The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.

Daily Morning Lesson: August 1, 2026

Part 1: Excerpts from the Sources on the Topic: Hachana (Preparation) ENG ONLY

Reader: Dear friends, today we are beginning a structured, organized process, an emotional process of preparing for a regional congress. The regional congress will start on the 29th of October, three months from now. As usual for us, the preparation is often the most important part of every process we go through. Today we'll divide the lesson into two parts. In the first part, we will watch a lesson by Rav from November 30, 2016. Of course, this lesson is relevant to these moments: how to begin a preparation, how to have a preparation, how to prepare. Then we will have a discussion and social time on this topic also. Our goal today is not to get into the minute details of what we will have exactly in the contents, what the timetable will look like. No, our goal is to start the preparation, to get excited, to enter it. So let's watch the lesson, let's collect each and every detail, let's be alert, let's listen to every counsel by Rav, because this is what will accompany us from here on in the next three months. So, Rav's lesson. Please.

Reader: Hello, our lesson today is on the subject of preparation. You can ask questions live on KabTV. Selected questions will be asked during the lesson. So, this is a special lesson on the topic of preparation.

M. Laitman: (01:48) Everything is a preparation. Our entire life is a preparation. Our entire development is a preparation. The whole of creation, all of it is a preparation, preparation, until its very end, until the final correction; it's all a preparation. Each and every day has to be a preparation for the next degree. We attain a certain state for a certain moment, and then again, we're in preparation for the next moment. So, besides those moments during which we achieve something as a result of the preparation, the rest of our life is preparation, and this is normal. That's how it's supposed to be. All of humanity is undergoing different discernments. The still, vegetative, animate are developing out of the animate degree. Adam started developing; that suddenly made this leap compared to the animate degree, that, as a result of the development of the ego that started developing somewhere there hundreds of thousands of years ago. It's all preparation. Billions of years of preparation. Up to the point where a person's ego develops and starts preparing him for a more and more intricate life, complicated life, that the ego is pushing him towards economic, financial developments, commercial developments of different sorts. This is how we develop for thousands of years afterwards. As a result of the development of the ego, we came to a development where the end of the development of the ego is the so-called end of capitalism, and it's also a preparation. Now we're at the end of the age of the ego, where there's no further place to develop to. Actually, already in the beginning, we're in the middle of the middle of the middle.

The days of Baal HaSulam, it started. The end of the egoistic development started. Back in Marx's days, it's also a preparation for the next era, for the next period, where the development is no longer according to the ego but according to how you rise above it, which is a completely different degree than everything else that we went through since the beginning of creation and up to this point, up to this state, where the ego burned out, as if it exhausted its development. It's as Baal HaSulam writes about it back in those days — Marx's, Baal HaSulam — they write about it, that we have to reach the new generation.

M. Laitman: (05:38) So, preparation — Achana — preparation for a different state, truly a revolutionary one. And the same with us, similarly to how the whole of humanity is developing through preparation towards, I don't know how to call it, communism, or whatever, where you live not in order to profit, but in order to profit on connection. And the same here: we and you have developed different forms of development until we reach a state where we feel that we have to rise above — each has to rise above himself — and this is how we come to the wisdom of Kabbalah. This is how it is in the wisdom of Kabbalah: that you have a certain period of preparation, and you reach this sprinting point, like an airplane that takes off after some preparation leaves the ground. But the preparation is extremely important. And the preparation, we scrutinize all the different degrees which become revealed on the next degree. And since all of these degrees, all of these states which we achieve, which we attain, they're pre-ready, pre-made, and there, each of them is in its glory — sorry, each of us is in his full glory and connection with everyone, in adhesion with the Creator. So, each and every degree that's ready for us we simply have to prepare our deficiency for it, and then we climb on it.

 Therefore, the preparation it's not just preparation that maybe someone else will pay instead of me and I'll enter the next degree. No, because Achana builds the Kli by which I will receive that which is prepared for me. I will receive my image that is already there, and the Achana becomes the main thing. 

Therefore, precisely these deficiencies, these preparations, we collect them, join them together, and all these preparations they are what we need in order to reach our state at the final correction- that we're already there. We can talk a lot about preparation. Usually we don't want it, we disregard it. The more advanced the person is he can measure his advancement by the extent to which he appreciates the preparation to the extent he can bear it, to the extent to which later on he starts understanding it, agreeing with it, really loving it, that during the time of preparation he starts getting the tastes of the next revelation. And really, there's no difference between preparing yourself to receive some kind of a reward. But the extent to which a person is willing to remain in the preparation, for him the yearning for the adhesion becomes truly the adhesion itself. These are things that we still have to learn. Let's hope we'll come to that and feel that, and that is revealed as a result of the experience.

M. Laitman: (09:56) Now, why am I saying this? Preparation, it demands- it demands some attention for us to be attentive to it, to appreciate it. Not that we have to forcefully remain in the stages of preparation, but a person suits the spiritual revelation, fits it when he doesn't demand anything for himself. He's in this preparation, the Creator gives him what He gives him, he agrees with it- Chafetz Hesed- delighted in mercy. 

And if he advances, it's only in order to equip himself with an even greater deficiency to give contentment. Meaning, there's a kind of psychological change and approach to the process that we're going through, where we don't ascribe the preparation to ourselves, but only to the Creator. And it's not to the extent to which I yearn for Him, but to the extent to which I ascribe, and attribute my yearning to Him for Him to be able to reveal Himself to His creatures. To be able to get contentment from it, and so on and so forth. So, let's see what the Kabbalists tell us about it, and we'll advance.

