The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Lesson (Morning) January 17, 2025.
Part 1: Baal HaSulam. Matan Torah [The Giving Of The Torah], Item 14.
Reader: Hello, we will be reading from the writings of Baal HaSulam, the article “Matan Torah” [The Giving of the Torah], starting with Item 14.
You can find all of our texts on kabbalahmedia.info as well as through the Arvut platform where you can also send us questions during the lesson. Anyone asking a question, please be concise and to the point. If you're asking a question here in the study hall, please stand up, hold the microphone close to your mouth, and speak loudly and clearly.
Matan Torah [The Giving of the Torah]. #14.
Reading: (00:46) Thus we can clearly see that toward those who observe Torah and Mitzvot Lishma, there is no difference between the two parts of the Torah, even on the practical side. This is because before one accomplishes it, one is compelled to feel any act of bestowal—either toward another person or toward the Creator—as emptiness beyond conception. But through great effort, one slowly rises and attains a second nature, and then one attains the final goal, which is Dvekut with Him.
Since this is so, it is reasonable to think that the part of the Torah that deals with man’s relationship with his friend is better capable of bringing one to the desired goal since the work in Mitzvot between man and God is fixed and specific, and is not demanding, and one becomes easily accustomed to it, and everything that is done out of habit is no longer useful. But the Mitzvot between man and man are changing and irregular, and demands surround him wherever he turns. Hence, their cure is much more certain and their aim is closer.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (03:07) He writes that because the work between man and the Place, God, is set and a specific person gets accustomed to it quickly, then there is no benefit in observing these commandments because there are no changes.
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: But you still need to observe these commandments.
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: Despite there being no benefit.
M. Laitman: No. The benefit has to do with the person's attitude; it has to do with the person's attitude.
Student: If a person experiences some inner change, there will be some change there and benefit.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What are those commandments between man and the Place which don't apply between man and his friend?
M. Laitman: Those actions that a person also has to carry out; except, where does it stem from? – from his relationship with the Creator.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (04:34) Why do commandments between man and the Place become habit, may become a habit. And commandments between man and man, don't?
M. Laitman: Because between man and man, both of them are in this world, and each one sees the other. Whereas, man and Place or man and Creator, he can't see how it changes day in, day out.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (05:12) The commandments between man and the Place, for us, they also relate to connection, right?
M. Laitman: They also relate to global connection.
Student: Is there a difference between the commandments that we observe in this world with our hands and feet, let's say? And commandments that we observe only in the heart?
M. Laitman: It doesn't matter how are you doing it, rather what's important is who the person ascribes it to. Where is he getting the commandment from and where does he aim the result of his doing?
Student: Us, performing actions with hands and feet, is that more effective than the inner actions? Or does it not matter?
M. Laitman: No, on the contrary, I would say. But we'll talk about it and we'll do it.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (06:37) Can we relate to it, maybe, as two levels? On one level you have commandments between man and the Place; and on another level, you have commandments between man and fellow man?
M. Laitman: Yes, but it's not clear for the time being.
Student: From what I heard you say before: The difference between the commandments between man and the Place, and those between man and fellow man, is where I feel I receive this commandment from.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: It sounds like receiving a commandment, let's say, from the friends. That seems a lower level than if I sense a command coming from the Creator.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: On the higher level, he says, that you actually get used to it quicker and there's no benefit.
M. Laitman: Yes, because you can't feel the Creator who's going through such changes, the way you feel the friend.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (08:09) Who are those demanders he's talking about?
M. Laitman: Those demanders are those who demand the results from the commandments, from a person. Could be his friends, could be other people, it could be all those who study with him together. That's the meaning.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (09:04) He says that we see with both eyes that those who engage in Torah and commandments, Lishma, even with the practical commandments, first of all, what does it mean, the practical? They don't feel any difference between the two parts of the Torah, even on the practical side. This is because before one accomplishes it, one is compelled to feel any act of bestowal either towards another person or towards the Creator as emptiness beyond conception. First of all, what is the practical part of the Torah? What are the two parts?
M. Laitman: That he can do it in action, that's how I understand.
Student: Yes, but what are the two parts?
M. Laitman: I think it's a person relative to a person, a person relative to the Creator.
Student: Two parts?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Then he says, through great exertion he rises towards the second nature. What does it mean? We're talking about exertion, what is great exertion? We make small exertion here, little exertion?
