Morning Lesson October 11, 2022 Transcription
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio
Part 1:
Ushpizin Isaac - Sefirat Gevura - Selected Excerpts from the Sources
1. Rav’s Introduction: (00:24) We learn during this time how to build a Kli, a vessel called Soul. It Includes seven Sefirot, why seven? Because the upper three come to us from above; those are the qualities the Creator presents to us, Keter, Hochma, Bina. And we are built out of that, from the connection between us we come to a state where we build between us, inside of us a special quality although existing in the created being that is exactly like the quality of the Creator, pure complete bestowal. And this is over the seven days of Sukkot; seven day are seven phases that we construct the complete vessel of our soul. From our matter we build something that resembles the Creator, that is ultimately the inner content of this holiday, of our life, of our existence in its entirety. So, we must learn here how from these opposing forces we build the connection, the unity between us and why it cannot be any other way?
The Creator is entirely bestowing and in order to be created being He built the evil inclination, an opposite form relative to Himself and now we need to see how from this opposite form we can become similar to Him, truly like Him, as it’s writen “to reach all the way to the Lord, your God”, in form, in the innermost quality, to be like Him. That’s what He demands of us and that’s what we want to come to. How can this thing be built, a thing from its opposite? This is what we are learning together, slowly. Yesterday we learned about Abraham with the first quality that came to us from the Creator, now it’s the second day of the holiday of Sukkot which is symbolizing for us the second force. So what does it tell us, Abraham went on the right, that’s his quality, that’s how we discover the first force within us, the correction of the quality of Hesed, Mercy. Meaning that he wants Hassadim, simple bestowal, wide, without any limits; this is the quality of Abraham; for this reason from the quality of Hassadim he extends adhesion with the life of lifes, The Creator.
However, Isaac went on the left line called Gevurah, to work in Hitgabrut, in overcoming the vessel of reception, to work in order to bestow. Meaning he is already in a different quality, a quality that is opposite to Abraham's; he overcomes it, in what? In that, that he’s entirely made of the will to receive that is revealed and he overcomes the will to receive; and the will to receive wants to resemble the quality of Abraham who is entirely Hesed, entirely to bestow, then it can only be in order to bestow where he overcomes his vessels of reception. And because he was working on the left line, meaning to see his situation within reason.
Then he sees the faults and the state of separation which is unlike Abraham, since a person in a state of the left, of a deficiency and the Creator is called Shalem, whole; and “a cursed does not cling to the blessed”, meaning their opposites. For this reason Isaac had to be included with Abraham this is why it was written, “Abraham begat Isaac”. Although everyone knows this, it teaches us that in the quality of Isaac who is left there is also the quality of the right which is Hesed, Mercy and from there it receives life, although it is opposite to the right, but specifically from the right he receives life. And Jacob is the middle line; it is already the third one that comes from Abraham and Isaac, from Hesed & Gevurah. Jacob is the middle line and it certainly contains Hassadim.
2. S. (07:47) We talked about starting with Abraham the quality of bestowal in order to bestow, how do we then decide to add to this quality like for example Isaac?
R. We don't know exactly how it happened because we grow from below up, it's like a baby it doesn't know about himself how he is growing up but he grows up, suddenly he's got more brains and power to do new things, we don't come from Whole, complete to incomplete, from above down. our advancement is from fragmented, incomplete to complete, from below up. So the more we learn, the more we talk about it and we think we understand our development, nevertheless they should be “as new in your eyes”. Meaning that each time new qualities appear in us, new abilities and suddenly we understand and we know and we can't plan them in advance rather this planning is happening from above.
3. S. (09:37) What is actually to receive life?
R. To receive? What does it mean to receive life? It depends on what we are talking about, but typically it is the force of Abraham, the force of Hesed. And we need to understand that in all the Sefirot this force is acting, it’s giving birth and that is why it's called “the father of the nation”. It is the revelation of Abraham throughout the generations, in each and every generation.
S. So what is the actual correction of Hesed?
R. What do you mean? Abraham is Hesed.
S. What's the correction of the quality of Hesed?
R. That the force of bestowal begins to awaken and begins to work and reveal also in the vessels of reception, this is already considered a correction. if it hasn’t been revealed in the vessels of reception we would not have called it correction; if it's not the quality of Hesed that is revealed that also wouldn’t be called correction.
4. S. (11:17) These guests, the Ushpizin, like Isaac, we would like them to come in as guests under our Sukkah, how do we do this? How can we invite them, what are the conditions to truly invite them? Do we have to do this actively and what are the conditions to do this in our ten? How can we get Isaac in our Sukkah?
R. We may not know exactly what forces need to be revealed and it's not even our business what will be revealed now or later. Instead we wish to advance in connecting all our qualities through which we assemble the matter of this holiday. Meaning this new state where we build Sukkah, we sit in with all those qualities and turn them into the image of The Soul; the system that includes ten parts, we could say seven since the first three come from above, and we are under the Sukkah, under the Schach, connected together and wishing to enjoy the surrounding light that shines to us through the Schach. When we build the Schach, we aim to receive only a small light to build our vessels, and not that we are going to receive it in full, openly, like our will to receive would have liked it.
