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

Daily Lesson (Afternoon) April 15, 2024.

Part 1: Rabash. Record 920. “The Torah Spoke Regarding Four Sons”

Reader: Shalom, we're reading in the writings of Rabash, article number 920, “The Torah Spoke Regarding Four Sons.” You can find the study material on Sviva Tova and the Arvut system and send live questions through our sites. 

M. Laitman: Yes, please, let's start.

Reading Article: (00:26) “The Torah Spoke Regarding Four Sons”

“The Torah spoke regarding four sons.” The whole Torah is only for the evil inclination, as our sages said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice” (Kidushin 30b). Therefore, “He who does not know how to ask, open for him.” We should understand what we should ask, and with what is it opened for him. What is the Segula [power/quality/virtue] with which to open for one who does not know how to ask.

The thing is that when there is an evil inclination, there is a need for the Torah. Hence, if one believes in reward and punishment, he can already observe the Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], since he has a reward. Thus, he is not asking the wicked one’s question, “What is this work for you?” When he has no evil, he has no need for the Torah. Hence, “open for him.”

If you see that a person engages in Torah and Mitzvot because he believes in reward and punishment, he is closed, meaning his evil is closed, concealed. For this reason, it is impossible to correct him because one corrects only that which one sees. Hence, at that time a person is taught to work in order not to receive reward.

Then the wicked one comes and asks, “What is this work for you?” That is, “What will we have if we work for the Creator without any reward? This is against our nature! We were born with a nature of delighting ourselves and not of delighting others without anything in return.” At that time, a person needs the Torah, and then it can be said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.”

But if he has no evil inclination, it means that the will to receive is not evident in him, for only this is called “evil,” and nothing else.

Re-reading Article: (03:43) “The Torah Spoke Regarding Four Sons”

“The Torah spoke regarding four sons.” The whole Torah is only for the evil inclination, as our sages said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice” (Kidushin 30b). Therefore, “He who does not know how to ask, open for him.” We should understand what we should ask, and with what is it opened for him. What is the Segula [power/quality/virtue] with which to open for one who does not know how to ask.

The thing is that when there is an evil inclination, there is a need for the Torah. Hence, if one believes in reward and punishment, he can already observe the Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], since he has a reward. Thus, he is not asking the wicked one’s question, “What is this work for you?” When he has no evil, he has no need for the Torah. Hence, “open for him.”

If you see that a person engages in Torah and Mitzvot because he believes in reward and punishment, he is closed, meaning his evil is closed, concealed. For this reason, it is impossible to correct him because one corrects only that which one sees. Hence, at that time a person is taught to work in order not to receive reward.

Then the wicked one comes and asks, “What is this work for you?” That is, “What will we have if we work for the Creator without any reward? This is against our nature! We were born with a nature of delighting ourselves and not of delighting others without anything in return.” At that time, a person needs the Torah, and then it can be said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice.”

But if he has no evil inclination, it means that the will to receive is not evident in him, for only this is called “evil,” and nothing else.

Question (Kyiv): (7:07) When a person deals with the Torah and Mitzvot for himself, for pleasure, he is closed. What does it mean that the evil inclination is closed?

M. Laitman: He doesn't feel that he is in the egoism, he doesn't feel that this egoism is developing, meaning he is not moving forward. Not even negatively, he is not advancing. Not just to talk about the positive aspects of things.

Student: He doesn't move forward even in a positive way. What does it mean when we should ask for light to influence us and correct us? Is this not the reward? 

M. Laitman: That's precisely the reward. 

Student: Here it seems from the article that it's wrong.

M. Laitman: No, no, no. We'll go through this again.  

Question (Eng 1): (08:09) I just wanted to ask, when I see the world and the tragedy and the horror and the war and the hate and the venom, and the malice, and I see that as being part of me, that breaks my heart and makes me want to change. Does that sound right? To take the world and say, that is me, this is all part of my involvement, I need to change for that. That is the evil. Thank you. 

M. Laitman: Yes. All the bad things that a person sees beside him or outside of him, he discovers that it's all in himself that he's discovering it. This evil is in him. 

Student: And the state of disgust that I have towards the world is just compelling me to want to change for everybody. I'm so disgusted at the world. Is that right? 

