The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Lesson (Afternoon) November 25, 2024
Part 1 Rabash. Record 560. Generations
Shalom, we're reading the writings of Rabash, Volume 3, page 1874, Article 560, Generations. You can find the study materials on our website, Sviva Tova and Arvut. You can ask questions.
Reading Article (00:41) Generations
The work is mainly in the manner of “You are in partnership with Me,” since were it not for this, a person might be as that day old fly that is born in the morning and dies in the evening, since from the perspective of the Creator, a person might receive the tower filled with abundance in a single day. Thus, why does one need seventy years, and in each year 355 [in the Hebrew calendar] days? It is because “You are in partnership with Me.”
“The greedy, all he gets is irritation.” This is the will to receive, which belongs to man, for in Him, there is no such thing. In order for man to turn it into Kedusha [holiness], a person uses it each time with the same works; what he did yesterday, he does today, and tomorrow, too, until it becomes loathsome in his eyes and he connects to Kedusha.
This is the meaning of “At that time, he tells between a servant of the Creator and one who does not serve Him.” That is, both are doing the same things, the same nonsense, but this one brings all the nonsense to Kedusha.
This is the meaning of “‘Folly of follies,’ said Kohelet,” meaning that he assembled all those follies into Kedusha, and from them come great unifications. The root of all the follies is the frog, but through the beatings, they proliferated, as it is written, “And they came into your home and into your stomach,” for the root is knowing everything and doing, which applies both in mind and in heart, for in spirituality, mind and heart are one.
However, in man, they seem as two. This is the meaning of the jokers of the generation saying that Sarah was impregnated by Abimelech, meaning that Isaac is the son of Abimelech, that he is a foreigner and not the son of Abraham, who is the father of faith, but rather that what he does is only in the manner of hearing, which precedes doing.
For this reason, the Creator made Isaac’s features similar to Abraham’s. That is, “face” is the root of Bina, whose basis is only hearing, but it is in order to bestow, so the jokers of the generation would see that Isaac was doing in the manner of reception, meaning in hearing, and there was no distinction between one who works in reception in order to bestow or in reception for himself.
This is why he raised all the follies and nonsense to Kedusha, regarded as “You are in partnership with Me,” where he first made the doing in completeness.
This is the meaning of “There is no flavor in the elders,” meaning that Abraham was only in the manner of “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” “And there is no counsel in infants,” which is a correction in the form of an advice, as it is written, “And he divided the people into two camps,” meaning he divided between the tent of Leah and the tent of Rachel. It follows that there is still no wholeness.
Conversely, Isaac said to put order in all the follies, meaning he raised all the calculations of sleep, roasting, and eating to Kedusha. He said about this, “Half is on me and half is on You,” meaning that he became a partner in the work of creation.
M. Laitman: (06:00) That's it. That's the whole article. It's basically short, but it speaks about a lot of things, and every one of them demands scrutiny. Then we'll be able to see what is the difference between Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, between the workers of Isaac and Abraham, their slaves. There are a lot of details. But what he wrote to us, and the fact that we read it and even read it a couple of times, we enter it, interconnect with it. Then all those intricacies that he briefly mentioned, we will start preparing them, start preparing us to more explicit things.
Question (Turkiye 2): (07:58) It says in the article that mind and heart equal. What does it mean?
M. Laitman: What does it mean? That they are the same? It is that a person wants to be connected with these definitions, and then he makes what definition out of them? And he goes forth and he attains gradually. And the heart of Kedusha and the mind of Kedusha connect together.
Question (W MAK): (08:58) What does it mean to desire to bring everyone closer to the goal of creation, the desire of the Creator?
M. Laitman: The desire of the Creator to bring us closer to the goal of creation, for us to want to attain what He wants from us, so that we would adhere to our root. Then we will truly understand the thought of the Creator when He was creating us and defined our path.
Student: Where should be the similarity between our work and the work of the Creator?
M. Laitman: The similarity of our work with the work of the Creator is that we desire to reveal His thought in every movement that happens to us, His plan, whatever it is, so that in whatever direction and movement we find ourselves in, we would know that it comes from the Creator. We would study these movements and with accordance to them we would change ourselves. This is basically what we have to perform. We learn how to react correctly towards the Creator's plan.
Student: Can we say that the corporeal level of unity of the Ten fills up our mind, and the spiritual level of unity fills up our heart?
M. Laitman: Yes, you can say so.
Student: What is the action of the Ten when the mind and the heart are one?
M. Laitman: It is the fact that the whole Ten is in unity between themselves and united with the Creator. Answer not translated but typed here.