S. Very interesting thank you. Does it mean let's say that you invite the right line Abraham and you get Isaac automatically as the Ushpizin?
R. No no no, automatically you don't get anything, It comes down to us gradually according to our preparation. The fact that we do it in the form of one day of Abraham and a day of Isaac, that is like we do the holidays; each and every country has its own holidays. But really, in the spiritual reality we receive it and we don't know exactly how it happens and that's how it comes.
S. So you just need to focus on connection and do the work to the right line?
R. Yes. you’re right. We need only to focus on connection, advance only towards connection between us as much as possible and not to choose one friend over another, god forbid, or in these forms or others, we don't understand anything about it. But simply all of us together should come to connection between us as much as possible, then we discover that this connection although we wish to get to it and we are pressering ourselves, and each one is giving example to others; but no matter how we twist it and turn, the connection will happen according to the laws of the upper nature that are already in us as well, and we cannot connect in any other way but only through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, meaning in these qualities that will happens in us.
5. S. (16:28) When we feel this empty place in us meaning the place of a deficiency is this called that we're inviting Isaac?
R. Soon we will learn about Isaac. There are many experts and it will become clear to you what it is called. I don't want to answer in one word what it means to invite Isaac, Ushpizin is when you invite him over as a guest. How do we receive this quality?
6. S. (17:30) It's written that Isaac sees the state of separation only in reason, that means can he feel that he's getting that from the bond?
R. We need to learn the texts before we can answer these questions. I want to do it in an organized manner; before we learn it we can not ask, I don't want to put the cart before the horse.
7. S. (18:18) The quality of Isaac does it exist in the end of correction as well?
R. Of course it must exist.
Reading Excerpt # 1 (18:44)
Reading Excerpt # 2 twice (21:33)
8. S. (21:13) What are the rejoicing Gevurot?
R. Gevurot from the word Hitgabrut, overcome. That after the light of Abraham, that built for us the first measure, first virtue called the first day, the correction of Hesed, then we have an overcoming on the part of the vessel. The rejoicing Gevurot is that we can accept this overcoming, this a repentance out of love; it's not that we are drawn by ourselves, but rather all our qualities all the transgressions become merits then it's a great joy, a great addition to the day of Abraham, to his quality. Then even the barn in the vineyard admitted into the holiness. This is the meaning of the Sukkot’s primary discernment, being Isaac; it is not entirely clear why the quality of Sukkot is Isaac? Rather it can be the second day of the Sukkot, but all of Sukkot? Let’s keep going and we'll see.
S. Overcoming what?
R. Overcoming is although Abraham is Hesed, but Hesed without limits is not good: As created beings we are assembled of opposing forces where each and every force close to the others and doesn't let anyone run wild and break out with all his powers; that's why the balance of the forces of the right and the left is what ultimately brings us to the complete corrected state. Again because we are in the evil force, we are made of the will to receive, so to the extent that we are incorporated with a will to bestow and we can arrange things correctly so our will to receive will be organized in such a way that it will control itself, calm itself down, arrange itself to be a helpful force to the force of bestowal.
The force of bestowal will be a force that increases, but first limits the force of Hesed; then only in the correct combination of these forces can we allow the force of Gevurah to be a rejoicing force. As he says Sukkot is considered gladness, rejoicing Gevurot. How can Gevurot be rejoicing? Precisely because they work in tandem with the force of Abraham. When his sins become for him as merits and then even the waste of barn and winery are admitted into the Kedusha, Holiness; as barn and winery are the waste that we collected from there, and this is the meaning of Sukkot’s primary discernment being Isaac. This is the conclusion of the second day of the Sukkot.
9. S. (27:14) These are many states holy states that we learn you know Abraham Isaac Jacob, how can we work and build up on these states because it seems like it's like a washer machine with our own desires into try to connect to these state's and think about these states, how can we build up on?
R. That is correct, we need to try and advance towards connection. In practice what we do is the following, we wish to be in connection, daily connection, growing connection and learn from connecting more and more and each one inside will feel what it adds to him. Then in this way we gradually reveal what are the Sefirot and what way they are incorporated with one another, what is a Partzuf, that is a result of this correct combination of these forces called Sefirot. That is how we discover this matter of intersection between the qualities of the Creator and the qualities of the created being between the desire to receive and their desire to bestow.
How these two forces who are like Keter and Malchut, these two forces are two new different qualities are born from Keter to Malchut, all these forces in the connections between them from which we get all the qualities that exist in nature. We still yearn to know, to understand and to feel what is nature, and we still cannot attain it. Those are the forces that all together in the will to receive and the will to bestow and the combination of the two.
10. S. (30:00) Why do we ascribe Hesed to the created beings, because it seems we mostly have waste and the desire to overcome it. Where is the Sefira of Hesed in the created being?
R. We learned that the first force, the first force that appears is the quality of Hesed, Abraham and the second one is Gevurah, Isaac. Let's learn about this gradually and don't jump ahead, it’s all before us.
Reading Excerpt # 3 (30:56) “Those Who Wish To Serve The Creator...”
