Entries in the 'light' Category

Why Wait For The Blows?

Dr. Michael LaitmanIf you gain what you so passionately desire by going through a lot of pain, you give thanks for the bad like for the good. Obviously, it isn’t the path of Light, but such is reality. We, however, have to advance only by way of the Light, as it is written: “In Your Light, we shall see Light.”

Why can’t I feel this evil long before it hits me? Why can’t I run ahead of the blow? I know it is possible! If I enter the group, I receive an awareness of my evil from the friends. It isn’t the Light that comes from Above which reveals it to me, but I discover and recognize it on my own.

Making efforts to unite with the friends, I see how unable I am to do so and feel my total uselessness. At the same time, however, I receive the greatness of the goal, cry to the Creator for help, and advance.

Having received the Surrounding Light, I turn to the group again, only to feel resentment once more, and cry out to the Creator again. He provides the Light that Reforms. The Creator draws me closer to Himself and holds me up. I begin to feel, understand, and attain more, thereby moving ahead. Then, the cycle repeats.

This is a non-stop, unbroken action that must be performed at an infinite frequency, and you are to be constantly in it. Moreover, your plea to the Creator and to the group, as well as receiving the Surrounding Light, occurs automatically. One follows the other.

You simply “press the pedal” to move in the right direction. As to how all the “cogwheels” spin in the “engine,” you are not interested in that. So, why wait for the blows?
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/3/10, Writings of Rabash, Letter 24

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Patch Up My Soul!

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What can we do to force the Upper Light to elevate us to the first spiritual degree?

Answer: There is only one answer: Keep on trying to check: Are really turning to the Upper Light or its source, the Creator? Are you binding all the factors together? Because if you are not, then you are straying off the path; you are not turning to the right place and are not bringing in the broken vessel (Kli) of your soul, saying: “Please fix it for me here!”

Suppose you take a leaking bucket, come to a blacksmith, and say: “Look, there is a hole here. I want you to fix it.” Then, as per your request, he sees the hole and stops it up.

The same happens in spirituality. You have to bring your vessel (desire) with the place of the breaking and say what needs to be done, what it means for you to be corrected. Then the Light will surely make it happen.

The Light must carry it out; it is the action itself. Your job is to prepare the intention for this action. The Light instantly glues, mends, or puts a patch. It is done by the Light. But it’s up to you to do everything else.

On the higher spiritual degrees you have to bring the Kli knowing precisely the measure to which it is broken and how it can be fixed. At that point, you take the example of correction from the Upper One; you agree with him completely or partially. You analyze not just intention, but types of correction.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/28/10, The Zohar

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An Apple In The Creator’s Garden

Dr. Michael LaitmanMan develops like an apple that ripens on a tree until it attains the final, desired state. Man certainly goes through very opposite states on this path. He feels like a hard, sour, unripe apple. Yet can he nevertheless follow the path of Light instead of the path of suffering and feel that he is constantly coming closer to the good?

When following the path of suffering, our desire to receive pleasure constantly receives blows as it grows without receiving fulfillment. However, when we follow the path of Light, it takes us through the same states consciously, and instead of living in our desires, we live in intentions, which enable us to reveal the opposite world, the world of bestowal.

In it, I receive pleasure from bestowing to the Creator. The egoistic Kli (vessel) is the desire, and the altruistic Kli is the Reflected Light, the intention to bestow, Ohr Hochma (Light of Wisdom).

I not only accelerate my development with the help of the Light, but also perceive this path as pleasure because I am going toward a desired goal. I agree with His plan, and every moment brings me closer to it.

However, the closer I get to the goal, the stronger I feel that I am opposite to it. This is because we constantly keep increasing our sensitivity toward the difference between us and the Creator, as it is written: “The Creator is critical of the righteous to the thickness of one hair.”

On the first degree, I feel that our difference is not that major: Big deal, I receive, and He bestows. Then, from the first degree I rise to the second one, and even though I become more like Him, precisely because of this, I feel that the difference between us is no longer minus 10, but minus 100. I have risen (in other words, I acquired a correction), and it operated as a magnifying glass where I see my flaws 100 times stronger than before.

Even though I became one degree closer to the Creator, I also became 100 times more sensitive. Before, a difference the size of cart ropes did not bother me; now, I am bothered by even one little hair.

The only element that can be changed in the four factors of development (the foundation, the ways of development of the foundation, the environment, and the ways of development of the environment) that influence a growing apple or a person, his spiritual gene, is the influence of the environment. This is because only the environment determines whether the apple has good conditions for growth: enough sun and moisture.