M. Laitman: We are not making any exertion, I guess, because we don't feel any result from it. A small or a great exertion is what we feel toward those who are with us in action, meaning friends. How do we connect to them, how do we relate to other friends? All of that has to do with the commandments between man and man.
Student: We know that it's written: If you've labored and found, believe. What does it mean to labor, to exert? Perhaps, I'm not doing something correctly and I'm not laboring? Maybe I'm sitting here studying, reading with everyone but what is this labor, exertion, that he talks about? Are we doing it, are we not doing it?
M. Laitman: He is talking about laboring when we are drawn to the connection between us, and from the connection between us, we come to the connection with the Place, with the Creator.
Student: It's still not clear, what labor is that will get us to such results as he speaks of here. He says, only if you make great labor, great exertion, you’ll reach the Creator. Otherwise, you won't.
M. Laitman: Right?
Student: Maybe, we need to elaborate on this to understand what great labor is?
M. Laitman: It will open before you.
Student: How will it open?
M. Laitman: When you hear that you have to invest in this laboring.
Student: What investment? What is the essence of the action of this great labor he talks about, here?
M. Laitman: When you approach the Creator and you come to contact with Him.
Student: I still don't have Him. I have the friends, what am I not doing right with the friends, causing me not to reach adhesion? What's missing, here?
M. Laitman: I guess, you also have to correct the connection with the friends.
Student: What, can you say what? Maybe that's the solution, what should I fix with the friends?
M. Laitman: That you would be all as one man in one heart.
Student: That's the movie, that's the story. How can we reach? Like you say, always, we need to reach one heart. But you see we work and work, and work, and I guess we're not getting there. We're not getting there, we're not accomplishing this. What's the solution after so many years?
M. Laitman: The solution is that I need with each and every commandment to see that I'm approaching my friends and I'm together with them in a stronger and stronger connection.
Student: Through what, what is the work? To annul myself before them? What actions do I need to take with the friends that I haven't done thus far, that you see, that you see? What do you see? Why is it so difficult for us to get closer and be one heart, what is the problem?
M. Laitman: To feel that you depend on one another.
Student: We don't feel?
M. Laitman: No, not yet.
Student: What does it mean to feel dependent on each other? What do you mean?
M. Laitman: When you are together in one group and to the extent that each one is drawn to the center of this group, he also pulls the others into that.
Student: It's a bit complex but, okay, I get it.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:38) You have said that there is a stage at which a person reaches contact with the Creator. The question is what kind of connection between man and man triggers the onset of this contact between man and the Creator?
M. Laitman: The thing that brings it.
Student: What typifies it?
M. Laitman: When you begin to feel an inclination toward your friend and an inclination toward the Creator.
Student: In parallel?
M. Laitman: No, not in parallel, one is a result of the other. The fact that you are trying to be connected, to form a connection with your friend. From that you come to discover this inclination in you, for the connection with the friend.
Student: It's a connection, it begets a connection with the Creator, too, right?
M. Laitman: With the Creator, yes.
Student: Are there conditions for this?
M. Laitman: That is the condition.
Student: To meet that condition?
M. Laitman: To reach a connection with a friend and by that you'll feel the connection with the Creator.
Student: What delays a person, obstructs a person, from reaching that?
M. Laitman: Only effort.
Student: I'm asking: What prevents a person most from reaching that stage of connection with the friend?
M. Laitman: What delays a person? Simply, all kinds of disturbances that can be different from one person to the next.
Student: What should I hold on to which will bring me to a connection with a friend that will in turn bring me to a connection with the Creator? What should I hold to?
M. Laitman: To be as one man in one heart. That's what he's saying.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (17:08) We were given this great labor, that he mentions here. And I heard you say now, that we don't yet see, we don't yet feel, and perhaps, for you, this is great exertion that this is work done without feeling. The question is what kind of fuel should we ask for? Because if I have this feeling, if I have the knowledge, it goes within reason, it cancels out the exertion, right? I don't know how to ask this, exactly. What motivates us to labor so without it going within reason, if I may ask
M. Laitman: I don't know, maybe, we need to hear it a few more times, talk about it until we understand the essence of the exertion and the essence of the help from the Creator. And we'll be able to then combine them together and continue from there.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (18:35) Baal HaSulam makes a distinction, here, between commandments - between man and the Place, and commandments between man and man. The difference between the two, is it a matter of intention or is it the action?