Question (W Turkiye 7): (11:50) Isaac organizes all the follies. What does it mean?
M. Laitman: It doesn't matter what vessels he is working with, bestowing these serious vessels, he is raising them for the sake of bestowal, and they all connect between themselves and they connect to the holiness, to the bestowal.
Question (Tbilisi): (12:26) When a man starts to work for bestowal, does he have any foundation except for faith?
M. Laitman: No, no other foundation. Only connection with the friends, and faith in what he is attaining in this connection with the friends.
Student: It's as if he has a reason to live this life.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (W MAK 98): (13:04) According to the first paragraph, He can get the tower filled with abundance in a single day. Should we think this way?
M. Laitman: No, it's not necessary.
Student: Because we used to study that every day we begin anew from a clean slate, and all the merits and everything stay in the past.
M. Laitman: That's correct, but it's just that we don't need to die for that. And the fact that today is over, and it's similar to how a person ends his life, there is some sense to it.
Student: Another question. How do we reveal our evil inclination? Do we reveal it individually, or we go to the Ten and reveal it together? Or this situation, we want to know what to do, how to reveal the evil inclination correctly.
M. Laitman: We don't need to reveal evil inclination. It will be revealing itself to the same extent to which we will be able to work with it. So, we only have to strive towards the good inclination, good root, good actions. And bad and evil inclination will be revealing itself to an extent to which we are strong enough to overcome it and correct it.
Student: It won't be revealed more than we can manage, right?
M. Laitman: Right, that's correct.
Question (W Moscow 5): (15:00) What is this confusion, Isaac and Avimelech? What is this in the Ten, or is everything okay with us?
M. Laitman: No confusion is going to be, there's a straight line before us. We just have to put more and more effort toward advancing.
Student: Another thing. We gathered in the Ten physically yesterday, and it leaves such an imprint in the heart that we can't replace anything. And it's so important to show this example, that it's exactly physical meetings that are a great degree in the greatness of the Creator.
M. Laitman: That's correct. That's right. We absolutely need to pay maybe more attention towards our physical gatherings.
Question (Kyiv): (16:12) It says in the article that Kohelet said he gathered a folly of follies. He assembled all those follies into Kedusha, and from them come great unifications. How do we take all these follies into sanctity?
M. Laitman: We're acting on it gradually, despite the fact that we might not clearly imagine what we're doing. But the Creator every day is kind of pushing us away from each other, pushing us away from this holiness, but we're approaching it, so we're performing this work.
Student: How do we bring it to holiness? We work in the Ten, the Creator disconnects us, we unite again, but how do we bring it to a new level?
M. Laitman: It happens itself. As soon as you perform what you had to perform on this level, you advance to the next one, even if you don't know this, even if you don't think this way.
Question (Kyiv): (17:28): You said a bit earlier that in each movement that comes from the Creator, if I heard you correctly, that we have to learn what comes from Him. What does it mean that we see the moves of the Creator and we study them?
M. Laitman: We see the way Creator directs us. Maybe it's not as conscious yet for us, but that's basically how it will be revealing itself to us. And we have to imagine this work of the Creator, that this work is not inside of us, that we are striving towards somewhere, but it's the work of the Creator who creates around us and inside of us certain conditions for us to correctly move towards the goal.
Student: But we work with manifestation, so every movement from His side causes…
M. Laitman: Absolutely, the Creator is changing always, and accordingly our qualities are changing, and what we see in front of ourselves. This is how we advance.
Student: When He influences me and I get some reactions, how do I look at these reactions? Which ones should I look at and what to do with them?
M. Laitman: They all have to be targeted only towards one direction, so that we unite between ourselves, we unite with the Creator in our unity, and this common unity between all of us and the Creator, He would elevate us towards the goal of the creation.
Question (Asia): (19:29) It says the Creator created the facial features of Isaac, similar to that of Abraham, what does that mean? Question not translated, but typed here.
M. Laitman: The face of Isaac was similar to the face of Abraham. He is continuing. His face is the root of Bina, whose basis is only hearing, in order to bestow.
Student: Yes, and then he continues that it's impossible to understand whether a person is doing reception for reception or reception for bestowal.
M. Laitman: We will reveal it later, everything has to be revealed in its time, in its due.
Question (W Turkiye 10): (20:53) What do we have to make ourselves similar to in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, or what?
M. Laitman: I think all of them. This is how it reveals itself gradually inside of us, but of course Abraham is the basis of our whole spiritual work. Then, with the help of Isaac, we approach the form of Jacob.
