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

Daily Lesson (Morning), May 7, 2024.

Part 1: Rabash. Article No. 25, (1986). The Measure of Practicing Mitzvot [Commandments].

Reader: Hello, we are going to be reading the article, “The Measure of Practicing Mitzvot,” from Rabash. You can find the reading in the Arvut System and Sviva Tova, and whoever asks here questions live in the hall, stand up, hold the microphone close to your mouth and speak loud and clear. Again, the Rabash Writings, the article, “The Measure of Practicing Mitzvot.”

Reading Article: (00:35) “The Measure of Practicing Mitzvot [Commandments].”

We were given 613 Mitzvot [commandments] to perform in practice. Even without the intention, if he merely aims that now he is performing one of the Mitzvot that the Creator has commanded us, if we settle for observing the Mitzva [singular for commandments] without thinking about any intention, but only straightforward, then he has done his duty.

However, we should keep all the Mitzvot according to the conditions in each Mitzva. For example, a person may keep the Mitzva of Tzitzit [Tassels—adornment consisting of cords fastened at one end], as it is written, “They shall make for themselves Tassels on the corners of their garments.” However, there are distinctions concerning the material from which the Talit [a prayer shawl that is worn during the morning Jewish services (on each edge of which there is a Tzitzit] is made, as well as the length and width of the Talit. Also, there are distinctions in the Tzitzit itself—the material from which it is made—wool, flax, or other materials—as well as the number of fringes, its length, and so forth.

The conditions in the Mitzva of Tzitzit should certainly be applied. Otherwise it is regarded as an incomplete practice of the Mitzva, and is a deficiency in the act. Also, there is adornment in the practice of Mitzvot, as our sages said about the verse, “This is my God and I will praise Him,” and there are many other precisions to make.

This matter applies to every performance of Mitzvot, whether Mitzvot from the Torah, from our sages, or Mitzvot that we keep because of customs, as our ages said, “Israel’s customs are Torah” (Minchot, 20b), “and our father’s customs are Torah.”

The extent of precisions, meaning how meticulous we should be with the Mitzvot, was given to us in the Mitzva not to eat leaven on Passover. An example of how meticulous we should be: This was given to us on Passover, since leaven implies the evil inclination. For this reason we have many restrictions and precisions. This was given to us as an example of how we should be careful not to come, God forbid, into actually transgressing. Therefore, we were given precisions that will make us stay away from the transgression itself, as well as keep the Mitzva itself.

However, the Baal Shem Tov said, “Let him not be too meticulous.” That is, one should not dedicate all his senses and time to precisions. Rather, as much as one can, one should keep the Mitzvot with all their details and precisions, but without excess. Perhaps this is why we do not apply the same strictness and precisions to all the Mitzvot as we do on Passover, for we need our energy for the intentions in the actions, too. Otherwise we will not have much time for intention.

This means that we must also think about the intention, as it is written, “I have created the evil inclination, I have created the Torah as a spice.” Thus, we must dedicate time and effort to the intention, too, meaning see to what extent the evil inclination is corrected through the Torah and Mitzvot. That is, we must criticize our desire, called “will to receive,” to see if we have become more distant from using the will to receive and moving away from it, and how much we have entered the work of bestowal. That is, we must constantly check ourselves so as to know for certain the measure of hatred we have acquired to hating our vessels of reception, and to craving vessels of bestowal.

Therefore, when one engages in some Mitzva, he must first know that he is keeping the Mitzva in a straightforward manner—that now he is not thinking of anything but the Mitzva he is performing, meaning to know that he is observing the commandment of the Creator and believe that the Creator has commanded us through Moses to keep His commandment. By keeping the 613 Mitzvot that He has given us, as well as through the Mitzvot of our sages, and by keeping the customs of Israel, which are also Torah, everything he does should be with the intention that he wants to delight the Creator. He was given a great privilege from above to be able to speak with the Creator. Therefore, when he blesses, both blesses on pleasures and blesses on Mitzvot, he should know and think a little bit to Whom he is giving the blessing, to Whom is he giving thanks.

One should depict that if he were allowed in to see the most important man in town, whom not everyone is permitted to approach, how would he feel when he entered and spoke to him? Or if he were permitted to come to the most important person in the country, what joy he would have. And also, if he imagines that he were allowed in to speak with the most important person in the world, who speaks only to a chosen few, how happy and elated he would be that he was given this great importance, which others are not so fortunate to have? We see that in our world, this gives us satisfaction and contentment in life.

Accordingly, the question is, “Why can’t we depict this calculation and depiction of importance we have for a person, if he is respected in corporeality, that we can speak to someone so important, while regarding spirituality, when we speak to the Creator we do not have this feeling of sensing with whom we speak, so as to tell ourselves, ‘Look how many people in the world do not have the privilege of speaking to the King of the world’? But to us, the Creator has given a thought and desire to come in and speak with Him.”

However, a person must believe in what our sages said, “If the Creator did not help him, he would not overcome it” (Kidushin, 30). Thus, we should say that now the Creator has approached us and helped us, so why are we not inspired by the Creator and our hearts are not rejoicing?

However, when one speaks words of Torah and prays to the Creator, or when one blesses, he should imagine that he is speaking to an honorable person, to the King of the world, and wish that it will help him. That is, after all the depictions, it is still not the same as speaking to an honorable person in corporeality and the feeling he has then, where he feels the importance without any work. But in spirituality, he must toil with various depictions until he feels some importance that he is speaking to the Creator.

