The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
World Kabbalah Convention - Rising Above Reason, May 18, 2024.
Lesson 1: Working in Faith Above Reason.
Reader: (00:04) Hello everyone. We are in the World Kabbalah Convention on the topic of Rising Above Reason. Our first lesson is on the topic of Working in Faith Above Reason. You can find the study material on the convention site, convention.kli.one, and in the study material tab in the Arvut system. Here in the hall, anyone who wants to ask a question during the lesson is sitting in the front part of the lesson. You should raise your hands high, so the ushers can see you, and don't bring down your hand until you get permission to speak. Those who are sitting in the back should move forward to the question seats. Those in the Arvut system can switch on the question marks.
We are in a very internal congress so let's be responsible toward the questions we ask, and try to keep them only on the topic of the lesson. Questions about dissemination, social issues, political issues, family, domestic issues, we'll give them a special lesson after the congress. Before we get into the lesson, the Tens have prepared for us now, as a preparation for the lesson, they prepared a question that we want to start with, so, friends, please.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:39) We now went through a very serious preparation together with the whole world Kli. The friends, we did it with this trembling, and with fear, and with great deficiency, and with this big expectation. We feel that it's a fateful convention. It's not a regular convention, we've reached a point where I don't know how to explain this point. I want to ask you, what is your expectation from this convention?
M. Laitman: Expectation, expectation is something great, it's actually like a forward light, a headlight, or a light in front of you. It pulls a person toward his goal. For many months, we've been learning about our expectation, our main expectation. Our basic expectation, which is to reach faith above reason, to achieve it. Sometimes we feel these words as some sort of words. Sometimes they are filled with meaning and here, we need to concentrate on life's purpose, the purpose of creation, how we realize it. This is why we have connected, why we've come here, and why we are in this expectation, in anticipation. But this is really what we need to reach the power of faith, which is above our reason. Then, through it, we can enter all the upper worlds, and find in them, everything we need, the whole of the Torah, the law, our whole path. Therefore, as a first lesson, we chose Working In Faith Above Reason. Everything we can grasp in our regular vessels that we were born with and developed with, these are vessels that are within reason. But spirituality is entirely on a higher level, above reason and we need to reach this. Let's hope that during these lessons, during these two days, four lessons altogether, we will be able to realize this plan.
I really hope you will begin to feel, those who still don't, what is faith above reason. What it means to live in this faith and to agree, to understand, to accept that this relation. This approach to spiritual life, in faith above reason, is our greatest salvation, which the Creator has arranged for us. We need to rise to this degree, you are ready, according to how much you've heard. How much you've prepared yourselves, and I think we should succeed, so let's begin.
Reading Excerpt Number One: (08:04) RABASH. Article No.3 (1986), “The Meaning of Truth and Faith.”
We were given the path of faith, which is above reason, namely not to take our sensations and reason into account, but say, as it is written, “They have eyes and see not. They have ears and hear not.” Rather, we should believe that the Creator is certainly the Overseer, and He knows what is good for me and what is not good for me. Therefore, He wants me to feel my state as I do, and for myself, I do not care how I feel myself because I want to work in order to bestow.
Therefore, the main thing is that I need to work for the Creator. And although I feel that there is no wholeness in my work, still, in the Kelim of the upper one, meaning from the perspective of the upper one, I am utterly complete, as it is written, “The outcast will not be cast out from Him.” Hence, I am satisfied with my work—that I have the privilege of serving the King even at the lowest degree. That, too, I regard as a great privilege that the Creator has allowed me to come closer to Him at least to some degree.
M. Laitman: (10:27) Yes, a person has a great privilege if the Creator brings him closer, and he can unite with the Creator. It is truly a great privilege that's why our whole path is a path of faith above reason, above what we can feel, understand, absorb, it is all above it. We need to accept the Creator as the Overseer over everything, that He knows what is for our best, what is bad for us. And everything He does, if we relate to it as He expects, then we will see that everything is done for our benefit. If we don't, then we need to see that this is how it is felt in us, as opposite from the Good and doing Good. And it is because we, for the time being, is how we behave. Let's hope that we will change our behavior among us and with the Creator, and then we will see that He really is Good and does Good to everyone and to everything.
Reader: (12:34) What does it mean that if we relate to the Creator as He expects us to relate to Him, then we will see that He is Good, that does Good? How does He expect us to relate to Him?
M. Laitman: As the Good who does Good, you just said it. If we relate to Him as Good and doing Good, and try to do everything in order to turn to Him as being like that, or that He is like that. Then we will feel in return His relation, His revealed relation, which is Good and doing Good.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (13:32) Four years ago, when I started learning, I was afraid of this idea of working above reason when I heard it, it created this. Today I'm in a different place but what I wanted to say is I feel that working above reason is to bring out the control from myself and bring it over to the Creator. The control of whatever is happening, and what needs to happen. Many times I feel as if I try to work above reason but I return again back to my own thought, to my desires, to on-off. It always escapes from me, I try with all of my strength and then it returns back to me. The question is how can I strengthen this state where I will work more above reason than I currently do, today?