Question (W Italy): (21:36) If I say that the Creator is my partner, it means that we do each action together. How do we develop these ears, these hearts, to understand his desire correctly?
M. Laitman: Exactly that way, together in a common effort. We develop our vessels of perception.
Student: In the Ten, we feel the strength, but we must also feel that this strength is right. Because we want to say he is an instrument of the Creator. We have to make sure that the force is correct, a means to achieve the Creator.
M. Laitman: We make sure that we receive the right forces. By how we use them, we can come closer between ourselves, between the friends.
Question (W MAK 19): (23:44) My question is about this excerpt: “This is the meaning of “There is no flavor in the elders,” meaning that Abraham was only in the manner of “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” “And there is no counsel in infants,” which is a correction in the form of an advice, as it is written, “And he divided the people into two camps,” meaning he divided between the tent of Leah and the tent of Rachel. It follows that there is still no wholeness.” How do we work with these states in the Ten? What is this in our inner work?
M. Laitman: When we identify such a state that happens to us, then we will realize what actions we need to perform. In the meantime, whatever is known to us.
Student: In our inner work with the Ten, we shouldn't have the feeling of loneliness.
M. Laitman: No, no, no way, the opposite. We have to be proud of the fact that we are engaged in the Creator's work.
Student: Another question. About the frog. The more we yearn for this, it becomes more in reception. How do we not become this frog, but act in Achishena?
M. Laitman: We will study it. I'm very happy that your questions are aimed at the future.
Question (W Heb 2): (25:50) Can we say that the state 50/50? Is where in the Ten there is a yearning to come to constantly renewing prayer, where in the mind we strive for the desire of the Creator to give us a similarity of qualities, and in the feeling, we ask for this trepidation and the way to correct ourselves?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (W PT 33): (26:34) As I understand it, Isaac is work with vessels of reception that are raised to bestowal and are connected to sanctity. What does it mean in the work in the Ten that we work with the quality of Isaac, with the vessels of reception, and we raise it to bestowal?
M. Laitman: In order to unite, we utilize our vessels of perception. That's it. It's possible to unite with the help of the vessels of bestowal and using the vessels of perception. So, the work of connection with the help of receiving vessels is the work of Isaac.
Student: What does it mean to engage the vessels of reception in our work?
M. Laitman: So that we would connect the vessels that we have in us in one whole and would start working with it for the sake of bestowal.
Student: Unite our desires of reception together?
M. Laitman: Yes. Receive from the Creator what He wants to give.
Student: Is this Isaac?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (W MAK 25): (28:08) How do we work correctly with situations where there is an understanding of importance of unity and love towards the other, but in specific moments the passions are piping hot and we don't know what to do. How do we do it correctly?
M. Laitman: To do this correctly means that you don't let go of the thought that exactly this work is in front of you. In all cases, whoever you are communicating with, working with, whatever would be invoked in you, you wish only this. You only come to this outcome, that between yourselves you are uniting, so that you would have more forces to receive for the sake of the Creator.
Student: Should we ask the Creator to clarify what He wants from us in each specific situation?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (W Turkiye 7): (29:36) Sometimes I can be in some negative action, in reception for oneself. A lot of times I feel it. How can we shorten this time? What do we do?
M. Laitman: You have to be more connected to the friends. Except for that, I think that's enough. Be more and more connected to the friends, and this will drive you forward.
Question (Tbilisi): (30:29) There is such greatness of the Creator, and you annul before that, before the Rav, before the friends, and you know that the Creator will do everything.
Does this not annul your work? You just dissolve in Him, in the friends? And you say, of course, a prayer for everything to be corrected, but I'm afraid that maybe there is not enough effort. I'm so confident in the Creator. I'm worried that maybe I'm not making enough effort. What to do with this?
M. Laitman: You need to read this article that we were just reading and to see what we can turn into life from this between us. In general, that's all.
Question (W MAK 113): (32:04) It seems like the experience of faith brings to performing a commandment and feeling the Creator in them. And we have to take it upon themselves with our whole heart and continue?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (W French): (32:42) In the article it says, and this is called determining between the work of the Creator and who isn't, because the one who… What's the difference between them?
M. Laitman: So that we would have correct, good, healthy connection between all the friends. That's the main thing. Then you will not leave the course of the path.
Question (Woman MAK): (33:32) Whose spiritual Kli is more clean, Abraham or Isaac? Which degree is closer to the Creator?
M. Laitman: It's the same.
Student: Another question. What does it mean to be a partner in the thought of Creation?
M. Laitman: It means you want to achieve with your effort a connection between all the friends, and then between them and the Creator.
