Morning Lesson July 20, 2023

Transcription is made from simultaneous translation, which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio.

Part 1:

Rabash. Article No. 23 (1986). Concerning Fear and Joy

1. Rav’s Introduction: This article is one of the first ones that Rabash wrote. Concerning fear and joy. What is the relationship between them? Well, let's hear it.

Reading Rabash. Article No. 23 (1986). Concerning Fear and Joy ()

2. S. (14:28) It is written that the necessity to correct bestowal not only is there no reality to receive the good in delight but there's something that distances us from his adhesion which is worse than anything. There are two matters here; the fact that a person is opposite the Creator and cannot receive the good, and his also gets distanced from faith. What is this distance of faith from the Rabash describes that as more evil than anything?

R. That he cannot reach the feeling of the Creator, the feeling of the existence of the Creator in his corrected vessels, his corrected desires. If his desire is not in order to bestow then he cannot discover the Creator, there is no vessel for it.

S. Why is this worse than anything else?

R. Because he becomes the opposite of the Creator, truly contradictory to Him.

3. S. (15:30) Two questions from a friend: when was this law defined in the cascading from above down, It is written, this is a law that the created being cannot receive bad from Him in a disclosed manner. When was this law defined in the cascading from above down?

R. Because His desire to do good to His creation, that to begin with that is the purpose of creation; out of this desire, out of this intention the Creator started creation, founded creation. So there is no such thing that from the Creator something bad comes to the person, but rather what appears as bad will come to a person, but rather what appears as bad to a person, it’s an indication that the person is his a quality in this desire he is contradictory to the Creator, therefore this is how he feels.

S. Second question: We see people that are cursing the Creator so if there's a law that the Creator disappears when we feel bad, how does that happen?

R. How does it happen that people curse the Creator? 

S. Yes

R. Because they do not understand Him, they don't feel Him, and they think that whatever they get because they have a lack of equivalence of form with the Creator so they attribute it to the Creator, that is why they reach a state where they’re not pleased with Him, they curse Him. That is how it is.

4. S. (17:35) It is written here, through fear it will be a great correction but first that they will have faith in the Creator. I thought that at the beginning of the path what we need to attain is faith, that that’s the vessel and in that vessel we attain?

R. But in order to attain faith we need fear.

S. So what is fear relative to faith?

R. Fear is that I will not be able to attain faith in the Creator.

S. Yes, that’s as a condition, but we are talking that in order to attain something we need to receive the vessel, the need for it, yes? So why is fear before faith, where it cannot be the beginning the form the quality the approach of faith before a person has fear?

R. Without fear, without a person discovering that he is fearing that he will not be able to give contentment to the Creator, that he will not be able to unite with the Creator; without that he has no connection with the Creator and he cannot begin to receive from Him any forces of correction.

S. But if a person doesn’t believe the Creator, how can he feel fear towards Him?

R. I don't understand what it means to believe in the Creator? What do you mean by that?

S. On our level, of the beginners, in concealment of Lo Lishma we always read that a person needs to believe in the Creator, what’s that?

R. It is not so. A person should reach faith. Faith is the force of bestowal with respect to the Creator; to the extent that a person bestows to the Creator he begins to feel Him because there are already common feelings between them. Then he begins to discover the Creator and what he discovered is already called; there's ‘faith’, there is ‘complete faith’, degrees of faith.

S. And before that he needs to attain fear?

R. Yes. The fear of the Lord is the first thing.

5. S. (20:24) Rabash writes here that when a person feels bad he kind of distances from the Creator, and we always remain in our will to receive even if it is corrected, even if we cover it with the intention but still is a person supposed to feel bad in the will to receive, is there a state in which a person does not feel bad?

R. Of course.To the extent that he begins to feel the Creator, the creator’s relation to him and instead of the bad feeling, he begins to feel pleasure.

S. And the will to receive remains?

R. Yes, the will to receive remains. However, the question is in what form? In order to receive or in order to bestow? If one reaches equivalence of form with the Creator, then he already has the same feeling as the Creator has well, relatively.

S. So, is there a state where a person does not feel bad in the will to receive?

R. Yes, of course. The will to receive in order to bestow, then they created beings remains in the will to receive, the will to receive cannot disappear because by that the whole of creation will disappear. So then we just need to see in what form we have the will to receive?

S. So the intention in order to receive disappears?

R. Right.

S. What does it matter to the Creator if a person feels good or bad as long as he is adhered to Him. We are supposed to be above states?

R. But no, that’s the purpose of creation; to delight His creations. On the side of the Creator He wants to benefit His creations and therefore he corrects them, specifically from in order to receive to in order to bestow.

