Afternoon Lesson October 10, 2023, Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio.
Lesson on the topic of “Reinforcing Ourselves with There Is None Else Besides Him”
1. Rav’s Intro: Yes, uniting and strengthening in None Else Besides Him, meaning with the Creator, who is the only force that acts in our reality, this is our work. Next to this, we can save ourselves from all kinds of problems and apart from this give pleasure to the Creator and this is essence is our goal, the goal of our development, to the extent that we succeed at this we can also influence all of humanity and we will all come closer to our spiritual root. Let's read and let's try to be united between us and as a result of our unity at the center of our unity between us, we will try to merit contact and connection with the Creator.
Reading Excerpt #9: (01:30) RABASH, Article No.19 (1990), Why Is the Torah Called “Middle Line” in the Work – 2
2. R. (02:47) Yes, this means that we're in a state of Lo Lishma or in Lishma, but both come to us from the Creator and we have to try to be more connected between us, and as a result of our connection, connect, direct ourselves to the Creator and then we come to a state when we adhere to the Creator and we do everything we have to do in order to strengthen in the connection between us and the Creator.
3. S. (03:49) We just read that in the connection between us, we have to strengthen ourselves in the connection with the Creator and I also heard that the connection with the Creator can get us rid of all the problems?
R. Also true.
S. Originally, where do all the problems come from?
R. Originally from the Creator. This happens in order to help us rise above our ego, to connect between us, and from the connection between us connection with the Creator so that everything will be in one point of connection.
Reading Excerpt #10: (04:49) Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 1, “There Is None Else Besides Him”
4. R. (05:50) This means that once again there is None Else Besides Him, as Baal HaSulam says here, a person should always try to advance on the path where he's in adhesion with the Creator. In what, above all the obstacles, disturbances, and turns that the Creator befalls within him, in any case, he only thinks about the fact that this only comes from the Creator, There Is None Else Besides Him, and in such a way he advances to a closer and closer connection with the Creator, when everything happens from the Creator's side.
5. S. (06:39) When a person has non-stop obstacles, disregarding the fact that he was praying, despite the fact that he was praying to the Creator, and he's still suffering, what is in his hands to do?
R. To continue to strengthen his connection with the ten, with his environment in general, and turn to the Creator and demand from Him that he wants to come to contact with Him, that he wants to be in adhesion with the Creator, that he understands that this needs to happen through equivalence of form, the equivalence of qualities, and with this, he turns to the Creator and prays.
S. Is there a place for a phenomenon where a person is not perceiving the obstacle right, where he should stop the prayer and accept reality as it is?
R. Accepting reality, that is one thing, but above reality to yearn to have adhesion with the Creator that is something else. This is what he needs to do in every moment of his existence.
S. How can we define what an obstacle is on our path?
R. A real obstacle is that there are no obstacles, but only our decision to move towards the Creator. As we see as it is written, even if it seems to him that there is something that is impossible to imagine what kind of obstacle there is with the Creator, in any case, he understands that even if it's some kind of magic, this comes from the Creator in order for the person to make an effort. Then he needs to believe that this is his force; it's in his power to address the Creator to ask him to change things.
S. When a person is holding on to There’s None Else Besides Him, then what is his attitude towards this obstacle? Is it not considered an obstacle anymore when that person is feeling one force?
R. No, an obstacle is an obstacle, but he can use this obstacle in order to get closer to the Creator.
S. And then what? That there is an adherence to the Creator and an obstacle or is the obstacle canceling?
R. Maybe inside this obstacle he finds the connection to the Creator.
6. S. (09:42) How can we come to a desire and connection to the Creator in a clear and pure way so that we have a pure desire so that this yearning will be truly serious?
R. If we believe that everything we feel, everything that comes to us comes only from the Creator, then we are directed at Him, at the Creator, and there is no disturbance that could separate us, but it's the opposite. Every obstacle directs us to a more accurate direction towards the Creator.
7. S. (10:41) What if an obstacle is so strong it does not allow a person to attend the morning lessons? What is the attitude towards an obstacle like this?
R. I don't hear what you're saying. What kind of microphone do you have? Okay, try again.
S. If an obstacle is, for example, a medical kind, doesn't let a person attend the lessons for example. What should he do with an obstacle like this? He cannot attend the lessons due to medical reasons and he sees that it's an obstacle from the Creator but he doesn't have enough connection.