M. Laitman: Yes. That's correct and that's nice. That will compel you to correct.

Question (Women MAK): (09:49) If someone doesn't know how to ask, is that someone who doesn't reveal the evil? 

M. Laitman: Well, there could be many other reasons.

Student: What is the quality thanks to which we can reveal who to ask? 

M. Laitman: Reveal to him that he is connected to the Creator and the Creator is turning to him. Even though he doesn't know where he's receiving all these signals from. 

Student: How to develop sensitivity to the constant influence of the Creator and grasp onto every Hisaron to have an even bigger Hisaron for bestowal and realize it through prayer? 

M. Laitman: It depends only on a person. Where the person is constantly thinking about one thing, meaning he's concentrated on his ego to the extent that his ego does not enable him to come closer to the Creator. Then a mighty desire arises in a person, and he cries out to the Creator and the Creator hears him. That's how he comes to it, attaining the Creator.

Student: Can we add, how to build, and arrange the evil correctly to direct it to the good? How to correctly work with the ego? 

M. Laitman: It always turns out that way. If the evil points to you distancing and you ask the Creator for the forces and knowledge in order to correct that evil, in order to be close to the Creator, then that's how it works out for you to work between you and with the evil. 

Question (Women MAK 88): (12:35) Please tell us, opens him, who is the one that opens? 

M. Laitman: Repeat it again.

Student: Who does this article speak of, open for him, you open? It seems to be the evil inclination. Who opens up the evil inclination in a person? 

M. Laitman: It is all done by the Creator only. The question is whether it's done by the request of a person or even against that request.

Student: So, we have to ask to reveal this evil inclination and give the strength to correct it.

M. Laitman: Right. 

Question (Turkiye 2): (13:39) What is the evil inclination? 

M. Laitman: The evil inclination is our egoism, which constantly closes ourselves within it and we just want to fill it. 

Question (Women MAK 26): (14:20) The article says that they will be taught to work not for the sake of receiving. Who teaches this? Is it the quality of the Creator, or is this the group or the Rav, who teaches?

M. Laitman: The soul. It's called. “The soul of man will teach us,” meaning the soul of man teaches him. We go over all the states, and gradually a person learns from that. How he's supposed to and can relate to it. 

Student: Shouldn't we create some kind of an atmosphere in the group where the friends would feel that they are working not for a reward, not give them a reward for their labor? Should we have something like this in the group or we shouldn't? 

M. Laitman: Not precisely. Not exactly. We need to encourage one another and help one another as much as possible to support. And this is how we will advance.

Student: If a friend feels, for example, I know for myself that I feel that I can't do anything for the group. I don't have the strength. If I ask from the group, give me the importance of this, give me strength. The group, how does it, how should it react to this? 

M. Laitman: The group needs to respond normally, not just you yourself. Everyone asks in different ways, maybe from the Creator. You're asking for all kinds of, there are all sorts of anti-egoistic forces through which you want to be corrected and that's fine.

Student: If we face it, I'm not speaking of my Ten, in my Ten we always give each other strength when someone asks for it and if we see that someone needs the help. But I noticed that this happens in the group, in Bnei Baruch, people say, you just want to get pleasure and we won't give you strength because this is your ego. So, you just want to do something for the group, or you want some reward?

M. Laitman: That's precisely our state as of now. We have not come out of the ego yet, so therefore, naturally, I ask for forces. I want to make from this a certain action. Amongst other things, we'll also raise us upwards.

Student: So the group should give the strength and not hold back? 

M. Laitman: No, the group needs to help each and every one of us.

Question (Women PT 33): (18:16) There's a feeling that in the Kelim of reception, the desire to receive, we feel that there's a feeling that I wanted to receive, but I didn't receive. I have two questions. If there are vessels of reception that are not corporeal, but spiritual? 

M. Laitman: Spiritual vessels of reception we don't yet have, for the time being. We need to come to a state in which we will have the quality of the restriction, where I will be able to close myself up such that in my reception there will never be something for myself. 

Student: So, I, in essence, start this action from corporeal vessels? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Could you give an example of any example about this? I want coffee, for example, and I'm not going to drink. 

