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

Daily Lesson (Morning) August 18, 2024.

Part 2: Lesson of the Topic of “The 15th of AV: The Day of Love” 

Reader:   

Reader: Hello, we’re going to be reading select excerpts from the sources on the topic of the 15th of Av, The Day of Love. The 15th of Av, the Day of Love, Excerpt Number One from Tifferet Shlomo about the Torah.

Reading Excerpt 1: (00:21) Tifferet Shlomo about the Torah, Devarim

It is said in the Gemara (Taanit 4:8), “Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel said, ‘There were no better days for Israel than the fifteenth of Av and the Day of Atonement.’ When the fifteenth day comes, great mercies awaken upon us and the days of good will begin. This is why there weren’t such good days before. Also, He will turn everything for the best, for salvation and comfort.

M. Laitman: I have nothing to add. Questions? No questions. When it comes, when it happens, then there will be no questions. 

Reading Excerpt 2: (01:30) Likutey Halachot [Assorted Rules], Hilchot Gitin [Rules of Divorce], Rule No. 3

The fifteenth of Av is regarded as the correction and the sweetening of the ninth of Av, as our sages said, that on the ninth of Av there was the decree of the dead of the desert, for then they would die each year in the desert, and on the fifteenth of Av, the dead of the desert would stop. It follows that the fifteenth of Av is regarded as the correction and the sweetening of the ninth of Av.

M. Laitman: Clear? Okay, let's keep going.

Reading Excerpt 3: (02:25) Tifferet Shlomo about the Torah, Devarim

On the fifteenth of Av, when the days of good will begin to shine, to prepare for the will of the Creator that is coming in our favor, each person’s will must also be incorporated in one’s friend, to stand and anticipate his favor. This is the intimation in the Gemara: the day when the tribes were permitted to mingle with each other, meaning that each one from the children of Israel will impart from his blessing and favor upon his friend, as well.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (03:23) This evening is the 15th of Av, and it's written in the Exodus, these are the days of will, it's written up there. We read in a letter that says that from above we receive good according to the effort from below. So, how to understand it, correctly? 

M. Laitman: Starting tonight, you are entering a new period. Up until tonight, you had the days of mourning, the 9th of Av. And starting tonight, you have days of joy and awakening, that's Tu B'Av, the 15th of Av. 

Student: Is this like an opportunity that we're being given? 

M. Laitman: Yes, of course. 

Student: It's written that the tribes were allowed to mingle with each other, that each of the people of Israel will impart his blessing and favor upon his friend, as well. What does that mean? 

M. Laitman: Responsible for one another, either during the bad times or the good times; there is a difference. 

Student: But what's the opportunity that's being received? 

M. Laitman: The opportunity? We'll read a few more excerpts. 

Student: He writes that there also needs to be the desire of each friend included in his friend, etc.?

M. Laitman: Yes, by reading, hearing, trying to approach it, try to clothe these verses on us, on our souls. And by that we approach these ideas of Tu B'Av, the 15th of Av.

Student: What's the addition in this day, what happens on this day that doesn't happen in other days? 

M. Laitman: We'll learn. 

Reading Excerpt 4: (05:39) Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 2

Regarding the most important matter, called “love,” which is the spiritual connection between Israel and their Father in heaven, as it is written, “And You shall bring us, our King, to Your great name, Selah, in truth and in love,” and as it is written, “Who chooses His people, Israel, with love,” this is the beginning of the salvation and the end of correction when the Creator reveals to His creations—which He has created—all the love that was previously hidden in His heart.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (06:43) Is it correct to say that, just like we learn in other places, that only whoever goes through that feeling of the ruin or of mourning and sorrow, can feel the difference when the feeling of the 15th of Av comes? That feeling, our ability to feel that state depends on our ability, on what we did before. In the exertion we've been through, through that previous state.

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (07:21) Why are there actually days, as he writes here, like good days, salvation and comforting. And before that there's the 9th of Av, there's harm, sorrow, pain, etc.?

M. Laitman: There are times for good and times for bad. 

Student: Why is it built in this way, where it's first these days and those days? Why not in parallel, there should be this and that always. 

