Morning Lesson December 29, 2023

Transcription is made from simultaneous translation, which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio.

Part 1:

Rabash. Article No. 25, 1990. What Is, “Praise the Lord, All Nations,” in the Work?

Reading. (00:49) “The writing says Praise the Lord, all nations…”

1. Rav intro: (28:50) What do you think about the article?

2. S. (29:00) He writes here something that says it is written that the people that are in the aspect of heaven they will know it's only operated by the Creator not by man because man cannot do anything that is outside of self-benefit because that's nature man was born in. What causes the Creator to change this disc in a person, what is it?

R. Again, what was the question?

S. He says, it is known that these people will know that they're in the aspect of heaven and they will know that the action was always by the Creator and not by the person. The person cannot do anything that is not in self-benefit because that's the nature he was born in. So what happens when the Creator suddenly changes the disc for a person who studies the wisdom of Kabbalah? How does everything turn around?

R. What does it mean that he changes his disc?

S. That all of a sudden, he receives the aspect of heaven? He says here that men cannot do anything. So, who caused it? How did the Creator suddenly decide and have that? What happened?

R. Of course the Creator caused this. Yes, There Is None Else Besides Him.

S. Yes, but how did it suddenly happen?

R. Probably, the person wants according to his degree to move to the next degree.

S. Yes but look it's not just that the sentence here that I don't understand. These people will know that they're in the aspect of heaven, they achieved bestowal, and they will know this action was only by the Creator, not man. Now what does it mean?

R. The meaning is that they saw, and it was clear to them that they're in the desire to receive for themselves, each of them, and have no possibility of emerging out of this. Suddenly they see that there is probably a change, and this change can only come, but from only from that Upper Source that created them in the desire to receive, and now it's moving them to the desire to bestow.

S. What's the essence of the action? What did I do when I suddenly received heaven?

R. You wanted to move to that.

S. What is the essence of the action I did? Look, people fifteen or twenty years old, what suddenly happens that they can do it? Who does it depend on?

R. It depends on the person and on the Creator.

S. What is man’s role here, that the Creator will change his disc?

R. That he will add to his desire from the Creator and add to that a desire from himself as much as possible, that is called an awakening from below.

S. Then everything turns around basically?

R. Yes.

S. Look, many people have been studying for many years, what do we need to do in the Ten so that we finally see it? That the Creator comes and changes my disc?  What is this thing that ultimately does it?

R. We need to do all that we can from what the Creator demands.

S. What does he demand?

R. For us to connect and in our common desire turn to Him and compel Him to change our desire from in order to receive to in order to bestow.

S. How do I obligate the Creator to do this for me?

R. You obligate the Creator by simply asking, demanding, begging, crying, and not you but rather the entire ten.

S. I'm just asking and begging and praying?

R. Do you have something else to do?

S. If everything depends on me even if I cry till tomorrow and I do, and nothing happens. So there's something beyond just crying and asking all day. There’s a feeling that he's not even listening to you.

R. First of all, every day that you cry and ask, there is also in this an action that is cumulative.

S. A penny joins another penny, yes?

R. Yes.

S. What do you do towards the friends to really get closer?

R. By coming closer to them and more and more, by no choice, not just you to them but them to you as well. More and more until you reach that center of the Ten and understand, see, and feel, with certainty already that without the connection together you won't be able to succeed.

S. What does this connection to fight and then to overcome it means to connect? What about just saying how great you are, how beautiful you are, and giving him a cup of coffee is that enough? Do I not even struggle with them if he speaks in a sharp way, let's say?

R. In this sharp way is like what you do want to keep what you have and this desire that you have, and to deliver it to your friends.

S. Not to be afraid of a relationship of getting into struggles if need be? If there's a need and then to rise above that?

R. If your goal is connection into one heart, then the responses are not important as long as we are driving towards connection and convincing everyone and yourself. A person cannot convince himself, only through the friends, convince yourself to how you can be connected to everyone.

