Morning Lesson September 06, 2021, Transcription
Part 1:
Faith Above Reason - Selected Excerpts from the Sources
1.Rav’s Introduction: We already talked a few times, in a few lessons about faith above reason and we need to go back to it. This is a topic that the entire wisdom of Kabbalah, the attainment of the Creator, the connection, the contact of the Creator, it all exists in faith above reason. The transition from this world to the upper world is called rising to the degree of Bina above the degree of Malchut and as much as we are able to rise to the degree of Bina, bestowal, above Malchut, reception, accordingly, is our spiritual degree. It is how we measure the spiritual degrees in spirituality or put another way, as much as a person can rise above his reason to be above reason.
All of the degrees from here to the end of correction, they are all in that we acquire each time the quality, the degree of faith above the degree of reason or bestowal upon reception. As much as we are able to position these two qualities one above the other and of course from the quality of reception we cannot emerge, we cannot get out of it, this is our nature. However, what we can do is make a restriction over it and rise above it. That is, to use that quality of reception in the opposite manner, in order to bestow, like the guest and the host that is through the intention. The intention changes the quality, the nature of the action and this is how we can rise from the degree of reception to the degree of bestowal.
Actually, we exist in the same degree of reception, however with our intention we elevate ourselves above it. Everything is measured according to the intention. Then we truly feel with our intention to bestow, different relations to everything as it says that I saw an opposite world. What does it mean an opposite, upside down world? That we invert our will to receive to a will to bestow. I do not do what I want but rather what the Creator wants. This is called to replace Malchut by Bina. However, what do I do, how do I do it? I do it with my desire but I do with it whatever the Creator needs. In this way we replace the will to receive with a will to bestow. We need to depict to ourselves, how do we work not with our desire but rather with the desire of bestowal. Why did the Creator make it so? That we have to ask of Him to reach the quality of bestowal, the intention of bestowal, to replace our ego, our desire with his desire, the will to receive with the will to bestow? Why did He make it so that we are not able to reach the will to bestow by ourselves, the intention to bestow by ourselves? It is an order for us through this action, this deed that we are not capable of doing, replacing our intention from in order to receive to in order to bestow, we would adhere to the Creator himself. Because without Him, without His help, without Him doing it, without Him pulling us, without Him helping us and teaching us. We are not capable of doing anything in spirituality. All of the actions and intentions that are spiritual are done by the Creator.
As it says if the Creator does not build a house, its workers will work in vain and therefore this is how it is done. That on the one hand we are the opposite of the Creator, on the other hand we cannot reach Him. The Creator here makes all kinds of awakenings in us so that we will ask of Him, so that we will want to rise above our nature so that we will feel suffering in it. When He shines to us, we will feel how much spirituality is beautiful and whole and through such actions on us negative and positive ones, we begin to get a desire to adhere to the Creator. So that it doesn't matter what state we will be in and what will happen to us, the most important is that I want to reach adhesion with the Creator and remain in him for eternity. This actually is what we need to study right now and again I am saying this topic of faith above reason is the primary topic, there is nothing more than that. In everything that we study, everything that we do, it is all only in order to implement these ascents, that is to eventually discover how much we are not capable and to know how to turn to the Creator so that the Creator will do it. As it says the Lord will finish it for me. Therefore, this action is called the work of the Creator. However, it is all according to our requests, our invitation, our prayer.
Excerpt 1 (07:49) Twice
2. R. (09:59) We do not understand, we do not feel, we can detect anything spiritual and ..
Reader continues: (10:07)
R. That is the fulfillment is deliberate so that upon it on top of the concealment we will start to attain and understand and distinguish, to discern what is spirituality.
Reader continues (10:26)
R. (10:51) Well by himself he cannot go above the intellect and without faith above the intellect that should be clear already, that we are not capable of it but if we would get help and we would have such a possibility then immediately we shall rise accordingly to the spiritual degree.
Reader continues (11:10)
3. S. (11:55) How can we use our will to receive even if spirituality is hidden, in order to rise to faith above reason?
R. The will to receive was created on purpose so that on the one hand we will exist in general, otherwise we would be inside of the Creator. However, the will to receive is created in order for us to be different from the Creator, separate from Him, under our own control, our own understanding, intentions and everything that relates to the will to receive. Therefore the will to receive was created truly with a deep intention and the Creator says this is actually all that he did, “that I created the evil inclination” and besides the will to receive that exist there is a light called the Torah, from the word “Ohr”, light, and that light it comes, when it comes, it teaches us, it positions us, it performs all the actions upon us that we need even though we don't need know what they are. These two exist, the will to receive and the upper light, what we call the reforming light, that is standing before us. What was the question again, I have my own thoughts right now, please repeat the question.