M. Laitman: A person cannot accept Providence in this way, two extremes together.

Student: And when there are good days?

M. Laitman: He works with the desire, and with the memory and with discernments. Also, inside his environment and also from the outside, and he needs to see how is life in this and life on the other side. 

Student: When we see love covers all crimes, so there is  times of crimes and times of love, or do they come together? 

M. Laitman: No, it exists in nature and it's revealed; first crimes and then love.

Reading Excerpt 5: (08:46) RABASH, Article No. 410, "Self-Love and Love of the Creator"

There is self-love and there is love of the Creator, and there is a medium, which is love of others. Through love of others we come to the love of the Creator. This is the meaning of what Rabbi Akiva said, “Love your neighbor as yourself is a great rule in the Torah.”

As Old Hillel said to the gentile who told him, “Teach me the whole Torah on one leg.” He said to him, “That which you hate, do not do to your friend. And the rest, go study.” This is so because through love of others we come to love the Creator, and then the whole Torah and all the wisdom are in his heart.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (10:06) What is, that which you hate don't do to your friend? 

M. Laitman: What you feel that you hate, a certain attitude, how others relate to you, negatively; equally don't relate this way to the other. 

Student: But it's supposed to be after all, aimed towards something, no? I mean, if I hate something that's towards the goal, then it's actually correct that a friend will come and prove me, one way or another?

M. Laitman: It's not a justification. Give an example, go ahead. 

Student: Let's say, I don't know, let's say I hate to go into a Zoom meeting, I don't like that. So, what, a friend needs to come and, I don't know how to say it quite in words, but a friend needs to come and not pressure me about that? Let's say, I don't love that so he doesn't have to pressure me? 

M. Laitman: Yes, if you have a justification for not wanting it, of course. 

Student: So how, what's the correct attitude to the friend for this thing? 

M. Laitman: To be considerate of that.

Student: So, this friend will, it'll turn out that he won't reach meetings in the end. Is that consideration? 

M. Laitman: It's possible that this is a consideration toward him, nevertheless, you don't do anything against the desire of the other. 

Reading Excerpt 6: (12:07) Baal HaSulam, "The Love of God and the Love of Man"

This is what Hillel Hanasi assumed, that “Love your friend as yourself” is the ultimate goal in the practice, as it is the clearest nature and form to man.

We should not be mistaken about actions, since they are set before his eyes. He knows that if he puts the needs of his friend before his own needs, then he is in the quality of bestowal. For this reason, he does not define the goal as “And you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might,” for indeed they are one and the same, since he should also love his friend with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, as this is the meaning of the words “as yourself.” He certainly loves himself with all his heart and soul and might, and with the Creator, he may deceive oneself, but with his friend it is always spread out before his eyes.

M. Laitman: Yes? No questions about that?

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (13:48) About the fact that love is the highest degree, we need to aspire to and reach love of friends. What's so special about this specific day, that's the day of love? You could say that every day in the year should be our day of love.

M. Laitman: That is correct, nevertheless, you understand that a festival of love, a day of love doesn't exist with the nations of the world so that the 8th of March or.

Student: Valentine's Day! maybe, day of love?

M. Laitman: Maybe, I don't know, but that's, here, it's according to the forces of nature, that's how our calendar is defined. 

Reading Excerpt 7: (15:06) RABASH, Article No. 30 (1988), "What to Look For in the Assembly of Friends"

Love of friends that is built on the basis of love of others, by which they can achieve the love of the Creator, is the opposite of what is normally considered love of friends. In other words, love of others does not mean that the friends will love me. Rather, it is I who must love the friends.

M. Laitman: This is very sharp because, typically, we relate to the other according to how well he relates to us. To at least be equal to him in this way but here, no, even when they hate you, you need to love them.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (16:15) These excerpts tell us, externally, what a person feels towards the friends. But we also know that these things talk internally about what happens inside a person, in a Kabbalist. In his desires, there's, can you tell us what a Kabbalist feels on the 15th of Av, as far as the inner forces that are in him? Can we talk about that, share about that? 

