Morning Lesson November 03, 2023
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation, which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio.
Part 1:
What Is the Preparation to Receive the Torah in the Work? - 2, Article No. 29, 1989
1. Rav Intro: This is a very significant article. It is kind of medium in its length. Let's read.
Reading Article No. 29, (00:45) “What Is the Preparation to Receive the Torah in the Work? - 2”
2. R. (28:53) What do you think, what is your impression?
S. Rabash is taking us on a very beautiful journey each time anew from the beginning of creation until we can truly come to the request, to the prayer.
R. Yes. Okay, let's see what questions.
3. S. (29:30) I want to emphasize that it is an amazing, beautiful article, Rabash is depicting to us the relationship between us and the Creator. It is simply amazing. On one hand, the Creator is the architect, He is bringing here the work plan of creation, and we need to pay a price for it. On the other hand, he is the craftsman and you made me. How can we understand this between the relationship of us and the Creator?
R. That we have to bring ourselves to a state where we receive this work upon ourselves and demand the Creator only help in doing it. We don't have anything else. Only connecting between us and between us and the Creator, to try to get strength and mind from Him to do the work correctly, to realize and fulfill His will.
4. S. (31:07) He writes here in the end now we can understand why it's forbidden to teach the Torah to the idol worshipers in the work. Are we not still idol worshipers ourselves and do we still do things for our own benefit? What does it mean?
R. First of all we have to understand that what's written in the Torah as forbidden means impossible, because ultimately everyone has to reach the realization of the Torah and achieve the perception of the Torah and the revelation of the Creator, everyone has to reach that, all created beings. Where it says forbidden, it means impossible for now, meaning that man still can't do that because he has to first correct something else.
5. S. (32:25) What is the Torah as a spice, if it's not a reward then what is it?
R. By carrying out the good right relationships between us we begin to feel reality in a correct way, in corrected vessels that are in connection between them and adhesion with the Creator and then what we receive is the reward.
S. There is a revelation that is being revealed and what's the spice towards it?
R. It's all of those laws of bestowal that we have to carry out and instead of tasting a bitter taste will feel a sweet taste.
6. S. (33:46) How can you build the structure of Kedusha?
R. I don't understand, how is it possible? On top of everything we feel, we want to correct it in order to bestow. Towards connection between us and a more and more profound bestowal, inner bestowal towards each other as much as possible.
7. S. (34:56) How do we manage to work in order to bestow without any reward in Torah and Mitzvot in the group?
R. No, we receive a reward but it's not a reward to the will to receive, it's a reward to the will to bestow. By connecting and helping each other to make actions of bestowal, bit by bit, gradually we discover what the Torah wants from us and what it gives to us in exchange for carrying out these laws of bestowal.
8. S. (35:54) Is using the Torah only in order to receive, can it lead us to fanaticism and mental illnesses?
R. I don't know. If you use it correctly there's no chance of it going wrong. You just have to be in search of how to carry out the Torah properly, which is connection with the friends and then connection with the Creator, as written, “From the love of the created beings to the love of the Creator.”
9. S. (37:01) In our language, spice is to improve the flavor of something. Why do they use the word spice and not remedy or medicine, because it sounds like more correctly it would be like a remedy or medicine to correct the ailment, the illness?
R. No because we don't take the bad out of us, we only spice it, we give it good flavor in such a way, that we can use it so as to rise higher and get closer to the Creator. The evil that we reveal is our ego, if we turn it into a force of connection then by that we discover spiritual degrees.
10. S. (38:20) How do we pay the Creator for giving us Torah and Mitzvot, after all, we do not have anything to give Him. Do we do this through the prayer of gratitude, or do we need to work through a Masach on this?
R. We have to try to realize and carry out the laws of the Torah which are the laws of bestowal love and connection between us, and from between us to the Creator. This is called that we as if we bring Him back with what we receive from Him.
11. S. (39:14) In what manner does the Torah teach us how to come to the correct prayer?
R. By always bumping into our incompatibility with the Torah and then we change ourselves with better and closer behavior towards each other until we begin to feel what we lack in order to adapt ourselves to the Creator himself. That's how we come from the love of the created beings to the love of the Creator. That's our path.
