Part 2:

Baal HaSulam. Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah. #12

Reading item #12 (00:19) “We should understand that the essence of the created begin..” twice

1. R (02:15) This is Baal HaSulam asking and we do not ask, all right? Meaning if the whole of creation is the will to receive and that is what the Creator created. The Creator is the absolute good that does good, above all. Then why do we need to as if not agree with what he created and even correct and transform it to something opposite to what he created? That is the question and if we do not do it then we do not reach our goal. Meaning to begin with we see here that the Creator created something that he wants the created beings to transform, to turn it to something completely opposite. He created the will to receive and he wants us to invert it to the will to bestow.

2. S. (03:40) It is written that any more than that is not a creation. What does it mean by not more than that?

R. More than the will to receive. Only the will to receive is the creation. Anything beyond the will to receive already relates to the Creator belongs to the Creator.

3. S. (04:13) What does existence from existence mean?

R. That he already exists.

Reading #13 (04:44) “The thing is that us corporeal objects are separated ..

4. S. (08:18) How do we aim ourselves one towards the other, Our bestowal and the Creator's bestowal. How do you synchronize this?

R. Each one as much as he can give to the other that is what he does. We, as much as we can connect between us and from within us, give towards the Creator. That is what we do and the Creator according to his calculation He accordingly does to us.

5. S. (09:01) If all my thoughts are contradicting the Creator so how can we unite because we are like oil and water

R. If we connect between us above our ego then we are already in the bestowal in the desire to bestow for each other and from this desire to bestow we built towards each other we can turn to the Creator and bestow to Him. This is called from the love of the created beings to the love of the Creator.

6. S (09:54) What is the difference between a corporeal form and a spiritual form?

R. The corporal form is the form of the will to receive the spiritual form is the form of the will to bestow.

7. S (10:20) I understand that the answer to all our questions is to connect to the Ten but when will it be revealed to someone how to do it? The only thing that I know is that I am not doing it.

How, I don't know that either.

R. We are studying laws and each and everyone checks with himself how much he can carry out these laws, so examine yourself. Can you carry it out or not and so forth.

S. When I know that I'm not doing that connection?

R. If you don't do it,then you don't do it. What can you do?

S. Why don't they write the steps in the work? Step by step?

R. I understand what you mean by step by step but that is not related. You have to follow what is written as best as you can and that is how you advance.

S. When can you say that I don't know what connection but I'm doing the maximum in order to try to do it? When can I say that?

R. When can you reach it only the Creator knows, not me. But the fact that there is a path for everyone to get there that I am certain of. There is no one to whom it is closed.

S. I can say that I'm sitting here in a lesson?

R. I don't know, don't take some promise from me that if you sit here you will get somewhere. I already told you that a long time ago. There are other places to try, try them?

8. S (12:42) It says the will to receive is a law, it is the essence of the creation and the vessel worthy of receiving the goal. On the other hand he is saying that we are separate from the emanator that we're not connected, so how can we receive from Him?

R. To the extent that we are in the equivalence of form we can receive. Separation prevents us from receiving from the Creator. accordance helps us receive from the Creator that is how it works. Everything is logical.

S. Our whole path is by our efforts to reach equivalence of the form to the upper force, the Creator?

R. Yes.

S. We are changing our attitude towards the upper force and that is how we feel it?

R. Yes, yes.

9. S (13:50) A question about item 13, what does the Creator want us to correct and how? Do we have to reach a mutual opinion in the Ten?

R. In order to bestow. Bestowal can only be if we connect between us. We can give, we can bestow to one another. On the way, by bestowing to one another, we supposedly give to the Creator our general bestowal. That is called from the love of the Created being to the love of the Creator.That is how we advance.

10. S. (14:58) A few moments ago, I heard you say that everything that is not the will to receive is not the Creator, does that mean that to attain the degree of reception in order to bestow and acquire the Creator's qualities and let's go of the created beings qualities?

R. Yes.

11. S. (15:40) We cannot change our nature so how do we reach the adhesion with the Creator according to what?

R. According to equivalence of form, to the extent that we want to give to the Creator and the Creator wants to bestow to us, to that extent of commonality between us of bestowing to each other we achieve Dvekut adhesion.