S. Thank you.

R. So, are you doing it?

S. I'm trying. I'm really trying.

R. If you try like it was, then it will also remain like it was.

S. What do you expect, look there's this famous thing you told us that when Rabbi Shimon entered the cave, they entered the cave and sat, then he said okay, put the knife between your teeth, then let's see how you advance. That was never clear to me, what does it mean, to put a knife between your teeth and then see how you advance here? It’s not about being nice to the other, giving him a cup of coffee, and taking a walk with him. What is the issue, being nice to the other or not be offended If he says the word, overcome that. What does it mean when he said put a knife between your teeth and now let's see?

R. You will have to rise above that which bothers you to be as one.

S. That leads you to unpleasant actions towards each other.

R. No, no we don't look at it whether it's pleasant or not, we just know that it's necessary and we have to do it.

S. Not to be afraid?

R. Of course.

3. S. (38:02) How does the Ten enter a state where we feel we're in the Creator's part? How do we measure the power of our intention?

R. We see this out of the relations between them. If the relations between them begin to be above each of their egos, then it's a sign that they're entering already into the nature of the Creator.

4. S. (38:49) About this they say that only one can discover the one. This annulment towards the friends through that, they can relate their work to revelations and the nations of the world. If a person says, what do you need this work for, we are the vessels that the thought of creation speaks about, to do good to. So, what does each one in the Ten respond to this complaint that says no, it's not the connection? The goal is to fill up the vessels and that's it, why you are talking about connection?

R. What's the question?

S. How do we respond to this revelation inside the Ten? The Ten that it's inside each and every one. When each one says why the connection, okay the teacher says so, but the goal is to fill up the vessels with pleasure. What do you need to connect for? Just turn to the Creator and that's it, each one on his own.

R. No, each for himself will not work. We have to go together from below all the way up as much as we can and ask for the connection. The connection also needs to be a point that is clear to us all. To what we're going towards and in what place we need to be connected.

S. In the work, we're told to praise the Creator and discuss the greatness of the group and the greatness of the Creator. The nations of the world from within come to us and say okay talk and discuss and all that, but what is it about this praise to the Creator that the article says, no the nations of the world too need to reach that state of praising the Creator?

R. Eventually yes, we need to connect in the point in which we all want to adhere to the Creator. It's to this point that we are drawn to. Everyone each and every one with his nature, with his points, these internal points of theirs must be drawn to that connection, and one point where everyone is.

S. When this inner struggle begins what aid do you receive that you can put the finger on and say this is aid that we get from above?

R. We get from above the assistance that we receive, is that we feel that our power is actually in the connection. In connection, none of us can grip the Creator and not even in the friend, unless we want to hold on to the Creator, and as a means for this we hold on to the friends, and that's how we succeed.

5. S. (43:10) Hozar said “If I'm not for me, who is for me,” it turns out that everything is done by man, and after doing man should say that everything is done by the Creator. Does man's doing depend on the Creator's will or according to what our sages said, “If I am not for me, who is for me”?

R. Again.

S. Is the doing of the person depend on men or on the Creator's will or according to what our sages said, “If I'm not for me, then who is for me,” so, does it depend on me or whatever I do, it doesn't matter and the Creator?

R. No, of course, the beginning of the action depends on the Creator since he gave you the desire, the opportunity, the environment, the teacher, etc. But in eventuality, you have to reach that which is planned, which is to become as one man in one heart.

S. The initial movement, the action I need to do it on my own?

R. No, not you but Him, “I am first, and I am last.” It cannot be that the Creator leaves the beginning of an action to you, you're not capable, you are receiving an awakening and you're feeling desires from above but to carry them out you must when you're below.

S. The awakening is also from Him, He awakens me, and He causes me, and influences me to, reach Devkut?

R. Yes, it turns out that we just need to arrange the environment and to arrange the actions between us in the correct environment so the Creator will dwell between us. 

6. S. (46:03) On the same matter it turns out that we cast a doubt on creation because He gave us a vessel of reception and we say no, we want the opposite. So, is that audacious that if the Creator says, “I'm first, I'm last,” He gives us this desire to bestow, to begin with?

R. We receive from above let's say the beginning of the or the tendency for the desire to bestow and then we need to implement it to execute it in practice between us.

S. What does it mean that it says, “My sons have defeated me,” life is a game?

R. That we're going against our will to receive and do want to stand before the Creator together. 

7. S. (47:35) It says in the article everything is done by the Creator, and “He who comes to purify is aided,” and that is our choice. There's a contradiction here, what are we adding what is our free choice exactly here? 