However, the matter is very simple: In corporeality, he sees that people respect him. Hence, the individual is influenced by the importance that the public has, and takes upon himself to serve him because of the importance he has absorbed from the public in regard to that person.

But with respect to the Creator, a person cannot see the true measure of people’s appreciation of the Creator. Rather, everything is built on faith. Where one must believe is where labor begins, for then doubts are born and one must decide whether yes and no.

There is a lot of work in spirituality when a person must appreciate the Creator, and for this to relinquish several things that the body enjoys. He feels as painful when he relinquishes his pleasures, and all in order to win the Creator’s approval and be allowed to come in and speak with Him, so He will let him feel with Whom he speaks, meaning that the Creator will be revealed to him and will not be so concealed.

But if he could receive the importance of the Creator from other people, as it is in corporeality, he would have no work. However, there is a special thing about Kedusha [holiness/sanctity], called “Shechina [Divinity] in exile” or “Shechina in the dust.” It shows us the unimportance, which is the opposite of importance.

Naturally, we cannot receive importance from the public because we see that the public has no appreciation or regard for spirituality, from which he can receive support to rely on and go with what he was given importance, so he can relinquish the worldly life, called “corporeal life,” in order to take upon himself to serve the Creator in order to bestow and not for his own sake.

This is so because he does not see that others appreciate spirituality enough to make it worthwhile to relinquish self-love. This is so because when he begins to look at other learners of Torah and observers of Mitzvot, he does not see them with enough importance to cause them to work in order to bestow. Naturally, he does not receive the importance of spirituality as he receives the importance of corporeality from the public.

In corporeality he sees that there is a public that appreciates someone. It does not matter who or what they appreciate, but he is influenced by them. But in spirituality he does not see that anyone, not even individuals, appreciates spirituality. So what can he do to acquire importance that will make it worthwhile for him to work in order to bestow?

It follows that man has a lot of work to exert to do what he can in order to obtain some importance, so he will understand that it is a great privilege that he has been rewarded with serving the Creator and keeping His Mitzvot in utter simplicity, meaning without any great intentions. Rather, one should simply feel happiness and vitality in keeping what the Creator has commanded us.

That is, he should think that now he is doing the King’s will, and the King enjoys my doing His will. One should believe above reason that the Creator has sent him his thoughts and desires, which caused him to observe the Mitzvot, and that it came to him as an awakening from above. That is, now the Creator is calling him: “Come to Me; I want to give you a service in My palace.” When one thinks this, the heart is elated and fills with joy, and then he feels high spirited.

It therefore follows that it does not matter what he does. It is all the same, as it is written, “Be careful with a slight Mitzva as with a serious one, for you do not know the reward for the Mitzvot.” It can be said that it does not matter which Mitzva of the Creator a person keeps because his only thought is to bring contentment to the Creator.

Therefore, a person can derive great joy from small actions, since the main thing is not the greatness of the Mitzva, but the measure and importance of the Giver of the Mitzva. That is, it is according to his appreciation of the King.

When a person reflects, he sees that he must satisfy the desire, to have fulfillment. However, there are those who work to satisfy their own desires, meaning what the heart demands. This is called “lust.” Conversely, there are those who need to satisfy the will of others, what they require of him, meaning to dress, and live in an apartment, as they require, etc. This falls under the category of honor. And there is also fulfilling the Creator’s wish, what He demands, which is keeping of Torah and Mitzvot.

However, one should ask oneself: “Is serving the Creator really so important to me that I feel such great importance? So why after all the calculations, I forget everything, enter the corporeal world, stop everything related to Kedusha, and take upon myself to fulfill others’ desires and not the Creator’s, although I said that the Creator’s will is so important, more important than to satisfy my own desire?

“When I worry about satisfying my own desire, it falls under the category of lust. When I try to satisfy others’ desires it falls under the category of honor. I want to satisfy those two out of self-love. But when I want to do the King’s will, that state is very important because at that time I exit self-love, called ‘beast,’ and enter the category of ‘man,’ as our sages said, ‘You are called ‘man,’ and the nations of the world are not.’”

Thus, as soon as one comes out of the state of Torah and prayer he says that even the smallest thing he does in Kedusha is so important to him that it makes him very happy that he has been rewarded with entering the domain of Kedusha, and what fool would want to come out of the state of emotional satisfaction and elation? He feels that he is the happiest man in the world because he had the great privilege of exiting the beastliness that he was in all the time.

All of a sudden he is summoned to come before the King and speak with Him. At that time he looks at himself, how he is always immersed in worldly lusts like all other beasts. But now he sees that he has become a real man. He becomes very critical of his surroundings, how lowly they are, to the point that he can barely stand to be near them and speak to them because he cannot stoop so low as to speak to people devoid of the spirit of Kedusha, who are so immersed in self-love that he can barely stand them.

After all this, after some time, even a moment later, after all the criticism he passed on his surroundings, he completely forgets about the spirituality he was in and enters the corporeal world with all the beastly lusts. He does not even remember when he came out, the moment when he came out of the spiritual state into the corporeal state he is in now.

Thus, the question is, “When he was in the spiritual state and was delighted with his situation, was this a lie? Was it only a dream? Or is it to the contrary, that the previous state is his real state, and what he feels now, that he is immersed in beastly lusts, is a dream?”

The truth is that a person must believe that when the Creator appears to him a little bit, he begins to feel the importance of the King and is drawn to Him and annuls as a candle before a torch. If he continues to appreciate the herald he has heard from above, and to the extent that he can regard it, to that extent his aspiration for spirituality grows and he begins to feel that he has emerged from the corporeal world and entered a world that is nothing but good.