S. How can I use my will to receive in order to get help from the Creator?
R. You try to be in your will to receive, to be in contact, connected with the friends, to the Creator, to rise, to understand, to feel whatever your will to receive is pushing you forward. By using it in such a way you begin to see that it is not worthy or qualified for anything, it is actually worthy of being used in a different way to show you how much you cannot attain by it anything spiritual. Therefore, the will to receive is called help made against him. So that by using it you will realize how much you cannot use it. This actually is its role and, in this way, it shows you that there's nothing you can do here, you have to achieve besides it, upon it, above it, the force of bestowal. Therefore, you reach a state where your will to receive is your enemy, it is truly bearing you, it brings you to death, it cannot help you in anything but rather the opposite, all of its help is the opposite, that's why it's called help made against one.
Then it helps you in that it cannot help you but the will to receive which is your entire nature, it can only show you how much with it you cannot attain anything that is whole, eternal, spiritual, nothing but this is its role. After you realize that it is not giving you anything beyond spiritual discernments, however correct ones, that are aimed against spirituality then you already know that here you need another force, the opposite of it. Then you are already on the way, you'll then already search for how I can attain a force that will help me to reach spirituality, this is certainly not my nature and then you reach the will to bestow. Not by lack of choice because you don’t want it, because you are entirely a will to receive. However, through a lack of choice you will begin to think how I will work with the will to bestow and then all of your work you begin to understand that it is all called faith above reason. That you must receive a will to bestow and place it above the will to receive. These two desires, the desire to bestow and the desire to receive, they need to be like a sandwich, this is called love covers all crimes. That the desire to bestow should always be above the will to receive covering it and existing in such a way and you cannot have one without the other because the Creator is only a desire to bestow but the created being is a desire to receive and what he acquires is only a certain measure of will to bestow that covers his will to receive.
4. S. (18:24) It's not clear the last part of the excerpts that states a person strengthens himself and asks the Creator to reveal himself, I understood that we just work in concealment for the reason to go above reason and to ask for strength to go above reason but we don't ask for revelation of the face, so what does this mean here?
R. No it's not like that, we do not discover the Creator in the will to receive but rather in the will to bestow through rejection, through reflected light Ohr Hozer, are it's hard to express this but this is actually what it is about. That as much as I don't want to look, to see, to discover as much as I restrict my sight, as much as I hide, this is called the screen, the Masach, as much as I hide the Creator from myself, from my ego, from my will to receive, according to that I advance. According to that, I discover Him, we discover Him specifically through concealment in that I don't want it, that is through my rejection He is revealed.
5. S. (20:18) In my 10 we are scrutinizing these questions, what can we do when we feel deep inside that we do not have the true faith above reason?
R. Of course we don't have faith above reason or even a desire for it we don't have. We learn from the writings of the Kabbalists that this is what we are lacking and we try to perform all kinds of actions so that they will eventually bring us this force of faith above reason and then after many efforts we begin to understand, so what is it even, faith above reason? I remember I came to Rabash and I was sitting with everyone around the table and he talked and talked and all the time, faith above reason. That's it, all the time Lishma, for her sake. In order to bestow, I could interpret to myself Lishma, that's harder and faith above reason that's even harder. So, it's not reason, it's faith above reason, it wasn't clear, none of it was clear. Until I started to understand it after a long time, a long time. So, these concepts have to gradually come to each one of us and needs to be clarified to each one personally, according to the extent a person invests, strengthens and how close he is to spirituality and to be close to friends because there it is the opposite, it is of his reason, above reason is in the society.
6. S. (22:45) In this article it seems that the Creator does everything, he paves the path in front of us, we go through the states and we inevitably end up with the deficiency and we feel it but the only thing that creature does, the lower one does is ask and then the Creator is revealed. But that seems to be the case, is the only thing we have is a prayer, truly the Creator seems to do everything in the end all we have to ask, is that true?
R. That is true.
7. S. (23:41) Why did the Creator hide this force of work of faith above reason in this system called the 10?
R. That is why the Creator hid this whole path and he confused it; He continues to confuse us so that we cannot change our desire from reception to bestowal. Why are we always immersed, we discover that we are immersed in our ego and we cannot attain the quality of bestowal. Why are we not capable of reaching the desire to bestow? The answer is a simple one because we don't need a desire to bestow and to remain and to rise above the will to receive, all of these discernments, the will to receive and a will to bestow both of them, the Creator has designed them and shaped them within us so that we will adhere to Him more internally, through a more internal discernment. That it's not the will to receive that is there and it's not the will to bestow that is there but rather He himself. This is something that is not so simple, we need to think about it and as it says in the Zohar, we need to put it on our heart and gradually it will penetrate the heart.
8. S. (25:29) When will faith in the sages help us reach faith above reason?
R. When you will want it, that what they attained in the form that they attained it, you also agree with it and you want it.
