal. We have a chance. Let’s pray to God that the authors’ call will be heard.

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A question I received: If only Kabbalah is necessary for the correction of the soul, why did the sages of the past create so many commentaries on the Torah, Mishna, and Talmud? How does this all help us?

My Answer: If, after several years of studying Kabbalah, you reach the correction for sake of bestowal (Lishma), you’ll be able to open the Talmud and delight in it. You’ll begin to understand all the laws described in it according to their inner essence, the science of Kabbalah. You’ll grasp what these great sages of the past wrote about.

At present, their language simply confuses you and conceals the world of the truth from you. Later, you’ll understand it all because you’ll reach the degree at which the sages wrote their commentaries. You’ll experience the same states that inspired them to write them. For you, these texts won’t be any different than the Kabbalistic articles.

Using words such as a “bull,” “donkey,” “cow,” “harm,” “Temple,” the “Great Assembly (Sanhedrin),” “fields,” and “property,” the sages expressed the process of the correction of the soul. The entire Torah speaks solely about the correction of the soul and its equivalence with the Creator; it is all names of the Creator.

When one commentator argues with another, this depicts the eternal argument between the left and the right lines, the measures of reception and bestowal, and clarifies how to combine them correctly. The Talmud explains the spiritual processes in the most precise details. Right now you are so tangled in them because you think that it’s talking about a thousand different opinions. Later, you’ll understand that this is not a thousand points of view, but a look at the same, single phenomenon that can be corrected from a thousand different angles.

These are not sages arguing between themselves, but the souls of the common system explaining to you how each quality is related to all the others, or, in other words, how each organ, an individual soul, is related to the work of the collective soul Adam.

From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/31/10, Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot

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There is a goal before us. It may seem attractive to us or not. Our perspective is somewhat like a child who desires what is pleasant in his eyes (sweets) and not necessarily what is good for him (spinach). Despite our reluctance, we have to find and assume the correct form of behavior in order to ascend to the new desire for bestowal, instead of remaining in our current desire for only receiving.

This means that we must accept, above our will and nature, that the goal and Upper Governance is good and necessary because it belongs to a different level, the level of bestowal. And Kabbalists tell us the best way to move toward this goal, the level of bestowal.

The way is simple, they tell us: We must accept facts that are unpleasant to us. We would like to bend the world to fit us, while we ourselves wish to remain unchanged. Yet, the Kabbalists advise us to accept the world as it is, (it is good and perfect; it is just that I don’t see it as such) and annul ourselves.

So, a person walks using faith above reason, meaning above his egoistic heart and understanding, and wants to see the world in the Light of bestowal as it is described in Kabbalah. If we try to see the corrected world, group, and ourselves, we will begin to demand the Light that Reforms. This is why we must examine ourselves and the world each moment, criticize, and walk above this criticism!

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