M. Laitman: Why? 

Student: Because I don't drink, I'm not drinking for bestowal. 

M. Laitman: No, no. In such a way you can get confused.

Student: If you say that before Massah, before Tzimtzum, if you're working with vessels of reception, corporeal ones, could you give an example. How to not get confused? 

M. Laitman: What example? 

Student: Where do I say that I don't receive? 

M. Laitman: That's something that you're saying in advance, that I, let's say, now want to feel something, but I want that feeling to be not because I want to enjoy myself. Yes? 

Student: Yes, but in essence, I drink coffee if I don't enjoy it.

M. Laitman: Meaning that you're asking the Creator to arrange for you such a form of reception so it will be in order to receive that way. 

Student: About everything? 

M. Laitman: And that way upon everything. Yes.

Student: And then this brings us closer to this condition the Creator gave us? 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Question (Women ITA): (21:34) How to ask? It's a bigger question. To ask according to our desire without expecting anything, but only with a great trust in Him. 

Reader: I had to correctly ask the Creator according to my desire and only hope for the Creator to give me the greatest response. 

M. Laitman: How to correctly ask from the Creator? I think for this we have all the means. We simply need to yearn to come closer to Him and to ask. That's it, without too much smarts here. 

Student: Usually, I ask help from Him after I saw my evil. So, I feel better only to ask. It's good?

Reader: Usually, I ask for help from Him after I’ve revealed my evil. 

M. Laitman: Yes, that's okay for now.

Question (Tbilisi): (23:24) Can I ask in practice what is the difference between a friend opening up to a friend and a Rav opening up to a friend? 

M. Laitman: It's not possible to say which is preferred. They could change each time.

Student: Recently, we started giving hints to each other and discussing together what is this? 

M. Laitman: Of course, that's good. That's good.

Question (Women MAK 97): (24:15) Recently there is this longing kind of melancholy. Is this correct to ask the Creator to take us out of Egypt and ask to have the strength to bestow?

M. Laitman: If your yearning and pain appear because of that specifically, then yes.

Student: I should figure out where it's from, right? 

M. Laitman: Correct. 

Question (Women Turkiye 7): (24:58) In the article it says the person can only correct what he sees.

M. Laitman: A person discovers that his heart is blocked. That he has no sensitivity in his heart to open it to the Creator, to friends, to the whole world. And this is how he discovers how blocked he is, how obtuse he is. The more he turns to the Creator and asks and begs, gradually, the Creator opens up for him. And the person feels he has help to rise from his ego to the force of bestowal.

Question (Women Kavkaz 1): (26:18) In the article it speaks, the article speaks of two states. The first one is when a person needs the Torah because he doesn't love his neighbor without an attitude to himself. That's clear to us. We need the Torah for this. But the second one, when a person has faith in reward and punishment, is this after this first period or this doesn't have anything to do with us? What is this? 

M. Laitman: This comes in parallel. It comes in parallel. It depends on what the desires are. 

Student: So, it can be in this or the other. I need to understand where I am.

M. Laitman: Correct.

Question (Women MAK 86): (27:13) When the Creator lets us feel this Pharaoh, this evil inclination in us and we are asking for mercy, he shines even more in this evil inclination. Can we ask the Creator to show us our evil through his eyes as the good that does good or is this an egotistical desire?

M. Laitman: After you correct it, you'll be able to truly be assured that it's like that. For the time being, no, it's impossible.

Question (Women Haver 7): (28:02) Our Ten has been in this internal crisis. Is this that the Creator opens up the evil to us? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Women French): (28:43) What's the difference between giving to a friend and to the group? 

M. Laitman: There is no difference. 

Student: When we pray for a friend, asking for her, for the friend, does this mean that we're asking for the whole group? 

M. Laitman: When we ask for the group, then we intend this for the whole group. And this is how we advance. 

Student: And vice versa? 

M. Laitman: Repeat, please. 

Student: When we ask for the group, we want all the friends to get this. When we pray for one friend, for her state, is this the same as asking for the whole group? 

M. Laitman: It's not the same thing, but it's nevertheless a good thing. 

Question (Moscow 7): (30:21) When there is a revelation of evil in a person, is he automatically knocking on these doors, or does this require an additional action?

