The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Lesson (Afternoon) September 23, 2024
Part 1 Rabash. Record 17. Concerning the Shechina [Divinity]
Hello, dear friends, we're reading the writings of Rabash, page 1611 in the Hebrew book. Article 17, Concerning the Shechina [Divinity]. You can ask questions in Sviva Tova and the Arvut system.
Reading Article: (00:34) Concerning the Shechina [Divinity]
The Shechina is the place where the Shochen [dweller] is revealed. It is written, “The whole earth is full of His glory,” “There is not a place vacant of Him,” yet there is concealment.
Where there is revelation of His Godliness, that place is called Shechina, meaning that here the Shochen is revealed. It follows that when speaking of the Shechina, meaning when speaking of the Shochen, meaning the Creator, when we call Him Shechina, it is the place of revelation.
That which is revealed in Malchut is what is bestowed upon the lower ones. This means that the measure of His Godliness that is revealed, that revealed measure is only from the perspective of the lower ones, for with respect to the upper ones, there is no such matter as revealing or concealing.
For example, it is impossible to say with respect to the person himself that he is revealed or concealed. Rather, revealing or concealing pertains only to others. Likewise, in spirituality, revealing and concealing pertain only to creation.
It therefore follows that when speaking of the Shechina, meaning when speaking of the measure to which the Creator reveals Himself to the lower ones, it follows that whether we call Him “Creator” or Shechina, it is all one. But the meaning is that the Creator is regarded as concealment, and the Shechina is considered revealing, meaning that the Shochen is revealed, meaning that here the Shochen is apparent and revealed.
When we say, “For the sake of the unification of the Creator with His Shechina,” it means that the concealed will become revealed. It follows that everything is spirituality. Hence, when we say that the person has been rewarded with the installing of the Shechina, it means that the person has been rewarded with the revelation of the Shochen, and any measure of revelation is called Shechina.
When we say that the holy Shechina is called “the common soul of Israel,” it means that the revelation is only toward others. It follows that the Shechina means the revelation that is revealed to the lower ones. It follows that she is the overall of the revelation to the lower ones, meaning that she dresses in the desire of the lower ones.
The desire is the created beings. For this reason, the soul is called “a part of God.” The meaning of “part” is explained in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar] and means that there is a will to receive and through the correction in the desire to bestow, the light of the Creator appears to the creature, and to the lower one, only a part of it is revealed—the measure that the Creator wanted the creatures to attain of Him.
It follows that the meaning of “soul” is that there is a revelation of His Godliness here to a certain extent, which the lower ones can receive. It follows that a soul is only a part of the holy Shechina, who is called “the common soul of Israel.”
This means that the full measure that the Creator wants to be attained, this is called “His desire to do good to His creations,” and a soul is called “part of the Shechina,” meaning a part that the lower one can attain according to the measure of the purity.
This is why our sages said, “Moses is tantamount to 600,000” (Song of Songs 1), meaning that Moses was rewarded with the revelation of Godliness that was ready to be revealed to the whole of Israel. This is the meaning of the words, “The Shechina speaks from Moses’ throat,” meaning that Moses was rewarded with the general revelation called Shechina.
M. Laitman: (06:50) I am very happy from this short article. Let's see what our students think.
Question (Asia): (07:21) There is a feeling that sometimes the Creator is in exile with respect to us, and sometimes in exile with respect to us.
M. Laitman: By the condition we receive, it is true.
Student: Sometimes it seems he is concealed, and sometimes us.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women MAK): (08:03) I used to think that the Creator is revealed as one, and here it says in bit by bit. Do we receive the soul bit by bit, or do we receive a small one and we grow it by receiving qualities that are similar to the Creator?
M. Laitman: Yes, also.
Question (Women MAK 43): (00:35) Do I understand correctly that if I am able to push away my egotistical reactions that come as a result of accumulated memories, if we are able to be in a position of an observer, then we can reveal the Creator, then I can reveal the way my root is changed, and then the action will be a rejection with regards to my desire to receive.
M. Laitman: This can be also said.
Student: And will this action be above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Kyiv): (09:30) Is the level of Moshe the highest one, or is there anything higher?
M. Laitman: No, there is nothing above it.
Student: I remember Rabash used to speak about Baal HaSulam, that he is the Shechina.
M. Laitman: It's not really important. It's not the highest degree. It's just that the person is completely in the point that he had the desire and then he reached the Creator.