9. S. (25:59) How in the relationships among the friends in the 10 should these words be expressed “that they have eyes and don't see”?
R. Well this is a more inner sight, like you look at something versus a little child that looks at something so there is a difference, how much you understand what is going on and how much he understands what is going on. Therefore, our senses and they're not just senses, they pass everything to the brain and the brain is related to the emotion. Then through this mechanism of the five senses, the brain and the emotion you process the data, the inputs and you have to process it in a way you'll be able to bestow to the Creator. That's it, this is our work.
10. S. (27:25) I heard you say that a person should make an effort for these things to be clearer, we learn that we attain only through prayer so what is the force that advances us?
R. The force that advances us is the Creator, about this there is no doubt, there is no other force, it doesn't exist. In order to awaken the Creator, we can awaken Him only through our request raising MAN, a prayer, a deficiency.
S. What is that force?
R. A person invests all kinds of forces in order to resemble the Creator, he sees that it is impossible, like a little child he wants to do something and it doesn't work for him and then he cries and then the grown-up comes in he helps him. This is our work but when does he help him? When we understand precisely who we are, well according to our degree, who we are and what is it we want to achieve, that we are not capable of it by ourselves and we want the Creator to do it. Pretty much we can even depict how to do it however we are not capable of it so then we ask, we seemingly pull the Creator like a little one pulls the grown up by the hand so that he will come to him and help him.
S. But the effort we make still advance us?
R. Yes of course the forces that we invest advance us but it's not that they themselves perform any corrections but rather that through them the Creator comes closer and he performs the corrections, the upper light it is the only one that can perform corrections.
11. S. (29:46) On the way to understanding faith above reason, what is the place where the deficiency itself becomes the filling?
R. This is called the force of bestowal which I want to pass on to the Creator and then this force of bestow all that I passed on to the Creator my relation to him, this is what fills Him. Spirituality, this is how it is the degree of Bina, the closest spiritual degree to us is that I want to bestow, what does that mean? That the fulfillment from bestowal becomes to me more important than the fulfillment of reception, this is called faith above reason.
12. S. (30:48) How do complaints, how do we turn complaints towards the friend and the Creator, how do we turn them into prayer?
R. I think that it should be that as Rabash tells us about the friends, that you lower yourself towards the group and towards the friends then through them towards the Creator and then as a result of that you get the right prayer.
13. S. (31:26) How do I discover that I did everything I could? How do I discover that I did everything I could?
R. This, well sometimes a person feels that how do you discover it after you truly did everything you were capable of.
S. How do we work with two discernments? On one hand we want to do everything in order to connect, we make every effort. On the other hand, the Creator has to do the work for him to finish it for us, how do we work in both directions?
R. You should work in both directions and you will see what's left for you because from these two directions it will turn out that you are willing to invest everything you have even though it's clear to you that you will not consider succeed at all in this by yourself and all of your investment that you're investing in you and you're continuing to invest, is in order for the Creator to do it. What you demand of yourself and what do you demand of the Creator, it changes in all of your appeal.
Excerpt 2 (33:04) twice
14. R. (36:29) This excerpt isn't very clear; we will have to get back to it. I don't think we have much to scrutinize and I also see according to the absence of questions.
Excerpt 3 (36:45)
15. R. (38:25) Okay will continue will get back to these excerpts will see you for now they are kind of hard to digest.
Excerpt 4 (38:45) twice
16. R. (40:15) Yes, well of course it is hard work that we don't understand and we don't agree with and it's all against our nature, against our thoughts and desires and senses that we have to perceive for ourselves but this is the quality of the Creator, faith. Opposite that our quality is the quality of reception Malchut and if we can't imagine what it means to be in bestowal, then I'm not thinking of myself but only of others, according to this we will somehow find, maybe the means to approach bestowal, to get closer to faith.
17. S. (41:15) Can we say in our work that if the will to receive is manifested as a lack of desire to do anything, this is actually the direction that we should be working on, should we take this as a principle?
R. Yes, you can say that normally where I don't want to do anything, there is actually the entry the approach into an act that is above my reason.
S. Is it even possible to trust this, to rely on this, that this is something that on behalf of the will to receive is that always the right response or is there some obstacle there?
R. We have to check to what extent I can follow your principle; you say that wherever I want to receive I have to invert this approach, this attitude to in order to bestow, in this way we can always be confused. Basically, we need to do it in the group and towards the Creator and then we will certainly receive help from Him and that will to receive with the intention to receive that He created in us, He Himself will invert it to in order to bestow not that we ourselves can do it. We, if in our regular will to receive wants to turn it into a will to bestow then we will turn the will to receive into a shell, the difference between the will to receive and the shell is that the shell knows how much it can benefit from seemingly resembling the desire to bestow but within it, it will stay the will to receive. Only the upper light that operates on us, if we draw its operation on us, if we summon it, it can correct us correctly.