12. S. (40:28) We as humanity are advancing at a certain pace. How can we as Bnei Baruch focus and sum our prayer correctly, what should we think of? What should we present in our hearts in order to correct the situation?
R. We have to understand that all that we feel, this situation is built by the Creator. The Creator wants us to feel our reality this way, to feel ourselves and the forces that push us apart from each other. Once we feel that, become aware of that, and understand that this is opposite to what we should be, which is the opposite of the Creator's will, then we have to start relating to our correction and our correction is by Torah. Meaning by learning how to get closer to each other so that between us the force of connection can appear and that is the Creator.
13. S. (42:14) If it's impossible to teach Torah to an idol worshiper, how can it become a potion of death?
R. We are in that place and then we begin to feel that incorrect use of the Torah does not bring us to any good result. On the contrary, we cannot connect between us, we cannot reveal the Creator, we can't reveal that we are in adhesion with Him and so our path is just completely bringing us to darkness. Therefore, this feeling is intended for us to come out of that and cause a change in the situation, a change in our direction of our progress and so we pray to the Creator, we ask of Him to accompany us correctly towards correction, and he does so if we ask together, He will do it. First, we have to feel that we are in a true path of darkness.
14. S. (44:17) What is to learn Torah in the ten?
R. To study the Torah in the ten means to study the laws of connection through which we gradually advance towards the laws of the Creator, because what is the Creator ultimately, it is the force that we discover in the network that connects us.
15. S. (44:58) How should we prepare ourselves correctly before performing Mitzvot in order to receive the precise deficiency for the prayer?
R. Speak with the friends and understand where you are. We have to speak to the friends and determine exactly where they are, and what they want, and then we'll know how to advance and where.
16. S. (45:50) We learned that in the end the whole world will be corrected, which means that there will be an equivalence between the idol worshipers and Israel. How is this transition made?
R. The transition, we don't do anything besides increasing the connection between us. From the search towards connection, and its implementation we begin to learn the laws of the upper nature, the laws of connection between all of us and that's how we advance towards adhesion with the Creator.
17. S. (46:47) I want to ask about deficiency please, about the preparation of the lack. He gives an example of a friend that invites you to a meal and he says, just don't eat before you come so you have a good deficiency.
R. Yes.
S. But in our lack, there are many actions, it's not just to avoid something. Why does he give that example? Can you expand on this, is it something that we have to avoid?
R. He gives you an example that you need to study and learn the right lack for the attainment of the spiritual goal, and if you prepare yourself with the right lack, then you do reach the feeling of the spiritual goal and you enjoy its attainment.
18. S. (47:52) What is the thing that hinders attaining the Kli for receiving the Torah?
R. Lack of connection between the friends.
19. S. (48:12) You answered the friend that work in connection makes us come out of idol worshipers to become Israel. Why is it that way?
R. Why is it that way because Israel means that we are connected together and aimed at the Creator. This is called Yashar El, Israel, straight to the Creator, and Akum means the one who doesn't direct himself straight to the Creator, that's why it's also called Akum, which also means crooked.
S. Yes, but what is the work with the intention to connect, and change us this way?
R. Because in working on connection he enters connection with the friends and he aligns himself by them, and this is what each and every one does through the others and ultimately, they all align towards the Creator.
S. What is the force of the ten, specifically in changing the picture of the person that he won't receive anywhere else, not even anywhere else in Bnei Baruch?
R. No he has to be in the ten and carrying out the rules of the ten and feeling himself closer to them as much as possible. Each of them should do the same until they establish themselves at the center of the group and in the right connection and that's how they reach a single goal for all of them.
S. If I connect with other friends in our society that won't give me that force?
R. No, completely not. We've already learned a long time ago that these things are really forbidden. It's not that you should reject your friends from other groups, but the necessity to achieve adhesion with the friends only falls on your friends in the ten.
20. S. (50:41) When we receive the light of Torah should we just enjoy it, it becomes obvious that it's all about connection and bringing joy to the system. Should we put any kind of restriction on it or should we just explore it?