Reading: (12:05) 1. RABASH, Article No. 22 (1990), "What Is the Order in Blotting Out Amalek?”

It is known that in every thing, we discern two discernments: light and Kli [vessel]. Even in corporeal things, we discern internality and externality in everything. The externality is called the Kli, and the internality is called the “light.” For example, when a person yearns for bread, or for meat and fish, etc., a person does not yearn for the Kli, meaning the external part, which he sees. Rather, he yearns for the interior, which is not seen, meaning to the taste of bread, or meat, or fish.

Moreover, we see that enjoying the pleasure dressed in the Kli requires preparation. To the extent of one’s preparation, so one can enjoy the light of pleasure clothed in the Kli, which is regarded as the externality. In other words, a person who comes to drink water when he is thirsty is not like one who drinks water when he is not thirsty, since the Kli for reception of pleasure is measured by the level of yearning for the pleasure.

For this reason, we see that when a person wants to enjoy drinks, he first eats acrid and salty foods in order to invoke in him the desire to drink. It is likewise in everything: Without yearning, it is impossible to enjoy anything. This stems from the beginning of creation, as we learn that the purpose of creation, which is His desire to do good to His creations, created a desire to receive delight and pleasure. Before the fourth phase—which is yearning—is revealed, it is still not regarded as a Kli that is fit to receive the light and pleasure.

M. Laitman: (14:31) Here he's talking about the preparation being the yearning for something; it's clear. Even regarding the process we went through; you can't compare the deficiency that I came with in the beginning, the very first time I met the Bnei Baruch group, what I thought about myself, the Creator, creation, everything, reality, the process, general, particular, compared to the way I change later on. These are vast changes, not always pleasant, usually they're not, because we have to bend ourselves, we have to think a lot, agree with things that our ego does not agree with, and advance that way. Well, what can you do? This is why it takes a lot of time, and the gist of the preparation is for the first degree, I'd say, which is the hardest to attain. It's a very special kind of preparation, because a person has to change from corporeality to spirituality, and to go through many phases. He both has to complete his corporeal preparation and also acquire the very first spiritual preparation, and therefore it takes time and effort. Whereas later on, as he climbs from the first spiritual degree to the second, and so on, there, the changes are of the same style. Of course, these are vast, essential changes, but it's not like that transition from zero, from corporeality to spirituality. 

Therefore, we must understand that it is a special deficiency which we have to acquire, that we have nothing even similar to it, opposite to it, nothing. And the very first change, the very first time that it happens, it's a spiritual revolution, it's a miracle. Afterwards, as we climb from one degree to the next, it's no longer considered a miracle. It's natural. You're naturally climbing the ladder of degrees. And we see that the preparation, it can become revealed in different forms, shapes, manners. And actually, this is the main thing that we have in our spiritual advancement: the preparation. And the preparation is especially in terms of our change of values: that we exchange our values, that yesterday I appreciated something, and today I appreciate something much more exalted, new. 

Maybe yesterday I wouldn't have recognized it at all, that today it becomes so important. And this is maybe some way that I can measure the advancement — advancing in values, not by the power you have, the understanding that you have, of course not the knowledge that you have, but the extent to which I look from the inside, through different eyes, through different values at the world. Questions? None. On the screens? 

So, let's start with Tzvika. We always have someone. I also want to say that I'm happy to see the Spanish and Portuguese groups that are especially with us for this occasion, and the young group from the U.S. Great. Spain-Portugal, it's really a group consisting of men, also New York, obviously, a question from New York. 

Question (New York): (19:42) Yesterday, we scrutinized what the Ibur is, and we prepared ourselves for the topic of preparation. How can we prepare ourselves for the state of conception, to be an embryo?

M. Laitman: We'll talk about that; it's still early to jump into that. Ibur is, meaning, preparing for Ibur it's correct, it's preparing for the first degree. And preparing for Ibur, as we've learned yesterday what Ibur is. Ibur is the smallest degree in the spiritual reality, that we annul ourselves until the degree of the still, meaning that we have nothing that we can demand for ourselves, which is the Tzimtzum. And whatever comes to me I make of that, I use what I go through, what comes to me only in order to minimize myself to the degree of zero upon all the disturbances that come upon me. 

And I accept these disturbances, good, bad, it doesn't matter, in order to recalibrate ourselves to reach this zero, this nothingness. That's the preparation for the degree of Ibur, in short.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (21:08) You opened up and you said we need to finish our corporeal preparation before we enter spirituality. What do you mean, to finish our corporeal preparation?

M. Laitman: We live in a very special time of preparation for spirituality, both we individually — those that are called Yashar-El — and those that aren't drawn to the purpose of creation, but humanity in general. That we have, we, Bnei Baruch, that is, those that are in the spiritual process, also humanity in general — in short, we have finished the egoistic development. It is finished actually in the 19th century, in the days of Marx; that's why he wrote about it. 

And then, Baal HaSulam wrote about it, that the ego is no longer working, it's no longer working on the human level. There can be no addition to it. If I would work and produce more than I need, then everything that's produced more than I need will be taken by the elites. And at the end, they empty me out until I have nothing but only enough to eat. And all of this wealth is owned by them. 