But if he forgets to appreciate that call—that he has been called to come speak to the King, and begins to enjoy and instill the joy he has into his vessels of reception, and he is not cautious to thank and praise the Creator for bringing him closer to Him, he is promptly repelled and ejected from the King’s palace.

This happens so fast that he has no time to feel that he has been ejected. Only after some time he comes to, and sees that he has been thrown out. But when he is ejected from the King’s palace he remains unconscious, and therefore cannot feel the moment of ejection.

It is known that in corporeality, too, if a person falls from a high floor to the ground, if you ask him how he fell he does not remember anything. All he knows is that now he is in the hospital, but he does not remember anything: who picked him up, who brought him to the hospital, everything is forgotten.

It is the same in spirituality. When he is ejected from the King’s palace he does not remember who ejected him, meaning what caused him to fall off his state where he was in utter completeness, full of joy with his situation. He also does not remember when he fell from his high state into the ground, so as to say, “Up to that point I was fine, and at that moment I fell.” He cannot remember the moment when he fell from his state. But after some time he opens his eyes and begins to see that now he is in the corporeal world.

This recovery—the consciousness he has regained when he sees that now he is outside the palace—can happen after several hours or even after several days. Suddenly, he sees that he is immersed in worldly lusts, and that once he had a state of ascent.

Now let us return to the matter from which we began, namely the greatness of the quality of practicing Mitzvot and words of Torah and prayer in utter simplicity, without any intentions but to learn Torah, since the whole Torah is the names of the Creator, and whether he understands the connection he has—that he is learning—meaning the fact that he is learning with the person.

That is, one should not say, “What does this come to teach us?” Rather, every word he learns is a great thing for his soul. And although he does not understand it, he must believe in the sages, who have instructed us so.

It is likewise in the prayer. He should know and believe that each and every word that our sages have arranged for us was said with the spirit of holiness. For this reason, we must regard each and every word, meaning that he has the privilege that the Creator has given him the thought and desire to observe His commandments, and to thank the Creator for it. He should believe that everything he does in spirituality, while others did not merit this, is because the Creator has chosen him to serve Him.

A person should reflect on how the King is calling him and gives him some understanding to at least keep His commandments so that he will have some contact with the Creator. Likewise, one should depict the importance of the King as much as one can and derive from this joy and elation. This is the path of truth.

That is, we should believe in the importance of the Creator although the body is still not impressed to the extent that he is seemingly serving a flesh and blood King, since there the public revere the King and the individual is influenced by the public. But in spirituality a person cannot see that the public revere the King and the value of annulling before Him is hidden from him. Instead, we must believe that this is so. This is called “right line,” meaning without any intentions. Rather, even if he engages with the littlest understanding, he should regard it as though he is doing a great service.

It is as our sages said (Avot, Chapter 2, Mishnah 1), “Be careful with a slight Mitzva as with a serious one, for you do not know the reward for the Mitzvot.” That is, it does not matter to us what service we do for the King, with which service we bring contentment to the King. Rather, we have one thought: that the Creator will be pleased with what I am doing.

Thus, it does not matter if this work is important or not, since I have no consideration of myself. It can be an unimportant work that not many people want, therefore he wants to do it because it is more needed than important work that many people want.

However, the question is, “Why can’t a person feel the light that shines in Torah and Mitzvot as soon as he begins the work?” Instead, he must believe that there is a hidden light there, which he cannot see. It would certainly be better if the importance about it were revealed to all, for then everyone could observe the Torah and Mitzvot.

Thus, why is there a concealment on Torah and Mitzvot to the point that each and every one must labor and toil, and perform all kinds of works in order to be able to say that the whole of the corporeal world is not worthwhile compared to Torah and Mitzvot, as our sages said (Avot, Chapter 4, 22), “One hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is better than the whole of the life in the next world, and one hour of contentment in the next world is better than all the life of this world.”

However, we were given this concealment so as to have room for choice, meaning to have the ability to work in Torah and Mitzvot for the Creator, meaning in order to bestow. Otherwise, if the light that is hidden in Torah and Mitzvot were revealed, he would work only because of self-love. But then he would not be able to criticize himself and see if his aim is to bestow or for his own sake.

But because we were given the Torah and Mitzvot to keep during the concealment, we can keep them in utter simplicity, and say, “If my aim is to bestow, why should I mind what taste I feel?” Therefore, if one wants to be rewarded with anything, he must take upon himself to keep Torah and Mitzvot in utter simplicity.

M. Laitman: (36:02) Well, what do you think about this article?

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (36:27) If he feels a little importance, a little bit of strength for work and taste, and is reminded there's spirituality, then he needs to perform two things, if I understand it correctly. One, he needs to continue to consider the clarion that is sounded in him, and the other thing is the herald that he has heard, and the other thing is he has to give gratitude and thanks. The question is how, and he also says that according to the value that he has, he has to consider it, that's how he can define his drawing to spirituality. So how do we grow? What is it to see this value that is great, that it depends on something there?

M. Laitman: It depends on how much a person receives this feeling from the outside. From the outside means from the environment and from the Creator.

Student: Does a person have the ability to do actions in order to consider the Creator greater? 

M. Laitman: Not only the Creator but also the environment, because one receives everything from the environment.

Student: On the other hand, there's a place here that I don't know where I can quote it, but that from the environment you can see importance in a limited manner. So, it sounds like it's mostly individual work probably, to make every state that he gets great, how to intensify this thing, how to remember what it depends upon, if I get some form of importance now, remember to give thanks for the Creator bringing me closer right now, or not.