The same pertains to the soul. When we receive good conditions for growth, we will not need wars and suffering. If we want our apple (soul) to grow, it needs to be in balance with the environment.

In order to do this, it is necessary to establish a connection with this environment and attain the Upper Force through it, attain the Creator who turns into the environment and corrects it so that I, the environment, and the Creator would unite into one whole.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/17/10, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”

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You Won’t Figure Out Anything Without The Light

Dr. Michael LaitmanOnly the group can give you the desire to change your nature, and only the Light can change it, and only then will you really understand what bestowal is!

Today it seems to me that bestowal is simply to bestow to others. But that is completely incorrect!

How is it possible to bestow to others if in spirituality we unite as one whole without any differences between us? To whom do I bestow in that case: to others or to myself?

Therefore, right now we have absolutely no understanding of what bestowal is. This spiritual notion seems to get lost somehow. If I ascend to some spiritual level and see that on it everyone unites together, then it would seem like I have no one to bestow to: I am the only one everywhere!

We cannot understand this until the Light comes and gives us this spiritual vision. We egoists think that bestowal is when we give to another person by overcoming our lack of desire.
[26944]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/18/10, "The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose"

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It Will Get Easier

Dr. Michael LaitmanAt the recent Convention I revealed that I cannot unite with others or cancel myself, and I am not even able to come close to anyone! So what should I do if that is my nature?

That is why there is a means called the Upper Light. This Light is contained inside the group, but it is concealed from us and we don’t see it. It is also the place where the Creator, the quality of bestowal, is found. So how can we evoke its influence on us?

If you start studying the true primary sources in the group: The Book of Zohar or Talmud Eser Sefirot, then this enables you to attract the Light and to awaken it from inside. Why? It is because when reading these books you read about inner states, and you thereby bring them closer, awaken them, and attract them to yourself.

You awaken the influence of this concealed, inner world upon yourself, and it shines for you. Gradually this corrects you, allowing you to connect with others, and then hatred, repulsion, and separation go away. You begin to understand the importance of this unity and you desire for it to come true. And suddenly, there is a certain “click” – your first connection with others.

If you imagine the levels of this unity in the form of a scale (from 0 to 125 levels) then it means that you have moved from point zero to one. And that is a foundation!

At the Convention, we felt this point of zero, the fact that we are unable to enter unity with one another. Now we have a goal in front of us – to demand the Light that Reforms with the help of the study and the right intention.

The moment you attain the first level of unity, you become “the son of the world to come” (Ben Olam HaBa). You understand and feel what this is. You start to slightly make your way around it and you already receive the first impression of the spiritual world.

After that, things will get easier. The most important thing is the first revolution! All the other levels will simply become greater and greater. Of course, the differences between them are great and colossal in might. But nothing can compare to entering the first degree. That is because when it happens you literally shift from our world to the spiritual world. And that is a fundamental breakthrough.
[26938]
From the “Kabbalah For Beginners” Program on 11/17/10

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Ask The Creator To Do It!

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe forget that we mustn’t do anything besides asking the Creator to do it! Instead we think about how I should force my heart to open up, how I can connect with others, or how others can connect to me. However, we shouldn’t think about this at all! We imagine the connection inside our egoistic mind, yet it is nothing like what we think!

This is the level of the Upper World; we are revealing a new reality! We must only ask and that is all! We learn that everything happens by virtue of request. We raise the prayer, the MAN, and in response comes the Surrounding Light, MAD, and corrects everything, while we are simply present during the correction. Everything comes from Above, and on our part only a demand, plea, and aspiration are necessary.

The problem lies in this point: Do we turn to the Creator or do we try to do everything independently? This is the point where we make a mistake and get stuck for many years, unable to change the direction even slightly, to understand that there is nothing besides an address, a demand, a request!

In order to achieve this request we have to make efforts, but it is only to accomplish this. If we try to independently build the right social system based on love and friendship, this will be a lengthy path that will bring us to the understanding that we are moving away from the goal, that we are insincere, that we hate each other and do not move closer to unity.

Kabbalah has to bring us to a very precise analysis: Don’t try to connect to another person, you are unable to do this, you are an egoist and so is he. Only the Upper Light can do it; it has to come and meld us together – only it!

Therefore, don’t look for a connection with each other because it is written “husband and wife and the Shechina between them,” meaning there is me and my friend, and the Creator between us. “He who makes peace in the Upper will make peace in us” (Oseh Shalom BeMromav, Hu Yaseh Shalom Aleinu).