In such a state, we reach the fact that I can't buy anything except for the necessity, and then there is nothing to produce for. You see how much abundance there is in the world. There's wealth, there's abundance, but to buy there's a problem for people, that if all of the surplus is taken away from you, other than the necessity to live, then at the end of the day, all of the wealth gets concentrated at the top, and all the poverty at the bottom, and that's how it ends. 

Baal HaSulam writes about it the same, that the managers did not leave the people, the common folk, anything. Not that they're evil or anything — the ego is pushing them, the ego is pushing them to act that way. And that's why there are other excuses as well. I'm not an economist. That's why we're reaching the conclusion. And Marx wrote about this more; Vass Lomniz too. He mentions it as well, and so on.

What can you do? There's nothing you can do. By that, the ego ends. We've reached a state that you can bring out of a person. We've concluded that state, that a person will create everything that he can, and he'll be given the minimum he needs to live in this regime. But that's reaching an end. Meaning, what you can extract from them is concluding. That's what they're talking about now. Maybe we'll spread some cash from the chopper. But it's nonsense. I don't know what they're talking about. It won't help. 

You can do that, seemingly to awaken things, because printing out dollars is no problem. You know it's all being thrown out to the garbage. Why is all the production so short-term that it ruins after six months? This process is reaching an end. The next regime needs to arrive, one that's not built on the ego. How can you build something not on the ego? We're not capable of doing so. So then what's the solution? A war. So there it comes, the First World War and Second World War. Now they're talking about a Third World War. And more and more. 

Meaning, these preparations are no longer preparations. They are... It's the ill patient that's been given a little more, another infusion, like with Arik Sharon that was in a coma for seven years. It's as if he's alive. So that's the state we're in. And in 2008, this crisis. So we're beyond the point of repair. We can either go to a world war — Baal HaSulam writes about it as well — or we can move on to an educational regime, that a person needs to be educated to the next formation, which is already a connection. Call it socialism or communism, whatever you want. It doesn't matter.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (27:13) There are a lot of people who reach 40 and they're jobless. And then when you go beyond 80, there's a lot of people today... You once spoke about this, that after the age of 40, they lose their job, and they don't find a job anymore. And this happens in our group as well.

M. Laitman: So how do they live?

Student: They get Social Security and so on. 

M. Laitman: That's what it means. They're given some crumbs so they won't die. There's nothing you can do. The ego that governs society — go up above all the regimes, above governments, and nations, go up to the cause. The forces acting in the human society, that's how they're setting us up. 

You have a problem? Go to the Creator. Seriously, nothing you can do about it. Look at the people, also those that are seemingly sucking the blood out of everyone, and also those that are living off these crumbs like the Social Security. There's nothing you can do. The ego governs us that way. No one's to blame. No one is to blame. We're reaching a state, I'm telling you, in the United States — even in the United States — when was it, the 30s? What's it called, the financial disaster there? Five million people died of hunger. In other places as well, but nothing you can do. There's no solution to it. We're the solution. What preparation can we do to it? How's the world ready for it in its own preparation? And we are in our own. By that we'll see, either we end up in a war, a world war, especially today when the economy is such global; or we'll show them, we'll be able to convince them that there is no other solution, that on our behalf there has to be preparation for broad explanation, and to the world you need to explain that it needs to prepare itself for the next regime. 

That's what Baal HaSulam writes. That's the new regime. Trump won't help. Trump won't help. He will only awaken and show us all that there is no solution. Clinton, it's clear that it's leading to war. This path, it's clear where it's leading; but Trump wants to show us how there is no choice, there is no point of return there, there is no point, you can't return to capitalism. He wants to return this to America? No, there is no return. 

Meaning, we're now in a very special time of preparation, right? True preparation, which is to criticize, to scrutinize the fact that there is no choice anymore; from the general state, the scientific — that what is needed is only to understand what the system of nature requires from us. It's a very special state. They'll find out very quickly, very quickly.

Question (New York): (31:43) If we say that our entire path is preparation, then preparation for what? And the second part of the question is, what differentiates the preparation?

M. Laitman: I don't need to hear New York, I need to hear the translator. So again, what's the translator saying? Go on, repeat it again, translator. Preparation for what? We're in preparation for inverting our ego to a will to bestow; that's it. That's the preparation that we need. That's what Bnei Baruch wants to happen. By that, we need to value the quality of bestowal between us, to prepare all of the values for it as much as possible, as if we want it, in order to move from — as if to value it — to want the quality of bestowal, to be in preparation for the first spiritual degree. 

For that, we need the light that reforms. That I seemingly want this first degree, that I'm a null, that I want to bestow upon her, think of everyone, make a zero out of myself, and so on and so forth, right? What we call an embryo. And of course, I don't want this, I only talk about this together with everyone, but we don't understand that it's a game. And through this game, we draw the light that reforms, and we demand for it to influence us as much as we can, seemingly say that we want it, seemingly draw it, and that's enough so it will really make this change on us. 

It will change our desire to receive, to an agreement. The first degree is agreeing with spirituality. Also in corporeality, we need to see to what extent the world starts beginning to understand that it has no choice, that it needs to agree with this educational process that it now needs to enter, and to start changing, to start being satisfied with regular normalcy.

Things, things that are not to be praised nor condemned, and all the rest, there needs to be with advancement which is educational. Educational preparation for the next state. Go on, number two. Passage number two.