M. Laitman: Only through the environment, it's written and this is what we learn, only through the environment. I look for an environment that I can be connected to, and then I hold myself in a state where I don't fall. I don't jump, but the environment holds me in the right state, in mutual bestowal with them. And then it turns out that I'm in faith above reason through the environment.
Student: I need to be in an element toward them? Then, if I also, see sometimes that the environment doesn't accept everything they're doing?
M. Laitman: Yes, yes, and then you also need to check why it seems that way to you and what to do in order to be with them in complete alignment.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (16:04) How do we act out of privilege and not out of the ego in order to serve the king?
M. Laitman: If we can rise above our egos then this is how it turns out. That we work out of the refinement and not out of the ego.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (17:01) It is written, even though there is no completeness in my work, in any case in the upper Kelim, meaning from the perspective of the Upper One, I am utterly complete. How could it be that I am complete?
M. Laitman: How can it be? When we rise to the higher place, meaning when we acquire these higher qualities, connection with the Upper One. Then we will see ourselves as corrected.
Student: How can we depict that to ourselves?
M. Laitman: We can depict ourselves this way, if we really try to rise to the degree of the Upper One and be connected with Him.
Student: How can this depiction of ours help us reach faith above reason?
M. Laitman: Our depiction can elevate us above our reason, and by that we will see how the Upper One relates to us, and we will relate to Him this way.
Student: How does yearning help us in that?
M. Laitman: It shortens the way. It elevates us to the Upper One, and it explains to us what is happening with us.
Student: Is it good to speak about our yearning with our friends?
M. Laitman: Yes, but not in every place and not every time. We have to work on our yearning, in order to arrange it correctly, so it will acquire the right form.
Student: How can we organize that correctly?
M. Laitman: Again?
Student: How do we organize that correctly?
M. Laitman: Organizing it, correctly, how do we organize it correctly? When we unite between us, connect between us, and speak among ourselves, and decide that we have to rise in the connection with the Upper One, as we rise, we begin to understand what the Upper One has prepared for us.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (21:15) I understand that our reason is based on matter. What is the spark that brings us to faith?
M. Laitman: In each one's heart, there is a spark from the light of Ein Sof. And if a person yearns to reach connection with the friends, and through them with the Creator, that spark begins to shine in him. This is what, in the end, through exercises, through the connections between us. It is what elevates us to a state where the spark becomes light, and that light is what shines in us and gives us a feeling of attainment of the spiritual state.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (22:59) We are told here that from the perspective of the Upper One, we are a vessel for wholeness. How do we change our perspective? What practical steps can we do to change our perspective so we see and experience this wholeness?
M. Laitman: You need to behave like the upper Kli, a complete Kli, and then you will understand what else you lack.
Student: It's not like I'm black and I suddenly become white, it's like there's a leap here. How do I bridge over this matter?
M. Laitman: We all come from the will to receive in order to receive. It is completely the opposite of the bestowing nature, the nature of the Creator. In order to invert us, to correct us, we need to change ourselves and to become changed. And that comes through the reforming light.
Student: Is it a complete inversion or is there a graduality here?
M. Laitman: Gradually, for certain, and also not completely in a way where we cannot return. We can return, and to our sorrow that does happen.
Student: Is it desirable to return to it?
M. Laitman: No, certainly not, our whole progress is from in order to receive to in order to bestow, from corporeality to spirituality. Therefore, returning is no good, but it could be that it would happen. Therefore, we need to be connected to the friends in the Ten, connected to the Creator, connected to the process. And in that process, that we will see the extent to which we, in each and every one of our steps, that we go forward.
Student: Even if there is a descent, it's in order to rise higher in the next phase?
M. Laitman: Yes, yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (25:59) Continuing the question of the friend, yesterday, we said that we have to force the Creator to bring the next state that we want. My question is that the fact that we come and promise each other the connection, that we are committed to each other. Does that give the Creator the commitment to us on the next level?
M. Laitman: The Creator doesn't need to do that, there cannot be such a thing. However, we, when we wish to correct ourselves, we need to constantly be in yearning. That happens if we are in connection with the friends because then each time, I receive awakening and a push from them, and accordingly, we progress.
Student: We had a very deep preparation for this congress, all the friends feel it. And now, too, we feel a very internal power among everyone. My question is: What in this congress, from this first minute, now that the congress started, what do I, as a friend, who is responsible and wants to give the friends this strength. What should I do to demand internally, so that in this congress we will really reach the new level?
M. Laitman: Through connection we will come to the degree of bestowal, and that should hold us and elevate us from degree to degree.
Student: In other words, I have to ask not only for me, but for everyone, the power of love and bestowal, that this is what we want to happen in this congress?
M. Laitman: Yes.
M. Laitman: At least in the Ten.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (28:30) I'm from Haifa 10, I came from the group, the rest, I suppose, they need to be drafted, forcefully to come here. I have an excerpt here: There is a matter of above reason, which is when one wants to go with his eyes shut. Meaning, although reason and the senses do not understand what they are told but they say that we must take upon ourselves faith in the sages, as it is written, and the Lord said. And they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses, and without faith, it is impossible to attain anything in spirituality. My question is this, how do I rise, how do I silence the beast in me, even for the smallest thing? How do I rise above reason, even in one degree, one centimeter?