R. We'll know that later. First, we want to receive the light through our actions, then we'll know how to work with it.
21. S. (51:32) You said that we don't take the evil out of us, we only spice it. In practical work in the ten, whether it's in the state of connection, the gap is revealed, the distance from the qualities of the Creator and the friends, what does it mean ‘to spice’ that which is revealed?
R. To balance all of the qualities that awaken in us and bring us to a balanced connection.
S. What is to balance?
R. That we will have good and bad in balance with each other because by the bad we discover our urgency for good and by the good we straighten the bad and this is how you come to a state where both sugar and salt and pepper and all of those things will be calibrated for a proper flavor.
S. That's actually done through prayer, right?
R. Correct.
22. S. (52:52) What should we pay attention to in order to taste the bread of shame?
R. The quality of our connection, that each and every one will try to be towards the friends in a straight manner to only work for the sake of the friends and so we will always have to correct ourselves more, and more, and more in a more precise manner for the sake of the ten and that's how we will advance throughout the ladder.
23. S. (53:57) In this world we receive a reward according to our work. In spirituality, the reward is to receive the form of bestowal and it's as if I can take what I want, the payment has already been given in advance. The question is: If I want to receive the form of bestowal, why do I need to, how do I need to make the right calculation here?
R. The right calculation, you discover it if you relate correctly to what's happening to you, to what you demand. What you said for now is not exactly what we need to discover in our actions.
24. S. (55:10) What is the Torah in our spiritual work?
R. The work in spirituality is connection between us and from connection between us connection with the Creator. That is our whole work.
S. She asked what is the Torah in our spiritual work?
R. Torah in our spiritual work is that force which helps us connect, that force which appears in connection.
25. S. (56:03) You said you need to learn the correct lack to attain the spiritual goal and if you prepare yourself in the right lack then you will reach the feeling of the spiritual goal and enjoy attaining it. If I remember you also said that Rabash said, “That you can't buy the lack in a supermarket.” Can I pray for the friends so they will have a lack or is that up to the Creator to give?
R. Yes, it's possible to pray that way, it's correct, it's good.
26. S. (56:45) You said that we need to define exactly what we want, what we're asking for. You answered the friend that we need to define where we are and what we want to do and make a scrutiny in the ten this way?
R. Among you, you need to speak and try to determine what is governing you. What do you wish to attain and how can you join efforts to see a common goal and get closer to it. You need to discuss all that in the ten and then you will see where you are today and what you are yearning for. What do you wish to attain?
S. In what way is this different than where a friend expresses his lack? Already there there's a desirable state. How important is it for us to talk about this?
R. It's in clarifying a common goal that can really be common to all of you and you begin to attract yourself towards the same goal.
S. When we talk about the current state, how can we scrutinize and know that we've truly scrutinized where we are and how we can move to the other state?
R. In your request, in your question to the Creator you have to receive the answer from the Creator.
27. S. (58:42) Rabash writes, “Therefore, the fact that a person wants to always receive pleasures the Creator created that nature where every created being aspires just for pleasures, and we need to know that all that we call the evil inclination is only this quality which is called the desire to receive pleasure in order to fill that yearning.”
R. Yes.
S. We see in the article, on many articles, that the Rabash puts the emphasis on our work against the evil inclination in abstaining from the pleasures of this world.
R. Okay.
S. We put the emphasis on what separates us from the friends. What's the connection between the pleasures of this small world and the work between friends? Why does it bother, or does it bother?
R. We have to see before us a goal of our progress. That we all become “as one man with one heart.” In that way, after unity between us, we also unite with the Creator. So, if these two roles: which are called love of the created beings and then love of the Creator, if both of these roles, we don't see before us, as the right direction for our work, the right path that leads us to the purpose of creation, then we don't understand where we are at all and what we're doing. Whereas, if we stabilize ourselves that way then we'll advance.
S. Yes, that's clear, Rav, I understand. I'm asking, what do the pleasures of this world bother the work in which a person can be all day in thoughts, prayers, and inner efforts to connect himself to the ten and the Creator? Why do the pleasures of this world need to bother that?
