Two questions I received on freedom of choice

Question: What do you do when you understand that there is none else beside Him in reality, and that even I don’t exist? I felt this today and I got scared. It’s a game, and I am not a part of it. I got a feeling that there is only one way out of this – to become a human being, to develop the point in the heart that’s in me, otherwise “I” won’t exist. It’s scary living with the knowledge that you don’t exist at all, in any regard. But the answer comes immediately: It lies only in the aspiration toward attainment and adhesion. But what do you do with the fear?

My Answer: Being present at the lessons daily (for at least a part of them, virtually), disseminating together with everyone, and most importantly, feeling the world group – these are the only things that will enable you to come out of all the negative feelings! It’s because spirituality can only be attained in the unity of souls with one another, and to the degree of their unity. The only correct way to eliminate all the negative incidents is through unity and dissemination.

Question: Yesterday, I went outside and I didn’t feel like I was outside. I had the feeling that the only thing that changed was the scenery. I used to see people just as people before, but now I see additional meaning when I look at them – I see that there is no independence at all, and that everyone are puppets…

My Answer: In addition to this, you should also remember that you are the same as well… Your feeling is right in that everything is a theater, and everyone is an actor acting out our roles. You should find out what your role and purpose is, reveal the entire picture of the universe and consciously play your role in it, in order to become like the Creator. By playing His role, you start understanding Him and the Great Director’s Design.

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A question I received: Sometimes you can’t hear the lesson! That is, you’re listening to it, but you don’t hear it! Sometimes you sleep through it… And sometimes it seems that you understand every word, and it’s simply a revelation!

What determines one’s sensations at the lesson? Is it the lesson itself, the people who are present at the lesson, the person, the material being studied, or something else?

What can I do to hear the lesson like I did the first time, when I couldn’t hold back the tears?

My Answer: I understand you. This happens to everyone. It’s because the Creator only gives a person the initial desire for the spiritual goal: He awakens one’s point in the heart. And He brings a person to the source (a book, a teacher, a group, the Internet), and no more than this. And it’s up to a person to continue developing this desire he received from above, to develop it to the size of the World of Infinity.

This is impossible to do unless you study Kabbalah in the correct environment. (See item 155 of Baal HaSulam’s “Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot,” and also his article “The Freedom.”) Otherwise you will spend many years eating yourself up.

In addition, it’s very important to prepare for the lesson. The preparation begins before going to sleep. You should fall asleep with a Kabbalistic book in your hand. Wake up half an hour before the lesson and attune yourself to the lesson. If you don’t attune yourself, the lesson will be ineffective.

You should go through this period more energetically: from the point to the Machsom. Good luck!

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Two questions I received about prayer

Question: You said that the Creator is inside us and that there is nothing outside us. Then what are the influences that make a person feel awe and wonder? And if the Creator is inside us, then whom do we thank and whom do we pray to?

My Answer: We pray for ourselves, in order to change and to feel that we are givers. To pray (in Hebrew: Lehitpalel) means “to judge oneself.” We don’t do this for the Creator, but for ourselves. These are our entreaties for the quality of bestowal and love, which we call the Creator. It’s forbidden (because it’s incorrect) for us to envision Him – this property – in any form other than as this property, without an image or matter. We are filled by the Upper Force, which has no form, volume, or matter. However, we don’t feel this. We will feel it to the extent that we acquire this property. Our objective is for our desires to begin “bestowing” instead of “receiving.” When we aspire to this quality, we evoke the influence of the Upper Force on us. This force is in a static state, and only our desire to become similar to it places us under a greater influence by it.

Question: We are the will to receive, and in order for our desire to change, for us to desire to act “not for the sake of ourselves,” we have to ask the Creator to help us. But how can I tell that the Creator hears my request when I ask Him to change me? What kind of change should I be feeling?

My Answer: The changes in one’s understanding that one’s nature is evil, until one finally reaches the desire to come out of one’s nature – this “realization of evil” happens under the influence of the Creator’s Light. And then the “Action of Goodness” takes place – one’s intention during every action is changed to “love and bestowal.” The Upper Light of correction affects you to the degree that you desire to correct yourself. But you cannot develop this desire on your own; you can only get it from the outside, from people like you who aspire toward the same goal. By “buying” their desires, you will be able to evoke such powerful Upper Light onto yourself, that it will change you and make you a “giver,” and then you will immediately feel this property, that is, you will reveal the Creator!

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A question I received: You insist that a person studying Kabbalah shouldn’t make any external changes in his regular life, and that he should be concerned just with the inner work. In addition, you speak exclusively to the secular audience. So why does everyone in Bnei Baruch in Israel, where all your lessons are broadcast from, wear skullcaps? After all, for a secular person this is a dramatic change in outer appearance.