M. Laitman: I'll be very happy, and I'm certain that you will attain this, but these things need lots of thought. Because we hear faith above reason, the force of faith, the force of bestowal, to rise above. But these are words, there are no feelings behind them. That's why we need to work, like the Kabbalists tell us, that we should do all that they say. And this way, we will gradually reach the implementation of them, to realize them.
Student: Carlos from Congo writes to me that he's very happy, he writes here that he only wants to bless us in this Congress. He's from French 1, from Congo.
M. Laitman: Thank you to the friends from Congo, thank you.
Reader: Maybe we'll go to another excerpt, and then move to more questions?
Reading Excerpt Number 2: (32:48) Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 4, "What Is the Reason for the Heaviness One Feels when Annulling before the Creator in the Work?"
The essence of one’s work is only to come to feel the existence of the Creator, meaning to feel the existence of the Creator, that “the whole earth is full of His glory,” and this will be one’s entire work. That is, all the energy one puts into the work will be only to achieve this, and nothing else.
One should not be misled into having to acquire anything. Rather, there is only one thing a person needs: faith in the Creator. He should not think of anything, meaning that the only reward that he wants for his work should be to be rewarded with faith in the Creator.
The work above reason, sorry, excerpt number two, the essence of one's work is only to come to feel the existence of the Creator. Meaning to feel that the whole earth is full of His glory.
And this will be one's entire work. That is, all the energy one puts into the work will be to achieve only this and nothing else. One should not be misled into having to acquire anything.
Rather, there's only one thing a person needs. Faith in the Creator. He should not think of anything, meaning that the only reward that he wants for his work should be to be rewarded with faith in the Creator.
M. Laitman: Maybe again? Again.
Reading: (34:03) Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 4, "What Is the Reason for the Heaviness One Feels when Annulling before the Creator in the Work?”
The essence of one’s work is only to come to feel the existence of the Creator, meaning to feel the existence of the Creator, that “the whole earth is full of His glory,” and this will be one’s entire work. That is, all the energy one puts into the work will be only to achieve this, and nothing else.
One should not be misled into having to acquire anything. Rather, there is only one thing a person needs: faith in the Creator. He should not think of anything, meaning that the only reward that he wants for his work should be to be rewarded with faith in the Creator.
M. Laitman: Questions?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (35:34) All of man's work should be to feel the existence of the Creator, meaning everything is the Creator. Regarding the feeling, I have a question. Sometimes we feel fear, insult, it's also from the Creator. How do you behave with these emotions?
M. Laitman: They don't agree with those feelings, they don't want to feel them, they don't want to accept them. They understand that all those feelings are something that doesn't come to us from the Creator, directly.
Student: Meaning it is some invitation to do work.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: The work, how does the work look like, what do I tell myself? Or what do I tell myself once I feel anger?
M. Laitman: That you need to get rid of it, you have to dispel it, to correct it.
Student: To pray, to ask for help. Is that something I can do on my own, or the only way is to pray?
M. Laitman: Let's say it's that way.
Reader: (36:49) There are Congresses all around the world, there are gatherings, as you can see on the screen. First of all, we're thankful to all the friends who came together. Thanks to them, we feel inspiration and great awakening! Thanks to everyone who made the efforts to rent places and drive to be with their friends. If you want to ask questions, I already see some question marks, Moscow, Turkey. So we can go. Let's ask.
Question (Moscow): (37:45) I am from M43 in Moscow, we just finished our MAK course. The question is this, for thousands of years, religions said there's no way to get to heaven, no knowledge goes by the way of faith. Many of us came to Kabbalah to attain the Creator, to know the Creator, and, here, there seems to be a contradiction, so I would like you to settle it for me. Should there be only faith or faith above reason? Is it a hierarchy of terms, what is it?
M. Laitman: The thing is that the faith that we talk about in the wisdom of Kabbalah is not the regular faith that people are used to. It's faith in the fact that the Creator is the upper force of nature and we attain it. We attain Him in our reason, in our feeling. We resemble Him to the extent of the measure of bestowal we reach. And this is how we understand the Creator and the world He created. This is what I can answer you.
Question (Turkiye): (40:14) How can I understand the articles of Rabash and my great Rav, when everything is written from a degree that is above reason. I'm still within reason, within my intellect, and from within that I cry to unite with the Creator?
M. Laitman: Nice question, I would say it's a little cunning. But the thing is that, yes, we are capable of understanding and feeling to draw to us the upper light. And then we will interpret every single question in its correct manner, in its correct way. That's why there's no problem here, very simple. Do you have anything to add?
Question (Argentina): (41:25) How can we arrange the feeling that needs to awaken within us so that the body agrees to work for the sake of heaven?
M. Laitman: We need to work together in solving all the questions that awaken in us. And to connect ourselves in order to include those questions with the answers that arrived from our connection. The light that we attain through our connection between us.
Question (Togo): (43:30) Our question is as follows: What exercise can we do every day, what do you recommend that we do so that the Creator raises us to that state called faith above reason?
Reader: They asked what exercise can you recommend us to do every day so that the Creator will raise us to that state of faith above reason?
