The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Lesson (Morning), May 17, 2024.
Part 1: Rabash. Article No. 29, (1991). What Does It Mean that a High Priest Should Take a Virgin Wife, in the Work?
Reading Article: (02:18) What Does It Mean that a High Priest Should Take a Virgin Wife, in the Work?
The Zohar says (Emor, Item 38), “It is a Mitzva [commandment/good deed] for the high priest to marry a virgin. This is the meaning of what is written, ‘A widow, or one divorced, or a profaned woman, or a harlot, these he shall not take, but a virgin of his own people shall he take for a wife.’ He asks, ‘Why is it necessary to take only a virgin, without a flaw?’ He replies, ‘A woman is a cup of blessing. If it is tasted, it is flawed.’ This implies to Malchut, who is called ‘a cup of blessing,’ and the priest, who offers a sacrifice before the Creator, must be perfect and flawless, since the flaws blemish the priests. Perfect in his body, perfect in his Nukva, by which to observe, ‘You are all beautiful, my wife, and there is not a flaw in you.’”
We should understand what a “high priest,” a “virgin,” a “widow,” a “divorcee,” a “profaned woman,” and a “harlot” mean in the work, and that he should take only a virgin, who is without a blemish, meaning that a virgin is unblemished. What does it imply that a virgin has no blemish in her, and what is the connection, in that he says that a woman implies a cup of blessing, which is Malchut?
The ARI says about Malchut, that each day she becomes a virgin once again (The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 12, Item 144), which is regarded as only a dot, and must be rebuilt until she obtains Gadlut [greatness/adulthood]. It is written in Shaar HaKavanot (Part 2) that each day is separate, and “There is not a single prayer since the world was created through the end of the world, that is similar to another whatsoever. And each day, new sparks are sorted, which have never before sorted until that time.”
We should understand this in the work. Malchut is called the “kingdom of heaven,” which man must take upon himself each day anew. It is not enough that he took upon himself the kingdom of heaven yesterday, but rather each day is a new discernment in and of itself. Hence, we must believe that each time we take upon ourselves the kingdom of heaven, it is considered that we sort out sparks that were outside of Kedusha [holiness], which is called (in Shaar HaKavanot) that “These sparks were previously captive among the Klipot [shells/peels], and they were raised to Kedusha by accepting the kingdom of heaven and by engaging in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments/good deeds].”
It is as we say in the prayer (Master of the World, after the Omer count), “By this, great abundance shall flow in all the worlds.” For this reason, it is said in the holy books that a person, while accepting the kingdom of heaven during the Shema reading, should take upon himself the kingdom of heaven and intend that the acceptance of the kingdom of heaven will be with devotion. And since each day is a new discernment, and we must build the Malchut so she is in Gadlut, each time it is renewed.
This is why there is the intimation about the high priest. In the work, one who is a servant of the Creator, who wants to draw near to the Creator in Gadlut, is called “high priest.” When he comes to take a “wife,” called “kingdom of heaven,” he must take a “virgin,” since a virgin means that she has not been blemished. A virgin is as it is written, “a virgin soil,” which is a moniker for land that has never been cultivated, as it is written, “It was virgin soil,” which man has never tilled (Avoda Zara 32).
In other words, a person should take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven as though he never had the kingdom of heaven and it is a new thing for him. Naturally, now he must think that he is going to do something new that he has never known about. It follows that this acceptance that he takes upon himself requires extra scrutiny, to know what is the acceptance of the kingdom of heaven, and what it requires so that the fear of heaven will be upon him.
This means that one should reflect on what he should do so that this will be a perpetual thing for him. That is, what does the Creator require of a person who has taken upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven. The verse says, “What does the Lord your God require of you but to fear Me,” and to reflect on what is fear. But if a person stops remembering about the matter of accepting the kingdom of heaven, regardless of the reason, and then reawakens to accept the kingdom of heaven, he does not need to continue the acceptance of the kingdom of heaven upon him in the manner he did prior to losing it, and to say, “I must go and awaken the kingdom of heaven,” meaning that it will be continual. Rather, he must begin the work anew.
We should compare this to a person who died and had valuable things, and his children come and want to receive the inheritance that their father bequeathed them. Our sages said about that (Avot, Chapter 2:17), “Prepare yourself to learn Torah that has not been bequeathed to you.” We should interpret that if a person comes to a state where he has forgotten everything, meaning he suffered a descent, it is as though he is dead. That is, previously, he was alive, meaning that he had the kingdom of heaven, which is considered being adhered to the Life of Lives. When it stops in him, he is considered dead, as was said, “The wicked in their lives are called ‘dead.’”
In spirituality, cause and consequence are called “father and son.” It follows that now he is called “a son” and wants to take upon himself of what is left after the demise of his father. We should interpret that “this is not your inheritance.” Rather, one must turn to a new page in the work of the Creator, as though he was born now, and now he wants to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven and has no one from whom to inherit.
Accordingly, we should interpret what we asked, What do “high priest” and “plain priest” imply to us in the work? We should interpret that a “priest” is one who serves the Creator. Some workers belong to the general public. These are called “plain priests.” And some want to work in the individual manner, to achieve Gadlut, which is to work in truth. These are called “high priests.”
Among high priests, there is a completely different order of work than that of the general public—when a person engages in Torah and Mitzvot in practice and relies on the general public as far as the intention is concerned. Conversely, there are people who want to work also with the intention, meaning they want to aim all their actions for the sake of the Creator.
