The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Lesson (Morning) December 30, 2024.
Part 1: Arvut on the Way to Lishma - Selected Excerpts from the Sources. Item #1.
Reader: Hello friends, we are reading from sources, selected excerpts on the topic of “Arvut on the Way to Lishma”. You can find the study material on Kabbalah.info and the Arvut system. You can also send questions live through these websites. We're going to start studying the topic of “Arvut on the Way to Lishma” in preparation for the February Congress. The topic is “Arvut on the Way to Lishma” and on entering Lishma, and we want to start with the main central topic which is “Arvut on the “Way to Lishma”.
1. Baal HaSulam, "A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar"
Reading: (0:51) Our sages said, “Let all your actions be for the sake of the Creator,” that is, Dvekut with the Creator. Do not do anything that does not yield this goal of Dvekut. This means that all your actions will be to bestow and to benefit your fellow person. At that time, you will achieve equivalence of form with the Creator—as all His actions are to bestow and to benefit others, so you, all your actions will be only to bestow and to benefit others. This is the complete Dvekut.
2. Baal HaSulam, "The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee]", Items 17-18
Reading: (02:39) If they keep the Arvut to the point that each one cares and satisfies the needs of his friends, they can fully observe the Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], meaning to bring contentment to their Maker.
Reader: (03:36) Friends, we'll have a workshop until Rav joins us, and talk about the condition called “Arvut” [mutual guarantee] on the way to Lishma. What is that condition? Let's speak based on the sources we just read.
Workshop: Arvut is a network of confidence we create between us in which everyone depends on each other, care for each other, support each other. It's a condition, that we should all be as one man in one heart, come out of ourselves and care for each and every friend. This is the condition in order to reach Lishma.
It's a recognition, a feeling of the true state of reality, what a person is connected to, what is he tied to, the forces operating around him, from within him. This recognition, this awareness, commitment of a person to Arvut. He writes here that you should not do anything that does not bring about this goal of adhesion.
So, the question comes up, how can that be? How can a person do something? So, in the second excerpt, he gives the end of the thread for it, that the Arvut is, apparently, something that a person, whereby a person is capable of disconnecting from concern for himself, thanks to the friends. And about that, there is also a question, how do we reach such a state, where each one cares for and fulfills all the needs of his friend, because only then they can reach this disconnection from self-concern.
All our actions should be for the sake of heaven, and each one should worry about fulfilling the needs of his friend, and be a guarantor, a guarantor, so that a friend will stand on the path, and help him as much as possible, and ask for each one of the friends.
Yes, this condition on the way to Lishma, this is our mutual commitment, it comes, apparently, only through an accumulation of a certain number of people.
Reader: (06:50) So, we are reading from the document on “Arvut on the Way to Lishmah”, we're starting to study the topic of the Arvut, ahead of the common Congress. This topic is “Connecting to Lishma”, we're starting with the central topic in the preparation called “Arvut”, we'll start with Number One.
1. Baal HaSulam, "A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar"
Reading: (07:15) Our sages said, “Let all your actions be for the sake of the Creator,” that is, Dvekut with the Creator. Do not do anything that does not yield this goal of Dvekut. This means that all your actions will be to bestow and to benefit your fellow person. At that time, you will achieve equivalence of form with the Creator—as all His actions are to bestow and to benefit others, so you, all your actions will be only to bestow and to benefit others. This is the complete Dvekut.
M. Laitman: Yes. This means that all in all, what we need is to aim ourselves with every action, with every thought, with every intention, to give contentment to the Creator; we need to do it for Him. And then, as Rabash promises us, in a short time we can reach a connection between us, that is called Lishma [for her sake] and, also, with the Creator. It will be the same.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (09:25) He says, all my actions will be to bestow and to benefit the other. How do I scrutinize that all the actions I do for the friends are truly beneficial to them? What does it mean to benefit the other?
M. Laitman: Indeed, this is what is written. That we can only perform an action and add to it as much intention as possible. And check how much, in what percentage or to what extent we are actually doing it in Lishma, maybe a third or a quarter, or how much. We are not really capable of measuring that; only later on, as we read in several places, if indeed our actions will be Lishma, then we will feel it according to the result. That we will get closer to the Creator and there is mutual bestowal with Him. I, to the Creator and the Creator, to me, like that. So, let us make efforts as much as possible and check whether we can receive in return, as a result of our actions in Mitzvot, in commandments, in blessings, in all the actions that we think of, or we think of the Creator. That by that we will truly give contentment to Him and feel it in return in the way that He relates to us.
