Morning Lesson November 02, 2021 Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences from audio
Baal HaSulam, Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah, #88
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1. R. (00:34) Where is this all coming from? There's a weakness in correcting the will to receive in order to bestow. Even though the upper light is working on the will to receive, it cannot correct it instantly to have an intention to bestow. We are not connecting to the desire for itself, we can’t touch it, the Creator created it. But the way we use that desire, for self-benefit or the benefit for someone who is outside of you. That is the question. And that change happens by the light that reforms, that works on the desire to receive. Then the desire to receive can change its direction from in order to receive to in order to bestow. By the way, we also need to state that the Creator created the will to receive in the way that it doesn't want for itself or for others, nothing. Let's say we build a machine, a computer. Then before we fill it with all sorts of software and data and we put codes in it, into the inner system. Until then the machine is just a piece of metal. That is why it turns out that we have to adapt our desire to the upper light that will take care of us, program and organize us. That is why the will to receive goes through many, many actions until it awakens from creation such a creature like Adam, man that is ready for spiritual work. Meaning that it is not just a piece of metal with silicone inside it, and it already can start working.
That is why here we start seeing how the quality of bestowal, Bina, connects to the quality of reception, Malchut. How they begin, these two qualities, start bestowing on one another. That in their mutual bestowal, these on those, Bina on Malchut, Malchut on Bina. They start these qualities to build systems. Each one swallows the other and cooks it. Bina is incorporated in Malchut and builds her system in it. That is called ZAT of Bina. And Malchut is incorporated in Bina and builds the systems of Bina in her. This is called GAR of Malchut. Also between them, as much as they can connect between them. In what are they connecting? Because still each one remains in their own qualities, just with an external impression from the other. So how could there be a connection? What is happening with us if we are in desires and thoughts of our own mind and heart? And also receive something from the outside, as much as the mind and the heart, the influence of the mind and the heart, the external influences my mind and heart. As much as they can change me, to such an extent that I receive them as mine. I start working with them. It could be that these qualities that I received from the outside, become in me. Maybe they become even more important than my previous qualities. That is the question. Meaning there are a lot of things here that we still need to go through. That we will not have this superficial material to study: Malchut in Bina, Bina in Malchut, how it jumps up, Katnut and Gadlut. But that we will know how to work with these discernments ourselves.
Rav reading item 86 (06:13) “Know that the Nekudot are divided into three phases... “
R. (06:27) Just like the Partzuf is divided into Rosh, Toch, Sof, also the Nekudot. We have Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin and Otiot. Taamim are the lights that expand from the Peh till the Tabur of the Partzuf. Nekudot are the lights that appear when they depart from the Partzuf. Meaning the light that was in the Partzuf and bestowed upon it. That it doesn’t want to receive any more in order to receive. So it itself expels the light. It stops itself from receiving the light that filled it. That is called Nekudot. Meaning that in every ascent and ascent from Malchut, from Tabur to Peh, there is a big overcoming. That even though the inner light is very pleasant, it is a light of life that fills it. But now it discovers that it cannot stay with this light of life because it is very dangerous. That it can become in order to receive here. Meaning that that fulfilment that appears as life can now become death. Because it disconnects it from the Creator, the source of life. That is why there is a problem here that the Partzuf, the vessel itself, expels the inner light that was so pleasant for it. In that inner light, it was specific the connection, the hug, the adhesion between created being and the Creator, but he has no choice. He must expel it because it is very dangerous for him. It could be that he will enter in order to receive and in that all of his actions will become a Klipa.
So he says that these Nekudot, these lights that come with the departure of the light, are divided into three phases - Rosh, Toch, and Sof. Which are the upper Nekudot, above the Otiot, incorporated in the name Holam.’ Because there are a lot of Nekudot. But all in all their symbol is Holam. It looks like this. Rav Drawing. This shape is called Vav, it is the letter Vav in Hebrew. That is the shape itself. In order to represent the Nekudot, the punctuation in Hebrew as well, we draw this one dot above the Vav. This is the Holam. If the dot is inside the Vav, and the dot may also be below the Vav. Vav is the vessel. If the light is above it, it wants to enter the vessel, then it is called Holam. If the light is inside the Kli, the vessel, this is called Shuruk. If the light is below the vessel, it is called Hirik. This is a sign for the lights that are either above the vessels, inside the vessel or below the vessel. That is what these dots represent for us, for the time being.
Rav reading from start of 86 (12:19) “Know that the Nekudot are divided into three phases - Rosh, Toch, and Sof”
R. That is how they're called. Nekudot of Rosh, this is Holam. Nekudot of Toch is Shuruk. Nekudot of Sof that is Hirik.
Rav continues reading item 86: (12:42) “... These are the upper Nekudot...”