In other words, a “plain priest” means that his work is in the manner of the general public, and a “high priest” means that his work is in the manner of individuals. By this we can interpret what The Zohar says, “‘Why is it necessary to take only a virgin, without a flaw?’ He replies, ‘A woman is a cup of blessing. If it is tasted, it is flawed.’” We should interpret that a high priest, meaning one who wants to be a true servant of the Creator, must not take a wife, meaning the kingdom of heaven, that has already been flawed in him, meaning to continue the kingdom of heaven that he had prior to the descent he suffered, for this one is no longer “a virgin,” since he had this kingdom of heaven previously, and she was blemished.
That is, like the cup of blessing, “If it is tasted, it is flawed,” meaning that this Malchut was already tasted before he suffered the descent. This is the meaning of “If it is tasted, it is flawed,” since he already suffered a descent. It follows that he already blemished this Malchut, so he must take upon himself a new kingdom of heaven as though he never tasted the taste of the kingdom of heaven, and must turn to a new page in the work.
According to the above, we can interpret what we asked about what is written, “A widow, or one divorced, or a profaned woman, or a harlot, these he shall not take.” We should interpret that a widow is after he suffers a descent, he is regarded as dead. It follows that the previous wife, which is the kingdom of heaven that he had prior to the descent, is regarded as that person’s widow.
Likewise, what is a divorcee in the work? It means that he divorced her because he did not like her, since the minute a person does not agree to work for her, since he does not feel her importance, this is considered that the man divorces the wife. Although she does not want to divorce, since she has mercy on him, meaning Malchut sees that he is immersed in self-love and feels sorry for him, but he divorces her against her will.
This is the meaning of the judgment being that a woman is divorced against her will, since as soon as he does not like her, it is considered that he has divorced her. Therefore, a servant of the Creator, who is called a “high priest,” will not return and take that woman who is a divorcee. Rather, now he must begin to accept the burden of the kingdom of heaven anew and not take what happened into consideration.
Also, we should interpret “profane,” that he must not take a profaned woman. When a person wakes up once again to the work of the Creator, if it is in the manner of a high priest, it means he wants to work on the greatness of the Creator. That is, it is known that when one works in order to receive reward for his work, he does not look at who is giving, whether he is an important person or not. Rather, he looks at the reward. This means that if the owner is a simple person but pays twice as much as an important person who has some factory and pays salaries, he will certainly work for the one who pays higher wages.
But if a person works without a salary, but because he wants to serve an important person, that person always looks to see who is the most important and wants to work for him. It follows that one who wants to work in Gadlut, meaning that his work is built on the greatness of the Creator, since he wants to work without any reward, he is called “high priest,” since a priest is one who serves the Creator, who wants to approach the Creator. It is as we interpret the verse, “Should a man from among you make an offering to the Lord.” It is interpreted that “from among you” means that the offering is “from within you, yourselves,” meaning that the person who offers himself to the Creator is called “high priest.”
That person must not take a profaned woman. This means that whenever he comes to take a wife, he will always take a virgin, one who has never had a husband, meaning that he never used this Malchut. Rather, it must always be a new wife. Conversely, if he already used this Malchut before and had a descent, and stopped the acceptance of the kingdom of heaven, this is because he profaned her and did not behave with her as one should honor the kingdom of heaven, and dealt with her in contempt. Hence, he will not receive that discernment once again, since he already desecrated her.
Rather, a high priest should try to always take a virgin woman, meaning to depict to himself that now he is beginning to do the holy work, and what he had until now does not interest him. Rather, he says he hopes that henceforth, he will keep her and respect her. This is the meaning of the words “He shall take a wife in her virginity.”
We should also interpret what is written, “A widow, or one divorced, or a profaned woman, or a harlot, these shall he not take, but a virgin of his own people shall he take for a wife.” We should interpret what is a harlot in the work. The thing is that when the high priest wants to assume the burden of the kingdom of heaven, he must take a virgin, meaning “virgin soil,” which is a moniker for a land that has never been cultivated. Naturally, such soil cannot be expected to yield crops for food. This means that a person cannot sustain himself from this soil. Only after he cultivates it and gives it all that it needs, he will be able to sustain himself from that soil, and not before.
It follows that when a person accepts the burden of the kingdom of heaven, which is called “a wife,” he must be careful not to want the woman to be a Zona [harlot], from the words Zan uMefarness [nursing and sustaining]. That is, if the acceptance of the burden of the kingdom of heaven will sustain him, meaning he will have nourishments from her while he engages in Torah and Mitzvot, then he is willing to take her. Otherwise, he will not agree to take this woman, and this is called “a harlot woman” in the work.
Rather, he must accept the kingdom of heaven as a burden, meaning “as an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load,” unconditionally. This is regarded as a “virgin woman,” which is a “virgin soil,” which bears no fruit. If a person agrees to these conditions, he will be rewarded with being a high priest, namely to bring himself closer to the Creator.
According to the above, we should interpret what our sages said (Kidushin 70a), in the work: “Anyone who marries a woman for wealth has unworthy children, as was said, ‘They have betrayed the Lord, for they have borne foreign children.’” We should understand what is marrying a woman for wealth. It means that a woman, in the work, is called “kingdom of heaven,” and he takes upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven because he heard that she has great wealth, and wealth means that she will provide for him, meaning that through the kingdom of heaven, he will have good taste in the Torah and in the prayer. Otherwise, it is enough for him to continue the same path that he received by education.