M. Laitman: It depends on the importance that you give it, of course. But we need to work on that. You can't write it down on a note and put it in your pocket. But rather you have to work on this importance so that this concern will truly be, will exist in you. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (39:02) First of all, it's an amazing, amazing article. So practical. He says here, I'm asking because the answer is within, but there's a certain precision here. He says when a person falls and descends, he doesn't remember two things. He doesn't remember who, how he fell, and who threw him until later when he wakes up, maybe. So the whole learning period, he makes conclusions, no matter what he does in our world and here, this specifically, it's concealed from a person, and also who threw him, and also the moment of the fall, and until he wakes up, he's in some dream. How can you learn from this? How can you prevent it next time? How can you consider the heralds for next time?

M. Laitman: That is, we need something that will remind you about the herald.

Student: Also, it will help him keep that for next time.

M. Laitman: Yes, even before that. So this is why we are in a society, in an environment that can remind a person about the entire path, about the goal, and the means for the goal. It all exists inside the environment. The way that you associate or tie your states to the environment, through that you can advance.

Student: The environment gives greatness and importance so that the process will happen faster.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: The question is, how can a person individually prepare himself to hold on to the herald next time it will be?

M. Laitman: You need some support from the outside. Because this herald, like you say, comes to you already when someone has arranged him in the HaVaYaH, in the vessels. And this is why you need to have such vessels.

Student: How to be in those vessels?

M. Laitman: The environment.

Student: Meaning the herald actually operates through the environment?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Then we need to make the environment important, and then that makes the herald work upon us?

M. Laitman: We need to be in an environment that will pull us, draw us towards the goal.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (41:53) One of the central counsels he says here, when you start to fall, is to come and work in simplicity in the work. What does it exactly mean to work in the absolute simplicity that we have to work?

M. Laitman: Utter simplicity means that I don't remember many sages and verses and everything that is written. The most important thing is that I have a connection with the Creator, and I must renew it all the time. Make it stronger. And it should truly be the most important thing that I have before me.

Student: Even if I have no intention within? Because he says, even if it's not clear to you what the intention is, start working.

M. Laitman: Yes. Yes.

Student: I understood.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (42:57) It's written in the last paragraph here: if my intention is in order to bestow, what does it matter what taste I feel? If a person tries to work, then he accustoms himself to work in order to bestow where even if he doesn't have taste in the work, he performs work. A person in such an approach receives a certain illumination, yes, a taste of sweetness. If he gives thanks and praise upon this state, it's like he's breaching the initial condition he wanted to work in, where it doesn't matter if I'm receiving or not, I'm trying to work in joy. It seems like this state, not just once but in many articles, but this advice of giving praise and gratitude for the revelation of the Creator goes in contradiction to a person wanting to always be in bestowal towards what he receives.

M. Laitman: And if he receives or doesn't receive an opportunity to bestow, that also is not important to him?

Student: No, that is important for him because it's something else?

M. Laitman: Okay, what do you mean, something else?

Student: There's the work of what I'm trying to do, and I have the opportunity together with that to go and perform an action in practice, which is actually a different degree. But the simple degree where I want to accustom myself to work only in order to bestow even if I have no taste, if I start to pay attention to when I receive taste and when I don't, and I'll be excited by that, it's like I'm breaching this condition.

M. Laitman: I understand you. We'll talk more about it. Yes, this is something that requires scrutiny. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (45:04) The name of the article is, “The Measure of Practicing Mitzvot.” What is the measure, the minimal measure of practicing Mitzvot that a person needs to observe?

M. Laitman: There is no such thing, a minimal. There is none. What do you think, that instead of the 613 Mitzvot, commandments that just bring you 20 that you have to keep? And then out of that, you raise yourself to the degree of the vegetative or animate? I mean, what do you mean by that?

Student: Maybe I’ll ask it differently. It says that it's a great privilege to get to serve the Creator and to observe His Mitzvot in utter simplicity, without bigger intentions. What Mitzvot is Rabash talking about?

M. Laitman: Everything that a person has. Everything that a person is capable of carrying out. If he does it for the Creator, that's one thing. But if he does it for himself, then God forbid, it is the opposite.

Student: He also writes, it's not important for us the service that we're doing to the King. We have one thought: For there to be contentment to the Creator from what I do.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: If the main thing is the intention of the heart, what does it matter what actions I do, what operations, Mitzvot?

M. Laitman: To you, maybe it's not important. But with respect to the King, it is important.

Student: What is it important for Him for?

M. Laitman: It's important if you want to do something for Him. Are you doing it in order to elevate yourself to a special level in order to bestow and from that level you bestow to the King?

Student: Does the Creator have it important to me, my intention or the action?

M. Laitman: The intention is the action, actually. 

Question (Belarus): (47:28) Why can't a person see in a word manner, his ascents and descents?

M. Laitman: Because he needs to learn to do these things in the light of bestowal, and this is why he can't see them immediately.

Student: He's continuing: How to use critique correctly towards friends.

M. Laitman: This is practical work in the relations between them. What can we do to… how to use it correctly? It's impossible to explain that. For the time being, no criticism. 

Question (Women PT 6): (48:34) What does it mean that the Creator chose him to give Him service? What's the service that the Creator needs from the person?

M. Laitman: Whatever the Creator will say. But the person should prepare himself that he is willing to give in order to bestow everything that he sees that comes to him from the Creator. It's an opportunity from the Creator.