Student: And the level of Moshe is maximal self-annulment before everyone?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Tbilisi): (10:26) The revelation of the Shechina. We need the greatness of the Creator to build our intention. How do we elevate his greatness to such a level so that without the intention for the restore we couldn't do anything?
M. Laitman: It does not depend on the relations of the person, however, in the revelation of the Creator through his friends. If you are directed to the Creator in a form, in a way that you turn to the Creator with requests, with this prayer, then it will succeed. It will succeed for you and for your friends.
Student: So, with respect to the friends, we have to add this feeling, this desire for it to be for the Creator?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Turkiye 2): (12:00) How can we increase the importance of the general soul of Israel before us?
M. Laitman: We can do it under the condition that we receive from the Creator the measure of revelation, and by the measure of revelation, we can lift ourselves and talk about the revelation of the Creator, or in the creature.
Question (Women Italy): (12:41) The soul is a part of the Shechina, but we must build the soul. How can we be united with the higher force to be a good builder?
M. Laitman: It should be a connection. If there is a connection between us, and we want to come to one desire where there is one Creator revealed to everyone, then we progress in that.
Question (Women MAK 51): (13:35) I feel some secret behind 600,000. Is that correct, and how to reveal it?
M. Laitman: 600,000 is the number of souls that need to be connected in order to reveal the Shechina. It's kind of a number on condition; we shouldn't grasp onto that number. The main thing for us is to be together, in mutual help, in a way that we can feel the whole of the Kli, the whole of the soul together, then we will succeed.
Student: But it's not some relative number, it does carry something.
M. Laitman: It carries exactly what I said. It symbolizes the general soul. You don't need to grasp onto that number.
Question (Women Turkiye 7): (15:02) In the Ten we reveal only part of the Shechina?
M. Laitman: It depends on what will been revealed, or what we can reveal. It can be in the smallest part, until the complete Shechina. It depends how we prepare the vessel for the revelation of the Shechina.
Question (Women MAK 30): (15:35) According to this article, we understand that even on our relatively low level of unity, by yearning to unite and to turn to the Creator, we reveal a small part of our soul, and we become a part of the Shechina, in this case that we've achieved.
M. Laitman: Yes, you're right.
Student: So, we have to increase our yearning for unity and bestowal, and then in this way we'll advance.
M. Laitman: Exactly like that, yes.
Question (Women Hebrew 2): (16:48) What's the difference between a soul, Shechina and Shochen, the Creator?
M. Laitman: Shochen is what is inside the Shechina, and the soul is the same part that is revealed.
Question (English 1): (17:17) If we don't know truly what connection is, because it's not natural to us, can we just want to be in that direction generally, and continually yearn and let the good _____ do the work for us in the end?
M. Laitman: Yes, yes, this is how we should start to act, and you'll see how more opportunities will open up for you, and this is how we can advance.
Question (Women MAK 104): (18:07) We are imperfect, and it's considered that Shechina is in exile. How do we open up our heart to the Creator so he takes us out of our ego?
M. Laitman: This is why we study the wisdom of Kabbalah, so we can understand how to receive correctly. Kabbalah is from the word LeKabel, receiving, and we receive everything that the Creator wants to give us. That's it. Therefore, we need to understand that it can exist only in the connection between us, and then we need to try hard to connect above our ego, and in this measure the Creator can be revealed between us.
Question (Women Darom): (19:15) It is written that Moshe was rewarded with a general revelation. What does it mean?
M. Laitman: A complete revelation.
Student: Can we say that he attained a personal Gmar Tikkun, final correction?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, each one is like Baal HaSulam? Each one is rewarded with general correction?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women MAK): (19:57) What is the correct connection of the Ten according to what we build, the building of the Shechina in a practical way?
M. Laitman: It is the tightest connection that can be between us, when we feel ourselves in the Ten completely connected between us, then the Creator can be revealed in us, in a complete measure.
Student: What is the correct connection according to what we expect from Him, according to His desire? How to greet the guest, not according to my understanding, but to His desire?
M. Laitman: This is why we need to completely be annulled before each other and be connected in a way that each and every one of us is receiving, that he will be connected to everyone.
Student: If I understand correctly, we build… Is this the primary level? We come to the correct connection of what we expect from the Creator according to His desire, and the correct work in connection of these two levels, so that the Creator truly wants to enter our home.
