The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Lesson (Morning) January 14, 2025.
Part 2: Obtaining Contact with the Creator - Selected excerpts from the sources. #5
Reader: We are learning selected excerpts from the sources on the topic of “Obtaining Contact with the Creator”. Here we are in excerpt number 5. The study material is on Sviva Tova and the Arvut system. You can send questions through there during the lesson. “Obtaining Contact With the Creator”, excerpt number 5. Baal HaSulam says in the article, “Two States”, article number 50, Shamati.
5. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 50, "Two States" - Twice
Reading: (00:25) One must know that he often reads the book and knows that the whole Torah is the names of the Creator, yet receives no illumination or sensation. Instead, everything is dry and the knowledge that he knows does not help him at all.
Hence, when one studies in a certain book and hangs his hope on Him, one’s study should be on the basis of faith, that he believes in Providence, that the Creator will open his eyes. At that time, he becomes needy of the Creator and thus has contact with the Creator. By this he can be rewarded with Dvekut [adhesion] with Him.
Article #50, Two States
Re-Reading: (01:59) One must know that he often reads the book and knows that the whole Torah is the names of the Creator, yet receives no illumination or sensation. Instead, everything is dry and the knowledge that he knows does not help him at all.
Hence, when one studies in a certain book and hangs his hope on Him, one’s study should be on the basis of faith, that he believes in Providence, that the Creator will open his eyes. At that time, he becomes needy of the Creator and thus has contact with the Creator. By this he can be rewarded with Dvekut [adhesion] with Him
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (03:06) It says here, when a person reads some book and hangs his hope on Him, his study should be on the basis of faith, that he believes in providence, that the Creator will open his eyes, and then he becomes needy of the Creator, and then he has contact with the Creator, by this he can be rewarded with adhesion with Him. So, in order to adhere to the Creator, he has to need the Creator, and to need the Creator, he needs to believe that the Creator can open his eyes. He needs to believe in the providence of the Creator. So, do we need to, first of all, work on these stages, on the stage of faith, that the Creator will open a person's eyes?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (04:19) You believe in the Creator. You also need to believe in yourself, in the group, and in the way. On the one hand. On the other hand, you feel like you need the Creator, that you are powerless.
M. Laitman: So?
Student: How do you come back? How do you return to believing yourself on the path? You feel that it's from Him, but you don't understand what He wants.
M. Laitman: Try not to disconnect.
Student: And how is the inner search?
M. Laitman: Keep that inner search, too. And those same actions in order to not disconnect. You're in that inner search, too.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (05:24) To believe in the Creator, that he will open his eyes. What does that mean?
M. Laitman: That he'll be able to see what true spiritual state he's in. And what type of connection he is with that system. That's what he wants to reveal.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (05:59) He writes to need the Creator, to be in contact with Him. Now, a person, when a person is hurting, when he's afraid, he thinks that he needs the Creator. He thinks so. But it feels like there, he's not really searching for the Creator. He's in pain. He's hurting. He's looking for something. I feel like it's not the right reason for needing the Creator. What is the right reason to need the Creator?
M. Laitman: The right reason is that a person feels that he must reveal the Creator.
Student: So, it's an internal need.
M. Laitman: An internal need.
Student: An internal need, and then it's more correct? What is he looking for when he has that need?
M. Laitman: I don't know, mister. Each one asks himself in a different way.
Student: Sorry, just to end this. Is this correct? That to search the Creator when you're hurting in the will to receive is not regarded as searching for the Creator? That's the point I wanted to ask.
M. Laitman: You want to say that I'm searching for the Creator from a point of pain?
Student: Yes, to solve my problem right now that I'm hurting. I suddenly remember then that I have, that there is a Creator. But the motive is incorrect, that's how it feels to me? So that's my question.
M. Laitman: You have to check, but still through that, you enter, you go inward.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (08:14) To continue the friend, sometimes the Creator gives a person states where a person finds himself helpless. In helplessness. And then he turns to the Creator. He turns to Him with an outcry, and after that, an internal plea, you see a change in reality. And if, according to my interpretation, if you work with it correctly, it was for the best. The Creator intervened, and it helped. Because alone, I wouldn't come to that situation. Now, because we are the will to receive, how can a person bring himself to a state of helplessness without the Creator helping him? And if he helps, it's not pleasant when the Creator intervenes and brings you to that state. How can a person come to that level of outcry that changes reality by himself?