And why does he now need to take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven and exert, if the kingdom of heaven does not add to his provision, so he can sustain himself more affluently, whereas what sustains him now, all the nourishments he currently finds in the pleasures of this world do not satisfy him, so he wants to receive the kingdom of heaven?
This is called “marrying a woman for wealth,” meaning his only reason for accepting the kingdom of heaven is to satisfy self-love. This is also called that he marries an unworthy woman, since it is written in all the holy books that the acceptance of the kingdom of heaven should be with devotion, and there are many interpretations about it.
According to what we learn, the meaning is that he accepts the kingdom of heaven for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake. This means that by taking upon himself the kingdom of heaven, he wants that His great name will grow and be sanctified, and not for his own sake. It follows that if he accepts the kingdom of heaven for his own sake, it is considered an “unworthy woman.” This is called “for wealth,” since “wealth” means that from this he will be able to sustain himself, meaning that through the wealth, he will be satisfied in life. Instead, one should try to take a woman for the sake of the Creator, meaning that the kingdom of heaven, called “woman,” will be for the sake of the Creator and not for his own sake.
Now we can understand why a person should accept faith above reason. It is so because usually, a person always considers the profit. If he does not see that he will gain something from the work, he chooses to stay at rest and does not want to make any movements unless he gains something.
Hence, when one is told that he should accept the kingdom of heaven for the sake of the Creator, meaning to sanctify His name, the body asks, “What will I get out of taking upon myself the kingdom of heaven? What is my gain in this?” It is told, “There are no words that the body can understand. Rather, you must believe that this is a great thing for you that you have the privilege of serving the King.” This is called “above reason,” since there are no words to tell the body so it can understand that it is worthwhile.
Therefore, when one does not see the profits within reason, it is considered that the labor is greater than the reward, since he does not know what is the reward, but he sees the labor and does not need to believe concerning the labor. Thus, as long as one has not been rewarded with fear of the Creator, he always looks at the labor, since he cannot understand the benefit from the work, but only believe above reason. Hence, this work is called “hard work,” and requires heaven’s mercy.
By this we can understand what is written (Deuteronomy 25:18), “when you were faint and weary, and he did not fear God.” It means that since he sees that he is making the effort, but he still does not see the benefit from this work, and he must only believe. It follows that one becomes faint and weary, and all because he has still not been rewarded with fear of God.
One should know that faith is the Kli [vessel]. When the Kli is properly completed and is fit to receive, the abundance immediately fills the Kli of faith, which is above reason. The abundance is called “fear of heaven,” and a person obtains this light after he has provided this Kli, called “faith above reason.” Before one is rewarded with fear of the Creator, he suffers the labor because the light does not shine for him.
It follows that one who wants to assume the burden of the kingdom of heaven must work above reason, meaning that it will not be for his own sake but for the sake of the Creator. This is called “above reason,” since the body does not agree to it, since it does not understand anything but that which is to its own benefit.
Now we can interpret what our sages said, “There is no poor public.” It is known that “poor” means one who is “poor in knowledge,” as our sages said (Nedarim 41), “There is no poverty except in knowledge.” Baal HaSulam said that Malchut is called “public.” By this we should interpret that “There is no poor public” means that one who accepts the burden of the kingdom of heaven above reason, it does not mean that he has no reason and he is poor, and this is why he accepts the burden of the kingdom of heaven. It is to the contrary; he stands at a degree that is above reason, meaning even more important than reason. In the work, “above” and “below” mean that “above” means being of superior importance, and “below” means being of inferior importance.
“There is no poor public” means that one who takes upon himself the kingdom of heaven above reason is not regarded as “poor,” meaning one who has no reason. It follows that the heart of the work is to work above reason, since when a person wants to work for the sake of the Creator, it is called “above reason,” namely against the view of the body. However, one must know that we also need the Torah, as our sages said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.”
This is as he writes in the book A Sage’s Fruit (Letters, pp 115-116), “The purpose of the soul when it comes in the body is to attain returning to its root and to cleave unto Him, while clothed in the body, as it is written, ‘To love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him.’ Yet, who knows the ways of the Creator? Indeed, this is the meaning of ‘Torah that has 613 ways.’ He who walks by them will finally be purified until his body will no longer be an iron partition between him and his Maker, as it is written, ‘And I will take away the stony heart from your flesh.’ Then he shall cleave to his Maker. Thus, it is best to yearn for the commandment of the Upper One (meaning the Torah), for ‘He who does not know the ways of the Upper One and the commandments of the Upper One, which are the secrets of Torah, how will he serve Him?’”
We therefore see that one should try to exert to obtain the Torah. In order to obtain the Torah, one should accept the kingdom of heaven above reason. That is, against one’s view, meaning that for himself, he does not need anything, but only for the sake of the Creator. By this we should interpret what is written (Genesis 28:14), “And your descendants will be as the dust of the earth.” “Your descendants” means Banim [sons]. In the work, Banim means Havanah [understanding] in Torah and Mitzvot. The Creator promised Jacob that understanding in Torah and Mitzvot can be obtained only when one agrees to be “as the dust of the earth,” meaning that he agrees to observe Torah and Mitzvot even if he does not feel any feeling in it and tastes only the taste of dust in Torah and Mitzvot, since he says, “I am working for the Creator. If He wants me to work for Him in this manner, I agree.” Then he is rewarded with Gadlut [greatness] and understanding.