11. R. The work in the quality of Isaac begins to want to be in dedication devotion like Isaac as much as possible. They see they can't do it but they were content that the Creator gave us this work and brings us to subjugation to surrender, that we have no choice but to overcome our inability.
12. S. (32:17) Why do we need to be happy from working in overcoming and not from having to ask for help from the Creator?
R. No, we ask the Creator for help but you can't ask for help before you try in overcoming, if you can do it yourself would you go and ask for it? You need to try and do this action by yourself, to see you are incapable, to be certain that you are incapable and yet you truly wish to succeed and you are unable to succeed and you turn to the Creator.
13. S. (33:19) When I'm in the ten all kinds of forces are revealed?
R. Relative to you, relative to each and everyone that is trying to make this calculation.
14. S. (33:55) Why are there harmful things after Abraham?
R. Why are there sins after Abraham,I don't understand what you're saying. These are forces that when he wants to carry out the actions of Abraham he discovers that he has the opposite actions that disturbed him this is the overcoming Gevurah of Issac.
S. As a result in working in Hesed he discovers the Gevurot
R. Hesed is Abraham but now when he continues from Abraham to Isaac, is that the body that resists.
S. That is the question: What happens between this and that, why does it become suddenly?
R. He wants to continue working with Hesed and he sees that his entire body resists it.
S. And what is the correction of this deficiency?
R. The correction is that he's happy that he came to it and he sees the truth that his body resists it, then he continues. Even the resistance of the Creator is caused for blessing the Creator.
Reading Excerpt # 4 (35:48) “And One is Rewarded for Everything...” Twice
15. S. (37:59) Is there a connection between the devotion of Isaac and fear from Love, sorry repentance from love?
R. Yes. Yes there is connection, calculation.
16. S. (38:52) At the beginning you explained to us that we are like a baby and growing and doesn't know exactly how he's growing and he simply grows. Because of that you said that the efforts here need to mainly be towards connection. I'm asking after all with what we're learning, what do we have to acquire and to enter these disturbances and learn them no matter what the effort is always towards connection?
R. The Wisdom of Kabbalah explains to us how we grow and develop. If we are in a state like babies it doesn't matter how much a baby is growing and it needs to grow we will understand you. Rather it naturally grows, you tell it or you don't tell it, nevertheless these stages of development are the same and he will go through them, he will grow through them. What happens with us is that we can study or we can not study and we grow nevertheless.
However when we study about how we grow and develop then nevertheless we can add to ourselves a greater pace of development, taste the flavors of the development and that is what we have in the study of the Wisdom of Kabbalah, we are helping greatly the development of our soul, that is why we study. Either way, of certain we will reach the end of correction of course, it already exists from the beginning of creation, but with what kind of agreement, in what way, which attitude from us to the Creator, from the Creator. From the Creator to us is the force of love above everything. From us, the more we wish to be close to Him and carry out His actions than in our understanding in our attainment, in our senses we mitigate the path and we shorten the path.
S. Now we are here learning about Isaac and Gevurot and a certain understanding, a certain attitude towards what this means inside of us is being accumulated. I'm asking now concretely, throughout the day are we supposed to do something with this or it's just sitting inside of us and our efforts remain the same efforts towards connection and more connection?
R. Yes, it is the same for the time being, we cannot discern the different types of efforts all these HBD HGT names. You can't say that these are these forces those kinds of forces with a changing, every moment we can discern the light of Hochma, Hassadim, NRNHY, you can't. That's why we only learn about it and gradually we are advancing towards the state where the senses of ours will begin to absorb these qualities, different attitudes from the Creator towards us.
17. S. (42:58) It is written here that a penny and another penny add to a great sum, meaning to the general amount from the root of his soul or from the public. What does it mean to be gathering to the root of his soul and the public?
R. The root of his soul and the general account, the public, as much as there is connection between his soul and the group this is what we wish to discover. Each one will feel himself, how much he, the individual in society, how much he's an individual in the society and the society is his public, his general.
S. What is to serve the Creator with soul devotion?
R. That is the concept I myself cannot really talk about. To reach soul devotion to the Creator, this is the conclusion of our work. All the forces of the soul in a person is aimed entirely to the Creator and nothing towards himself and he knows he can check it and the Creator agrees with him. And above them know that this is how a person reaches soul devotion. To sell himself, to be in adhesion with the Creator, we need to be like Him. This is the purpose of our work, the purpose of our corrections.
18. S. (44:58) It is written here that the overcoming is the acquiring of forces. It's not exactly clear what overcoming means forces?
R. Whenever you receive forces from above from the Creator you can overcome the obstacle that is before you, simple.
S. The quality of Abraham, that if I overcome my will to receive and go in faith above reason, so what if so, is Isaac? you said it's the same thing?
R. No no no maybe you're right, I don't want to express it in this way. In Abraham we climb the barrier, then with Isaac we already fight with the barrier. Inside of us we process in such a way that we are incorporated in it with it, that is why it's called Gevurot.
S. What does it mean that we are incorporated with this obstacle? Does it mean we can bestow more in the work and this quality?
R. Yes of course Hesed Gevurah Tiferet, what we do is the first quality determines the direction and the remaining qualities that accumulate there support that same direction and brings him to the complete realization.