R. Also when a person comes to purify it's in the hands of the Creator. The main thing a person needs to understand is that he's moving through the states that are written in advance, and only he has to do is to agree with some of those states, and to disagree with some others but the other way and this is how he actually advances. Until he discovers that his desires and the desires of the Creator become as one.

S. What does that have to do with the sense of good and bad? Do we add something? What do we add to the Creator actually? Is that the sense of good and bad in choosing that?

R. We operate from the small desire to receive that the Creator created in us, and we try to decide above it, before it. Above it.

S. How do we come to what’s good and bad?

R. This is actually clear to us from within the society, whereas if we want to all unite and become like one man in one heart then all our tendencies to do so are desirable in the eyes of the Creator, and then we are helping one another and we join everyone together into one goal, one point.

S. Do I need to ask the Creator for help to be able to decide what's good and bad?

R. You need to decide, yes. According to what you're learning you need to decide then what is good and what is bad and what you're drawn to. Yes, that is your choice. 

8. S. (50:55) A short while ago you answered the friend that I can't turn to the Creator from myself, only from the connection. How can I turn to him from the connection if besides myself I don't feel anyone, I'm an egoist, I only feel myself, so what does it mean?

R. I turn to the Creator, and I try to address Him as a representative of my group, and this is how we will advance each and every one turns to the Creator on behalf of the society and asks and demands the Creator to take us forward.

S. Meaning when I try to raise the request. I immediately imagine the friends, and the thought, and what is that state of connection?

R. You feel them together, you feel them together, and from that common feeling, you turn to the Creator.

9. S. (52:23) The essence of the prayer is that a person wants to change his perception of the world?

R. You want to connect with the friends in order to feel oneself in the world of the Creator.

S. Meaning through the connection to change his attitude to the world?

R. [No Translation]

10. S. (53:03) What does it depend on, what determines that the Creator will change us and what's the importance of the friends here?

R. Again.

S. What determines if the Creator changes all our desires and what's the importance of the friends regarding this?

R. To the extent in which we ask more unanimously then we can succeed more for the Creator to take our deficiency and upon this deficiency perform the next correction and raises to the next degree. 

11. S. (54:06) If the Creator governs everything, where is man, where is the place for man's choice?

R. Between the friends and the group.

12. S. (54:30) We said yesterday that if everything is determined from above, like do the habits also come from the Creator? Can we correct them?

R. We can correct all that we want if we just operate according to the conditions in the spiritual environment.

13. S. (55:05) The Creator does everything so how can I find my direction and know what is correct and incorrect? How can I work in accordance with reward and punishment?

R. My main work is to connect with the friends and together we will feel ourselves existing as if in one body, in one head, in one heart. To the extent to which we feel ourselves more together, we will be closer to the Creator, until we start to feel that in truth that we are truly together with Him.

14. S. (56:11) It says in the article that we should have faith that whatever a person can receive in vessels of reception is just a thin line with respect to the pleasure addressed in spirituality. It sounds like he's turning to igniting the will to receive.

R. Right, he's telling you that in the desire to receive you won't be able to feel more than a spark, more than a thin candle.

S. When a person receives a state where he has a question of what is this work for you and so forth. Is it recommended to tell yourself look there's more pleasure there to basically work in Lo Lishma, to move yourself?

R. Yes, yes.

15. S. (57:11) We see Rabash describing a process here where all the nations of the world turn against Israel. Meaning, that all the desires to receive they offer power to the will to bestow. You also see the opposite process when Israel governs the nations and ultimately everyone sanctifies the Lord including the vessels of reception. My question is, can we see a similar state in our material world as well that Israel is being governed by the nations of the world, that they come to us with complaints, and so forth? Do we actually reach such a state that is described as something that can happen in our reality? Do we see signs for awakening?

R. Okay, okay, all right I understood you, the speech I understand. No, we don't have time for that. We need to unite the people of Israel and to raise our prayer to the Creator so he will manage us in a short and correct manner. It all depends on our prayer and demand. That's it.

S. We don't see awakening in the nation as a sign?

R. I understand you, stop crying, just do something. That’s it.

16. S. (59:06) It says that a person receives an awakening from above and because he doesn't appreciate the awakening and can't appreciate being called by the king, then he goes into the control of other nations. How to appreciate the awakening?

