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

Daily Lesson (Morning), August 6, 2024. 

Part 1: Baal HaSulam, The Writings of Baal HaSulam, Letter 45.

Reader: Hello, we are reading in The Writings of Baal HaSulam, the section with The Letters in The Writings of Baal HaSulam, Letter 45. You can find the letter in our site, Sviva Tova and the Arvut System and send live questions there. Whoever asks in the hall is asked to stand up, hold the microphone close to one's mouth, and speak loud and clear. The Writings of Baal HaSulam, Letter Number 45.

Reading Letter: (00:44) Letter 45 25 Tammuz, Tav-Reish-Peh-Zayin, July 25, 1927, London

To the honorable students, may the Creator be upon them.

As I prepare myself to return to my home, I so long to find you ready and willing to hear the word of the Creator properly.

Currently, I feel shame for ... and for ... who were among the best and the highest of the friends, and now, who knows? Perhaps ... may his candle burn is drawing nearer to me more than they, and if he is rewarded with complete confidence, he will rise and live, as it is written, “You desire truth in the inward parts, and in blocked wisdom, You let me know.” That is, by obtaining confidence, all the wisdom of the worlds, upper and lower, is bundled and revealed, and all that is required for this attainment is a pure heart, which has already loathed self-love and is entirely dedicated to His name.

Therefore, he did well not being impressed at all by ... and ... slighting him for his lack of shrewdness. Rather, let his heart be haughty in the ways of the Creator, and small and great are there.

What else can I do for ... who wishes to learn everything from me, except for the matter of lowliness, for he is thoroughly displeased with this engagement, and he is confident that he is better and more comely than the blind and dry people, and all the more so than his brother, who has an ugly face. He is even certain that I, too, thank him because he was not ashamed to write me. It seemed to me that for his sake, he should dedicate considerable time to this engagement.

And yet, my intention is not as the lowest of the low, meaning as the lowly, who seek lowliness, for that one is even worse than pride itself because who will swear on a stone that it is a stone? Certainly, there is he who thinks that it is gold. However, he should know and believe that all creations are as “clay in the hands of a potter—when He wishes, He makes longer, and when He wishes, He makes shorter.”

Also, he should not be angry at the wicked, but rather have mercy on them no less than he has mercy on himself. As long as he has not been rewarded with the higher mercy, how will he know what to detect and be angry over? On the contrary, the mercy on them increases even more because they are robbed without consolation.

Like a father whose two sons are sick, where one has the funds to purchase medicines, and one does not have the funds. Naturally, the father’s heart has more mercy on the son without the funds for medicines, for the one with the funds for medicines will be cured if he seeks out cures, and if he does not, it is as though he has committed suicide. But on the other son, the mercy of the father and of all who see him cuts through the heart.

Thus, why do you so slight your brother, who has an ugly face, and you are angry with the world for respecting him more than you? In my view, he is more worthy of respect than you are, and this is simple. So is the nature of the world, and although he did not see, his fortune saw, and this is easy to understand.

Last week, I learned from ... that he has resolved to resign from my engagement, that I had burdened him with too much, and to come to me, to London, without asking my permission, for how will he ask me? Does this relate to me? Also, even a small child running from school knows that to sit next to his teacher’s table, with great contentment, and to entertain himself with the secrets of Torah and high secrets, is far more agreeable than to engage in the ways of his teacher, in lowly and contemptible matters. From those, one can only come to great troubles, for lack of ability to pray even as a simpleton.

I reply without question, for one who deals with me in this way at this time, when he is thirsty and longing, I greatly benefit him. Moreover, let his deeds be with me when I am rewarded with bringing him under the wings of the Shechina [Divinity], for then he might think, has the Creator spoke only with Moses? The Creator will speak with me, as well. I, too, have a table to set, to furnish all the upper worlds, and how can I annul myself now before the bodily engagements of my teacher and the questions he had taken?

The honor and fear of equalizing with the Creator relate primarily to that time, when he has already been rewarded with the Shechina being clothed in his heart forever, for you should believe that your teacher’s bodily matters are truly engagements of the soul. This is why our sages said, “It did not say, ‘learned,’ but ‘poured,’ implying that serving is greater than learning.”

A student should be in true annulment before the teacher, in the full sense of the word, for then he unites with him and he can perform salvations in his favor. A student cannot adhere to his teacher’s soul, as it is above his attainment.