Question (Women MAK 33): (49:05) How to understand the verse: It's best to do one hour in repentance and good deeds in this world, then all the life in the next world. And it's best, one hour in the next world, to do all the life in this world.

M. Laitman: It means that we can do the work when we are in the will to receive, and as much as by it we will be able to realize intentions of in order to bestow, this is actually the action.

Question (Belarus): (48:46) How to feel the taste of bestowal in the Ten?

M. Laitman: The taste of bestowal in the Ten. We need between us to discover what tastes we have. What tastes we have from keeping the Torah and Mitzvot. And this is how it will also pass on to the friends.

Question (Women Turkiye 9): (50:27) How does self-critique need to happen? How do we have to work correctly with it?

M. Laitman: Self-criticism needs to usually be above the person. He needs to see himself on a higher degree, a greater degree. How he would appear on the next degree. We will have to realize that.

Question (Women PT 23): (51:22) Why doesn't the person remember the point from which he fell? And what's the cause that he would fall from his state?

M. Laitman: The person doesn't know it. He's seemingly unconscious.

Student: Why?

M. Laitman: Why? There are a few reasons here. The first one, I think, is that he should be connected to that degree, to that state. If he fell from it, he fell from it. That's it. And the state that he fell from, nevertheless, it's not within the reach of his hand now.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (52:15) I heard that an action is the intention. The drawing of the reforming light, is that an action, or is that also an action and also an intention?

M. Laitman: It's an action with an intention, yes.

Student: Both? 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (52:52) In the paragraph he writes: In spirituality, a person cannot see how the many make the Creator important, and it's worthwhile to nullify before Him. It's concealed from us. But rather, we need to believe that that's how it is, and that's called the right line, meaning without any intentions. Another page on the bottom there is a very long piece where he describes that he doesn't see from others how spirituality is willing to give up self-love, because when he looks at the collective of those who observe Torah and Mitzvot, he doesn't see such a measure of importance that they will work in order to bestow. When he looks at his inner pictures and depictions of this, he can't see real pictures of bestowal. He needs to get it from the environment. He looks at the environment with his egoistic eyes. He doesn't see that they have some exalted intentions, and that's why he can't receive from them either. So there's some secret here. How can a person, through this concealment, which is clear why it's there, and he explains why there's concealment, how does he nevertheless manage to get this importance? 

M. Laitman: Because the fact that he is connected to some spiritual degree, so this degree shines to him, at least to a certain extent, even if he fell from it. So he receives from afar the light that was taking care of him, that was in him, etc.. And so there is a difference between one who is on a particular degree and one who fell into that degree from above, because the light is then closer to him and it's more understood to him. How he fell, what he did, this is how he makes a calculation and can repent.

Student: Even the ascent itself, to perform an ascent, what's an ascent? Where he attains a certain degree of importance more than he had before. Where does he attain it from? 

M. Laitman: Because he fell, specifically because he fell. That degree that he fell from, it exists within him but in a negative way.

Student: He sees that he's down, that he's sensitive.

M. Laitman: Yes, and others don't see it, they don't feel it, and so he now has an opportunity to get up. One who doesn't fall cannot get up.

Student: He gets an awakening from this, he feels I'm in a descent.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Then from this moment he needs to start working and receive importance, to attain importance.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: How to do that?

M. Laitman: How does he do it? Through action and prayer.

Student: How's that? Through the group.

M. Laitman: Through all the means that he has at his disposal.

Student: That's the question, about all these different means.

M. Laitman: What?

Student: How does he attain importance through the group? These means, there's a certain mechanism here that exists, for sure. Otherwise, you cannot ascend. How from his action towards the group does he attain, through them, importance?

M. Laitman: If he ascribes the importance of a higher degree to the society, to the friends, he begins to work with it as a higher degree. And in this way, bit by bit, he receives from it support and forces to ascend to it.

Student: Meaning, even in his state where he feels that he's in descent and he needs to awaken, he doesn't see the importance in his friends, but he relates to them as if.

M. Laitman: This is considered that he has Torah, that the way exists.

Student: Then he relates to them as if behind them there's a certain degree and he starts to connect to them. Like without…?

M. Laitman: We should always remember that the way to ascend is through the group, it's always ready for us, and we can use it. Everything depends on the person.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (58:17) I didn't understand, what does it mean in utter simplicity? He says, to keep the Torah and Mitzvot in utter simplicity. He says that the very last sentence that if a person should be rewarded with something, he should take upon himself to keep the Torah and Mitzvot in utter simplicity. What does it mean without an intention? Meaning, even if you don't have an intention or you have no taste in this action, this is utter simplicity?

M. Laitman: In simplicity is considered as it's written.

Student: As I understand it on my degree, my level. Even if I feel no taste, as he writes.

M. Laitman: That's not important. It doesn't matter.

Student: Sometimes we say that Torah and Mitzvot are acts of connection in the Tens. Sometimes it can be from beyond the barrier. You explained that these are all kinds of actions that a person performs with his intention towards the Creator. Sometimes, as I understand it, is that the way everyone keeps these commandments with hands and legs. So there are a few levels, right? So even if I keep it as he gives the example of the Tzitzit, the tassel, there is no taste in doing it. But that too helps, seemingly. And we can say that this action is above reason because within reason there's no taste, no point.

M. Laitman: If you perform it in such a way, it will be above reason.

Student: Meaning, keeping things even in simplicity, let's say I keep Kosher, there's no taste, there's no reason for it, it's not about health or anything. Of course, we can imagine all kinds of things, but practically even in that, when I have no intention, that also helps?