Any time we turn toward one another without the force that connects us together, it is a false address. When we hug, we do not want to hug or we do it on the level of our world. Do we really demand love, unity, or friendship from one another? It is only on the level of this world. Who of us can become a guarantor for another, or even for himself? Where do we have the strength for it? We can only aspire to each other through the Upper One, who fills all of the space between us.

If we demand for Him to fill the emptiness, to connect us together, and to always be present among us, then it will happen, and easily so. The science of Kabbalah is meant to bring us to this correct attitude, while we always run away from it, being inside our egoistic nature.

Let us not forget that “There is none else besides Him”! The Creator carries out the action, but in order for it to happen we have to precede His action with our desire. This is called “making a covenant,” where we sign an agreement with the Creator: We demand and He carries it out.

Similarly to how small children walk and pull adults after them, we are pulling the Upper Force so it will correct the nature it created; then we will become equal to the Creator. We cannot attain mutual guarantee or even really desire it. As soon as we start to talk about unity, we have to remember the condition: “Israel, the Light, and the Creator are one.” Myself, my neighbor, and the Creator between us; only the three of us together will be able to achieve true conciliation and perfection.

Precisely the aspiration to unite in the group will quickly bring us to the realization that we have to turn to the Creator for all the help!

From Lesson 8 , World Kabbalah Convention 2010,  11/11/10

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You Got It, So Pass It On!

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How can we become like the Creator whose property is to bestow, while having been created with the desire to receive and having forever remained with it?

Answer: If you begin to bestow to others through your desire to receive, you will only increase your bestowal.

There are two natures:
1. The Light = the Source of Light = the Creator = the Giver,
2. The desire = the receiver = the creature.

The creature always only receives, it can never give. When we read that the creature becomes like the Creator, this refers to “reception for the sake of bestowal,” meaning to receive and pass it on!

But I cannot pass the Light like an item can be passed in our world from one person to another. So how does this work? How can I give you something? I receive from the Creator and it cannot be any other way because I am the desire to receive pleasure.

The desire to receive cannot bestow; this does not exist in nature. Our nature only works to consume and absorb. This is a law of nature that cannot be broken. So how do I bestow to you, a stranger? A very special action takes place here.

The Surrounding Light comes from that same Creator, and this Light Reforms. This Light performs a correction and connects us together. And then I do not bestow to you, I receive, but I receive in your desires. This is what it means for me to bestow to you.

I connect the entire “body” of the collective soul to me, all of it becomes mine, and then I receive for it, but it is referred to as my bestowal to this “body.” This is the marvelous trick that happens here. When I perceive another person as a part of me, I receive for him, and it is like I am bestowing. You can object: What kind of bestowal is this, it is the same reception!

Let’s say that there is someone I did not want to give anything to, and, suddenly, I find out that he is my son. And then I am ready to give him everything because I perceive him as part of me. However, can we really call this bestowal? For example, if I had given to him before I knew anything about him, then surely. But now, what kind of bestowal is this when this is my own son? It is the same as giving to yourself.

All of this would be true if I were to reveal that other people are absolutely a part of me. But the problem is that hatred remains between us. This is a great asset, and we must love it. Another person still remains a stranger to me, but the Surrounding Light comes and creates a loving attitude over my hatred. Love and hatred remain as two lines: the right and the left, with me in the middle between them. This is why this is still referred to as “bestowal.”

In the right line, I perceive another as someone close to me, like a part of me, like someone who I am ready to sacrifice everything for because he may as well be me. In the left line, I hate him and am ready to destroy every last bit of him. And both of these lines exist simultaneously and unite in the middle line.

This continues until the very end of correction, Gmar Tikkun. And no one knows what will come after.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/29/10, “The Freedom”

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Why Did The Sea Split?

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe Zohar, Chapter “BeShalach (When Pharaoh Sent),” Item 181: Then everything shone together because even though the light of Atik is covered in Hassadim, it contains Hochma, as well, since the Hochma in AA is necessarily received from him. Hence, the Hassadim of Atik are more important than the Hochma de AA and are regarded as containing it, and that Hochma and Hassadim shine in him together. This is why the sea made the upper laws, to drown the Egyptians and to save Israel, since the upper and lower were given into his hands. …since the crossing of the Red Sea depends on Atik.

The Upper Light comes and severs the coarse desires in us called “Egyptians” from the desires called “Isra-El” (straight to the Creator), which are ready to be corrected. This happens by the conditions of the Second Restriction (Tzimtzum Bet).

“The nations of the world” in us are all the desires that cannot be corrected until the very End of Correction (Gmar Tikkun). This includes the Klipot and all the desires that are directly connected with the Light of Hochma.