Question (Hadera 1): (34:11) The second part of the article starts with the words that heart and mind are one, but in men they seem as two. Then he shows us the differences between the qualities of Panim, the qualities of Bina, the qualities of bestowal. To other people it seems like the reception for the sake of reception, but it's reception for the sake of bestowal, basically. How do we connect that mind and heart become one only on the level of Bina, is it so?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (W MAK 104): (35:16) Jacob divided the nation into two camps. What are these qualities, Leah and Rachel?
M. Laitman: Leah and Rachel are the daughters of Jacob that are opposite in terms of their spiritual meaning. That's why, because of them, the whole camp of Jacob was split. His children and grandchildren were split into two.
Student: Can we say that the quality of faith above reason, and bestowal below reason?
M. Laitman: No, it's all above reason.
Question (W Turkiye 7): I understand that every action that we perform, every emotion that I feel brings us to holiness eventually. Are there any conditions that can divert us from the path?
M. Laitman: In any case, we have to be careful with this. There are things that can stop his spiritual advancement, and this is what we have to be aware of.
Question (W Spain): (37:32) We are always asking to adhere to the Creator. Is it correct to ask to connect, to adhere to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
M. Laitman: Yes, and the same with the friends. All these things help us a lot.
Question (W Kyiv 7): (38:10) The article is called “Generations”. What do we give birth to in the Ten?
M. Laitman: “Toldot” is not “giving birth”. It follows - the parents, children, and grandchildren. This is called Toldot [generations].
Student: From what I understand, the Creator is creating reality for us, and we have to follow Him, and you also said. How do we check for this healthy, good connection with the Creator? Maybe you do a summary at the end of the day.
M. Laitman: If you have such a state and time at the end of the day to perform a check of what you did in a day, that's good. You have to try, but in general, it's not necessary.
Student: But it said that it stretches out towards seventy years. Can we shorten it somehow?
M. Laitman: Because seventy is a time throughout which the person's desire is corrected.
Question (W Turkiye 10): (40:15) The article speaks about the follies. What are these follies in the spiritual work, and who is the person who is engaging in follies?
M. Laitman: That the person falls out of his main spiritual work and deals in follies, or vanity.
Question (W MAK 97): (40:49) We are saying that Abraham is the quality of bestowal for the sake of bestowal and Isaac is reception for the sake of bestowal. What new qualities emerge in Isaac that allow him to receive for the sake of bestowal?
M. Laitman: He has more desire to receive.
Student: Can we say that the force of reception appears in Isaac after he's gone through judgments?
M. Laitman: Yes, yes.
Question (W Moscow 5): (41:38) You say it very often in almost every lesson to become a one man with one heart. We had a feeling that we're in one heart. How do we not lie to ourselves that we truly have been open our hearts? We were sitting there, and we were talking and the presence of the Creator… It's not that it was felt but it's as if he was pulling out the state from us to add more, add more. How do we not fool ourselves here? How do we act?
M. Laitman: Hold on to the friends and only that.
Question (W MAK): (42:24) The world stands on mutual bestowal. What is the concept of mutual bestowal in the Ten and how do we develop it? ‘
M. Laitman: This develops love of friends and does only this.
Student: If a friend is not actively in the circle of bestowal in the Ten, can other friends pull her out to the circle and how?
M. Laitman: It's possible, but it's very hard.
Student: With the help of prayer?
M. Laitman: We have to literally infect her with this necessity.
Question (W Spain): (43:43) How is the concept of reception connected to the spirituality and unity in unity with the Creator?
M. Laitman: It's the same when I want to come to spirituality and unity with the Creator and unification with the friends. So, for me it's exactly the same actions. that I want everyone to embrace and unite together.
Question (W MAK 26): (44:29) In the last paragraph it says: “Isaac said to put order in all the follies, meaning he raised all the calculations of sleep, roasting, and eating to Kedusha.”
How can we start raising these endeavors into Kedusha, and is it required at all?
M. Laitman: Of course, we have to do this and engage in this all the time, raise our connections, our thoughts, our desires, our intentions higher and higher to the Creator into sanctity, into the quality of bestowal and love. We'll try to do this as much as possible.
Student: Let's say, to perform this, does a person have to make an agreement with his Ten and it's done in some mutual force of some sorts or can he himself in the Ten engage in this work?
M. Laitman: Yes, he can do it individually, but it’s better if he pre-arranges this with the friends.
Question (W Heb 2): (46:19) How do we see if there is some diversion in a spiritual work and be cautious of it?