19. S. (47:30) It is a great wonder, what begets the next quality we have several qualities that we go through in Sukkot, how is it all of a sudden this next quality arrives?
R. By wanting to delve into this quality to work more with it, then the next quality is born out of it.
S. What is the difference between overcoming we do every day and the work in the ten and the overcoming in this holiday?
R. During the holidays more general work, I don't know if there is a difference. We need year-round to do this work that we do during the holiday of Sukkot, meaning to connect between us, to put a screen above us. We don't want the light of the sun, rather we want to have only a tiny bit of it to come to us so we can receive it in order to bestow and the main thing is connection between us. And this hospitality meaning our spiritual foundations, Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moshe, Aaron, Joseph, David…
20. S. (49:12) Gevurot from overcoming does it lead us to prayer or Gevurot is the prayer itself?
R. Gevurot is not a prayer it is a quality and the prayer has to be that through the prayer we need to change our qualities to ask the Creator to prove to Him that we are worthy and we are capable of having more exalted qualities.
21. S. (50:07) This moment of opportunity during these holidays when we correct ourselves by wearing the garment of Hassadim the friends expect fulfillment for their work.Maybe even egotistically, but the bestowal and the work of the Creator, do we need to aim it, the question is not clear?
R. I don't know what to do, it's not clear what he's asking.
S. Meaning the bestowal in the spiritual work should it be, in other words even though we feel the direction of the will to bestow and the will to receive in the ceremony, is it considered spiritual work?
Reader: We're speaking of bestowal but we're built of the will to receive that is motivating us, so is the effort that we put in this commission considered spiritual work even though the will to receive is mixed into it?
R. Of course all of our work that we're seeking how to resemble the upper force a little more the force of bestowal, whether we succeed or not, that is called spiritual work, that is what we call exertion that is what the Creator counts.
22. S. (52:28) In both qualities, the quality of Abraham and the quality of Isaac there is some form of overcoming, how do they differ, these two qualities of overcoming?
R. Towards which quality they need to overcome in order to reach in more connection. The goal in all of this is to reach additional connection but each additional connection to each time opportunes to them upon new disturbances, different disturbances. That is why these are called discernment, these things Hesed, Gevurah, Tifferet , Yesod, Malchut, but the work is the same work against the will to receive, to overcome this special quality. The will to receive does not have a form, it is simply the will to receive, it doesn’t want. And the quality he has to receive now, that is dependent on what state that stands before him.
22. S. (53:58) I heard you say that in our work we cannot distinguish between these two forces but nevertheless we have rejection and we do want to come closer, so what are these forces?
R. The main thing, again I'm saying the main thing for us is the connection because this is the beginning of our work and the end of our work and in the middle between the beginning and the end, we have all kinds of disturbances which are invited on purpose. They are awakened on purpose in order to stabilize ourselves each time in combination and a connection in a certain way between us. Let’s say when we are building a house or the Sukkah it doesn't matter what, each time we have different work and by this way we are working and in this and in that and in the stone and wood with the branches. But each time it's like a different kind of work but it is the same thing.
That is how it is here in our work, that we are building our vessel, we're bringing back our soul, our shattered soul to one corrected vessel then we have here several work, several jobs, several stages. And then in all the forms of connections that we have, all together we don't have many components, let’s say seven components. From those seven components we have to put ourselves all together and from that we build all kinds of forms of connection and eventually we attain from them, from these seven connections we make the complete form.
23. S. (56:18) What does the cursed mean? Because we read it tonight and it said the cursed doesn't cling to the blessed and last night you said the cursed doesn't clingto the cursed?
Reader: What is the meaning that the cursed adheres to the blessed?
R. We need to come to such a form of work, whereas as for us there is no difference between good and bad. That is considered that the cursed is also blessed. That is before us we will talk about it.
24. S. (57:23) He writes about the state of Isaac we have to see his state in the form of reason and he sees the deficiencies. How can the ten implement such a state to see things within reason, where is the work here in the ten?
R. We even didn't come to the beginning of some work in the ten and you already are thinking about its details. We won't finish today this Ushpizin in such a way if we continue, let us seriously relate to this. What are you getting all of a sudden so inwards from the very first line as if you already recognize this state? If you recognize it, maybe it is not worthwhile to continue. Try to relate to this a little bit more seriously to the lesson plan. I don't have much time, within the hour I need to finish this whole topic, the Ushpizin Isaac.
Reading Excerpt #5 (58:37): “And Abraham gave all that he had…”
Reading Excerpt #6 twice (01:00:44): “The sons come to correct…” twice
Reading Excerpt #7 (01:02:05): “One who has no sons is…”
25. S. (01:03:40) Both in this article and the previous one it says that Abraham passed over to them the quality of Gevurah? What does it mean? How does it work?