S. That's on His behalf but on behalf of the creature what does it matter?

R. Well if the created being also wants to do good to the Creator then he also accepts this condition, Instead of receiving to bestow.

S. It's written in many places that It doesn't matter how I feel, even if I don't feel anything, good, bad, no matter what as long as I continue towards the goal to be adhered to. So why is he all of a sudden saying here, no you’re not allowed to feel bad, if you feel bad it's already…?

R. Because you are not justifying creation, you're not justifying the Creator if you feel bad.

S. So it doesn’t matter what I feel as long as I'm adhered to, no?

R. No, you cannot receive bad but still be happy with the Creator. You see, it's impossible.

S. Is it important for the Creator for us to feel good?

R. To The Creator it is important that we will enjoy from Him, from Him; from the whole of creation, which is Him.

6. S. (23:29)  in the same direction he writes that, on behalf of the upper one there are no changes; all the changes are only in the refinement in the qualification of the vessels. So what is happening here in this system? It turns out that the default choice is a vessel of reception that is always opposed and supposed to feel bad all the time?

R. We need to work all the time on the vessels of reception, In order to adapt them to the qualities of the Creator, to bestow.

S. What is this thing, the refinement or the purification of the vessels?

R. That to begin with the desire the Creator created is the will to receive, and it doesn’t change. However, the intention in order to bestow, this is what we have to put on top of the will to receive and then we will be able to receive from the Creator everything that He wants to give us, which is the whole of reality; in order to bestow contentment to Him.

S. The feeling in the vessels depends on what? What causes the feeling of the vessel?

R. The feeling of the vessel is determined by the state that the vessel is in, his desire and his intention, connection with the Creator.

S. But the desire is always to receive so if the desire is always to receive then it will always feel bad?

R. No, it depends on the intention. I can work with my will to receive in order to bestow.

S. So the feeling of the filling in the vessel depends on the intention, that defines the feeling of the filling?

R. Yes. The essence of this filling.

S. And that causes the feeling of good and delight, like he writes?

R. Yes, right.

S. Now why does he write that fear creates the vessels, that we need fear to create the vessels?

R. Because fear is actually the beginning of the right relation between the created being to the Creator. How will I arrange my vessel so that it will be according to how the creator bestows to me.

S. Where’s the emphasis? Why is it that suddenly you have fear, you have such an attitude that it changes the vessel?

R. Because fear means that I’m afraid that I will not be in the same attitude, in the same frequency as the Creator, “I to my beloved and my beloved to me”.

S. What exactly is the fear? What are you afraid of?

R. That I will not bestow.

S. There's no calculation with the feeling of filling in the Kli. It's not whether I feel good or bad right?

R. No, this is the calculation.

S. That’s the calculation?

R. Yes. I want to feel good. Because this good is felt in the Creator that I'm enjoying from Him.

S. But if I want to feel good, where's the fact that I want to bestow, I want to feel good?

R. In order to bestow to the Creator. That is the intention.

S. Meaning this addition of in order to bestow to the Creator must be?

R. Yes. That is the primary thing. That is the primary thing.

7. S. (27:22) We usually connect fear with love. It's like a partner, it's like fear to love we usually say. 

R. We relate fear to love right, so?

S. Yes. Love is bestowal and faith is also bestowal?

R. Yes.

S. What’s the difference? He's saying here that fear is the vessel for faith and that fear is the vessel for love. So some component of something is missing here for us to get there, what’s the difference?

R. Wait a minute, let's start from, we have a will to receive. The will receive, if it is under the restriction, well, screen and reflected light; then it can bestow to the Creator. What does it mean that it can bestow to the Creator, that it receives whatever the Creator sends it and whatever the Creator fills it with and receives it in order to bestow. Which means that in the feeling of the filling, it wants to correct its attitude and its relation to the Giver of that filling, in a positive way. So in that you have bestow in order to bestow and receive in order to bestow, on the side of the created being towards the Creator.

S. Is faith to receive in order to bestow or bestow in order to bestow?

R. Well, to bestow in order to bestow that’s the beginning, and receive in order to bestow that is complete faith.

S. And where does love enter here?

R. The extent that he works with his vessels of reception in order to bestow, in them we feel what is called Love.

S. What is the difference between love and faith? Is there a difference or is it the same thing?

R. Love means that he connects with the Giver and he feels that he is together with Him ‘as one man in one heart’ as we call it. Together. Faith is a correction over the will to receive that has the intention to in order to bestow.

S. I understood, faith is correction and love is already the filling.

R. Yes, the action.

8. S. (30:15) We learned that both the vessel and the light is given to us by the Creator. Deficiencies are the quality of bestowal is there another component upon it which is fear?