R. Because creation is the desire to enjoy or the desire to receive delight and pleasure. And so if I am aiming at that, to my desire that wishes to receive spiritual fulfillment, then I advance spiritually and if I am aiming myself to fulfill myself with corporeal desires, then I advance corporeally.
S. Meaning our work is really on the intention, right?
R. Right.
S. Why is the action itself fulfilling myself with this pleasure needs to be problematic? If I'm constantly in an effort for the intention, I'm trying to hold onto my friends with me and just like that, a person goes to the beach because he feels like going to the beach. What is the problem with that if he's together with his friends and his thoughts and that, so the beast, the animal, the body enjoys a little bit, what's the problem with that?
R. It’s not a problem. It's not that bad, I'm not saying it is. The question is: To what extent is this in contrast with the purpose of creation, with the purpose of life? That's what I need to weigh.
S. So what is this work of abstinence that he talks about at the beginning of the article which is also part of the preparation for the receiving of the Torah?
R. That we have to distance ourselves from all the actions that distance us from attaining the purpose of creation which is the adhesion between us and with the Creator. That's the main thing.
28. S. (01:03:07) If the work is in this abstinence, in this distancing, we see that we are living in this world, not living in some Monastery, so what is the purpose of this constant confusion in relation to the pleasures and the purpose of creation?
R. It's not constant confusion. You're being allowed to feel. Where does your heart tend towards?
S. I want spirituality. I came here for my life here, for spirituality and I grasp it every day, all the time. I am like half-suffering from every delight I have in this world, that you can't really be free, you can't really enjoy something, you're kind of asking yourself, what?
R. If you do the right math with regards to corporeality and spirituality, you'll see that you can also enjoy this world and it's possible and it's permitted and yet you also advance towards spirituality. There's no problem with going to the beach or sitting together with your friends or whatever and so forth.
S. Meaning when we talk here about this abstinence, the meaning is about that calculation, that calculation should be present always?
R. Yes, yes, yes, when you internally make the calculation about does this advance me towards the path or not, and if it does, no problem.
S. When we read about the restriction, what is the restriction, some action that has to take place in relation to every pleasure that comes? Do I need to perform a certain form of restriction even momentarily to open that calculation?
R. In anything that deflects me, distracts me from advancing towards the Creator?
S. Meaning, I need to do that examination whether this pleasure, whether it’s a glass of wine, no matter what? Is it distancing me from the Creator, or does it help me get closer to the Creator? I do that restriction, I do that examination and only now I can work with that pleasure, and the beast enjoys, and I am with my heart to the Creator and with the friends?
R. No, you examine to what extent can this pleasure bring you closer to the Creator, and accordingly you are blessed for it.
S. What is this blessing?
R. That by this action you actually get closer to the Creator?
S. Meaning thank you for giving me the possibility to do the calculation and to choose Him and to do this action in order to come closer to Him specifically through it?
R. Yes.
29. S. (01:06:10) In every action I do there's no one-hundred percent that I can say that it will bring me close. There's a part that brings me closer and a part that puts me in that same action that I see that draws me away from it, so what to do with that, to do that?
R. Try to strengthen with the friends, in connection with the friends, so that your actions, your mutual actions, will attract you towards the purpose of creation itself.
S. What to do with the part that seems to distance? Do we have to avoid it or pay attention to it and intensify the part that brings us closer?
R. If you are together with the friends, in contact with the friends, correct contact, then you can get closer to the goal and enjoy. The purpose of creation is to enjoy every state and every action we make. You just have to learn how to do that. This is called entering the world of correction.
30. S. (01:07:35) To scrutinize better what the Torah is, a person in our world as a result of processing what's happening after the suffering. Can he without studying Kabbalah discern that everything is managed by one connected force and the only correct movement towards Him is a connection with everyone and to resemble this force? Can he come to that without the wisdom of Kabbalah?
R. He can reach that, but he can't realize it.
S. What will he be lacking towards this implementation besides the inner, honest desire, this observation of this force? What will he be missing?
R. He will lack the understanding of the general system of the collective network of connection, the direction, the intention, all of that will be lacking, and he will just want, he will just wonder about his own desires and won't be able to understand if his desire belongs to bestowal or reception.