M. Laitman: This can happen to us if we're in a big Kli and we receive an impression from all the friends around the world, and then we understand that there are many friends that perform the same actions and we act. We'll talk about these things.
Question (W Heb 2): (47:17) It is said here the suffering of the Creator? because the face of the Isaac is similar to the face of Abraham, and it feels lately that it's as if our nation is given states similar to the Torah. You've told us about paying attention to antisemitism, etc., and the states that are in Torah. A nation does not hear anything, and they go through the states, but whatever is happening here is felt to be very similar. Do you differentiate it? Is it similar to what is happening to the country?
M. Laitman: This is Rav's issue and you just have to receive from Rav.
Student: Can we help the nation?
M. Laitman: Not more than the nation itself.
Question (MAK 11): (48:32) Is Toldot a chapter of the Torah?
M. Laitman: It's the heads of the generations.
Student: Do we have any additional literature to read about this article?
M. Laitman: No, I don't think you'll find a lot on this. It's only thanks to the fact that we study, and we enter inside.
Question (W Almaty): (49:27) Today in the Ten we came to the conclusion that in order for both camps to reach perfection, we have to tirelessly ask for Lishma. Is this a correct decision?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (W PT 33): (49:52) About the camp, the tent of Rachel and Leah.
M. Laitman: There is a big difference. We'll study it more.
Student: It's not for now?
M. Laitman: No, no. It's not for now.
Student: Another question. What's the difference between the path of Abraham and the path of Isaac?
M. Laitman: The path of Abraham is the perfect path, and Isaac's path is in lack in some way. This is what I can say.
Student: So, how is it organized so that we first attain the quality of Abraham and then Isaac? If Abraham is the perfect path, for what do we need Isaac?
M. Laitman: This we’ll understand.
Question (W Italy): (51:09) From the article, I understand that the perception of time through work is tied to our, ego but when we direct every action towards Him then we attain Kedushah. When we reach complete Kedushah, then we will be in eternity.
M. Laitman: Yes, correct.
Question (W Heb 1): (52:37) Is it possible to switch over material, corporeal sufferings towards the spiritual work that can bring good and bring you to holiness?
M. Laitman: We'll do this, but not now. Gradually, we'll get closer to spirituality, and we'll enter such actions.
Question (W Spain): (53:20) In says in the text that to a person it seems that… What’s the meaning of the face of the generation towards Isaac and what root can we realize in our life in the Ten?
M. Laitman: It's too early. We'll come to this.
Question (W PT 33): (54:02) You said that we have to be cautious from things that can divert a person from the spiritual path, and we have to be cautious of it. What do we have to pay attention to so that we're not wrong on the on the path?
M. Laitman: To simply be united with the friends in one group.
Question (W Brasil): (54:46) The text says that all these follies are. Is it about the state where we don't have any vessels, we don't have enough vessels to understand, and we can only understand it with our hearts as a child before the father?
M. Laitman: This can be similar in some way, yes.
Question (W MAK 56): (55:35) How do we practically in all our thoughts raise to holiness? What is the process?
M. Laitman: This is a process when we want to receive fulfillment onto them from the Creator.
Student: And why do we have to, prior to that, to agree with the Ten to perform that?
M. Laitman: How can you ask by yourself? The Creator doesn't react to that. He needs a full Kli.
Student: So, it's every time, before every action I have to address the Ten.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (W Eng 1): (56:19) What do you do when you read articles like this and it's basically to press something inside you like you don't understand. You know there's something higher that this article is talking about. You can't comprehend it in your head. It's putting pressure in your heart, and you don't know what to do what do. How do you respond to articles that put pressure on you so you?
M. Laitman: You have to gather all your friends and come to the Creator and demand it from him, so that he fills it, that he shapes this desire in you.
Question (W Italy): (57:35) We feel a part of us _________. When I want to be connected what is the insensible? quality to carry into the future, the quality of Abraham?
M. Laitman: Unity, general unity.
Question (Turkiye 2): (58:33): The artificial intelligence is developing fast and it will be even faster. How can we put our spirit into it for the next generations?
M. Laitman: I don't know. We have to be interested in this, and then we'll know how this will happen.
Question (W Rehovot 1): (59:14) It seems to me that we have in the evening a big opportunity to connect. Fifteen Tens in Rehovot, a city in Israel, and from this region and we're responsible for unity? So, it's a big step to ask for faith through unity?
M. Laitman: Of course, yes. I will be happy to be in this action with you. Good luck!
We're done here with our lesson for today and until tomorrow.
Announcements: (59:59)
Song: (01:00:14)