R. Yes.

S. First comes the deficiency for the quality of bestow but if I receive it from the Creator what am I fearful of?

R. You receive everything from the Creator there is no question about that. the question is how can you reach complete bestowal complete faith. so you have to operate your vessels of bestowal to bestow in order to bestow and later to receive in order to bestow.

S. Meaning also after we have vessels for the desire to bestow I'm not certain that I’m capable of doing it in the correct way.

R. Why are you not certain?

S. No, I'm saying even after I have a desire to bestow I still am not certain that I am capable of using correctly this desire. I still have fear that I will not be able to, that I won’t succeed.

R. Again I did not understand?

S. If I have a deficieny for quality of bestowed I received the deficiency from the creator also the screen I received from the Creator, there is a still a matter of fear that what I will not be able to receive to use the screen correctly to receive the light?

R. Yes.

S. So I don't trust that he will give me a big enough screen?

R. Yes, because you are in an action which is opposite to your desire the action is giving the your desire to begin with is reception this desire this is not become refined it keeps growing growing growing and you only operate in that you adopt this desire to be in order to bestow.  it is the Restriction screen and reflect the light like we learned.

9. S. (32:43) Many articles talk about the fear also Baal HaSulam talks about fear in Shamati also Rabash fear appears and seemes like in the middle of the way meaning if I have already have a fear it seems like I'm already on the way?

R. You will have fear from all the way here to the end of Correction it depends on where the fear is from, which kind of fear, what is based on, what is it that you want to achieve through the fear.

S. We are talking about the fear that I will not be able to bring him contentment that is the fear we're talking?

R. This is from the beginning from the very first degree all the way to the end.

S. But this fear this point if I already reached it sounds to me it’s like maybe I'm wrong, it seems like it's the middle of the way already it’s like many things that I have to do even beforehand.

R. Fine these are connection in order to feel the fear but later on through the fear you direct yourself to be in order to bestow, how to bestow, what the bestow, to what extend, how much etc. This is all in the vessel of fear.

S. What is special about fear that we talked abou it? And let’s see we do not talk about the first stage let’s say other restrictions, why is fear kind of like this gate to which we ?

R. Restriction also comes from the fear that I'm afraid of being the receiver and disconnected from the Creator. I have to enter a connection with him and then it turns out that all of my spiritual life revolves around fear. Will I be able to give contentment, will I be able to bestow, how much yes, how much no. Will I be able to limit myself to safeguard myself so that I do not receive at all etc.

S. So you're actually saying not like I said that fear is truly the gate, it’s the begining?

R. Yes this is what’s written that fear is the gate for the entrance to the Creator.

10. S. (35:05) What is it that the person decides that he feels bad?

R. To the extent that he feels bad, he is disconnected from the Creator. Then to that extent, he determines that he feels bad. He is in the bad state meaning according always according to how bad he feels he is disconnected from the Creator.

S. And It doesn't matter what bad I feel let’s say if I get hit on my finger right now I feel bad also?

R. We're not talking about biology now.

S. So that is what I'm trying to understand, how do I make the scurnity right now that now that I'm feeling bad and I am also I’m kind of in a certain state of heresy towards the work in the Creator, maybe I'm feeling bad or good and it's pushing me towards the service of the Creator, so how am I now not a heretic now because I’m in fear?

R. There is a reason for the bad feeling and what do you do with it, how from that do you rise and direct yourself correctly towards the adhesion with the Creator.

S. What are these vessels of bestowal that we are supposed to attain and correct we say that we receive it from the Creator?

R. We get vessels of reception, the upper light constantly operates on us more and more, and we feel it more, and this awakens in us all kinds of discernments, closeness or distancing towards the Creator, closeness or remoteness from the quality of bestowal.

S. So this feeling of nearing and distancing is already in the vessel of bestowal?

R. Well it is always with respect to the vessels of bestowal, even though we do not feel them, however, if I have changes of states within me with respect to the Creator and respect to my state it is always in the vessel of the bestowal that’s where the changes occur.

S. And the fear is not to lose that?

R. Yes, we start with that.

S. Is that where we also start with the joy that he's talking about?

R. Joy I don’t know maybe in that also that if I am happy that I am already in the degree of fear even corporeal one that I'm afraid of being disconnected from the Creator.

11. S. (38:05) Is the opposite of fear disregarding or indifference with the Creator?

R. The opposite to fear it's not indifference or disregard, it's disconnection.

12. S. (38:25) What is the connection between connection and fear?

R. To the extent that I am concerned about seeing my connection with the Creator, I'm being concerned about it making it greater, bringing it closer to this extent I am closer to the Creator.