Reading: (34:55) 2. RABASH, Article No. 28 (1991), "What Are Holiness and Purity, in the Work?"

We must observe the Torah and Mitzvot so it will bring us purity, where purity means purification of the Kelim from the will to receive for oneself, which is called “dirt,” since it is in disparity of form from the Creator, who is all to bestow. For this reason, before we clean the Kelim, it is impossible to place within them anything good, for anything we might place in a dirty Kli [vessel] will be spoiled.

Hence, we must receive good advice, things that will purify our Kelim [vessels], which is called “making kosher [fit to be eaten according to Jewish laws]” and “preparation” so we can receive the delight and pleasure. Because of this, we were given 613 Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds], which The Zohar calls “613 counsels,” namely counsels about how to purify ourselves from the filth of our vessels of reception.

This is as it is written in the “Introduction of The Book of Zohar” (“General Explanation for All Fourteen Commandments and How They Divide into the Seven Days of Creation,” Item 1): “The Mitzvot in the Torah are called Pekudin [Aramaic: deposits], as well as 613 Eitin [Aramaic: counsels]. The difference between them is that in all things there is Panim [anterior/face] and Achor [posterior/back]. The preparation for something is called Achor, and the attainment of the matter is called Panim. Similarly, in Torah and Mitzvot there are ‘We shall do’ and ‘We shall hear.’ When observing Torah and Mitzvot as ‘doers of His word,’ prior to being rewarded with hearing, the Mitzvot are called ‘613 Eitin,’ and are regarded as Achor. When rewarded with ‘hearing the voice of His word,’ the 613 Mitzvot become Pekudin, from the word Pikadon [Hebrew: deposit].”

M. Laitman: Yep, that's our preparation, which is Etzot — advice, that we prepare ourselves, we prepare our Kli, we correct our will to receive that it will be the intention in order to bestow. And as soon as it has the intention in order to bestow, to that extent of the intention riding on the desire, then that Kli is ready. 

We usually talk about the intention that rides on the desire; according to the intensity of the intention, we can talk about the intensity of the Kli, and then from within this intention the light is clothed, revelation of the Creator. With the intention in order to bestow upon Him, He is revealed. And by that, you do not break the condition of the first Tzimtzum. So, all of our intention is to acquire the intention of bestowal upon reception, meaning to hold the will to receive under our own control, and to the extent we acquire the intention by the light that reforms, to use that same part of the desire which is equipped with the intention in order to bestow.

Question (Nahariya): (38:38) How do you measure if the preparation you're doing is correct?

M. Laitman: The right preparation is measured according to its conclusion, according to its result, which is the intention. I got the intention in order to bestow — then I guess the preparation was correct. According to the intensity of the preparation, according to its willingness, in accordance, I receive the intention in order to bestow that rides on the desire. 

On what desire, and what desire it is, and what qualities, manners, and what intensity? It all depends on the light that reforms, to the extent I awaken it. To awaken the light that reforms, I can do it according to quality and quantity, that it's all measured according to my attitude to connect to others in the Ten. The light works only according to that. If one arrives and there is no one there, there's no Ten in the place, then the light doesn't influence. 

If there is part of the Ten, the light has no influence. If the Ten is complete, then the light influences. To what extent, in what intensity? To the extent that their ego, and character, personality, and tiredness, and rejection of all these discernments — to the extent they overcome correctly and they demand the light that will correct them, that will connect them — that is the tendency, that's the process that's worked with.

Question (Florida): (40:35) If so, what is the most important thing that a Ten or a student can do to prepare themselves?

M. Laitman: The individual student's right preparation is to be included in a Ten. And a Ten that's already existent has to care for its quality, to the extent they connect equally, each one annulling himself to the others, each one giving an example to the others, each one making sure that they're in equality. Making sure that out of that they'll come to the center of the group, each one annulling himself and trying to feel how together they activate their common desire, that this common desire will be called MAN.

If they can form this MAN, meaning all together with a single desire, with a single heart, with the participation, then the light that reform works on them, and from their lack — their lack turns into a Masach. Upon it the upper light is revealed, that in meeting the Masach, it gives the Masach this image of the Creator. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (42:01) You divided the work of the individual and the Ten into quantity and quality. 

M. Laitman: An individual has no value; only to the extent he's included in the Ten. And if he has no Ten, then he's meaningless.

Reader: Passage number three.

Reading: (42:25) 3. RABASH, letter No. 16

It is known that it is impossible to see a small object and it is easier to see a large object. Hence, when a person commits few lies, he cannot see the truth—that he is walking on a false path. Rather, he says that he is walking on the path of truth. But there is no greater lie than that. And the reason is that he does not have enough lies to see his true state.

But when a person has acquired many lies, the lies grow in him to the extent that he can see them if he wishes. Thus, now that he sees the lies—that he is walking on a false path—he sees his true state. In other words, he sees the truth in his soul and how to turn to the right path.

It follows that this point, which is a point of truth—that he is treading a false path—is the medium between truth and falsehood. This is the bridge that connects truth and falsehood. This point is also the end of the lie, and from here on begins the path of truth.

Accordingly, we can understand what Baal HaSulam said, that to be rewarded with Lishma [for Her sake], we first need to prepare the biggest Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], and then we can come to Lishma. 