M. Laitman: No, you can only reach it and feel it. That's what we need to do.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (17:03) There's a situation, where towards a friend, towards the importance of the path of a friend, we really love and appreciate the friend. And sometimes things in the work between us, in dissemination, with regards to society here, you don't appreciate the same action of the friend. How to connect these two things in order to, still, love him above the action, or that matter of dissemination or activity, or some certain decisions? 

M. Laitman: I don't know, it's always like that between people, before we reach corrections, internal adhesion. We always have such states where in some of the things I identify with him and in others, I am in opposition to him.

Student: Even sometimes you can really feel like the friend is harming the society but you know he's doing it because he believes that it's right to do. And that's how he sees the benefit of the society, maybe you see it the other way. How to come to it not harming our inner love towards him?

M. Laitman: We need to scrutinize this in the most objective manner possible. That I don't actually relate to the friend but only to his qualities, the states in him.

Student: Sometimes it's difficult to judge because you, on one hand, see the corporeal result, the corporeal situation. And for us it's very close in dissemination, in the organization of the society, especially those who are operating there. On the other hand, you know that the friend is giving his all to the society and his whole life he's giving to the society. And then, is there some kind of criteria that we can go by so that you can advise?

M. Laitman: No, no, I cannot.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (19:47) By nature, a person loves what he needs. He needs something, so he develops a certain attitude towards it, he loves it. Now, love of friends as we just read, is not the same kind of love. Or can we develop a need for the friends and then love them?

M. Laitman: Yes, but certainly, if you learn that specifically with the help of the friend you come to the purpose of creation, then how will you relate to them, indifferently, disregarding them?

Student: But it’s still in the egoistic nature, that's how it is. I want something, I love them. Rabash also writes in one of his articles that it's even better to within reason to love friends, and if you're not capable then above reason. So why is it more, considered higher?

M. Laitman: Within reason is more refined, more celebrated, because it's a person who decides that he's in it. 

Student: But I'm not going out of my nature. I see how it's worthwhile for me, then I do invest in it. I develop a need, I love the friend.

M. Laitman: Right? 

Student: Why is that more refined? 

M. Laitman: It's more refined because at that moment, on that level that the Creator created you, you now change your desire to love the other. 

Student: If I develop such a love for the friend, I work on it in a way that's within reason. And I invest in it, convince myself and also start to already feel something towards the friend, suddenly the Creator does something and throws me from that. So then, I already have to go to above reason? I can't remember go back to that form like I had before?

M. Laitman: No.

Student: Meaning, it's simply a degree in order to reach the degree of above reason? 

M. Laitman: You can say it like that, for now. 

Question (Croatia): (22:25) What's more important: To not harm the love towards the friend? Or not harm the society? 

M. Laitman: It depends on where he wants to advance; not to harm the society is seemingly higher.

Question (Women Rehovot 1): (22:50) How to give meaning today to the 15th of Av,  with what actions? 

M. Laitman: You need to turn to the organizers, I don't know. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (23:12) There's times when we ask questions in the lesson and we hear from you an answer that you can't give an answer, or that you don't have an answer. The question is if there really is no answer for that or we need to attain this answer between us? 

M. Laitman: You need to attain it. Always what awakens in you from the lessons, you have to attain it by yourselves.

Reading Excerpt 8: (23:59) RABASH, Letter No. 40

There is a prayer for it—that the Creator will help him by making him feel the love of his friend and make his friend close to his heart.

M. Laitman: If we pray correctly, this is all we’ll receive.

Reading Excerpt 9: (24:35) RABASH, Article No. 2 (1984), "Concerning Love of Friends"

We must remember that the society was established on the basis of love of others, so each member would receive from the group the love of others and hatred of himself. And seeing that his friend is straining to annul his self and to love others would cause everyone to be integrated in their friends’ intentions.

Thus, if the society is made of ten members, for example, each will have ten forces practicing self-annulment, hatred of self, and love of others.

M. Laitman: Okay, what do we have to do this time?

Reader: (25:44) We still have The Introduction to From the Mouths of a Sage. Okay, we'll move to the next part.