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

Daily Lesson (Morning), June 15, 2024.

Part 2: Baal HaSulam. The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee), Item 28.

Reader: We are reading in The Writings of Baal HaSulam, The Arvut article, we're continuing from item 28. Again, The Writings of Baal HaSulam, The Arvut article, we are going to continue from item 28.

Reading Item 28: (00:16) 

Now we fully understand the previous words, for he says, “Now, if you surely listen to My voice and keep My covenant,” meaning make a covenant on what I am telling you here: to be My Segula from among all peoples. This means that you will be My Segula, and sparks of purification and cleansing of the body will pass through you onto all the peoples and the nations of the world, for the nations of the world are not yet ready for this, and at any rate, I need one nation to start with now, so it will be as a remedy for all the nations. For this reason, He ends, “for all the earth is Mine,” meaning all the peoples of the earth belong to Me, as do you, and are destined to adhere to Me, as written in Item 20.

But now, while they are still incapable of performing that task, I need a virtuous people. If you agree to be the remedy for all the nations, I command you to “be unto Me a kingdom of priests,” which is the love of others in its final form of “Love your friend as yourself,” the axis of all the Torah and Mitzvot. And “a holy nation” is the reward in its final form of Dvekut with Him, which includes all the rewards that can even be conceived.

These are the words of our sages in clarifying the ending, “These are the words which you will say to the children of Israel.” They made the precision, “These are the words,” no more and no less. This is perplexing: How can you say that Moses would add or take away from the words of the Creator to the point that the Creator had to warn him about it? We find no such example in the whole of the Torah. On the contrary, the Torah says about him: “for he is the trusted one in all My house.”

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (03:38) The vessels called Israel, in what are they unique in their ability to pass the light or in their central part in the system of Adam HaRishon? 

M. Laitman: Both. One cannot exist without the other. 

Student: What does it mean to be a central part in the system of Adam HaRishon? 

M. Laitman: That by correcting it, we are correcting the entire system.

Student: Another question, how does the light pass to Israel, and how does it pass to the vessels of the nations of the world, and what's the difference? 

M. Laitman: The difference is in the conditions. On what conditions the light passes to Israel, vessels called Israel, and in which conditions the light passes to the rest of the people in the world.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (05:15) What's a nation that can be the one that serves as a virtue or a remedy? What does that mean in the ten? How to make that discernment? 

M. Laitman: I don’t understand, when he brought in the ten, it’s not clear.

Student: Because also in the ten there's an Israel part and a nation's part, right? It's a vessel. We can look at the ten as one vessel.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: And also in the ten you have that division.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: It's just not clear what characterizes that nation with the virtue in the connection between us. How can we create this holy nation that through it all the sparks of purity can pass through this vessel of the ten? What is this quality of the connection between us that can establish a nation of Israel in the ten? 

M. Laitman: The connection between us, as you say. 

Student: Yes, but this connection includes the nations in it, too? 

M. Laitman: No. This connection includes an uplifting or an ascension of all the vessels of the people of Israel together when they are all working to reveal the opposition inside of them and rise above it. 

Student: So the nation of Israel are the contradicting parts between us that we can uplift above and be connected above?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: And the rest of the things that can be connected that will be corrected by that connection? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (07:32) Why is it a covenant? I'm hearing a command. He's commanding what he wants. He gave conditions and that's it. There's no mutual understanding. 

M. Laitman: No, it happens only as a result of agreement and inclination towards it. To reach a covenant means to find forces that will bind you to this covenant. 

Student: It's not that Israel can decide to keep it or not. It's a command. They must keep this covenant.

M. Laitman: Yes, it's a commandment.

Student: So what's the covenant? 

M. Laitman: Covenant means connection. 

Student: And what does the Creator want of them in this covenant? What type of connection is He expecting and demanding here? 