M. Laitman: What exercise? To relate to each and every friend as the greatest in the generation and to want and see our entire Kli as all being so great, as much as I can depict this to myself. And in this I want to see myself only as one who is arranging for them all the conditions for them to reach the Creator, that's all. Good luck.
Question (CzechSlovak): (45:50) You said that we have to rise to this degree and we are already prepared for it. To what degree are we prepared to rise?
M. Laitman: This is something you need to all together ask to scrutinize this, and then it will be clear to you where you are. And where you need to rise to, and by what you need to rise. And this is how you'll be able to behave.
Reader: Let's go to Uzbekistan for the first time. Let's go to Uzbekistan for the first time.
Question (Uzbekistan): (47:04) In the article it says that man's entire work is to reach the feeling of the existence of the Creator and we can attain anything only by prayer. Where in our prayer a person needs to hold that feeling?
M. Laitman: Constantly yearn for this, yearn for the Creator.
Student: There has to be a request within for it to attain this feeling?
M. Laitman: Yes, constantly hold it in your heart.
Question (Bulgaria): (48:07) If I see and feel that my Ten is perfect. That the Creator gave a great desire to all the friends. Before the Congress, there was a friend who wanted to join our Ten. Does it mean that the Creator brings us closer to Him?
M. Laitman: Yes, it means that the Creator is coming closer.
Question (Latvia): (49:02) The question is the reason prevents us from rising above it. How do we use the reason correctly so that it helps us rise above ourselves?
M. Laitman: For that we need to connect with one another and for each to help his friend rise, somewhat. And then if we bestow upon each other, each upon the other, then we will succeed together.
Question (Georgia): (50:04) There is a feeling that the Creator gathered the created beings to do good to them, to give them the quality of bestowal and love. The thing is that in this gathering, it depends on the created being, how many efforts it makes to get close to the Creator. To that extent exactly, the Creator will make efforts towards him, so is it correct to say that giving contentment to the Creator depends on our efforts?
M. Laitman: On our efforts.
Reading Excerpt Number 3: (51:11) RABASH, Article No. 24 (1991), “What Does It Mean that One Should Bear a Son and a Daughter in the Work?”
The work above reason should be unconditional surrender. That is, one should take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven above reason. A person should say, “I want to be a servant of the Creator even though I have no idea about the work and I feel no flavor in the work. Nevertheless, I am willing to work with all my might as though I have attainment and feeling and flavor in the work, and I am willing to work unconditionally.” At that time, a person can go forward, and then there is no place for him to fall from his state, since he takes upon himself to work even when he is placed right in the earth, since it is impossible to be lower than the earth.
M. Laitman: Okay, I don't see many questions.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (53:01) He talks about a state here where a person is really at the rock bottom. He says, even more, that this person has no flavor in the work, no concept of the work. Rabash's advice here is to feel, as though, the emphasis is as though he has attainment, and then he can rise from his lowly state, even move forward. My question is, that person, in contrast to us, who we just got an advice from you how to rise above reason, is it correct to say that Rabash says, first, that he's directing the person to work with his imagination, as if, as a degree. So that moving forward he'll have faith above reason because he doesn't know what that is yet. Can the imagination here be?
M. Laitman: It can be. It can advance him.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (54:14) First of all, it's an opportunity and privilege to thank the Creator for the opportunity to get close to Him. My question is that since the Pesach Congress, we've been preparing for this congress. We read these excerpts before, we asked many questions about them. What's the difference between working on these articles, before and now.
M. Laitman: That's what you have to ask the people: How they worked before and how they heard and are working now?
Student: Each one, how he personally prepared himself for the congress. How does one now realize what he prepared?
M. Laitman: According to the way one prepared himself.
Student: What kind of Kli is that, what's the difference?
M. Laitman: First of all, he has the matter here of the faith of the sages because they're talking and we read, connect to them and accept what they say. So, first, our work is work with the words of the sages. Secondly, we hear that we need to implement their words collectively, generally, and by that, build our Malchut of Heaven, our Kingdom of Heaven.
Student: There are two kinds of work here in the congress: friends who have roles and friends who don't have roles. How..?
M. Laitman: I think everyone has a role, which is to connect everyone together to one Kli, that's all of our work. Whoever comes here and doesn't feel that that is truly his place of work. This place, these friends, each and everyone, the hearts that are connecting between them. Then he's not in the right place, or he's not in place.
Student: It doesn't matter if I have a physical role. We all connect to the same role.
M. Laitman: Yes, yes, of course. I don't see here anyone that is capable, that can elude this role.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (57:39) A friend who can't work, as though, does it prevent his work from starting to work above reason?
M. Laitman: Of course.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (58:06) We aspire to reach the state of faith above reason. How does that faith manifest within us?
M. Laitman: I don't know, check yourself, but faith above reason is where we in advance define our state to the extent in which we want to rise towards the Creator.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (58:43) How is faith above reason different from the reason of the Upper One, is that the same thing?
M. Laitman: The upper reason is the opinion or the direction of the Upper One, and I can say that I don't detain it. Faith above reason is where we each time try to rise with the force of faith above our own opinion, our own reason.