R. Because it is born of the discernment of Chesed, the second quality, how did it emerge? by the first quality implementing itself completely then from it emerges the second quality that is according to the order of course Abraham is the one that is first that precedes but according to development Isaac emerges from Abraham. He is the result of Abraham, of his development; therefore, you could say that, somewhat, Isaac is more complex, more capable that is how we see all together in the spiritual system. To the extent in which the upper includes, within it, everything but specifically the lower ones that emerge from him that are begotten from it, are the ones that are capable of correcting it, revealing it, understanding it and from revealing him they correct him. Without them, it is like the Creator says you made me, in what do we make?
What do we have to add to that force that is above and from Him everything emerges, including everything and does everything because we are born from Him, emerge from Him, we compose Him, we discover who He is, where He is in the seed, in the root and when we emerge from there we discover all the qualities, all intentions, all the abilities, all His attitudes towards the created beings, who He is, what He is, this we discover in our deeds therefore there is a thing and it's opposite here. That is why everything ends in a circle. To the extent that the upper one is upper and includes everything but until the lowest ones emerge and reveal all of creation in the lowest possible way, the lowest most inclusive way, then the upper one is also missing, is lacking.
S. Did I understand correctly that because here the degree biggets the next degree, we too in our work, we have to aim towards connection all the time and the degrees will come out in the correct order according to development, we don't have to put in different efforts from place to place.
R. Correct.
26. S. (01:07:17) In Sukkot it says that there are rejoicing Gevurot but I don’t feel it, how do we come to the state of rejoicing?
R. There is the matter of understanding and the matter of feeling. We are now talking at least of understanding, the beginning initial understanding but the matter of feeling is if we execute what is written then we will already be able to come from this execution to the feeling. What is placed inside these sentences; therefore, it's worthwhile for us to understand that first we learn, we have no feeling from this, the feeling comes gradually to the extent that we invite the reforming light, it shines upon us and evokes in us a certain feeling to each and every spiritual discernment that we're talking about but the demand to feel what we are learning is the correct demand.
27. S. (01:09:18) Can you explain what is living God in excerpt number 5?
R. Meaning that we feel the extent to which all the qualities, all the discernments that emerge from the Creator and make Him, the makeup of Him.
28. S. (01:09:48) I heard that Isaac is the opposite of Abraham, the opposition relative to, so the next degree is always relative to the parent?
R. Yes, each time this oppositeness, this specific oppositeness, it's not just opposite otherwise it would be just one opposite the second and the second opposite the third one etc. No, this oppositeness is each time in a different manner. What do we want to show that is in the upper one and isn't in the lower one or to the contrary what is in the lower one but does not exist in the upper one, clear?
29. S. (01:10:49) How conscious are the Kabbalists of the degrees they are entering and the degrees they are leaving?
R. To what extent is a Kabbalist aware? To the extent that he attains. There's nothing special, it is all clear according to the degrees, the discernment, the scree, the coarseness, the reflected light etc. Everything according to the qualities that are in the light and against that, are in the vessel.
S. It is not always clear as we go on along the path that we are entering a descent or that we are coming out of it into an ascent, the ability and capacity to label these degrees and recognize them.
R. Right that is revealed gradually, slowly, slowly.
S. Like as we studied now I am able to attach these qualities to the degrees that have gone through. How do we advance as we go and recognize more and more the direction that we are going in and how we should anticipate the advancement in the degrees we will enter and how to go through them? I hope it's clear, sorry.
R. You're not clear because you're talking a lot. If you want to be clear you need to prepare your question in advance.
30. S. (01:13:00) Is there a difference between repentance from love and repentance from fear?
R. The difference is in the vessel. Repentance comes from above but in what vessel it is felt that is called repentance from fear or repentance from love.
31. S. (01:13:38) We're learning that Abraham is bestowal then we try to bestow and then another will to receive comes, Isaac, to overcome. What is the work now in the middle of line in the ten after all of that?
R. That we will learn, that is still ahead of us, let's at least come to Tiferet to Yaakov.
Reading Excerpt #8 (01:14:18): “On the first day of the month…”
32. R. What are we being told here? On the first day of the month on the New Year there was the beginning if Din through the world and Isaac, the left line, rose to the throne of justice to judge the world, on Hoshana Raba, on a different day, Isaac returned to evoking Dinim and to concluding the Dinim and to dig the wells of water, meaning to spill Gevurot for the assembly of Israel, Malchut, the well to evoke the water, Illumination of Hochma, since the water in Gevurot is sent to the world.
This excerpt does not belong to us here, it does belong to the work of Isaac, but to evoke the water illumination of Hochma for illumination of Hochma is drawn out to the world only with Dinim. This is nice, the last part, that the illumination of Hochma is drawn out to the world only with Dinim, otherwise the light of Hochma cannot be drawn. In order to bring us the light of Hochma we also have to awaken the Dinim, the judgements in which Hochma expands.
Reading Excerpt #9 (01:17:17): “The world stands on three things…”
33. R. (01:19:18) Meaning anyone who follows the rules, meaning going to build the Neshamot, to bring all the world to the path of Adam HaRishon, that is called that he is on the path of the forefathers.
Reading excerpt number 10 (01:19:48): “ The quality of Isaac our father…”
Reading excerpt number 11 (01:20:02): “It is known that the Sukkah…”
34. R. (01:21:15) Yes, that is our work.
35. S. (01:21:17) Regarding the three pillars, is it not enough that we make an effort to connect and reach adhesion to the Creator? There is something more along the path?