M. Laitman: (44:27) That's what happens to us, and that is why we need the extended time. Because also with respect to humanity, it's easier to see. If we are not capable of seeing it upon ourselves, then we need to see it with the human development, with the human society. To the extent the human society is developing, it's becoming more and more egoistic, and it's becoming more evident with their ego, and it's not ashamed or suffering from the ego, but that's the way it is. It's there, and that's it. Nothing you can do, and that's nature. Go to my Maker. 

That's what's happening in the human society. We've seen this before — a few years ago, a few hundreds of years ago, there were different behavioural laws in society: this, and this, and that, but today we have no law. We have nothing. The most important thing is to do what you want, and this ego becomes clearer and more conspicuous. No one knows how to deal with it. Even people are proud to be this way in most cases, and that's called that the small lie is not seen, so you need a big lie. 

And in our path, it's amplified because all in all, people who behave that way outside, then the trouble of the many is a certain compensation, so there is no recognition of evil. Everyone behaves that way, so am I, so I'm fine. 

However, in our spiritual path, when we constantly realize how egoistic we are more, and more, and more, then it's clear to us that we weren’t like that before, and that the more the ego will be revealed on the ladder of degrees, we'll see that we're willing to slaughter everyone. And then, of course, that's how we are, but in spirituality, it's revealed to the extent that you see the ego, and to the extent that you're able to determine that it's evil. 

However, in humanity, the ego isn't revealed with recognition of evil; just the evil is revealed without the recognition of it as evil. And that's the big difference between what we have in our development as preparation to the spiritual degree, and what there is in the development of society — also in preparation, also that understanding, but only subconsciously, without knowledge, that there, it's without knowing that it's evil. Whereas here, we are in our individual spiritual work in recognition of evil, and in order to demand for the surrounding light to have the work made on us and make it good in the intention in order to bestow. And the human society, which is also in a state of recognition of evil — that of having no choice, having nothing to develop to, that everything has reached inclusion at a dead end, and it's the end of the era of thousands of years of development — and what's next? That is why, for them, recognition of evil, that's how it is. 

We understand that there is a path that we must advance and break through, through this barrier. But for them, this barrier isn't a barrier; it's a wall with nothing beyond it — nothing, truly so. It's a brick wall. That is why their preparation is tragic, that if everyone is in this predicament and they don't agree, then there'll be a world war. So we need, from our preparation, to explain to them what their preparation is, and then we'll advance in parallel — we and them, us and them: us from preparation to spirituality, and them from their own preparation to corporeality,

leading to the last generation, of course — both us and them, but we as a Rosh, as knowing, attaining, disseminating, taking care of them, and them agreeing, accepting corporeally the education, and by that preparing for the reception of the general light. Preparation. What can you do? Again, New York, yes, please.

Question (Moscow): (50:06) What does it mean that the light works only on a complete Ten?

M. Laitman: I have nothing to say about that. We've spoken about this thousands of times. The light can appear only in a Partzuf — or you can say not a Partzuf, you can say HaVaYaH, or you can say not HaVaYaH — but in the four phases. 

If the light doesn't go through four phases, or ten Sefirot, it is not revealed. That is why there has to be a Ten in order to reveal this light, to start feeling it, to start getting changes from it. That's it. So what is the preparation? Preparation is that on behalf of the Ten, there has to be evolution, development of the desire, the demand — meaning the correct preparation — in order to want the change, even slightly, even in a lye. 

The upper light, in the form of the surrounding light, in the form of the reforming light that's willing to take care of you with your lye and turn you into good... Even though you don't really want it, you seemingly want it, like a child that cries — even a fake cry — still, he'll get what he deserves, because he's a child.

Reader: Passage number four, the matter of the recognition of evil.

Reading: (52:01) 4. RABASH, Article No. 2 (1987), “The Importance of Recognition of Evil”

The work that is the preparation to enter true spirituality. That is, when he takes upon himself to believe in the importance of the Creator above reason, he must take upon himself that he wants to go specifically with faith above reason. Even though he was given the reason to see the greatness of the Creator within reason, he prefers faith above reason due to “because of the honor of the Creator, conceal the matter.”

This is regarded as wanting to go above reason. Precisely then he becomes a Kli [vessel] that is fit to receive spirituality, since he has no concern at all for himself, but all his intentions are only to bestow upon the Creator. For this reason there is no longer fear that should he be given some illumination it will go into the vessels of reception, since he is always trying to exit self-love.

Baal HaSulam said that as the will to receive wants only to receive and not bestow, even where it is told to work above reason it is only regarded as bestowing and not receiving because a person suffers where he has to go above reason. The evidence of this is that since the body is always concerned with receiving delight and pleasure in everything it does, and since if a person must work above reason, the body is dissatisfied with it, therefore, when a person is taught to go above reason he begins the work of bestowal. It therefore follows that when one prefers to go by way of above reason it is safeguarding that he will walk on the right path, which is the route for achieving Dvekut with the Creator.

M. Laitman: (54:28) Preparation for adhesion to the Creator is to go in bestowal. Bestowal is — how can we measure it? That I'm similar to the Creator. To the extent that I am opposite to Him. To the extent I have, from me towards Him, this hatred. I'm not afraid to say this word. I hate Him. But above the hatred, I place this bridge of love. Of course, through the light that reforms. There can't be love without hatred. There can't be compromise without concessions of what's important to me — that I truly want it and I give up on it. Why? 