R. Of course all the obstacles are from the Creator There's None Else Besides Him, and there's nothing to say about this. Now, how can we all-in-all unite between us and address the Creator from all the obstacles, this is our work, and we turn the obstacle into a means of connection with the Creator, that's it. And let’s hope that we learn to do this but we shouldn't forget this, we should always do this, above [internet cut out] all the obstacles with the Creator, that all-in-all it comes from Him, He is the source of everything.
8. S. (12:16) In this very special situation, circumstances, it appears that the difference, the delta between The Good That Does Good, externally, and internally, and separation and connection, becomes greater and greater the difference. The question is where are we, or what are we in this observation?
R. We have first of all to understand that it all comes from the Creator, There Is None Else Besides Him, and we have to unite between us to [internet cut out] only unity between us and adhesion with Him, that's it. If we connect us to this point, then we will discover to what extent He is bringing us closer to Him.
9. S. (13:58) Considering the current events, I send you my love from our ten to the whole Kli. This None Else Besides Him, about everything, everything, how can we come to terms with how brutal reality is when we see what we see?
R. We can remember it's like this when we were witnesses of this even of everything that's happening [internet cut out] but in any case, we have to say that the Creator is Good That Does Good. We turn His attitude of his endless love into endless hatred, okay?
10. S. (15:31) You said that we have to hold this point above obstacles above this reality. How do we hold this point together? I hold it on my own in reason but what does it mean to hold it together with the friends?
R. We have to unite between us, feel that only together can we raise this request to the Creator and then push Him so that he will change our state for the better so that we will feel that we are connected with Him.
S. Can I clarify, please? We are discussing it between us or do I disconnect all my girls on my own and raise it? This process of connection where does it happen?
R. It happens between us and when each one of us is by himself and we don't talk about it. We just raise a request to Him.
11. S. (16:49) The question is, the disturbance that an individual receives is a request from the Creator that we need to connect? That is, we overcome every part of the division otherwise we...
R. Yes, the disturbances we get in the way are an invitation from the Creator so that we will address him again and come back to Him.
S. .... the group comprehension that we all together have to do that?
R. It's better to do this together in the group, you can't do it by yourself.
12. S. (18:20) In the feeling it's possible to say that the one who doesn't have anything else but None Else Besides Him, in the center of his perception seeing reality from a different height. A couple of days ago you gave a lot of strength, and you gave confidence from a place where you perceive reality. What kind of advice can you give to your students on how to absorb the feeling in which a teacher finds himself?
R. To hear and to try to fulfill, to do what we're talking about.
S. How can we fulfill and achieve this feeling of confidence in the fact that a lot of friends that where you see reality and affect it in a good way I mean. How can we adhere to that, adhere to our teacher?
R. This is a student's problem. He has to hear me, to feel what I say, and try to enter the feeling and the knowledge of what I'm emanating.
13. S. (19:43) Why do suffering and obstacles help us unite better?
R. Because otherwise, it's impossible to influence you.
S. We see in our experience that everything that’s happening, that has happened, doesn’t really help us, nor us nor the world.
R. There's no choice, these are big corrections.
S. Even if we don't feel, we still advance in the connection?
R. Yes, in any case, the blows bring a person closer to the Creator.
14. S. (20:30) What kind of preparation is required in order to balance out each state for unity? What do we lack to achieve that balance?
R. Unity between us, that's it.
15. S. (21:00) What is Sitra Achra and what is it for a person?
R. A person's ego is the Sitra Achra.
S. So It's our nature?
R. Yes.
16. S. (21:26) For Multiple years I was working in such a state that was demanding unity. I was asking for it, I was praying, and I was trying to activate the whole group, but now we have talked so much about this unity that I have this internal calmness as if the Creator is controlling us and He does everything and I'm just silent, I'm not talking about it and just prayer is flowing out of me. What's the right way to work? Just a prayer or also to raise in the ten the spirit, the spirit of unity?
R. Of course this is necessary.
S. It's when it's just rushing out of me, is it coming out of my ego or is it from the Creator?
R. It can be like this, it can be like this, I can't tell you for sure.
17. S. (22:40) What's the difference between there’s None Else Besides Him and the greatness of the Creator?
R. We're talking about the Creator, only on the one hand, we're talking about His greatness, and on the other hand, about His ability to be in any action inside of us.
S. The system, Nothing Else Besides Him, the Creator builds it after our prayer?
R. No, this exists always, from the beginning of creation.
18. S. (23:25) If There Is None Else Besides Him, where's my free choice? What are my actions? How can I become a partner of the Creator?