Student: What is the feeling that I need to receive in return? I get this feedback and it becomes fuel to continue forward and activate the system. What is this feedback I should feel and receive?
M. Laitman: You should aim yourself to the Creator, only to Him. You want to send your thoughts, your desires, your actions, everything that there is in your heart. That, it will be only towards Him; this is called that you are going to take on Arvut, mutual guarantee. You can't do it on your own, and this is why we immediately see in the very next excerpt: “If they keep the Arvut to the point that each one cares and satisfies the needs of his friend, they can fully observe the Torah and Mitzvot, Lishma, meaning to bring contentment to their Maker. This means that our whole preparation, all of our efforts that we want to make with each and every friend will be with the intention that in my relation to him, to the friend, I will reach my relation to the Creator.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (13:50) He writes, all your actions will be for the sake of heaven, meaning adhesion with the Creator. You'll do nothing unless it brings the goal of adhesion.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: If every action of mine eventually leads to adhesion, is there anything in reality that does not lead us toward adhesion?
M. Laitman: Not at all, not at all. We can reach Dvekut, adhesion with the Creator, only on the condition that we're all directed towards Him. And we want that through our intention towards Him, through that we will actually give contentment to the Creator.
Student: All of creation, doesn't it all move from the beginning of creation until the end of correction in adhesion?
M. Laitman: No.
Student: What does move toward adhesion?
M. Laitman: Only those created beings that are capable of being connected between them. And in their inclination towards the Creator, they bestow contentment to Him.
Student: What does it mean that all your actions will be for the sake of heaven?
M. Laitman: Yes, for the sake of the Creator.
Student: How do I check that my actions are for the sake of the Creator?
M. Laitman: This is through all kinds of exercises and actions that we talked about already. That you need to take all the verses from the Torah and feel how by speaking about them, by keeping them as much as you can, you get closer to the Creator with the intention of giving Him contentment. And being in Arvut with all the people of the world, all those who are also directed in such a way to the Creator. And then, in such a way, you will succeed.
Student: It's not clear the connection between the Arvut [the mutual guarantee] and Lishma.
M. Laitman: Lishma and Arvut, it's really the same thing, let's say, for now.
Student: One is not a preceding condition? What comes before what?
M. Laitman: If you want to talk about it already: First, there is a connection of Arvut [mutual guarantee]; and then, we get closer between us so much that we enter a connection of Lishma.
Student: What is adhesion from the point of Lishma? Where is the point of adhesion?
M. Laitman: At the point of Lishma, we reach adhesion.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (17:59) This action, is it really a complete prayer? You are doing these actions 24 hours a day?
M. Laitman: Actions by which we want to achieve adhesion are all actions that complete each other. And they bring us to adhesion with the Creator.
Student: So, the preparation for an action toward a friend, that then begins with the gratitude for the privilege to do it?
M. Laitman: That, too.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (18:47) Is there any point in looking at Arvut and Lishma, not in the form of Ten, but as an individual?
M. Laitman: Both as a Ten and, also, as an individual person.
Student: Because the Arvut that an individual person can keep is relative to the Ten. But as he writes here, all your actions will be for the sake of the Creator. That's what the person does, he doesn't measure if the Ten is in Arvut toward him, how much the Ten influences. Because it's not clear then if this is an individual work or a work as a group where we can reach Lishma?
M. Laitman: When a person directs himself to the Creator, he, first of all, directs himself to a connection with his friends who have the same intention, they're in the same action. And he wants that everyone, all in all, will reach connection with the Creator in giving Him contentment.
Student: I'm asking about the Arvut, is that a mutual thing?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: As much as I'm a guarantor to the Ten, I can still check tha. But do I need to check how the Ten is a guarantor toward me?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And how do I do this test? Do I have to believe that this is so?
M. Laitman: In the same intention you have, through the Ten to the Creator, you can feel that you are receiving through them to you from the Creator, also that same intention, the same force.
Student: So, it's also my work to see how much they bestow, how much they are guarantors to me?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: It doesn't matter what they do? The Ten can work toward me the same way, today and tomorrow. And tomorrow I can feel that they are more guaranteed toward me. That depends on my work and my attitude toward them?