M. Laitman: He can't. But at least to reach that limit, that's good.
Student: What's the limit? What limit do you mean?
M. Laitman: The limit or the border between corporeality and divinity.
Student: And that borderline, when I try to come to that situation, say in the example we gave, I also see with friends, when they come to a place where the Creator pulls the ground off their feet, so the outcry is understood. And He changes a person at that moment, and then his reality changes. Now, you're saying alone, you can't reach that intensity.
M. Laitman: So, there's like a self-protective force in a person.
Student: Exactly, there's something that doesn't let him.
M. Laitman: Right.
Student: So, how do you shift the outcry from 30% to 100% that can change reality by yourself?
M. Laitman: Only in the work with the friends. Only through that.
Student: And what is the reason that the Creator, if I want to learn from what the Creator does, how would you explain it, these examples? Why does the Creator give a person these examples? So that, what?
M. Laitman: In order to direct them towards the right desire. The whole desire, complete desire.
Student: And that desire you talked about the person can't reach it alone because of the resistance, but only through the Ten can he receive this force?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (11:28) He writes that the learning should be on the basis of faith. When we sit in the lesson with you, we discover new flavors in what we read, in the articles. Now, when we do the preparations before the lesson, how do we check ourselves that we're really doing it on the basis of faith? The preparation, the study from the sources.
M. Laitman: Try and think together. Each one should subdue himself towards the others.
Student: How do we find new flavors together from the sources?
M. Laitman: When each one, whoever's here, in the general lesson, they add flavors from within themselves to what we feel, what we receive. And from that, we already reach a higher degree.
Student: What do we want to get out of the text?
M. Laitman: From the text, we want to extract the feeling of the Creator only. The rest comes after that.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (13:49) There is no stronger moment with the Creator than when the Creator gives us exactly what we're asking. How to ask correctly? How to ask for what He wants to give? If there is a common desire for something specific. But He still doesn't give it. But He doesn't want us to feel His greatness.
M. Laitman: Of course He does.
Student: Then why doesn't He give what we're asking for?
M. Laitman: That's not what you're asking for.
Student: If we ask something specific in order to give contentment, to be connected, to give Him something to feel.
M. Laitman: So, I guess that second part of giving contentment, you're in a lie. You don't really want it.
Student: Yes, but I want it. But I don't understand what it means to give contentment. It's beyond what is in me. But it feels like a need, a collective need. It's something very specific. Most of the friends know exactly what I'm talking about. How do we make it so that our request is for Him, for His sake? It's clear that it's for the sake of someone else outside of me. Even contentment is just to feel His greatness together. If we receive filling in that deficiency, what joy will be throughout our society.
M. Laitman: Yes, but you see that the Creator isn't drawn towards that. He wants of you to subdue yourself even more than that.
Student: Can you explain what you just said?
M. Laitman: What did I say?
Student: In my mind, it's all very difficult because I'm constantly translating. So, it's confusing. Because there are several languages in my head. You said you have to submit yourself, subjugate yourself more than that. You said you have to surrender yourself more than you are right now. So, he's asking, can you explain what you mean? Before what point does a person have to submit himself, subjugate himself? The surrender you talked about. Can you explain a little more about surrender?
M. Laitman: Surrendering that I am the lowest from all people in the world.
Student: Should I express it to the Creator? He knows I am the lowest of all the people.
M. Laitman: And what?
Student: Do I need to say it to begin the prayer?
M. Laitman: No, no, you're receiving this. You're accepting it. Not that you know, but you are receiving this knowledge. You are agreeing with it.
Student: I agree with it many times during the day. It always comes out. It always leaves me, but I return to that point. Really. I discover it many times a day. I forget and discover, but in the name of someone else, something specific, there's a very deep pain in my friend. It's not about me. It's not about my attainment. My attainment hardly matters. It is to relieve. It is to help another friend's situation. But does it depend on my nonsense? I first have to correct myself before the Creator helps the friend?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Is this the correction of the world? The whole world is waiting for?
M. Laitman: Until you correct yourself.
Student: But I don't know how to correct anything.