M. Laitman: (36:38) Thank you to the reader. If there are any questions, please?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (37:00) The whole article talks about assuming the burden of the kingdom of Heaven, anew, every moment. The question is how do you do it correctly? How do you assume the burden of the Kingdom of Heaven, every time anew?
M. Laitman: See new conditions for connecting to the Kingdom of Heaven, every moment. From the stages one goes through, he will have sufficient understanding and experience to assume it.
Student: You're saying to see the changing conditions. There are states where you see the state that remains, it seems like the conditions don't change. How do you manage to see that the conditions are changing?
M. Laitman: It depends on what the person is looking at. It could be that he's looking only at the actions. It could be that he's not looking at the degrees of faith he has, the extent to which it's tied to his condition. It depends on the person.
Student: Now, if say, the previous state was good?
M. Laitman: What is good?
Student: Let's say we had a successful congress and the congress has ended. We still feel the good feeling that we've succeeded and it was good but according to what I understand here, you have to start anew, delete what you had a moment ago, and start again.
M. Laitman: Let's say.
Student: A good feeling you had before is harder to erase if it's a negative feeling, it's easier to disconnect from it and start anew. The question is in those states where it's difficult to disconnect from them, how do you delete them, how do you take a feeling that is, say, good, and you delete it, and now you have nothing, and you start to work again?
M. Laitman: In what is that feeling good?
Student: Let's say, confidence, a feeling of confidence, there was a state of confidence. According to what he writes here, you don't need to wait for this feeling to pass. You need to renew it every time, and start something new, good or bad, it doesn't matter. How do you manage the emotion in a way that, like he says here, you have to reach a state where you forget about it completely and you start anew? Because the feeling remains, let's say there was some state in a certain Ten, and in the Ten, sometimes it could stay for a week, sometimes it passes after a day. How do you do it?
M. Laitman: It depends on the person, it depends on the person.
Student: It depends on the person in the sense that he works on it, and wants it to happen? What depends on the person?
M. Laitman: The person can alter his inspiration that he gets, his impression and by that, change the calibration of his perception.
Student: In our inner work, if I take the advice you gave in the beginning, there is a certain condition changing for me. I have to start seeing everything anew, from a spiritual perspective, not in a corporeal way, and I have to treat it, anew?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: There's a feeling, I wanted to know if it's really so. That the Creator is very envious, that the person will take His opinion into account, and only that. It seems like He does it in a very manipulative way. That if you try to reveal according to a different view, He allows you to do it but prepares a pit for you, where you will fall to a great disappointment, ultimately, why does He do that?
M. Laitman: To teach the person.
Student: There's a feeling that the teaching happens by force, not in a way that helps the person.
M. Laitman: It goes according to the person's nature, the person's will to receive. That's how the Creator relates to it.
Student: On the one hand, it's unpleasant in the will to receive. If we look in our path, it seems that when a person veers off the path, the Creator, as if, has to take the wheel and steer him back in the right direction. Make a correction, kind of action, but the feeling with regards to starting anew, in these states where He interferes, it's difficult emotionally, to accept it, it takes a long time until you can see it as help.
M. Laitman: And?
Student: What's the advice, how to speed up this feeling? You see that in your mind that it's good for you but in the feeling, it's hard to get there.
M. Laitman: We need to try to work mainly in our emotions. To connect to those people who work in such a way and so to continue.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (43:58) The virgin is my desire for the Creator which is clean from any thoughts, memories, has nothing that bothers it, yes?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: The divorcee, or other things, these are disturbances where I remember something or have all kinds of complaints to the Creator, yes?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (44:46) Are there conditions for Heaven's mercy, or it’s luck?
M. Laitman: And what is luck?
Student: They say, drops that are dropping on you.
M. Laitman: There are conditions for the mercy of Heaven, of course, and again, it depends on the person's actions. The extent to which a person surrenders and wants to accept these conditions, the Creator comes closer accordingly and does that with him.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (45:49) I understand that in order to be a great priest, one has to adhere to the Creator, and in that state, he really means Kli without a flaw, as I understand, a virgin. According to the other depictions that he brings, a harlot, a widow, and so forth, where there is basically like a flaw in the vessel because there is an intention in order to receive and not in order to bestow. In general, the whole definition of a woman, here, I understand, refers to the desire that we need to correct. My question, it's based on the fact that we are here in Bnei Baruch and all the world Kli. We have a very great yearning that in this, congress will build a common vessel. As we said here, we can do this in faith above reason. He mentions fear here but beyond these big words, at least for part of us, what advice can you give us. Your words, that we'll really not miss in this congress, and we'll be able to, like he says, connect the sparks of holiness, build a Kli where everyone can see the light?
M. Laitman: I think that through the connection between us, above all disruptions, we'll be able to achieve such an intensity of connection that I think the Creator will be compelled to bring us into connection with Him.
Student: This connection, we’ll achieve it by influencing each other?
M. Laitman: Yes, as usual.
Student: Okay, let's all succeed.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (48:03) What is the Kingdom of Heaven?
M. Laitman: The Kingdom of Heaven is the discernment, or degree, from which the Creator relates to us.
Student: How do you connect to the Kingdom of Heaven?
