Afternoon Lesson October 20, 2023, Transcription

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

Part One:

Reading Article: (00:23) Baal HaSulam. Shamati 43. “Concerning Truth and Faith”

1. R. (07:02) I think it is worth reading again. You should read it again and slower.

Reading Article Again: (07:18) “Truth is what one feels and sees....”

2. S. (14:48) We spoke about it earlier I think yesterday, that having faith is a spiritual degree and that a person can only obtain complete faith after obtaining vessels of bestowal. So, he went through these processes of reward and punishment and developed a need for the Creator to give him, to grant him this present of bestowal. I have a question here because, at the beginning of the article, he says that a person must believe above reason that he could obtain all his needs without any exertion, but this is in a state that he still doesn't have vessels of bestowal?

R. It's that he only thinks that it is possible.

S. So it's a kind of mechanical faith?

R. Yes, it's as usual as with all people. Try to achieve something in life.

3. S. (16:48) Is private Providence related to when a person learns to work with faith above reason?

R. Yes, correct.

4. S. (17:18) There's a quota of efforts that a person has to fill. Where his luck is a gift from the Creator, where do we get this gift?

R. There is an explanation about this that it depends maybe upon times, some other times, some other events, we were in that it's impossible to explain. There are such people who do simple work and achieve a lot, and there are those who labor making a lot of effort, for a long time through difficult states and they get relatively little. We don't know anything about this, this has to do with the general incarnation of Adam HaRishon.

S. How do we check that what we are certain of is the absolute truth is indeed the truth?

R. There is no way for us to check, we can only move forward and the farther we get forward the more closed eyes we have.

5. S. (19:00) There is the environment and its effect on a person and there is the Creator who rules over all of this, so who exactly do we connect with? What does it mean to really connect?

R. We unite between us and then to the extent that we unite between us, we can connect with the Creator, that's it. This is the law, there is nothing else we can do, and there is no other way.

6. S. (19:46) The article says that in corporeality it implies it is in one time but in two different carriers meaning at the same time, but in two different people. It is the same route of the soul how can reward and punishment in two different people be so different? Is it because these people don't have faith above reason, vessels of bestowal? And if we will be rewarded with faith above reason then will it be revealed in one person?

R. We will have to check this and attain this. It's a good question, but we can get no answer now, we won't understand this but soon we will.

7. S. (20:50) What truly brings a person closer to the Creator? Is it enthusiasm and energy in the spiritual work or is it only private Providence?

R. Private governance is governance on the Creator's side, but we can influence it, and this is the thing in our work. It's private Providence but we advance when the Creator conceals in us and each of us in the group shows the degrees, shows the path.

8. S. (21:52) Can we say that the more we have greater faith in the greatness of the Creator, so we allow the Creator more, to govern us and all the world?

R. Of course that's correct, of course, yes.

9. S. (22:18) Please tell me the truth and reward and punishment are required in order to make the Kli in which private Providence will be revealed, so why do we have to pray for success or luck if He can also enter without a Kli?

R. This is success.

S. This means that we pray that it will clothe in this Kli?

R. So that we would have a Kli, an instrument, thanks to which we can influence the Creator and give him pleasure.

S. If we won’t pray for success it won't clothe in the vessel the private Providence?

R. No it won't.

10. S. (23:23) This inner perception is stretched to such a degree in this article as if it implodes and everything disappears, so what's next?

R. Next we will see, we will see.

11. S. (24:04) What is the labor, the exertion, that the Creator demands from us, expects from us?

R. So that we would think only of the friends and in the unity of the whole world, and in all the creatures. What he wants and can do, and we'll do it. We have to turn to the Creator and demand from him to unite all the creatures into one creature.

12. S. (24:55) There is a sentence here that says the truth does not apply to the way of this state, but rather to the sensation. If the Creator wanted man to feel this way, can you explain the statement here?

R. The Creator wants us to feel this and that's why we have to work with this, and if we change in our vessels, in our Kelim, then the feeling changes, until we achieve adhesion with the Creator.

S. So the truth when a person feels every person, as I understand it, is actually determined by the Creator or upper Providence?

R. Yes.

13. S. (25:53) Is it correct to say that when we connect in the ten we can be rewarded with private Providence?

R. Yes of course.

S. If you can make it more precise you said that the more we advance we have to go even more with our eyes shut. Does it mean that this gap between private Providence and reward and punishment will become greater?