M. Laitman: Yes, because you understand that through observing the Torah and Mitzvot, even like this, like Kosher, like Tzitzit, like other things, you, by this acquire the ability to rise to their degree, of those Mitzvot.

Student: Yes, so how nevertheless can we tie it, I mean, we say that the whole Torah is about love your friend as yourself, so…?

M. Laitman: That's the great rule. But it's not that it's the whole of the Torah. It's the conclusion of the Torah.

Student: We shouldn't associate keeping Kosher or the Tzitzit, the tassel to the connection with the Ten, right? I can't connect it.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Is there some connection?

M. Laitman: No.

Student: Okay, so it's impossible. So there are acts of connection in the Ten, and there are these practical acts, and both of them can advance me towards the goal?

M. Laitman: Yes, of course.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:01:14) Why connection in the Ten is not enough for everything, from the love of people to the love of the Creator?

M. Laitman: It doesn't express all the possibilities of our connection in the Ten to adhere to the Creator, because all together, this connection does not cover everything.

Student: Why? We always said the Ten has everything. If we connect and annul in the Ten, then within it will attain everything.

M. Laitman: There's a matter where connection covers everything, and there's a matter in which we need to perform an action and rise to that degree.

Student: What is the addition of an act which is outside of the Ten that a person can perform by himself? What's the addition in it? What is missing in the Ten so that I have to spend extra time in other actions, external actions?

M. Laitman: You need to do actions that you call external, because these actions you do with your friends, with still, vegetative, animal and speaking, and so on and so forth. The Mitzvot are not that you are executing them in a built framework. You're doing that as you're going as well.

Student: Why love of friends doesn't cover everything? Why the intention is…?

M. Laitman: Because we are in a reality which includes still, vegetative, animal and speaking, and we are even above that.

Student: Therefore, the intention is above the still, vegetative, animate and speaking etc.? 

M. Laitman: That's why all our spiritual development moves from all the worlds, from the lowest possible worlds.

Student: When a person performs an action with an intention, so when he ties these two things together, what is the result of that? What do you get from that?

M. Laitman: By this, you bind your action to the Source, to the Creator.

Student: Okay, this is a spiritual condition, the actual act? Without it, a person cannot advance only with the intention of the heart?

M. Laitman: Usually, yes, he can't.

Student: He cannot advance. From what stage does it become some kind of a barrier for him? 

M. Laitman: That's pretty fast. Meaning, if a person thinks already how to observe certain actions that have yet to be performed, what actions in order to bestow to the Creator, and these actions already are called Mitzvot, and he must observe them as it's written.

Student: What does it mean, as it is written?

M. Laitman: As it is written, as in them incorporating, be in all the worlds.

Student: When a person keeps Mitzvot, commandments, by that, what does he do? He's operating, he operates towards the Creator, he operates towards the friends, to whom does he operate here?

M. Laitman: By that, he's operating towards the Creator. He has no one else to operate towards.

Student: Where are the friends here?

M. Laitman: Inside the Mitzvot. All of reality is together with the Mitzvot, where a person uses them, uses all of them in order to bring contentment to the Creator. 

Student: Concretely, now, is this a barrier in our society to advance towards Lishma if we don't keep certain actions?

M. Laitman: It depends which.

Student: Which? 

M. Laitman: I don't know, that's something we have to see each time. We don't have to exaggerate, but even if you're throwing them completely, there's no such thing. There isn't. 

Student: He writes here, in the beginning he says, the commandment of the Tzitzit, tassel, then he says some are meticulous about the cloth, and the length, and the width, so I'm trying to understand what is the minimal and desirable thing in order to advance in spirituality. Because this is our goal, not to enter all of this meticulousness.

M. Laitman: For you, in order to observe the commandment of a Tzitzit, it's enough for you to go into the store and buy a Tzitzit.

Student: Sorry for being a bit…How does a piece of cloth that I put on top of me advance me to spirituality?

M. Laitman: You can't see that connection. The connection is above your desire.

Student: Why should I need the act if it's all about my desire?

M. Laitman: You can't do anything truly with the intention, without the action.

Student: Why acts of connection, and meals, and lessons are not our infrastructure, to develop the desire and build the intention?

M. Laitman: You do them also in intention, and desire, and in action?

Student: What's missing in them, so that I have to add additional things, certain clothing, or checking what food I eat, or why?

M. Laitman: This is all in how you're adapted towards the Upper Force. As we learn what clothings are, what are the halls, where we want to bring ourselves also to the same existence. 

Student: What addition is in them that does not exist in the connection inside of the Ten? It's the same point. What is the addition in these actions that does not exist in the connections or relations between us?

M. Laitman: You cannot observe in the Ten all the connection there is between still, vegetative, animal and speaking so it will all be included within the Ten. How? It's simply impossible.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:09:03) I'll try to be very precise with my question. I don't have a Tzitzit, a tassel. I see no way of suddenly putting on a Tzitzit. If I keep Kosher, in the best case it's the popular kind, the common kind. If we start going over the commandments, probably I don't keep any, almost none of them the way they're written. What does it mean with respect to my spiritual development? That I'm stuck, that I won't advance until I start keeping these commandments.

M. Laitman: You will nevertheless have to observe somewhat these commandments that have to do with the root of your soul. When, I can't say, but for sure the time will come, and you will keep them.

Student: That will come by itself?

M. Laitman: It's best that it doesn't.

Student: Then that means what? Should I go now and buy a Tzitzit?