M. Laitman: We don't need any other action, just for him to feel the answers of the Creator.

Student: Another thing, I often reveal the evil in me, but I stopped having any shame or any kind of feeling of guilt, I just have some kind of a surprise. It's as if I don't have pain, and I don't have shame, is this okay? 

M. Laitman: Yes. In a big-picture way, yes, it's okay.

Question (Women Rehovot 1): (31:14) In the article it begins to speak of the four sons that ask questions. What do the four sons represent for us in the Exodus of Egypt?

M. Laitman: The four phases of light that expand within the desire to receive. 

Question (Women MAK 70): (32:05) A question from a friend. A condition to exit Egypt is a recognition of my state as the worst, as an evil that we do not agree to and we cannot stand. Should we agree to it or accept it? 

M. Laitman: What to receive? That depends on you. The Creator reveals it for you.  From your side you need to see whether you want, you don't want, what you want to receive as a result of that state, what you're asking. 

Question (Women English 1): (32:57) My question, is it possible to bestow without receiving pleasure? Each time I feel I'm bestowing especially in dissemination when the public asks the question what does Kabbalah mean? And then I'm writing what does Kabbalah mean? And I'm quoting you. But I'm feeling pleasure as I'm giving it to them as well. I'm feeling pleasure as I'm giving them the answer.

M. Laitman: So, what's your question, Sheila? 

Student: Is it possible to bestow without receiving anything for yourself? Every question I'm asked that I answer I feel the pleasure of giving them something. 

M. Laitman: Very well. It's fine. You need to enjoy the fact that you're bestowing to people. You need to be happy that people by this are happy that you're answering them. 

Question (Women MAK 51): (34:30) A practical question. If I see a friend that's in a state of reward and punishment what are my actions? What should I do? 

M. Laitman: Help her. In every situation where you see the friend you have to think, how can I help her?

Student: How can I help her?

M. Laitman: If she's in such a state in which the evil is being revealed in her then you need to help her by joining her, connecting to her, and working together with her on inverting the evil to good. 

Student: Yes, if evil is revealed but if it's not revealed to her?

M. Laitman: Then help her discover it.

Student: So, I can talk about this in a careful way? 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Question (Women Spain): (35:55) When we have power over the ego is it stronger or only the faith above reason can subjugate it? 

M. Laitman: Yes, that's correct. 

Question (Women MAK 25): (36:17) When evil is revealed in us can it be that the qualities that we could be proud of before and now they cause repulsion and even fear? How to work with such emotional reactions to the revelation of evil? 

M. Laitman: With comfort. Work calmly. It all comes from the Creator and eventually, everything will be corrected. 

Student: If there is a fear that these qualities will burst out, what can help? Prayer, help from the friends? 

M. Laitman: Yes. Prayer and the help of the friends.

Question (Hadera 1): (37:19) If exit from Egypt is when a person reveals the evil that's against the Torah and recognizes that is there any evil apart from that? 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Question (Women Heb2): (37:43) We learn that we do everything together. When I'm alone and I pray for the Ten and I receive as one for everyone? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Women MAK 56): (38:16) What is this person that the Creator lets to see the wrong use of it, his desire? What kind of person is this? 

M. Laitman: What does that mean? What kind of person is that? 

Student: When the Creator gives him a wrong use of this desire, what is he like internally in his self-perception? 

M. Laitman: It depends on the person. Either he is happy that the Creator answered him, or he sees that the Creator answered him and by that, he saw him as bad. Meaning here a person needs to measure the state. 

Student: How does he determine that he was allowed to see the evil in him and this wrong use? 

M. Laitman: Be thankful for this. Be thankful. Give thanks. 

Question (French): (39:46) I understand that the recognition of evil is like fuel to work in the Ten. So, when can evil be revealed, and when it should not be revealed? 

M. Laitman: If we have the right vessels in the will to receive then we're happy that it's revealed because we can aim it correctly. That's it.

Question (Women Brasil): (40:34) In the Ten the surrounding light reveals the strength of the breaking. What is this essence, the strength of the breaking? 