12. S. (16:22) In what spiritual discernment does the ego go through transformation if it is entirely the will to receive?

R. The ego does not go through any transformation, it begins to work in bestowal just as it did before it thought about its own self benefit now it thinks about the others benefits. How to do it? By restriction, the screen reflected light. We will learn that transformation transformation as you were saying.

13. S. (17:14) When we reach adhesion with the Creator, we build some different structure which is not the Creator or created being, meaning it's the higher state of the Creator, is it something else?

R. It is the Creator being that becomes similar to the Creator. This created being is called a Partzuf, or even a world, Olam. That the same will to receive that exists in the created being inverts itself by the light that reforms to a desire to receive, in order to bestow. By that it bestows to the Creator in return just like the Creator bestows to it. Then between them,according to the equivalence of mutual bestowal there is a sense of adhesion between them, and that is essentially the purpose of creation.

S. This Partzuf, which is a vessel filled with light, is the structure called a Partzuf or what is its essence? We reach a degree that's supposedly higher than the Creator because the Creator is only part of that.

R. I don't understand what you're saying. It sounds confusing. There is a will to receive on the will behalf of the created being there's a little bit still on behalf of the Creator, if the creatures will to receive is transformed to the will to bestow so it is reception is entirely equivalent to bestowal and then it still just like the Creator does, but only to a certain extent a portion that it is capable of. In that portion that it is capable of being in order to bestow it is bonded with the Creator and in adhesion with the Creator and according to the equivalence of form. Then the Creator bonded some portion of the Creator being and some portion of the Creator.

S. Is it a partial state and the Creator being completely corrected himself?

R. If it is entirely correct then it is entirely in adhesion with the Creator. This is called the final correction.

14. S. (20:13) When the will to receive receives a form in order to bestow, what does it mean? That the desires feel close to one another?

R. Because they are in the same desire and same intention in order to bestow. Therefore they are close to one another.

15. S (20:50) in the state of a lack of equivalence of form between the created being and the Creator, where does the desire to bestow come from existence from absence or existence from existence?

R. I did not understand. The will to receive is always existence from absence. The will to bestow is existence from existence. That is the Creator. When the created being becomes from the will to receive to a will to bestow, it does not mean that it truly moves to the will to bestow,it rather corrects the will to receive to have an intention to bestow. It is using the love the Creator to extend that it loves the Creator, it is willing to receive from the Creator in order to fulfill the love of the Creator. In such a way it is called that it is bestowing, but it is not doesn't really actually become the giver but rather it always has the only option of receiving and the bestowing part is the intention meaning what it receives for, that is what changes.

16. S (22:36) Does the perfect state of equivalence of form between the Creator and the created beings already exist and we only need to attain it through the connections between the friends?

R. We have to attain it in the connection between the friends and then turn it to the Creator. That is it. It is impossible that the connection with the Creator will be more than the connection with the friends. First we attend the love of the created beings and then from love of the created beings we come to the love of the Creator.

17. S (23:25) You said that the ego goes through a transformation and a Partzuf is created and also a world. What does that mean?

R. Partzuf is called a will to receive that makes it similar to bestowal, to the action of bestowal and then its structures called a Partzuf. The series of Partzufim that emerge one on top of each other is called the world. That is still a bit ahead of us.

18. S (24:29) Between the points in the heart and the heart, the emotional one, there isn't a lack of equivalence of form and a different intention also. How can I not get confused if I tell the friends that I love the friends with the heart? Do I have to tell them I love them from the point in the heart?

R. It does not matter how you say it. What is important is how you feel. Therefore we have to advance until we feel our heart, the friend's heart and at what point we are connected, that is still ahead of us it is not just words. It is a feeling, a very clear feeling that each and everyone has to have

19. S. (25:50) How can I understand that the will to receive felt that it has to correct its intention? At what moment does the will to receive feel that it has the intention for himself and why doesn’t Baal HaSulam mention the intention to receive for himself?