M. Laitman: I can't hear a question.
Student: Another question. What does the degree of His desire to be revealed in the lower ones depend on?
M. Laitman: In the measure that he is revealed towards the lower ones, this is the measure of His desire to be revealed, and we can want His revelation and to reveal our opportunities.
Student: Last question. The corporeal part of the six hundredth those?? Should it give off its potential in the corporeal world into the infinity, or when these particles interact correctly, they can reveal its potential and realize it?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (MAK 39): (23:22) This final correction, full adhesion, is it pre-built in the soul from the beginning?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women Spain): (23:59) When we feel certain obstacles in the ego, how do we overcome our fears and lack of confidence?
M. Laitman: This is the work of the Ten, of all of the Ten.
Question (Women Kavkaz 1): (24:22) Do I understand correctly that each one from Israel has his own set of desires for the Creator, and as I correct these desires, I'll feel the Creator more and more? Also, in the measure of the correction… I'll reveal the Creator more and more.
M. Laitman: Yes, of course.
Student: And how is my desire connected to the desires of the friends? Are we part of one whole?
M. Laitman: Of course, the Creator is running all of you together.
Question (Women Kavkaz 1): (25:07) What does it mean that Malchut is revealing itself to pass on the good to the lower ones?
M. Laitman: From the degree that a person is in, he reveals his desire, the connection with the Creator, and the connection with the others, with the lower ones, the other friends, and then the Creator has been revealed in all of them together.
Question (Women Turkiye 7): (25:48) How does the Ten determine or influence which part of the Shechina will be revealed?
M. Laitman: We don't know that. All we need to do is to open our vessel in order to receive the Creator. But more than that, we can't decide.
Question (Kyiv): (26:27) In our work, we usually keep our attention on the Ten, on the friends. How do we widen this attention on the general soul to feel it a little more?
M. Laitman: Thanks to the connection and our desires.
Student: How do we practically get close to the feeling of the general soul?
M. Laitman: To find connection with other groups or with single friends, and to be connected between you in the understanding of the unity of the Creator, the unity of the vessel, and in what way we can tie connections in this manner. This is, after all, all our work, all the work of the creatures, how to be connected with each other in a way that in you the vessel will be revealed. The revelation of the Creator in humans won't be partial. It will be complete. This is what we want.
Question (Asia): (28:02) This Shechina is the intention that is clothed on our relationships?
M. Laitman: The Shechina is the upper light that is enclothed on our desire.
Student: And this has to do with the intention? To give pleasure to oneself?
M. Laitman: Yes, yes.
Question (Women Moscow 15): (28:43) How do we want to have the intention of the Creator and what He gives?
M. Laitman: It depends on how you prepare yourself to be in connection with the Creator.
It's not about receiving from Him. It's to be willing to receive what He gives so you can be in connection with Him and then bring Him contentment.
Question (MAK 39): (29:23) Can we say that the soul that's separated into parts can attain its full part only in the group?
M. Laitman: The answer is yes, and by yourself you cannot achieve it, only through the connection.
Question (Women MAK): (29:50) What is the general desire of the Ten made up of directed at the bestowal towards the Creator?
M. Laitman: It's made with the desire of the Ten, of the individuals all together connect together and be directed to the Creator, and the Creator will feel it.
Student: Does everyone necessarily have to come to the desire of each, or is it an adhesion of all the desires?
M. Laitman: Yes, this is how it should be.
Student: It's not a collection of desires. Someone has awe, trepidation, someone has love, someone has rejection, and this collection of desires is made into one. If this is so, then what can help the Ten make this in a way that will bestow to the Creator?
M. Laitman: The intention in order to bestow.
Question (Women Moscow 8): (31:03) I would like to clarify this exercise of giving pleasure to the Creator. Can we imagine it through a specific friend, or should we take the whole Ten into the heart as one? How important is this?
M. Laitman: We need to take the whole Ten together.
Question (Women Italy): (31:46) With the connection, even if imperfect, we have the Creator in us and between us. How to keep together the great desire for Him?
M. Laitman: By prayer. We are asking more and more and more for His revelation between us, that we will feel Him, and we will feel how we can enlarge our vessel of reception, and He can be revealed there in a much bigger way.
Question (Women MAK 104): (32:53) To reveal the Creator's desire, that's clear, that's one desire. If someone wants it for his own advancement, someone is directed at saving humanity as a whole, and someone wants to do everything possible to create a place for the Creator to be revealed, should we look at this as one desire or should we come to something common in the group?