M. Laitman: From the very beginning, when the people of Israel appeared as a nation, as a people, the necessity to be connected with the center of the world and to bring to the world the method of correction was also revealed. And here we see how these things are getting realized.

Student: What does it mean to begin with, in Egypt, from Abraham, where does this connection start? 

M. Laitman: You can say, from Abraham, for sure. 

Student: And this covenant that he's asking of them, that's before the Torah. The Arvut comes before the Torah. So what covenant is he expecting, even before they get the Torah? 

M. Laitman: He's telling them about the conditions that they have to meet in order to reach a covenant, to have one heart, one ear, in the reception of the Torah. So they would accept together those conditions, those forces, that they need to meet. 

Student: Can Israel, are they able to keep the covenant? 

M. Laitman: After several actions, under special conditions, yes, they are keeping the covenant.

Student: Thank you. 

M. Laitman: This is something very relative, because the conditions change, the conditions for the covenant keep changing. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (12:00) For us, for me, for the ten, what does it mean to receive the Torah? 

M. Laitman: Receiving the Torah means that we understand that those conditions of connection between everyone, between each and every one on the still, vegetative, animate and speaking degrees in the human degree, can connect through the power of Torah, and that we must bring them this power, we must reveal this power in them.

Student: Is that only agreement, or is it also like an action that something has to happen, that is beyond man's control, or he just hears and agrees? 

M. Laitman: No, to hear it and to agree, it doesn't work this way. We must reach a state where we do understand that we have to exist in a system called Torah, which ties together all the details in reality. And for that to appear to the eyes of a person, of people, like the laws of the galaxy, the laws of the upper reality, which includes everyone in it.

Student: Does that obligate attaining a spiritual degree? 

M. Laitman: It obligates a willingness for it, but not attainment. Attainment comes to us gradually. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:35) The nation of Israel here isn't clear.

M. Laitman: Nation of Israel, people of Israel, the nation of Israel, it's a group of people who connect out of a bunch of individuals throughout the process of its development, and over a series of actions perpetrated on them by the upper force. And when they connect, they are ready, they are prepared to reveal such parts in them, such desires, thoughts, that you can't reveal or disclose in advance, beforehand. 

Student: It seems like this nation has a duty, and if they perform it, they have a right to exist, and if not, they don't have a right to exist.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: And you look at history, most of the time, they're not performing their duty. Most of the time, it's separation, and inner arguments, and struggles, and there are much more scrutinies of separation than unity. And then some anti-semite comes, and they unite for a while, and once the blow disappears, they separate again. It's very strange. What kind of sting is this? 

M. Laitman: This is the correct way for developing this nation, specifically. 

Student: That's the right way? 

M. Laitman: Sure. It's like goldsmiths who work on gold, who purify the gold. And similarly, the Creator is constantly working on the purification of the people of Israel. And that's how it's done until today.

Student: Sorry for saying it this way, but it looks like history repeating itself. Look at the first temple, second temple, it's the same forces that were back then, there is today. The same separation is today. So, how do we not learn? Learn our lesson. 

M. Laitman: I guess we haven't reached the end of the purification. We haven't reached it yet. It hasn't cleansed us of all the waste. There's a great deal of waste among us. And until we get rid of this waste, we won't be able to resume our role as the people of Israel.

Student: He says we need to be a holy nation of priests, that our duty is to be just like a passage. So, there's a group that really wants to do it. So, how can we finally change history? Or help it at least advance through the good, and not like it was till today.

M. Laitman: We are still in the process of attaining our descent, and not our ascent. Therefore, it's impossible for us to make any calculations regarding our history, our future. No, we're not allowed to. 

Student: I'm talking about our duty right now, our role. You can see it. 

M. Laitman: Our role right now, our duty right now, is to hold on to one another and to do Torah as much as possible. That's it. 

Student: And not to look at what's happening on the outside around, not to even see it as..? 

M. Laitman: It'll only confuse us. It'll only confuse us. 

Student: And how can we incorporate in the sorrow of the collective?