M. Laitman: One depends on the other as much as you clothe each other.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (21:45) I want to talk about the proportion between the investment and the outcome.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: There is a feeling, especially after yesterday and all kinds of states we went through. The person, his investment in the Arvut can be relatively small, but the power he receives from the society, from the environment, is much greater compared to what he invested.
M. Laitman: Let's say so.
Student: So, I want you to speak about it a little bit because for me it was something new that I felt. Because the Arvut always seems like a very heavy, complicated, difficult condition. But at some point you don't need to do much, it's enough to bring you into it, put your energy. And then, suddenly, you receive this force from the environment, one we were certain you lack. Is this how it works?
M. Laitman: I didn't understand you.
Student: I'll say it this way: Throughout the years, learning about Arvut seemed like a difficult condition, to me at least. Yesterday, in all kinds of states we've been through in the Congress, there was a feeling that if you simply insert yourself into the friends and give them what they need. The force you get from the environment is a thousand times bigger than what you invested.
M. Laitman: Possibly.
Student: Is it a test or was it an incident, and we should keep going?
M. Laitman: Each time that you want to operate in something, mostly towards the friends, towards others, towards the Creator, you are in such a state.
Student: Because in Excerpt No. 2, what we read, it says that a person invests in Arvut when what he receives is Lishma. You invest something in this world, Arvut, and you receive the next world. On that level, it's even greater than what I spoke of.
M. Laitman: He is speaking of – listen – if they keep the Arvut to the point that each one cares for and satisfies all the needs of his friend. They can then fully observe the Torah and Mitzvot, meaning to bring contentment to their Maker.
Student: So, sounds wonderful! I invest in the friends and I receive contentment to His Maker, the next world, no? Is that what it says?
M. Laitman: Well, if you interpret it this way, then/
Student: No, I don't want to interpret, I'm asking you to interpret.
M. Laitman: I don't interpret it. Whatever is written, is written, that's it. So, it gives one the possibility to observe the Torah and Mitzvot in full.
Student: And this is our goal, to reach such a state?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Rehovot): (25:24) What is so special about giving contentment to the Creator? What is the meaning of that?
M. Laitman: Giving contentment to the Creator, we need to do it because this is actually our obligation because we are created beings. When we received from above the Torah and Mitzvot, why did we receive the Torah and Mitzvot? In order to give contentment to the Creator by that. How do we do it? So, it's through the intention.
Student: Why is it not enough to have my attitude toward the friend?
M. Laitman: No, this is not enough because the Creator is more than how you relate to the friend.
Student: Which continues, what does it mean that in the way I relate to the friend, I come to my relation to the Creator, my attitude to the Creator?
M. Laitman: This is how the entire system is arranged between us and with the Creator, and with others.
Question (Baltia 2): (26:45) We don't know with certainty if we are connected but can we still play in Arvut in the Ten?
M. Laitman: Yes. We should try to engage in Arvut until we will start to feel how we can direct it, the Arvut, towards a tighter connection between us, between the friends.
Student: What does it mean to play in Arvut?
M. Laitman: To play means to change it – this way, that way – until we will feel in our inner feeling when we are actually giving contentment.
Question (Novosibirsk): (27:45) I understand that he compares here for the sake of the Creator and to bestow and benefit your others. Who is the other, the friend and the Creator?
M. Laitman: Yes, you can say that, too.
Question (KabU 4): (28:03) Are we supposed to fill all the desires of the friend, even when in my mind I am convinced it is going to harm him?
M. Laitman: No. We can help each other only in keeping the Mitzvot [commandments].
Question (PT 32): (28:25) What does it mean to benefit your other, what should I fill there?
M. Laitman: It is as though you are helping him to keep the Mitzvot.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (29:00) We need to keep the Arvut in whole. What gives a person the fuel throughout the day to aim himself toward Lishma?
M. Laitman: We should in all our actions, in all our moments in life, we should be in Lishma.
Student: Yesterday, we had roles throughout the Unity Day. I felt that I depended on sitting together with friends in order to be a guarantor, to aim ourselves at the Creator.
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: So, I had to fill the time also when we're not sitting together in order to be aimed at the Creator? Because I felt this is a condition, to fill all the time with this intention.
M. Laitman: The fact that you are with your friends in a certain action, a certain deed. And you think that, now too, you're connected and through this connection, you want to get closer to the Creator and to give Him contentment from you. This is then what happens.