R. We need to awaken one another and try to connect all the awakenings that are in each of us, to the general awakening of ours and to address this awakening to the Creator.

17. S. (59:57) We do daily work. We connect and pray, connect, and pray. It feels like there's progress, the friends become closer to the goal and are more important. You said before that the goal is to be in the Creator's world, to feel it. What does it mean to be in the Creator's world?

R. Under His control. Under his control. 

18. S. (01:00:35) I heard Rav answering a friend earlier that everything is done by the Creator. A person needs to agree with some states and disagree with other states. With what states should we agree and what states should we disagree with?

R. Well that's clear to us that all the states that bring us closer between us we agree with, we want to absorb them and to perform them. All the rest of the states, no.

19. S. (01:01:23) It says in the article that everything is governed. We learned that intellectually, but we forget it. How can we always remember it?

R. By reminding it between us.

20. S. (01:02:05) Our progress by the Creator, it comes down to the Creator showing us such states in the Ten, that there's such a form within reason that a person cannot overcome that?

R. We don't need to do this alone, you have a group. Try.

S. A person understands that with his own strength, he can't. What he has left is only two rely on the Creator.

R. Well so what's the problem?

S. I wanted to ask if that's how he advances us?

R. Advancement comes from the intensifying of the connection between the friends and from that connection addressing the Creator, from that point of connection between you, in this way together it's called, that you're together with the Creator. At that point, you can rise to a permanent connection with Him. That's it, there's nothing difficult in this, it's 1 + 1 = 2. The whole problem is that we don't want to hear. Clear? 

21. S. (01:04:00) Both in yesterday's articles and today if I understand, the nations of the world are considered the evil inclination? The will to receive created by the Creator is not yet the evil inclination. What's the difference between the raw desire created by the Creator and the nations of the world and the evil inclination?

R. When an awakening comes from above then those who are drawn towards it are in the good inclination and those who are not drawn to Him are to the contrary, that's called the evil inclination.

S. Why the nations of the world which are actually the desires to receive, the Creator created and they're right that they should alternately receive the pleasure. Why are they discerned as the evil inclination?

R. No, this is not, how should I say this, these are not the regular desires to receive in a person, but rather desires that are against connection.

S. Meaning to some extent the nations of the world have some intention over the desire, not just the raw desire?

R. Yes, yes.

22. S. (01:05:50) You gave us some advice before, you said we only have to set up the environment and actions between us so the Creator will dwell between us. It says, “I'm first and I am last.” I wanted to ask if anything the Creator awakens in me, I have to immediately think about how do I take it, and realize it in the environment and in the Ten?

R. Yes.

S. What does it mean I'm last? After I make an effort, I have a desire, and I realize it. What does it mean I am last?

R. “I am first, and I am last.” Both the initial awakening and the final goal are defined by the Creator.

S. To me there's a meaning that, and that I act to a certain point and then the Creator needs to complete the action or what?

R. In each and every action of yours, you feel that that's where the participation of the Creator needs to happen.

S. How do you make and do this difference between me, and my own strength and we try to do it on our own and to work with him in partnership? Can you give us advice on how to do it?

R. That depends on how sensitive, how delicate we are, and where you're capable, where you're not capable, where you give to the Creator and want the Creator to help you. That is dependent on the tango between you, on the subtlety of the connection between you.

S. This tango, I need to know where I stop, or I've done my part to this point and now the Creator will do it?

R. I can't say it this way. It's all complex but when you understand that you're working together with the Creator and you're correcting some of your desires and presenting to Him and there the Creator completes it for me. As it's considered, that's how it works.

23. S. (01:08:27) You described here a certain process, you said that when we come here to the lesson for instance each one received and awakening, we connect all of our awakenings to the great, to the one great desire, and we turn to the Creator. Then we rise to a more permanent connection with Him.

R. Let's say, yes.

S. The opposite of it is that we lose, let's say, after a lesson we lose our connection to each other sometimes and also to the Creator. Then the importance falls down and we fall into some ordinary beastly life, for minutes or hours. I want to know.

