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

Daily Lesson (Morning) December 18, 2024.

Part 1: Baal HaSulam. Disclosing a Portion, Covering Two

Reader: Hello, we are reading Baal HaSulam's article, “Disclosing a Portion Covering Two”. You can find the article on kabbalahmedia.info, also in the study materials tab in the Arvut system. You can send us questions through the sites as well and here in the study hall, if you want to ask a question, stand up, hold the microphone close to your mouth, and ask loudly and clearly. Disclosing a Portion, Covering Two.

Reading: (0:40) There is an idiom among great sages when they come to disclose a profound matter: They begin their words with “I am disclosing a portion and covering two portions.” Our sages took great care not to utter words needlessly, as our sages instructed, “A word is a rock; silence is two” (Megillah 18a, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” Item 18).

This means that if you have a priceless word whose worth is one rock, know that not saying it is worth two rocks. This refers to those who utter needless words without pertinent content or use except to decorate the style in the eyes of the reader. This was strictly forbidden in the eyes of our sages, as is known to those who examine their words, and as I will prove in the following essays. Hence, we must be attentive to understand this common idiom of theirs.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (02:57) For a Kabbalist, what is a precious word that he doesn't want to utter? What is a priceless word for a Kabbalist?

M. Laitman: Anything that might not help people, but rather hinder them, hinder the attainment of the goal. Therefore, Kabbalists were very cautious throughout all generations, and times, and situations to reveal as little as possible, and this is how it is until this very day.

Student: How do we know that a word is priceless? Because it's from the side of the Kabbalist, Baal HaSulam says that you can see a very priceless word but how can we as students know what's hidden from us and what isn't?

M. Laitman: No, it doesn't work in such a way.

Student: My question, we see Baal HaSulam's writings and every word to us is sacred, we go with it all the way. I'm asking, are there other things we were supposed to know and we were not shown? Could Baal HaSulam reveal more things to us? 

M. Laitman: Well, of course. What do we understand? What do we know? What is revealed to us from all of our engagements in reading and speaking? No, nothing. Kabbalists always guarded the wisdom from any person who might approach it without proper preparation. That's it.

Student: We can be certain that Baal HaSulam, what he gave us here, is what we need, right? No more, no less. 

M. Laitman: Well, if we know how to reveal him on the one hand; on the other hand, if we know where to remain in the concealment of things, for that already you need to be on a certain spiritual level. This is how they explain it to us.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (06:44) Everything that's written, every word is correct and perfect. So, what is disclosing a portion, covering two? What, we're going backwards? 

M. Laitman: This is how he writes.

Student: How do we understand it? 

M. Laitman: Well, maybe during the reading we will understand it. 

Three Kinds of Concealment of the Wisdom

Reading: (07:26) There are three parts in the secrets of the Torah. Each part has its own reason for being concealed. They are called by the following names:

1.   Unnecessary,

2.   Impossible,

3.   The counsel of the Lord is to those who fear Him.

There is not a single fraction of this wisdom where scrutinies of these three parts do not apply, and I will clarify them one at a time. 

M. Laitman: Well, certainly there are questions here but the questions are written: one, two, three. 

1. Unnecessary

Reading: (08:36) This means that no one will benefit from their disclosure. Of course, this is not such a great loss because there is only the issue of the cleanness of the mind here, to warn of those actions defined as “so what,” meaning “So what if I did this, there is no harm in it.”

But you should know that in the eyes of the sages, “so what” is considered the worst corruptor, since all the destructors in the world, those that have been and those that will be, are the “so what” kind of people. This means that they occupy themselves and others in needless things. Hence, sages would not accept any student before they were certain that he would be cautious in his ways, so as not to reveal what was not necessary.

M. Laitman: Of course, there are many questions here: What does it mean, the unnecessary? Who decides? Who thinks? We know that in the wisdom of Kabbalah there are many views over thousands of years that people engaged in it, and therefore, it's not simple to determine the approach to the wisdom or parts of it according to how it seems to someone who engages in Kabbalah, but what are they saying? Therefore, they did not accept any student before they were certain that he would be cautious in his ways so as not to reveal what was not necessary. This, at least, apparently, is what Kabbalists used to check.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (11:55) The question is, necessary to whom? To the Kabbalists? To the created beings? The Creator?