Student: When I'm connected with them, I have some feedback, positive, negative. But I have something to work with. I don't know throughout the day if I'm a guarantor enough, if I can keep this.
M. Laitman: You should try to be their guarantor until you will feel in your desires that you are truly with Him, with the Creator and with the friends, together with everyone, in bestowing contentment.
Student: And you can keep this every moment in life?
M. Laitman: It's desirable, it is desirable.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (31:30) We perceive the Ten, the friends, as me, we feel it's a part of me. So, contentment to the friends and contentment to the Creator, is that the same?
M. Laitman: No.
Student: You mean it's like degrees?
M. Laitman: Apparently.
Question (Turkiye 2): (32:17) How can one give up everything for adhesion with the Creator, how to overcome?
M. Laitman: This is through one's actions, all kinds of exercises. And by doing so, each time more and more and more, in all kinds of different states. You will see that indeed thinking about giving contentment to the Creator is not so difficult.
Question (Kyiv 1): (33:10) It says about our focus, we shouldn’t do anything that does not lead us to this goal of adhesion. So, how not to do anything in life with the exception of bringing this to adhesion?
M. Laitman: Well clearly, our whole life here on planet Earth is only in order to bring contentment to the Creator from our existence, from our actions. And so, that's the only thing that's worthwhile thinking about. And, bit by bit, you will see to what extent this habit becomes second nature and it won't be difficult to aim oneself to giving contentment with the Creator. And in general, it will simply become natural, it will be natural.
Question (KabU 12): (34:26) Can you explain what is the nature of the prayer that will lead us to Arvut on the way to Lishma?
M. Laitman: The prayer that we need to give contentment to the Creator through our actions, our mutual actions. And that, only in such a way in this direction, out of such a thought and desire, that we will carry out all the Mitzvot in such a way. What did the Creator do it for? He did it as a kind of a list, a list of actions that we can perform in order to give Him contentment so that we will have what to do it with so it won't just be in the air. But, rather out of these actions and not others, we will give Him contentment; and then for sure, we will receive from Him something in return.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (36:02) What list of actions?
M. Laitman: All of the Mitzvot, the commandments, that we carry out. We can perform them with the intention to be connected to it together. And in this action to cause contentment to the Creator, and become tighter with each other.
Student: What does it mean to have nothing in the air? You said a moment ago, should not be up in the air, not clear but it should be a list of actions.
M. Laitman: Yes, that we won't fantasize maybe all kinds of actions that have nothing to do with actions over which we can connect and get closer to the Creator.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (37:20) I heard that the main thing is in each and every action to attach, to add the intention.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What is this action of adding the intention, how do you do it?
M. Laitman: What is it that you would like to happen as a result of the action?
Student: That's clarified in the thought.
M. Laitman: Yes. Yes, it is clarified in the thought.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (37:55) In the Arvut between us, it's clear that we all share the same problem, so we help each other.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How do we, how can we feel what gives the Creator contentment? What does He want?
M. Laitman: What He gave us, this list of commandments; apparently, by performing them, we can cause contentment.
Student: Do we have to believe in it?
M. Laitman: No, just accept it.
Student: But when you are in Arvut with a friend, you can see that the friends are in the same direction, it updates, it encourages them. Yesterday, for example, there was this huge event, we felt everyone was together at the same high level of intensity. But how can we detect it for influencing the Creator, bestowing to the Creator?
M. Laitman: I think that to bestow contentment to the Creator, it's something very easy. Any action we perform together and we want to do it together, and we want that the result of this action will be directed towards the Creator and give Him contentment. So, this is already considered performing a Mitzva.
Student: With which sense can we sense it, or see it, or in connection with the Creator?
M. Laitman: Whatever the person thinks.
Student: But earlier I heard that you don't need to imagine, it's something practical. What is this practice?
M. Laitman: You make these practical things in your mouths and hearts, and wherever you are.
Student: Is the Creator in the same state as us? He has the same desire as ours to be in contact with us the way we want to be in contact with Him?
M. Laitman: Let's say so.
Student: That's a question: How to come out from this “probably”, or “imagine”?
M. Laitman: I can't tell you that in any other form, that “yes, if we do this and that and that, it will be accepted in such and such a way”. I don't know but, rather, you need to try to do it in relation to the Creator. That, you take it from your society, and as a representative towards the Creator, you tell him that. And you hope that by that, you give Him contentment.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (41:11) I still didn't understand what are the Mitzvot, the commandments, which seems like a fundamental thing, here.