M. Laitman: No. You need to search that your desire will be as high as it can and as many. Then you'll see what type, what kind of desires.
Question (Women MAK 113): (33:54) Should we try to clear out our desires, as if the Creator at any moment can come to a meeting with us and we need to be ready?
M. Laitman: Yes. In essence, it's true. I don't know what to answer.
Question (Women Petah Tikva 5): (34:55) You helped us unite, even while you weren't with us. What can we concentrate on in our corporeal life to advance in the spiritual?
M. Laitman: That we will need to feel Him, that He fulfills the whole world, fulfills us, and He is everywhere.
Student: Another question. Shall we try and be like Moses or Miriam?
M. Laitman: I can't answer that. We need to learn to study who is Moshe and who is Miriam, and what is the difference between them. This is something I cannot answer.
Whoever is asking, he does not understand what he's asking.
Question (Women MAK 51): (36:00) Please advise us so that we don't get confused. The revelation of the Shechina is felt in each one in his own way, or is there some kind of general feeling?
M. Laitman: The revelation of the Shechina can be felt in each and every one by His vessels.
Student: And does this revelation mean that we feel as one, and at the same time we feel as part?
M. Laitman: Yes. Like that, and like that.
Question (Women Hebrew 2): (36:45) In what way do we reveal the Shechina in the Ten?
M. Laitman: In all kinds of matters. We cannot know first-hand.
Student: When we enter and the meeting of the Ten begins, there is a feeling, we come with such a feeling of unity. Does this mean that the Shechina was with us?
M. Laitman: Probably, yes.
Question (Women MAK 97): (37:27) Is it correct to say that the Shechina is present everywhere on the inanimate, animal, and speaking, and we just have to reveal it?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Haifa 2): (37:55) Can we feel or reveal the Shechina when each one is at work and not together with the Ten?
M. Laitman: It is not important. It's completely not important in what way you feel each himself towards others. How do you do that? You need to be more and more connected and close.
Question (Beer Sheva): (38:33) The Blessed One that returns to the Holy Land. I will read as one person cannot say that he is revealed or concealed, but the measure of revelation is from the perspective of revealing and concealing pertains only to others. And in spirituality, revealing and concealing pertain only to the person. Is this only to do with the Creator? Is this what this means?
M. Laitman: Yes, let's say.
Student: Another question. In the next paragraph, it says that the measure to which the Creator reveals himself to the lower ones, it follows that whether we call him Creator or Shechina. If it's all one, what's the difference between the Creator and Shechina? ‘
M. Laitman: The difference is in how a person is revealing.
Question (Women MAK 26): (40:11) Moshe was rewarded with such a state when he was revealed to the nation of Israel. His desire to reveal to the nation and not oneself. How do we form such a desire?
M. Laitman: We will feel it throughout our study.
Student: His desire to be revealed in the nation. A part of me is the nation, my desires. For the friends to be revealed, it needs to be a desire. How are they connected?
M. Laitman: They're connected. Don't worry. It does not disturb each other.
Question (Women Ukraine 2): (41:20) The soul is a revelation to the measure that the creation is suitable for this. So, our similarity defines the measure of similarity. What is this correction that we deserve with our efforts, or is this given as a gift from above?
M. Laitman: This is the measure of our equivalence. Yes.
Student: So, we have to come to a correct Hissaron and want correction, and then the Creator gives us this gift and we only need necessity from below?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women MAK 19): (42:41) This feeling of here and now, from unity?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women Turkiye 7): (43:12) The revelation of the Creator, is it clear of bestowal?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women MAK): (43:32) How do I know in what feelings should I adhere to the Creator?
M. Laitman: By what your heart is turning into, pointing into.
Question (Moscow 15): (43:50) I feel a lack of faith in the Creator. I know that this has to do with the work in the Ten. What can help us to get to a new quality of unity, so this gives us more faith in the Creator?
M. Laitman: To come near to the friends is blind.
Question (Women Kyiv 7): (44:24) How do we connect what we see from the Ten to the intention of bestowal?
M. Laitman: I don't know how to explain that. You need to find it by yourself.
Question (Women Hebrew 13): (44:55) The Shechina is revealed when we begin to ask a question: What do we do in this world? Is it so?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women Turkiye 7): (46:02) How can we use the Creator in the advancement until we reveal Him?