M. Laitman: For the revelation of the wisdom to the extent that it is correct, proper for that moment to be revealed. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (12:27) It's also unclear, how do you check the student or how can you know that the student is not, won't engage in what's unnecessary? He's just a beginning student.

M. Laitman: I don't know, I don't know. Apparently, they had signs, indications, and opportunities to check each and everyone who came to them and see to which category he belongs.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (13:20) When does the unnecessary become necessary?

M. Laitman: Over time. The conditions change and what was unnecessary becomes necessary.

Student: When it's necessary, how does the student accept it? 

M. Laitman: When Kabbalists come, people who know how to explain it, how to speak, how to keep it, and they teach. 

Student: What confidence does the teacher need to get from the students that he can keep his ways to not reveal what's unnecessary?

M. Laitman: We will talk about that. It's not simple but this warning is nevertheless serious.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:34) About the so what, it is said that the “so what” is considered, in the eyes of the sages, as the worst corrupter, since all the destructors in the world, those that have been and those that will be, are the “so what” kind of people. What is this matter of- so what? 

M. Laitman: So what? It is possible to speak and philosophize about each and every thing, and we see that nothing is going to happen, so why shouldn't we explain the wisdom and talk about it in general? We don't speak about the laws, that it should be kept.

Student: He continues, this means that they occupy themselves and others in needless things. Today, we live in a time where you are bombarded from every direction with “so what” kind of things, our minds and hearts are being filled with this. It's an era of “so what” stuff. How can a person escape this entire world which is entirely “so what”? It just chases you and fills you up.

M. Laitman: I don't know, but maybe one should limit oneself in what he sees, hears, reads, engages in. These are very serious issues. If you fill your mind with something, already you occupied some place in which you could have perceived some higher pieces of knowledge, perhaps. There is a very serious limitation here that a person cannot hear, see, receive, understand, as much as he wants, or without any boundaries as it seems to us. Rather, each and every person has a certain capacity for his memory, for his understanding, and so, he is limited.

Student: What do we do? 

M. Laitman: What do we do? We guard ourselves. We don't let our ears hear everything that is in the air, and our brain delve into and think about all the things that might exist between people, rather, we have to be cautious. When you walk next to a kiosk and you see the newspapers there, hundreds of pages, right? Ask yourself, do I need this? That’s it. This is already from the early days, Kabbalists already talked about that, and they wanted to conceal the wisdom from everyone but, rather, only according to the tests of the seriousness of a person's attitude towards the revelation of the wisdom. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (20:30) He opened the article by saying the sages are very… took great care not to utter words needlessly. I wanted to ask, do our words have power? 

M. Laitman: As we learn, yes, of course, there is power there.

Student: What is that power that comes out of the word?

M. Laitman: I can't explain it yet, but there is a power in a word, a written word, or a word that is spoken, or that is passed from one to another. We have quite a bit of materials about that in the wisdom of Kabbalah, although, because we don't touch that, we don't quite pay attention to it.

Student: If I look at you as an example throughout all the years, I can't remember you saying one redundant word. In lessons too, I never heard you say a word for no reason, every word is really calculated and meticulous. The question is, do we need to take such an example when we speak among us in the Ten, to be cautious about what words we utter?

M. Laitman: Yes. Of course, we should check each and every word that comes out of the mouth of each and every one to the air of the world, and also realize that, in that, we can cause great damages to the wisdom itself, to the wisdom of Kabbalah and to its expansion and the confidence that it will be used correctly. We will learn more about that. 

Student: What should be the test of the person when I speak, when I utter words in the Ten and with a friend? How do I check myself before I do?

M. Laitman: In the most simple way, I need to know that the one who is hearing me won't use it in a bad way.

Student: I don't just take responsibility for what I say. I need to take responsibility for how another person perceives it. 

M. Laitman: Of course, of course.

Student: Now, if I hear in the Ten something that I think is a “so-what” type of thing or it's not useful or it can take the Ten in a certain direction, do I need to comment on that? 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: I need to? 