S. Meaning a person can't reach this independently, so the wisdom’s point of view enables us to move towards this or not?
R. No, in the mind for now, intellectually, and then above that, what we call above reason.
31. S. (01:09:50) How can we be straight towards the friend, honest towards the friend? There’s a certain situation in the ten like we scrutinized, the friend makes his calculation, not towards connection but seems towards separation, as it appears to me. How to talk to him directly without rejecting him?
R. For that we have to raise and elevate the connection the friends above everything in the world, as it's written, “Either connection or death.”
32. S. (01:10:52) What are the steps or ways by which we need to take upon ourselves in order to have a need for the Torah in our spiritual life?
R. We have to know that the main thing for us is to connect, to get closer, and then we'll achieve the goal in the connection between us.
33. S. (01:11:42) It's written, “From the love of the created beings to the love of the Creator.” The created beings are a big broad layer. How to relate to all these layers? What is our attitude towards the created beings?
R. I relate to my ten and I try to be with them in a connection and from this connection come to the love of the Creator that exists at the center of our connection, that's it. And I don't imagine to myself all kinds of pictures that I can't stabilize.
S. What about the others and such things?
R. That is all. That's all for now.
34. S. (01:12:44) “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.” We can find the Torah, where is the Torah found in The Study of the Ten Sefirot? Can we find it or is it before the creation of the worlds or before the wisdom of Kabbalah that was written? Where can we find the Torah?
R. No, Torah means all the forms of behavior that we have to take on from above, from the Creator, and then implement them in the connection between us.
35. S. (01:13:38) What does it mean that I have done an action that brings me closer to the Creator? Is Torah only the spice?
R. Torah is only the spice. Yes, if there's an evil inclination that exists, we don't need anything besides what can correct it, which is the Torah.
36. S. (01:14:12) What is the unity between us?
R. That’s the Creator, the form of the Creator so that it's understood by us, felt by us.
37. S. (01:14:44) Are there degrees of bestowal?
R. In bestowal certainly, there are all the degrees that exist in the ladder of degrees, meaning as much as there is a ladder of desires, there is correspondingly a ladder of bestowal so that there is bestowal on top of each and every desire.
38. S. (01:15:33) I remember that once in the Congress a friend asked you in the lesson if the Creator will tell us, now that I'm ready, right now to give you the Torah, if you'd answer one question, what you need the Torah for and you really said that that's the most important question that we have to answer. Everything that's happening now is to bring us to that question?
R. Ultimately, yes.
S. That's like the architect or engineer that he's speaking about? Do we have to acquire this plan?
R. The Torah? We have to pay with our egos. We have to be ready to separate from it completely, which means that in its place we will want to acquire the Torah.
S. Why is the reception of the Torah called the giving of the Torah?
R. Because you can't acquire it in any other way. Unless I ask the Creator to correct me and what I'm getting from Him, the light, a power to be above my ego, that's a gift already.
39. S. (01:17:13) Why when I make the effort to aim for the sake of the above that gives me the best help, the deepest help for the Torah?
R. That's according to the ladder. That has to be this way.
S. I don't understand. What does it mean according to the ladder?
R. What do you want?
S. I want to understand how in the ten in our work we actually come to this true need, this true deficiency for the Torah, to reach the true deficiency that every action that if I aim it to the Creator, so it becomes a spiritual action?
R. Yes. Yes.
S. How do we take every action and aim it to the Creator?
R. If you can connect and you wish to perform this action together, then already in your connection you are performing a spiritual act.
S. Before every action we have to understand what our intention is, and that it will be common.
R. Of course.
40. S. (01:18:40) How can we picture this transition from the nations to Israel? What I used to be black and now I am white, or the black is added with light?
R. I don't understand your examples.
S. We have Akum, the nations are two ends, and we learn about Akum that becomes Israel. Is it liking a dramatic change that black becomes white?