R. In general, yes.

14. S. (26:32) In the article it says that after a person is rewarded with reward and punishment, reward and punishment become a Kli. What is that state of reward and punishment and how are we rewarded with it in the ten?

R. To the extent that we make efforts the more we get closer to this attitude this is called reward and punishment.

S. Why is it called reward and punishment?

R. Because in accordance with our effort, by the person's efforts, we receive reward and punishment.

S. If we see in our eyes that this reward appears to be in the form of bad things that are happening?

R. All in all, we have received them, that's what we get. The Creator is with us in connection, and he gives us possibly a response, maybe a negative response, we have to accept it, and we will see if what we feel is correct.

S. This means that the Creator's answer is giving us guidance, giving us a hint of how to connect with him better?

R. Yes.

15. S. (27:58) The question is about a sentence towards the end of the article. It says, “That in spirituality it appears in one place, meaning in one carrier, but one-by-one meaning one person but in two states.” What should I do in order to discover this state?

R. Only in intention, there everything will be arranged. You'll see what kind of look you need to take at this. Only in unity with the ten.

16. S. (29:14) On one hand, we heard now that a person can put in a lot of effort and work hard but see little results because it all depends on private Providence and his root. On the other hand, I heard you say that it's possible to influence the private Providence. So how can we influence private Providence if exertion is not what makes the difference?

R. Private Providence we can influence it with whatever we can, we have to necessitate, we want to necessitate the Creator so that he would get closer to us so that he would care for us and raise us higher so that he would unite us. There are many actions that we want the Creator to take with us.

S. From all of our exertion what does have a value and influences private Providence so that we see results?

R. Unity between us only unity between us, as a result, we give him pleasure on the one hand, and on the other hand, we discover the next step.

S. As he said in the article we have to pray for the work and the success, what kind of success should we ask for?

R. We just have to ask the Creator. I'm asking the Creator to save me, to give me success, and what He will give actually is not important to me. I will accept everything that comes to me after my address to him, after my request as his response.

S. The success is from on this side?

R. No, but I can't limit myself to this. I can't say anything else.

S. Should I imagine the success we will come to? We have to imagine the success that what will be, will be?

R. Yes, we have to imagine.

17. S. (31:54) We also wanted to refine the matter of what is reward and punishment in the ten from which we come to private Providence.

R. When we are as one when we address the Creator and we ask him as one man with one heart, that's it.

18. S. (32:29) Can it be that a person is working in faith above reason and isn't rewarded with private Providence from the Creator?

R. No, in practice now there is hardly such a thing. These are two degrees or two states that are adjacent to each other and one defines the other.

19. S. (33:08) If so in the article it's said as if in two parallel lines one is the private Providence defined from before, and then that effort that labor that Baal HaSulam talks about. How do we connect these two? Practically the private Providence is what’s there all the time, can we strengthen it, can we make an effort to accelerate this private Providence that is defined for us? All the work in the reason is to accept what the Creator gives without any connection.

R. You are right. You are right. We can influence the private Providence even though it has already been decided in advance.

S. Can't we speed up our path? Feel it as existence?

R. Yes that is correct.

20. S. (34:28) Is it possible to say that the truth and the private Providence are when people are in mutual bestowal as it is said, “I am upon my beloved and my beloved is upon me”? Then from the person's side when he makes an effort, he attains the private Providence from the Creator's side. So private Providence is a result of his efforts.

R. Yes.

21. S. (35:25) Does private Providence influence only our spiritual life or also our corporeal life and problems that we have here?

R. Everything over everything. Private Providence is the private Providence of the Creator over the person and to stand against that a person can do it only if he's really connected well with his ten. Then he turns to the Creator and the Creator cannot turn him down, because the whole group is before him.

22. S. (36:38) If we get some desire or exercise in the ten, we gather according to our method where we unite, we try to realize this action inside of us in the ten, and so it happens that the Creator pushes us away. He doesn't give us obstacles, he doesn't let us realize, he doesn't give us the force, so we don't succeed in some exercises. What are we lacking here in our effort? Are we not making enough effort or are we not doing something else?

R. Everyone must annul himself before the others and then everything will succeed. Women it turns out have more things are worse than men but in principle, this is what we have to do each one has to annul herself before the others.