M. Laitman: Our ego doesn't let us advance towards bestowal, towards coming closer to one another. That's called the force of the shattering. 

Question (Women Almaty): (41:05) In the Ten there are all four sons. Can the fourth son who cannot openly speak or explain what he wants, or are there states when more than the calf wants to eat the cow wants to feed? Can we speak openly about this with our Ten? We should understand this and treat this in a careful way.

M. Laitman: In the Ten we can talk about everything. 

Student: We shouldn't be afraid of taking the butterfly out of the cocoon. 

M. Laitman: No. But you need to discuss it. 

Student: Clarify this through clarification, yes?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Question (Women MAK 98): (42:07) We have to reach such a state which we cannot agree to and in which we cannot stay and from which we can ascend?

M. Laitman: These are extreme states. Not one state but three different states such that if you have the forces if you came to this and you can scrutinize within it. Scrutinize and you'll succeed. 

Student: If we don't find such a state then we fall? 

M. Laitman: No, it means that you can't scrutinize it yet. 

Question (Women Moscow 8): (43:08) Dear teacher, a year ago this was before Pesach I felt a very strong revelation of evil and a strong shame. It was completely unbearable. And since then, I've been looking for how to come to bestowal. This search is constant.  This morning in the lesson I heard that it's important to hold on to the goal of creation and that bestowal is only a means. So, my question is should I continue these ways to bestowal or should I concentrate on the goal of creation and the Creator will direct me to bestowal? 

M. Laitman: Aim yourself. 

Question (Women Moscow 5): (43:56) When we talk about how our work is difficult it's rather difficult. There is an image it's as if the Creator created this ball like an ego and he throws it at us and we have to return it to him so that we feel that like we're playing with the Creator so that we don't feel like we're carrying a heavy suitcase or should we feel that it's hard and we should annul before the Creator? 

M. Laitman: Nullify before the Creator. 

Question (Women MAK 26): (44:47) There is also this question not to give pleasure to the neighbor without any compensation. What does this mean without any compensation? Does this mean that the ego does not have compensation in the ego but at the same time receives a connection with the Creator or nothing at all?

M. Laitman: All in all, nothing. In truth, nothing. 

Student: This desire for connection with the Creator should we not have this? This desire? 

M. Laitman: Because it's egotistical as well. We just need to check these things. 

Student: I can't imagine how can a person do anything without any compensation? You cannot move a finger. So this quality of bestowal is when a person feels a connection with the Creator and can do it but without feeling anything in return. It feels impossible. 

M. Laitman: We'll gradually understand it.

Question (Women Turkiye 7): (46:24) In the last paragraph it says if he doesn’t have an evil inclination, it means that the will to receive is not evident in him. For only this is called evil and nothing else. What is the state when he doesn't have evil inclination? 

M. Laitman: He doesn't feel the desire to receive that's in him and is rising in him. He doesn't feel that.

Question (Women Haver 7): (47:07) I understand that the Ten is the mirror of the evil in me. I understand that there are friends through whom I see my evil more. Why does this happen? 

M. Laitman: So that it will reveal the evil in you.

Student: Why are there such friends through whom I don't see this and there are those who I feel more pressure from? 

M. Laitman: That has to do with the root of the soul of each and every one. Just accept it as is and learn from this. Yes.

Question (Women Brasil): (48:09) Can you explain this general soul of Adam HaRishon that broke because of the strength of the breaking? 

M. Laitman: The soul of Adam HaRishon shattered only because it needs to break. And we need to correct it and by this we reach corrections. The end of correction.

Question (Women PT 33): (48:49) I'm asking from the place I've been wondering for many years. At the beginning of the article, he writes when he begins to ask it opens for him. We should understand what we should ask and with what is it opened for him. What is this Segula, this quality with which to open for one who does not know how to ask? I didn't find an answer to this question. What does this mean this quality for me to ask the Creator?

M. Laitman: This means that a person doesn't feel that he has before him some discernments that don't open up. Yes? 

Student: Not from this place I just don't know what to ask. This question is not in its place, this is not clear. Ask him all the time, this feels like there's something wrong because I don't know what to ask for. I'm in a dead end of my relationship with the Creator and there's something lacking in this state where I don't know how to ask.