M. Laitman: The collective, the public, it's a public, it lacks direction and guidance. It has nothing, it's on the outskirts. 

Student: But it seems that they're aware of it now. There's like an understanding that there is no direction. That's actually what's dwelling in everybody. That there's nothing you can count on. There's no direction. 

M. Laitman: This is good. This is a better state. Who was born that we have no one to rely on except for our Father in heaven. But it's still far from us. It hasn't reached the inside, the internality of each and every one. There has to be a very great deal of despair, of final despair from which from which this spiritual ascent will be born. As much as we think that has to be relevant to our generation, I don't think so. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (21:50) You don't think in our generation we'll see an essential, meaningful change in the people of Israel? 

M. Laitman: I don't know. According to all the signs that we have today, I don't think so. But that's me, thinking from below and from above, what's being done from above, I don't know. 

Student: You said earlier we probably didn't reach the end of the purifications. So, He didn't cleanse us from all the waste. So, what is that waste? 

M. Laitman: The ego. There's nothing more. Only our ego. That is what corrupts all our efforts, all the connection between us. And then, instead of being united together, we appear to ourselves as a flock of sheep, a confused flock of sheep.

Student: You said a few days ago that we'll see that there are streams that aren't directed towards love your friend as yourself at all, but they're completely opposite. What is that? That's also something that makes it difficult in advancing? 

M. Laitman: Yes, of course. It makes it difficult. 

Student: Why is the process so slow? Or maybe we have to change our perspective and say, well, another 100, 200, 300 years. At some point they'll reach correction and it's part of their development and not to get excited. 

M. Laitman: No, but it's not good. On the one hand, we need to agree with what's happening. It's happening from above, from the heavens. And on the other hand, we have to expect it to come at any moment.

Student: How? It's contradicting. You know, it's a long-term process. It's a baby that has to develop. And right now to want it to be an adult? 

M. Laitman: No, it's both. 

Student: You said that the conditions for the covenant keep changing. So what are the conditions in our generation, a covenant with the upper One?

M. Laitman: To be truly instead of helplessness, impatience, to have nothing, and from that, to yearn for connection. 

Reader: We can read item 29, that’s the last part of the article. So, 29.

Reading Item 29: (25:46)

Now we can fully understand that concerning the form of work in its last manner, as explained in the words “a kingdom of priests,” which is the final definition of “Love your friend as yourself,” it was indeed conceivable for Moses to restrain himself and refrain from disclosing the full manner of the work all at once, for fear that Israel would not want to detach themselves from all material possessions and give all their fortune and assets to the Creator, as instructed by the words, “a kingdom of priests.”

It is much like Maimonides wrote, that women and children must not be told the manner of the clean work, which must be in order not to be rewarded, and wait until they grow, become wise, and have the courage to execute it. Therefore, the Creator gave him the above warning, “no less,” but offered them the true nature of the work, in all its sublimity, expressed in the words, “a kingdom of priests.”

Regarding the reward that is defined in the words “a holy nation,” it was possible for Moses to contemplate interpreting and elaborating further about the pleasantness and the sublime subtleness that come with Dvekut with Him, to persuade them to accept this extreme, to completely detach themselves from any worldly possessions, as do priests. Hence, he was warned, “no more,” but be vague and do not explain the whole reward included in the words, “a holy nation.”

The reason for this is that had he told them about the wondrous things in the essence of the reward, they would necessarily use and assume His work in order to obtain that wonderful reward for themselves. This would be considered working for themselves, for self-love. That, in turn, would falsify the whole purpose, as written in Item 13.

Thus we see that regarding the form of the work expressed in the words “a kingdom of priests,” he was told, “no less.” And about the unclear measure of the reward, expressed in the words “a holy nation,” he was told, “no more.”

