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

Daily (Morning) Lesson: August 12, 2025 

Part 1: Recorded lesson – Nov 1, 2021. Baal HaSulam. Shamati 43. Concerning Truth and Faith

Reader: Hello friends, we're going to start the lesson today with studying from Baal HaSulam's Shamati 43, “Concerning Truth and Faith.” You can find it in “The Writings of Baal HaSulam” or in the Shamati book. We'll be studying from a lesson that Rav gave on November 1st, 2021. 

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Reader: We are reading in the writings of Baal HaSulam, the articles of Shamati, Shamati Number 43, Concerning Truth, and Faith. You can find the article in the Arvut system in the study material button and on the site.

You can ask questions and selected questions will be asked during the lesson. 

M. Laitman: This is a short article, Concerning Truth and Faith, Shamati 43; however, it's not simple, we stumble across it on every step along the way. On the one hand, we understand that there has to be labor and then according to our labor, our effort, we will get a reward. On the other hand, we hear and we think that if the Creator is, Good Who Does Good, and He's Almighty, and He doesn't need any effort from us because this is how He created us, so then why do we have to labor and do anything? And also, in our world, we see the same contradiction, there are people who are born in a poor family, and they're not, where they're not able to provide the child with anything special. And so, it may be that because of this, he will suffer his whole life; he won't get a good education, he won't acquire knowledge, and so on. And there are people who are born in a family where there is everything. Both the education and the knowledge, and everything he gets from the family. And even more, they give him everything, they buy everything for him, and then he goes out to life. And he doesn't really need to labor so much in order to achieve whatever he wants – compared to the person who was born in a poor family. Or even more than that, even internally, we have wise, we have fool, we have all kinds of qualities that already exist from birth. There are those who are not so successful, not in their intellect, not in their emotions, etc. That is, we all see that here, the beginning is not equal for everyone. Not in the intellect, not in the emotion, not in the qualities or the corporeal means, so how does it happen, at least, in spirituality? Maybe in spirituality there are more just conditions, more equal, because spirituality comes from above, the Creator arranges everything. So, in this world, well, maybe we can understand that this is how we are arranged, but in the spiritual world? 

And therefore, with respect to spirituality, we also have complaints: How come I'm not getting what I deserve? Like a child who demands everything from the parents; and whether they give him or they don't give him, whatever they are able to give him or not. However, it seems to the child that he can demand everything. And we are the same, that we can demand, or maybe we don't demand it, however, we do think that we deserve it. And therefore, we sit and wait, and expect that we will get something, that it will come from the Creator, Himself, another day, and another day. But at some point it will come, as it says, He will not fight forever, will not quarrel forever, and eventually I will get what I deserve. And I cannot pressure myself – for whatever reason – but only above reason, if I will pressure myself, if through the friends, somehow. In short, whichever way you look at it, there are many contradictions here in the perception of reality, even in the corporeal one, all the more so in the spiritual one. 

If we could see these things in their true, correct form, maybe we wouldn't have so many complaints against each other and against the Creator. However, we see that in corporeality and also in spirituality, these things are not organized the way it should be. And here there is a question: What kind of completion, complementation, can we do so that the world will appear as though it was created not equally, however, justly. So that in the attainment of the final goal, we reach a state where each one completes himself through the others, and each one completes the others by himself. And only in such a way specifically can we attain the correct state. So that the fact that we were born not equal, and one exerts more and the other less. That no one will have any complaint to the Creator for the fact that he made it so – how come? Where here do we reach such a complementation, and why did the Creator do it so, make the world in such a way to begin with, such that each one is in a state where it seems to him that maybe the others have it good. And therefore, we have a very hard time exerting because according to our mind, of course, we would have built the world in a different way. And why is it that as we advance, we agree with the Creator more and more, and we see how everything was done with an upper mind, an upper justice. And this is how we advance so that all people who are not equal in corporeality, and also in spirituality. However, eventually, when they finally maybe connect in a single vessel, this is how we seemingly want to explain this to ourselves, then they complete each other and we reach a state where we are all as one. Well, we're going to see this, let's start to read the article, there are many deep things here even though it is short, but well, let's see, please.

Reading: (09:25) Shamati 43. Concerning Truth and Faith

I heard

Truth is what one feels and sees in his eyes. This discernment is called “reward and punishment,” meaning that nothing can be gained without labor. It is like a person who sits in his home and does not want to do anything to provide for his sustenance. He says that since the Creator is good that does good, and provides for all, He will certainly send him his needs, while he himself does not need to do anything.

Of course, if this person behaves in this manner, he will certainly starve to death. Reason, too, asserts it, so it appears to the eyes, and this is indeed the truth, that he will die of starvation.