As ... may his candle burn, wrote me, he believes that the body of a righteous is as great as the soul of another. While he did not hear what he himself said, for he finished with ... he still agreed with my trip to America. Had he heard what he had said, he would not have agreed so easily. However, it is true that the body of a true righteous is as great as the soul with which the righteous, the saints of the upper one, are rewarded. So may you be rewarded with adhering to my body, and then you will certainly see your world in your life. This is why our sages praised the service, as it is closer to Dvekut [adhesion] of the student with the rav.

It is hard for me to understand ... for how can it be that after all the troubles I went through in his favor—composing the handsome and comely composition, namely my book Ohr HaPanim [The Light of the Face], with various adornments for him, on fine paper and with a clear type font, a complete introduction, and a general preface, index, and a list of acronyms? These have become the two great lights, properly illuminating and explaining.

Also, almost every single week I write him a long and elaborate letter, sometimes even two in the same week, as best as my fingers can produce. I cannot suspect that he is not a good guest, that he will not say, “All that the landlord has troubled himself with, he has troubled himself only for me.” And yet, I find him sitting surrounded by the holy wall, for had he not sat outside the wall, he would certainly not equalize himself with his inclination, conducting this sapless custom.

I also fear that alongside that custom of his, he says to himself that he is adhered and connected to me more than all the friends, for the heart’s aim follows the words, and the Creator seeks the heart. And since the point in his heart is adhered to me, he needs nothing more than to repeat the actions. These are needed and appropriate only for those of little knowledge, who have no other way. For a decorated (handsome) Jew like him, a good heart bests them all, so he no longer needs to display any actions with qualification or advantage.

It is true that I have not yet heard from all the friends any impressions from my book Ohr HaPanim, except for ... who wrote me praises and accolades galore from the bottom of his heart for every section I sent. I am therefore certain that it will help him ... and he can more or less feel the value of the man and his work. This is why his heart is a human heart, which is at least behooved to be impressed, as I have already written in the interpretation of the verse, “My darling son, Ephraim.” Yakir [dear] is like Yakir [know/recognize], and Yakir [know/recognize] is like Yakir [dear], meaning they are interdependent and are as one.

Remember what ... wrote me, admitting without shame that he understood that whole letter well, except for the issue of Yakir and Yakir, that he must insert an elephant through the eye of the needle [study hard]. He attributed it to the possibility that he needs more forewords and knowledge of the righteous. This is why he was able to write to me in the last letter that there is a hidden lock on my book, which he does not know or understand.

What could I reply to him? Therefore, I said to myself that what the mind does not do, time will do, and it will become clear to him that recognition is according to the appreciation. That is, the inspiration by and annulment before the real good. This is what raises and sustains the exaltedness and preciousness, and then the recognition is accumulated in him, followed by the raising of the preciousness. Thus they rise on the rungs of Kedusha [holiness] until they are rewarded with satisfying the deficiency and correcting the wrong, up to the real and complete unification.

In that letter, I wrote that Yakir is like Yakir on the Creator, but they are one and the same, as it is written, “And they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses,” and as our sages said, “One who doubts his teacher, it is as though he doubts the Shechina,” since the upper will [desire] is equal in matters that are measured and come in truly the same amount.

And what can I say to you, natives of the land, who believe that I am abroad and you are in the land of Israel!

The holy Torah will testify on my behalf in what Moses commands us in the portion, Masa’ey [Journeys]: “Command the children of Israel ... for you are coming unto the land.” In these verses, he points out and clearly marks the borders of the land, in a way that anyone who comes to the land of Israel will no longer have any doubt.

He decrees and says, “It shall be to you the side of the Negev ...” “Negev” comes from the word Negiva [wiping], for “The salvation of the Lord is as a wet garden.” Therefore, the departure from His light is called “Negev.” “It shall be” implies joy, indicating the salvation of the Creator, which includes the letter, “It shall be to you the side of the Negev,” meaning that they knew that the side of the Negev was considered a recognized side and boundary.

It is written, “And you will soon perish,” meaning from Zin Desert, by Edom. “Zin” comes from the words Tzinim and Pachim, which our sages said are not in the hands of heaven, but rather by Edom, for as soon as Edom is involved, the Creator says, “I and he cannot dwell in the world.”

