Part 2:
Baal HaSulam. Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot #53
Reading Item #53 twice (0:12)
1. S. (04:40) In both forms of concealment to keep the Creator's desire or to break it, it's always against the Creator one way or another? It says here that double or single concealment a person whether to keep the Creators desire or to break it, it's up to the person himself, it's in his hands, so in order to realize what he can, does man have to go against the Creator?
R. We always act against the Creator because by all of our desires and our forces they all come from him, and if we want to do something, so we do it against these forces, against these forces, even if we want to do it in order to bestow so it goes against the will to receive that the Creator created.
S. In both types of concealment that's how it is. That’s how it works?
R. That is something we should still scrutinize. I understand you, you have a question, it's a good question but we have to wait for it.
2. S. (06:35) Previously I heard you say that if a person restricts himself so much so that all his desires are to the benefit of the group then he can merit, but that is suffering too, and here it says the reward is according to the pain. Is this the pain that we're talking about in the first stage to bring yourself down only to your basic needs?
R. Yes, yes that's correct. Over all the torments, the problems one feels when he has to work against his ego in order to reach giving contentment to the Creator.
S. I'm sure that you probably know how to get this pleasure and enjoy it but how can we learn how to get pleasure or derive pleasure out of the same suffering and to assume that we'll get some kind of reward for it?
R. This all depends on the appreciation many people in our world suffer from different situations but along with that, even with the situations they suffer from, they're willing to pay a lot of money or something because they see a payment in it, some kind of good goal. We pay an expert physician to perform an operation and we're going to suffer but we pay for it because we have loved in return we have health life, meaning the matter is the suffering, it's not a matter of suffering the suffering is measured according to what I obtained by suffering all our life is a suffering no matter what but always in our life we choose how much I suffer and how much I gained through the suffering. This is the matter of the payment, a reward, what we choose. This is the thing here, if I'm in a group and if I increase it's value and the value of the goal that's attained in the connection then I'm willing to diminish myself to suffer in the connection in order to reach the goal that is attained through connection specifically. That's how it is and there's nothing to do about it.
S. So you can beneficially use the suffering, suffering like not sleeping, refusing to get something a person can also enjoy those things?
R. Yes, there are torments of love that even in the torments we feel, we discover our love for the Creator and the love from the Creator to us.
3. S. (10:13) What is malicious?
R. You can say it's intentionally, when I do something bad to someone else and I mean it, I plan it, and I do it.
S. Is it against the Creator or against others?
R. It can be against others and it can also be against the Creator.
4. S. (10:56) Baal HaSulam says that the troubles and pains that he gets give him doubts and the Creator's providence over his created beings in the day-to-day life, what does it mean that I have to all the time rise above my doubt?
R. Yes.
S. So why is he all the time bringing me to doubt?
R. So that you will increase your connection with the friends and through the group you will get a connection with the Creator then you won’t have doubts.
S. How do you do it in your day-to-day life?
R. That's how you do it everyday.
S. How exactly?
R. A connection between you and the ten and through that to the Creator.
S. So whatever happens you need to cleave to the ten?
R. Yes.
5. S. (12:01) Rav maybe you can repeat or explain this item 53?
R. Rav reads: We must know that the whole matter of the work in keeping Torah and Mitzvot by the way of choice applies primarily to the two aforementioned discernments of concealed providence. Ben Hei Hei said about that time a reward is according to the pain. Since his guidance is not revealed it is impossible to see him but only in concealment of the face from behind as one sees one’s friend from behind and might doubt and think he is another. In this manner one is always left with a choice whether to keep his will or break it. This is because troubles and pains he suffers make him doubt the reality of his guidance over his creation whether in the first manner which are mistakes or in the second manner which are sins. Because he doesn’t see that the Creator relates to everyone in a good manner in a nice manner.
But when we look at the world how many torments that we see the world is going through, right, and it’s also written that if we don’t correct ourselves we will incorporate in the third world war and the fourth world war, and who knows what’s going to happen that the mother’s will eat their children. This is something terrible that happens. I imagine it to myself like Jurassic Park when dinosaurs eat humans, that's how we're going to see people eating their own children. We have to reach such states, such things if we don't correct ourselves in states before that. Rav continues; Since his guidance is not revealed it is impossible to see him but only in concealment of a face from behind as one sees one’s friend from behind and might doubt and think he is another and in this manner when the Creator is hiding, in this manner one is always left with a choice, This is actually done for a man to have a choice to locate the guidance of the Creator in the concealed manner or not, whether to keep his will or break it.