Student: We can attain the reason of the Upper One?
M. Laitman: I don't know, I can't say that we have already attained it, or that it stands before us.
Student: Is that our goal or not?
M. Laitman: Our goal is to reach the opinion, the reason of the Upper One, yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (59:56) Before I start working above reason, I have the reason that connects to the sages, the friends. Then, all of a sudden something comes and flips me. I need to get some strength from somewhere so as to rise above that. When I see everything upside down, where do I take that strength, from the Ten?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: I have to connect to the Ten and fall into their hands.
M. Laitman: Not only that, pray to the Creator, connect with the Ten. And in such a way that you can fill that strength that comes to you, and you can rise above it.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:01:04) I wanted to ask about the longing to the Creator. Man feels that individually, the longing to the Creator, and for the most part it happens through descents and falls. Should a person feel the collective longing to the Creator? What would be the right form of longing to the Creator?
M. Laitman: The correct form of longing and yearning for the Creator is what a person lacks. What one lacks is the feeling, the sensation of the Creator, it's a very good state. From that state he already can move onwards towards getting closer to the Creator.
Student: If I can refine the question, does a person need to want to feel the longing in his friends?
M. Laitman: It's not on him.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:02:42) I wanted to ask about what's written. It says here that one is placed in the earth, what does it mean placed in the earth?
M. Laitman: That's the lowest possible degree.
Student: When I'm placed in the earth, it says that He has to help me. I accept this within reason? What is this obligation I take upon myself that will help me work when I'm placed in the earth?
M. Laitman: Read it a few more times and what you’ll understand will be it.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:03:41) This excerpt speaks about the force to work even where you can't work. In the previous passage we talked about how everything we wish to achieve is the earth is full of His glory. My question is, what's the connection between the earth is full of His glory and His faith and the power to work in any state and my connection to the friends?
M. Laitman: Try to ask for an explanation, try. Try to connect and ask for an explanation.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:04:52) I wanted to ask, I had quite a difficult period and now I feel within my heart the Creator and faith above reason. What can I do with that, how can I pass it forward to the Ten?
M. Laitman: As you feel it, try to tell them.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:05:35) The work above reason should be unconditional surrender. That's tough, to completely surrender, what can you say? Can I tell myself, instead of telling myself all kinds of stories, can I say, what do you choose? Work for your ego or work for the Creator and then it's easier, it's more decisive, or I need to continue, make scrutinies, or just coerce myself and say, that's it, not work for the ego, for the will to receive.
M. Laitman: Try and ask.
Student: One can do that, yes?
M. Laitman: Yes, yes.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:06:45) Faith above reason, what's the difference between the preparation stage and the state where a person is already in adhesion with the Creator? Does the recognition of evil stay behind?
M. Laitman: No, everything continues because states move upwards, above. There are problems, there are solutions, there is nearing, and so on, and again, above, and again, higher up, higher above. So, that for the time being, for us, it's the beginning of the ladder.
Student: Can I ask a question from a friend?
M. Laitman: Well.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:07:50) A person exists within his reason. I know what's better, what is more correct for me. The annulment of my reason, the ego accepts it as death, as the end of life, then there's great fear. How to go through that fear?
M. Laitman: Together with the friends.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:08:42) When there's great desire to get close to the Creator, it's a good state. If a person feels the Creator somewhat, is that not good already?
M. Laitman: It's not too bad.
Student: How to continue with that?
M. Laitman: Develop, continue to develop that feeling.
Student: What to do if the friends don't believe that?
M. Laitman: There are other friends, try and grow that feeling.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:09:40) My question is this, I'll move to Hebrew, sorry. When we have this statement, love covers all crimes which we use in our work, in our relationships, the Ten, also between spouses, the group, we use it in our spiritual work. Love covers all crimes, if we reach that, is that above reason?
M. Laitman: Love will cover all crimes. It is worthwhile for it to be within reason.
Student: It's not the same as to cover with love everything, it's not called to rise above reason, it's not the same thing?
M. Laitman: No, no.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:10:57) A question from a friend from the third excerpt, last line. A person can go forward, and then there's no place for him to fall from his state since he takes upon himself to work, even when he's placed right in the earth, since it is impossible to be lower than the earth. The question is about the expression to be lower than the earth, what does it mean? Is that when we go above reason?
M. Laitman: Below the land is meaning that anything below what his will to receive can illuminate for him or give him, make him feel.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:12:14) A person should go by faith above reason and say that I'm worthless or that my reason is worthless. Meaning, so if I'm above reason I'm worthless, and what am I?
M. Laitman: You're not worth anything.
Student: I'm zero?
M. Laitman: I didn't weigh you.
Student: If I'm worthless and I have no opinion, what am I really?
M. Laitman: Really nothing. Until a person receives a certain spiritual degree that he can ask who he is, what he is, and measure, weigh correctly, then what can he say?
Student: How to do it, Rav?
M. Laitman: What?
Student: How to make it so that from zero I come to something?
M. Laitman: Make yourself like a zero.
Student: It's hard.
M. Laitman: But that's the work, and then you'll see the extent to which this adds to you, adds knowledge, feeling.
Student: The zero is like I don't think of anything?