M. Laitman: Inside our society, you can talk about it.

Student: You once said about Rabash that he would say something unclear and you asked him why, and he said, just to let it out. So, that, I assume, is still not the state that we're in?

M. Laitman: We're not there. We're not there yet.

Student: Now, you said before, that if you fill your reason with something, it occupies space that would otherwise be there for higher knowledge. If I pay attention to something, it occupies my capacity from other things. In terms of attention, I have to be meticulous in what, when I speak to people? Where is my attention, every moment? 

M. Laitman: Yes, yes, we need to guard more what relations we have with the people around us. 

Student: And if, say, in that moment my attention is somewhere but, at the moment, it's not really the most serving thing, so it's better to just detach it?

M. Laitman: Possibly, yes, you need to check it. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (25:17) You said before that, in the past, people would even be cautious of reading unnecessary newspapers. Today, we have our phones, and the internet is filled with garbage that fills the mind and heart. Who's checking the person? The Kabbalist would check the student?

M. Laitman: The person himself. This is an appeal to everyone, to check themselves in what they're engaging in. Is it necessary? Is it possible, or this is the counsel of the Lord to those who fear Him?

Student: Is there something that can direct the person? It's clear that we should work according to what you said now but, again, if he falls and it attacks him from various directions, who's responsible that man will only have one desire, for adhesion with the Creator?

M. Laitman: The person himself, he has to guard himself. He has to realize that he can't scatter himself all over the world in each and every thing that exists before him, but, rather, it's the opposite. You see that people who engage in sports or such things where you have to exert, they restrict themselves, limit themselves. 

Student: This is really the condition to direct ourselves to one desire?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (27:13) I still don't understand how to cope with the so what. I understand that the Kabbalists used to be locked in a room studying, but today… 

M. Laitman: “So what” did not exist so much? 

Student: Less. Less distractions, and today, we're in a time that is completely different. I understand, with regards to other teachings, to stay away from that, but we disseminate and we live in a country where, dynamically, changes happen and you need to know what's going on. It's not “so what”, it becomes necessary. How do you exactly cope with that state? 

M. Laitman: We have a need then to scrutinize it, a need to scrutinize it, with respect to the public, with respect to ourselves, with respect to the Creator also, and with respect to our life, in many facets. 

Student: A person should refrain from other things? 

M. Laitman: No, absolutely not. A Kabbalist must be with the public, even inside of the public. 

Student: Where's the balance? How do you both exist within the public, within my people, do I dwell joining in their sorrows and joys, and on the other hand, also staying cautious of being infected with all kinds of viruses and engaging in inferior things, “so what” things? 

M. Laitman: He has to keep watch of what enters his heart, and how does he touch each and everything outside of him, he guards it.

Student: How do you take in information, consume content, and also make sure it doesn't enter you, that it kind of stays in you but outside of you.

M. Laitman: I don't think that I am an example, but we need to check, each time, what are you engaging in.

Student: How to restrict yourself to not engage in “so what” things? 

M. Laitman: We need to see what is happening to you in life and how can you refrain from certain things and get close to certain things? This is how you clarify it.

Student: Is there such a thing called leisure time for Kabbalists? 

M. Laitman: No, no. Rabash didn't have a single moment. It was sometimes very difficult to be next to him, but he would dedicate his whole head and his heart to it.

Student: Let's put it like this: if I end up being exposed to something that is “so what” type-of-thing, how to then at least use it correctly, get some use out of it?

M. Laitman: I don't think it's worthwhile to extract any benefit from there, because they would pull you deeper in to get into it, into these things, these materials. The “so what,” for us, is something very severe, very serious. 

Student: Why can't you be on two levels? Why one, at the account of the other? Why can't you be involved in what's happening in the world, in society, in various aspects? 

M. Laitman: You can, but it depends on in what way, how much, how do you take it into yourself, and how do you want to organize it. You see? 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (32:15) You said one should check. Let's say, I read a newspaper with the intention to be involved in what's happening in the world in order to disseminate, but then I discover that I enjoy it, that it fills up my curiosity. I understand it's something unnecessary and my intention is to benefit from it. Let's say, another case is in my work. I work, it's basically my necessity, and then I discover that I work because I enjoy, not just to get paid, but I also have pleasure from it. What can a person do then?