M. Laitman: And your friends don't help you? 

Student: They help me a lot and then I'm not in this state anymore, that's not me anymore that's something general, it's the Ten. It's something general, it's not individual. 

M. Laitman: I don't think it's correct, but we'll wait and soon it will get clarified.

Question (Women Turkiye 5): (51:02) The evil inclination has to do with an individual or does the Ten also have an evil incarnation? 

M. Laitman: Yes, the Ten also has an evil incarnation but we reach it when we try to rise above the current evil incarnation in the Ten. According to the rule, anyone who is greater than his friend his inclination is greater than him.

Question (Women MAK 97): (51:47) Dear teacher if a person realizes that he cannot work in the system of reward and punishment what should we ask the Creator for? 

M. Laitman: Again, please.

Student: If a person realizes that he cannot work in the system of reward and punishment anymore, what should he ask the Creator for? 

M. Laitman: We ask for him to have the possibility for strength and patience to work in a system of reward and punishment.

Question (Women Rus 10): (52:37) My question is this how practically through unity with the friends can we reveal the evil incarnation in us and in the Ten as a whole?

M. Laitman: Again, please. 

Student: How practically through unity with the friends can we reveal the evil incarnation in ourselves and in the ten as a whole? 

M. Laitman: Think about this specifically, that your connection with the friends is what will disclose to you their ego. And you will be able to come closer to them and them to you. Then anyone who is greater than his friend his inclination is greater than him, as it's written, that one who has a greater ego is also greater than his friend so in such a case we will discover all their egos. 

Student: To reveal the good a person has to use a lot of energy. Where do we get this energy to correct the evil inclination? 

M. Laitman: The same way with the good. There is no other place to receive the energy other than the Creator in unity. Yes, in the connection.

Question (Women MAK 51): (54:41) I wanted to clarify the deficiencies of some qualities I see in friends they are my qualities, right? So, it turns out that if my friend has a quality of punishment and reward does this have to do with me? And then it seems like I should ask the Creator for correction of this quality, but it seems to be in me and I shouldn't turn to the friend. But you told me that I have to show the friend to help her see this evil.

M. Laitman: Yes 

Student: If I see it in a friend it's my evil and we should correct it only through prayer?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Turkiye 2): (55:50) We are like clay in his hands and he corrects it. Where is the person's work here? 

M. Laitman: The person needs to discover the evil and to bring it before the Creator, to demand corrections upon this evil. That's it. That's the work of a person.

Question (Women MAK): (56:31) How to check desire for bestowal in a clear practical way in the Ten from its conception to realization of the desire to bestowal and where is this expressed? 

M. Laitman: By you being able to connect between you connect to the Creator and you want for him to work with your connected desire.

Question (Women ITA): (57:10) Another question. I think it's right to see our evil in order to transform it but how can we assume all evil?

M. Laitman: When we get there, we will feel it. 

Question (Women MAK 56): (57:44) It turns out that a Kabbalist gets pleasure only from helping others. Is this correct?

Student: It turns out that a Kabbalist only gets pleasure from helping others

M. Laitman: Of course.

Student: How does he treat the pleasures of the corporeal world? 

M. Laitman: He doesn't feel that he wants them and therefore, when he receives he doesn't have a true feeling from it.

Student: Seemingly it just exists and that's it? 

M. Laitman: Yes, it's above that.

Question (Women MAK 86): (58:51) If I reveal evil as it seems to me should I ask the Creator to have a feeling that this evil is in me so that I have a deficiency for the request for correction?

M. Laitman: I don't hear you, well. Where are you talking from? I don't know, correct it, please. 

Question (Hadera 1): (59:24) This describes very well the four phases of development of the will to receive and my question is about the first paragraph. It speaks of a man who is prepared to reveal the point in the heart but it's not fully ripe yet, he doesn't feel it yet. 

M. Laitman: Yes.

M. Laitman: That’s all. And it’s just one o’clock in the afternoon. I wish you all the best. Be healthy and successful. And thanks to the Creator.

Reader: Thank you to the Creator Thank you to Rav, all the friends. Announcements and we will end with a song. 

Song: (01:00:24)