But at the same time, one must believe above reason that he could obtain all his needs without any exertion and trouble because of private Providence. In other words, the Creator does and will do every deed, and one does not help Him in anything. Rather, the Creator does everything, and one cannot add or take away.

Yet, how can these two things go hand in hand, since one contradicts the other? One discernment is called what one’s mind attains, meaning that without man’s help, meaning that without preceding labor and exertion, nothing will be attained. This is called “truth,” since the Creator wanted man to feel that way. This is why this path is called “the path of truth.”

Let it not perplex you that if these two ways are in contradiction, how is it possible that this state will be true? The answer is that the truth does not refer to the way or to the state. Rather, truth refers to the sensation that the Creator wanted him to feel like that way; this is “truth.” It follows that the matter of truth can be said precisely about the Creator, meaning about His will, that He wants man to feel and see this way.

Yet, at the same time, one must believe that even though he does not feel and does not see with his mind’s eye that the Creator can help him obtain all the profits that can be gained without any exertion, it is only with respect to private Providence.

The reason that one cannot attain the matter of private Providence before one attains the matter of reward and punishment is that private Providence is an eternal thing, and man’s mind is not eternal. Hence, something eternal cannot clothe in something not eternal. Thus, once he has been awarded the reward and punishment, the reward and punishment become a Kli [vessel] where private Providence can clothe.

Now we can understand the verse, “O Lord, do save, O Lord, do succeed.” “Do save” refers to reward and punishment. One must pray that the Creator will provide him with labor and exertion by which he will have reward. At the same time, he should pray for success, which is private Providence, meaning that he will be rewarded with all the profits in the world without any labor or exertion.

We also see this in corporeal possessions (discerned by their separation in places, meaning in two bodies, whereas in spiritual matters everything is examined on a single body but in two times). There are people who obtain their possessions specifically through great exertion, energy, and great wit, and at the same time we see the opposite, that people who are not so witty, who do not have a lot of energy, and do not make great efforts, succeed and become the greatest owners of property and possessions in the world.

The answer is that these corporeal things extend from their upper roots, meaning from reward and punishment and from private Providence. The only difference is that in spirituality it appears in one place, meaning in one carrier, but one-by-one, meaning in one person but in two states, and in corporeality it is in one time, but in two carriers, meaning at the same time and in two different people.

M. Laitman: Well, is it enough that you read it? I see that there are questions – well, maybe out of the questions we will be able to see something.

Question (Baltia 3): (16:56) Why shouldn't we just say that the Creator gives according to one's efforts? Why is there an addition of, you will have everything anyway?” 

M. Laitman: It is exactly in order for you to reveal the correct attitude to the reality in which you exist, this is why we are so confused. I am even giving you an example from this world. That we are all in different states, both internal in our intellect and in our emotion. Not everyone is Einstein and not everyone is – I don't know – Shakespeare. And most people are simple, and even they are not equal with one another. Each one is different from the other to some extent, according to the character, the intellect, the emotion, according to the habits that they acquire from their home, their upbringing. According to internal qualities that we are not sufficiently aware of, everyone is different, why, why are they different? It is in order for us, through our connection, to reach wholeness. So, each one has something in him that does not exist in the other, and each one has to discover how much he needs the other. That we achieve wholeness specifically through connection and not by a person studying by himself and elevating himself, there is no such thing. What happened before in the state that we discover? The shattering. And therefore, the most correct operation from our state is connection, and there is nothing else, actually. Everything is taken care of, and we cure everything through the connection between us. And therefore, if we just shut our eyes and only take care of the connection, it will work out. However, that is not enough because I also need, even to reach connection, I also need to take care of myself in order to understand the necessity for it, in order to develop the qualities that I have to begin with; and therefore, here it is a matter of inner work and external work.

Student: You also said that not everyone is Shakespeare but there is a feeling that this edition means that, don't worry, you'll have everything anyway. You'll be talented if you need to, etc. It's confusing, that's why I'm asking, maybe during the preparation we don't need to pay attention to it? On the contrary, focus on the work and not think that everything is prepared for you in advance and the Creator has given you everything.

M. Laitman: You can certainly limit yourself and say, I'm only working towards one thing, and there are such methods. However, that is unrelated to the method of Kabbalah. In Kabbalah, we want the person to understand where he is and how come the Creator made him with such qualities and in such a state, and what is it that he has to do on his own? How to magnify these qualities, how to diminish those qualities, etc., he needs to work with himself. This is a matter of the Mitzvot, the commandments, meaning that he takes care of his own emotions and intellect, his brain, and his heart in such a way so as to adapt himself more to connection. And in the connection, he discovers the Creator and he then enters adhesion with Him. And this is why we don't need to limit ourselves. To the contrary, we need to let the person, and to explain to the person everything, we have all the possibilities. And beyond that, the person himself then already takes all of the possessions, the assets within him, and he works with them. 