My Answer: As long as society hasn’t reached a complete understanding of what is Kabbalah and what is religion, we must be acceptable to the entire society. And the society, even a secular one, thinks that a Kabbalist has to look religious and wear a skullcap. In addition, this is a tradition, part of the Israeli nation’s culture, its custom, and this is why we observe it in Israel. Of course, it completely doesn’t matter what I wear around my animate body, but to people who are still uncorrected, such an external aspect also makes a difference.

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Two questions I received about sharing Kabbalah with others

Question: In response to a question, you said “Don’t talk about Kabbalah to anyone except the people you study with.” But then how should we push people to Kabbalah? I feel that if I don’t remind certain people about this topic or give them hints, then they’ll never even find out that such a thing exists, at least not in this reincarnation.

My Answer: You can give them a “hint” but no more than that, and don’t push. You should be especially careful with the people you have constant contact with. It’s better if others will talk to them about Kabbalah. Keep your relationships with them regular, on the level of this world.

Question: Can a student without spiritual attainment rely on his direct intellectual understanding of Baal HaSulam’s works? I’ve been listening to the Bnei Baruch lessons and reading Talmud Eser Sefirot almost every day for over a year now. Every time I feel that I understand something I read, I have a strong desire to share it with other students. Can I write about the things I understand and give it to others to read? Or can I only give it to people who have spiritual attainment?

My Answer: You can, but don’t overload others. Do it only for making contacts. After all, by doing so you won’t be studying the main material, the Kabbalist’s thoughts, but your own thoughts.

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Questions I received on life in the Upper Worlds

Question: What is “heaven” from Kabbalah’s point of view?

My Answer: Heaven is the Light of Hochma. The “Garden” is Malchut. Malchut filled with the Light of Hochma is called the Garden of Eden. In this state Malchut is the Malchut of the World of Atzilut for the souls.

In other words, the Garden of Eden refers to a place (or a state) where the souls are filled with the Light of Hochma. Stated simply, the Garden of Eden is Malchut of the World of Atzilut. The Upper Garden of Eden is Bina of the World of Beria, and the Lower Garden of Eden is Yesod de Malchut of the World of Assiya. Of course, this bears no relation to people’s regular notions about heaven and its inhabitants. In spirituality there is no space, images, sounds and etc., but only forces unclothed by matter. The soul is a desire. To the degree that it’s equivalent to the Creator, to the quality of bestowal and love, it becomes filled with the sensation of the Creator, the sensation of this quality within itself. This sensation is called “heaven,” and there’s no heaven besides it.

Question: Does a person use the system of ABYA de Kedusha even before the Machsom?

My Answer: This system only starts after the Machsom. See the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar” where it speaks about the attainment of Malchut de Assiya.

Question: After the breaking of the vessels (Shevirat ha Kelim) in the World of Nekudim, how did the Parsa reinforce itself to avoid breaking again?

My Answer: In order to receive the Light, it’s necessary to ascend from BYA to Atzilut – this is one of the Parsa’s reinforcements.

Question: Why is Ein Sof (Infinity) surrounded by Igulim (circles)?

My Answer: Because everyone is equal and there are no limitations.

Question: In Kabbalah, are there things like the devil and other evil forces, or are these just metaphors for egoism?

My Answer: The only thing that was created is desire. Its different, particular forms have different names. My sensations of myself and of my surroundings are also desires or forces, but we perceive them as vectors on a TV screen, as pictures. In reality, the only things that exist are the force of reception (creation) and the force of bestowal (the Creator). They depict the entire picture we see. When we attain these forces, we are immediately freed from the illusion of the visible picture of the world, and therefore, Kabbalah describes our world as being imaginary and dreamlike.

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Two questions I received on Kabbalistic texts

Question: I understand that Kabbalah is focused on changing life. But I can’t find instructions on how to integrate all the other fundamental texts, such as Humash, Mishnah, Talmud, Halachot, and others. How do you use them? Do we even need them? And how do we put it all into perspective?

My Answer: Once you learn Kabbalah, then when you will read other sources you will begin to understand that they all speak about spirituality or the Creator alone. That is to say, they are also Kabbalah, only written in a different style! For example, right now I posted an abbreviated translation of the Torah weekly chapter. Why? Because in this book, the greatest Kabbalist of all times, Moses, describes the ascent of man’s soul along the 125 steps of the ladder of similarity to the Creator. We must now realize this ascent – all of us together and each one of us individually – uniting more and more on every level, so that at the end of the ascent, we will become the single soul of Adam. No other source explains about this path so precisely and in so much detail!