R. Your choice is to remember about the Creator each moment of your existence and these are forces that want to break up your connection with the Creator and your choice is to connect with the Creator.
19. S. (24:25) I heard that you said that there are no obstacles, there are only directions. How can a person be sure that he understood the direction of the Creator correctly?
R. Together with the friends so that he would try to imagine the state and direct himself correctly.
S. How can a nation of Israel that has received such a heavy blow, how can we help to hear the direction of the Creator so that it does not go to waste?
R. This we study and we talk about it and between you make some access to receive these actions.
S. What actions?
R. Actions of unity.
S. The explanation is really weak right now. Unless a huge pain goes over us no one will accept it.
R. You need to know how to do this.
20. S. (25:42) I join the feeling of what everyone was talking about but unless the fear is gone we won't be able to explain anything. I'd love to hear your advice. I can feel our ten is united as a result of this situation and the question, despite the fact that in all the wars, up until today, the nation of Israel was united and politicians also. I think it's the first time despite this heavy war, and these heavy casualties, nonetheless, politicians are still disconnected. Is this a raised Arvut?
R. Yes, this also, but this also doesn't get in the way of us talking about the fact that unity is a requirement for success. If there's no unity, there won't be any success.
21. S. (26:57) You said that we have to attain the desire to be united between us and the Creator. How does it happen through cutting off all other desires?
R. What other desires can there be?
S. All kinds of desires that a person has.
R. So you're not prepared for true connection with the friends and the Creator.
22. S. (27:37) Is it possible to achieve the same power of prayer without suffering as we can with suffering?
R. No, this is impossible.
23. S. (28:21) Maybe it's not the right example, but the one that you brought us with the Rabash, that he in moments like this he is helping, this example is helping us to get involved into this process. You were saying that he, when there was some conflict going on, he would just listen like the service of the news, the headlines, and you would enter his work, and basically theater of actions in this world it doesn't really change it just becomes deeper or looks in different ways. So, I’d love to understand, that when a group of Kabbalists united in such a big congress has passed, and not just a good congress but it was a really high congress, one could feel a great power of unity. Then what happened in Israel, stuff like this started to happen. Can we somehow shorten this or prevent this? What should we imagine in this?
R. Unite in order to rise to the Creator, that's it.
S. We don't react to the situation directly, but we rise above it?
R. Yes.
S. Can we somehow, or do we have to imagine, for example should we imagine that we want the nation to also join this path?
R. Of course, the whole world.
24. S. (30:18) Question regarding the excerpt. Creator has hidden Himself into the clothing of Lo Lishma. Can you explain what clothing is that?
R. In all possible, even ugly egotistical actions, the Creator is hidden in them as well.
S. Is it different from Klipa somehow or is it the same or are those things different?
R. In essence no, this can be no different. The Creator clothes Himself and all kinds of clothing and we have to bring all of them to one state that all this is a manifestation of Him, the Creator.
S. Is it a right feeling that there are usually two intentions? There are always egotistical desires that are there, you know, because it's our nature. Maybe we can also feel the Creator behind the friends and basically all we see are two clothes?
R. We have to always see behind everything the Creator.
25. S. (33:22) What should I do if I see an obstacle and it's hard for me to justify? How can I bring it to the group? How can I bring it to the ten? Overflow it to the ten?
R. Pray to the Creator so that he will help you change your desires and your thoughts.
S. Can I achieve the state where the Creator wants connection without any obstacles, to not feel and perceive any obstacles?
R. No, the Creator purposefully gives us obstacles so that by overcoming them we can become more connected with Him.
26. S. (34:24) When the heart is overwhelmed, and you have no words to pray and all you have is the song of praise in your heart. Is that a kind of prayer? Does such a prayer exist?
R. Yes.
S. When you feel this sense that you know something big is happening but at the same time you cannot just open your mouth and just sing it internally. What does that do to the world?
R. All in all this influences the world. The world accepts everything we feel even if it's not spoken aloud.
27. S. (35:37) Collective desire, can it affect the Creator even if it's receiving for the sake of receiving?
R. Yes.
28. S. (36:17) What is the difference between our intention and intention of religious people in None Else Besides Him, and Good that does Good? How can we make it a true prayer and not a mantra?
R. First of all we have to come to a minimal feeling of None Else Besides Him, and then we'll feel what is the difference between one and the other.