M. Laitman: Not thinking about anything is not the measure of zero.
Student: What is that zero?
M. Laitman: Try to open it up, try.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:14:09) If possible I want to ask in Spanish. We don't go below reason in a simple way. Sometimes we look for more and more connection and we feel like we can do something different, not outside what Rabash says. We hear Rav's words and we think maybe we can do something, something like that and then another voice awakens and says, where do you bring that idea from, someone else already thought about it, you have to go above reason. Nullify before the group, and go above reason. How to know exactly where is our labor in terms of above reason?
M. Laitman: Our labor in above reason is where we reach our reason and try to raise ourselves above that.
Student: My reason tells me, I think Rav said that and I think that my whole Ten can receive a value if we advance in that direction, but in the meantime, we're not doing that. Again, either you nullify that towards the group, or just to put it on the table and say, this is what I think but I'm willing to give up anything.
M. Laitman: So what's that, so what is that worth? That which I think, but I'm willing to give it up, so one contradicts the other.
Student: Again, the question is sometimes we have desires to help and to connect but I can just keep that scrutiny internally, do the inner work. Sometimes I think, no, I should express that, and by expressing that, maybe that's the place to labor, I don't know.
M. Laitman: We will have to talk about this more.
Reading Excerpt Number 4: (01:17:44) Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 40, “What Is the Measure of Faith in the Rav?”
One should depict to oneself as if he has already been rewarded with whole faith in the Creator, and already feels in his organs that the Creator leads the whole world in the form of “The Good Who Does Good,” meaning that the whole world receives only good from Him. Yet, when one looks at oneself, he sees that he is poor and indigent. In addition, when he observes the world, he sees that the entire world is tormented, each according to his degree. One should say about that, “They have eyes but they see not.” “They” means that as long as one is in multiple authorities, called “they,” they do not see the truth.
M. Laitman: Questions?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:19:20) I don't know how to ask it really, but I'll say this. I'm not sure how to ask it in a way that will best direct us, but right now we have a congress, we feel this atmosphere with the whole world Kli with us. The hall here is full, everyone's alert, but right now in this point we're looking for something beyond, something we can use from now on in our spiritual work. The first spiritual degree, like Rabash writes, the beginning of the spiritual path, how do we make this transition together in the best possible way? What do you recommend to us now?
M. Laitman: I recommend to connect between you with a very strong embrace, and to continue this way, and to continue this way and to perform exercises with this. To the extent in which you hold onto one another and support one another and really adhere each and every one to your group, by that you feel how much you have this one force, one goal, that there is nothing in the world that could separate between you. You are so adhered to each other, this is what we need to feel. From that you already start to get the feeling of what above reason is, what adhesion, Dvekut is, and so on.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:22:06) How to strengthen the feeling of dependence that we have on each other, that no one erupts with his ego, we depend on this connection?
M. Laitman: If you go out of the feeling of dependency and disconnect from the connection between you, it's as if you are falling from that spiritual degree that you attained, and what was desired to be disclosed to you, and there's nothing more. That's how it is. Hence we must, each of us must hold his friend, and not in order to connect to him but rather in order to push him towards connection more and more.
Student: How to strengthen you?
M. Laitman: Me?
Student: In our work, yes, to give you strength to give it to us in the most complete way.
M. Laitman: Also the same way, when you want to push me towards a connection with you such that by this connection, you will all reach one heart.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:23:58) What you answered that friend right now, is that the picture that Baal HaSulam is talking about in the beginning of the excerpt or is there something else that you can complete here?
M. Laitman: No, more or less that's it.
Student: It's constantly depicting to ourselves that we are adhered to the Creator non-stop, and beyond that we want to connect them to the Creator. Is that the connection?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And you too?
M. Laitman: And me too and that is our general mission.
Student: Is there anything else missing in this depiction?
M. Laitman: No, all the rest comes from our work.
Student: If there’s this, because we don't have some impression from this picture, we don't have the vessels that can hold on to it.
M. Laitman: You do have the vessels, what? When we don't feel ourselves connected together and the Creator can be with us, and we're holding onto Him?
Student: Sometimes there's feelings towards this depiction that you lose it.
M. Laitman: Yes, okay, it's a sign that you don't have too much of a connection with everyone.
Student: That's the point I need to seek?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:25:38) You can really feel how much of the Creator is here with us. Rav said in his recommendation to the friend that we need to make an effort not to connect us but the friend to the Creator. How do we do that?
M. Laitman: Search, search for the means to do so, to push every friend to the Creator, to push every friend to the friend, to connect together. But this happens very quickly. If we see that by this, that this is our action, then we will do it quickly.
Student: All throughout the years we learned what it is to connect between us, what is to connect to the Creator?
M. Laitman: To the Creator it's even less difficult to connect than with the Creator.
Student: In my imagination I may be able to think that I know what the Creator is, how to connect, but it feels like Rav here is touching a very new point, a very precise point in our work. How do I now take my friends and help them connect to the Creator?
M. Laitman: We will see, we haven't ended the lesson yet. Let's move forward and we will see. Every lesson goes like this, in one direction.
Reading Excerpt Number 5: (01:27:40) RABASH, Article No. 68, “The Order of the Work.”