R. Let's say.

S. Let's say we succeed in doing something like that, connecting between us, and directing our connection to Him. How if we succeed even for a moment how do we maintain that point constantly on top of all the changing states in each and every one, how can you maintain this?

R. Hold on with your teeth, with your hands with all of your desire in that point of connection, and in the Creator, and not let go of that point. No matter what He does with us.

S. My corporeal eyes see and hear the friends here and they have a desire. Is that also something that I always have to maintain to have the force of the group with me?

R. As much as possible.

S. What do you do when you're alone? How do you get that strength so that you cannot let go?

R. You connect with them. You're already connected there. You connect with them. You want to feel them, their hearts as much as they yearn for the purpose of creation. 

24. S. (01:11:08) How can a person receive vessels of bestowal from the Creator, what else should we do after we receive the vessels of bestowal; I understood the vessels are supposed to become vessels of mercy, what does that mean?

R. A person needs to be connected, he needs to be connected to the friends, and he needs to be connected to the path and gradually with persistence, emotionally and intellectually, he establishes within him this purpose, this point, and this is how one advances. 

25. S. (01:12:56) What should happen to a person to move him from, If I'm not for myself, then who, to None Else Besides Him?

R. He needs to exert himself in such a way that the Creator will bring him closer to this permanent great connection of the whole group.

S. Where is the place of labor?

R. He is exerting in this in order to come to a state that is as connected as possible with all the friends and with the teacher and certainly through them with the Creator.

S. What does he obtain, what does he see, if I say I'm not for myself, what needs to happen? What do I get?

R. What do you want?

S. I want to feel that there's None Else Besides Him.

R. Wonderful pray. Pray constantly within you to go with the fact that you want None Else Besides Him. Meaning for there to be a prayer in you that you want to attain None Else Besides Him and you're constantly demanding this. Nice. 

26. S. (01:14:40) How does the group build an accurate picture of unity so that the goal is realistic and not a dream?

R. It's through persistence as we talked about if they're with us in all the articles that shouldn't be a question any longer, to be as one man with one heart. Every one of our friends, everyone supports each other, everyone is holding each other up, giving examples to one another. In this way together you attain, in the group, everything. All the way up to the purpose of creation.

27. S. (01:15:31) Passing our unity to all of you. Our question is trying to accelerate the time in Shechinah then it seems like we're falling on the regular way.  How can we be in Shechinah all the time accelerating, hasting, self and passing it to the friends asking for the whole Kli? 

R. Only by exerting in prayer to the Creator through the entire group, to the Creator from each and every friend.

28. S. (01:16:29) He writes I will read from the middle of the paragraph, love thy Lord with all your heart, with both your inclinations, meaning in the good inclination and in the bad inclination. While man's vessel of reception achieved the force to become in order to bestow. Then he works for the Creator with the evil inclination. Meaning that the evil inclination too loves the Creator because it receives good and pleasure. The question is Rav, the evil inclination is the posterior of the Creator it’s anti-Creator? How can we understand this state?

R. When we get there we'll understand. Ultimately the entire creation is going back to its root.

29. S. (01:18:01) What states do we agree with and Rav answered that you agree with states that come closer to you, and those that don’t, you don't. What are the states that bring you closer and the states that don't?

R. By checking, are they good for connection with the friends or not.

S. When I feel that there are states that bring me closer and that are pleasant and those that aren't. How can I feel that those are states that are bringing me closer or not?

R. I didn't understand.

S. If I check the state that brings us closer or not, I usually check it according to my own Kli whether it's pleasant to me or not, that connection.

R. Well if that's the case you might be wrong.

S. How can I discern correctly?

R. To be above your ego as much as possible.

30. S. (01:19:18) When the Creator sends states of separation in the Ten and distance, what is the most beneficial action in order to go through it quickly?

R. By which action can we connect?

S. No, through what the states of distance and separation and anger in the Ten. For me, it's very important to feel good relations and I always want to bring the Ten closer to the Creator through all the required actions in order to feel them in the heart. What are the actions that are most beneficial in order to feel closeness as much as possible in the Ten, when there are all kinds of friction?

R. You have to scrutinize that with the friends maybe through some singing, a type of studying, reading certain verses, and psalms, I don't know. See what brings the heart closest as this can change from day to day as well. We need to think.