M. Laitman: Each and every action that a person can do and give contentment to the Creator with that.
Student: Okay, I understand actions there are commandments in thought, in speaking with the friends, supporting them. But what actions are we talking about here? What list of commandments?
M. Laitman: Well, you have it, you can take the list of commandments and see, see what you have.
Student: I'm asking but not of this list – a list, where, if I keep it, in my confusion, I don't know where it will take me. I'm asking what should we do in order to give Arvut to the friends and reach adhesion?
M. Laitman: Anything the Creator gave us to do, we can do those same actions on several levels. With several intentions to give contentment to the Creator, not for my own pleasure or my own benefit, or others' benefit, and that's.
Student: What does it mean to keep a Mitzva, internally? What should I do in relation to the friends that this will be considered that I performed a Mitzva?
M. Laitman: You did a Mitzva, internally, the commandment internally means you speak with an open mouth and it directs you as much as you understand how it should happen.
Student: So, this in the thought, in the intention, is speaking towards the friends?
M. Laitman: Towards the Creator.
Student: Through the friends towards Creator, what's the correct intention of the Mitzva? What does it lead to?
M. Laitman: It brings to a connection between you and the Creator and the friend.
Student: Besides the intentions, are there also actions that I need to do called Mitzvot, commandments?
M. Laitman: Yes, certainly.
Student: What is expected of me?
M. Laitman: What's expected is that in keeping this commandment; in doing it you, seemingly, try to prove that you are indeed with this intention.
Student: When I add an intention to every action, is that also called a Mitzva?
M. Laitman: This is then called a commandment. A commandment without intention is like a body without a soul.
Student: An intention without a commandment?
M. Laitman: There's no such thing, you have to adhere to something.
Student: So, it has to be through some corporeal action in this world?
M. Laitman: It's not a corporeal action but there has to be an action.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (44:55) Maybe, you perform an action for the society, and the society holds the intention?
M. Laitman: I don't know what it means, holds.
Student: You don't make an intention but you do perform some action towards the society. And the society because you performed an action for them, they think about you, or they think about the goal.
M. Laitman: There's no such thing, I don't know.
Student: Could it be that we perform actions and you're in the action, and you don't even have the time to be thinking because right now you're busy, occupied with the action. And the society, because you're performing this action for them, they hold you. Is there such a thing?
M. Laitman: No.
Student: So, you have to be in the thought, also?
M. Laitman: I don't know what you're talking about.
Student: I'll give an example: Right now, I'm working in the electricity department, I perform some action for the society. I'm working towards the Congress or something, so I'm so busy that I don't have the time to also be thinking. And the question is can the society hold this action?
M. Laitman: No, it can't, they can't.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (46:28) Every friend who wants to perform some action, even with himself. He's now by himself, he's not the opposite of society. But now eating and he's aiming that this will give contentment to the Creator, he would like to aim that in this action, he'll be a part of the Ten and it will uplift the entire Ten. So by such an action, does it actually help the friends or there's nothing to?
M. Laitman: There might be such a connection between them, I don't know, maybe.
Student: The question is how do you intend correctly when you're not operating directly opposite the friends?
M. Laitman: What do you mean, indirectly?
Student: In daily actions, there's a long list of commandments that we learn about. So, the question is if you're with yourself, now, opposite the Creator sitting, eating, doing something. You would like to aim every action you do to be for the sake of heaven. Is there anything to it? Does it actually help the Ten, should I think about the Ten in such a time?
M. Laitman: Also, think.
Question (Woman Kiev): What does it mean that the Creator is greater than the way I relate to my friend?
M. Laitman: The Creator is greater.
Student: Then how I relate to my friend.
M. Laitman: Okay.
Student: What does it mean that the relation to the Creator is greater? How can that be?
M. Laitman: I don't know, the one who asked should scrutinize it.
Student: What is the difference between how I relate to the friend and how I relate to the Creator?
M. Laitman: Ask a person and he'll tell you if you can measure it.
Question (Woman MAK 43): (48:35) How to connect between the Arvut with the friends and the connection with the Creator.
M. Laitman: How to connect between the friends and the Creator in Arvut? It's in the same field that we're trying to do all of our actions.
Question (Women Moscow 8): (49:22) Under what conditions can we help each other reach Lishma?