Faith above reason causes him to feel his enemy within reason—who obstructs him from reaching the good. This is his standard. That is, to the extent that he believes in the delight and pleasure above reason, to that extent he can come to feel the recognition of evil. Later, sensing the bad yields the sensation of delight and pleasure, since the recognition of evil in the sensation of the organs causes him to correct the bad.
This is done primarily through prayer, when he asks the Creator to give everything in bestowal, called Dvekut [adhesion]. Through these Kelim [vessels], the goal will be revealed in open Providence, meaning that there will be no need for the concealment because there will already be Kelim that are able to receive.
Reading Excerpt Number 5: (01:30:00) RABASH, Article No. 68, “The Order of the Work.”
Faith above reason causes him to feel his enemy within reason—who obstructs him from reaching the good. This is his standard. That is, to the extent that he believes in the delight and pleasure above reason, to that extent he can come to feel the recognition of evil. Later, sensing the bad yields the sensation of delight and pleasure, since the recognition of evil in the sensation of the organs causes him to correct the bad.
This is done primarily through prayer, when he asks the Creator to give everything in bestowal, called Dvekut [adhesion]. Through these Kelim [vessels], the goal will be revealed in open Providence, meaning that there will be no need for the concealment because there will already be Kelim that are able to receive.
M. Laitman: Questions?
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:31:57) I heard you answering a friend earlier about anger and fear, that it doesn't come directly from the Creator in a direct manner, I heard you saying that. What happens there along the way? Is that my vessel that doesn't manage to receive it, or is there a certain filter that I can use in order to have these matters descend directly from the Creator and it won't take some other form?
M. Laitman: No, no, it depends on your vessel only.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:32:52) We have to reach, the whole land is filled with His glory. What does it mean from all the desires, how do I come with all those desires towards a certain direction? What do I do with the desires towards the Creator?
M. Laitman: You receive in these desires the feeling of the Creator.
Student: Meaning if I have desires, what am I supposed to do with them? To say, like for example, I started to work and then I understood that I wanted, even in the most basic things, let's say with food, to see how I bring the Creator there, so I start to bless before I eat, but what do I do with that? Meaning before I eat, I understand that I want to think about the Creator and be connected with Him. Is there some degree beyond that, what am I supposed to do later?
M. Laitman: You will receive an explanation from Above and direction from Above.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:34:12) To continue the question that the friend raised, you said that we have to embrace. What is to hug, how do you express this? Is it something with our intention or how do you hug, how do you embrace?
M. Laitman: We connect.
Student: In the beginning of the lesson you said that a person needs to change his behavior.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How can this be expressed? Also we're talking about intention, or visually to broadcast positivity to a friend even though there's difficulty in rejection?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: There's another question that a friend is asking to ask. There are many emotional states during the convention, states that are sent to us. How to work with them correctly in order to be incorporated in the convention and reach above reason?
M. Laitman: Try to solve them by faith above reason, that's what I can say.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:35:25) The question, we build our sensation of faith above reason personally. What deeds do we need to do collectively, together, in order to attain the faith above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What actions do we need to do in order to achieve as a group faith above reason?
M. Laitman: Whatever has to do with the entire group, what has to do with the entire group?
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:36:28) Every day, there's the reading of the Zohar and the Study of the Ten Sefirot reading from Bnei Baruch. Question: What's the connection between listening to these persistently, these materials of TES and the Zohar, and the attainment of the feeling of faith above reason?
M. Laitman: That by participating together in those times, we're getting closer to a common vessel where, in the feeling of above reason, we discover the purpose of our life.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:37:31) All this discussion that's happening here, I have the feeling that it's work that's not in me. It causes me this sensation of heaviness in this work, like this state of frustration.
M. Laitman: So what do you want from me?
Student: Good question. How do I even approach this thing altogether?
M. Laitman: Sit down and cry, cry that you don't even understand the topic that we all wish to solve and get into the topic and each feel himself in it somewhat, and you are basically detached.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:38:48) Rabash writes in the excerpt we just read, that the sensation of bad yields the sensation of delight and pleasure and before that he writes that faith above reason causes him to feel his enemy within his reason. We all understand what our enemy is as students. We understand that it's our ego, the world shows this to us, it's all very clear. The evil simply controls everything. To what extent can we advance the good and the light that's before us? I think that we can all somewhat depict, imagine this place from the unity that we're talking about, from what we're learning from Rabash and Baal HaSulam.
M. Laitman: So what's the question?
Student: The question is, how do we start to advance this between us more and more, so it'll be more tangible?
M. Laitman: Discuss that.
Student: So let's talk about this.
M. Laitman: Go ahead, what are you looking at me for?
Student: Because you're our leader. You are the head of the... you're the arrowhead.
M. Laitman: To me, it doesn't seem like that's what you should be doing. Rather, to connect in such a way that you feel yourselves connected to a single body. Then from that, the rest will come.
Student: It's a feeling that exists already, I think. We're all feeling, we're Bnei Baruch, we're a vessel that's been working for many, many years.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: We are operating as one body in everything all the time.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Of course, there are deviations and all kinds of...