2. S. (13:15) What is the role, how does the mixture between Bina and Malchut take place?
R. We're talking about the Nekudot, which is written here. Why are you trying to pull everyone to your question? If your question could add something to it, that is something else. As it is, wait a little bit. Don’t be such an egoist.
Rav reading item 87 (13:47) “This is their explanation: Otiot (letters) are vessels...”
3. R. (14:04) We know that the Rosh is without vessels. It is plans and thoughts, but not vessels. Not proper desires, only the plans of how to use the desires. That is called Rosh.
Rav continues item 87 (14:19) “Nekudot means lights which sustain the vessels...”
R. (15:37) Then this light connects the different parts of the Guf of the Partzuf, AHAP to GE. This is called ‘moving the vessels.’
Reader item 87 (15:55) “This is their explanation: Otiot (letters) are vessels...” repeat
4. R. (16:18) Meaning they can bring him up. They can lower them by giving them a certain force and they can grow stronger.
Reader continues 87 (16:28) “...meaning light of Hochma, called light of Haya...”
5. S. (17:51) Can you explain what it means to lower the vessels or to raise the vessels? I know that you can receive light in order to bestow or not.
R. To lower or to raise the vessel is possible by the influence of the light on them. Then they rise from the current level to a higher level. They receive a higher form of the force of bestowal.
6. S. (18:19) Question about item 86. It is written that Holam and Hirik are in letters and only Shuruk, it says, that it is about the Vav. We know that Shuruk appears only in Vav in Hebrew. Is there a reason for this?
R. Vav here represents only the vessel. Of course, what changes in the Partzuf is the Vav, the part of ZA, which either joins the Rosh or falls back down. But there is nothing more than that. You should take it as it is right now. This is the Guf of the Partzuf. The lights are either above it, or in it, or below it. Below they come out with Klipot, the shells. Inside the Partzuf they are receiving in order to bestow. In the Rosh of the Partzuf they shine and they invite the Partzuf to receive them in order to bestow.
7. S. (19:44) It seems that the main thing is the Nekudot and the vessels. Why is that so important and not, let’s say, the Taamin or the Tagin?
R. No. Everything is important but it depends on who is pushing the vessel towards corrections. So the lights that appear in the second restriction in the Rosh of the Partzuf, in the Toch and the Sof, these lights are the ones that move the vessels. They are the important ones that is why we are learning about them. There are other lights. Inner and surrounding. There are parts of the vessels that are here. But our work is to scrutinize what in effect pushes the vessel towards correction. What the correction depends on. The line where it is headed. Who is influencing it? That is what we want to know.
8. S. (21:07) We are saying that the Nekudot are the lights that descend as a result of the couplings that happened while the screen refined itself. That is what he says in the beginning. Then he says, when he is speaking about the Nekudot which are the lights of AB SAG. So what lights are we speaking about here?
R. We will have to talk about it more openly. You are correct. Let's answer a few more questions and then we will go back to your question.
9. S. (21:56) What is the essence of this action that the light moves the vessels of the AHAP and elevates them from the lower degree, connecting them to the upper one? What is the essence of this action of moving the vessels?
R. The light always moves the vessels. The Creator, the light, if it had not worked on the will to receive, it would remain without moving. Even in the worst possible states. The will to receive by itself is incapable of doing anything. It is not at rest. The light is at absolute rest. But the will to receive is not able to move, unless it is being moved, unless it is being helped. Hence, in order to develop the will to receive, you need an additional will to bestow to work on it and then the will to receive changes. That is what we are talking about here. How the will to receive changes by the influence of the light.
S. Can we ascribe it to our work or not yet?
R. Soon.
10. S. (24:05) A question about the Holam. In 86 he said that the Holam are the upper Nekudot above the Otiot and in 87 he says that the Otiot are the Sefirot of the Guf because the Sefirot of the Rosh are only roots. So where does the Holam belong to Rosh or Guf?
R. Holam is attributed to the light that appears relative to the vessel that shines above the vessel. It’s not inside the vessel but it shines above the vessel. This light is called Holam. Shuruk is that light, the same light that is felt inside the vessel but the general name for it is Shuruk.
S. So when he says the Sefirot Guf because the Sefirot of the Rosh are only roots, as if the Holam aren’t attributed to there.
R. Why is it not attributed there, Holam, Shuruk, Hirik are lights and not vessels. So lights that shine above the Partzuf, above the Sefirot of Guf are called Holam.
11. S. (25:39) It is written that the lower Hay descended, that’s the Malchut?
R. Yes.
S. Why is it called Malchut and what does BHL want to emphasize by being the lower Hay if it was lowered back to the Peh because...