R. The intention to receive for himself exists by nature inherent in the desire itself so there is nothing else. There is the will to receive, to benefit itself. Only later on afterwards bit by bit the will to bestow becomes revealed. We will learn that based on the four phases of the expansion of the light in the vessel.

20. S. (26:56) Creation and the desire are the same thing or is there a difference?

R. Practically there is no difference there is a created being which is a general thing and the desire is more concrete.

21. S. (27:24) Do we add upon the Kabbalists that came before us or are we trying to reach their degree?

R. We want to achieve their degree but we are actually adding on to them because we are made of a more egoistic substance.

22. S. (28:05) In excerpt number 12 Baal HaSulam speaks about how the Creator created the will to receive as corrupted and we only feel suffering and except for that he did not create anything else. Why should we correct it and why should we do it ourselves and why does this correction depend on, what exactly do we correct?

R. This is what the Creator created. That is one answer to all the questions. This is what the Creator did and this is what we need to do.

S. The first restriction comes from suffering or from the greatness of the Creator?

R. Where do we learn that? In principle the restriction is always a result of the feeling the greatness of the Creator that I want to bestow to Him and that is why I restrict myself.

23. S (29:49) When we connect our desire it increases, is it also correct to the opposite example: connect our desire to increase it and generate a complete prayer?

R. I don't hear the translation. Please repeat.

S. When we connect our desire it increases, is it also correct to the opposite example: connect our desire to increase it and generate a complete prayer?

R. No no it's a very individual matter we will not be able to clarify exactly the style of my despair and the others despair and that is why it is not possible and in general all of those connections are done by the upper light and not by us ourselves

24. S. (31:50) Is it correct to say that if I have no connection or love towards the friends it means I have no connection to the Creator?

R. To the extent that you have connection with the friends and that connection is correct then you transfer that to the Creator it is felt in the Creator the Creator already prepares the answer for you.

25. S. (32:27) He wrote that we are in disparity of form from the Creator. Why should we be opposite in order to become worthy for the purpose of creation? If we are not opposite we can do anything, why?

R. If we don't feel that we are opposite to the Creator then why should we do anything?

S. What does it mean to be opposite?

R. Opposite means that He bestows and we receive and then we have shame from receiving while He bestows. because we're opposite, distant, separate, and then it turns out that we have to certainly change improve ourselves.

S. What are the most basic conditions to reach equivalence of form with the Creator?

R. The Creator made it so.

S. What is the basic condition to be in equivalence of form?

R. We exist within nature and we learn from nature what are the qualities of the Creator because the Creator is nature and that is what we need to take upon ourselves and work accordingly. There are still many things that we are in but we don't really know why and what for.

S. So you're saying that if we're not opposite we cannot advance?

R. I don’t hear you.

S. If we're not opposite of the Creator so we cannot advance?

R. Well let's say so.

S. iI is interesting okay thank you.

26. S. (34:35) In the last line in item 13 what does it mean that oppositeness of form necessarily separated from the Emanator?

R. Because disparity of form separates. There is no more than that. As much as one receives and the other bestows and how different they are to that extent they cannot feel each other, and to the extent of equivalence of form to the extent that each one gives to the other, by that each one approaches the other. That is how it works.

27. S. (35:39) It is written in 13 he gives an example of this world as if they are far from one another in their opinions so they hate one another?

R. Yes, to the extent their views are different that means that they are hateful of each other.

S. So how can there be love between people with different views?

R. With different views? Until they understand that even those different views are helping them come closer to each other and love each other above that oppositeness of form. They want to still adhere to each other and adhesion will be more important than where everyone is.

S. Adhesion will be important than each one's personal view?

R. Yes.

S. Why?

R. Because through adhesion they attain truth. In adhesion they attain contact with the Creator and therefore they rather be in contact with the Creator instead of each being enclosed in himself.

28. S. (37:49) Can we say that our correction is bestowing to the Creator?

R. Yes of course, our correction is bestowing to the Creator just as he completely bestows to us both corrections and fulfillments.

29. S. (38:20) Is the Masach a form of adhesion to the Creator?

R. Correct.

30. S. (38:32) You said that the adhesion has to be above the personal opinion of each friend in the ten. What is adhesion?