M. Laitman: To try to have a scrutiny on how to be connected to matters of the work in the mind but not in the heart. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (33:27) There is a topic I want to clarify. I'm not sure it's correct but I'll ask. You said, a few minutes ago, that Rabash didn't have free time, he was always immersed in the work. The truth is I understand the approach, I understand why that was required. For years, I have a scrutiny about this issue of going on vacation. What do I need to do? Is there such a thing, going on vacation? I don't know, going to a hotel for a week. How do I scrutinize or how does a person scrutinize what does it mean to go on vacation, how do you go on vacation? I also saw examples from you, that you, once or twice a year, you do such a thing of going out, going away. You keep teaching but you change the location.

M. Laitman: Bit by bit, a person, as he develops, he grows and goes through different times one changes himself more correctly. We need to determine between us such directions, degrees of importance that, certainly, we will stay far away from the “so-what” and move closer to things that are necessary. That's it.

Student: Is there value for a Kabbalist in changing one's location like what we go, going on vacation? Is there value? Does it give anything or just for the will to receive, the body that needs this? 

M. Laitman: It's only for the will to receive. According to the Torah, there is no vacation, time off.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (36:16) He writes, there are three kinds of concealment of the wisdom. One of them is, the unnecessary. The question is, maybe it's the attitude of the student that is wrong, that he thinks it's unnecessary, like that he writes that he thinks it's unnecessary, and then…?

M. Laitman: I can't tell you in a precise way, what is the definition of each and every thing, but a person should scrutinize it. That's it.

Question (Latin 7): (37:09) How is it even possible to use something harmfully which exposes the quality of bestowal? 

M. Laitman: Well, maybe this is how it happens sometimes.

Question (KabU 3): (37:31) What criteria determine if something in the study of Kabbalah is considered necessary or unnecessary? Are there guidelines by which the Kabbalists work?

M. Laitman: The Kabbalists always operated towards the dissemination of the wisdom of Kabbalah within the boundaries so that it will assist people in their life, in general, in order to help, to build the right society and the right family, etc. 

Question (Women Moscow): (38:23) How to correct something that shouldn't have been said, but has been said? 

M. Laitman: This, I don't know. It's surely a flaw but how to fix it? To forget as much as you can, to blur it out.

Question (Petah Tikva 22): (38:48) Can we publicize things we heard in the lesson to the broad public? 

M. Laitman: Yes, but you need to take into account that we want to publicize only things that will be understood by the broad public. Then, it's impossible that they'll receive some harm from it.

Question (Women H11): (39:20) Is it correct that before we ask a question, we should calculate very carefully so that we don't harm the friends on their path? 

M. Laitman: That's for sure, yes, everyone.

Question (Latin 1): (39:36) How can we be careful to only reveal what's necessary and not harm others?

M. Laitman: Just to stay cautious. That, by that, you could determine or change your attitude from positive to negative towards the friend and the other way around. You want to stay cautious with regards to that and treat each other with love and keeping away from mistakes and anything else that can come out of a negative approach.

Question (Women Mak 43): (40:30) How does the teacher determine that the student is ready to get more knowledge? What are the indications of the spiritual readiness of a person? 

M. Laitman: The teacher doesn't determine, the teacher only feels that with respect to his students, he can today, tomorrow, somewhat open up the wisdom a bit more than the day before. That's how you advance.

Question (Women PT6): (41:17) Is anything that is not related to the correction of the soul considered “so what”?

M. Laitman: Yes. Why will we engage in it, discover that? Of course.

Question (Petah Tikva 22): (41:40) Nevertheless, we exist in the will to receive and it's a scrutiny about traveling, taking vacation, things like that. You said that, yes, this is just for the will to receive. Nevertheless, there is some necessity to perform actions in order to fulfill the will to receive, or is it disqualified? Is it a sin?

M. Laitman: No, it's not a sin. It depends on how necessary it is. 

Student: What does it mean, necessary?

M. Laitman: That you can't continue to exist without having so-and-so days of healing, of days off.

Student: Still, what's in these days of vacation, every moment we have is important. We try to criticize even what goes through our thoughts, certainly in words and actions.