That's a question. Out of the greatness, or out of what? But all in all, the spiritual work is that I go in faith. What does it mean, faith? That I receive the quality of bestowal above any rationality of mine. That, according to all of my preparations, it's not worth it. To such an extent that, to 101%, I have no justification of what I do. But only one thing: that by that, I do actions against my ego, in resembling the Creator. On behalf of the Creator, I have no payment. No reward. And I don't want any. And suddenly, I find that I have this great payment, and I need to resist it and erase it. That not only on my will to receive I need to overcome — that I don't want to have anything in it that I'll profit from — but in my will to bestow, when I give to the Creator, and suddenly find how something comes to me from Him, then this something is more than all the worlds. 

I resist it. I do a Tzimtzum upon it, the Masach, returning light. And that's considered that both in receiving in order to bestow, I work. And all of this is in order to resemble Him in bestowal, in clean bestowal. And for that, we need great preparation. Also on my will to receive that I resist, I resist using it. And also with my will to bestow, that I go and discover all of the worlds — also for that, I need to resist. That's called "not in order to receive a reward." 

And all in preparation towards every single action. And everything in this concession, like we learned yesterday about an embryo. What's an embryo? We need to remain in that degree always. And all of the rest of the Ibur, maybe now we can understand it more. Beyond the Ibur that I grow, I grow upon the fact that I reject more and more. It's like I'm in this minus of the Ibur, when they come to me, and I annul myself to zero. And then all these pleasures come to me and are revealed, all these lights, the attainments. And I annul, and annul, and annul more, and more, and more. By that, I build my Kli from Yenika and from Mochin. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (59:02) I'm asking because there are different kinds of relationships. Hate, love. What does it mean above reason and disrespect?

M. Laitman: Above reason means that everything I get from you, I check it completely. In this envelope, there I see that you put in only one dollar. And it's also torn. It won't be accepted anywhere. Well, we know you, right?

So I'm not impressed by that. I also didn't expect anything else. But now I see that you're giving me an opportunity. The Creator through you is giving me an opportunity, that I'll have faith in you, I'll believe in you in faith above reason. That I will accept that as $1,000, just like your debt. Now you can say, well, with the Creator I can say "as if," seemingly, but here it's not. It's either $1 or $1,000, right? So what do I do? I am either making an idiot out of myself, or out of him, or out of the Creator. So which one of us is it? So, what's this game here? It doesn't matter, I don't accept it. This $1,000 turning to $1, or $1 to $1,000 — why do I have to behave this way? Why do I need to receive this $1 instead of $1,000? Why do I need to receive it that way? 

That's the question. What will I get? What will I have out of that if I receive it that way? Not for me, then for the Creator, for someone. That's where all the calculations are. So, faith above reason means that I receive this $1, and I know it's $1 instead of $1,000. The measurement has to be precise. So, instead of $1,000, and I treat it as if I got $1,000. 

Student: So, not $1,000 — 

M. Laitman: No, no, no — then $999, that's the vessel of faith. So you can say, wait a minute, what faith? You know that you're missing $999. So you write down minus $999 in your balance. You write here $1, and here $999 in debt. And what's next? 

Next is that if you accept this as if you received all the $1,000, then the $999 is called faith. So what's faith? Did I forgive him? No, I didn't forgive him. I don't let the money go. If you forgive him, then it's like you cancel his debt. But no, I don't cancel the debt; meaning my will to receive remains empty, right? So why do I feel myself as if I've received it? Because by that, I resemble the Creator. What does it mean to resemble the Creator? 

By that... Where do you get this strength from? From the Creator. What do you get out of it? That I'm similar to Him. Why do you do that? To resemble Him, to give Him contentment. Based on what calculation? Based on what? Based on not receiving. And if I would receive, then I couldn't do this. Then the more I can't get, the more I won't get, the more I'll be able to give Him contentment. Yes? To the extent you can give contentment to the Creator is to the extent you're empty for the Creator. You'll discover the cleaving to the Kli od Malchut of Ein Sof. It’s empty.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:03:05) I remember you said on Saturday — people were asking you whether to work with one friend, or two, or a group. You said that it's almost impossible to work with just another friend. 

M. Laitman: One-to-one.

Student: Yes, so I remember. What is one-to-one? It's like with my wife. She irritates me, so what do I have to do? Above reason. You explode. How do you do it? Who gives you the strength?

M. Laitman: No. With a woman, it's impossible. With the Creator, you know, it's possible.

Student: So that's what I'm saying. How do you cope with such a thing? There's such a hate that awakens.

M. Laitman: It's being shown to you from above. It's a game. Because a few minutes later, then that's it.

Student: It could take a week.

M. Laitman: Well, let's say a week. It's because you're to blame. You're stubborn.

Student: I'm always stubborn, but how do you overcome? In a society, and it doesn't matter where, when you feel hate towards someone, who gives you the strength? 

M. Laitman: There's None else besides Him. What is He doing this to you for? Do you really think it's your wife? What, she isn't a puppet? Everyone's a puppet, but she's not? What do you mean? She's an angel. That's been given to you from above, right? In order to educate you. To prepare you, to make preparation. You see, now we understand what preparation is, right?  Yes. No, seriously. These things are... In truth, if we... This is to a preparation.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:04:51) If I don't feel any resistance, I got a thousand dollars — that means that I didn't prepare myself well enough?

M. Laitman: I don't know about a thousand dollars, it's...

Student: If I don't feel resistance towards connection in the Ten, so I didn't prepare myself well enough?