R. No, no, no. (Rav Drawing) We have 10 Sefirot of Rosh, 10 Sefirot of Toch, 10 Sefirot of Sof. And here is Bina. Malchut went up to Bina. This is called the Tzimtzum Bet, second restriction. This form where the Partzuf can only work with half of itself is called Katnut, smallness, infancy. It only has Keter, Hochma and ½ of Bina. This is called Katnut. The lights in it are Nefesh and Ruach. This is Katnut. The upper light comes, it is called the light of AB SAG. This light adds powers, forces to these vessels of reception that were down here below. Now these vessels also acquire the intention to work in order to bestow. Meaning now this entire part of the Partzuf can work in order to bestow. This is called Gadlut or adulthood. Who did it, the light AB SAG. It is doing all of it. If we had in the Rosh of the Partzuf smallness and then greatness, then the same thing is happening in the Guf. We have 10 Sefirot in the Toch and 10 Sefirot in the Sof. The Partzuf becomes great or an adult.
S. Where in this picture was the lower Malchut lowered back to the Peh of every degree?
R. Malchut that was in Bina goes back to its place. The same in the Toch, and from Bina of Toch to Malchut of Toch and the same in the Sof.
S. Meaning Bina is divided into 10 Sefirot and...
R. No, no. Why Bina? 10 Sefirot in Rosh, 10 Sefirot in Toch, 10 Sefirot in Sof, so they work first in the small degree in Katnut, they worked only on part of the Partzuf, this is Katnut, smallness, and with Gadlut you work with the entire Partzuf, everything.
S. So in Katnut it means the lower part is Malchut?
R. No.
S. Why does it say that the lower Hay is below anyway?
R. I don't understand where you are in the text.
S. In 87, since the light of Hochma is called the light of life, the ZON of AK received from AB SAG and show in the vessels of Nekudim. Lowering the bottom Hay...
R. Of course this restriction that existed in each and every in each and every degree that was sitting on Bina and now it went back to its place, Malchut is coming up to Bina. Let's say you have 10 Sefirot and here is Bina, here is Malchut and here is Keter. Malchut goes up to Bina, this is called the second restriction, Tzimtzum Bet. And then when it is standing here it is called Katnut. When it goes back down when the light comes from above Malchut goes back down from Bina to Malchut. This is called Katnut.
S. Can you can explain why Baal HaSulam emphasizes Lower Hay and not Malchut? Is it important for us to know this?
R. We sometimes say Malchut and sometimes we say the Lower Hay in order to specify that it can go up and down. Malchut by itself does not go up and down, rather the domination, the authority of Malchut when it goes up or down we call it the lower Hay that goes up to the first Hay. Here it's also Hay, lower Hay, and here it's also Hay called the first Hay. In Hebrew we write all the letters of the Partzuf Yud Hay, Vav, Hay, which is the Keter, the tip of the Yud, Hochma, this is the Bina, this is ZA and this Malchut. So both Bina and Malchut share the same letter, Hay. That is why we say Bina is the first Hay or the upper Hay and Malchut is the lower hey. That is how we distinguish between them.
S. When we say Hay so we emphasize its ability to move from place to place?
R. No, not only that, it's much more than that.
12. S. (35:59) You said that the light that comes above the vessels Holam and Shuruk and so on, can we use these names in the Partzuf to the direct light that comes as Holam and so on.
R. We will learn. Typically we’re using those things, the second restriction, the world of Nekudim and sometimes in the world of correction, in Atzilut.
13. S (36:39) Nekudot, are they the lights that depart the Rosh, Toch, Sof in the drawing of the Gadlut?
R. Nekudot are the lights that come out of the Partzuf.
S. Where are the Holam, Shuruk, Hirik?
R. All the lights are in the Partzuf. But we always speak of the lights that are now dictating the state of the Partzuf. So if we are talking about lights that come out of the Partzuf we're speaking of Nekudot because inside these lights Malchut is mixed, it is called the black dot. Because it influences the light it expels it, that's why those lights that depart from the Partzuf are called Nekudot.
14. S. (38:06) How can it be that the light of the Haya can enter the Guf which of the vessels of reception?
R. Every or rather any light can enter the vessels according to the intention in the vessel. If the vessel contains the small will to receive then the vessel annuls before the light and the light can be inside the vessel and dwell inside it. This is called a weak light. Light of Nefesh, Ruach and little bit of light of Neshama and then it is enough for the will to receive which is in the vessel because it is weak it is enough for it to annul itself relative to the light then the light fills it. This is like in our lives the children annul before the grown-ups and that is when we feel that we must fulfill them, organize them, take care of them. The more they grow up and acquire their independence then we demand more of them. We need to make demands of them or otherwise we will corrupt them, they will remain as little kids. So they will be able to take care of themselves. In their lives. This is called Gadlut, adulthood greatness. There are two states in the life of a person, spiritual life of someone which is Katnut and Gadlut. They can use vessels of reception in order to bestow this means that he is grown up. When he cannot use the vessels of bestowal then he cannot have direct contact with the Creator rather he needs to receive it through the others where they will be as a conduit, mediator between him and the Creator then it means that he is in the state of Katnut, smallness. We will soon learn all these things how they work themselves out in the world of Atzilut
15. S. (40:47) First there was a great desire to study Preface, an egoistic desire now the ears and heart are closed, what should I do?