M. Laitman: (29:40) Is that clear? What is not clear here?

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (30:05) What was always confusing was our relation to this land because we heard that land, Eretz, is desire and it doesn't have a lot of an importance. Like you and Rabash said about like tombstones or graves, it's just like rocks that you don't see them as important. On the other hand, I see what great efforts you made to be here in Israel and also Baal HaSulam made great efforts to be here in Israel, so I don't understand how to organize the attitude towards this place?

M. Laitman: There's no problem. You can be Moses also abroad. Except it gets a little more difficult to observe everything. But to connect the still, vegetative element and speaking, and corporeality with spirituality together, you nevertheless have to be here for that. 

Student: I have my family now with this whole state, my corporeal family. They're moving overseas, but I feel that I belong here, that I have to stay here. It's like an inner feeling that I don't know if it's part of spirituality or not, but I see my ten is here, my friends are here, my love is here, so I feel I have to stay here. That's how a person calculates. He just tries to feel where he belongs and where he should be? 

M. Laitman: Why not? Yes. I repeat this or replay this state that I had when I got off the train in Vienna after coming out of Russia, the Soviet Union, and we had, the train was full of people. There were two families out of the whole train that continued to fly to Israel. Only two families and all the rest went to the Netherlands, the UK and America. So, I don't know what to say. A person is drawn after his heart. You finished the article? 

Reader: (33:56) We finished it. What else? The friends in Moscow want to…

Question (Moscow): (34:15) Many times he speaks about a holy nation of priests. Why is that the terminology he uses? Why doesn't he need a nation of Levites or Israel or righteous? Why a nation of priests? 

M. Laitman:  It's because there are different degrees. A regular person that is completely not corrected and then there are spiritual degrees that he can ascend on, which is called Cohen, Levi, Israel. And that's how he reaches the root of the soul. That's it. That's what we need to yearn for, to reach. That's for everyone, it could be for each and every one. The whole world can be as a nation of priests, a holy nation.

Student: Tell me please, is there any deep meaning in that expression, a kingdom of priests? Is there a correct formula of work that's only right for priests, and that's why they use it?

M. Laitman: Yes, of course. 

Student: So what's the form of work for priests? 

M. Laitman: What work?

Student: I remember you said that Israel has a certain form of work as a system of souls, and priests have something different.

M. Laitman: Yes, the Cohen, the priests, they're like the higher caste in the Israeli society. But it doesn't belong to a person as much as he wishes to ascend, and whichever way he was born, completely not. It's his inner spiritual work.

Question (Holland): (37:12) It says here in the article, I command you to be, for me, a kingdom of priests. It looks that before this, before we can be commanded, we need a condition of agreement, that we all need to agree to be this virtuous people. So, what does it take to, let's say, to come to a collective agreement?

M. Laitman: Love your friend as yourself, love your friend as yourself.

Student: And how can we come to the next step to agree on that? 

M. Laitman: You need two things: Our study, that is in order to awaken the upper light, to work on us and correct us. Until we all become, in order to bestow and until the whole world will follow us, will also want and reach that same degree of mutual bestowal. And that will connect all of us, all of us, all of us, all humans, to one body. 

Question (Kyiv 1): (39:09) Regarding this single body, you said we have to be an example to everyone, to all the nations. In what, how can we be an example, pass on that example? 

M. Laitman: We need to be an example to all nations, in the connection between us. That between us there'll be a connection that is on a spiritual degree and we will all ascend up and up in the connection between us. And that will be an example to everyone, and everyone will be able to learn from it, and everyone will want to be like us. That's why, for now, we are the worst of all nations and then in order to correct ourselves, we need the light that reforms the Torah and then we'll start ascending.

Student: This example, how should we express it externally? What does it mean that the nations will look at how we are keeping the meals or having tens, or other things we have, and they don't, and they would want it. What kind of example can we show externally, or is it something that's purely internal?

M. Laitman: We can only give them one example, and that is Arvut. Meaning, a mutual connection where each one is a guarantor to all. 