23. S. (37:53) How and when can the punishment become a reward; how can you feel this in the ten?

R. Punishment can become a reward when the one that you are receiving from is a lot greater than what you are receiving.

S. So the punishment is like…?

R. I'm not sure about these examples and what they mean but for me, it is important to be with those that I love. It is important to appreciate and respect even if he reproaches me than being with others whom I don't appreciate, I don't respect, but they will respect me and elevate me.

24. S. (39:07) Is reward when we feel the direction of the Creator in private Providence and punishment is when we feel that he's pushing us away and not paying attention to us? What to do with the intention or more precisely when you see that you want the result of your efforts to be a reward for your friends. Is this not private Providence when you feel the result in the friends?

R. Well you are partially right and the rest of it we will scrutinize it later on.

25. S. (40:10) Is the effort to get above reason, is this private Providence? The revelation is it's always understanding it's from Him.

R. Yes.

26. S. (40:33) A person understands that his attitude to the Creator is the attitude of the Creator, what the Creator wants him to do in the ten. Where is the effort here, where is the point of effort in a person after he understood the state?

R. I didn't understand, can you ask again?

S. From the article it follows that when a person perceives something in reality this is the Creator's dispositioning his attitude for him to feel this. In that case, what purpose is this effort am I only talking about working the ten?

R. The effort should be how much do I enter between the friends, and I become the glue that attaches them to each other. This is what is important for me, there is no work that is more internal than me embracing all of the friends and I want to glue them together.

S. And this is not connected to the Creator, the Creator does this for himself?

R. The exertion is attributed to the person.

27. S. (42:04) What is truth?

R. Truth is the Creator, it is the name of the Creator.

S. Is it a desire of the Creator?

R. Truth is the quality, it is the quality of the Creator. Don't replace it with anything else.

28. S. (42:40) We did an exercise in which six friends needed a specific reward. The ten prayed for them, and three of the ones that didn't want so much did get it, and the ones that wanted it a lot didn't get the reward. Here I'm thinking because this was a while ago and it was so clear, is there any connection between how much you want to receive and how the Creator doesn't give you?

R. It could very well be.

S. Why is it happening?

R. In order for you to scrutinize what is it for, and in which manner, why is it happening?

29. S. (43:43) I already feel that my ego is repulsive. To what extent do I need to achieve this realization of evil even though I feel it’s bad that I can't pray strongly? What do I need to do?

R. You don't need to not love your egoism to such a great extent you need to hate it because it fills your whole head and your whole heart so you should stay calm. The most important is to be closer to others and the action should be coming closer to the group and not this hatred of the egoism that becomes the most important, I hate it, I hate it. You should be in the opposite state of the opposite movement or direction to what you should be, so ignore it for the time being that is the most correct. The best is for you to be concerned about loving the friends.

30. S. (45:06) In the text it is said that the feeling is the truth. Does this mean that we have to go through all the states of punishment, and we can't shorten this path and as we advance should we close our eyes because we have to feel the suffering of the world in order to get a Kli?

R. You don't have to go through each and every state but only the states that the Creator points to as important for us. That is all.

31. S. (46:08) I want to ask about prayer about my imaginary future. Let's say, now there are enemies that we are fighting, and I want them to have a feeling of brotherhood, but it's as if this is the Creator sent this thought. So, what do I do in the ten say, if my ten agrees or privately personally?

R. Try to gather together everyone in the ten in a single desire and how to put it where everyone understands, maybe disseminate on the internet this is very important.

32. S. (47:16) You said recently we should love and respect the friends. What do you mean by this love and respect for the friend?

R. What all the people in the world mean by these words pretty much, no special explanation really of course, in the wisdom of Kabbalah there is a lot about this topic, a whole degree, a ladder about cause and effect, but in principle this simply means coming closer. Coming closer between our hearts.

S. To respect the friends, respect, and love, they are two different things. To love, I can love a friend with my heart, but to respect his point of view there is some contradiction with my ego. What do I add to this unity?

R. All the rest of the friends will add to you.

33. S. (48:40) In thanking the Creator for everything, does this become a reward, how does this work?

R. Yes, yes.

34. S. (49:03) Does a person think that the advancement of spiritual advancement will be expressed everywhere at work and at home?

R. I don't think that if a person wants to connect to the friends on a path these can cause any problems for him, no. There will be all kinds of such moments that are unpleasant then it comes from the Creator in order to direct the person more precisely towards the goal.