M. Laitman: That too. Also a Tzitzit, also a Tefillin.

Student: Okay, I have a Tefillin. But I'm asking seriously because this is really a big change in our character. A person who starts to walk around with a Tzitzit, it's not something that is taken lightly.

M. Laitman: No, no, no. I'm not saying that you must walk around with a Tzitzit. It's also not written truly according to the law. But this is a tradition that has entered into the society. No, you don't have to.

Student: What do I need? What do I not need?

M. Laitman: What connects to you? You need to know how you're observing it according to the Torah.

Student: What does it mean, whatever pertains to me?

M. Laitman: Well, when you eat and you eat Kosher, when you are walking outside of the four corners and you buy a Tzitzit there, and so on,

Student: I need to make a change in the way I live?

M. Laitman: What did we start to talk about from the first lesson this time?

Student: No, because again, I never heard here the words that I heard in the lesson. This is why I got up to ask the topic of the tassel, the Tzitzit. It never came up in any lesson that I was in as something that, like you said to the friend: Now, yes, you should go and buy a Tzitzit. I never heard that so far, ever.

M. Laitman: I told you that we are not. No. That was not my intention. But according to the Torah, if you have a clothing that has four corners, you have to connect to it with a Tzitzit. Yes. Let's say on a day that you're cold, you get covered by a blanket because you're cold, and you have to connect a Tzitzit to the four corners of the blanket.

Student: Okay, I guess I'll have to learn these things. Wait a minute. Let's put the Tzitzit aside. Practically, right now, we come to the morning lesson, we work in the Ten, we read the sources. Where does this whole thing come in here now of the literal Mitzvot, as it is written here? This whole conversation you had now with the friend and everything. What does it come into my day, my daily work?

M. Laitman: It enters in your daily existence also, but also in our study because these are things that we need somewhat, but nevertheless, to observe.

Student: Each one should think by himself what is he going to keep out of all of these things?

M. Laitman: No, not so much so. But on the degree of inanimate, as we call it, do and leave. We need it. Today you got your first dose.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:13:44) I want to ask a very simple question. Let's say a person decided to put on a Tefillin now. This time he has two possibilities he chooses. Either he's going to think about the Ten, no matter what, that it will be good for the Ten, whatever state he's in now. That's one possibility. The other possibility is now he says: I think about the Creator. Whatever comes to him also right now, according to his perception of the Creator at that moment.

M. Laitman: What does that have to do with Tefillin?

Student: He's now performing an action with his body. He put it down, he closed it, put it around seven times as required. Now he has a certain thought in his head. What does he think about? What is better?

M. Laitman: It is written in the Siddur what to do.

Student: Okay, so he does whatever is written in Siddur, the prayer book, the blessing and everything. The question is what should he think about right now? Not what he does. He does exactly as it is written. That's not complicated.

M. Laitman: Is that something you have to think about?

Student: There are two possibilities. One is that he wants to think about the Ten, that it will be good for the friends, about the concept of the Ten. Two is that he thinks about the Creator, the connection between him and the Creator.

M. Laitman: He thinks about the Creator and the Ten while he is saying what he is supposed to be saying about the Tzitzit.

Student: You need to have both of them. Okay, so first I understand, because earlier I understood a little bit different.

M. Laitman: Why?

Student: Okay, we're over this, but earlier it sounded like you have to, it's nothing to do with the Ten. It's only between you and the Creator.

M. Laitman: No, or something.

Student: Okay, so I have to bring the Ten and the Creator into this thought, right?

M. Laitman: Yes, that's what we're saying.

Student: Actually we should bring the Ten and the Creator in everything in our life, in every commandment.

M. Laitman: That's the main thing. But how to implement it? So that's something we need to do with an action. Guys, I don't want now to start scrutinizing all those things. You can lower your hands. That's it, that's enough. I'm not going to go now and start arguing and explaining. You have a book, take it, and see what you need to do. That's it. I have nothing to say about this. There's no benefit in this. Just see what Rabash writes. In a simple way, you need to do this. That's it. I don't want to start filling with all your complications. Leave it for yourself. 

Question (Holland): (01:16:52) What is really meant with the decoration or the adornments that we experience in practicing Mitzvot? So what is this decoration we experience?

M. Laitman: In deeds. That we're doing it with our hands, with our legs, in everything we can, with our whole body.

Student: We have, let's say, the scrutiny of the precision of keeping Torah and Mitzvot, the precision. But we also have, let's say, keeping the intention. Is that not the same scrutiny, to balance these two?

M. Laitman: When you do the deed, so it's a desire to do it with an intention that belongs to that deed. The adornment is like an additional beauty, an addition in adorning it. That's called the adornment.

Student: What is this, the difference between, let's say, the precision in keeping Mitzvot and, let's say, and also keeping the intention? Because if you keep the precision, you don't have time, let's say, enough for the intention. If you have the intention, you don't have the time for the precision. Is that correct or is it the same scrutiny?

M. Laitman: No, the intention is an intention, and the adornment is an addition. What I can do on it. I can walk around with a blanket all day, let's say go into all kinds of places and work, and go shopping, and all this while I'm covered in a blanket or I could sew a nice covering for myself and walk that way. Meaning the adornment is that I perform actions that are important to me and I add some beauty into them with my attitude to them. That's called an adornment.

Student: What is the strength in the addition? 

Translator: There's a quote that the friend refers to. He says, to the extent of the precisions. To what extent should we be careful with the precisions in the commandments? And then you were given the Mitzva, commandment, not to eat Hamatz, leaven on Passover. So what is that precision that we should keep?