M. Laitman: This is a matter of action with intention, where in the commandments between man and the Creator, it's one thing, and the commandments between man and man, where he helps him, it's like between a man and his friend.
Student: Seemingly, in practice, when you think about commandments between man and the Place, what is that? Can you give an example of the commandment between man and the Place?
M. Laitman: You need to aim yourself to a state where you connect with the friend in order to bring your effort – your personal effort – to an effort of yourself and the friend's effort.
Student: Seemingly, again, with my limited mind, it sounds like action and intention. Maybe, I didn't understand correctly, where is the difference in action in terms of commandment between man and the Place, and commandments between man and man? Ultimately, we're talking about connection and intention.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, the action is?
M. Laitman: The action is connection.
Student: The action is the intention. If I understand correctly, the commandments between man and friend and the difference between that and commandments between man and the Place. It's the intention that clothes on the friend?
M. Laitman: The intention, in the intention, and for this intention to influence your relationship with the friend and for the Creator to be involved there and to continue from that.
Student: They're intertwined, the intention and the act?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: When we talk about commandments between man and his friend – and man, that's all the actions we take in the connection between us to give contentment to the Creator. Everything Rabash explains, and so on. It seems that there are only commandments between man and man but, on those, you have the intention which is the commandment between man and the Place. Is that right?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (21:49) If the commandments between man and the Place, if that's the intention, why does he say that commandments between man and the Place are set and defined, and the commandments between man and man are changing, right, if ultimately it's the same intention?
M. Laitman: Between man and place and man and?
Student: Man and man, yes. He says that the commandments between man and the Place are set, and permanent, and specific—there are no demanders. Whereas, commandments between man and man are undefined, irregular. There are demanders, and I just heard that the issue is the intention here. Why is the intention between man and the Place set and defined?
M. Laitman: We will learn about this but, for the time being, just accept it.
Student: Can I ask another?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: About the commandments between man and the Place, does that also include all the Halakah, the Tefillin, the washing of hands?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Alright, so to reach spirituality, I need to observe both kinds of commandments?
M. Laitman: Relatively speaking.
Student: Alright and I wanted to ask another question: I wanted to ask regarding wearing the Kippah, the Yarmulka. I came here, I didn't know if I wanted to wear it or not. I wanted to ask what to do in the lesson.
M. Laitman: We are accustomed to have those who come here wear a head cover. But, if not, we don't speak to him directly. He will see that this is customary, here, and that's why he's doing it as well.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (24:24) He writes that the commandments between man and man are certainly beneficial, there’s great power in them. How can we examine ourselves, to see that we're observing these commandments between man and man?
M. Laitman: It's before us. We are in one society, one group, and between us, there are all kinds of connections, different forms of connections. If we communicate a certain form to one another, meaning demand more or something, then it influences, it changes the order.
Student: In the Ten what does it mean that these commandments between man and man take place in the Ten? I'm asking: How can we know, how can we make sure that the actions we take in the Ten are counted as commandments between man and man?
M. Laitman: It depends on how we relate it, between man and Place, or man and man. It all depends on how you evaluate your action.
Student: What's the difference? If now I want to connect with a friend, what does it mean that I measure, that I weigh it as a commandment between man and man or a commandment between man and the Place?
M. Laitman: With a friend, of course, because you want to benefit, ameliorate your relationship with a friend.
Student: When I come to connect with a friend to perform some act of connection. Is it counted as an act between man and the Place or will it always count as an act between man and man?
M. Laitman: It will be considered as an action between man and man. Why the man and Place? It's not reached there, yet.
Student: Okay, because you said that what matters is, how we relate to the acts we carry out in the Ten. That's what causes them to be considered between man and man or man and the Place. I wanted to ask, when we work in the Ten, how can we make sure that what we do counts for us as commandments between man and man?
M. Laitman: I intend for my action to work on the friend, and it ends there, between us.
Student: The intention decides if the person's action counts as a commandment between man and man or man and the Place?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, what action will count for us as a commandment between man and man?
M. Laitman: That I intend for it to influence my friend.
Student: In what exactly?