R. You see from Sukkot how much work you have to connect to your whole ten and to discover within your whole ten, your group, maybe not your ten, so in your group you discover all the different kinds of connection that are spoken about in the days of this holiday, building the Sukkah and the guess and all these components that were learning about.
S. Are these three pillars stages along the path of our connection that are revealed by themselves or do I need to think of them individually or independently?
R. I repeat this time and again, you only need to be drawn to connection with your friends and then on the way you will be stuck and you'll discover all the discernments you need, someone else will be stuck somewhere else and so all of you together will build the connection between you which is characteristic for your group. That is how it is with each and every group and ultimately when we connect and as we will connect more between us we will discover the final connection.
S. Are these three pillars, do they need to be revealed in the connection of the ten to all the tens and is it enough for what we're doing in the ten?
R. What we're doing in the meantime in the personal ten is enough in the meantime and then later you will see there's more work until we reach the correction of the whole world.
36. S. (01:23:50) We know that the quality of each one completes the other. What happens when there is the opposite quality of Ishmael?
R. We haven't learned about that so we're not asking yet, it will come, it will come.
37. S. (01:24:32) Isaac is opposite to Abraham. What does it mean that an opposite condition is added on to the previous stage and the new stage is born?
R. No, it's simply that Abraham develops, it's not about the force that's added here. Inside Abraham there was Isaac incorporated and it's developed from him that's why it says that Isaac was born from Abraham.
38. S. (01:25:25) The Ushpizin resembles the building of the vessels not the lights or is it also the lights?
R. No, Ushpizin means that we discover another new quality in the connection between us, we are always in connection, connection, connection, connection and as we come to a certain stage of the connection that is called a new day and the revelation of a new quality, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob to understand that is how it is, a discovery of a growing type of connection, developing kind of connection that's why on the one hand these three first ones are called the forefathers, the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but the qualities that are developed out of them are more refined. It's only a matter of root and branch but what are we drawn to? We are drawn to the branches, because at the end of the branch we have fruit and that's the main thing.
S. In other words it speaks here about both vessels and lights?
R. Yes.
39. S. (01:27:12) Regarding working in the ten, it turns out that we are always talking about working in a certain line of mutual bestowal and a certain friend, there's some kind of resistance is revealed and becoming distant etc and then there comes a state that we don't know how to handle it. If we pressure him too much there is fear that it will push him away and if we don't really put pressure there's also fear that he will fall, so what does it mean to overcome in such a state?
R. You're expecting all kinds of forces of disturbance that will be revealed on the way to connection because specifically these forces of disturbance are making up the system which is more complex out of you, more adapted to the system of Adam HaRishon, brings you closer to the final correction, that's why all the disturbances that are being revealed build rather than hide. They are not contradictory.
S. That is clear but there is always the point that we don't always know what to do.
R. Connect more. In each and every situation there's only one direction, connect more, that’s it, there is nothing more to do besides that.
S. And if in this case that the friend becomes more distant and we connect more and we include him in our connection what should we do if that doesn't help?
R. Try, if we're talking about ideological things then you need to wait a bit and you need to talk to him and maybe you ask others, even management, what to do in such cases maybe they have experience, that's how it is.
S. That's the question because we're now speaking of the fact that connection solves everything, the question is do we need to keep connecting?
R. Yes, we have to connect, it doesn't matter what's going on if someone left or even some people left the path and there are many, as Baal HaSulam writes, that they will walk and they will fail, there's nothing to do about it we have to keep on going.
S. We need to continue and keep trying different things?
R. Yes, we need to continue with dissemination maybe to complete the ten and gently and subtly that's how we advance. The main thing is to always increase the intensity, the level of connection.
40. S. (01:30:45) This quality of Isaac revealed in the vessel can we say that it is more related to the building of the screen?
R. Yes, it belongs more to the screen. In general your thought is correct.
41. S. (01:31:13) Are all of the qualities revealed according to the states like a clock face, every time different states one up, one is down, are the states revealed according to order?
R. That we will learn, it is only the second quality we are learning out of the seven qualities. All the accumulation is before us. These are nice questions but it's still early.
42. S. (01:32:22) When the body complains about the efforts to overcome, when do we answer him that every penny adds up to a great amount and when do we answer him, suffer?
R. I don't know what to answer, penny to penny adds up to a great amount that's always correct, both in good pleasant real things and also in the opposite and we should always go forward, going forward is always left, right. You have failures from which you learn and by them you rise so the main thing is to keep on going in the direction of connection, that's the most correct, it encompasses everything.
43. S. (01:33:36) Yesterday it seemed that the quality of Abraham is a really high quality, when does Isaac appear as overcoming? Is that when we want to hold onto the sublime high degree, to keep it?
R. Even if you don't want to keep it and develop it but to continue and we continue with the quality of Abraham, extend it and then it becomes Isaac. Meaning in this quality of Abraham which is Mercy everything is open and everything is straight with an open heart and in that all kinds of forces are seemingly opposite are starting to be revealed. So that's already called Isaac being revealed. We always discover that the opposite quality emerges from a certain quality. Also in our life.