M. Laitman: Those are things that belong to ones who understand about it, not people that really go into this according to their character. That's why we don't need that. We just need to know that this is like that, that's like that. That's it.

Question (Kyiv 1): (01:21:04) It's written here that when he prays or turns to the Creator, he should depict to himself that he's turning to the Creator as to someone who's close to him, a great person. What's the right way to relate to this imagination in order to feel the Creator is close to me as an important person? 

M. Laitman: The Creator is a force with no boundaries, with no form, that fills all of reality, and determines everything, from the tiniest little action to the greatest. It is all the Creator. That's it. And the more a person makes efforts in that, the quicker he will attain Him.

Question (Turkiye 2): (01:22:11) How can we see to what extent we have corrected the evil inclination with the help of Torah and the commandments? 

M. Laitman: We need to see this. Let's hope that we see it when we reach our first spiritual degree, we will already be able to see from it which friends that are implementing these things in spirituality too.

Question (Turkiye 8): (01:23:22) What is the meaning, what is the spiritual meaning of the Tzitzit and how should we approach such things? 

M. Laitman: It's not important, it really isn't important. There's a lot of details in it and I don't recommend to even get into this. And you don't need to perform it either. You don't need to. 

Question (KabU 11): (01:23:57) I just want to say how incredible this text is, how it's all for our own benefit. Everything in it describes how many possibilities, how many options we’re given just to come closer to the Creator, some kind of connection with Him even with the smallest action. It's amazing. I'm blown away by it. 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Women Turkiye 7): (01:24:48) It is written in the last paragraph: If my intention is to bestow, what does it matter what taste I feel? Should that feeling be in a person or in the environment?

M. Laitman: I didn't hear the question. 

Student: Should that feeling, is it dependent on the individual or on the environment? 

M. Laitman: The feeling of what? 

Student: The feeling that is written in the last paragraph: If my intention is to bestow, why should I mind what taste I feel? 

M. Laitman: It is important because when I receive something in order to bestow, I give to the Creator, I have contact with the Creator. In this connection I built with the Creator, I receive a great light from Him. Every time a different type. Then it turns out that this pleasure I feel by receiving that light from the Creator, it's a very great pleasure. I have to receive it not for myself but in order to bestow, that I want this light to expand through the whole world and fill everybody. That is my intention.

Student: Does the feeling depend on a person's labor or on the environment?

M. Laitman: Well, help me. 

Student: Does the feeling depend on the person or on the environment? 

M. Laitman: Does the feeling depend on a person or the environment? That's already a more difficult question. Well, let's say the environment, too. The person and the environment, too. 

Question (MAK 4): (01:27:19) The Creator collected us, assembled us together in the Ten. What does He expect of us?  

M. Laitman: That we will turn to Him with a demand that He will raise us to Him. 

Question (Haifa 1): (01:27:44) Rabash writes that each time he has to check himself to know for certain the measure of the hatred he has acquired to hate his vessels of reception and yearn for vessels of bestowal. The question is: The measure of hatred, is it measured with respect to each desire specifically or toward the general will to receive? 

M. Laitman: The general will to receive. 

Question (Women Turkiye 4): (01:28:37) We believe that many of our actions are for the sake of the Ten and the group, but the Creator is hidden. So, I simply do the best I can to take care of, to care for the friends and for dissemination. How can I think about the Creator's contentment if I haven't revealed Him? What criticism should I do on my thoughts? 

M. Laitman: First bestow to the friends, then with all the friends, try and aim yourself to the Creator, and then you'll start feeling Him. But only in that way. First to the friends and then to the Creator.

Question (Women KabU 2): (01:29:36) How to bow my head before the Creator?

M. Laitman: To lower your head before the Creator is internally to bow down, and in this way you keep going till the end of correction. 

Question (Women Moscow 6): (01:30:09) How to intensify and renew the connection with the Creator? 

M. Laitman: Only through the friends. 

Question (Women PT 23): (01:30:22) Rabash describes here in the article a process that leads to a fall. He writes suddenly he is called upon to come to the King and speak with him, and then he looks at himself at how he was immersed in lusts of this world, and he sees he becomes a strong man, and he looks at the environment with criticism. And a moment later after the criticism, he forgets about spirituality. What is the connection between the joy from the privilege of speaking to the King, or with the King, and the criticism that awakens in a person and should we be careful from that joy? 

M. Laitman: No, we constantly have to be happy from our good deeds, and that's a great commandment. That's why be cautious if you're without happiness. The contrary. 

Question (Women Ukraine 2): (01:31:26) For me, the most important person in life is you. And I have a great fear of asking questions. I want to say thank you very much to the Creator for having rewarded us with speaking with a great Kabbalist in the chain of Kabbalists. I want to wish you health. We love you very much. And the friend has a question.

Student: If I may, I have a question regarding satisfying the Creator's desire. Regarding the Creator's desire, does He demand observing Torah and commandments? I wanted to ask regarding satisfying the Creator's will. How do I satisfy, how do I do the Creator's will through the desires that appear? How to yearn not to satisfy my own will, my own desire, or through this desire to have connection? What does satisfying the Creator's will look like when I look at it from the side? 

M. Laitman: No. It's the right fulfillment because it happens through reflected light. So, it's all right, just keep going that way. Okay, friends, let's summarize this here, the first part of the lesson. 

Reader: (01:33:48) We'll move to the next part of the lesson, a song. 

Song: (01:33:53)