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

Daily Lesson (Morning) March 21, 2025.

Part 2: Rabash. Rabash. 71. The Meaning of Exile.

Reader: Writings of Rabash, article The Meaning of Exile, article number 71. We are reading again from the writings of Rabash, article called “The Meaning of Exile”.

Reading: (00:30) Rabash. 71. The Meaning of Exile.

“When Israel are in exile, the Shechina [Divinity] is with them.” This means that if one falls into a descent, spirituality is also in a descent for him. But according to the rule, “a Mitzva [commandment] induces a Mitzva,” why does he come into a descent? Answer: He is given a descent from above so as to feel that he is in exile and ask for mercy, to be delivered from exile. This is called “redemption,” and there cannot be redemption if there is no exile there, first.

What is exile? It is that he is under the rule of self-love and cannot work for the sake of the Creator. When is self-love considered exile? It is only when he wants to emerge from this control because he suffers from not being able to do anything for the sake of the Creator.

It follows that when he began to work, there had to be some pleasure and reward for which the body agreed to this work. Afterward, when he was permitted to see that there is the matter of “for the sake of the Creator,” because a Mitzva induces a Mitzva, and he had to ask to be delivered from exile, then he runs from the exile.

How does he run from the exile? It is by saying that he will not succeed in this work. Thus, what does he do? He puts himself to death, meaning leaves the work and returns to corporeal life, which is regarded as “The wicked in their lives are called ‘dead.’”

It follows that where he should have asked for redemption from exile, he runs from the exile and puts himself to death. This is as it is written, “The ways of the Lord are straight; the righteous will walk in them, and transgressors will fail in them.” However, he should go above reason.

A descent in spirituality does not mean that now he has no faith. Rather, now he must do more work, and the previous faith is considered a descent compared to this work.

This means that if one falls into a descent, spirituality is also in a descent for him. According to the rule, a mitzvah, commandment, induces a mitzvah. Why does he come into a descent? The answer, he is given a descent from above, so as to feel that he is in exile and can ask for mercy to be delivered from exile.

This is called redemption. And there cannot be redemption if there is no exile there first. What is exile? It is that he is under the rule of self-love and cannot work for the sake of the Creator.

When is self-love considered exile? It is only when he wants to emerge from this control, because he suffers from not being able to do anything for the sake of the Creator. It follows that when he began to work, there had to be some pleasure and reward for which the body agreed to this work. Afterward, when he was permitted to see that there is the matter of for the sake of the Creator, because a mitzvah induces a mitzvah, and he had to ask to be delivered from exile, then he runs from the exile.

How does he run from the exile? He runs from the exile by saying that he will not succeed in this work. Thus, what does he do? He puts himself to death, meaning leaves the work and returns to proportionality.

Real life, which is regarded as the wicked in their lives are called dead. It follows that where he should have asked for redemption from exile, he runs from the exile and puts himself to death. This is as it is written, the ways of the Lord are straight.

The righteous will walk them and the transgressors will fail in them. However, he should walk, he should go above reason. A descent in spirituality does not mean that now he has no faith, rather now he must do more work.

And the previous faith is considered a descent compared to this work. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (04:21) It's written this, what is exile? That he's under the control of self-love and cannot work for the sake of heavens. And when is that called exile? Only when he wants to come out of that control because he is suffering from not being able to do anything for the sake of heaven. What does it mean to do? Because a person has no deeds, he only has intentions. We say that the Creator is the one who has the deeds. A person can only give an intention on his behalf that he wants to be in it. So, if he has an intention, what is he lacking? Then he says that he cannot do any actions.

M. Laitman: If he has the intention that he wants to leave his state and identifies it as exile, then all he lacks is to ask for the Creator to bring him out of exile. 

Student: But he says that the exile is that he can't work for the sake of heaven, but what can he do that he can’t do? What's limiting him? In what is he limited? 

M. Laitman: He's limited as in his state; he cannot ask from the Creator to raise him. That he doesn't want to be under the control of the desire to receive. 

Student: What is the desire to receive preventing from him? 

M. Laitman: The love of the Creator. 

Student: So, exile is that I can't love the Creator? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: A person feels that he doesn't have the love that he knows he's supposed to have? 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (07:07) Thank you in general for these articles of Rabash and the morning lesson, it brings life to the heart. He writes, I'll read it: When he started working there had to be some pleasure and a reward that for that the body agreed to work. Afterwards, when they let him see that there's a matter for the sake of heaven, because a commandment induces a commandment, he has to come out of the exile and then he can run away from it. How does he run away from it? By saying that in this work he will not succeed. So, what does he do? He loses himself, meaning he lets go of the work and returns to his corporeal life, which is called they are the wicked called dead in their lives. Instead of asking for redemption from exile he runs from the exile and completely loses himself. So, the first question the fact that Rabash writes about the state. Does it mean that we have to go through this? 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: So, how do you release yourself of this state? I think this comes to us every day. That you're in the morning lesson you're in an environment, you feel the gap between exile and redemption and then the lesson ends, and it's as if again, you return to that state like he writes. You just lose yourself completely. How do you come out? How do you release yourself of this state? 