44. S. (01:35:15) What does this action of overcoming mean?
R. Overcoming means that I'm standing before my desire and I use my qualities, everything that I have only for the sake of connection. That is our work, that is our goal, that is our general goal. We need to return to the system of Adam HaRishon. We're all connected in one system in connection coming closer to complete wholeness.
45. S. (01:36:12) What is the uniqueness and is there any difference in preparing the invitation for the guests?
R. No, the fact that we're learning it this way has nothing to do with it. All we need to do is to work with all those disturbances and forces that are the forces that are being revealed.
46. S. (01:36:44) The main quality of Sukkot is Isaac. What does it mean to draw the quality of overcoming if we are in a state of overcoming?
R. We are in the quality of Isaac and that is called that we are feeling the forces of overcoming that we need to add in order to connect. If Abraham is felt in us that it's more work from above, that we are being collected, accumulated, like a kindergarten nanny and we are drawn to a connection, the work of Isaac is when we are feeling the disturbance, that we are keeping on the path and from these two forces as Abraham was revealed from above and Isaac seemingly from the lowest, from that we're making the third side Jacob, Tifferet, which is the most perfect because it incorporates both Abraham and Isaac inside of it
47. S. (01:38:29) How does overcoming become a blessing?
R. When we overcome it becomes a blessing.
48. S. (01:38:48) Can we say that all of our work is to reach unification of the heart?
R. Yes, for sure that is our goal, to unite the heart and desires.
49. S. (01:42:35) What deficiency in the quality of Abraham requires the appearance of the quality of Gevurot of Isaac?
R. Bit by bit in bestowal as bestowal is of Abraham without any limits, Mercy, it expands everywhere and no one stands in the way mercy and bestowal to everyone but bit by bit as it expands it reaches a state that it's gone, there is no more and then you need to overcome the previous quality seemingly stopping to act, it has no strength anymore and a second quality is born out of it which is the quality of Isaac.
The quality of Isaac works this way in overcoming even though there is nothing much to add to Abraham but it's as if the coarseness which is in the manner of creation is being revealed and then the quality of Abraham which is already called the quality of Isaac as Abraham begets Isaac. It's being revealed more and more until it reaches a state of the quality of Jacob about which we will learn tomorrow. We'll talk about him tomorrow. There we will also talk about the connection and how to make these qualities come together. That's the main thing, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because then we have another triplet and after that we have the Malchut, David and that's how we will work.
50. S. (01:45:05) The overcoming is what builds the vessel?
R. The overcomings builds the vessel, that is correct, the more I overcome my desire, egoistic desire and I continue with bestowal, with the study and the connection as the main thing, then that is how I advance.
51. S. (01:45:44) What are the transgressions and in what case do they become merits?
R. Transgressions become merits in the case that he corrects these transgressions. Transgressions is when one performs actions according to his will to receive and now as he corrects the will to receive an elevates it in order to bestow that same transgressions that were there become as merits. Here there's a question: when there were transgressions, were they in his favor or was it against him? Now that he corrected them, all these transgressions certainly justify themselves and you see that everything that happened to him in the past was done to him because this is his way of developing. That's how he had to develop.
52. S. (01:46:52) Why is it felt that the more we want to unite the more hatred is revealed?
R. Because each and every step, each and every moment in our connection, in our unity, goes against our will to receive more and more, that's why hatred will grow to such an extent that we will reach hatred as Rabbi Shimon had. His students wanted to kill each other, so you have to understand that specifically as we hold a knife on one hand and we want to kill a friend on the other hand you have to hold the four signs of Sukkot that symbolize the connection between everyone and that's how we should be. It's good that evil is being revealed because upon it we can discover good.
53. S. (01:48:08) You said that through prayer we need to change our qualities and ask the Creator and prove to Him that we are capable of higher qualities. Who needs to prove to the Creator that we are capable of higher qualities? Is it a friend in the ten or is it all of the ten together?
R. We need to discover our qualities upon the whole ego that's being revealed in us. Meaning to always guard if I have any thoughts or desires that criticize our relations in the group I immediately want to rise above them with love and that is called love covers all crimes.
54. S. (01:49:09) We read in excerpt 8 that the quality of wisdom is only continued together with Dinim, judgments, how do we extend the Dinim?
R. We extend these Dinim, judgements, to discover the light of wisdom upon them, the Dinim are being revealed with one who is able to work with them properly, that turns out that we get a chance from that, in these Dinim, to extend the light of wisdom. The light of wisdom cannot be revealed without these Dinim. It's just like we need threads, lines with their resistance and that inside that you can pass on the electricity. That's how it is in each and everything, you have to have a resistance and use this resistance force in order to connect, to pass. That's why the forces of the Dinim are the right forces without which we would not reach a connection between us at all.
If each of us comes from a different root in Adam HaRishon without these connections between us we would not be able to discover the Creator because he is revealed between us, that is why we have no choice, we have to understand that the resistance, the oppositeness, the differences are the right qualities for the connection between us. If we use them correctly then we come to connection, it's the same problem in families that can't get along and groups that can't get along. We have to learn how we overcome all the oppositeness, the rejections, the hatred etc. to such an extent that I want, that I feel, that I want to kill him, that I have no words I can use, I just can't stand him, that's a sign that we've reached a correct state for building love upon that. Why? Because you have no other force that can do something with this hatred, only love.