S. What is the connection between the work and the love of friends and the effort to connect between us and the development of the quality of fear?

R. If I want to change and increase the quality of fear, then I need to do it through my connection in the ten, that out of the connections between us return to the Creator and we demand from him that we will have more opportunity to correct our vessels of bestow to turn our vessels to be in order to bestow.

S. Do we also have to develop fear as it says from the love of friends to the love of the Creator is also from the fear of the friends to the fear of the Creator?

R. I need to be in fear of whether I will have love of friends and whether the friends would love me and we will want both me and them to bring ourselves closer to each other.

S. Is the fear an individual or a common vessel?

R. Both.

S. What comes first?

R. It comes intermittently I would say it's hard to say what comes first and what comes later well first it is individual when the person did not yet find any connection with his stand then it pushes him to find the connection with the ten and then from one time to another once in awhile he makes a calculation regarding his situation his personal situation and how can he awaken these vessels.

S. What is the practical advice to build an exercise between us fear?

R. Practical advice is that we will understand that according to the measure of fear, we can advance. This is what influences us, this is what pushes us, what reveals new vessels for us our next steps. This is actually what is important for us. 

13. S. (41:36) In the ten it is felt that the fear to not see the greatness of the friends, the fear of disregarding them and not be in connection with them, what about the rest of the corporal desires where it's not easy to relate everything to the Creator altogether?

R. I don't understand what is it that you're trying to say really? What do you mean, what about all of the desires?

S. At work in my family when I go to the garage I do not feel the reality of the Creator.

R. Yes and?

S. But I feel that eventually we have to relate everything to him and include everything that's in reality to him. how can I do this with the rest of the desires which are not in the connection that I have with the friends?

R. This is already a matter of, a more practical matter. you imagine to yourself that all of your desires come from the Creator and you and each and every desire you ascribe it to the Creator.

S. How do we practically do that?

R. You think about it that is your intention everything is result through the intention and if you ascribe it to the Creator that you try all the time to be directed towards him in all of the correction of every correction of your desire even the smallest ones.

14. S. (43:36) If there is no fear does not mean that we are not working correctly? If we do not fear doesn't mean that we are not working correct?

R. Yes, it is considered that I am not developing my vessel.

S. How do we work, how do we advance without fear?

R. You cannot advance without fear.

S. If we live in reward and punishment that I'm actually afraid of punishment that I'm not bestowing so my intention remains egotistic, so what is the spiritual fear really?

R. Again.

S. We live in reward and punishment and I'm afraid of punishment because I'm not bestowing so my intention still egoistic?

R. Yes and no, if he is afraid of the punishment of not bestowing. meaning he is in the bestow he is just has a problem that he's not bestowing enough.

S. He's afraid of punishment because he's not bestowing but being punished because hes not bestowing?

R. Yes, but he's in order to receive and he's afraid of the punishment of not doing in order to bestow.

S. So this is an egotisitc intention?

R. It's an egotistic intention.

S. So what's the spiritual fear?

R. The fear that he is affaird he is about to receive that he's not working in order to bestow.

S. So this is the correct feeling, a good feeling?

R. At least, yes. At least that.

15. S. (45:45) Right now there's fear because if I'm not bestowing to the friends that I will get from the Creator some corporeal problems it's not because I will bestow. So what turns this approach that I am afraid that I will not bestow instead of that I will get some corporeal problems?

R. Again

S. Right now I have a fear that if I will not bestow to the friends I will get a certain corporeal punishment, corporeal things?

R. That's your current state.

S. Right, so what turns a person that he will start to feel fear that he's not bestowing not because of he is affaird of the punishment?

R. Well he's afraid that he will receive a punishment from not yet being in bestowal?

S. But seemingly that's incorporality it's not because he's bestowing to the Creator?

R. Yes.

S. So what lets a person feel that feeling that he's not bestowing to the Creator not that now he will get some corporeal punishment?

R. Where does he feel this from?

S. That he wants to feel that.

R. The Creator doesn't bestow to him it's all from the upper light, but the upper light is already ready to bestow upon him in such ways that he will not feel whether he's bestowing or not.

S. So it's simply a matter of time until he receives this true feeling that he is fearful that he's not bestowing to the Creator?

R. Yes, that's the beginning, the beginning of the fear that he's not bestowing.

S. But what can accelerate at what can make a person feel it quicker?

R. Think about it in all kinds of ways, don't let go of it, and then after he scrutinizes these matters he will advance, that is all.

16. S. (47:55) How does a person reach the understanding that he can use some desire in order to bestow, does it come from above or is it some calculation that a person does?