18. S. (43:46) What does it mean when he says, and the body would feel the greatness of the Creator that it would be easier to move further and to be rewarded with always being in a state of work and with no descents, he nonetheless decides to go above reason, can you explain it, what it says in the text?
R. Well of course if the body, meaning the will to receive did not resist bestowal, faith above reason, then we would do all of these operations gladly effortlessly just as now we do things by which we enjoy. Tell me for example, when you eat or when you do other such things, physical things, bodily things, do you feel that you are making efforts, that you're going against your will, no. The desire that you're feeling and the pleasure you're feeling are all going in the same direction that's why it's not difficult, it's not difficult. But instead of receiving pleasure from food, turn the same food into a form of bestowal, that you do it in order to give to others and you will see how you are losing the flavors. You do not want to do it then, if it's tasteless then there's no point doing it.
S. Does the action matter or I can do it with any action?
R. It's not the action that matters, it is the intention, you keep eating as before but if previously your intention was to satisfy yourself, now your intention is to satisfy others, so you don't feel any flavors in the food, you don't feel it.
19. S. (46:25) In the same excerpt he writes that he understands that it could work with Malchut openly but he prefers to work above reason as though he opposed the revelation of the Creator and prefer to work above reason?
R. Correct, if we truly want to come closer to working in bestowal then the Creator plays another trick on us, he says what for? You want to receive, go ahead receive, then we're in a situation where we have to appreciate the act itself because previously, I stopped working in reception because I couldn't receive anything and I didn't have a choice but to turn to bestowal. Once I turn to bestowal, the Creator shows me another approach he says, no problem. There's no problem in receiving, you can receive as much as you want and enjoy and it won't be regarded as a transgression you won't be advancing in spirituality, receive everything and then I want to continue acts of bestowal not because I approach through them something that is important but because the act of bestowal itself is important to me. I begin to appreciate not the result but the work itself.
S. How's it possible to prepare an action and work towards the revelation of the Creator that he sends us?
R. It also follows the same style, the same chain, the same direction. First, we are in the action and then we're in the intention, there's several degrees in this and each time new, you will see.
S. What here is special inside this act of bestowal which is above reason that the person starts to appreciate it, why does he start to appreciate it?
R. Because it's the quality of the Creator and by this, we can resemble Him. We can feel Him, understand Him and exist in a different dimension. The dimension of bestowal is unlimited, eternal, it is basically the house of the Creator. That's it, what is Beit HaMikdash, the temple it is when Malchut rises to Bina, acquires the qualities of Bina.
20. S. (49:53) If a friend advances more than other friends in faith above reason, how does it affect the 10?
R. It influences not only the ten but our whole general group, it influences, to the extent that each one, we are all connected. The fact that the links seemingly broke and we don't feel it, that's only from our perspective. But within, inside of us, we're all connected. Each time we will discover our connections more and more. And therefore, if each one advances and understands more what is the force of the bestowal on top of the force of reception, faith above reason, by this he influences everyone and helps everyone. Indeed, this is what we have to think that I am not doing this for myself, but for my friends so they will advance.
21. S. (51:14) What gives the person the strength to choose always to go with faith above reason?
R. Well, always choosing faith above reason, I don't think a person can do it. I'm talking about our reality for now, but once in a while rising from our reality to the force of bestowal above the force of reception, to faith above reason, by bestowal and connection, being more important than anything we have, we can sometimes rise to this and connect, and adhere. It’s possible, it is possible a little bit, a little more, a little more and a little more, each time in each place. The group, maybe even one person, do these things, collect these discernments and you will see how all the many pennies join into a great amount.
22. S. (52:33) I heard you say to a friend a little while ago that faith above reason is when the fulfillment of bestowal becomes more important to me than the fulfillment of reception. Can you explain the yearning of the heart to want to bestow to the outcome that the fulfillment of bestowal becomes more important?
R. It is against our nature but by being in a group and seeing seemingly that they are successful in this, I too begin to yearn for it. This is called ‘help one another’, that we need to act before each other, how successful we already are, because envy really helps a person overcome his ego and rise. That’s our work, very simple. In other words, if you don't influence your friends to envy you, to want to advance in this way, then you are not friends. Only in this way can we awaken them so they will succeed.
23. S. (54:31) Can I reach annulment, and faith above reason, means to accept that it doesn't matter what I think and feel and all that I can do is adhere to the ten in the morning lesson so that the reforming light will work on me?
R. Yes, you said it correctly.
24. S. (55:15) In the text when it says the people of Israel said ‘’we shall see and we shall hear’’ is that relevant to our topic today?