M. Laitman: Yes, because you still haven't been given this advancement. That's why it's still... the barriers, the obstacles aren't revealed to you. Yes. And a person in these periods of time, he thinks he advances, he thinks he's happy, but he might not be. Right, Gershon? The last six months you've been sitting with a big smile, but, like, excuse me — to say that it looks a bit silly. Is this the right preparation or not? What do you think?

Student: It's to look happy to the friends. I can erase it in a jiffy, no problem.

M. Laitman: And to what extent of disappointment are you making this happy face? Are you forcing this face?

Student: Sometimes.

M. Laitman: Okay, that's already work, that's work already. Okay, let's continue. We won't get time to it, but let's continue. Fine, New York.

Question (Portugal Spain): (01:06:33) How does it happen that the recognition of evil is our preparation for spirituality?

M. Laitman: I would say otherwise: there is no preparation for spirituality more than recognition of evil. Recognition of evil, that we're opposite from the Creator. The oppositeness from the Creator is recognition of evil in the Ten — that I'm not supportive enough, that I'm not holding on to them, I'm not included in them, that I'm not loving them. All of these indications, all these revelations that I feel in my Ten are actually with respect to the Ten; it's actually with respect to the Creator. That is why the preparation in the Ten is the most beneficial and closest to realization. We should pay attention. I can go alone in all different ways in life, to study, to read, to teach and all, but if I'm not included with my Ten, I have no chance to work with the Creator. Because I don't change the HaVaYaH, the four phases. These are the ten Sefirot. And if I'm not included in that, if I don't build them as Malchut with respect to the upper Tesha Rishonot — because I'm the Malchut and the upper nine are the friends — then otherwise it won't work. There'll be no preparation. And recognition of evil in the Ten is the most beneficial thing. Let it be revealed. It's a sign that I'm able to overcome it, to be rewarded with correction.

Reader: Passage number five by Baal HaSulam, Shamati 204, "The Purpose of Work." Passage number five.

Reading: (01:08:57) 5. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 204, "The Purpose of the Work"

During the preparation period, the whole work is in the no’s, that is, in the “no,” as it is written, “and they shall be afflicted in a land that is not.” 

M. Laitman: Land is a desire, right? Land, in the language of "No." 

Reading: (01:09:19) However, with matters of the tongue, which is considered “me,” one must first be awarded the discernment of love.

Yet, during the preparation, there is only work in the form of no’s, regarded as “You shall not have,” and by the profusion of no’s, we come to the point of God1 of Hesed [mercy]. But prior to that, there are many no’s, which is other gods, many no’s. This is so because from Lo Lishma [not for Her sake] we come to Lishma [for Her sake].

M. Laitman: (01:09:57) Our work in the first period is always against our ego, against our desire. Meaning, we need to say no, and no, and no, and no. And that's what we need to say no to — no to our will to receive. To constantly rise above, to constantly be in this no? 

If I take it through the group, and together we work on it, we're rewarded with a light that reforms. It builds in us the quality of Chesed. Right? It builds in us the quality of Chesed. That's why from the "Lo," from the no, it turns into "El." Not the Creator is first and I'm second, but I'm first, the Creator is second. And this Creator that's revealed in me already gives me the opportunity, the possibility to be in the quality of bestowal and faith. Go on.

Reading: (01:11:11) 5. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 204, "The Purpose of the Work"

Since the Sitra Achra [other side] provides support, even afterwards, when we work and extend Kedusha [holiness], still, when she takes the support, we fall from the degree, and then she takes all the abundance that they extended. By this, the Sitra Achra has the power to control a person so he will be compelled to satisfy their wish. And he has no other choice but to raise himself to a higher degree.

Then the sequence begins anew, as before, with the forty-nine gates of Tuma’a [impurity]. This means that one walks in the degrees of Kedusha until the forty-nine gates. But there she has control to take all the vitality and abundance until a person falls each time into a higher gate of Tuma’a, since “God has made them one opposite the other.”

When one comes into the 49th gate, he can no longer raise himself until the Creator comes and redeems him. And then “He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God shall cast them out of his belly.” This means that now one takes all the abundance and vitality that the Klipa [shell] was taking from all of the forty-nine gates of Kedusha. This is the meaning of “the looting of the sea.”

Yet, it is impossible to be redeemed before we feel the exile. And when we walk on the forty-nine, we feel the exile, and the Creator redeems on the 50th gate. The only difference between Gola [exile] and Ge’ula [redemption] is in the Aleph, which is Alupho Shel Olam [Champion of the world]. Hence, if one does not properly attain the exile, too, he is deficient in the degree. 

M. Laitman: (01:13:35) There is such a thing that salvation is reached without correct preparation, and it's not good. It's like a malfunction. Like "Chel Barav Yivlaeno" means that we need to do work, but not to despair that from our work there is no result, that is required from us. And it's a sign that what is required from us does not yet need be, that we still want something out of this result, to receive for ourselves, and that is why it's swallowed up in the will to receive — Chel Barav Yivlaeno. He swallowed the troops, that it was swallowed in the will to receive.

Because the second I want spirituality — to be in a group, to work in dissemination, to be in all these things — but I want it for me, for me, for me, to want something out of it, even something, then that already goes and is swallowed up in the will to receive. Because what am I making these efforts for? Preparation for what? For me? But here, there is truly help. It won't go on forever. Once the Creator sets it up that way, that we do it and we do all these different jobs. Like a small kid that plays and plays, suddenly we see that he becomes smarter. Look what he's doing now. He knows more, he does more. Where from? The light works on him as well, the light that reforms. 