This is why he says, “And it shall be to you the boundary of Negev.” “Boundary” is the end, where the above-mentioned wiping ends, “From the end of the Dead Sea eastward” means as soon as you begin to touch the edge of the kingdom of heaven. “Eastward” is like “as before” [the two words contain the same letters in Hebrew], the wiping will promptly end, and the abundance of the goals of His might will begin to appear before you.

It adds further, “And your border shall turn from Negev.” That is, because the beginning of sunrise was after the “wiping,” and “in its boundary,” the narrow turns outward and twists to the north of the world diagonally, as RASHI interpreted, to The Ascent of Akrabim [scorpions]. In other words, this is why scorpions are coming up before you.

“And pass along to Tzina [Tzin].” Terrible Tzina [chill] spreads through the bones, bursting forth from Zin Desert on the east, for he is Tzin, and she is Tzina. It is translated [into Aramaic], “from the south to the ascent” of Akrabim.

“And pass along to Tzin,” as our sages said, “Even if a serpent is wrapped around his heel, he will not stop.” But according to everyone, a scorpion does stop. Therefore, “And his outcomes shall be from the south to Rekam Ge’ah [Kadesh-Barne’a],” because envy consumes like fire in front of the scorpions until he must come to Kadesh-Barne’a, which is Rekam Ge’ah.

In other words, his thoughts take on a clothing of pride, extraordinarily, until “And it shall go forth to Hatzar-Addar,” for although he boasted with a mantle of hair and will not cause to sin, like those who are first to the kingship, he still feels he is standing in the court, standing outside. This is why that place is called Hatzar [court] Addar, meaning that they contradict one another.

“And pass along to Atzmona,” Atzm-on-ah. He is Etzem, and he is Atzmon, and she is Atzmona, for the place causes, and it becomes like a hard, unbreakable Etzem [bone/object]. Likewise, the elephant does not have joints in its bones and cannot turn its head back. When it wants to look back, it must turn itself entirely, from head to tail, as is known to those who know the nature of animals.

He concludes and says, “And the border shall turn for you from Atzmon to the brook of Egypt,” meaning that Atzmona returned to being Atzmon. This is why he returned to the brook of Egypt, of which the Creator said, “You shall not return that way henceforth.” However, it is still not the actual exile in Egypt, but rather the edge of that exile.

“And its exit shall be at the sea.” That is, once it was taken and sickened in the brook of Egypt, it is rewarded from there with the offspring of wisdom, to roam in the sea of wisdom. RASHI interpreted it: “That strip that protruded to the north was from Kadesh-Barne’a to Atzmon, and from there on the narrow grew shorter ... to the brook of Egypt.”

Interpreting his words: It is written in the name of the ARI in The Brightness of the Firmament, and I believe in Gate to Introductions, as well, that the world was initially created with a Bet Bet with Dot . It is known that there is a dot in the middle of the Bet, which is Hochma [wisdom], and the north side is open (see RASHI, Beresheet). Afterward, that dot of Hochma in the Bet expanded like the Vav Vav and returned to the north of the Bet, like this, Mem Sofit , and became a blocked [final] Mem.

This is the meaning of the words of our sages, “But it could be created in one utterance,” that Mem is one utterance.

However, Hochma could not expand because that Mem Sofit is a blocked letter in all four directions; hence, the Hochma was restricted once again as a dot in the middle of the Bet Bet with Dot, like the Vav.

At that time, the Hochma expanded to be given as a reward for the righteous, which is why “the world was created in ten utterances, to avenge the wicked who are destroying the world, which was created in ten utterances.”

Because the border turned from Atzmon to the brook of Egypt, as it is written, “I saw the wicked buried, and they came,” and as it is also written, “I was at ease and He shattered me, and He has grasped me by the neck and broken me to pieces. And He set me up as His target.” It is all because of the above-mentioned strip, where the Yod expanded into a Vav to the north of the Bet, and the border was necessarily made shorter for the brook of Egypt. This is why all the enemies of Israel are lost there, and the children of Israel come to the sea to draw the fountains of wisdom [Hochma] to renew the world as before, meaning to “give good reward to the righteous, who establish the world, which was created in ten utterances.”

The writing ends, “As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea.” This is the primary source for being granted with the great Hochma, called “the Great Sea.” From there begins the drawing of the air of the land of Israel, which the Creator has sworn to give to us.