R. Yes, this is what it's about. The whole wisdom of Kabbalah, all the revelations of Godliness, any progress in spirituality, is all around the topic of faith above reason, how we acquire the qualities of Bina and through it we correct Malchut.
25. S. (55:51) When we go with faith above reason, will we always have the concern that I might be mistaken, I might be in the wrong direction?
R. This fear always exists and who knows in what way I am confused, and who’s confusing me. But when we yearn for connection between us and want to discover these qualities in the connection between us, this is already certainly the correct system where I can check and calibrate all of my inclinations, if they are correct or not.
26. S. (56:35) How do we ask for this quality, how precisely, how do we do it, or is that a feeling only?
R. We ask to be in acts of bestowal on top of acts of reception, towards the friends, towards the world and through it towards the Creator. The more we think and talk, and read about it, the more the light in it reforms.
S. So this is, it’s truly a prayer?
R. It is a prayer. It’s written simply ‘’make your will as His will’’, this is called faith above reason. When our desire which is egoistic, the will to receive, the desire of Malchut, and His will - the will of the Creator an altruistic desire, the desire of Bina, the desire to bestow, so we need to invert one into the other. We can’t, ask, of course you can’t. How can a plant want to be an animal or for an animal to want to be speaking human, not only want to be but turn itself into it? You can't turn yourself from one degree to another, can a stone become a plant? No, but in the stone, in our stony heart, there is a point from the breaking. This is why there is the cascading from Ein Sof (Infinity) down to this world, an explosion of the vessel. Then, in each and every desire in the vessel there is also a spark of the light, and then through this spark we can begin to develop it a bit more and more, to connect above, upward, and rise, this is how it works.
S. How do we make it so that it won't be a request for me, it won't be completely egoistic?
R. We should gradually try to do it with the group as much as we can and the upper light still influences us all the time. Gradually, if you ask through the group from below upward, it will influence you through the group from above downward and then you will begin to feel this system more and more.
27. S. (59:38) What influences my choice whether to go in faith above reason or not?
R. To what extent the importance of the Creator is greater than your own importance, or the importance of yourself, simple.
28. S. (01:00:11) You talked about true freedom now, is that when we reach the state of faith above reason, it cuts off the strings of the marionette and now we have a true connection with the Creator?
R. Again, repeat it, I didn’t understand.
S. To be free, the whole world is constantly talking about freedom, they want to be free from the whole mess that the people have created. Now we're talking about faith above reason. Is this what cuts off these strings, when we say we are like marionettes, until we reach a state of faith above reason, is that when these strings of the marionette become cut off?
R. No. I want to be a marionette but I want to attain and understand and agree with what the Creator’s doing with me in order to thereby give Him contentment. This is called ‘’make His will as your will’’. I am operated by the Creator in any case directly and there is nothing I can do against it, there is no such thing, ‘’There is none else besides Him’’. But I want to come to an understanding and a consent with the Creator even though it is against my will, and actually the more it is against my will and my desire suffers, the more I enjoy because by this I show myself and the Creator how much I agree with Him although it is against my nature.
S. And this cancels the past and all the troubles?
R. Of course. Of course, don't worry, they'll erase all your sins.
29. S. (01:02:18) It's not clear to me the relation between faith and the darkness or concealment?
R. Faith is light. If you walk by this light, by this Hassadim (mercy), then you have no concealment anymore. The concealment is there but it does not act on you. It is not the light of wisdom (Hochma) that you can see but the light of Hassadim (mercy) where you don't care, it's not important to you whether it's concealment or not, because you are under the Creator's control. This is why it doesn't matter how you walk, where you place your foot, what action you take, because you do all of those things out of devotion. You don't see and you don't need to see.
S. But it still shines, there is no darkness, the faith shines?
R. No, no, no, otherwise it’s not faith. Faith means you are going with your eyes shut and it doesn't bother you. On the contrary, the less I see, the less I understand, because I am under the Creator's control. To me it is a pleasure that I am walking in this way and that the Creator places me in such things where I have no need for any support. Think, you can understand it and then you discover that you are in Ibur (impregnation). In higher degrees than that, are already greater darkness in vessels of reception, each time, but you're not suffering. You accept it gladly, you're grateful that the Creator has given you darkness because by this you can walk in bestowal, in devotion.
30. S. (01:04:54) You said once that efforts in spiritual work affect the whole world, should I annul myself to the person that is not in the wisdom of Kabbalah and justify him or her?
R. No, you don't need to deal with this. But know that the work you are doing towards the ten and the Creator is actually influencing all of humanity.
31. S. (01:05:38) Shame is the result of this work of above reason?
R. Shame, yes, you can say it’s a result but not from faith above reason, even before, a little bit. Shame is a result of our effort to connect to each other and we see that we are not succeeding. Shame begins with a small dedication of a person to the group and to the Creator, and he immediately discovers how all those inclinations are empty.