35. S. (50:04) I can't define this evil in me, identify this evil in me, and I have a lot of aggression. Does it mean that I'm not uniting with the ten correctly and can I, in this case, do you advise us to give this to the Creator?

R. Don't ignore the problem. You have to resolve it and this is not about the Creator here but about the pressure that you have to answer to.

S. Except that the evil outside is my own evil?

R. Yes, that's right.

36. S. (51:27) He says that revelation can be in one person in the presence and the future in two times. Or at the same time in different bodies in different carriers, can this happen in the ten people in the ten?

R. Well try to imagine to yourself that you can connect with everyone in this way.

S. Yes, but this revelation is just like one revelation at the same time as one for all, what do I ask the Creator for? I want everyone to be in one revelation. I am asking about this what do I ask for exactly so that at some moment all the friends will get a revelation? Practically what do I ask for so this would be a correct request in bestowal so he would accept this?

R. I can't answer this now, ask tomorrow.

37. S. (53:05) We have been preparing for, it's like a disconnect from the ten in feeling and in thought and I began to feel a disconnect from the ten as a big danger. How to pass on this to the friends in the right way and connect this with the Creator?

R. Well think in such a way that they will feel it even without your words, so you don't have anything to worry about.

38. S. (53:58) How can face-to-face be in bestowal without falling into reception when we are disconnected from one another to ask with one desire to give joy to one another? How do we stop becoming a receiving Kli and become a bestowing Kli?

R. You want to give to each other?

S. Yes.

R. So what's the problem?

S. We fill up the whole Kli, it’s full of light.

R. You ask of the Creator to be as one man with one heart and open up to the Creator.

S. And this heart isn't broken up, it shouldn't be scared of moving with full force?

R. Yes.

39. S. (54:57) What is the preference in the unity of the ten should we unite our thoughts and our desires and all of them are necessary for unity?

R. Yes, preferably all of them this is a complete Kli.

40. S. (55:37) We have two types of work in the ten, we work with the friends' questions so it's like a Kli, and in the ten it's like a workshop so we are trying to be like you, to answer questions and unite between the friends. What is the difference between these two types of work?

R. Well there is a big difference you can see between yourselves. I would recommend both this way and that way.

41. S. (56:09) In the article it is said two people make an effort and the other one gets without effort. Do I understand correctly the more there is equivalence with the Creator the less effort we need to make?

R. Well in principle yes, because inside of you, you already accumulate many degrees so you will have to perform pure efforts but those same efforts in terms of their quality, in terms of their subtlety, would already be of a higher quality.

S. Do I understand that the right effort is to annul before the upper force to become a part of it?

R. Yes, that is true.

S. What are the efforts, do I need to make a lot of effort, what does that mean?

R. Many efforts are only in different combinations of how to advance towards the friends and together with them to organize one common heart and nothing besides that.

42. S. (57:34) Sometimes we say that we are in a world of lies and truth is the goal that we need to attain where everything is one and here it is said that the truth is what a person sees with his own eyes and the truth is a reward and punishment. Are there different perceptions of these articles? And what to do about this?

R. We have to make an effort there is nothing you can do about it friends; you have to make an effort.

43. S. (58:15) I would like to come back to the question about the two bodies in the corporeal, at the same time in spirituality it is in one body but two different states. Does this mean that we are Uniting desires and connecting and turning them into spiritual steps, we feel one state, in the same body in the same desire but in different states, and in advanced states do these states change do we feel different states or one state?

R. Yes.

44. S. (59:14) What's the upper force? Is it what we are creating in the ten, is there any other force?

R. The upper force is the upper force of anything that exists, and we attain it through our connection.

S. In the unity of the ten is there an upper force?

R. It's also connected to the ten and we want to discover him this is our purpose.

S. And if we are as a ten as a group, we are not united, can we connect with the upper force?

R. Well we should try, we should try.

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Series of lessons on the topic: Ba'al HaSulam - undefined25 יולי - 29 אוגוסט 2022Lesson 1812/8/2022

25 יולי - 29 אוגוסט 2022

Lesson 1812/8/2022

Ba'al HaSulam. Dopis 20

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Series of lessons on the topic: Ba'al HaSulam - undefined
25 יולי - 29 אוגוסט 2022
Lesson 1812/8/2022

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Copyright © 2003-2026 Bnei Baruch – Kabbalah L’Am Association, All rights reserved