M. Laitman: Those complaints aren't accepted.
Student: It's not exactly a complaint. I accept it. Just like you said, I accept it. I'm a very low person. I don't understand. Many times I'm like this, like that, in order to show a picture to the friends. Oh, there's a friend. This is a good place because we have a goal and we have confidence. But in truth, at this point, I didn't attain anything in terms of correction, how to do the correction or anything like that. I don't understand TES. I'm only trying to draw a light, something like that. I don't even understand what it means to draw a light. So, how can I help the Creator do good to a friend? It doesn't even matter if I attain anything. What matters is for the situation of the friend will be resolved positively so everyone will feel the greatness of the Creator, and joy, so we can dance together and sing His praise. Something kind of.. You can hardly imagine how much joy will come out of it.
M. Laitman: Okay.
Student: So the problem is in me.
M. Laitman: The problem is in you.
Student: What do I do? I don't understand. I'm like less than a baby. Doesn't the Creator want the whole world to come to correction?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: I want what He wants. But how do I do it?
M. Laitman: Okay.
Student: It doesn't feel okay, but thank you for... because you know better than I do.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (24:09) You said that surrendering is that I'm the lowest of all people in the world.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Is that a true state? Is that a state a person has to reach? What is that?
M. Laitman: It's what a person discovers.
Student: He discovers it from his spiritual work?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: That he's the lowest of all people?
M. Laitman: Yes, in his vessels.
Student: So, how does it put a person into complete despair or something?
M. Laitman: Well, despair is despair and being lowered is being low.
Student: And that state that he feels low, why should he feel that? Why is the Creator lowering him?
M. Laitman: Well, there is good preparation in this for the operations that will come afterwards.
Student: Why does the Creator do it? Why should we reach such a state of lowliness? Is that the desired state in the eyes of the Creator, that we become low?
M. Laitman: No, but when we feel the lowliness, how we can rise from it and reach correction.
Student: When a person feels low, what's his purpose towards the others?
M. Laitman: I don't know. That's already his relation to others.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (25:51) I heard that the Creator wants to bring man to the right desire, a whole complete desire. What's the right desire, the correct desire?
M. Laitman: The correct desire is when the Creator brings a person to using his desire, the person's desire, in a way that by this, by doing this, he satisfies the desire of the Creator.
Question (Woman Hebrew 1): (28:25) I heard you said before that our prayer isn't true, or that it's a lie, and we don't really want to give contentment to the Creator. I also heard you saying that we have this defensive force that won't let us cry out. So, how to come out of the lie?
M. Laitman: I don't know. I do not know. Find. Search.
Student: Because also from asking from the Creator to come out of the lie, I feel I don't want it.
M. Laitman: Yes. Okay. This is already part of the truth.
Student: But you can remain there for years.
M. Laitman: Let's count.
Question (Turkiye 1): (29:44) How should I read the sources correctly?
M. Laitman: Together with the friends, listen to what they are saying, and check within yourself if this is how you understand it. And in the end, you will get the right translation, the right reading.
Question (Latin 11): (30:35) When faith rises in us, does it add flavors to our sources? Tastes?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Novosibirsk): (30:59) I want to make sure during the day if I'm going through all kinds of burdens or feel unpleasant. How from that point to develop a thought that it's actually a disconnection from the Creator, and I need the Ten. Because I don't feel that enough. It's not something that the ego is used to think.
M. Laitman: Write down these states for yourself. A few words. But make them very close to your soul. And you'll see what benefit you will get out of it.
Question (Hadera 1): (31:55) How to reach revelation that the root of our suffering is self-love? Is it a revelation from above, or a person reveals it?
M. Laitman: A person reveals it. There's nothing special about it. It's when a person discovers that all of his inclinations, thoughts, and desires are wrong. Egoistic.
Student: And it comes from a place of revealing in the will to receive?
M. Laitman: It's a revelation from the will to receive.
Question (Woman Unity): (32:51) How from love to faith? Can we say that faith is the essence of love, or is faith above?
M. Laitman: Faith is above reason.
Student: So, we can, can I take a step back? If I come out of myself, I reach some kind of unconditional love. But I have friends. So the love depends on the friends. Is there like a transition point between conditional love to unconditional love?
M. Laitman: So?
Student: Faith is unconditional love, and conditional love is a necessary condition as a transition to faith?