32. S. (01:06:36) How do we give up the pleasure in spirituality?
R. We don't relinquish pleasures in spirituality, we relinquish the pleasure of a vessel that doesn't even exist, it's as if we can satisfy the will to receive but we can never satisfy there is no light that satisfies the will to receive, it only seems that way to us. This is why we're not relinquishing anything, there is no concession, what are you giving up? You’re giving up a false dream that you can receive and enjoy. Receiving and enjoying doesn't exist in nature because nature is the Creator. This is nature, we are all in it and it cannot be that we will receive and enjoy, the nature of the Creator doesn't tolerate it. It is only in our imagination that we can enjoy this way, nothing more than that. Coincidentally or temporarily in order to reveal to us our nothingness but in the end, we’ll learn from it how wrong we are and then we advance through mistakes.
33. S. (01:08:27) You said a few minutes ago that it is impossible to do something against the Creator, “There is none else besides Him’’, I understand that. But what does it mean, because they also say that the whole of humanity is going against the Creator so they suffer punishments and all of that?
R. Yes, this is what happens because they don't want to agree for now, they don't understand that they have to go towards bestowal.
34. S. (01:09:11) How is it possible in the ten to train this muscle, that the desire suffers but the Adam in you enjoys? What kind of exercises can we do because it feels that this is the point where we fall?
Exercises that are close to faith above reason in our world are when we want to do good to the friends in the group, and actually good to all of humanity, above our ego. It is bestowal above reception. The more we do such things but not be immersed in them as if they are the goal, the goal is to correct the general nature not on our level. So, the more we try to do such things a little bit among us, and at least in the framework of Bnei Baruch, so by this we also advance to faith above reason.
35. S. (01:10:40) Which one should come first, faith above reason or lowliness?
R. First, there should be reason then the feeling of lowliness within reason and then we should try to understand what bestowal on top of reception is, or faith above reason, and how we obtain it through connection between us with a prayer to the Creator.
36. S. (01:11:29) What we feel in our desire is that the truth or imagination?
R. Imagination. The truth can only be if we discover the reality through the force of bestowal then, whatever we discover in it will be a part of the Creator. This is called “You have made me’. In the meantime, what we are attaining or perceiving is all through the force of reception, that’s why it’s imaginary. It has no validity, it will not exist forever, that's why it's imaginary.
S. What is the connection, the relation, between the work in faith above reason and the greatness of the friends?
R. The greatness of the friends is a means to come to faith above reason, and faith above reason helps us acquire the power of faith, the power of bestowal which is already the quality of the Creator. The more we can, through the quality of bestowal, add to it the quality of reception, which is our nature, we will connect these two natures, our nature in the nature of the Creator. Then, we truly come to the zenith, to the apex of existence so that everything that the Creator created, which He created in the will to receive, we add to it His nature. By this, we justify His creation, we elevate His degree, we raise the Creator over all of the will to receive of Malchut. This is called ‘’Rising to Him on the mountain of the Lord.’’
37. S. (01:14:00) How can I combine with Bina together the force of bestowal?
R. Through bestowal, through the force of bestowal that you acquire from your relationships with the friends, when the light shines on you, by this you will gradually feel that it’s important. In this way, with this force of bestowal that you acquire, you will be able to work more and more in all kinds of states of connection between you and the friends and with the Creator between you. You’ll see, you’ll succeed.
38. S. (01:14:54) You said a person should enjoy the suffering in corporeality, in this will receive and, previously we aspire for bestowal and now there is a point that he should enjoy his suffering?
R. We don't need to be in sorrow, to feel sorry about something. I need to reach a state where all of the discernments I have along the way, on the path, I am happy for them. Even though the will to receive of mine, the suffering: I remember Rabash would say “let it suffer” and he would point to himself, and he was happy. So, there is no moment that we need to suffer, to be in sorrow about something because all of the moments in which we already are in the framework that is progressing to the end of correction, already from this, where we are going, who is leading us, who’s guiding us, from this we need to be in great joy.
S. This is clear that we aspire for bestowal. This example with the Rabash is not so clear, why should we enjoy the will to receive suffering?
R. Because I check myself like this. As much as the will to receive is subjugated, is it down, is it ashamed? I have no other vessels to measure, accordingly, I can measure where I am and how much I have risen. All of our actions are only toward the will to receive.
39. S. (01:17:17) Can we say that yesterday's darkness carries light for today?
R. Yes, yes, absolutely, that is how it should be.
40. S. (01:17:38) How important is it that we really have proof that the will to receive that says my reason is correct, to be able to go to faith above reason, is this a condition, proof?