To rush us toward that thing, the text repeats and says, “This border shall be your western border.” That is, all the exits from the sea of wisdom are only that border, meaning the great sea, the sea of the land of Israel, Mochin de Gadlut! It is impossible to be rewarded with them unless they have traversed all ten borders. This is the meaning of “and changed my wages ten times,” after which one is rewarded with settling in the land of Israel, a land flowing with milk and honey, and a good, broad, and pleasant land.

Behold, I have given you horses. If you can place riders on them, you will come to settle in a good, broad, and pleasant land for all eternity. Until then, do not say that I have journeyed from the land of Israel. Rather, you are negligent in this and do not properly long to sit in it together with me.

Because I read the portion to you, I will conclude with the prophet: “Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel. ... Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’ For they have turned their back to Me, ... and where are your gods, which you have made for yourself? Let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble ...”

Is it even conceivable that our holy fathers at the time of the Temple and the prophecy were fools, calling the tree and the stone, “Mother and Father”? Only fools who make others fools could think so about our fathers.

Rather, the tree is the tree of life, and the stone is the tree of knowledge. That is, what is revealed to a person, it is tested and tried that it is the counsel of the Creator, since through those tree and counsel he extends the light of the upper life, called “the tree of life.” What is hidden from human concepts and tactics—while he is still doubtful whether it is a good tree or a bad one in the eyes of his Master, to be favored by Him—is called “the tree of knowledge of good and evil,” or Even [stone], from the word Avin [I will understand], meaning I will observe and see if it is a good counsel or a bad one.

One who sits and regrets a long time is also called Meducha [mortar/issue], as our sages implied, “Prophet Hagai sat on this Meducha.” It is called Meducha because it is ready for the fools to grind and crush their bones there, as it is written, “If you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle ... his foolishness will not depart from him.”

We should ask, “How is the fool placed under the pestle in the mortar in fervent Dvekut [adhesion], yet does not depart from his folly whatsoever?” Also, although he sees for himself that the fool is killed like a moth, he will not depart from his filth? But the fool finds for himself a reason even while sitting inside the mortar and seems to find contentment in it.

We need not be surprised at it, for it was said about such matters, “Do not judge your friend until you are in his shoes.” This is why this god is called “gods of stone,” or a “figured stone,” for it does not reward its worshippers whatsoever, who worship it devotedly, and they have no one to save them in their time of trouble.

Opposite the gods of stone are those who worship the tree, who settle for the slight illumination they can salvage for themselves. As the hand of the Creator is too short to save them in their time of trouble, they do not move from the tree that they see because it seems to them that the landlord, too, cannot save his vessels from there because that tree is already tried and tested by them as the father of life. Thus, they forget, or pretend to forget, that holiness is increasing, not decreasing.

This is a sign of sanctification and sanctity, as it is written, “Do not say, ‘The first days were better than these,’ for it is not out of wisdom that you ask this,” as those who serve another god are sterile and do not bear fruit, and wane and diminish like the fruit of the festival. They will die without wisdom and always feel that “the first days were better than these.”

This is what the prophet complained about them, for after all their days in the above-mentioned foreign works, as the disgrace of a thief who has been found, “they say to a tree, ‘You are my father.’” That is, as though saved from a fire, they delight in their lot, for that tree is to them like the father of life. “... and to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’”

And once they have received their lot, the prophet compares them to people placed between the mortar and the pestle. The prophet asks further, “And where are your gods which you made for yourself? Let them rise, if they can save you at the time of your trouble.” That is, “Think how much those gods have given you and how much they have saved you from your troubles.”

He continues and asks about them saying, “According to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.” That is, in each awakening, these invocators were stubborn and confident compared to the above-mentioned sides—the tree or the stone. Finally, all the kings of the east and the west could not disrupt the works from you, and each city becomes Godly to you, like the word of God.

Do write me and clarify how much of this long letter you understand, and how much you do not. Specifically, detail at length all ten boundaries that I have depicted for you, and interpret for me more than I wrote in it, for I wrote succinctly.

And most of all, do not be ashamed to let me know all that you do not understand, and all your interpretations, for then I “will respond to the grain, to the wine and to the oil,” and not one of your words shall be returned empty handed.