S. How are we holding in the right intention of None Else Besides Him, and keep ourselves from falling into ego?
R. First of all, we have to in None Else Besides Him, direct ourselves directly to the Creator and in such a way we'll get closer to Him and that's why we won't fall into the ego.
29. S. (37:19) It is written that a person has to have faith and belief. If I understand it right faith is some kind of a force that is holding us above our nature, some kind of a magnet. Can we build this kind of magnet in the ten so that it will hold up everyone, and if yes then how?
R. Yes, this is possible, but this demands from us to always be in the right direction, to be united. Between us and the Creator.
S. Sometimes between us there's a feeling that we exert so many efforts to unite and it’s as if there’s no answer and sometimes it’s the opposite, basically almost didn't do anything but there’s a force that holds everyone. Basically, there is no correlation. How do we relate to this?
R. There's nothing you can do with this, don't be connected to this, and make a maximum effort in unity and prayer to the Creator.
30. S. (38:39) Friend from the ten is asking, how to use the possibility the Creator has given us in the right way in order to become closer and open our hearts more in the ten?
R. Try to be united, there's nothing I can add here.
S. Is it right to try all the time to rise above the common feeling in the ten? How can I rise above this feeling?
R. Try to be together.
31. S. (39:30) During the time of challenge in prayer we start lacking gratefulness, but we start demanding things. Will this prayer be accepted as a sign of ego?
R. This is a sign of ego, yes.
S. We have to locate this gratefulness and then ask?
R. Yes.
32. S. (40:01) I had an impression that up until this day we were advancing towards understanding that There Is None Else Besides Him only through suffering, but will we ever get on the good path, or will it maybe never happen?
R. This depends on you, on your correct attitude to the Creator and to you, between you.
33. S. (40:31) When I'm checking and I research the situation of the cataclysms in the nature of wars, actually as a result of them we become to a lot of disagreements, can you tell us what the role of those things is?
R. Maybe as two opposites and we advance and use both of them, the opposites.
34. S. (41:20) You said that we are not united. What do we have to do to unite?
R. We have to ask the Creator to unite, only this will help us, and nothing else apart from this.
35. S. (41:53) We speak about the greatness of the Creator on the path. This greatness reveals itself as absolute evil and a person cannot understand it's as if he's holding a grudge for the whole of humanity and all the suffering of his address, a person as if he cannot even ask, he such big of a grudge and to ask for the humanity, yes, but he can't ask for himself. So, this evil just goes on. If the good is revealed at the end of the day, does it also reveal itself as a good for humanity or is only evil revealed this way?
R. We have to ask the Creator constantly, always ask the Creator, that's it.
S. I cannot pray for myself or pray for a friend?
R. Nothing else you need. Each one asks for his friend and at the end our request reaches the Creator.
36. S. (44:10) You answered a friend a couple of minutes ago that we have to ask for unity. The question is in order to ask for unity does this request have to come out of understanding and scrutiny that there's a lack of this unity, right?
R. Yes.
S. There are moments of lack of this feeling. We still are in prayer for unity in this space. Is this also considered a prayer or a request?
R. Yes, when you're looking from this point and you still can’t find it, this point of prayer, point of unity, this is all also a request.
37. S. (45:20) It is written that a person has to try and follow the path of adherence to the Creator meaning that all thoughts should be about the Creator, but we are asking in the ten for unity between us and adherence to Him. Now there's a feeling that we have to add a request for all the tens, for the whole of humanity, for unity between everyone, is this right?
R. This is also correct.
38. S. (46:04) An obstacle for one of the friends is an obstacle for the whole ten, the possibility of a descent. How should we as a ten enter this descent of a friend and raise her in order to rise as a ten?
R. Talk between you, discuss a state, discuss how we can get closer to each other and then from us to the Creator.
39. S. (46:41) If I understand it right, all this evil that a man sees around himself on all planes, on different planes. Is the difference between the level of unity, even the level of unity that you already have to be with your friends and the actual level of unity basically as with a child? Is it clear or should I repeat?
R. No, once again.
S. A child is studying in school first, second, or third grade and according to him growing he has to have enough knowledge according to the class he’s in, right? And in each moment of time basically, the Creator is demanding of us to, He's demanding from us is a bigger and bigger level of unity, so is it right that the only evil I see around me in the world is like a difference, it's like a delta, that the level of unity that I have to achieve already is according to a good child’s image in the Creator’s eyes and my actual level.
