The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.

Daily Lesson (Morning), August 23, 2024.

Part 2: Baal HaSulam. The Preface to the Sulam Commentary, Item 35.

Reader: We are studying from the Writings of Baal HaSulam, The Preface to the Sulam Commentary. We have reached item 35 in this Preface. You can find the materials in the Sviva Tova and Arvut system. The Preface to the Sulam Commentary, the Writings of Baal HaSulam, we are on the subheading: The Emergence of the Lines on YESHSUT.

Reading: (00:32) Item 35.  

Afterward emerged the middle line. It emerged by the screen of the lowest degree in YESHSUT, ZA, which rose as MAN to YESHSUT (see Item 32). It rose to YESHSUT along with the three vessels Bina and TM when they rose back to their degree (see Item 21).

The level of light that emerges on this screen unites the right and left in YESHSUT into one. However, the right shines from above downward, and the left shines from below upward. In that state, the Hochma is dressed with Hassadim and can shine, while the Hassadim are included in the illumination of Hochma and are completed with GAR.

Thus, you find that before the establishment of the middle line, the right line and the left line were disputed and wanted to revoke one another: The right line, being unflawed and the root of the degree, wished to revoke the dominion of the left and subdue it, as is the root’s relation to its branch. And since the left line holds the light of Hochma, which is greater than the light of Hassadim in the right line (see Item 30), its power is therefore great to revoke the light of Hassadim in the right line. This is why neither could shine, since Hochma cannot shine without a clothing of Hassadim, and Hassadim without illumination of Hochma are VAK without a Rosh.

M. Laitman: Well, I don’t see anything.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (03:22) He said something I didn't really understand. He says that the right line illuminates in Hassidim but illuminates from below upwards. And the left line illuminates the Hochma from above down. We're talking about one Partzuf, what does it mean from above down and from below up in the same Partzuf?

M. Laitman: There are three lines in the Partzuf. 

Student: What does that mean? What does that mean on the direction of, somehow we learned always that Hochma must have Hassadim in order to clothe the Partzuf. That we already learned but here he's sharpening it, as if, he's refining it in the manner that the right line is starting to behave like?

M. Laitman: We have three lines from the incorporation of the forces, and then the right line and the left line are opposite to one another. But through the screen, we bring Him closer to us, and we can clothe on certain conditions. So he says that there are such conditions, here, that the right line clothes in the left line and the left could clothe in the right line. And then each one helps the other to be revealed, that's what he's telling us.

Then the middle line came out, which is the main thing, and it comes out by the screen of the degree lowered, a degree from YESHSUT. That rose to MAN in YESHSUT, which is ZA, and it rises, it rose to YESHSUT along with the three vessels Bina and TM, that's clear, when they rose back to their degree. Meaning when Bina and TM returned to their degree, the degree was GE, now all the vessels are in this degree. And the degree of the light that emerges on this screen. Together, GE and now the AHP that's connected to them, that unites the right and the left in YESHSUT into one. However, the right shines from above downward, that's wholeness. And the left shines from below upward, that's as a result of the deficiency.

In that state, the Hochma is dressed with Hassadim and can shine. And while the Hassadim are included in the illumination of Hochma and are completed with GAR. Up to here, that's what's happening. Now he explains further, thus you find that before the establishment of the middle line that unites these two lines, that one line shines from above down and one line from below up. The right line and the left line were disputed and wanted to revoke one another, this is natural in a dispute. The right line being unflawed in the root of the degree wished to revoke the dominion of the left and subdue it, the control of the left and subdue it, as is the root's relation to its branch. That's how it is, right and left.

And since the left line holds the light of Hochma, which is greater than the light of Hassadim in the right line, its power is therefore great to revoke the light of Hassadim in the right line. This is why neither could shine. Since Hochma cannot shine because they're in opposition. Since Hochma cannot shine without a clothing of Hassadim and Hassadim without illumination of Hochma, they are VAK without a Rosh. So we have here, it's not the end of the action but they are in opposition. That's it, that's how far we got. Now the question is what will we get out of it? Item 35, please. Item 36.

Reading (08:42): Item 36.

The reason Hochma cannot shine without the light of Hassadim is that it is YESHSUT—the seven lower Sefirot of Bina—HGT NHYM of Bina. These HGT NHYM of Bina are not the actual Bina, but from the incorporation of ZA in Bina. This is because all ten Sefirot are included in one another, and each Sefira contains ten Sefirot.