55. S. Why does the world stand on three things: on the Torah, on work, and on doing Hassadim [mercies].?
R. This is the stage of Jacob we haven't learned yet. We will learn it tomorrow. On these three principles and pillars and foundations of the world stands Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Torah and work and charity we will learn that tomorrow, it is not for today.
56. S. (01:52:20) We read in excerpt 7 that there is repentance from love and repentance from fear, what is the difference between the two?
R. Repentance from fear is only out of fear. This means that my vessels are still there and I am above these vessels and I don't want to use them and that's why my connection in the Creator is under a condition that these vessels awaken me to connection. Whereas the repentance from love is when lLove covers all crimes. No matter what I have I am still attached to the other, I'm adhered to Him, that is called love, certainly inside there are many complaints and claims and opposites and you want to maybe kill each other and do something no matter what. We understand first, it's in our intellect, we understand that the connection between us has to extend in a way that has no boundaries but I am completely devoted to Him and He is completely devoted to me and then from these two a bridge is built of love.
57. S. (01:54:33) Can we return to the Creator only from love to prevent fear and…?
R. No, that's impossible, we have to go through all these things and we're going through them and don't say that it's not planned. Until the last detail everything is pre-planned. Until the last detail there is nothing that can be by chance, that we are in a world war and other things now and other wars everything is planned by our character, if someone could see the depths of our character he could see the states that we have to go through throughout history and nothing here is not planned.
58. S. (01:55:37) What does it depend on for me receiving strength from above to be able to overcome states that are revealed?
R. Only connection, only connection, our choice as we read in the freedom article and all the rest of the things are only through connection between us, an internal connection between us, internal, can we overcome all obstacles on the way and be more adapted to the light that reforms and fills the soul. We have to feel inside that we are drawn to each other, drawn, and we want to be closer, even physically and out of us coming closer to each other we will feel how much specifically in this way, when there is no distance between us then the upper light enters and it shines. It shines in a way that there is no distance between the desires.
59. S. (01:57:11) Do we need to speak of states of overcoming within the ten?
R. No, usually we don't do that, what does that give me? Rather we can talk in general or maybe it's better to read some article.
60. S. (01:57:36) In excerpt 11 it talks about five Mercies, what does that mean?
R. Five Mercies, we have that, we also have five Gevurot. Here we are talking about ZA.
61. S. (01:58:05) Regarding the last sentence in excerpt 8 that the illumination of wisdom joins only with Dinim you said first we need to learn how to awaken the Dinim. What does that mean?
R. If you don't awaken them correctly they push you away. In general the Dinim have to be revealed in the connection in order to aid more connection.
S. Are the Dinim revealed themselves or do we need to awaken them ourselves and what does that mean
R. Both, you should awaken the Dinim so we can see how much our connection demands an addition.
S. So awakening the Dinim isn’t an action, it’s just to pay attention to the disturbances etc.?
R. Yes, so why is that not additional actions?
62. S. (01:59:10) Isaac is the same quality of the mercy of Abraham but on different vessels?
R. The quality of mercy, Abraham, over new vessels, yes.
S. So it's the same approach?
R. No, it’s a different approach, it's something opposite to Abraham.
S. In what is the approach different? Is it because the vessels are different? That is what is unclear.
R. Because of the vessels or because of the approach? These are the same thing.
S. He doesn't want to cover these vessels with Mercy?
R. Yes, he doesn’t want to. He wants to discover Gevurah so that there will be room for overcoming and room to discover himself.
S. So what comes first, the revelation of the vessel or this quality?
R. Abraham is the first, first of all Mercy but that is on the one hand, he is weak and in order to advance he you now need to discover vessels of reception who will also enter the connection and then the correction, that's why here there is Isaac.
S. So on these vessels of reception can you say there's first the correction of mercy upon them and then overcoming?
R. Yes, first of all mercy and then overcoming, you can't do anything without Abraham in the beginning, all vessels start this way.
63. S. (02:01:14) What do we need to do in order to welcome all of the Ushpizin?
R. What qualities do we need to reveal in us in order to create increasing connection? How can we in which order, in which force, in which way, in which intensity, how can we arrange our qualities only in order to make our connection grow?
S. How is the work with waste going in these seven days?
R. We are not speaking of this waste but of waste of barn and winery which remain from the work in the field from which we build the sukkah and the thatch, the covering, and that specifically below them that's where we are in the holiday of Sukkot. Meaning we respect the waste from our work because specifically from this waste we come to connection with the Creator.
64. S. (02:02:53) Is the quality of Isaac which is Gevurah related to pride?
R. No, no, Gevurah is not related to pride. We'll talk about it. There are things that you cannot scrutinize together with all the rest of the qualities.
65 S. (02:03:23) Is there a connection between the qualities of Isaac to the purification of the screen?
R. You could say so but we can't really speak of that now but yes there is.