Yehuda

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (39:33) He concludes the article with, don't be ashamed to disclose what you don't understand. And, thank God, there's a lot that's not understood in this article. On one hand, it's fascinating and flows but not from the inner work side. From the side of the inner work it's not so clear what needs to be done with it. There are many addresses to the students that are kind of surprising, there's a whole conversation about the desert with many concepts that are also not clear. There are several allegories that I wanted to ask about them also, if possible. There's the allegory about the sons that are both sick, and one doesn't have money, and the other does have money. And it says in the allegory that the father will have more mercy on the one that doesn't have money. That was not so clear, what the message of this allegory is, what's the meaning, what it's expressing, explaining?

M. Laitman: Okay, each one understands whatever he understands.

Student: Okay, can I ask another question?

M. Laitman: After that, well?

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (41:23) He writes that you need to believe that your Rav's body will merit the actual manners of the soul, which is sanctified. Because the study with the Rav should be in a true annulment in every meaning of the word. Because then you can develop, and salvations can operate for him. And he continues, he says, therefore, our sages praised those who serve the adhesion of their Rav. What is to serve the Rav or their teacher?

M. Laitman: To know, by himself, what the Rav needs and to carry it out as he would have done it with his own body, that's it.

Student: What's the matter that the service is greater than the study? The service is greater than its study, then learning it?

M. Laitman: I think it is because with the service, for sure, you're doing something for the great person. But in the study, you are doing it for yourself.

Student: And what's the matter of complete annulment in every matter of the word to the Rav? 

M. Laitman: Yes, this means that there's no barrier or blockage, here, some distance that the student wouldn't go through in order to serve.

Student: You can see, and really see the annulment of Rav towards Rabash, really, in every word. Rabash is always, from what I feel with you, that it's like the initial, most precise source. How do we really annul before the Rav, even if the intellect shows how to be in annulment towards the Rav, and wants to serve him like the Rav towards Rabash? You give us an amazing example of how to really be like that.

M. Laitman: I have nothing to add, it’s the way the Creator arranges things, this is how they exist.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (44:37) I want to continue the friend’s question: He says to continue there, that there's true annulment in every possible way. He also says that you can't always be adhered in the soul of his Rav since he is above his attainment. How nevertheless can we adhere to him because according to his question that I'm asking you, he says that he wants to learn everything from him except for the matter of the lowliness. What is this lowliness that really a person wants to grip on to his Rav but everything but the annulment he can't deal with?

M. Laitman: He wants by himself to exert and attain that lowliness and receive an indication that he has acted correctly.

Student: Is there even a possibility to attain lowliness from the Rav because it's a very high degree to take the lowliness.

M. Laitman: No, it's impossible, it's impossible; well, from the outside the question is how much the student understands or he doesn't understand. But within, it's all hidden.

Student: What can be done in this case, is it only a matter of time here that has to work?

M. Laitman: A prayer, a prayer. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (46:25) I heard you saying that the service you do for a great person and the study you do for yourself. But it turns out that if you look at it, most of the time you engage in study, so, what is it considered that a person does it for himself? Meaning where are the corrections, if it's for himself?

M. Laitman: Well, it all depends on the intentions, everything depends on the intentions.

Student: But when a person serves, does it depend on the intentions or not?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: So what's the difference, why does he emphasize the fact that he didn't say learn but actually poured? Why did he actually put the emphasis on the poured in, poured on it? 

M. Laitman: Because this is an action, in fact. And studying or scrutinizing, discussing, it may be related to a thousand different things.

Student: In our Tens when the ability to serve does not happen as easy for everyone. What does it mean to serve in our times, and what can a person serve?

M. Laitman: First of all, he can be connected to his friends, just like his Rav, his teacher determined. And together with them to bestow to the general vessel of the whole of humanity.

Student: By a person implementing the words of his teacher, that means that he's serving him? Meaning, today the ability to serve is not quite directly a student before the Rav. It's more like a person has all the time, this environment of the Ten, that's where he lives, in the society. So, I'm asking how we're here today, where there are great masses of students, where does it get expressed, the matter of service of the Rav?

M. Laitman: I told you more than once that there is nothing greater, there was nothing greater to Rabash than if we will disseminate with all our force. As much as possible, each one of us, not just to spread our forces but according to what we study.

Student: Simply, because in our time we invest so much time in study, what I wanted to try to grasp is how to learn, correctly? So it won't be for nothing but rather for some correction to come out of this and forces.