For example, the Sefira Bina is comprised of all ten Sefirot KHB TM, and its Bina is discerned as its self. Keter and Hochma in it are from Keter and Hochma that were included in it, and Tifferet and Malchut, which are its HGT NHYM, are from the incorporation of ZON in it. It is known that the Sefira ZA from its source in the ten Sefirot of direct light is primarily light of Hassadim, but the light of Hochma shines in its Hassadim (see The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 1, Chapter 1, Item 50). Hence, it is impossible for Hochma to shine without Hassadim in all seven lower Sefirot, since they lack the core and the carrier of the illumination of Hochma—the Hassadim—the essence of ZA of the ten Sefirot of direct light, which is the root of every seven lower Sefirot included in all the degrees.

Hence, the rule is that Hochma can shine without Hassadim only in the light of the first three Sefirot. But in the seven lower Sefirot, wherever they are, they are considered ZA, and Hochma cannot shine without Hassadim, since Hassadim are its main essence. For this reason, if Hochma is deficient of Hassadim, it is darkness and not light.

M. Laitman: Is that clear? Who didn't understand, anyone else?

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (12:11) I want to feel what the reader just read now.

M. Laitman: Feeling it is your own, individual, inner, personal work.

Student: How does it come, what's personal about it?

M. Laitman: That you will work on it.

Student: Where is this feedback that I can find out whether I'm doing it correctly, if I'm feeling correctly?

M. Laitman: You need to reach the same degree that is being discussed so that you'll be able to execute an action, which will build that state for you. Which will illuminate that same light with the dressing of Hassadim, without the dressing of Hassadim. And then you'll know what's being discussed and in which Aviut you'll be able to work. That's how it is, I want, it's like you enter a jewelry store and you say, that piece of jewelry over there, I want it. And what do they do to you?

Student: That's why I turned to you, to hear what you say about this.

M. Laitman: If I would be the store owner, so I'd know. I'd explain to you how hard it is to come to that piece of jewelry, like the dressing of the light of Hochma on the light of Hassadim. We need to reach that, like with all the degrees, from below upward. So, at least, we'll study, by doing so, we attract light through the study and that light illuminates upon us and builds in us all kinds of vessels which bring us closer to more understanding. And mostly a feeling, and also, which is more primary to that, is the right action, which is the raising of MAN. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:36) You once said that everything we read takes place inside a person, it's just not sensed in us. Is that correct?

M. Laitman: That takes place.

Student: The moment he gets to attainment, he feels those processes, and works with them.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: So as long as we have not gotten there, and haven't attained it, all we can do is to try to, let's say, depict those states, to imagine them?

M. Laitman: That needs to happen when you read. But the main thing is to pray, to ask for the Creator to bring me closer at least somewhat, at least to understand, to know from afar, what is going on here.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (15:45) To understand this picture emotionally, we share or is it each on his own?

M. Laitman: No, each one on their own because you'll confuse each other. Nobody here can still feel this, correctly.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (16:12) I really wanted to ask you, to do a scrutiny on this: And those HGT NHM of Bina, are not Bina, herself, but in the incorporation of ZA and Bina, like all the Ten Sefirot, which are incorporated from one another. So I wanted to ask you about Bina itself, does it exist altogether?

M. Laitman: It exists.

Student: It exists but what role does it have? It's like it's sitting on some planet, that's sitting on the side and if there's no integration?

M. Laitman: It receives light from above, and it formulates in itself the light of Hassadim. 

Student: Wonderful but she, herself, seemingly doesn't exist unless there's integration with other forces like Hassadim. Is that right? Meaning, Bina is a certain kind of planet?

M. Laitman: That doesn't illuminate by itself.

Student: Exactly, it's like her role is to stand on the side and?

M. Laitman: I understand what you're saying.

Student: How is that done?

M. Laitman: There is something in that.

Student: So, how do we enter this functionality into Bina so it will work, so it will do what's upon her to do? What needs to happen, what needs to be done, what's the deed here? 

M. Laitman: We need to raise MAN to it, a deficiency, that we need her influence, her light. Then it will influence us and illuminate to us.

Student: I have a question for you: This whole system, who was it meant for? Who was it meant for?

M. Laitman: For us.

Student: Only for a person?

M. Laitman: Only for a person, right.

Student: Only, so it was a system that was created for us. So actually, how can I explain this? If it doesn't exist, if the system doesn't exist, it's as if?

M. Laitman: There's no such thing as a system not existing.

Student: We need to activate it?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: As long as we don't activate it, how do you teach us: That the revelation of the Creator, we need to reveal, and if we don't reveal, there is nothing?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Meaning, that Bina is, let's say, the middle line, seemingly, that we have to attain there, actually?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: That's all our work?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (18:48) I wanted to ask, generally, it's written that this coupling or this connection between the left and the right takes place by MAN being raised. And then from that, the illumination of Hochma happens, which makes the action. It's written that the MAN comes from the lower ones.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Where in the system, what is the lower ones?

M. Laitman: The lower ones are below and they want to receive influence from above.

Student: A system of ten Sefirot is being depicted?