R. Adhesion is equivalence resemblance between qualities.

S. Well together with a friend, we in the ten wish to build Dvekut adhesion. How to use equivalence of form to achieve that? Today for example.

R. Check your qualities as much as they're similar to one another.

S. Between the friends?

R. Between the friends.

S. How can we check whether our qualities are similar to each other?

R. That is a different question, how to check.

S. How can you understand that you're coming closer?

R. Well it is actually unclear how to understand it, how to check. There are a few questions here and we will scrutinize them. It looks like you also don't really understand it so we will scrutinize it, the fuller details.

31. S. (40:05) Is the form of proximity between us can be the form of revelation of the Creator?

R. He makes it more and more resembling to Him.

32. S. (40:34) The feeling of Dvekut is passive or active?

R. Active.

S. Very active.

R. Yes.

33. S. (40:53) If we look at the excerpt it says that if they have opposite views how can they achieve love. Is it correct to think that the fact they have a mutual goal that's the love between them?

R. That's already closeness and equivalence, yes, even though it is external. It is written that if someone loves what the other loves and each one hates what the other hates that is called the adhesion.

34. S. (42:12) Why does the created being yearn for the equivalence of form with a Creator and not just to receive the abundance from Him?

R. Again.

S. Why does the created being yearn for equivalence of form with Creator and not just to receive abundance from Him?

R. Because that is adhesion, to resemble the Creator, that is the goal.

35. S. (42:50) In order to feel one another do we need both of us to have the desire to bestow? How do we maintain this in our lives?

R. Even if only one feels the others it is possible, like the Creator feels everyone, like a mother feels the baby a child and not that he feels her to the same measure. It doesn't have to be mutual.

36. S. (43:45) I heard in the last excerpt that we will reach equivalence of form only through the gap, the distance, between the coarseness of myself and the Creator. Is it possible to be both in exile and in redemption at the same time, to use this gap between the friends and myself in order to fuel our prayer, my prayer.

R. I'm not sure I understand.

M. It says here that the distance, the oppositeness is a condition upon which adhesion will be built. Lawrence is asking can we use this gap that we feel between myself and the friends to fuel my prayer? Can we be both in exile and in redemption? How do you build these two layers one upon the other?

R. Again.

S. We can be both in exile and redemption at the same time?

R. How is that possible? I don't understand.

S. I heard that we need to be opposite of the Creator and opposite is exile right?

R. Right.

S. Desire for oneself, and also to come to a state that we use the gap to give contentment to the Creator to put my desire towards the friends.

R. At the same time.

S. Yes.Okay next, what can we get from that? Is there such a state or is it nonsense?

R. Nonsense I'm not saying, but I don't understand the state. If we are in exile so we are in exile. If through the exile we feel that we're coming closer to redemption so we are coming closer to redemption. Each and every state is defined and exists on its own; there can be two contradicting states at the same time.

S. I heard that coarseness among friends and for myself will lead me to a state of shame and shame is an emotion to be opposite of the Creator. That shame has great force to bring us into prayer especially towards the friends.

R. Yes.

S. Redemption is a self-desire aimed towards the friends? Without the self-deserve for oneself I don't have a strong enough prayer towards the friends?

R. Correct, correct next.

S. How to be in this state and that state at the same time?

R. In the Exile and in the redemption?

S. Yes, to be in the correct form of yearning, to use a prayer. We want to be, but still He only created the will to receive. How to be in a different state?

R. Yes, I need to scrutinize more in order to answer you.

37. S. (49:00) How to be in distance and connection together?

R. It depends through which discernments you're speaking about in distance and connection. If I'm in connection I'm in connection.

S. In relation to the friends you feel the distance from them, on the other hand there’s yearning for connection and the desire to rise above distance to love. How to be in both states in parallel?

R. When I am in distance from them I want to overcome the distance to connection. That is one discernment, the second?

S. The second discernment is the yearning to be in connection above them so you feel the distance and the desire for connection. How are you in both states in parallel?