The desire of the Creator is only the connection between us basically. This is because troubles and pains he suffers, a person suffers, make him doubt the reality of his guide is over his creations because what we see before us, I don't see that it’s the good that does good, I don't see it going through a good process at the end of our development. Where is that? Where does that happen? On the contrary whether in the first manner which are the mistakes or the second manner which are the sins, man is always in a state where he discovers that there is no Creator in the world and if there is it's a bad force it’s not a good one because he sees the ego acting, controlling, in the entire reality. In any case one is still in great pain and labor not knowing in what world he is and why he has to invest everything just to barely exist and from one moment to the next to just wait for the next blow that will come to him on the path. The writing says about this time anything you find that your hands can do by your strengths do, meaning you have to do anything you can do with regards to the correction do it
This is so because he will not be granted the revelation of the face of the Creator, the complete measure of his goodness, before he exerts and does whatever is in his power to do and the reward is according to the pain. Meaning one has to, with whatever is revealed to him and each and every moment before him, when the world is bad and this means the Creator is also bad and nothing is good, nothing I have is good, nothing is advancing in a good direction, and as much as we advance as of towards the final correction we will see things that are worse and worse and our state will be worse and worse. Only the ones who overcome and want despite that to see that the Creator's actions as purposeful correct that lead us to the right state only these will be able to justify the Creator, all the rest won't be able to justify him and just say that the Creator is the good that is good.
S. What does it mean to overcome, overcome what?
R. Overcoming is when I, despite the me seeing the Creator's guidance the way it seems to me in this world that it’s the wrong guidance not good one, it's really wrong, unjust, I go against that and I say “they have eyes but they do not see” meaning I don't see things properly because I see it through this instrument called the ego. I see reality through an egoistic system and this egoistic system is built deliberately by the Creator so that I will see this world this way, opposite, and what I have to reach is seeing the world correctly with love, altruistic love, how can I do that?
When I try to rise above what I see in my egoistic eyes and I see myself and the world in an opposite manner that the Creator dwells In the whole world and only good and pleasure will follow me all the days of my life, and if I try to make up such a system in the group between us and the Creator, then I discover that the truth is in truth the entire reality is opposite. It's a good reality, a complete reality and what I've seen before I was lying to myself because I was seeing the world through a false system, a special system that's built by the Creator intentionally, artificially. He seemingly broke the connection between us and let us see the whole world as broken through a system that is broken. Why? For us ourselves to see the differences between truth and false, between broken and corrected, between hatred and love, between a egoistic form and a form of the complete bestowal and when we are incorporated in both, both exist in our relationship. When our ego, which is all the evil forces, stands at the foundation of the spiritual Partzuf and above it, the restriction, screen and reflected light, we place bestowal then we reach establishment of the Creator in us upon all the evil forces that he intentionally created, this is how we discover the correct world.
6. S. (22:53) When a person is in a state where he sees everything through a corrupted prism, seeing not only the world as corrupted but also the friends and the ten and the Creator and himself, what can they then hold on to and how does he come out of this state?
R. He needs to hold onto the group as much as he can and the books, the studying, the teacher and then with the help of the teacher and the group meaning studying, that by being with them he gradually comes out of this state of descent and reaches a state of ascent as we learned from from the students of Rabbi Shimon who wanted to kill each other. That's how it works.
Reading Item #54 (24:30) “When the Creator sees…”
R. When the Creator sees that one’s completed one’s measure of exertion and finished everything he had to do by the power of his choice and his strengthening in faith of the Creator the Creator helps him, then one attains open providence meaning revelation of the face, meaning there's the matter of exertion here that at first he sees the complete opposite and he's confused and then he arranges himself and it could take years until he arranges the proper attitude towards the friends and the group and the whole of reality until he reaches the state where he discovered the face, reveals it. Previously he faced the Creator too only he didn't see it, he didn't see that it's the Creator because it's entirely, because his entire approach his attitude toward reality was through his broken vessels and now he is gradually correcting them he sees that it's the Creator in front of him, not that the Creator is concealed but that he by his own qualities concealed the Creator and to the measure to which he comes closer to the group and the studying and the different more and more correct states, then he discovers that it's the Creator right there in front of him and he comes to complete, and he's rewarded with complete repentance, meaning he adheres to the Creator once more with his heart soul and might as though naturally drawn by the attainment of the open providence.
7. S. (27:44) Maybe we can take what's going on in the world today as a test case. I see the world as so much suffering, so what's the process now?
R. Not enough. From what I see, the world that is suffering, it's not enough for the world in order to start relating correctly to what is going on.
S. How should I relate to things? I live in a world full of suffering, there's a terrible war and it doesn’t end. What should I do now?
R. You need to explain to the world what is the reason for the situation that the world is in and how can the world advance towards a state of good. This is what they want and can't hear.
S. What should I explain to myself? I live in a world of suffering, everyone is suffering, every day the world is suffering, and the suffering gets worse and worse, what should I tell myself?