Student: How can they see it? Let's say, we have work in the ten, we can demonstrate it somehow, or our event, or congresses’, this could be a demonstration of Arvut.

M. Laitman: We all need, all of us together as a nation, to reach a state that we are showing the whole world what a heartfelt connection is between all parts of the nation. 

Question (Women MAK): (42:10) We say that the covenant with the Creator, through the connection of the people of Israel, is possible only when Israel wishes to bring all the nations to the Creator?

M. Laitman: Completely correct.

Student: If I may, a question about the first letter we read. What does it mean to consciously yearn for joy and pleasure from the feeling of the Giver?

M. Laitman: It's like trying to understand what we can do, so the new relationships between us will bring joy to the Creator. 

Question (Turkiye 4): (43:12) It says in the article, he's loyal, he's loyal among the entire house about Moses, so a simple, small person like me, can be like Moses. How to do it?

M. Laitman: Each one can reach the degree of Moses, to actually be like him, which is the highest degree that a person who was born from a woman could ever reach, can reach. How? By working on himself in a way that he turns all of his will to receive to be in order to bestow. That nothing remains of himself and then he goes through all the states that his ego overcomes, more and more, and by that he becomes holy and a partner to the Creator. 

Student: So, I have to serve everyone, without any calculations? 

M. Laitman: Well, don't run ahead and do it right now because by this you will incorporate with foreign desires and who knows what it is. We have to scrutinize it first. 

Question (Women Unity): (45:21) About our work, can we say that I'm growing my yearning and, accordingly, the pleasure when I'm holding myself from receiving, even if the reception is in order to bestow, which is incorrect, I'm actually lying to myself, I do need to receive in order to bestow.

M. Laitman: You always cheat yourself. 

Student: How to scrutinize it? 

M. Laitman: Ask to exchange your heart. What are we doing next?

Reader: (46:14) Do we have an update? 

Reader: (46:24) Announcement: Reading of The Last Generation by Baal HaSulam.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (52:58) At the end of the article we just read he says, the Creator says to Moses don't interpret the kingdom of priests and the holy nation so there will be no confusion. Because that's how I understand, he ties it to love your friend as yourself. He ties it correctly, accurately, to love your friend as yourself, we know it's a great rule in the Torah. Is it possible that all the scrutinies that our nation have been doing our sages, they're not coming closer to love your friend as yourself? 

M. Laitman: Correct. 

Student: So maybe we shouldn't scrutinize it, maybe, I don't know?

M. Laitman: So what to do with it? 

Student: I don't know but. 

M. Laitman: We need to search, still, how to keep this law: Love your friend as yourself. How we, the egoists, that each and every one is supposedly in his own cell, closed, how we can break the walls of those cells and connect without any stops between us, how is that possible? We are standing before the condition of, if we won't keep it, implement it and not connect, so we won't reach the purpose of creation. We won't reveal the secret of existence, of humanity, so what to do? Here, we need to see ourselves that we're in the final condition, in the final warning. That we will and we must reach, we must reach connection. To such a connection that each and every person will enter each and every friend. And in him, he'll discover his own place in there and also give the friend a place in his heart that the friend can enter, those are essential things. Without this, we will fall to a state that there's no worse. So, that's what's before us to do, that's what's before us to accept, to choose, to give gratitude for the Creator and you've chosen life. When are we starting?

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (57:06) Now.

M. Laitman: Oh, now, okay. So what are we reading?

Reader: (57:43) We finished the material we planned for today.

M. Laitman: So, when is the lesson? 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (58:03) We're gonna summarize the lesson of what we heard. We'll go around between us. 

M. Laitman: Okay, so summarize it.

Reader: (58:18) So, lesson summary in the tens, please.

Reader: (01:09:24) Announcement.

Reader: (01:12:04) And we'll end with a song.

Song: (01:12:04)