R. I cannot.

S. So what is the correct form?

R. I don’t think it's a realistic state that I can really work from.

S. So what is the correct work?

R. There is no such reality as you were describing. what you're asking about.

S. Okay so what is there?

R. There's everything else except from what you're asking, you’re asking about something that doesn't exist.

38. S. (50:45) You spoke about the fact that people with other opinions, how will they connect, he asked how, you said in order to attain truth. Now what is above reason here? What are the corrections here? It's not like a cow and a donkey you still put a person in this cause to this work, don’t you?

R. Correct, right, but what can I do? That's how they ask me.

S. Speak freely without any filters

R. I can't. I'm before a broad public. I can't say whatever I feel like.

S. So at some point do we come out of this cause or do we always need justification?

R. Each and everyone will understand it according to his advancement. There are great limitations that we are in.

39. S. (52:06) What gives me immediate adhesion to the Creator?

R. I don't understand what?

S. What gives the created being adhesion to the Creator?

R. To rise to the degree of the Creator to the degree of all the best the connection between all parts of reality together.

S. This desire to adhere to the Creator,where does it even come from?

R. From the Creator from the upper light.

S. Is it time for it to come?

R. That I don't know, when it comes it comes.

40. S. (53:02) How is it possible that we learned that in spirituality the whole thing is to feel two states in parallel and to go in the middle line above them?

R. Again the question.

S. You said we can't feel both distance and closeness at the same time.

R. Correct.

S. So what is this work in the three lines that we want to achieve?

R. That we awaken the two lines that contradict each other in order to build the middle line. If we reach such a state that we can do it then we build the middle line, that is still before us.

S. In our state it could be that a person feels self-lowliness and on the other hand the greatness of the friends?

R. Right, that is clear and that's not the problem.

S. It prepares us for that state of three lines. There’s two contradicting feelings.

R. It is not contradicting because they are not in one body.

S. As he writes here people with opposite opinions that want to rise and reach truth like you said before. What happens to their opinions? Do their opinions remain different or do they change and their opinions become closer?

R. They determine it. If they come closer with their opinions so they're drawn to be as one and the contrary is the contrary.

41. S. (55:10) Baal HaSulam gives here an example of the relation between human beings to describe relations of spiritual qualities. You said beforehand that two opposites can come closer if they have a mutual goal, a common goal, that adhesion for them will be more important than their own individual state. What does it mean for spiritual qualities that they have a mutual goal?

R. The goal is what determines.

S. What is the purpose of spiritual qualities?

R. When they connect together and incorporate in the Creator.

S. As I understand here, described here, is that the root from which all changes come from the will to receive, of the qualities of the will to receive, and the proximity of the qualities is actually the changes of those qualities, so can you look at these process like an unending chain that’s not ever paused like these links that are connected to one another, like these rings that are connected in some process of cause and consequence?

R. Yes, of course, and specifically they work in that way in a gradual manner one after the other and push us into new connections.

42. S. (57:18) If I don't have concern for my friends does that mean that I have not yet entered Egypt?

R. Yes. Yes, that is the answer.

43. S. (57:35) In the matter of coming closer or further that we discussed before, is it possible to say that differences between people's opinions don't change but the importance of the goal does, that the differences between people are less important because the importance of the goal rises?

R. Correct. Correct. They can't be an exact copy from one another but the connection in the goal that is what raises them more and more and brings them closer more and more. You're right.

44. S. (58:42) Since through the adhesion that we come to the truth and come to the Creator, how can we purify our qualities to come to adhesion in the first place?

R. As much as we want to be connected together, close to one another, help one another, according to that we connect; in a way that our connection will give us the form of this integral connection and by that we can build the vessel to reveal the Creator.

45. S. (59:46) I wanted to ask about what you said that adhesion to both opposites becomes more important than some individual thing, why, because they want to reveal truth because truth is the Creator and the question is, if I don't have any interest in revelation of truth then there's no yearning for adhesion then what is next?

R. Such a friend doesn't come here or he doesn't come to the group, or he comes and leaves right away, or he feels that we're doing something that he does not need, that’s it. We can’t do anything with him

46. S. (01:00:46) Your answer to our question was that when there is one goal it is adhesion but external adhesion, why one goal is an external adhesion and what is internal adhesion?