M. Laitman: If you take a machine and you turn it on, and you keep working with it without any stops, without changing its oils or whatever it needs for maintenance, then it will stop working very quickly. 

Student: We need to perform actions in order to maintain the will to receive, so…

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: Because we know Rabash could also travel to Tiberias or abroad.

M. Laitman: He was very calculated. 

Student: What intention should we keep during such times?

M. Laitman: That my body will be in agreement and sufficiently strong to work on the things that I need to decide and work on.

Question (Petah Tikva 22): (43:53) How, nevertheless, does the Kabbalist kind of take new air? In the past, you used to say you watched a natural geographic style of music, or go to the beach, to the ocean; a person can't spend 24 hours a day just reading texts. 

M. Laitman: No, no, that's not what you're told here.

Student: Right, sometimes you have to clear your brain, so, what is okay to do? 

M. Laitman: One has to determine for oneself some hours where the person is engaged in sports, music even, other such things that are seemingly adventurous, but on the other hand, it's necessary.

Student: Because the need exists, that's the problem. You have a need, suddenly an urge. Sometimes, I feel a need for escapism, to just go away, watch a TV serial or a movie, clear my head. I can't just sit opposite the book or do something that we do. So, at that moment, how do I channel this moment correctly, so that I don't just run away, but extract the maximum benefit from it for the continuation?

M. Laitman: I don't know what to tell you. You still have to arrange yourself in such a way that these engagements in filling up time won't go against your inner spiritual development. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (45:57) At the end of the excerpt, it says, that if the engaging things occupy themselves and others in needless things, how to relate correctly if I think that I am being occupied in things that are needless in the corporeal work, for example. How should I relate correctly to it? 

M. Laitman: In your corporeal work, I don't know what to say. You have to go to work and work such and such hours to bring home sustenance.

Student: So, I shouldn't look at it whether in things that I do at work are needed or not? I just shut my eyes and I do it?

M. Laitman: That's not your business. You have a boss, you need to get paid from him, and you can get paid only in exchange for work. So, that's what you do. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (47:05) In another place Baal HaSulam, writes that words are dead, lifeless, dry, and we have to breathe a spirit of life into them. Meaning that spirituality has no words. Is this the topic of this article that we're reading now? Is this why there is revelation? 

M. Laitman: Could be, we'll see later what you started. 

Student: This covering of two portions is what causes the revelation of the one portion? 

M. Laitman: We'll wait and read more.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (48:04) We know how precious our words are in the common work we do. And if I contribute, or what does it even mean to contribute to the friends or not? I wanted to ask, what is this state of silence that is worth two rocks as he writes here that is precious? Is it something that is built with the person over time, or is it some calculation I need to do?

M. Laitman: No, that's according to man's inner qualities which then accordingly he also receives an external feeling, and that's how he sees and continues according to both the inner feeling and the internal feeling.

Student: And in the context of vacation, the time off that we talked about, how can I describe an inner type of vacation in a person, or inner freedom?

M. Laitman: Inner freedom is very difficult to describe, and, also, on each and every degree or state, it has a different shape. So, entering that with deep explanations, that's unnecessary.

Impossible

Reading: 2) (50:14) This means that the language does not compel them to say anything of their quality, due to their great sublimity and spirituality. Hence, any attempt to clothe them in words may only mislead the examiners and deflect them to a false path, which is considered the worst of all iniquities. Therefore, to reveal anything in these matters requires permission from above. This is the second part of the concealment of the wisdom. Yet, this permission, too, requires explanation.  

M. Laitman: Meaning, we see that there are a few more things that we aren't touching, and perhaps we'll get close to that, perhaps we will go past that and won't touch that, we'll see. But there's more, there are some conditions in the wisdom of Kabbalah that, for some, they're not worthwhile, and to others, they have to be revealed, and certain things need to be determined. We'll see.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (52:03) What does it mean to receive permission from above?

M. Laitman: I don't know. I don't know how to explain this now. If we aren't connected to heaven, then how can we receive permission or not?

Student: We're reading a certain topic now that we want to connect to. If I don't know the meaning of this concept of permission from above, how can I relate to this whole thing?

M. Laitman: Probably, if there will be a need for it then you'll receive it, and you'll understand that it's a permission.