R. You understand how much you were learning more and more about the structure of our soul. The problem is that we have no direct contact with it and that is why I can read one line here a thousand times and I just cannot feel it. What will I do? This is the problem here. Therefore we must nevertheless try and learn these things like an engineer, just draw it the way I draw all these things and talk about among yourselves. Send your pictures to one another, ask questions, you can get confused about it, you can make mistakes. Nothing can happen to you, you are simply learning the spiritual mechanics of things. It is very important. Of course it is not more important than the articles of Shamati. But we have to be somehow be connected and incorporated with this knowledge
16. S. (42:26) On one hand the light moves the vessels, on the other hand it is in complete rest. It is all felt in the relation between the vessels to the light. So what angle should we look through every time?
R. We will learn with due time how to look at Holam Shuruk, Hirik. The changes in the vessels, how they ascend and descend. We will see, will learn a few more lessons and it will all work out. Now we enter a new states with the vessels, the first restriction, second restriction, the light working this way, that way. There new discernments, Holam Shuruk, Hirik, Katnut, Gadlut, The Parsa that ascends and descends, so it will all work out. The main thing is to keep going, I'm very happy that a lot of women are not leaving the lesson of the Preface.
17. S. (43:43) What are the differences between Shuruk and Melafom?
R. No difference, this is what they are called.
18. S. (44:00) Are Nekudot the lights after the corrections?
R. Nekudot are the lights that come out of the vessel out of the restriction of the vessel, the pressure that the Malchut does not want but cannot receive in order to bestow. Then these lights feel a restriction, if they feel the restriction in the Rosh then it would be planned but then they discover these lights as unwanted in the Guf then they're called Nekudot. Where does it come from, there's a pressure from the surrounding light on the inner light as it was in Galgata and AB. They push the lights into the Toch of the Kli and it empties itself out, or other reasons... Nevertheless, the Nekudot is the light where the light includes the restriction of Malchut
19. S. (45:19) After the second restriction the only thing that remains is to ascend to reception in order to bestow?
R. After the second restriction, we must worry about how to correct our vessel in the second restriction that can only work with vessels of bestowal, Keter Hochma and GAR of Bina, how to we do it and how can we expand this vessel to the ZAT of Bina, ZA and Malchut. Can we receive the force of the screen here and if we can we can install it on the ZAT of Rosh and ZAT of Toch and Sof of the Partzuf that are in the second restriction to bring the Partzuf to the state of the first restriction and to make a calculation. How will I receive the lights of the first restriction NRNHY As I make my plans in the Rosh and then in the Toch and then in the Sof. This is our work in the restriction.
20. S. (46:54) How did the lights in the Nekudot still move the Partzuf?
R. The lights that come out of the Partzuf because the Partzuf cannot hold on to them in order to bestow these lights were already in the Partzuf and that is why they are outside of the Partzuf. They stand there and wait for the Partzuf to once again receive them in order to bestow. We cannot completely expel these lights as if they were not in us, in our screens. That is why we have contact with them even though we cannot hold on to them in order to bestow and then later re-enter. That is why all the lights as we learned in the article of “he swallowed it and he will throw it all up” all these lights that we held onto and then these lights enter the sea of the Sitra Achra but nevertheless later on we receive them. This is of course on condition that they enter in order to receive when they entered the sea of the Sitra Achra. But if we dispel them if these lights are greater than our screen but cannot hold on to them any longer in order to bestow and that is why I gently, nicely push them back, then of course they remain around me and wait for me to have the strength in order to bestow. It is not called he swallowed it and later he will throw it up. This is work I received. I saw that I couldn’t hold on to it. I pushed it out and now I'm ready to receive them back and parts and slices. That is how we work. We have to be patient, we are here at the door of the practical work.
21. S. (49:25) What is light, is it energy or a force?
R. Light is everything. It is the appearance of the upper light relative to us. Where we do not feel the upper one itself, only what we receive from it. It is like in our world I never feel anyone. I only feel how I am impressed by someone but it is not him by himself. Same thing with the upper light, what is received in the Toch of the vessel from some outside source is called light.
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