Question (ITA 4): (21:53) He says in a text that a person has to believe in reward and punishment.

M. Laitman: I didn't understand, what is the question? Repeat please. 

Student: What does it mean that a person on the path believes in reward and punishment?

M. Laitman: Reward and punishment is what happens to us. Look, he says in the beginning concerning truth and faith. Truth is what one sees, feels, and sees in his eyes. This discernment is called, reward and punishment, meaning that nothing can be gained without labor. This is called reward and punishment: If I will work strongly, I'll gain more; if I will be lazy, I will earn less and I will suffer, this is called reward and punishment. This is what we see in this world, usually, that it's impossible to achieve anything except through labor – this is called reward and punishment.

Student: So, our reward is according to our labor? We also say There's None Else Besides Him, but it really depends on us?

M. Laitman: Without, There is None Else Besides Him; There Is None Else Besides Him regarding reward and punishment, that is simply the landlord, the boss. As much as I work, this is how much I'll get from him. And to that extent, if I have a connection with the boss, it means that I have this relationship of reward and punishment. The more I work, I'll get more reward, the less I work, I'll get more punishment, that's it. That's the matter of reward and punishment. Besides that, there is a different issue, which is already above reason, we will come to that.

Question (Merkaz 1): (24:18) My question is regarding the fourth paragraph from the bottom. It says that, Private Providence is eternal, and reward and punishment is not eternal. And reward and punishment is a vessel for Private Providence. It's not clear.

M. Laitman: I understand it's not clear, but we'll talk about it later. You are jumping ahead without scrutinizing the previous things, and this is why it is not clear.

Question (Kyiv 1): (24:54) According to the text, it's not clear that in spirituality, it's revealed in one carrier, one subject or one place, and spirituality in two places?

M. Laitman: Well, that's the result of the breaking of the vessel. Spirituality means what we discover in a vessel that is about to be connected, to be established. That it exists in a certain connection between the parts. Then it is considered that it is in one carrier; whereas in corporeality, we're still talking about the broken vessels, and therefore, this is how we discover it. 

Question (French): (25:55) At the end of the article, Concerning Reward and Punishment, he says that there are smart people, rich people, and those who are not smart but still become rich. How can you explain it? 

M. Laitman: Okay, I see that you're all drawn to the end of the article. 

Question (PT 19): (26:31) I wanted to know how can you scrutinize the quantity and quality of the Creator that's enough to succeed with the help of the Creator?

M. Laitman: The quality and quantity should be clear to us, just like in this world. As much as you invest, according to your labor is your reward. That is clear, with reward and punishment, it's clear. Seemingly, it's all arranged according to how we see it.

Question (PT 14): (27:11) If a person feels he can behave with his friends however he wants, can he say that this is truth and that's the way the Creator wants him to feel?

M. Laitman: You have to have a certain clear line and then you will be able to check yourself and say whether you're right or not. To the extent that you are in a form that is parallel to the Creator, connected to the Creator, and according to that, you can check.

Student: What does it mean, a clear line? 

M. Laitman: Because what you said now is not clear. How can a person be like that? Repeat what you said.

Student: A person works according to how he feels toward the friends.

M. Laitman: Yes?

Student: Can he say about it that this is truth? 

M. Laitman: Where can he say that this is the truth? 

Student: He feels this way because that's how the Creator wants him to feel? 

M. Laitman: How does he know that this is how the Creator wants him to feel? 

Student: That's the question?

M. Laitman: Because he feels this way? 

Student: Yes. 

M. Laitman: But this is before the corrections. Look what he says:

M. Laitman (Source Text/Commentary): (28:44) But how can these two things go hand in hand? Yet how can these two things go hand in hand since one contradicts the other? What does he say? However, one discernment is called what one's mind attains. Meaning that without man's help, meaning that without preceding labor and exertion, nothing will be attained. This is called truth. That is, the way we work in our world. Since the Creator wanted man to feel this way. This is why this path is called the path of truth.

Question (Tel Aviv 3): (29:33) How does a person detect what the Creator sends him as work?

M. Laitman: How does a person detect what the Creator sends him to work with? First of all, he has to accept that whatever he has in his mind and heart comes to him from the Creator. And it comes in order for him to build himself right now and respond correctly. This is what we have, the judge has only what his eyes see. What I see with my mind and emotion, I have to accept to fix it – how do you call it, to fixation? I have to fix it. And from that, I need to start to work.

Student: Why does he say that one has to pray for success? Why not settle for labor? 