R. That's absolutely correct, you said a very correct thing.
S. When there's a child and he's a hooligan, he's a little hooligan and he's bullying other kids and something happened, his parents pressured him and he became more silent, in a couple of days he's good and because he's under some kind of pressure but then as time passes this influence passes, he basically goes back to his usual behavior and he goes back to being a bully, etc. So, from the point of view of our internal work is it right to approach the events that occur in the world, that have to make us change our view to be more connected, to be more united? Is it the level the Creator is demanding from us for it to be constant?
R. Yes, in general, yes.
S. It's impossible that the negative influence has passed, and I go down and it says that and it means that the next thing will be even harder?
R. Everything happens according to plan, everything happens according to plan.
40. S. (50:03) In the morning we learn that we have to strengthen and raise the desire called Yashar-El. How our desire is raised. They change their intention; they join the desires targeted to the Creator and then they separate, and they weaken them.
R. This is correct of course, this is the way it is.
S. Is it what is called raising MAN?
R. This is raising MAN.
S. What can be said about the nature of raising MAN? Do I do it out of the state of unity with other desires or from the state of the revelation of realization of no unity?
R. From a state of no unity.
41. S. (51:03) By sending us many external enemies, is Bo-reh telling us that we have many internal enemies to overcome?
R. Yes, it's exactly so. We see outside what we have inside.
42. S. (51:39) On the first day of the war I lost myself and I couldn't stop crying but thanks to friends and you and all the lessons I've raised above myself and I started reading Psalms, and throughout the whole time I was reading them there's a feeling that King David was actually describing our state of today and I just have goosebumps. Is it truly so that he's writing it for us for our generation?
R. For all the generations, for all the times, and for everyone.
S. Is it good for us to read it every day?
R. Yes.
43. S. (52:34) You said that [internet out] is a mitzvah [internet out] the problem sometimes and move the body with opposing forces. How can the heart help the body, and what is the salvation?
R. Salvation is in asking the Creator for help; there is no other salvation, only ask the Creator.
44. S. (53:30) There is a state during the congress, the state of unity, powerful unity, and then the war started, so the situation demands a higher unity from us that we have achieved during the congress, or shall we strive towards the same state?
R. No don't yearn for what happened before, you have to yearn for what is possible now.
45. S. (54:16) How can we see that unity is internal and not just in feelings in our sensations?
R. Internal unity or in the feelings it’s not connected. It's always in the feeling, it's always in the feeling.
46. S. (54:58) I feel emptiness and I have nowhere to run. In a certain moment, I feel There's None Else Besides Him, and the other moment, I feel as if I should do something with my ten but I feel emptiness. What should I do with all my heart?
R. I don't know what to tell you. I open my heart to you. You can enter it, you'll feel good.
47. S. (55:47) We are going through very heavy days. I have a question, during the ten meetings and reading of Psalms, do we have to be in joy or can we express sorrow during the reading of Psalms?
R. No, we shouldn't just laugh or cry, we just have to unite our hearts to what we ask the Creator about. It doesn't matter whether it's laughter or tears.
S. If it comes from the heart?
R. If it comes from the heart, there can’t be such a question, it comes and goes. Whatever comes, comes.
48. S. (56:48) Can I say can we say the Creator is Good That Does Only Good and he's pushing us only in order for us to reveal in good connections between us the limitless love of Him towards us?
R. That's very correct what you said, well done.
S. The good connection between us is its unlimited ability of ours to get love in order to neutralize the evil in us?
R. Yes.
S. Love covers all?
R. Yes.
49. S. (57:46) Question about the feeling: how can I target it towards the Creator and not myself, the feeling I get from the unity between us?
R. Aim your heart directly at the group to the Creator. Try to direct your heart in such a way through the ten straight to the Creator, and if you insist on this, you'll be sure that it will happen like this, and you'll receive a response from the action.
50. S. (58:50) What can we add today in sharpness, preciseness in our prayer, so that there is no misunderstanding possible for the Creator that we want to be united on our next degree, that the Creator is not able to resist us, to deny us the new degree of connection and unity? How can we clarify our prayers so they're targeted to the goal, specifically so the Creator will be able to stand and have to reply?
R. We have to unite with each other, we have to turn to Him with a request so that He will do everything that is necessary, what He thinks is necessary. I don't choose my next state. I don't know it, I'm not familiar with it. I don't want to look for what's written in the sources. I want to ask the Creator so that He will do whatever He can, what's correct from his side. We are prepared for anything. All the best to you and until tomorrow.