M. Laitman: We need to try to be close to each other and through this closeness we need to yearn for a connection with the Creator to the point that we're forcing Him to be revealed.
Question (Women MAK 97): (46:47) We have to join in a unified Kli of bestowal?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women French): (47:05) Is there a difference between revealing the Creator and the Shechina?
M. Laitman: The Shechina is the relation of the Creator to the creatures.
Student: In our work, do we have to direct ourselves to the revelation of the Shechina or the revelation of the Creator? Is it the same thing?
M. Laitman: No, the revelation of the Shechina.
Question (Asia): (48:07) The Shechina is the attitude of the Creator to the creatures at the exit to Babylon or Egypt. Is this not a correct attitude to the correction?
M. Laitman: It shows us that we need corrections in order to connect to the Shechina.
Question (Women Turkiye 10): (48:52) What do we have to do to increase the attraction to that special part and not fall into the evil inclination?
M. Laitman: We need to try to amplify our desire in the connection between us and in the connection between us to the connection with the Creator. And in this mutual desire, this great desire, it will draw the Creator to us, and then we will be able to feel Him as the giver
and us as the receivers.
Question (Women MAK 51): (49:38) The Shechina can be revealed between two people, and when the Shechina is revealed, do all the participants feel it, or it can be just one?
M. Laitman: Only the one that she belongs to can feel her.
Question (Moscow 1): (50:14) After revealing the Creator, can a person feel that he is the Creator?
M. Laitman: No.
Student: So, the revelation of the Creator put the person in its spot.
M. Laitman: Not more.
Student: How can it be beyond? By receiving, performing His work, we become Him, replace Him?
M. Laitman: No. Sorry, no. This has never happened, and it won't happen.
Question (Women Petah Tikva 23): (51:16) I asked you several months ago about the friends that haven't been working in the Ten for half a year or so, and I heard from you, if they don't want to, then there's disagreement between the friends. There are those that say one thing, there are those that say another thing, to leave them alone, or pull them with us. What do we do with this? Does this affect our advancement, the friends that refuse to act with us?
M. Laitman: Of course, if you have friends that are not active, then you can't do corrections.
What can you do?
Question (Women Moscow 6): (52:15) By what actions can the Ten make the Creator be revealed?
M. Laitman: To force by a good healthy desire.
Question (Kyiv): (52:40) You said earlier to a friend about raising the Shechina, to discuss in the group with the Tens that are close to us, and we’ll unite between us. So, for example, we have a gathering of Tens in Kiev, and some of the great friends that have been on the path for a long time and have seen and heard everything. I feel like for them such questions are felt like something abstract and removed and not practical. How do we hold such discussions when there is such a reaction?
M. Laitman: I don't know. Talk about it between you, and you'll understand each other better.
Student: So, the recommendation is instead of such discussions to elevate spirits, to open hearts, can it be more practical? How do we unite?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women Moscow 15): (43:13) You said to trust the heart, but how to trust this feeling? It is said that the man's heart is evil from birth.
M, Laitman: You will correct it, and by the measure it's corrected, you will feel that you're in the right position.
Question (Asia): (54:38) Can there be a revelation in the Shechina in an uncorrected vessel?
M. Laitman: No. Only in the measure that the vessel is corrected in the equivalence of form, in the same measure you can reveal the Shechina.
Question (Women Kavkaz 1): (55:19) Can I say that my observation of a more subtle interaction is…
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What can be our decision to move from Galgalta ve Eynaim to AHP?
M. Laitman: You just need to continue in the work.
Student: How can it be different in feeling?
M. Laitman: I can't talk about feelings.
Question (Women Italy): (56:00) You said that the difference between Shechina and Shochen is our personal view. Shechina is a united force of love that we feel. But what is revealed is no longer ours because it reveals itself in every form out of ourselves. Is it correct or not?
M. Laitman: It's not quite right, but it will come. We will reveal those little corrections.
Question (Women MAK 36): (56:51) You answered the question in what quality to adhere together, and you said in the quality that your heart feels close to. How do I know what's…
M. Laitman: You need to walk in the path that your heart will show you and will direct you,
And it's not your animalistic heart. It's that heart that you want to expand within you, that it will be much bigger and much more connected to the Creator with the quality of bestowal and love. And that heart, you need to always take care of it, to grow it.
Okay, I think this is enough for today, and let's finish.
Announcements: (58:05)
Song: (58:21)