R. Everything comes from above.

17. S. (49:00) If I feel bad it's mean that I'm condemning the Creator, right?

R. Yes.

S. So how well in the will to receive it's always going to be this way, how can we not condemn the Creator, how can I agree with everything that he does?

R. If you ask from correction from the Creator and you're working with vessels of intention to receive in order to bestow or bestow in order to bestow at least then you're feeling the pleasure and not the punishment.

S. So I have to ask the Creator for it?

R. Yes.

18. S. (49:42) So is it correct to say that we always give the fear from below and the faith comes from above?

R. Yes.

S. So can we say that the work in the ten is what builds the correct fear in a person? I mean what should our fear be for example about how can I be afraid to become disconnected from the influence of the ten, this is the fear that is close to us that is practical that we can implement it?

R. Yes, of course that's close to us,

S. So I need to measure myself at time even no matter if I'm talking to them or not whether I'm under the influence or not?

R. Yes, be afraid that you will disconnect.

S. This is something that I should feel once in a while or it's like a frequency that's always there?

R. More or less more or less, it's like waves not pulses.

19. S. (50:59) He writes here that when a person is fearful and he's careful that his intention will always be in order to bestow than the Creator can give him his bestowal and it will be in wholeness. So the friends question is well he has two questions, what does it mean that he's careful? What should we watch out for?

R. Again, the situation?

S. He writes that when a person is afraid and cautious that his intention will always be in order to bestow the Creator will give him his bestowal and in his wholeness. So what should we be careful of because he says to be cautious? What should we be cautious about?

R. That his intention to bestow to the Creator will disappear and will not stop.

S. And where is this caution manifested in the work between the friends in the Ten?

R. Where he constantly wants to strengthen his connection with the friends because that's only thing that his success is depend upon in bestowal.

S. Is there a difference between being cautious and being in fear?

R. I wouldn't differentiate those.

20. S. (52:25) Yesterday you talked about shame, is this a preliminary stage before fear or?

R. Yes, it's a proceeding stage.

S. And when you have the vessel than you stop being ashamed when you have the vessel already?

R. Look we are in states in which we have where we have also shame fear and all kinds of discernments both corporeal and spiritual, and then between them we are kind of moving around. We need to rise above them already and that's actually our state.

S. You talked about complete faith, meaning that a person already reaches a connection between the friends and he can already place the right intention the screen and everything, so shame he already crossed that stage of shame he passed it or is it still there?

R. Yes, shame remains always almost to the end of the way.

21. S. (53:53) I didn't understand the allegory he gives here about the restriction. He writes that it's like a person who covers himself so no one will see him. Can it be said that a person who hides himself so others will not see him does not see himself because of it? What does it mean because of this he does not see himself?

R. If he were to conceal himself to the others than towards himself he is nevertheless disclosed, he is revealed.

S. In respect to himself he’s revealed?

R. Well, let's say I took a blanket right now, or something, and I covered myself so I'm not seen, you see a blanket or something, but towards myself I exist but towards them I do not exist so what are you asking?

S. So I don't understand why he says that the Creator hides Himself when the created being is in order to receive. What does that mean?

R. That towards the vessels that are in order to receive the Creator does not exist.

S. Okay I understand it. The created beings should also perform the same restriction?

R. In order to see the Creator they have to go through the restriction.

S. When we work between us on connection what does the restriction work on exactly in the connection between us?

R.The connection between us operates, works exactly in order to discern the matter of the restriction, the matter of the blanket that we're covering with.

S. When we connect and make efforts against our ego and we try to connect the light of Hassadim is actually revealed, it's the opposite right? We work with lights but, so at that moment what does the restriction work on if we actually do draw the light and we work with the lights?

R. We need to not cancel the restriction but rather to see all of reality despite the restrictions, that is to be above the restriction, that is our goal.

22. S. (56:45) The sentence says here, what is the Lord your God ask of you but to fear Him, and the question is where does fear come to a person, from this threat? Is he hiding behind his sentence or does the Creator give this fear, because that sentence says, what does the Lord your God ask of you but fear, it's like a threat behind it?

R. I don't think it's a threat. I think it's a great help that we have fear, as through it we discover the deficiency of what we're missing.

S. So my question is does a person develop from within himself or does he simply get it from the Creator? As he says, what do I demand of you? You should fear me. If you don't fear me then it's going to be one two three. 