M. Laitman: If we relate to everyone, each one of us wants to reach Lishma and we are and we are in it, in the connection. Connection.
Rav reading: Out of our list, Number Three:
3. Likutey Halachot [Assorted Rules], Hoshen Mishpat, “Rules of the Guarantor”
Reading: (50:02) Precisely through the Arvut, when all are regarded as one, precisely by this they can observe the Torah, since the essence of love and unity is in the desire, when each one is pleased with his friend, there is no disparity of desire between them, and they are all included in one desire. By this they are incorporated in the upper desire, which is the end goal of the unity.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (51:03) What is the difference between a person performing an action for the benefit of the friend for the sake of contentment to the Creator? Or He does it for the Arvut?
M. Laitman: I don't know, I can't evaluate how much this weighs versus how much this weighs.
Student: A person can perform an action for the Creator, not for the reason of Arvut?
M. Laitman: It's possible.
Student: I'm trying to understand the Arvut, how does it come into the intention?
M. Laitman: I don't know, let's say, you can do an action for the sake of the Creator. So I bring you a thousand shekels and I give it to you, and I say, do something as if this is from me, and you do it.
Student: The very fact that we are created beings, we are seemingly part of a system.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: I'm not an individual, I don't know if there is such a thing as an individual element in the system, we are a collective. So, maybe a person arranges an intention, which is not because of the Arvut at all. Is there such a thing? Or, first, he has to arrange his connection with the created beings and then he can even turn to the Creator?
M. Laitman: There are many questions, here, about what you just asked.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (52:53) Today, we are saying a lot of the word, “Creator”, as though after a very intensive day, we can feel a little bit of this concept called, Creator. We have a friend in our Ten, for example, that invests greatly his whole life, really. And he always tries to understand whether he should give some additional intention in the work towards the connection of the society that it will be for the benefit of the Creator, in some way.
M. Laitman: He can't, even if he wants it very much, he can't. For the time being, there are no people here, who can use their intentions to pull in the upper force until it's present between us.
Student: So, our friends, after some time, they lose the Creator. Maybe they were thinking about it, that He exists, other people think of it, naturally. They lose that old form but there is no new form of it, yet. And when they hear that they are supposed to give contentment to the Creator, it's like a deep pit. And I understand it very much, and I don't know how to operate then.
M. Laitman: I think the reason is that they didn't interpret these things that we are learning. They focus on a few words which they didn't interpret correctly before themselves.
Student: So, how would you think that we can get closer to this concept? What can we do?
M. Laitman: Talk to the Creator, simply, plainly, as simple as possible. You don't know exactly which word you need, lower yourself to an even lower degree in terms of using the words.
Student: Probably we should insist that there is some image of the Creator, even the simplest one, but we have something.
M. Laitman: Yes, yes.
Question (Women MAK): (55:33) Who is the friend who is actualizing the Arvut with a good thought?
M. Laitman: Each one of your friends: Men, women, who are capable to make the connection between you and the Creator.
Student: What is a thought that is for the benefit of others, to help others? How is it realized?
M. Laitman: That's your realized desire for unity. That's true.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (56:41) On the way to Lishma, when does a person in his world see, in his spiritual world, when he attains Lishma. Keeping the Arvut is one of the?
M. Laitman: Don't exchange one for the other, Lishma is Lishma.
Student: You said in one of the recent lessons that a heartfelt Arvut is the foundation.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What does it mean to be in a heartfelt Arvut?
M. Laitman: That we have a connection between the hearts, such that we can't break it or replace it with something else.
Student: Why is this the foundation upon which everything is built?
M. Laitman: Because we are working with the main thing between us, the innermost desire in us, called the inner desire of the heart.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (58:11) I would like to ask about the relative relation or order between an action and an intention. Sometimes a person has an intention, it starts with the intention in his heart. He really wishes the best for the friend, for the Ten. Then he thinks about how can I actualize it in action and then he executes it, that's one kind. Another kind is that the desire awakens in a person to perform some action. And then he tries to justify it in his heart. He tries to think about, what intention do I actually have? What intention can I add to the action? And here, it seems to me that with the second kind we need to be more cautious because maybe he's lying to himself because the action preceded the intention. So, my question is how can we really make sure that, at least in that state that the person is in, that he's not lying to himself, not just justifying his action?