M. Laitman: In what I intend when doing the action.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (27:58) He says that the part that relates to the Creator, the commandments between man and the Place, it's similar to the inanimate, the still of holiness. Once you start working opposite a friend, now you have exertion to make because here it shifts over to the growing, to the vegetative, right?
M. Laitman: Let's see, let's see.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (28:31) Can we say that commandments between man and man are actions of connection between the friends? Actions that I take to reach a better connection between the friends?
M. Laitman: Let's say.
Student: Actions between man and the Place are more inside the heart, they affect the heart. Like, of course, everything is interrelated – the study of the Torah, trying to connect to the friend – but it's all more inner? It’s more within the heart, between man and the Place?
M. Laitman: Meaning, if I don't discover my connection with a friend, then I relate it to my connection with the Creator?
Student: Yes. It's confusing, bewildering. On the one hand, there's something external, on the other, there's something inner, and it's difficult to clearly define. That's why it's so confusing, between man and man, what happens within, what happens without.
M. Laitman: We'll see.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (29:51) In this observing of the Torah between man and man, and we try to bestow to each other, what is this feeling of emptiness before we have conception? What is this sort of a feeling, what sort of bestowal do we need between the friends, between man and man, to get this feeling of emptiness; and what do they really mean with this emptiness?
M. Laitman: I don't think there's a pre-made formula for that but, nevertheless, as much as I'm trying to reveal and uncover the relationships between us. On that same level of relationships, I aim to feel my connection with my friend.
Student: Yes, and how do we reach this feeling of emptiness, is that a sort of a sign?
M. Laitman: The correct feeling, I can come to it only on the condition that I'm certain that this is how I also feel my connection with the Creator. In other words, the connection with the Creator and the connection with the friend have to be on the same level of connection. Okay, we'll scrutinize it further.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (32:42) He writes that in Lishma there's no difference in the attitude. And before one is completed in Lishma, he feels emptiness. Now, from a state of emptiness, when he begins to labor, what is his attitude then, how does his attitude…
M. Laitman: He doesn't feel it, he doesn't feel these changes.
Student: When he's empty, he doesn't feel, but when he starts laboring, let's say he takes the first step?
M. Laitman: Immediately, he begins to feel how this emptiness is revealed to him as the measure of his connection.
Student: The measure of emptiness is revealed as his measure of connection in the Ten?
M. Laitman: His connection through the Ten with the Creator.
Student: So, it's both. There's a part that he's relatively complete in respect to?
M. Laitman: No.
Student: What does he reveal?
M. Laitman: He reveals his relationship with the Creator according to his relationship with his friend. We'll scrutinize it even more.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (34:23) He says that it's easy to get accustomed to the work between man and the Place but not to work between man and man. I wanted to ask, with the friend I see his evil inclination, that's what I see. The Creator is concealed, hidden from me, I don't see any such thing. I heard many times that one who finds flaws in others is seeing his own flaws. I don't feel it, I don't live according to that but I heard it many times though. Ultimately, after a person is truly corrected, he understands that all the evil inclination he sees in the friends, that's his own evil inclination. In such a situation, what is the difference between work between man and the Place and work between man and man?
M. Laitman: Nevertheless, whether he sees it in himself or in the friend, he has to cleanse the evil inclination that he finds along the way, that stands in his way.
Student: It's all within him, right? It's all in him.
M. Laitman: It's all in him.
Student: It's all in him in any case, so is there any difference after he cleansed this in the work between man and man, and the work between man and the Place?
M. Laitman: You will discover it later.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (35:55) The order between the Place and the friend, is it defined the same as from the love of friends to the love of the Lord?
M. Laitman: Let's say, that, yes. Let's say that, yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (36:28) Now, after this whole conversation, I wrote down that the connection between the friend, between me and the friend and the connection between me and the Creator—it has to be on the same level of connection.
M. Laitman: And?
Student: I don't understand why you need these commandments and those commandments - between man and man, and man and the Place. Ultimately, every thought, every instance in which a person relates to reality, it need to be the same attitude?
M. Laitman: What do you mean the same attitude?
Student: To see that There's None Else Besides Him in front of him, and to see all the friends acting to connect together to that None Else Besides Him. And behind them, that same power operates.
M. Laitman: But, it's in the condition that if we were all together, that we're all together with them on one level.
Student: So, the separation between commandments between man and man, and commandments between man and the Place, that exists while we're not corrected.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: When we reach correction, it all becomes one?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (37:46) After a person discovers his attitude towards the Creator, in accordance with his attitude towards the friend, is there a difference in how he feels the friend or the Creator?