M. Laitman: Through prayer. Our weapon is only the appeal to the Creator, our requests. 

Student: Now in the lesson we're asking from the Creator. We are devoting ourselves and our heart is asking from the Creator. 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: Maybe this is how we develop but the force of the exile is stronger than the force of prayer, it's like not equal forces. 

M. Laitman: I don't know, continue. 

Student: I'm searching for a way out; I want to be in this prayer that you're talking about. How can I be in it? That I come out, I go out of the physical and I'm under that spirit to keep praying and not, again, well, it's also okay, but you already start justifying the state and you start, I don't even know how to explain it, what I'm trying to ask if you can feel me.

M. Laitman: Okay, who else wants to ask.

Question (W PT 23): (10:49) The article ends that at the descent from spirituality doesn't mean that he doesn't have faith, but now he has to work more. And the previous faith is considered a descent compared to this one. What does it mean that the previous faith is considered a descent? 

M. Laitman: That the faith they had before in the previous state, they consider it as a descent. And compared to the way they relate to this descent now; it replaces the previous descent. 

Student: Every previous state is a state of a descent? 

M. Laitman: No. But here it happens this way.

Student: The states a person go through are divided into ascent and descent? 

M. Laitman: Yes, and not necessarily being that after a descent you'll have an ascent, and after an ascent a descent. 

Student: But it's all determined according to his attitude to the states? 

M. Laitman: Let's say, yes. 

Question (W Turkiye 8): (12:41) Can a person avoid a state of the exile if he remains in the work? 

M. Laitman: Again? 

Student: Can a person continue being in the work and avoid a state of exile?

M. Laitman: No, I don't know. A person who is in what state? 

Student: Let's say he's working in connection with the friends, he's doing spiritual work. Can he avoid reaching a state of exile? 

M. Laitman: It depends how he responds to the state he receives now. Any given moment, a person receives a new state from the Creator. And now, it would be interesting to see how he relates to it. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (13:57) Is the exile state we have to aspire towards? 

M. Laitman: To aspire, no, just for redemption.

Question (W PT 6): (14:09) If a person is under the control of the will to receive, how can the Ten help him? 

M. Laitman: The Ten has to go down to his place, to grab him, catch him, and hold him from all sides. And obligate him to rise with them, together. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:50) He writes that when he should have asked for redemption from exile, he runs and loses himself. How, from that point, that point of exile, does he not run from that point? 

M. Laitman: He doesn't feel the exile.

Student: If he doesn't feel it, how can he ask for redemption?

M. Laitman: He can't ask for it. 

Student: So, he runs from that state. So how to feel the state of exile, and ask for redemption and not run at all from this exile? 

M. Laitman: So, to feel that he is in exile, first of all. Accordingly, develop all his relations that could be for his state. And seek, through the connection, with what he can rise up. 

Student: What is the feeling of exile? 

M. Laitman: The feeling of exile is that he is under the control of the desire to receive, the general desire to receive. 

Student: So that's the feeling he has, the feeling of exile. How can he be aware of that state, that's my question. Recognize. That's a definition you give. Exile is that I'm under the general will to receive. What's recognizing that you're in such a state? What do I feel in that state? What? 

M. Laitman: What you feel in this state is that you're under the general desire to receive. 

Student: And from this to redemption, what's the transition? 

M. Laitman: The transition from here to redemption is that you have to receive the light from above. And with it you will distinguish the difference between exile and redemption. You will ask for this light; you'll begin to ascend. First of all, the work that will connect you with the upper light, and then you will from this light more seeing so that you'll be under the control of the upper light and not under the darkness like during the exile. And then you will ascend such to a state that is opposite the state of the descent that you had, and you'll already be under the control of the forces of ascent. 

Student: Redemption is that I'm under the control of the upper force? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: And in the exile, I'm not under that control of the upper force?

M. Laitman: In the exile you're under the control of the upper force, which gives you that feeling, and you don't resist it. 

Student: What's the difference between those two controls? I'm always under the upper force, whether in exile or redemption?

M. Laitman: In exile you are under the control of the upper force and you agree with it. And in redemption you don't agree with it, but rather you want to ascend. 

Student: So, wait. In redemption I don't agree with the upper force? 

M. Laitman: No.

Student: Why? 

M. Laitman: Because it shows you a lesser degree than that, which you intend. 

Student: And then what next after that state, that opposite state that is being revealed between us? 