R. That's what you see. I don’t think the world sees it. The world is full of pleasures people are having a good time partying sure it’s not simple, it's not easy, you have to bother, you have to work for it, but they understand that this this life, they don't have any other kind of life, and if I feel it then I’m the one who feels it and to tell the world, in order to tell the world that they’re suffering I first of all need to understand their suffering, what are they suffering from, what are they not suffering from, and then to see whether they altogether acknowledged this measure of suffering that they're talking about. If I talk to people, most of them will tell me, “ah it's not that bad,” but I need to explain to people what do we exist for, for the sake of what, for what purpose, and why? Why do these states that we go through are so incorrect, because most of the world will say, “no it's fine, it's okay, it's life, what do you want from us, where do you see any other kind of life, where you going to take it from?
These are the conditions that we have that we exist in here on Earth,” and in the meantime I don't see how can we so easily turn turn to any person in the world and tell him that they're suffering. Well, okay, suppose I'm suffering, right? Give me a million dollars and I won't be suffering anymore or something like that. Meaning they are not lacking anything but to fulfill their egoistic desires. How do I explain to that person that precisely because of his egoistic desire that he is in his egoistic desire and this is why he's suffering? How can I elevate him to a degree where he will want spiritual pleasures instead of corporeal ones? It's impossible to explain, we're not talking about that. For us it's really hard to convince us that the before us, ahead of us that there’s spiritual pleasures, let's advance towards them. We can't even though that we're hearing about that for years. It is a lengthy process it's truly a spiritual evolution that we're going through.
S. I live in the world.
R. I believe you.
S. For a month already, there’s a war that doesn’t end.
R. Yes.
S. Suffering is terrible. What am I supposed to tell myself?
R. That you're to blame.
S. What am I to blame?
R. You’re at fault that the war is not ending and that there is war in the world altogether.
S. What should I do for it to end?
R. To increase the force of good as much as possible.
S. Meaning the work is to tell myself you see the ruined world, “they have eyes but do not see”, so don’t believe what you see, focus on correcting yourself and that’s it, right?
R. Correcting yourself obviously and by that you correct the world. Along with it I also need to try to explain to people that to turn to approach the force of good love connection that‘s good for the world but who can listen while we're in complete opposite states? But there is already a change you see half of the world already agrees that it is necessary to restrict the evil, tie it down, not allow it to spread anymore, even in a way that it’s one ego against the other, even such. Along with that you can discover how much everyone is holding on to their own righteousness and truth not accepting what the other side has and still there is a very strong collision between these two kinds of ego.
S. Saying they have eyes and do not see, this is the work of faith above reason?
R. It is one of the conditions by which we ascend to faith above reason that my eyes where I see the entire world egotistically, I can’t see anything, I can't see systems, I can't see forces that are working and are operating, activating reality. I see that people are all the time in different conflicts, they’re armed conflicts and not armed conflicts but still conflicts, banks, all these different kinds of forces, are they not at war too? Sure they are but it’s not an armed conflict, conflict but not an armed one.
8. S. (35:41) It is written in this item that when he finishes his exertion that the Creator will help, then he'll be rewarded with open providence meaning revelation of the face. In this state what determines that he'll get help from the Creator?
R. Yes, he'll get help from the Creator but before that he has to see that he did all that he could in his current state.
Reading Item #55 (36:20) “This above attainment and repentance…”
9. S. (38:06) When we engage in dissemination we're asked what are the actions we should do one two three because the correction is entirely in intention so how can we pass it on or does it come through actions?
R. No, we don't talk to beginners about the intentions, it’s only after a while after they study after we're all included together then we start explaining that the main thing is the intention and not the action itself, the action could be the complete opposite, the main thing is the intention. It's a problem, it is, and we learn about intentions, the entire wisdom of Kabbalah is studying, learning about the intentions, what is my intention, what do I want from the action, and the action itself could be the complete opposite and usually it is, and it's possible that I give but my intention is to receive or the other way around, I received but my intention is by that I will cause good to others and it's harder etc, etc, meaning the main work that we do together the main thing that we learn about are the intentions, what do I want to get as a result of one or another kind of action.
Rav reads and explains Item #55 (40:02) “This above attainment and repentance…”
R. Meaning he now feels how drawn he is to actions of bestowal even though that he doesn't see any kind of reward in them yet, he still can't make the vessel in order to bestow. In addition to besides attaining the bitter punishment attaining every sin after one's death, meaning that he is incapable of doing anything in this will to receive, one is also rewarded with feeling the bitter taste of every transgression transgression while he is still alive, and he really feels his life and death spiritual wise still… naturally one who's imported this open Providence is certain he will not sin again as he is certain that he will not cut his own flesh and caused himself terrible suffering in addition put a certain that he will not neglect a Mitzvah without performing it the instant it comes to his hand just as one is certain that he will not neglect any worldly pleasures or a great profit that comes into his hands.