M. Laitman: He explains this to us. Oh, Lord, do save. Oh, Lord, do succeed. This means that we ask the Creator to help us, and also we ask of Him to succeed. But how do I ask of the Creator to succeed, where here is my labor? If I work according to reward and punishment, what is called the truth, according to the line of truth, then as much as I do, this is what I deserve. But no, they say, this is a separate thing, and there is something else. You also need to ask and pray, and expect that you will get it even without your effort. And this is called, success: Oh, do succeed, that we ask of Him that we will succeed. What does it mean that we will succeed? To succeed means even if I'm doing things incorrectly, or I'm not doing, or whatever, I'm still asking to succeed. Like a child behaves towards the mother. He cries and he asks, and he demands, etc., and she does it for him out of love. So, this is how we should also ask. 

Student: What does prayer add to success? 

M. Laitman: The prayer does everything, eventually, following these two paths, if we are going correctly as much as possible, we get confused. However, we correct ourselves, we, according to that, advance to a meeting with the Creator. 

Question (Tel Aviv 4): (32:28) If I exert in connection, does the Creator give me everything I need in order to continue the connection? In the corporeal sense as well.

M. Laitman: You need to walk on these two paths, both in truth and also in faith, or reward and punishment, and eternal Providence. On the one hand, you're going within reason, on the other hand, you're going above reason. If you did not determine what reason is, how can you go above reason? In a minute, we will scrutinize these things, we'll read the article again another time at least. 

Question (PT 7): (33:22) How can we determine that we're seeing the truth correctly? 

M. Laitman: Seeing the truth correctly, it is all very personal with respect to each and every person. What does it mean, the truth? The truth is called, what I see, what I understand. That is, what I feel according to my senses, and what I see according to my mind, my intellect. That is called the truth. 

Student: But when we begin to work with There's None Else Besides Him, this truth kind of dissolves. 

M. Laitman: Of course, it dissolves because we get confused between walking on the path of whatever we feel, and what we want to ascribe to spirituality, and the two of them contradict each other. Of course, yes, this is why I started to say before the article that there are people who, and it happens to each and every one, to some extent, that just, they sit and wait for something to happen. And they're right because they deserve it because of eternal Providence. Because there is this attitude from the Creator to people in terms of what we call above reason. That eventually the Creator comes, and He helps, and He brings everyone to the end of correction, and He connects everyone, everything nevertheless is done by His hand, There is None else besides Him, and that is all well and fine. And you cannot say anything about this approach except for one thing, that it is an incomplete approach. And where here is our effort? Well, effort, labor is not required. You can say, if the Creator does everything and will do all the deeds and There’s None Else Besides Him, etc., etc.. As much as I have such verses and quotes about it, then I can sit, and wait, and expect this to happen. So, it's clear to us, if this is in the corporeal world, then this person will starve to death, he will die. And in the spiritual world, we don't feel the spiritual world. So, it seems to us that there, everything can be done also just according to the eternal Providence and not according to reward and punishment. And it's not going to happen because there are two forms, and our problem is, and why is the wisdom of Kabbalah so difficult to accept, to understand? Why is it hidden? It's like we're trying to put a ball into a box, a square, and these are two different forms. So, how is it possible to do that? It's a problem, it is a very big problem. It doesn't work, it doesn't go hand in hand, and therefore, the perception of the spiritual world from the corporeal world is so complex, complicated, misunderstood. And only through the influence of the upper light that belongs to the upper world, and also to the lower world. When we rise to that light, then we can start to feel reality both the corporeal reality, and also the spiritual reality, and how they clothe in one another. But in truth, it's even difficult to explain what the problem is here. 

Question (Kyiv 3): (37:44) The mind and emotion, these are two channels of our perception. And they combine together to form the true perception? 

M. Laitman: No, it's not necessarily that they are contradicting and conflicting with one another. That the intellect comes to us from this world, and the feeling comes to us from the upper world, that, too, is incorrect. No, we don't divide these things in this way. Wait, we will soon scrutinize it, clarify it. 

Student: It's not clear, because in the first paragraph, what is this true feeling that is related, and how is it related to reward and punishment? That you cannot gain anything without your effort? 

M. Laitman: Is it not clear that through effort we come to either reward or punishment? Rationally thinking, logically thinking, it's correct, no? 

Student: That is clear, what is not clear is how is the perception of truth? Receiving the truth, what I see in my eyes, how is that related to this quality of reward and punishment?

M. Laitman: If we are speaking about spirituality, then you can't attain spirituality if you don't prepare the vessel, and you obtain the vessel through labor, on the one hand. On the other hand, within the labor you have to take into consideration the above reason, too, another element. Otherwise, you will have no connection with the upper force, with the Creator. So, it turns out that you have both the labor and faith together. And in our intellect and in our feeling, too, they don't connect. They don't connect but still we have no choice. We have to exert toward it and the influence from above, the upper light from above will organize things for us.