M. Laitman: So what's the question?
Student: How do we push this good forward, not for ourselves but for the whole world because we are capable of doing so? There's an immense power that's happening here. How do we practically start to implement this role and start to move it forward?
M. Laitman: If it becomes important to all of us as it is to you, you will all feel the solution.
Reader: (01:41:20) We're gradually reaching the end of our lesson towards the summary of the lesson, more or less.
Reading Excerpt Number 6: (01:41:43) RABASH, Article No. 6 (1989), “What Is Above Reason in the Work?"
The matter of “faith above reason” in the work means we must believe although the mind does not see that this is so, and it has several proofs that it is not as he wants to believe. This is called “faith above reason,” meaning he says that he believes as though he sees it within reason. This is called “faith above reason” in the work. In other words, it is a lot of work for a person to take this upon himself; it is against reason. This means that the body does not agree to this, yet he accepts it nonetheless as though it were within reason. Such faith requires help from the Creator.
M. Laitman: Yes, again.
Reading Excerpt Number 6: (01:43:06) RABASH, Article No. 6 (1989), “What Is Above Reason in the Work?"
The matter of “faith above reason” in the work means we must believe although the mind does not see that this is so, and it has several proofs that it is not as he wants to believe. This is called “faith above reason,” meaning he says that he believes as though he sees it within reason. This is called “faith above reason” in the work. In other words, it is a lot of work for a person to take this upon himself; it is against reason. This means that the body does not agree to this, yet he accepts it nonetheless as though it were within reason. Such faith requires help from the Creator.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:44:47) What is complete faith, what is complete faith?
M. Laitman: Complete faith, that is the upper light that is clothed in a vessel of bestowal.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:45:31) Is faith a force?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: In the first campus we learned that faith and bestowal are the same thing, so is faith a force we can receive only for the sake of bestowal?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Now as he writes above reason, within reason, so reason is my desire? If I can receive the desire of the other as if it's mine, and to want for him and that's me, is that above reason?
M. Laitman: It depends on how you accept it.
Student: Not too long ago I met someone that she lost a lot of weight, and I asked her how she did it? She said, my son said that he was perplexed with how she looked. She said, I'm just trying, but only when her son told her that it embarrasses him, then she made a drastic change. Meaning it's the same desire, but because...
M. Laitman: That's not my expertise.
Student: My question is: If we want something for ourselves it's within reason, and I can want the same thing for someone else and it will be above reason? Let's say bestowal for example, how do bestowal and faith become the same thing?
M. Laitman: You need to think.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:47:20) It's a great privilege to be here, and to ask the question. We're as one body here and with a desire to resemble the Creator and to ask from Him, we're not here for ourselves after all. Are we here for our people, for our nation, for the world? How will we bestow now, how will this convention influence everyone?
M. Laitman: Try to be more in line with the topic, and by that more connected to the topic, and by that you'll push the whole theme of the congress forward, okay?
Reading Excerpt Number 7: (01:48:20) RABASH, Article No. 2 (1987), “The Importance of Recognition of Evil.”
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.
M. Laitman: No questions.
Reading Excerpt Number 7: (01:49:50) RABASH, Article No. 2 (1987), “The Importance of Recognition of Evil.”
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.
M. Laitman: Next, one more.
Reading Excerpt Number 8: (01:51:11) RABASH, Article No. 12 (1989), “What Is a Groom’s Meal?”
A person should accept faith above reason even though he has no feeling and no excitement about taking upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven. Nevertheless, he should agree with that state and say that this must be the will of the Creator that he will work and serve Him in this lowliness, so he does not mind what elation he feels about this faith because about himself, meaning his own benefit, he has no concern, but only about the benefit of the Creator. If He wants him to remain in that state, he accepts this unconditionally. This is called “unconditional surrender.”
M. Laitman: All right, the audience is rather tired.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:52:42) In these two excerpts, there's someone that receives a feeling or light and he doesn't take it to his own benefit, and in the second excerpt, there's someone who doesn't have a feeling and he agrees to remain in his state and as long as he's not in self-benefit, but benefit for the Creator. We are in a big convention, there are many friends in conventions around the world, also here, the Israeli Kli has arrived. Some of the friends we heard that don't have feeling, there are friends that are filled with feeling. How do we keep it? Let's say now we're about to end the first lesson. How do we come to a point where we don't worry about our own concerns, our own benefits, but the benefit of the Creator, to be in great joy, impression, such a big feeling of joy and not to be drunk on one hand or sad on the other side? How do we hold on to this state?
M. Laitman: I think that it's best if we are willing, ready to be in one heart and agree with what the Creator lands on us. We accept it, that's the most accurate condition.
Student: What point can each of us hold onto every moment now, like during the convention, this inner point where he holds on to all the states he'll go through, and all of us together.
M. Laitman: Inner connection in a single common heart of everyone. That is certain as something that can help us and save us.
Reader: (01:55:06) To increase this inner connection in one heart with everyone, and to appreciate the friends and be impressed from the quality of bestowal, at the end of every lesson there's a gift that’s prepared for us. We're going to move now to a special, moving, very moving clip. We will try to absorb the greatness of the friends and learn from them.