10. S. (42:19) What does it mean to be rewarded with open providence?
R. When a person gets a Masach screen, and through it he is connected with the Creator then he is already directly connected to the Creator because the screen and the Aviut, coarseness turn his relationship with the Creator into what we call “I for my beloved one and my beloved one for me” where both of them are face to face and then there's no concealment between them. There's nothing that is unclear that a person has already inverted his qualities and Is now like the Creator
S. How can I invert my qualities this way?
R. Ask the Creator. But along with your plea, request, give him all the necessary conditions, meaning connection to the friends, some kind of connection to the world because we are already in the last generation, and that we're really worthy of it. You need to show the Creator that you're willing to receive all the forces from him in order to correctly Implement them in order to realize the meaning of life, the purpose of creation so all humanity will eventually merit through you, connection with the Creator and to come to the end of correction.
S. This is why I have to ask for strength from him so that through me the entire humanity will reach that?
R. Yes. It seems to you very egoistic?
S. No, I don't know. it's just that I don't feel that, this deficiency.
R. You think about it, think about it. We need to think about the final state and how we are drawn to it in each and every moment.
11.S. (45:12) You talked about it now and you said that many people in humanity think that war is a natural process for humanity, throughout the generations people were always fighting each other. How can we pass on the Wisdom of Kabbalah as the future of humanity and the Wisdom of Kabbalah they also say about a third world war, fourth world war, so people are not, they say that's the way it is, but but if we try to talk about the good states like here about attainment, open Providence, the leopard should live with the lamb, or you'll see your sins and you won't be able to perform transgressions, it's difficult to explain even to ourselves.
R. It's very easy to depict the good relations. It's where people love each other, feel close to one another, don't try to harm each other, but I only do good things to one another, that’s what they discover in their relations and as a result that's how they build their life, but I can't do anything in the world unless I see that by that I do good to the world. What's so hard in depicting it?
S. That's exactly the question, why for people it so easy to agree?
R. Because we are in the evil inclination under the forces of the shattering as the result of the sin of Adam HaRishon so obviously this is how we are, obviously.
S. For me it's not clear why a person thinks that a state of war and separation is normal and peace and friendship is utopia.
R. This is what our egoistic nature forces us to think, it’s forcing us to think that way.
S. So we should also agree with it, that it's normal?
R. You decide. I can't decide instead of you. What the Torah talks about you need to understand what is it demanding a people do you agree to it or not? I can't talk much.
12. S. (48:16) We learned that hearts of the ministers is in the hands of the Creator, we also learned now that the double concealment is the governance of the nations of the world, learned about single Providence which is Bnei Baruch, in light of all that it turns out that the war that's going on it's simply governed by the Creator in this way so that it's not Putin that attacked the Ukraine, it's the Creator.
R. I don't want to talk about things that are going on in the world now. I can't tell you what I think. I have students on the one side and on the other and therefore I need to be, the only thing I should be engaged in is teaching the Wisdom of Kabbalah until from the teachings you will you yourselves will understand what is going on and decide and on the way to this final decision correct final decision you'll go through different states in favor against and eventually you will understand the truth. I can't talk about it. I want for all of you to be connected to my lessons and therefore I abstain myself from talking about current events going on in the world now but soon we'll see in the world how it's resolved, how this whole entire situation eventually comes to a solution, soon.
12. S. (50:43) When we increase the force of good, the revelation of evil will also grow so how can we cope with that?
R. The force of good and the forces of evil or the force of bad, they're always one opposite the other as it says the Creator has made one against or opposite the other in order to give us free choice and in order for us to develop as a result of both of these forces and it's impossible for the good to grow without the bad and the bad that grows actually causes the good force to increase.
13. S.(51:39) The Creator demands both our best emotions and our worst in order to build the right connection with him?
R. Yes.That's why what the Creator did is that he created the evi inclination because he himself is the good inclination, and so against it he created the evil inclination and then these two systems, when we learn how to correctly form them then we exist in between the two and so eventually our work is to receive an order to bestow, that we use the force of reception fully completely we use the evil force completely and we use it in order to bestow. It's called the darkness will shine as the light.
14. S. (52:27) If it's not a collision of going in a good or bad way, what’s the right example way that fits the plan of the Creator?
R. The right example that suits the Creator's plan is that I annul myself towards the ten and anything and everything and this is my first proper, correct, true action, and afterwards the more I can bestow upon onto them and cause them to come to adhesion with the Creator, my action in the ten and afterwards my action in relation to our entire world Kli, vessel, that all of us men and women will reach connection and the revelation of the Creator among us. I'm really hopeful that we're already on the way to it, well for sure it's not that I'm hoping but I know that we're on the way, we're on the way for the revelation of the Creator among us clearly, and then we will be able to present ourselves to the world has a kind of torch that is pulling everyone to the purpose of creation.