M. Laitman: Our connection is from between us to the Creator that leads us to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Student: How to accept anew the Kingdom of Heaven, every time?
M. Laitman: Each time, of course, we do it each time, yes. We have to try. We have to do.
Student: If we're constantly in it, what does it mean, anew, each time?
M. Laitman: No, we can each time connect to the Malchut of Heaven.
Student: When he says each time anew, what was before and what then happens? What's new here?
M. Laitman: Before that there was a different state that we were adhered to the Kingdom of Heaven. Now, conditions have changed, and we somehow need to be, to look for how to cling to it.
Student: What does the person renew, here, himself?
M. Laitman: The adhesion, the desire.
Student: How does he not take into account the previous state he had, that he feels?
M. Laitman: He does because he rises from it to the next state.
Student: Rising in faith above reason, is that regarded as accepting the Kingdom of Heaven?
M. Laitman: Yes, you could say so.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (50:13) There is some usage, a term here called, the aspect of greatness, which I don't understand so much, Gadlut confuses me. It's written, one who wants to work in Gadlut, meaning that his work is built on the greatness of the Lord, meaning that he wants to work without any compensation, he's called a high priest. Why is Gadlut, greatness, why does that mean that he wants to work without any reward?
M. Laitman: He only wants the greatness, itself, to give him strength, forces to work in adhesion with the Creator.
Student: In comparison, what is Katnut, smallness, according to this approach?
M. Laitman: In this approach, infancy is that he can't demand it.
Student: Those aren't the same terms we call Gadlut and Katnut, what we learn in The Study of Ten Sefirot, right, different terms here?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (51:35) In our work in the Ten, the efforts to be annulled, to serve, if I understand correctly, in the article it is said that we receive assistance. Some kind of assistance, called there's no flaw in her. From the Gadlut, the greatness of that discernment that I want reward and the person really exerts to relate correctly to the help that comes from above. What does it mean to fall into Katnut, maybe? Or what is to fall into a flaw? What does it mean that I made a flaw in the assistance I received? Whether it was from great friends or from the books?
M. Laitman: Meaning, I'm checking to see if I understand. No, no, I can't put it together.
Student: If we imagine that we're in this and the student feels that he's strong, as a high priest. He's above any calculations of reward, he receives a lack which is completely pure of any flaw. He needs to awaken himself, the left line and such things, then suddenly, he finds that he's making a flaw. Again, I don't understand what it means but it's like the count of the Omer. I made this flaw in this or that Sefira. We here, Bnei Baruch, on average, are entering the congress, now, what does it mean to make a flaw, actually?
M. Laitman: The blemish typically means that I fall from the level of faith above reason into reason.
Student: These special powers allow you to recuperate quickly, other than incriminating yourself and immediately coming to pray. Let's say, going into the books.
M. Laitman: To nullify towards his group.
Student: Immediately, get what we say from the active mind, that it is above reason.
M. Laitman: Yes, for sure, this will help him.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (54:50) You just said to blemish, to make a flaw, means to fall from the degree of above reason to within reason. It is always like that, if I was above reason, meaning the force of bestowal is greater than the force of reception. Then the Creator adds even a kilogram of the will to receive and I fall. Where is my flaw, is it in the fact that I fell?
M. Laitman: Yes, you don't have to fall. If you go by faith above reason, so it doesn't tell you that you have received some greater degree than yours, when you fall, no. Rather, you're being taken into consideration, you're given the conditions to accept that degree above reason while you are on the previous degree.
Student: If I understand correctly, when I have this additional will to receive and I don't want to renew the intention in order to bestow. If, with that additional will to receive, I do make efforts to renew the intention in order to bestow over that new desire I receive, there's no flaw anymore, right?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (56:39) How do we work correctly with intention?
M. Laitman: We ask that the Creator will help us realize the intention.
Student: I'll try asking differently: Rabash says that we always need to work in the aspect of the individual and not the collective. Because the collective acts without intention, and the individual with intention. Now, when we enter the congress, how do we keep our intention, and not just perform actions?
M. Laitman: For us, actions refer to changing our intentions.
Student: Could you please explain, a bit, how to do it?
M. Laitman: That we wish to rise by faith above reason, and thus each time, ascend.
Student: Is there a way, right now we're on this wave of the congress, and we feel that we're all acting together, the whole Kli.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How do we help each other always awaken that intention, what you just mentioned, so that we never fall from it, so that we never blemish?
M. Laitman: If we try to do this together, then we will have the total, integral force that enables us to rise to any degree.
Student: In all the actions we take from now through to the end of the congress. Let's take this specific time period, all these actions, are they intentions, already? Are they, I at least feel that there's a very important, critical point missing, a grip on this.
M. Laitman: I understand you, let's say we all have this potential point of grip in that center of the new vessel of faith. And we can reveal it and climb to it, and thus continue.
Student: Renewing that intention, every moment, is that, in essence, our work right now?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (59:39) I hope I managed to ask this correctly. When we go into congresses, mainly big congresses, there is this phenomenon where we just enter inwards. Collect together and work in the Tens, just within ourselves. I have a feeling that now, this congress, the external world, at least the way I feel it, is playing a very important part in the preparation for this congress. Meaning, the more we assemble together, inwardly, and it's really felt this past week, how the Kli is connecting together. Reality, outside of here, I don't have any other words to call it except madness. What's going on outside is completely insane. I ask you, in this Congress, should we in any way try to correct what's happening outside? Or to completely let it go, and only work amongst ourselves? Because I feel that maybe this time, this congress, we can get a lot of help from the great difficulties happening outside. For the great connection between us, our special connection, there's a kind of..?