R. Proof we measure according to the measure, the extent of connection between us because in this extent the Creator is revealed. As much as all the 10 Sefirot between us are closer, nearer, more tied together, accordingly they rise more suitable to the term and concept of one. This is how we measure accordingly. Our measurement is in how much we become one and in this we are matching ourselves to the Creator and in this we’re measuring our spiritual height.
S. About this proof, do I really need to know that I am correct, that my will to receive is correct and I find proof, and then I intentionally go above reason with that. Is it important to do it in this way?
R. But, how can it be that your will to receive is corrected if you still have not risen to faith above reason? Specifically in your rise to above reason from the will to receive to the will to bestow, to Bina then accordingly you can measure how much you rise and are corrected. One depends on the other.
41. S. (01:01:59) From faith above reason, should we move to faith within reason, and if so, how do we take this step?
R. No, we remain in faith above reason, within reason means I work with my ego. In faith above reason, I work above my ego with my will to receive, not on the intention to receive, meaning on the intention to bestow, but I work with the will to receive. The will to receive, itself, is not a bad thing or cancelled. The only thing canceled is the intention to receive not to use it and in this we’re resembling the Creator.
S. Is faith above reason the engine, the basis, with which we work? This is why it is a kind of faith that becomes reason?
R. You’re right, we rise each time to a greater level of faith. How do we measure this level of faith? On what reason is greater than it now controls. Thus, we have the will to receive but the qualities we acquire as qualities of bestowal, as faith, Bina. You are asking nicely. Correct.
42. S. (01:21:56) What is the difference between religious faith and faith above reason? Because it is said that advancing in faith is advancing in devotion without the support of reason.
R. Religious faith meaning not according to the wisdom of Kabbalah is an approach in which I must annul myself towards the upper force in everything that I do upon the earth. I don't correct my will to receive that will be on the intention to bestow. I don't make a restriction on it; I only annul myself towards the upper one. Who is the upper one and how do we depict what the upper one is? That depends on each faith, religion, what that is. But in any case, the approach is that we annul that will to receive as much as possible. If they are doing it correctly. Every religion demands that a person annuls their will to receive as much as possible. And what happens after is a problem because in the wisdom of Kabbalah, we want to work with our will to receive, afterwards, on the intention to bestow, to the others, to everyone, to connection, to general bestowal until we become like the Creator. In other religions I don't want to say it too clearly but at least what appears to the eye is that they want to annul their ego. But it turns out that as much as we see, the result is opposite. This is how it has resulted after thousands of years that each religion has pride of how much they have and how they are more correct, and bigger and more and more, what can we do? If people don't rise above their nature, then ultimately their nature, their will to receive is what manages them throughout their life.
43. S. (01:25:14) Faith above reason, I heard once Rav say that he heard, I think it was Menachem in a lesson by Rabash, “when will we start feeling? And Menachem told him, “Don’t worry, in a week or two everything will be fine.” Is this faith above reason? And even though a person knows it is not possible, he wants to feel it is?
R. Menachem was a big liar. He was old and really was righteous. He would truly fulfill all of the demands of one towards his friend and one towards the place, towards Creator, I don't know but at least according to what it seems to the eye. But I was young, maybe 2 weeks by the Rabash, and I felt my first descent of darkness, that I don't want anything, I don't have any force in my hands, no desire to live, no desire for anything a descent, you know, the will to receive disappears, this is the sign of a descent. Even the will to receive with the intention to receive also, like, what did I have before? Only the will to receive with the intention to receive. And when this desire disappears, a person feels that he is withering like a plant and truly felt like that and I did not know what to do. I'm looking around, it’s like darkness, I don’t see anything, a very interesting sensation, and I asked him “what is this, what is going on”? He said, “don't worry, in another two weeks, you will reach revelation and all of these things.” At least I heard what I am in now is a means for revelation, so this darkness already became some light, ultimately it will bring me to revelation. And I remember that I waited two weeks and then another two weeks, and another two weeks and he kept telling me soon, you know, a liar, but this kind of support helped me very much. I was 33 and he was 83 at least.
S. You know it's impossible but still is this called faith above reason? Even if you knew it's not possible, you believed and wanted it to be?
R. At the same time I didn't know and I didn't believe, what did I know? I was only there 2 weeks. Besides this, in such states when you hear such words, you believe. I mean, what is a person, a little sorry animal who wants to enjoy a bit in whatever it is present in, mercy.
44. S. (01:29:22) In excerpt number 4 there is something very interesting and I ask you to explain this, it is written that if there is the greatness of the Creator in the work is above reason and there's no need for descents. My question is do we reach this in spirituality after the crossing of the Machsom, barrier, or before that?