M. Laitman: Let's say it that way, it's still not exactly like that but we can say that.

Student: Are the lower ones part of this system of ten Sefirot that's being described?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: What is this Malchut or who are these lower ones?

M. Laitman: A deficiency that reveals in the lower ones which need to construct themselves in order to receive an influence from above. And then when they receive that influence, they establish the light of Hochma by themselves.

Student: But I understand but it's not clear, if it's a system, who is the lower one? This is from these ten Sefirot or is it outside of these ten Sefirot?

M. Laitman: It is always Malchut, it's always Malchut, which incorporates in the three Sefirot above it, NHY. But it is actually Malchut, the gathering of all the souls.

Student: Here in this process, we're talking about the rising of Malchut to Bina, and then she comes down again.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: That is the Malchut that we're talking about, that awakens this deficiency?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Why does she not operate all the time? Why does the deficiency not act all the time? Why does it only happen at a certain stage?

M. Laitman: It acts according to the souls that incorporate in her, according to the deficiency that they awaken in her. And then she rises upward to the Rosh of the degree and reveals on that deficiency, on her MAD, she reveals a response from the Creator, MAD. MAN and MAD. MAN is the deficiency that rises from below upward and MAD is the response that comes from above downward.

Then, when she receives MAD, and she can from that, receive the light for the correction of the vessels, for the elevation of the vessels, for the creation of the Masach, the screen. And then through the Masach, the screen, she starts connecting to the Rosh of the degree, to Keter of Hochma. And from that, she will have great gain, she connects to herself those souls that were incorporated in Malchut. And accordingly, is constructed a new soul, a new Partzuf, or Shechina, you could say.

Student: Okay then, so why is it a little confusing because we learned that this action is taking place from below up, from above down?

M. Laitman: No, here it's not like that.

Student: So, it's no longer, okay, so it's already the collaboration there, okay.

M. Laitman: The middle line which comes and which connects these two upper lines together, it unites them. Soon, we said a few words, which we still need to reveal. Item 36, or we read that?

Reader: We read, we're in 37.

M. Laitman: 37, let's go.

Reading: (23:26) Item 37. 

Because of the height of the Hochma that the left is holding, the left line does not surrender whatsoever to unite with the Hassadim in the right line. Moreover, it fights it and wishes to revoke it. It does not surrender to the right unless by the two forces that rise from the middle line, which act on it and subdue it:

1. The screen of phase one in the middle line, which is ZA. This screen diminishes the level of Hochma in the left line from the level of GAR of Hochma to the level of VAK of Hochma. This is so that Hochma would not expand and shine from above downward but from below upward. This illumination is regarded as only VAK of Hochma.

2. The coupling of the upper light on this screen of phase one, which extends the level of light of Hassadim. Then, on one hand, the level of Hochma in the left descended into VAK of Hochma by the force of the screen. On the other hand, the Hassadim on the left line increased from two sides: from the side of the right line and from the side of the coupling of the upper light on the screen in the middle line. At that time, the left line surrenders and unites with the Hassadim in the right line and in the middle line (see The Zohar, Emor, Item 197 in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar]). However, as long as the screen in the middle line does not diminish the level of GAR of Hochma, there is no power in the world that can unite it with the right line (see Beresheet 1, p 60 [in Hebrew]).

M. Laitman: It's still not the end of the action but it's a part of it. Is it clear or not? 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (26:30) Maybe a general question, it's not still understood to me. The left line and the right line clothe one another under certain conditions. Where here is the middle line, what is it exactly?

M. Laitman: They create the middle line.

Student: The middle line is a state of balance between left and right or is it a third factor that comes and intermingles with it?

M. Laitman: No, it's an outcome of right and left.

Student: What is this special action of the middle line that cancels the dispute between left and right and brings some kind of complement between them?

M. Laitman: The Masach of Hirik. We will soon study that.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (27:25) The Writings of Baal HaSulam are meant for those of attainment.

M. Laitman: No, it's not only the case.

Student: Because you're asking each time, if it's understood, if it's understood? Nothing is understood to me.

M. Laitman: That's good, so you have a demand. There needs to be a demand in the heart for us to understand. And you are among us. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (28:10) The topic of the three lines, so far we learned from Adam Kadmon, everything descends from GAR by the screen and reflected light. What was actually the working with three lines meant for? To show us how to use our qualities?

M. Laitman: No, it's not talking about us at all, it's talking about before we came out to the light. 

Student: What does this demonstrate for us, to work with the three lines?

M. Laitman: As much as there are forces above us, that we can through them rise and act with. 

Student: This is supposed to cancel my work with the screen?

M. Laitman: No, it should bring us closer to the work with a screen.

Student: If the work with three lines was not meant for us but only to demonstrate to us how to build the system which we can connect in the Ten with? Is that their main goal and it only starts in the world of Nekudim?