M. Laitman: We should leave all of our engagements, and try to see in our connection the future of our entire country, and the people, and the world.
Student: During the congress, should we try to aim for an external correction? Or to completely forget about it, and just be engaged in the work between us, and that's it?
M. Laitman: Inside our work of connection, we correct everything. I have nothing more to add. What's most important is the connection between us.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:02:05) Yes, you answered the previous friend, but we need to do it together.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Here I feel, what is together, what is the order of the work? First, I connect to the Creator, I receive forces from Him? Or do I first connect to the friends, what is the order?
M. Laitman: Everyone, the way he understands it, with all of the questions and tendencies and calculations, correct or incorrect. We all have to incorporate with the Creator, and He will rearrange our future.
Student: Holding on to the Creator is always..?
M. Laitman: It's the beginning and the end of the actions.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:03:11) To continue what the friend asked, what he mentioned regarding the congress, there's truly a feeling that we have great responsibility on our shoulders, specifically because of what's happening outside. I never felt in any congress such responsibility over what's happening outside of here. You just listen to a bit of news and you cannot tolerate it. So the question now is how should we... you said we need to work together in the congress. Now we had congresses in the past that we truly prepared for extremely diligently, prepared for everything that's going to happen in the congress. We said on the first half of the day, we all come, we're all inspired and then we go into our inner works. How do you expect this congress to be in terms of our focus?
M. Laitman: I think that even before the congress, we have to try and reach connection. And from the beginning of the congress onwards, already be connected actively. And thus continue.
Student: The Congress, which is more inner, internal, people need to be very focused on the…?
M. Laitman: A very internal congress. Yes.
Student: Very internal, okay.
M. Laitman: We have to see how we are truly connecting in our hearts, how we get closer to each other, how much the Creator affects all of us together, and to the extent that we come together, we can receive His influence only to the extent of connection between us. And then I think we'll succeed.
Student: How to correctly combine between joy, because it's a Congress, we're joyous, and inner seriousness?
M. Laitman: No, there has to be very strong, intense seriousness. We're also living in such times, in terms of the external situation, that we have to feel ourselves as standing in front of the spiritual trial.
Student: So to summarize your advice, you say to start this serious preparation right now, and when we're in the Congress to already be running.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:06:14) I also wanted to ask you, with respect to the music, we are Kabbalah for the people. So a lot of very new people, new students are coming, and we're not sure with the friends. There's this tendency in the World Kli for such eruptions of joy. We're trying to see what the correct balance is for very inner, emotional songs, and how to suddenly or sometimes explode with joy. So we have to take those things into consideration, because we cannot be completely detached from the people.
M. Laitman: No, we don't need to be disconnected, on the contrary. We wish to attract people as much as possible to connection between us, to our connection, and so to gather everyone.
Student: Do you have some advice to give us, some guidelines, regarding how to pick the songs correctly, how to create an atmosphere that correctly balances what's happening in us and what's happening in the world?
M. Laitman: No. No.
Student: So I'd like to ask you and the whole world Kli that in the moment we'll truly feel what's best and most appropriate for everyone.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:07:54) When we look at the congress, it's very much felt, the strong responsibility we have now. Because I feel when I come back here, the land is really different than it was before October 7. With the congress, what is the role of the Kli Olami to support the congress?
M. Laitman: Just as we are here, the world Kli is also with us. And the more, just as they are inspired by what's going on here, that times the distance between us and them means they can bestow even more than us, in terms of affecting the results from the congress, being connected in a single heart, in a single shape, and in turning to the Creator and yearning for Him, demanding that he will fill up all of the gap between us, that's what we want. That there will be no vacant space for anything besides Him.
Student: When I come here I can feel I have a sense that many have the feeling it's an island and around there is madness. And I totally understand. And so I wonder, how can the Kli Olami do something that the friends here feel they are not alone?
M. Laitman: We don't need to support each other, that much rather to connect in a single Creator, that's what we need. And this should be our final goal. I hope we'll get there.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:11:18) Many questions I'm hearing now are all about how to focus on the same intention, how to work above reason, in the connection. And what I now got from this article from Rabash is that the work of the individual is where we aim that each one feels the same work in the action and in the intention. And it's when each one of us is focused on that work of the individual, but for the sake of the connection for the friends, when I have complete faith that all my friends are doing the same thing together, that's connection, right? The work of connection. And it feels that each one is building for himself that same vessel, that power of connection inside.
M. Laitman: That first, yes. Correct.
Student: I wish we had the power to do it.
M. Laitman: This is basically clear to everyone.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:12:31) Can I ask about the article? He talks about fear here. It's not so clear. He writes that when a person becomes tired, belabored, it's all because he hasn't been rewarded with fear of God yet. Meaning that a person needs to know that faith is the vessel. And when the vessel is completely finished and is worthy of receiving, immediately he gets that vessel called faith above reason, and the abundance is called the fear of heaven.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Usually we learn, Rabash explains in many articles in The Love of Friends, The Purpose of Society, that fear is the gateway to faith.