R. You understand how you play with a ball, like, you stand in a circle and you throw the ball into the circle and the ball doesn't fall. This is the principle of work in the group, that we have the greatness of the Creator, and all the time, each one as much as they can, holding the Creator above everything and that everyone enjoys from this. Try it.
S. Can we understand that faith above reason is basically the ones who cross the Machsom is automatic? You don’t need to work on it?
R. There is no such thing that something is automatic. “Each moment will be as new in your eyes and the darkness will shine as light.” and you will need to reach even greater darkness. When me and Rabash would go to sleep and wake up at 2 a.m., I would see on him, not once just how much he would get up, truly like a dead person, a dead person. How it was hard for him to get up, and think about anything, it was terrible. Only out of this, to make an effort and get up and sit down next to the table, drink a cup of coffee and then gradually begin to strengthen up, truly, and then to wake up. Then gradually begin the lesson, meaning the greater, bigger a person is, the falls are accordingly, but he has forces, he has records. He is not making the same path as the beginners make. He has, in any case, experience, forces.
45. S. (01:32:33) What shall we do to be happy when our ego is suffering?
R. We need support from the friends, and security, confidence. Confidence we acquire by Arvut, mutual guarantee, and that’s very important, that we make an effort to attain that.
46. S. (01:33:19) Is there an end to faith above reason? Is there an end to our discovery of the Creator?
R. Yes. 125 degrees until we reach the end that atop the entire will to receive that will have the intention to receive on the intention to bestow. And thus, we are helping the correction of this reality. Just like Rabash writes in the introduction to The Sages Fruit that Baal HaSulam said, “besides seven thousand years, this is called the end of Correction,” this degree. There is another path of eight thousand years and then nine thousand years, ten thousand, I don't know what this is, but there is more. They are ascents not out of lack but from something I don't understand, something else. We will reach it and rise and progress on those too, no doubt. For each and every one, there is room there and that's how we’re going to do it.
47. S. (01:35:09) A person always has the strength to give Arvut to his friends?
R. Yes. It doesn't matter about importance, you need to feel yourself that you are in the field of battle and you must save the life of your friends.
S. How to disconnect this from the feeling of darkness or descent?
R. It doesn't matter what state I'm in, if I see that I can help the friend, I must get up and help them. Just like the lady who was sick with a fever and doesn't feel well, but the baby is next to her in the crib and crying, what, she's not going to get up? She’s going to get up, even though she is sick, and take care of it even though she doesn't feel well. There is like this and there is like that. Every lack has a measurement and then you prioritize a small lack compared to a larger one.
S. It doesn't matter what state a person is in; he can always help a friend?
R. It really doesn't matter. It depends only on how much you can pass on your importance to the friend, make the switch, that you live in him and operate according to what is necessary, and urgent for him. And this usually, to get deeper into this, you will see that the care for the friend is more beneficial and more important because it's not a friend, it is the Creator. And if you begin to relate to all these things in this attitude, it becomes an opportunity for self-healing and ascent, for rising. As much as we care for others it is the most beneficial for us to care for ourselves. We don't need that anymore because all of our correction is in connection with others.
47. S. (01:37:36) What kind of forces are there in the spiritual work?
R. The will to bestow. There is no more and we don’t need more.
48. S. (01:38:04) When we want to realize the Arvut, let's say when Rav wants bestows upon us so this is from the upper to the lower, but we are equal, all of the bestowal we can give each other is either, presence, I come to the lesson or to the zoom meeting or maybe to increase the importance. What is the manifestation of the bestowal between us, the Arvut?
R. It is written “each shall help his friend”, that is first of all. And second, no one is stopping you from helping the friend and through the friend to the Creator, as behind him stands the Creator. It seems to you that you're engaging with the friend but you're engaging with the Creator, it depends how you relate to the friends. You can relate to them as the revelation of the Creator towards you that He’s appearing in them and playing with you. Depict this to yourself and see this in a clear manner to see that your ego, this confusion, that it shall not blind you. That you shall feel that the Creator is behind them, behind the friends, and this is how you are arranging your attitude to them, how you want to arrange your connection with them. That by increasing this connection with them you will want to actually connect with the Creator. That you will feel that He is truly standing behind them and you want to reach Him so you want to connect through them towards Him.
S. So, the Creator is the one who is important for me?
R. Of course, if not for the Creator, why do you need the friends? It’s what, just for no reason we have some commandment to love the friends? I don't see anyone holding on to that.
S. But still, this is called Arvut?
R. No, Arvut, The Mutual Guarantee, you need to read this again. Arvut, is that we want to reach the Creator, first of all the goal, if the goal is correct then also the means can be correct. And we want to reach the Creator and thus we need the Arvut, the connection between us, the identification to help each other to reach the Creator. This is the point both in the beginning and at the end of the action.
S. So Arvut is mainly the work in the heart?
R. Yes.