M. Laitman: No.
Student: What is the distinction?
M. Laitman: The Creator is the general – the collective, the general law – and the friend is the particular.
Student: He still makes the distinction between the general, the collective, and the individual part?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (38:23) I wanted to continue what the friend began. I heard that we need to improve our relations with the Creator. And I feel that this is all our correction, it's a correction of our relationships. It was asked, also, in the beginning, what kind of efforts do we need to always make? How can we feel that we're making the efforts to make the relationships between us and our relationship with the Creator, that it's all the same thing? That we're acting, always, towards Him, working towards Him?
M. Laitman: As much as we can rise toward the Creator, we will feel ourselves in His hands. And that we have to continue the connection, it's all coming from Him and it all depends on Him.
Student: We say that every day, that behind each friend stands the Creator, we say that we?
M. Laitman: Here, we only speak, we only talk.
Student: This talk, how does it influence the connection between us and the Creator, this talk has its impact? We also said that each friend here, willing to generate inner change in himself, influences the entire system?
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: Each friend who makes an effort, wanting to rise above his nature?
M. Laitman: He's making an effort between himself and the friends. With this effort, he wants to come with his force, his intention, to the effort, and that's his work.
Student: How important is the correction of the relations between us and the Creator? In our prayer, to what extent the prayer between us, the more genuine it is, how does it affect our connection to the Creator?
M. Laitman: How much does it influence it? I would say, direct influence, meaning direct proportion to the extent that I can influence my state with a friend, so I can influence my state with the Creator.
Student: So, maybe the issue is that we're not reaching the true prayer, the true lack. To feel the true lack, the true need, that's what we want to achieve. What more do we need to do in the connection between us? I don't know how to call it even, to take the gloves off, I don't know. What else do we need to do to make our prayer genuine, to feel it from within?
M. Laitman: A true prayer to the Creator, that's what we need, that's it. Not more than that, not less than that.
Student: What do we need to do in the Ten to make this prayer become true? How can we reach a point where we feel that from this point on, only the Creator can help us?
M. Laitman: Until we all connect as one man in one heart and we turn that power to the Creator. And we demand from Him to accept our prayer. I have nothing more to add.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (43:04) I sit quietly here and I had questions, and what can I do? I always want to know what happens in the next item when we read. The next item contains all the answers.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (43:32) Observing the commandments between man and man, is that called Lishma?
M. Laitman: It could be yes, it could be no.
Student: It depends on the intention, right?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: If a person has the intention to bestow and he goes to observe commandments between man and man. Why is that part called “not to do”? What can a person do? “Don't do”, I understand, don't do any harm to your friend.
M. Laitman: And?
Student: If a person has the intention to bestow, what harm can he cause to his friend?
M. Laitman: If he's certain that he's doing it in order to bestow to a friend, to be good to a friend, then he should do it.
Student: I just want to understand this part of the commandments between man and man, it's called the “Commandments of Thou Shalt Not Do”, right? There's stuff you need to do and stuff you need not to do?
M. Laitman: Not only, both do and don't do.
Student: There are commandments of don't do and commandments where this is what you do, right?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: That's the division between man and Place, and man and man. So, if I have the intention to bestow and I still observe the part of the commandments which apply between man and man. What shouldn't you do there?
M. Laitman: No, it's possible that you can perform actions toward the friend that will harm him.
Student: With the intention to bestow?
M. Laitman: No, that’s not important. You can't perform any commandment in order to bestow that will harm a friend.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (45:55) Our efforts to see how the Creator is clothed in the friend, is that a crucial step in our advancement?
M. Laitman: What?
Student: Our efforts to see how the Creator is clothed in the friend, is that a crucial step in our advancement?
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: Okay, so it's a new story beginning now. I need to see how the Creator is acting here, hiding here.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (46:35) When we talked about prayer, it turns out that a real prayer is something you do together with the Creator. But when we're acting in a group, it's cooperation between us and the Creator, so the true prayer is always through cooperation. And then the prayer comes?
M. Laitman: True prayer is for the collaboration, the cooperation.
Student: And this is where our exertion comes?