M. Laitman: Again, we're coming back to the same things: What does connection during the study mean? What does it mean to be connected in Arvut and so on? These things we should already settle.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (50:30) We work on the connection in the Ten, how can we connect out of the connection in the Ten to the Rav? Because a person can, simply, realize these matters in the Ten, and this simply becomes the world. But how to add to this that also the Rav will enter into that equation?

M. Laitman: In the place where you connect, there, you would feel me as well. 

Student: And how from implementing, let's say, dissemination or all kinds of actions that are the desire of the upper one? How do we connect to the upper one and not just carry out the action, externally? How do we do this? Because you said that what's important for Rabash is for us to disseminate with all our might. So, I can do that but not necessarily connect internally to Rabash. 

M. Laitman: You will connect, you will connect.

Student: Is there some counsel in order to improve it; to put into actions that will be more internal?

M. Laitman: Only to be more with the intention that you are carrying out the Creator's will. And you all want to be together as a place for the revelation of the Creator.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (52:23) He has several really beautiful depictions of the boundaries of the country. He talks about the borders of the country, he uses the names of places, etc.. What's the connection between spirituality and the land, the physical land? After all, we have a land. 

M. Laitman: What's the connection, the connection passes through the feeling, the emotion in which you portray the map of the land. And you give each place names from the Torah. 

Student: Is there a connection, let’s say, I don't know how much time to even ask. But is there something spiritual in the land, in the physical places?

M. Laitman: No, there's no spirituality in these places, not that but in the land of Israel, as we can depict it to ourselves, its parts, its sides. Accordingly, we can be connected to internal and external forces that are operating.

Student: Is there an advantage to the land of Israel, the physical land of Israel, upon other places?

M. Laitman: Certainly, yes, there's no question about it, because it's the land of their forefathers, they already did their work upon this land, so yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (54:40) I wanted to go back to the question that you answered the friend, you said in the place that you connect, that's where you need to feel me, too. I wanted to ask about that: You teach us for many years that there needs to be a connection of the Rav with the student, I'll give an example of how you were with Rabash. We're in a different state. We can't all be connected to you, that's why we're connected in Tens and we're trying to connect. What does it mean to feel you while we connect in the Ten?

M. Laitman: Only what we study to keep it, that's it. I don't portray myself or depict myself in some place but, rather, you have to keep it because you're studying it from Baal HaSulam and Rabash.

Student: How can the Ten check that when it's connecting, it's bringing Rav into that connection and he's felt within?

M. Laitman: It will come, there's no problem with that. There's no problem with that, the most important thing is the connection between you.

Student: There's connection in the study. There's connection in the meals and the meetings throughout the day. How in all the 24 hours a day do we keep the connection that brings this reaching a contact with the Rav in spirituality?

M. Laitman: I think that we should direct ourselves to Rabash, he is our true teacher. And through him, we already reach Baal HaSulam, and the Creator, and the other Kabbalists. But the most important is Rabash, he should be our goal; our source.

Question (Women PT 23): (57:26) How can you engage in self-lowliness in a true and real correct way?

M. Laitman: By me, connecting with self-subjugation to all of the friends.

Question (Women Moscow 6): (57:52) Baal HaSulam writes, and it's good for you to adhere to the quality of my body. How can a student do that in practice?

M. Laitman: Whatever the body of the teacher demands, we can see that, and the student can adhere to, or carry out, or help, all of the needs of the body of the teachers. And by that, he somehow comes closer to him

Question (KabU 5): (58:38) What does it mean to hear the words of the Creator, appropriately? How does this take place on the Ten?

M. Laitman: We need to connect and hear because if indeed there is a connection between us, it's a Ten that the Creator can appear there even to a certain extent. Then each one must long for that and reach it, keep it.

Question (Women PT 18): (59:16) Lately, there's a feeling that a meaningful connection with the Tens that will break through to the barriers, actually in the men. Is that correct?

M. Laitman: That's correct that the men recently have been, have become more connected, more serious, but relatively, compared to the women, they're more connected and more stable. But, all in all, this is for now, right now, and we can see it as a good example.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:00:19) You said that we have to aim ourselves to Rabash, that he is our real teacher. And through him we can reach Baal HaSulam, the Creator, to the rest of the Kabbalists. Rabash is not with us, how can we aim ourselves to him?

M. Laitman: All of his articles, everything he wrote, that we accept that and, accordingly, we advance.

Student: But we also read The Writings of Baal HaSulam and you don’t tell us to aim ourselves to Baal HaSulam.