M. Laitman: You should ask the Creator.
Student: Ask for what?
M. Laitman: You should ask the Creator to check his intention.
Student: That the Creator will scrutinize it for him and will reveal to him what is his true intention?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (59:47) What is our Arvut [mutual guarantee] towards the Creator following such a special Congress?
M. Laitman: Our Arvut, mutual guarantee, in the Congress?
Student: Following being in such a powerful Congress.
M. Laitman: As a result of the Congress, what is Arvut as a result of the Congress? I don't know, it depends on each one's intention and sum total of all the intentions. I don't know how to say it – I can write it down perhaps, like in mathematics, advanced mathematics, like. That we have to connect ourselves with a single intention.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:01:20) What does it mean to speak with the Creator in simple words?
M. Laitman: Simple words, meaning, not the way it's written in the books but simply.
Student: What should we imagine?
M. Laitman: I don't know, that has to do with your intention.
Student: Because I'd like to feel it.
M. Laitman: No.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:01:56) I wanted to ask about the realization of the Arvut. Is the ability to implement the Arvut something that is individual, or personal; does it happen on the level of the Ten, the ability to start realizing the Arvut?
M. Laitman: No, this could happen even between two people.
Student: So, it's necessary that there will be at least two in order for the Arvut to exist?
M. Laitman: Who are you going to have it with?
Student: A person can operate out of the rules of the Arvut or maybe does it have to be mutual? That's my question, does the Arvut have to be mutual or not? Does it depend only on you?
M. Laitman: The Arvut has to be between two people.
Student: What does it mean that a Ten begins to actualize the Arvut within it?
M. Laitman: It's when each one in the Ten wants to observe the conditions of the Arvut that will be between him and his friends.
Student: We speak about Lishma, Lishma is also mutual? It should also be at least between two people or is that individual?
M. Laitman: Lishma means we're talking about for the sake of the commandment.
Student: So, Lishma does not necessitate that it, I mean, does it only depend on a person or there have to be other people there in order to realize Lishma? Do you need the Ten or can you realize it on your own?
M. Laitman: No, you can't; alone you cannot observe Lishma.
Student: So, Lishma is also a state that a Ten has to enter?
M. Laitman: The attitude of a person to the Ten.
Student: The relation of a person to the Ten is something he achieves or is it something that is done on him? How does this change occur?
M. Laitman: That's what he attains, that's what he observes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:04:35) If two friends can keep the Arvut between them, if the minimum of many is two why do we need Ten? That Ten?
M. Laitman: You're right but to keep it, the group that will maintain Arvut between everyone, we need a group of Ten.
Student: Why not, all of us here, two, three, four hundred friends that are here, engaging in Arvut. If the minimum of many is two, why not do it in such a way? What's wrong about that?
M. Laitman: It's not bad, it's not wrong, it's just you don't have to. But less than two is impossible.
Student: So, different relations, interactions, between the friends in order to reach Arvut. What is the strength of the Ten? What is its strong contribution, which is different than working in a group, in a group of friends that all have the same goal?
M. Laitman: I'm telling you, you need to, nevertheless, determine that you have a society. And there most of them, let's say, are aimed at that.
Student: What does that mean, a society? A society of ten friends?
M. Laitman: Ten, a hundred, a thousand.
Student: If I can reach a connection of Arvut with another friend, can both of us together can reach that according to that law?
M. Laitman: It's an incomplete state but you have it.
Student: For example, can we split up to pairs and do this exercise that we're going to reach Arvut between us?
M. Laitman: You read the same things as I did that, you understand what's written.
Student: It's still not clear to me. What are the conditions for Arvut, really?
M. Laitman: The conditions for the Arvut is for us to be a single group, greater than ten. And they should try to connect amongst themselves to the complete measure and then they'll be able to determine that they are able to be in contact between them on the condition that each one cares for his friends.
Student: Okay, what is Arvut in a Ten, what is the result of Arvut in a Ten?
M. Laitman: The result of Arvut in a Ten?
Student: Yes.
M. Laitman: And there's a connection between them, Arvut, what does that mean? It means that each one must with all of its might to uphold the connection with all the Ten and insist on that, to stand guard on that.
Student: Okay, so what do they lack if they reach our good between them? In a Ten, what should be revealed is that they are still lacking or maybe nothing. It's all whole and complete.
M. Laitman: No, that's what's missing, that the connection of Arvut will always be between them.
Student: What about all the other Tens around them?