M. Laitman: Correct.
Student: Not the abundance that spreads in the vessel. So what's happening here? Where first fear comes, fear is the first commandment, it includes all the commandments and so on and so forth, and from that you reach faith. But here he says that faith is the vessel, and fear is the abundance that spreads within the vessel. It's interesting.
M. Laitman: Both are correct. It only depends on what state we're coming from. What point leads us into the matter. Still, fear is the main thing.
Student: We don't speak about it a lot, we usually deal with faith, but I also feel that we spoke about it in the Ten, that there's a need to come with great fear to this congress, the seriousness you talked about, etc.. And on the other hand, we also see confidence, that faith and confidence come together.
M. Laitman: But one cannot delete the other.
Student: How do we do that?
M. Laitman: How do we do that? I don't think there is something here that deletes the other thing, that one thing erases the other. Faith and confidence seems in the beginning as something that one contradicts the other, like faith contradicts confidence, and vice versa. But if we properly establish faith and confidence, then we begin to see that it's not that they're contradictory to each other, rather they're complementary to each other. Meaning that the more urgency I have in confidence, the more I can use faith and it fulfills my confidence, because to the extent that I want faith, then I fulfill it accordingly.
Student: Can I say that in a general direction, faith is work in mind, above reason, and confidence is the feeling that expands in the heart as a result of that?
M. Laitman: You could say that, yes.
Student: Okay, so the matter of, if we want confidence and fear not to deviate each other, because I want to come with complete confidence in this congress, not get involved in all these previous impressions of congresses, but to come anew and with complete confidence.
M. Laitman: Then what about fear?
Student: So, what about fear?
M. Laitman: Meaning that fear does not put out the confidence or the insecurity, the lack of confidence. These two, it's like there are two things in one topic, in one manner. The confidence in the Creator and the fear whether I will be able to observe, sustain my promise to the Creator. Okay. What will be in the convention? What will we do in the convention if all of a sudden I... Well, we'll continue.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:18:23) First of all, we pray for Rav to have forces and health for the convention.
M. Laitman: Well, I have the strength, it's just my throat. All of a sudden, well...
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:18:38) You said earlier that there needs to be great seriousness in this convention, and we're also in such a daze and in such an external state that we need to feel ourselves as being in a spiritual examination.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What spiritual exam are we in?
M. Laitman: Whether we are truly capable of being on the same level that the Upper Force demands of us.
Student: Are we capable?
M. Laitman: That depends on us. It depends on us. Whether we can really seriously say about ourselves that we do want to break through to the Upper system.
Student: What does it mean that we succeed in this spiritual exam, and that there will be success in this convention?
M. Laitman: The fact that we are raising ourselves in faith above reason, above all the doubts.
Student: This topic, faith above reason, is very big and deep. There's no problem in that. I just want to ask in a different direction, that at the convention there's going to be lots of new students, a lot of new students in all kinds of study frameworks in Israel and around the world, that will also participate physically, also here physically, and at mirror congresses. It will be coming for the first time, which is something great and also very joyful, but can you give advice for all these new students coming for the first time to the convention? What would you recommend for them?
M. Laitman: I recommend the mixing of veterans and newer students as much as possible, truly. So each one that wants to receive guidance, translation, advice, counsel, we will be able to kind of subtly see. Are we sitting at tables?
Student: We're sitting in our fixed Tens around tables, and there's also gatherings around the world who are also sitting in fixed Tens and also in mixed Tens.
M. Laitman: Okay, so that's okay, that's good.
Student: So to join new ones to us, to our fixed Tens.
M. Laitman: Yes, yes.
Student: And then there's also translation and everything you said exists. The question is in relation to this new student who's participating for the first time at the convention, which there are hundreds of them, the first time that they're incorporating in such an event. How can a new student get the maximum benefit out of such an event?
M. Laitman: For him to nullify before the audience and absorb in that way as much as possible.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:22:30) How do we know that we do not return to the previous state, that we awaken after a fall, and that we do not get divorced?
M. Laitman: How will we know? According to the results, you'll know. We need to reach a state in which we feel ourselves in a higher degree, in more confidence, more connection between us.
Question (Belarus): (01:23:06) How can we be awarded with greatness and understanding and spirituality?
M. Laitman: Only according to the extent in which we connect together and present this and feel this with the Creator.
Question (New York): (01:23:25) How can we measure our submission to the Creator?
M. Laitman: As much as we understand that without the help of the Creator, we cannot attain anything.
Question (Women Petah Tikva 6): (01:23:39) What is for the sake of the Creator?
M. Laitman: What is for the sake of the Creator? That all that I can do, I do only in order to raise the greatness of the Creator in my eyes.
Question (Turkiye 9): (01:24:14) I hope I'm translating it correctly. If I calculate my work on the basis of my 24 hours a day, is there more of a benefit in the descents than in the ascents?
M. Laitman: No. Nevertheless, the ascents are more important than the descents. From the descents, I still need to understand them, feel them, decipher them correctly, process them, and then, in this series of actions, I invert them to become worthy of the correct actions.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:25:39) There is a deficiency that is felt in coming to adhesion and to do the correct needed connections that will influence the whole world Kli. What do you recommend for us to do from now until the convention in order to attain this positive state of connection? It is felt, a deficiency, a very great deficiency in relation to how we will reach adhesion and make all the needed connections in the world Kli. So what do you recommend for us to do from now until the end of the convention in order to attain that degree that is needed in order to be able to cover those deficiencies?