M. Laitman: Our exertion is in order to reveal, uncover, this collaboration between me and the friend.
Student: Between me and the friend, and the friends and the Creator.
M. Laitman: And?
Student: Is this the exertion he's talking about, here, in this place; to adhere to the Creator?
M. Laitman: Adhesion to the Creator depends on the adhesion to the friend.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (47:48) What action should I take with the friends, for the friends, to reach prayer?
M. Laitman: That you do – that you pray for them, for their sake.
Student: What should I do to reach that situation, that state where I pray, where I need the Creator?
M. Laitman: You feel the deficiency of the friend and you have with what to unite with him in order to bestow.
Student: What does it mean to unite with the friend's lack? The friend wants to discover the Creator, the quality of bestowal and I want to relate to his will in a certain way. What do I do with his desire?
M. Laitman: You're using his desire to reach bestowal to the Creator.
Student: But, I need to act in such a way there, what happens with the friend's desire? I fulfill it or do I just add that will, that desire, to myself?
M. Laitman: You don't fill the deficiency of the friend, you take his deficiency, and you try to satisfy it. You try to satisfy his deficiency with such a filling that you attain by using the friend's deficiency.
Student: What is the prayer which erupts from within when I try to connect with the friend's lack? What do I ask for?
M. Laitman: You ask the Creator to satisfy the deficiency of the friend.
Student: Why do I ask him to fill that lack?
M. Laitman: Because you can't do it by yourself.
Student: Do I need to try to do it, alone?
M. Laitman: No, you see it's not before you. These actions are not right before you.
Student: You're fulfilling the friend.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: But I can connect to his lack by myself?
M. Laitman: No, no. How?
Student: So, there are stages to the prayer?
M. Laitman: You want to say that you want to connect to the friend's deficiency. And by that, the friend will be able to satisfy himself.
Student: Himself or the Creator, that's what the friend wants ultimately?
M. Laitman: And?
Student: What do I need to ask for the friend's sake? I'm only this adapter, here, the point that connects between the friend and the Creator.
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: So, what do I ask the Creator to give the friend, to fulfill him?
M. Laitman: To satisfy him, to fill him however he wants.
Student: And can I ask something more precise: Let's say, to give him the intention to delight the Creator, or does that come later?
M. Laitman: You don't need it. The friend's deficiency, the Creator should feel it and will provide his fulfillment to this deficiency.
Student: We say that the commandment is the correction of the will with the intention to bestow.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, this action, through this prayer, I cause the correction of the friend's desire, or do I correct myself in this?
M. Laitman: You correct the friend's desire.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (52:33) Look, a while back – two or three months ago – you told us, guys, do the Tefillin, put on the Tefillin. I'm sorry, I've been thinking about this for a while and I started thinking, what, is this connection? Is it connection with the Creator, the Tefillin? Or, is it between me and the friend? And what does it mean to lay Tefillin? I've done this for 20 years, I never felt anything. These two boxes, and then, you know, I didn't feel anything.
M. Laitman: So, you can demand a payment.
Student: Payment for what? For wearing these two boxes?
M. Laitman: Yes, you did it, after all.
Student: Did what?
M. Laitman: You did the will of the Creator.
Student: Wait. If so, the will of the Lord, then everyone knows about that. How is that unique, how are we unique in that?
M. Laitman: Because He demands from us, and not from others.
Student: Did Kabbalists lay the Tefillin in the past?
M. Laitman: Yes. 2000 years ago, we have evidence of that.
Student: Tefillin?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Where did it come from? We never talked about this, it's not mentioned anywhere.
M. Laitman: You have pictures.
Student: From 2000 years ago?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What is there to these Tefillin?
M. Laitman: It's a box made of leather – the skin of a cow, or a sheep – and in it, there are four containers. And in each container there's a text, a piece of text from the Torah, that was checked. Someone wrote it, and they placed it in the right place.
Student: Let's say, I don't make Tefillin. I don't feel like it. Do I not advance? Does it prevent me from advancing?
M. Laitman: Like with any other commandment.
Student: What does that mean?
M. Laitman: Putting on the Tefillin [the phylactery] you have a commandment from the Torah. And if you don't do it then you don't observe that commandment.
Student: So, it detract from my advancement?
M. Laitman: It takes away from you.
Student: My veterancy, does it remove, does it detract from my closeness with the Creator, my commandments?