M. Laitman: They don't take that into consideration.
Student: Why?
M. Laitman: Because they established it only between them.
Student: But they are in a large group that has many other.
M. Laitman: I don't know what does it mean that there exists between them.
Student: Because they are present, it's like a herd that's marching towards the same goal. Should we just ignore it? It's only my Ten?
M. Laitman: It's only if you determine that this is our Ten and that's how we carry ourselves.
Student: So, the Ten has no concern about the other Tens, there's no Arvut between Tens?
M. Laitman: It doesn't have to happen automatically.
Student: Is it natural or?
M. Laitman: No, it's not natural, they need to decide that there are such relationships between them.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:09:50) Hopefully, it's not a foolish question: We can feel in the body, can we feel even in the corporeal body, Arvut? Or, is it something we only feel outside of the body?
M. Laitman: The Arvut is felt in the body when there is a special connection between all the parts in the body that are in mutual guarantee.
Student: I'm talking about the flesh, the corporeal flesh, also.
M. Laitman: You can say whatever you want, I'm telling you about what's possible.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:10:50) Can we reach Arvut without the Creator being the Guarantor between us?
M. Laitman: Meaning, we take the Creator out of the connection between us?
Student: We don't exclude him but we by ourselves give Arvut to each other.
M. Laitman: Which laws are you using?
Student: The laws of Arvut.
M. Laitman: The laws of Arvut are the laws of nature, the laws of the Creator.
Student: Yes, but the Creator doesn't have to be as the glue for the Arvut between the friends?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, it's impossible to do it alone.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:11:42) There is a feeling, that truly, may be following this Unity Day but even before. The more we connect, the feeling of this glue that he asked about from the Creator rises, that the Creator is holding it, truly.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, the question is, indeed, when we learn about giving contentment and all of that, there is truly a feeling, already, that there is a desire to bestow to the friends in a Ten I'm talking about it. And there's a feeling of responsibility and all of that, and it's also a possibility to add in the Creator. We can feel that the Creator is above all of that, and He is responsible; these are not just words anymore, it's a feeling. So, the question is how do we add more friends outside of that Ten? I mean friends that we see, we interact with them and all of that. We can also feel that there is a potential to approach them. Is it not risky?
M. Laitman: Nothing is dangerous, you can try and maintain a certain group out of this large group, even. And then, later, to bring the concept of unity, Arvut, apply it over all of the international Bnei Baruch, hundreds of thousands.
Student: The feeling is as though you choose at what moment you get out of it, you come out of it and at what point you come back to it. It doesn't fall on you anymore this feeling, the entrance to this Arvut between us. It pertains to how much we wanted. So, there are parts during the day where you consciously leave it, and then you consciously come back to it.
M. Laitman: Well, that's how I live, that's how I also live at home and what I do, with my hands, when I write, or do something.
Student: Sometimes there's this feeling that the person, either he works on the greatness of the Creator, right now, and he's connected with Him, with the desire to reach Him. Or he's in connection with the friends, and then the Creator vanishes for him in the work. Now, that's the frightening thing, when we fall into a kind of connection which isn't purposeful.
M. Laitman:That's not good.
Student: So, how to take care of it?
M. Laitman: Make sure that the connection between us that goes through the Creator does not disappear.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:15:30) Can you perhaps tell us, more precisely, what it means that all your actions will be for the sake of the heavens, for the sake of the Creator?
M. Laitman: I want all my actions in all their manners that I'm capable to sustain, etc., for them to only be for the sake of the Creator, that's it.
Student: Baal HaSulam, we started our lesson today with that sentence that all our actions will be for the sake of the heavens. And after that, with every word Baal HaSulam adds, every word he adds to that, there confusion starts. There you start being confused, asking what is the goal, what is adhesion, and so on. And we all want to reach that place where all our actions will be for the sake of the heavens. But as soon as all the additions are added, then all of our opinions start getting in the way.
M. Laitman: What are you recommending?
Student: That's why I'm asking you. Please tell us, what does it mean, for the sake of the heavens?
M. Laitman: For the sake of the heavens, it's in a way that you bring contentment to the Creator.
Student: Again, so the obvious question is how?
M. Laitman: How? There are a thousand and one verses that you can connect to it.
Student: Yes, and there our problems begin.
M. Laitman: Okay.
Song: (01:18:10)