R. So well…

S. What does this fear come to the person from, out of himself or…

R. Yes, yes.

S. The Creator gives him the fear, it's not a person develops the fear?

R. No, it depends on his actions as well but the source of the fear is in the Creator.

S. This means that what the Creator is asking of the person is to fear Me, to be afraid of Him.

R. Yes.

S. If a person is afraid of the Creator then he reaches what quality?

R. Then he already has a vessel and he can work with that vessel and attain the quality of bestowal. 

23. S. (58:38) You said to the friend before that we must not revoke the restrictions but to see everything in spite of the restrictions, to be above the restrictions. Can you explain what does it mean to be above the restriction?

R. That the restriction acts upon the will to receive. So I am now in qualities that are above the desire to receive let's say, and then the restriction doesn't operate on myself to such an extent.

S. It doesn't work then it is revoked, so what works on me?

R. The restriction gets canceled as if it doesn't exist.

S. So how do I get the pleasure in the right way?

R. In order to bestow.

S. In order to bestow. So it's the screen that actually changes the restriction?

R. Yes.

24. S. (59:40) Fear is a state of uncertainty that at the next moment I may fail and I won't be able to receive?

R. Fear is already correction I would say, in which a person begins to become corrected in that he cannot bestow to the Creator. He's already afraid that he won't be able to bestow to the Creator.

S. Why is he afraid? Why can't he trust the Creator?

R. To open what?

S. Trust, the Creator, that He will give him the strength of bestow?

R. He should demand yes but he should demand.

S. Why is this state uncertainty, of fear, this is actually the best state? Why is that?

R. Since it awakens a person and places him in the right place in the right direction.

25. S. (01:00:45) They say that fear is a correction but at the same time they say that the Creator cannot give us fear, the created being has to develop the fear, so what is this fear come from? Where is it born?

R. He can't give fear but the created being needs to develop the fear.

S. But at the same time the fear is a correction already. It's the result of an action by the Creator that He performed a certain correction in the created being, so it doesn't come from the created being, the fear itself, so we have to ask for fear?

R. Fear comes from above, yes.

S. We have to ask for it because the Creator cannot give it to us and we cannot develop it by ourselves so it is only a result from a request to the Creator that we can get it?

R. Yes.

26. S. (01:01:56) I think he is relating to the matter of, everything is in the hands of heaven besides the fear of heaven so maybe you can explain it a little bit. How do we reach the fear of heaven from having nothing, we’re the complete opposite. So is this something that we have to attain on our own, we have to develop this fear from within ourselves? How is the created being supposed to achieve it then?

R. Only in the appeal to the group and the appeal to the Creator. If we're talking about attaining it's only from above.

S. This is something that as it is described in respect to an individual person that he has to be in this all the time so fear should be like an atmosphere that we have in the ten, in our society, so that I can be nourished from it all the time. Because a person gets up in the morning and he doesn't have fear, he lost it all. There's this disconnection right?

R. Yes, he rises like a beast.

S. So what now gives me fear?

R. They are starting to awaken, they start to connect to the group, the Creator, all these forms of connection start to operate on him and then he starts to feel deficiencies in them and this awakens him to cover these deficiencies; and that's how he awakens.

S. There are a few forms of fear, and also we learned that first we have to begin in Lo Lishma. We don't have the correct fear immediately. The other fears, they were also intended to advance us so we will achieve the goal? Or maybe I have more beastly fear but it will not help me to move forward. On the one hand we only receive the initial fear, the fear of the Creator, He influences us, He gives a certain kinds of fear with respect to ourselves but from that how do I get to the fear that I will not be able to bestow? There are a few stages here that we have to, somehow we have to get to the state of…?

R. It's with the fear of whether I will be able to bestow to the Creator.

S. Right, how do we reach that? A person's in reception he’s afraid about himself?

R. Yes.

S. Fear about himself is necessary in order to advance?

R. Yes, from fear for himself he gradually moves to fear of bestowing to the Creator, whether he will be able to bestow to the Creator, yes.

S. So there is a need for this initial fear?

R. It's impossible without that, that's where we start. We start from the very existence of himself on the most fundamental level, that's what we start fearing for and then from that we start moving onwards.

27. S. (01:05:38) To continue the friend, these stages, it’s going to be always in every degree it's not to fear for myself and then comes the fear not to bestow to the Creator until the end of correction or…?

R. No, it could be that fear for himself won’t be to that extent but a person is already in a state in which he has spiritual fears.

S. So all the corporeal fears will transform into spiritual fears that I will not be able to bestow to the Creator?

R. Yes.

28. S. (01:06:23) On the topic of fear, it seemingly goes from zero to one, or zero to 100; meaning, from no fear to there is fear. There is no spectrum in the middle. Let's say I'll give an example, in love of friends there is a rich world in which we talk about the relations between the friends, annulment, this kind of work, make for yourself a Rav and here a person should feel fear seemingly there's no lane going there?