M. Laitman: It's partially true.
Question (Almaty): (34:10) It’s not enough to understand. You have to take the state upon yourself that you are the lowest from everyone. From the state, from this feeling, the true shame comes towards the Creator?
M. Laitman: Yes, exactly from that point. Exactly from it.
Question (Woman Petah Tikva 33): (35:01) If a person is in a crossroads, according to what should he choose one of the paths in order to reach contact with the Creator?
M. Laitman: To the extent that what he chooses touches more his internal qualities.
Student: Thank you.
Question (Woman Spain): (36:03) Is there a difference between studying Torah or studying Kabbalah?
M. Laitman: Of course there is. In learning faith, intention, Kabbalah, a person receives complete light that fills him and explains to him all the discernments that are there in between his desires and the light. And then he is rewarded with complete knowledge, complete knowing. Okay.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (37:23) Today, it is very much felt the strong connection here with the friends. There is a strong Kli, I feel. And it feels to me that we already draw the light of the congress. Last night we had a meeting with the German Kli, preparing ourselves for the congress. Some friends want to come here. We are preparing. Where do you see us, the world Kli on the way to the congress?
M. Laitman: You are already on the way to the Congress. And here, the only question is how we show our deficiency for the congressional before we come to it in the proper, in the correct manner. So, we need to be more connected and united, with a good desire, in order to jump like wolves, like a pack of wolves on some prey that they killed, and how they devour it. This is how we need to prepare ourselves for the Congress. In other words, this is how I want my will to receive to feel the Congress, the beginning of the Congress, all the participants there, to be among everyone. And from among everyone, I will want to devour the Congress. Let's hope that through this, each of us will catch his piece of the Congress and swallow it. And we'll feel that this is really his goal, that this is why he came. Both men and women, everyone are in this, in the same thing.
Student: It is very much felt that there's something new in this. There's a really new degree waiting. What is the new that is waiting for us?
M. Laitman: The new thing is that we want only to be connected between us and to devour the topic that the organizers of the Congress have prepared for us. But it all depends on your desire.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (41:40) What exactly should we jump on? What is this prey?
M. Laitman: It's what you want to receive from the Congress. It's your vitality. Where do you want to find it?
Student: This depiction is very palpable, very personal, but in nature it's very egoistic. Each one jumping for…
M. Laitman: This is what there is.
Student: Should I just jump without seeing the friends to my side? First of all, allow them to jump, to open it for them?
M. Laitman: No. In this way, if you allow it to everyone, then no one will have anything.
Student: Right, so there's an internal contradiction here.
M. Laitman: There's no contradiction. No contradiction. You devour it and swallow it. And you don't allow others to get your piece.
Student: What's my piece? What is my piece? Is there a part that's privately mine?
M. Laitman: Your piece is the one that you catch, but you don't swallow it, but you give it to the Creator.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (43:43) In the excerpts we read, the work seems personal. Meaning, the connection, the contact with the Creator should start in personal work, but actually, you also told friends here that it also has to go through the group. So, how to combine these two things: the personal work with the work in the group? On one hand, we read this part twice. I wanted to see if we really are in that state, that in reason, we read the Torah, we know that everything is the names of the Creator, and we have faith in reason, and None else besides Him. We have all of it. So, how do we acquire true faith? The force of faith, not faith in reason.
M. Laitman: The real power of faith, you can receive it only at the origin of the faith where you all connect, and there you are connected. Try to imagine it, that you're all connected by each one giving to the others the piece of meat that he grabbed, and in this way, everyone passes between everyone.
Student: How can we talk about it in that state?
M. Laitman: I don't know. This, I don't know. You have to come to this through the faith that comes to you, and you have to accept it.
Student: There's a good example, for instance, for connection. On Sunday, we had a meal of gratitude. And even from that approach, I felt that there was more of a release in the connection as coming from gratitude.
M. Laitman: So?
Student: What is this, I don't know, this release I felt that there was connection from gratitude, and it made the meal very different. So, it's this force of gratitude that connects between us.
M. Laitman: That you thank the Creator in some way, that you're connected.
Student: And that's already a connection then?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: No matter if you feel you're in a descent, it's already a connection.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So it's all connection?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Thank You.