M. Laitman: Baal HaSulam is too high.

Student: What does it mean to aim ourselves towards him?

M. Laitman: That I think of how to keep his will, and implement all of his counsels, in order to understand through that what is it that I need to do. 

Student: And how do we do that?

M. Laitman: Through the work between us, as Rabash wrote, and Baal HaSulam wrote.

Student: If we don't understand something you say, we can ask you. If we don't understand something that Rabash writes, what do we need to do?

M. Laitman: You can connect between you and read and study together, and even ten times in a row, read the same thing and try to understand it. And if not, then put it aside and pray to understand it.

Student: Baal HaSulam writes here about the great importance of annulment before the teacher and the service of the teacher. How can we serve Rabash? 

M. Laitman: Whatever you see that he demands from you. All in all, what you see is what he demands from his students.

Student: He writes here about annulment before the teacher and we learn that we also need to each annul before his Ten, in one’s Ten, before the friends. What's the difference between annulment before the teacher and annulment before the Ten?

M. Laitman: We learn in the connection between us that, indeed, if we annul ourselves towards the demands for each one from the general connection, from the general Ten, then we will reach establishing ourselves in the corrected, collective form. 

Student: And what does it give us towards the teacher? 

M. Laitman: Towards the teacher, I can't say so much but also, all in all, if I am the teacher then I do not demand any more than what we study together from the articles, that's it. All-in-all, I want to say that our situation, our state is not so bad, it's actually good, it's advanced. And it's thanks to you, you're becoming more serious, especially in recent times, and I very much look forward to that it will be heard above our prayers. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:05:32) About the land of Israel, he says, don't, God forbid say that I have left the land of Israel but rather you are neglectful in this. And you're not longing appropriately to sit in it together with me. What is that appropriate and worthwhile longing for the land of Israel? 

M. Laitman: As it should be in a person who wants to approach the Creator. To what extent he should feel this longing for the degree of the land of Israel. 

Student: If it was possible to aim, what does it mean to battle for the land of Israel? What is this war for the land of Israel, the correct one? 

M. Laitman: That I want to reach only one desire through which I'm directed to the Creator. Who is there from the beginning of the year to the end of the year at all times, day and night. And from the land of Israel, I can reach him and adhere to him. 

Student: So, the triumph over the land of Israel means that you counted that one desire? 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: Why does it have such an external impact on this whole concept called the land of Israel? 

M. Laitman: Because this is the central point of the whole of reality.

Student: How can you clothe upon this internality, and not go to the externality? 

M. Laitman: This is to the extent that we will want it. 

Student: Can we? 

M. Laitman: Yes, we can. 

Student: What do we need to do in order to start grasping this concept of Israel, and the war, and everything in an internal way? How do we start? 

M. Laitman: It's what we learned from all of the articles. Actually, our only struggle is only over that and we have ascents and descents, and specific states. It's all about that. 

Student: Meaning that when we study an article, engage in it, we should connect it to that concept of the land of Israel, should we work in such a way? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:08:38) He writes, here, that he also wrote a book, Panim Meirot u'Masbirot. And he also returns to writing two letters and articles a week, and in the end he comes to the conclusion that it's best to be with a good heart. More than all the writings, all those things that can even be small and can't attain much. And you have to be a Jew with a good heart that has a higher soul, so what does he mean here in this thing? It's like the way he's annulling some of the study from this conclusion? 

M. Laitman: He means what is written, and therefore, I have nothing to interpret here.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:09:39) It's possible to ask about two excerpts: My intention is not going to the lowliness of the lowly, who seek lowliness, because it's even worse than pride itself. Why is lowliness even worse than pride? 

M. Laitman: Well, in such a way that from the lowliness he wants even more lowliness, what can save him? Nothing. 

Student: Because he's proud of his lowliness? 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: He won't be angry at the wicked but he will have mercy upon them even more than he has for his own soul. As long as he has not attained the upper mercy, how will he know what to be angry or merciful for? Moreover, the greatest mercy will be expressed since you don't have it. How does this work together with not being merciful for the wicked and the poor? And here he's talking about the opposite almost. 

M. Laitman: But, here, he's talking about those who serve the Creator, not just people you see on the street.

Reader: (01:10:56) We have excerpts on the topic of "The Ruin as an Opportunity for Correction," we can move there. Before that, a Nigun.

Song: (01:11:07)