The desires of “Israel” (Yashar-Kel) include all the qualities of Bina and by their nature they belong to Galgalta Einaym. Therefore, the Light of Hochma that comes makes a split in the entire depth of the desire or vessel, separating the desires that can be corrected (the ones belonging to Galgalta Einaym that are able to become AHP de Aliya) from the desires that are completely incapable of correction. That is why the “splitting of the Red Sea” took place: to separate “Israel” from the “Egyptians.”

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/27/10, The Zohar

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An Attack On Unity

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: There are less than two weeks left until the Convention. How can we use this time most efficiently?

Answer: We have to use the days that remain to prepare: See and hear more, including music and songs, work with the article summaries that talk about the unity of souls (“Matan Torah,” “Mutual Guarantee,” “The Peace,” “600,000 Souls,” “One Law,” and so on). Most importantly, we have to try to feel that we are going towards unity.

We are about to make an attack on unity, and if we attain a powerful inner and outer pressure in order to feel how we are coming together, we will thereby awaken the Inner Light inside ourselves. Then we won’t remain with our external desire which is operated by the Surrounding Light, but will put forth all our efforts so the Surrounding Light will turn our vessels or desires from outer to inner, and then the Light will become revealed inside them as Inner Light!

The difference between these two Lights is vast because the Surrounding Light influences the external desires that aren’t yet connected and which are outside of the screen connecting us. The screen is a force enabling us to be above our egoistic desire so I could give to my neighbor and connect to him (“bestow for the sake of bestowal” or “receive for the sake of bestowal”).

If I acquire a screen over my will to enjoy, the desire to unite with everyone into one soul, then I transform from an outer vessel of the soul to an inner one. Instead of receiving an awakening from the Surrounding Light, I will feel the Inner Light inside of me! This is called the first spiritual level. This is the state I expect and plan to receive at the Convention.

Obviously, in the last days before the Convention there are many disturbances awaiting us: Suddenly you will lose the desire or the opportunity to attend, and then it will come back again; suddenly you will have no energy to get up for the lesson, will experience problems at home or at work, bad moods, and anything else. Yet we have to understand that this “burdening of the heart” is necessary! It is like crossing the Red Sea, like running away from Pharaoh, coming to Mount Sinai where we reveal hatred (Sina) and separation between us.

All of this is actually necessary for us. We have to bless these states and accept them with love and understanding! I hope that our friends all over the world will understand this and accept it precisely in this way. After all, it is precisely by virtue of correcting this separation and heaviness (Aviut) of the desire that we ascend.

If we don’t have these obstacles then we won’t have anything to correct! How, then, will we ascend, and what will we step over?
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/26/10, “600,000 Souls”

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The Right Investment

Dr. Michael LaitmanBy working in a group, studying, and disseminating we rouse the influence of the Light, and it brings us new values. Bestowal becomes so important that a person changes his priorities.

Before, he wished to receive more and more qualitative fulfillment, to be the boss of his life, and to hold everything in his hands. Now, he gradually reaches the realization and acceptance of a new purpose. He discovers that when he fulfills others, this bestowal presents an even greater benefit.

One would think what is there to this except pretty words? Why does it appeal to a person? Everything comes from the Light according to the laws of spiritual physics. The global Kli (vessel), the common soul, the interconnection between everyone, opens up to a person, and then he feels that the right “investment” is to invest into others, which guarantees the eternal, greatest possible benefit. A person doesn’t see this with his own eyes yet, but he already can guess that herein lies a system into which it pays to invest, and he invests into it.

Now he agrees that the Torah, meaning the Light that Reforms, changed and corrected his 613 desires, which is, in fact, the execution of the 613 commandments. By studying, disseminating, and being in a group we expect precisely the influence of the Light. Then, instead of demanding self-fulfillment, we prefer pleasure for others. Bringing them pleasure will be advantageous to us.

This, too, is an egoistic calculation, the intention Lo Lishma (not for Her name). I wish to perform bestowal to others, and I will feel good from this. However, the Light continues to influence me. I become included in the group (the external common Kli) more and more, I submerge myself deeper into the studies, and demand more Light from it. I rouse changes in me, and, finally, I become partially similar to the Creator.

Instead of a personal gain and a “safe investment,” I obtain a feeling of bestowal without a response, and it becomes the greatest possible revelation to me. Even the fulfillment that it brings remains non-repayable and also completely directed at bestowal.

Thereby, I truly become similar to the Creator. After all, due to my own desire and choice and thanks to my effort in the group, the Light has transformed my nature. Through His force, I change myself until I become equal to the Creator in all my desires and actions to such an extent that there can be no differentiation between us, and this similarity is called adhesion.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/15/10, Shamati #16

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