R. Yes, right.

S. So what are these interim stages?

R. Everything is there, it's just not included in that fear, where he is towards that fear.

S. That's what the friends were trying to scrutinize also in order to reach fear there has to be love in order to reach fear there has to be faith? We didn't have stage one, stage two, stage three and then there's fear; rather, a person here should feel fear and everything is included in that?

R. Yes.

S. Rabash, I don't know if it's deliberately or not, but he doesn't explain it really?

R. It's not that it's not deliberately explained, it's that it needs to be clarified in the degrees that he encounters along the way. There's nothing here that needs to be explained.

Reading the article again (01:08:20): “The holy Zohar asks…” 

29. S. (01:21:14) So fear makes sure a person won't receive for himself first of all it's only talking about people in attainment if I understand correctly?

R. Who achieves connection with the Creator, yes.

S. So a person who attained the first degree already there's a chance that he could take it for himself that he will fall into this place after he attains the first degree?

R. Anything can be.

S. So the matter of fear is to hold on to the connection with the Creator; meaning, after we attain the first degree to not take it to myself?

R. Yes that too but even before he reaches this degree.

S. So how to hold on to fear? How do we ask the Creator to hold on to this connection that we don't take it for ourselves because in our nature obviously we want to take it even more?

R. So there's a group around us and if we have connection with the group I see that all of us will not fall from above and this is how we hold each other, all of us.

S. A person will necessarily fall from the state?

R. We will see along the way. 

30. S. (01:22:57) He writes that a person cannot see the Creator as an evil doer, sometimes we have states where we feel really bad but we remember that it's the Creator, what does it mean that he disappears once we feel bad?

R. That I feel bad that I received this bad seemingly from the Creator so the connection with the Creator disappears from me because it's not the truth.

S. Sometimes I feel bad but I still ask, there are such states so what is that?

R. Ask Him for Corrections you can do that and then you will be given a connection both to the bad feeling and to the Creator but not that you attribute it to Him.

S. Another small thing, how do we reach it? It seems like a very important discernment on the path.

R. Of course it's like a point on which you invert your vessel.

S. So how do we really start fearing not to feel bad so the Creator doesn't disappear?

R. First of all, that you don't want the Creator to go away and it's not because you are afraid but in order to bring him contentment. This is the guarding, the keeping.

31. S. (01:24:45) Is there a phenomenon for someone on the path that they are fearful about feeling any kind of pleasure? Does it happen and how to relate to it?

R. No, we needn't come to a state where we reject all forms of pleasure. Rather, if I feel a connection with the Creator and I can enjoy this connection, then I can enjoy it and it will only strengthen my connection with the Creator. I cannot be with the Creator and suffer, it's impossible.

S. The friend is afraid that he's creating a flaw by enjoying. That by enjoying something he's like harming the path, his connection with the Creator?

R. No, this is on condition that he checks himself and tries to bring himself closer to the Creator and then he will see that there is actually room to enjoy, a place to enjoy in another way. 

32. S. (01:26:20) In the article it says that there's despair and that he will not be able to do it, there's a fear to fall even lower and this fear that he will fall even lower and not succeed there's like an understanding that you have to go to fear and how to enjoy such a state?

R. I need to try to find in each state of mind a point of connection with the Creator which is the most important and if I have a place or a point of connection with the Creator, I have to hold on to it and from this I will receive joy. 

33. S. (01:27:58) Is there a relation between the fear of God and the greatness and importance of the Creator? 

R. I didn't understand, is there a connection between greatness and fear of the Creator. Fear of the Creator it passes, a person experiences it so a person has to determine what connection there is between them.

S. Is there a sort of scale between if you have a very small fear it could be related to not so much greatness of the Creator and if you have more greatness of the Creator you have more fear? Is there a scale or Aviut?

R. Yes, it's more or less as you put it, yes.

S. Can you also say that actually having fear is actually receiving real joy?

R. Again.

S. Can you say that actually having fear of the Creator is related to having real joy?

R. Yes, fear is a new vessel and in this fear I discover my connection with the Creator, yes.

34. S. (01:30:09) Rabash writes that a person can cover himself in Commandments and Torah, like he is righteous but that he inside, inside he knows his fear is because of shame and for his own honor and not for the honor of the Creator. Is that a spiritual state?

R. Well of course this is a spiritual state but it's still not corrected enough.

S. So that's work in Lo Lishma?

R. Not yet.

35. S. (01:30:56) The last lesson we were saying that the Creator himself is pushing a person from the will to receive to begin with in order to help the person advance to faith above reason. First a person is afraid of some bodily or corporeal harm that he can receive in his will to receive but when he goes to faith above reason it's not a corporeal fear anymore but it's fear by not being able to justify the Creator meaning to be afraid of not being able to bestow is that right?