M. Laitman: And then you ask in the prayer to rise above the upper force. 

Student: And then what would be that state? How can we call that state? 

M. Laitman:. And then it raises you up.

Student: So above redemption, there's another higher state? 

M. Laitman: Above redemption, there's a state.

Student: Wait, what is above redemption? 

M. Laitman: When did you feel the redemption? 

Student: I felt in exile that I'm under the control of the upper force and I'm not resisting it. And in redemption, I'm already under the control of the upper force but I am resisting it. Through the prayer, I'm asking for an upper illumination to take me even higher. What's that state above redemption, what is there above redemption? 

M. Laitman: The current redemption. 

Student: So, stages of redemption.

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: In the point of exile, I'm going back to that. From exile to redemption there's a series of stages a person goes through. What makes a person run from exile? Not to keep this set of actions towards redemption?

M. Laitman: Only his connection to the Ten, where he sees all these states. 

Student: Rabash writes that where he should have been asking for redemption from exile, that's where he runs.

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: Why does a person run from exile? Why doesn't he ask for redemption? What's his problem, why is he running away from the state? 

M. Laitman: He doesn't see the concealed light. 

Student: What light is concealed? 

M. Laitman: The light, which is concealed in the exile, he doesn't ask for it. 

Student: So how not to run from the exile but, specifically, to demand that concealed light? 

M. Laitman: That's only through the connection with the friends.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (22:35) There's a very delicate point here. He writes it from above, he gets a descent so he can feel that he's at exile and then he'll ask for mercy to be taken out of the exile. What is this action of asking for mercy? As if a person needs to be in such a lowliness. What is asking for mercy? 

M. Laitman: For there to be mercy upon him from above? 

Student: How can a person get such a feeling? What are the conditions to reach a state that what you needed is mercy? Because me, with my forces, I want to come out of exile, I want to go to redemption, I want to ascend, I want, I don't know, all kinds of things. But asking for mercy seems like there's nothing lower than this. A person has to be completely erased in order to understand he needs mercy. How can such a feeling awaken in a person that from it he can't do any movement at all? 

M. Laitman: Because he comes from the state of being helpless or losing all his strength, being powerless to raise himself. 

Student: It seems that when a person's forces, when he runs out, so there's something to lean on called friends. That he can count on it that whenever he's done, there's someone who can save him. How do you build such a connection between us that we'll be able to be in such confidence that the friends will save you in this place when you are finished? 

M. Laitman: That is needed during the prayer to awaken this point where a person himself is not capable. But only when he receives help from above, it will raise him up.

Question (Azerbaijan): (25:55) If I find myself in exile, also that point of happiness comes that the Creator let me recognize it. So this point takes me aside and I want to ask you for advice: What should the prayer start from when I want to come out of exile? What do you start praying from, that cry or from gratitude? 

M. Laitman: It's hard to answer in this way. It's better to start from the state before that because only in the state before that, you have a grasping point. A correct grasping point of the state you're in. We'll scrutinize that point.

Question (Hungarian-Polish): (27:22) We would like to ask for strength for you. And thank you for everything you do for us. We are the Hungarian-Polish group and through the shared morning lessons, we are increasingly forming as a Ten. Each great friend in the Ten is looking for how to add an extra effort to our common success. We want to prepare as best as possible for the Pesach and the upcoming European Congress which will be held in Hungary. With this spirit, we would like to ask our questions during the morning lessons. I feel the only thing we need is to ask the correct question. So, my question for today is how to ask the correct question? 

M. Laitman: I would say this: He needs to be in a certain state and, also, to depict the state he wants to reach, and to ask a question. Meaning to get the permission to ask, in the state he wants to reach. Then in that way, he will certainly be able to ask in a way that it'll be clear to everyone what he's asking about. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (30:03) In the article, he says that the ways of the Lord are straight, the righteous will follow them, and the wicked will fall in them. And he describes the state where a person runs away from the exile and loses himself, or puts himself to death and the correction to that is faith above reason. When we say exile and redemption has to do with love of friends, let's say we're in the group of Rav Shimon in the beginning of the lesson, we discover hatred. Each is repulsed from the other in a terrible way. What is to lose himself to death in such a state if we go to the wicked here? Will I start to research this within my reason, what the Creator sent us?

M. Laitman: Loses himself, completely, or as he writes here, puts himself to death – in Hebrew it's the same words. I think it means that a person can depict himself in what state he is towards the ascent, connecting to that reason that he's in. Then he wants to annul his plea, his prayer, and ask in that way. 

Student: He's the one who wants to justify, is that what you're talking about? So, what are you saying is that the ways of the Lord are straight, or he comes from the Creator and he wants to justify that?

M. Laitman: And then he justifies it.

Student: So, he will be in the new degree?

M. Laitman: Yes.