M. Laitman: Only connection between you to try and understand one another. And for this to actually be the main and only concern, a very special, unique one, that to the extent in which we connect between us, in such a way we can understand what we need to do and we will be capable of doing so. That's it.
Question: (Petah Tikva Center): (01:27:24) Rav, we are used to having a lot of joy in our conventions. So what can be faith above reason in such states? Because we know that faith above reason are our efforts against the will to receive, against rejection.
M. Laitman: We will hope that you understand that there are more exalted and good states, delightful ones.
Student: And in the joyous states, is there faith above reason?
M. Laitman: Yes, of course. What do you mean? All the joy is in faith above reason.
Student: When a person is happy, what does that mean for faith above reason?
M. Laitman: Because he becomes closer to the Creator. He feels that he is closer to the center of creation, to the center of all the worlds. That the Creator is helping him, drawing him, supporting him, sustaining him. From this, not only the Creator, but all the Kabbalists of all the times. Do you understand? So we need to be thankful for this.
Student: So, it's mainly gratitude?
M. Laitman: It's mostly gratitude, yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:29:14) As my friends said, there will be lots of new students, and also in such places like the Philippines, Japan, Africa, China.
M. Laitman: Physically coming here?
Student: They're not coming here, but they're gathering in their own places. Really, the Kli is expanding. And within reason, if I look, there are different problems as these. Where we're nearly on a survival mode here and other people don't have these problems, they have different problems. There are veterans who have been studying for 30 years and there's people who have learned about faith above reason this week. That's the first time that they've learned about this concept,so what can connect between us?
M. Laitman: What can connect between us is that we are all from the same desire of the Creator that's bestowing upon us and is growing us, and the fact that we need to come to Him, and to see how all of reality has to stop being confused in where it is and what's happening. I am amazed to hear what's happening in the world and how the so-called commentaries are trying to explain it in such strange ways that it's too bad. And let's hope that we will come to a state where it will be clear to all of us that the one who takes upon himself the permission, the authority to explain and talk, needs to be a person uplifted from the people, higher from the people.
Student: I understand that within reason, we just leave reason because each one comes with his own reason with his own problems and we need to connect above that?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And what is up there above?
M. Laitman: What's up there? Our connection. Our connection. We need to let go of all this individual personal state of each and every one and go closer to one another in a manner that we don't want to take into account anything personal of anyone but rather all together only the general matter that we need to discover ourselves being in the center of creation and discover that.
Student: So a person coming needs to leave behind his problems in his countries and personal problems?
M. Laitman: Of course.
Student: And then it needs to be above that?
M. Laitman: Yes. During these two days we are disconnected from reality.
Student: And how will we connect our attainments in reality?
M. Laitman: That won't be difficult. We will be able to go down to them with a new desire, with a new nature.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:33:13) You just said twice that we come closer to the center of creation. It's very exciting that right now we are the center of creation. Is that true?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How does it play out? What does it mean?
M. Laitman: It means that if we really want to connect to us all of humanity with all its poles, all its mannerisms to us then by that we will be able to make a great step forward towards the Creator and discover Him as The Good That Does Good and that He is arranging in all the worlds in a way that we will come closer to them and sort them out.
Student: It is very much felt that we get a lot of support because we are in the center of creation right now. What is the support we get from the higher realms?
M. Laitman: I think that the Creator is very, very interested in our work and we need to be ready to arrange the entire world Kli that's coming to us and it's connecting to us and we will be able to give them warmth and a place amongst us and embrace love. And this is how they will be able to find their place between us in the correct way, in a clear way.
Student: It is felt as if there are wings of an angel protecting us. Is it true?
M. Laitman: I don't belong to that, to what you're talking about.
M. Laitman: Is someone preparing something for them there? What did he ask?
Student: He asked if it feels like there are wings of angels that are protecting us, whether that's correct, that feeling?
M. Laitman: Yes, yes, that's with certainty that it is. I just didn't understand the question. Yes. These are the forces that are ready to raise us up to the Upper firmament. Okay, friends.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:37:24) Just like the friend depicted, there are many new gatherings around the world in places that never had gatherings before. When a person today is traveling to a convention, with what thought, with what prayer should he be traveling? If you were now gathering at a convention in your country, what should you hold in your heart?
M. Laitman: I would travel like this, as you see me now, and come to some place where my friends are, my group, and what I would recommend to do is to prepare everything in advance so that during the convention I don't think how will I understand other people, that I have some device to receive my translation, that I'm in connection with my friends, but I disconnected for the time of the convention. Meaning, we need to mostly do the connection between people in this world, from one place to another, from one country to the next. That's how it is. Please.
Student: Let's say I'm sitting in a bus now. I have a trip, it’s 10 hours from my village to the capital city. Where all the friends are gathering. What work should a person be doing there on the way?
M. Laitman: Well, this is the thing we've been learning all the time that we connect and we come to such states that all the hearts connect to one heart, and also our minds into one mind and this is how we arrive at a great desire, and I think it's all before us there's not much to think about this. Simply be as much as possible with all the materials we've been learning also today, and also tomorrow we have, and in the afternoon today as well. We need to gather and learn how we need to connect. All in all that's the thing, okay. All right? Now, what's next?
Reader: We'll go to the next part of the lesson excerpts on, Rising Above Reason for the convention. Okay so it's a song and the next part.
Song: (01:40:59)