The Zohar is a commentary on the Torah. Our next step is to gradually start studying The Book of Zohar through this blog, and then we will begin to see what was really passed down to us in the Torah. Then, after the Torah (Humash), we will also be able to learn Mishnah, Talmud, and Halachot in this manner. All of these books only speak about the correction of man, his soul, or the egoistic desire – Yetzer Ra – that was created by the Creator. And after that, the Torah (Tavlin) was given, only for its correction. Those who don’t feel egoism within themselves don’t study the Torah. They read an “empty” text instead of the text that Moshe gave them. You will be able to correctly “integrate” all of these books only after you properly attune yourself to using holy books (holiness is something that brings you to the property of holiness – love and bestowal).

Question: When I studied Kabbalah in college, a book titled Sefer HaBahir was mentioned many times, but you don’t mention this book on your website or at your lessons. Did this book ever exist?

My Answer: Yes, the book Sefer HaBahir exists. However, we mainly study the works of Baal HaSulam, who was the last Kabbalist and therefore is the most suitable for the correction of our souls. In addition to his works, we also study the works of Rabash, Ramchal, and Tanach.

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Two questions and answers on the issue of questions and answers

Question: What’s the point of listening to someone else ask you a question? And in general, what’s the point of questions?

My Answer: It is written that “a shy person cannot study.” One has to ask questions, but at the same time one should heed the answers and delve deeper into them, until they become absolutely clear, that is, until they enter you. When you listen to your friend, you unite with him in his desire for the goal, and this is important for uniting within the group. I mean, your desire on its own is never enough to attain the goal, for the Ohr Makif (Surrounding Light) to evoke a new intention “for the sake of another” in your desire. It was only for the sake of such unity with others that the worlds appeared, that the soul of Adam was created and then broken, and that this world was created so low. This was all done in order to create for the person a place for free will. Therefore, the only thing we do is realize our free will in our attempt to absorb the desires and goal of our friends in the entire world group.

In such a way, humanity will have to solve its common crisis, i.e. the revelation of mutual hatred and separation. People will discover that this mutual hatred and separation is causing a life threatening situation, to the point of the destruction of their lives. Even though their life is empty and worthless, they treat it as being very valuable since it is the only life they have, and as such, people will start listening to questions – to the desires of others – until everyone will unite in one question (as stated in item 2 of the “Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot“): “What is the meaning of our lives?” They will then come to Kabbalah.

Question: You often say that spirituality is beyond time, motion and space. What do you mean?

My Answer: You need to find the answer in Talmud Eser Sefirot, Part 1 “Histaklut Pnimit (Inner Reflection).” You can’t get around it – you have to study. Those who are looking for an easy way out by asking questions don’t understand that only by studying Baal HaSulam’s materials (in any language) can they evoke the Upper Light of correction. Questions and answers are only intended to introduce beginners to the path. At the very least, you should go through all the posts on this blog. Perhaps, for now, this form of studying is most appropriate for you.

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A question I received: In one of the lessons you said that in the full correction, only souls, not bodies, are taken into account, and it could be that out of the seven billion people living in the world, only seven of them will attain the full correction! How is this supposed to mean that the Creator is good and does good, if He lets people reach total correction at the price of total annihilation! And I’m supposed to feel good and justify the death of those close to me!? Is this what you call “good and does good”!? And at the same time, you also express sadness that your teacher, Rabash, has passed away; I see how you talk about Rabash with your eyes closed, and I am in awe from how much you love him.

My Answer: There is a law by which the program of creation’s correction becomes realized (the Reshimot from the fall of the separated spiritual souls, from the descent of the worlds). When we willingly incorporate ourselves into this law, it feels absolutely comfortable, but to the degree we don’t conform to the realization of the plan of creation’s correction, we feel suffering, to the point of the destruction of bodies. It is impossible to destroy the souls, but by decreasing the number of bodies, the souls unite together (many small souls unite into a few large souls), not through our efforts, but through suffering (the destruction of bodies). The Creator desires goodness – to bring us to similarity to Him. Read Baal HaSulam’s article “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose,” which explains that our development is purposeful, and the Creator does not consider intermediate states, but only the final state! And I don’t grieve for Rabash, I’m always with him! It’s not something that happened in the past, but now, and I am grateful to the Creator for such a teacher and intermediary between me and the Creator.

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Two questions I received about men’s and women’s desires

Question: As I understand, a man has to feel all the women’s desires as his own, and then ask for their correction. But what about a woman – does she feel only her own desire? And does she then need to transfer it to the men?

My Answer: A man should feel all the desires of the whole world as his own, and ask for their correction. A woman can feel only her own desire and aspire to transfer it to the men’s group, to those who aspire to the Mutual Guarantee (Arvut).

Question: If a woman is Malchut, the will to receive, then how can she attain the quality of bestowal?

My Answer: She does it by transferring her will to receive to the men’s part, the will to bestow, and this results in the desire “to receive for the sake of bestowal,” which is equivalent to bestowal.

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