Only the light works on the vessels. It doesn't matter on what degree. That is why, as soon as we have fulfilled the portion of our exertion, that all of it was swallowed up, then it rejects it, it throws it up. Then we are rewarded instead of exile, Gola, with Geula, redemption. That the Creator is revealed in that same standing, in our preparation, that is entirely, in its part, swallowed, and swallowed, and swallowed in that will to receive, and now it's revealed above it. And then, in that, we reveal the Creator. Meaning, in equivalence with Him, in mutual bestowal. Okay? Questions? 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:16:17) Okay, that's clear, but what I don't understand is, what does a person do, what's the work of the “No(s)” — that being the main work, the “No(s)”?

M. Laitman: By not wanting to do anything for ourselves, and rejecting, and rejecting, and rejecting as if we don't want — as if. And still we do want it for ourselves, but we don't understand, we are unaware of it. It's so concealed that we want it for ourselves. With all of the work that you do to the friends and towards dissemination, and that you have studied and all — what happens with all of this? Is it for yourself or not? 

So you think that it's not for yourself, but if there's still no revelation of the Creator in it, then it's a sign that these actions are still egoistic. And then these actions of yours, everything you do — nothing disappears, nothing is just for nothing, there is no such thing in the world — we are in a closed system; all of your efforts, even all of the efforts of human beings working completely egoistically, killing each other and doing everything 100% for themselves, you still see that humanity is advancing. Why? It all is absorbed in the general, large will to receive, and it's added there, and then it throws it up. Chel Barav Yivlaeno — swallowed my troops and threw them up. Therefore, in all of my actions, as much as I do them, it's all added to my will to receive, that I don't want it for myself, but it turns out that it's for Him. So, I say no, no. So then this "no" becomes Lamed-Aleph. In Hebrew, "Lo" means no, and "El" means Creator — flipping the letters. So He throws up everything that was absorbed — Chel Barav Yivlaeno, He swallowed the troops and threw them up — that all of my exertion, that wasn't completely clean; and in humanity it's not even "not clean," it's nothing. But still He throws this back out again, and then we receive it as a prepared Kli. There is some work required from us, and patience. That's it. Most important is patience. More, and more, and more, and then... You wait for it, and then He throws it back up. It's an angel. The Creator governs it, the time comes, and He throws up again.

In all of our exertion, and through the light that reforms, it gets the intention in order to bestow, which is the Kli.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:19:40) It seems that our entire life is an expectation. 

M. Laitman: That's what it says. "Did you engage in the Torah? Did you expect salvation?" That's what a person is asked at the entrance to heaven. What will he say to that?

Student: That is the essence of a person, that he simply has to agree with. That's life?

M. Laitman: I don't know. Let's say that Michael, the angel, stands in front of you and says, Did you engage in the Torah? Did you expect salvation?

Student: "Yes, but I came to receive a fulfillment." That's an expected way. 

M. Laitman: So he says, "Oh no, not this door, it's the other door." There is fulfillment. And that fulfillment that you receive, you feel it as hell. There is nothing worse than that. But together with the fulfillment, you get shame. And this is a burning fire of hell. Imagine, everything we've done in our life, imagine that it'll be revealed and open to everyone. And you won't have the chance to say, "Yes, but everyone did it. Everyone did that. Next to me in hell is also a friend. Look, look at a fellow." It won't help you. It won't help. No.

Student: So, why was man created this way, with the Klipa that constantly wants to receive? Isn't it clear that eventually there will be shame?

M. Laitman: No, we need to work so that it will throw it back up again. So that we'll get it again as our own exertion. If you try and do what you can, and every time you don't disappoint the Creator, but you go back and again and again, this return is what He needs. The fact that you fail, that's done to you by Him. Whether you like it or not, He needs something from you that you add, above what He gives you. This point of stubbornness that you're able to absorb from the friends. And by that to add — not from yourself — what you absorb from the friends. And if you're prideful, you have nothing to absorb.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:22:47) So these 49 gates build one complete degree? They're the preparation for the complete degree?

M. Laitman: All of our work, we need only these Gilmin, meaning additions from outside. Yearning of our own that arrives. What does it mean, of our own? Where does it come from? It's a closed system, like all realities. How can it come on our behalf? The fact that I include myself in the others, and I need from them to slightly... You're appealing for a little more of something, like what do you get out of that? Like this dust. So you get this dust, you get a little bit of the others, you get these little awakenings. Through them you advance. I can't find the right words for it, but... This is what the Creator needs. We add this to the creation, and by that specifically we attain this amplification times 620.

Student: So, what is the component of a single gate of impurity? 

M. Laitman: What's the component of the gate of impurity? The will to receive.

Student: How does the transition work? What's the transition between one gate and the other?

M. Laitman: In order to receive, or in order to bestow. What else do we have? Between heaven and hell, nothing else.

Student: So, in one gate of impurity there is perfection? I mean, it's like a complete structure?

M. Laitman: I don't know. No one can tell us about it. What am I talking about these things for? Gates of impurity, gates of sanctity — what do we know about that? It's in order to slightly explain what the exertion that's required is. Or the preparation, to be more precise.

Song: (01:25:01)