R. It’s a gradual process, of course, how we learn about it. What is to ask here?
41. S. (01:19:33) Question from a friend that is in the Reserves. I heard there's no problem with going to the beach and also that I have to scrutinize whether the pleasure helps me get to the Creator then I can implement it. For instance, how do I go to the beach or any other pleasure? How does it help me advance to the Creator?
R. This you'll find out slowly when you wish to realize it correctly. All your desires you'll be able to use them in order to approach the Creator. When you will want to build the correct intention on top of each and every desire.
S. What helps?
R. And to carry out the desire correctly. What helps? The study helps the connection with the friends.
S. In order to have the right intention?
R. Yes.
42. S. (01:20:42) You said that we have to take upon us all forms of behavior from the Creator. Does that mean in deeds, right towards the ten?
R. Yes.
S. I'd like to scrutinize this point, what the connection is between our longings for connection that we implement every day and the forms of the Creator? There's this natural, inner yearning towards connection, or maybe not natural, but what I build inside me, and then I must discover in the ten a bit of the Creator towards us.
R. What do you want to ask, can you ask clearly?
S. I want to understand the connection between my natural yearning to connect and the way the Creator behaves, that what He is revealing to me through the ten and I might not see it.
R. That's not a question. That's not a question. There's no answer because half of what you're asking you're unable to feel.
S. Why don't I feel it? I'm realizing it in the ten, what I'm told, what the Kabbalists tell me, and everything you are teaching, I have to connect with the ten. I do certain actions, internal, and external at all kinds of different times and that's what I'm doing myself and there's in my yearning towards the connection, I also have to discover some force in the ways the Creator behaves.
R. The behavior of the Creator?
S. Yes, you said before that we have to take upon ourselves the Creator's behaviors.
R. We need to do it. How can we know today how to do it? For that, we need to try and connect and whether we do it correctly or not correctly, the Creator will guide us constantly.
S. What helps us discover the Creator's behavior in the ten?
R. Our longing for connection, our yearning for connection.
S. All my attempts to try and connect to the ten, along with that, I need to want to find the right form of the Creator?
R. I don't know what the correct form of the Creator is. I don't understand those questions.
S. No, but my question is from your answer that we must take upon ourselves the Creator's behavior.
R. Which is bestowal.
S. Okay, so now when I will yearn in the ten towards the connection, now there's my desire, my yearning. What can help me understand the difference between my daily longing for connection to that form that the Creator is showing me, what should I pay attention to?
R. The Creator clothes in the friend, you need to feel through them what incomplete relationships you have with the friends and in this way, you will acquire the form of coming closer to the Creator.
43. S. (01:25:19) Is self-realization using the desire correctly, meaning to receive with the intention to bestow contentment to his Maker and no pleasure for oneself? Is that right?
R. That's what's written, that's what is written.
44. S. (01:25:48) Is the condition, the minimum condition for the transition between Israel and the nation of the world, is that the connection between two friends at the level of Arvut?
R. Yes, yes.
45. S. (01:26:30) The rejection is also an expression of the attempts to connect. So, what should we understand from the rejections?
R. We need to understand that each time we have to make the correct calculation. Where are we, where's the Creator, where's the correct connection between us, and where are we truly?
46. S. (01:27:20) The Creator's intention towards us is also our attitude towards Him?
R. Well, let's just assume that, yes.
47. S. (01:27:43) How are the friends' deficiencies in the ten expressed?
R. I have to test, to check how I accept those deficiencies. Do I feel a connection with them? Do we connect together with a great common desire, or deficiency and turn it to the Creator?
S. How do I know? Because I have my own deficiency, they have their deficiency. How do I know when I stand on my deficiency when I relinquish?
R. All of us need to try and be in one deficiency, to be in one deficiency and then we'll advance.
S. Another question: How do I know that the Creator is answering my prayer for the friends?
R. If we combine our deficiencies and after we ask the Creator, we can feel in them His response.
48. S. (01:29:08) Rabash divides the work of the Creator into two degrees: the work of the individual and the collective. There he writes what a person loses if he does if he enjoys for his self-benefit. So, is it worth it for us to understand what we're losing by not working for the benefit?
R. Each one of us has to do his work and after we more or less scrutinize our work, we need to try and combine all our efforts together.
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