M. Laitman: You are joining, now, the whole Ten to the world of Nekudim.

Student: Malchut to Bina, when we connect the opposite qualities, no?

M. Laitman: How do you connect it?

Student: How do we connect the world Nekudim? When we want to refine the desire to receive. We went from the desire to receive to the qualities of the upper one.

M. Laitman: We don't reach the world of Nekudim. What are you thinking about, that you are so high?

Student: No, I'm completely low but I just want to understand, who was the work in three lines meant for?

M. Laitman: The three lines are for us but not at the height of the upper AVI or anything like that. Wait, don't leap.

Student: With your permission, I have another question. The feeling was that when we read in the beginning about the lines that I, kind of, I, the Ten, are standing on the side and are trying to understand, like you said, we're not there yet, certainly. But we're trying to understand what it is through these three lines that Baal HaSulam is describing. He's describing Hochma, Bina, ZA that were happening. How do we need to combine them to continue in order to combine them in the Ten for the sake of the refinement of the desire to receive?

M. Laitman: We can, afterwards, take from that examples and try to accept them into our work on the Ten, our work, but not this one.

Student: Now, there's a combination of the working of the three lines with the screen and the reflected light?

M. Laitman: The work with the screen and reflected light is in Tzimtzum Aleph, the first restriction. 

Student: That comes down from Adam Kadmon?

M. Laitman: And here, it's work with Tzimtzum Bet, the second restriction.

Student: So, there's a combination between them?

M. Laitman: Between Malchut and Hochma and Keter in order that through them to establish ZA in a way in which to be incorporated from those forces and resemble Keter.

Student: Now, with your permission, one more thing. When we ask questions from the rooms, from the Arvut system, we have difficulty to know when you're finishing your words. And altogether, we cut off and they close the microphone and there's like this disconnect that happens. It's like you said yesterday, that when I say thank you very much, I'm saying thank you very much for thanking you that I'm learning new things. And it's as if I don't want to hear anymore, it's on the contrary. I think that the change that happens in each person that learns here for years. And for me personally, I can feel that I love some of the friends, not all of them because that I would be in the end of correction. And I'm thanking you for that because you're actually opening my eyes and my heart and I'm grateful to you. Thank you very much. 

M. Laitman: Thank you. 

Question (Hadera 1): (33:38) First of all, I want to say that these are amazing things that we read today, item 35. First time I'm hearing such things, there are many questions, of course, but we need to read a lot. But the main question, the middle line, is it always built from the left line that rises from below upwards and the right line that comes from above down?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Okay, now it's written that ZA is a Masach, is a screen. What does that mean, ZA is in YESHSUT? The lower seven Sefirot of ZA are integrated with the seven Sefirot of YESHSUT?

M. Laitman: Yes, he builds the middle line.

Student: But where is the screen, he is in the whole Sefira or?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: In every Sefira?

M. Laitman: He is in the entire Sefira. 

Question (PT 32): (35:06) In the state of YESHSUT, for example, he takes it as an example, the right line and the left line can't connect but they're in one Partzuf or is it?

M. Laitman: They cannot act together because each one is against the other. That's from above downward and this is from below upward.

Student: In this state, do they have a common screen?

M. Laitman: No, common conditions for the time being, but no common screen, in order for there to be a common screen, they need to get more light from above that will unite them, right and left.

Student: The lower one is connected to the left line, how is it connected? How does it raise MAN?

M. Laitman: Yes, the lower one is more connected to the left line, it's closer to it.

Student: And it's MAN, he actually, wants to bring to the left line or what's this deficiency of the lower one?

M. Laitman: To receive the light of Hochma dressed in the light of Hassidim.

Student: And this brings the screen to the upper one?

M. Laitman: It demands that there will be a screen in the upper one.

Question (Rehovot): (36:47) In the previous article we read that you're allowed only an hour a day to activate the left line, meaning to criticize and raise scrutiny. And now we're hearing that this area of the left line is preferred upon for a person. What do we need to criticize, to critique? My environment or myself, where does it help to receive this light of Hochma, more?

M. Laitman: Criticize your prayers that you forget about it. You forget about raising a prayer to the Creator.

Question (Kyiv 1): (37:49) You described a process in which Malchut rises to the first three and there she raises her MAN to the Creator, to the Keter, and receives MAD from Him, and then you said that she received a screen. The process that a Kabbalist goes through and then describes is summed in the ascent of MAN, the reception of MAD and the screen, in order to describe it in writing.

M. Laitman: Yes, in principle.

Student: And the process we have to go through to attain this?

M. Laitman: It's a different process in that we rise below, we rise from below. Friends, it seems we shouldn’t confuse each other and it’s best if we shift to the next part.

Reader: (39:14) So, we’ll do a little transition, and we’ll move to the next session which is questions and answers on the spiritual path, select sources.