M. Laitman: Yes.
/
Student: Just so? Alright, I'll lay the Tefillin, I never knew about this.
M. Laitman: How come you didn't know?
Student: I don't know, you just said, suddenly you said that, you said I'm being pressured, I get emails asking why don't we lay Tefillin. And then you came here one morning and you said, okay, all of you lay Tefillin. It came as a surprise, all of a sudden. Nobody ever forced us but, suddenly, you just came up and said it, lay the Tefillin. So, how did it come about that you decided that all of us should lay Tefillin? Where did it come from?
M. Laitman: Yes, you all need to lay on Tefillin.
Student: Yes, but all of a sudden, after years?
M. Laitman: Yes, from today, it's overnight, and no one will check you.
Student: What do you mean, nobody will check?
M. Laitman: You can say that I've done it at home already.
Student: I see, so it's a way to get away with not doing it, avoiding.
M. Laitman: Yes, there are many ways to avoid doing it.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (56:43) I heard you say that you need to ask for the friend, you need to ask the Creator to fulfill the friend, to give him whatever he wants. When I try to pray for the friends in the Ten, the best thing I can do is to go friend by friend, think about each one in turn and just think something along the lines of what Rav just said. I heard, you say often that it's much better, more beneficial to think about the connection between them somehow, to connect them all together.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, here, I'd like perhaps some guidance regarding how to think about the connection between them? Should I think about the Creator fulfilling the friends, giving them what they want, is that the prayer?
M. Laitman: That's not what they want. Rather that each and everyone who's observing a commandment, they should think that through this commandment he's filling all his friends with whatever they need on the path, with a spiritual action.
Student: But then still I have this picture of each friend, individually, in my mind. So, how do we take that up a notch to something that's collective?
M. Laitman: Try.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (58:17) With respect to the commandments between man and the Place, first we have to prepare the place, right?
M. Laitman: What do you mean to prepare the place?
Student: That's exactly what I wanted to ask, what does it mean to prepare the place?
M. Laitman: I don't know.
Student: If a person begins his work with the restriction, screen, reflected light, by that does he?
M. Laitman: No, no, no, this doesn't belong to it, now.
Student: Unrelated?
M. Laitman: Unrelated.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (58:56) You said in the beginning of the lesson that our problem is that we don't feel how dependent we are on each other. To what extent do we depend on each other?
M. Laitman: We have to feel this dependency.
Student: To what extent? Does it mean that everything I do influences all the friends?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: In that, maybe I can feel; but does it also mean that I'm an outcome of all the friends' actions?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What can I do, if that's the case?
M. Laitman: You can ask your friends to perform such actions that will make you feel that you're being satisfied by them.
Student: So, there's always this inner conflict on our path with respect to the extent in which the work is personal or in the group, in the Ten. It's never certain because a person feels that he's a person, on his own. I'll lay the Tefillin, I'll do this, I won't do that. Should I be more preoccupied with the fact that a friend didn't come to the lesson or with my own intentions, which is more?
M. Laitman: I can't say.
Student: Is there something that everyone can do as a collective decision so that we can feel it more?
M. Laitman: No.
Student: So, what do we do?
M. Laitman: You have to scrutinize it on your own.
Student: What do we do with the knowledge of this interdependence?
M. Laitman: Everyone depends on everyone else. Find the verses, the lines, that say how interdependent we are, that's it. Look for it.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:01:07) In our Ten we work on the greatness of the Creator. And we're supposed to get to a state where we observe the commandments because they are the King's commandments, right? How can we examine, check this, maybe improve in that direction?
M. Laitman: It's like something the King said to you and you have to do it.
Student: How do I know if I did it well or maybe not as well?
M. Laitman: With your prayer to Him. Scrutinize it, there.
Student: Is there any outcome, any output, something that needs to resolve from the prayer?
M. Laitman: It's possible that, yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:02:04) Can I continue the friend's question about preparing the place? So, we could say that preparation means that I want to purify the heart from self-concern and think about the benefit of the society, the friend, the Creator?
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: So, we can say it's close to the definition of restriction. I want to restrict self-benefit?
M. Laitman: It's possible.
Question (Women French 1): (01:02:43) Should I ask for the spiritual lacks of the friends or should I make use of, well, corporeal problems the friends have?