R. Yes, yes.

36. S. (01:32:10) Could you explain a bit more what this fear is? How could it be that of the Creator’s who is the good who does good, fear sounds like it's something opposite his qualities but gives us a big correction into love and bestowal?

R. Yes, fear is to go with the question: do I have fear of losing the love of the Creator? To put it simply.

S. So is that what it means that by this fear there will be a big correction by two?

R. Yes, love connects the two together.

37. S. (01:33:09) Do you recommend that in the tens we learn how to use our natural qualities like maybe patience, impatience, lust or laziness in order to speed up the corrections and build love on all of our desires? Is using our qualities correctly speed up correction?

R. Of course, what is the question?

38. S. (01:33:46) It is written that there is no light without a Kli, what does it mean? Why should we receive all of reality in the complete form in order to open the intention to bestow?

R. Why do I need to receive all of reality with one intention, in order to receive in order to in order to bestow.

S. Yes, why should I agree with everything the Creator is sending?

R. Everything that the Creator sends, he sends me so that I will be able to feel what he is sending, this whole package with the intention to bestow, with the desire to receive it in order to bestow because this is how it is arranged, it is the correction of the intention to receive it in order to bestow so that what I receive from the Creator by this I will later be able to correct myself and receive in order to bestow what the Creator wants to give me. 

39. S. (01:35:15) We're advancing in darkness and the happiness we get is like a sign that the Creator gives us that we are giving him contentment so the Creator gives us happiness should we just be concerned about developing fear towards him?

R. Not only fear but the intention to give Him contentment by this.

S. He's saying that he has fear that he won't be able to receive even a bit of light that the Creator is giving him, so what can he do?

R. Increase his vessel, gratitude to the Creator nearing to the friends and from them to the Creator. That's it, and he will lack nothing.

40. S. (01:36:50) If everything is in the hands of the heavens except for the fear of the heavens, so does that mean we don't have to ask for fear?

R. Fear guards us, helps us approach the vessels of reception correctly to receive in order to bestow, this is what we need to worry about.

S. And if a person doesn't feel fear, what should he first of all do? Ask for it and go to the ten and connect?

R. He needs to go to the ten. Through the ten, we can receive the feeling of fear because to the extent that we miss out on this, by this, we fail everyone, the whole ten and therefore, we should be concerned about that. 

41. S. (01:38:10) In the text he's saying for the fear of his maker he will be rewarded in performing the commandments of the Torah and in our environment when we gather to pray, to read, to have a meal together, and we feel a feeling of happiness, does that mean that we are successful in encompassing part of that fear?

R. Yes of course, of course. Very good.

42. S. (01:38:55) When I'm in the lesson and I'm focusing on the intention and making an effort, the intellectual focus disappears and then it's hard for me to concentrate but if I start concentrating I lose the intention, so what should I do?

R. First of all the intention, first of all the intention.

43. S. (01:39:34) When you melt into the friends, can you call that bestowing to the Creator or reception in order to bestow?

R. Yes, generally you can.

44. S. (1:40:03) When a person starts feeling fear, spiritual fear, that he won't be thrown out of the ten because he's not working correctly inside it, is that the practical first fear?

R. Yes.

45. S. (1:40:33) In the beginning of the lesson, you were saying that if I feel good, I always have to ask myself if I'm bestowing to the Creator and when we speak from experience when blows come from the Creator this force is revealed that lets you turn to the friends and search for the Creator through the friends and when time goes by it gets a bit blurry. You said you can't reach Lishma through blows. So the question is am I calming myself because I'm reaching a conclusion that some force comes through the blows and the experience and I have to direct it in a way. So am I bestowing to the Creator?

R. Only through the friends am I bestowing upon the Creator, only through the friends I'm directed towards Him and it's possible to direct and aim towards Him only if I take it through the friends first.

S. Thank you, did I understand correctly that the force we get from the blows is a force that I can bestow to the friends with?

R. Yes.

46. S. (1:43:16) This matter of fear always causes a conflict. I understand what all the friends are saying, I'm trying to implement it but it always happens that I know that I have faith in the Creator being the good that does good but then I cannot feel fear so am I mistaken in something or is my ten really strong?

R. Everything works out, everything works out.

47. S. (1:44:16) The more we feel feelings against the connection and they grow, so the feeling of fear grows inside. On the other hand, why can't we feel fear when we have positive thoughts towards connection?

R. Positive feelings do not allow us to awaken fear, to feel it. This is why it is actually in negative feelings, there we feel where fear is and where we can establish it in order to achieve a complete degree.