R. Because externally we aspire to that state, to obtain that state, that same form. But what we're doing inside us in order to attain that connection; that is our internal form.

S. What is the connection internally?

R. I can say, it's such an adhesion where everyone completes the other, I can't explain it, it is hard to express in words. Especially now I am too tired for that.

S. Thank you. Do we feel the Creator in the inner adhesion?

R. Yes.

Reading Item # 14 (01:03:13)

47. S. (01:06:39) When I feel that my connection with my friends weakens I feel that life has no meaning, but if there's a situation where I can't be in touch with them how can I raise the yearning to connect and hasten the process?

R. Through praying to the Creator. Very simple. By a request to the Creator that He will organize the connection with you and the friends; that you can't, you have no more forces, no impulse for it, no attraction, no interest, you ask the Creator that He will organize all these things. For Him it is simple.

48. S. (01:07:42) here in item 14 he writes that in order to save the created beings from this titanic separation, the first restriction took place separating phase four from the rest of the Partzufim of Holiness. Is the cause, the existence of cause and consequence? We know that Partzufim of Kedusha are the result of the first restriction and here, it seems like they exist before the restriction altogether. How does it work?

R. The Partzufim of Kedusha don't exist before the first restriction, because Holiness means in order to bestow. Before the first restriction there is nothing of bestowal, before the first restriction these questions don't exist.

S. Right, so how does he write that in order to save the created beings from this Titanic separation the first restriction took place separating phase four from the rest of the Partzufim of Holiness?

R. Right, that afterwards the fourth phase was separated from all other Partzufim of Holiness, that there they can be in order to bestow and in the fourth phase can’t, because she only works with restriction, screen and reflected light.

S. But still Partzufim of Holiness are the result of the first restriction and here it turns out that it comes together?

R. Not clear what you’re saying. The first restriction separates between what came before it and what will come after it. Before it everything was according to the desire; afterwards everything will be only according to belonging, whether in order to receive or in order to bestow.

S. So, why is he putting here the matter of Partzufim of Holiness and not telling us about the first restriction in relation to Malchut of Ein Sof?

R. Because the main thing for us is the Partzufim of Holiness. Holiness means in order to bestow, it's a part of the created being that wants to resemble the Creator; that is called Holy. So there has to be a feeling of a desire to receive, a restriction, a screen, a reflected light and then you can say about that part of the will to receive that it resembles the Creator, meaning in Holiness.

S. Another question, we learn in a very focused way that we are focusing only on what is written and not forward or back and here there are terms like Partzufim of Holiness, things that we haven't learned?

R. This is what he writes because it is the beginning of his composition and he wants to open things up on one hand. On the other hand he doesn't want to not let himself go wild. What is bothering you here?

S. I just want to adhere to his train of thought, it's like he is expanding here.

R. Rav reads and explains, item 14: To save the created being from this titanic separation so they feel how distant they are from the Creator the first restriction took place, separating phase four from the rest of the Partzufim of Holiness. So, that great measure of reception remained an empty space, a void of any light. Meaning, in phase four we feel the will to receive in order to receive and it remains empty of any light since all Partzufim of Kedusha emerged with the screen, erected in the vessel of Malchut so they would not receive light in this phase four. Then when the upper light was extended and expanded to the emanated being this screen rejected it. This is regarded as a striking between the upper light and the screen which raises reflected light from below upward, clothing the ten Sefirot of the upper light. That part of the light that was rejected and pushed back is called reflected light, as it dresses the upper light it becomes the vessel of reception of the upper light instead of phase four. Since afterwards the Vessel of Malchut expanded by the measure of reflected light, the rejected light which rose and dressed the upper light from below upward, and expanded from above downward too. Thus the lights were clothed in the vessels within the reflected light. This is the meaning of Rosh and Guf, oh, that's onward. So what do you want to ask about that?

S. I feel like Baal HaSulam has a complete image here and we have a desire to divide it according to our…?

R. Well today it's too late already. Let's do it with God's help tomorrow morning, and will take every sentence and talk about it on its own. For now take a rest and get ready for the noon lesson and tomorrow's lesson. Good day everybody and good luck.