M. Laitman: Either this way or that way. Sometimes it's this way, sometimes the other way.
Question (Baltia 2): (01:03:05) How do I know exactly what to ask the Creator for, for the friend's sake?
M. Laitman: You'll see it yourself to what extent, how much the friend is needful of something?
Student: And it can be anything.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (MAK 53): (01:03:29) What does it give a person when he asks the Creator to fulfill a friend's desire?
M. Laitman: He participates with a friend in order to fulfill his desire.
Student: And what does that give him?
M. Laitman: He helps the friend, he helps the friend. There's no need to go anywhere else from here.
Student: By participating with his lack, he helps him?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And what does it give the person asking?
M. Laitman: One who is asking, he's helping the friend fulfill his desire and he profits from that. He makes, he observes a commandment.
Question (Turkiye 2): (01:04:34) The more a person advances on the path, the more difficulties he experiences in terms of the connection with the friends. Why is that?
M. Laitman: Well, it's natural. Everything we learn in life - the more I advance, I come up with more refined solutions.
Question (Moscow 1): (01:05:31) We talked about prayer. Usually, we ask with respect to the future, connect us in the Ten. But we live in the present, how to ask for the present? Because, otherwise, it turns out, it's as though we don't believe in the Creator, of faith.
M. Laitman: You have to ask for everything from the greatest requests to the smallest. The Creator will put it in order and give you what you actually need.
Question (Hadera 1): (01:06:20) Can we say that the work between man and the Place starts where there is no energy and you fail in the work between man and man?
M. Laitman: What did he say?
Student: I'll repeat. We work between man and man, and suddenly we find that we don't have the vessels, we don't have the means, or the energy, then we begin to work between man and the Place?
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: Is that correct to say?
M. Laitman: You can say it. It's possible that this thing exists.
Question (Tel Aviv): (01:07:13) He writes the following: Observing commandments between man and the Place, that's set and regular, and there are no demanders. That's compared to the commandments between man and man, which are irregular and are surrounded by demanders. So, he describes a steady experience, steady work, with the Creator, and unsteady kind of work with the friends. He says that unsteady work with the friends is more beneficial, bringing us faster to the goal. The question is why is this liquidity more efficient in bringing us to the goal?
M. Laitman: How did you solve the problem? What are your friends saying?
Student:. I didn't ask them.
M. Laitman: Well, if you don't ask them, how do you know what to do?
Student: I don't know. I'm asking this question of you and in front of the friends, with the friends. I just saw this text now in the lesson but it's always the question. How do we work opposite the perfect unity and on the other hand, opposite absolute division with these forces?
M. Laitman: Talk with a friend who probably also doesn't have an answer. And then raise a mutual question to the Creator.
Student: Can we say that this is work with both legs?
M. Laitman: Both legs?
Student: Yes, because there's one side, which is unity, the work with the Creator. And with the friends, it's more work on division.
M. Laitman: No, no, you shouldn't solve it this way.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:09:30) You said that the connection with the friends has to be felt the same as the connection with the Creator. How, within that connection with the friends can I feel the connection with the Creator?
M. Laitman: You have to ask for it, more and more, to penetrate this request from the Creator. And you'll see that He will do it.
Student: Penetrate deeper in terms of the request to the Creator, what is that? You said to penetrate deeper. How is that done?
M. Laitman: You'll see it, you'll feel it, you'll feel what's missing. That's a question of feeling, emotion.
Question (Salt Lake City): (01:10:40) The effort against our nature is if the emptiness is a place of the Creator to be built to be filled with the light of love and connection?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Turkey 2): (01:11:28) Why do we say “Makom”, which is “Place”, instead of “Creator”, when we say Mitzvot between man and Makom [Place]?
M. Laitman: That's how they use it, out of respect.
Question (Novosibirsk): (01:12:17) A person who doesn't feel dependent upon his friends, is it because he doesn't notice the silent hatred in his heart?
M. Laitman: Maybe, it's possible.
Question (W Turkey): (01:12:43) I heard you say that we need to influence the friend, bestow upon the friend. Now, in our corporate life we also try to impress people but it comes from a negative place. So, how to influence the friends in a way that is without pride and arrogance?
M. Laitman: It's not for now. Soon we'll know how to rid ourselves of all those egoistic forms. And be able to ask for the friend purely, cleanly. What can you do, that's how we are for the time being.
Song: (01:14:00)