Permission from Above

Reading: (52:52) This matter is explained in the book The Gate to Rashbi’s Words by the ARI (in the portion, Mishpatim, The Zohar, 4:100, beginning with words, “Yochai’s son knew how to hide”): “Know that some of the souls of the righteous are of the surrounding light kind, and some are of the inner light kind. (You will find their meaning in my book Panim Meirot, Gate Makifin, Branch 48.) Those who are of the surrounding light kind have the power to speak of the secrets and concealments of the Torah by way of great covering and concealment so that only those worthy of it will understand them.

Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai’s soul was of the surrounding light kind. Hence, he had the power to clothe the words and teach them in a way that even if he taught them to many, only the worthy of understanding would understand. This is why he was given “permission” to write The Book of Zohar.

The permission was not “granted” to write a book in this wisdom to his teachers or to the first ones who preceded them in writing in this wisdom, even though they were certainly more knowledgeable in this wisdom than he. But the reason is that they did not have the power to dress the matters as did he. This is the meaning of what is written, “Yochai’s son knew how to guard his ways.” Now you can understand the great concealment in The Book of Zohar that Rashbi wrote, that not every mind can grasp his words.

The essence of his words: Explaining matters in the wisdom of truth is not dependent whatsoever on the greatness or smallness of the Kabbalist sage. Rather, it is about the illumination of a soul dedicated to this matter. The illumination of this soul is considered “giving permission” from above to disclose the upper wisdom. We therefore learn that one who has not been rewarded with this permission must not make clarifications in this wisdom, as he cannot clothe those subtle matters in their proper words in a way that will not fail the students.

For this reason, we did not find a single book in the wisdom of truth that precedes Rashbi’s The Book of Zohar, since all the books in the wisdom prior to his are not categorized as clarifications of the wisdom, but are mere intimations, without an order of cause and consequence, as it is known to those the knowledgeable ones.

I should add, as I had received from books and from authors, that since the time of Rashbi and his disciples, the authors of The Zohar, until the time of the ARI there was not a single writer who understood the words of The Zohar and the Tikkunim [corrections] like the ARI. All the compositions before his time are mere inklings in this wisdom, including the books of the sage RAMAK.

And the same words that were said about the Rashbi should be said about the ARI himself—that his predecessors were not given permission from above to disclose the interpretations of the wisdom, and the ARI was given this permission. This does not distinguish any greatness or smallness at all, since it is possible that the merit of the ARI’s predecessors was much greater than his, but they were not given permission for it. For this reason, they refrained from writing commentaries that relate to the essence of the wisdom, but settled for brief intimations that were not in any way linked to one another.

Therefore, since the books of the ARI appeared in the world, all who study the wisdom of Kabbalah have left their hands from all the books of the RAMAK, and all the first and the great ones who preceded the ARI, as it is known among those who engage in this wisdom. They have attached their spiritual lives solely to the writings of the ARI in a way that the essential books, considered proper interpretations in this wisdom, are only The Book of Zohar, the Tikkunim, and following them, the books of the ARI. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:00:10) He writes here that the illumination of the soul is the giving of permission from above to disclose the upper wisdom. What does it mean, the illumination of the soul? Because, he says that only from the time of the ARI, there is this illumination of the soul, when we started receiving everything that we need.

M. Laitman: I can't tell you more than what I read. That's it.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:01:13) He says that Rabbi Shimon was from the surrounding light kind. Why does the surrounding light specifically help the revelation?

M. Laitman: I can't tell you, that's what's written. The surrounding light is somewhat better than inner light because it's unbounded. And, therefore, we can engage with it in any state.

Student: When Rav wrote the Introduction to Zohar for All, he wrote a letter, and it is written that the Rav was given permission from above to open it up and create this translation, this edition. So, what is the importance of Zohar for All in the spreading of the wisdom, so that it was translated to Hebrew and it's easier to read?

M. Laitman: Zohar for All is a book that went through adaptation for our generation. That's what makes it worthy of reading. It's not that there are any very profound things there or some inner pathways. No, rather, it is worthy for reading.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:03:27) He writes that the souls in general are divided into surrounding light kinds and inner light kinds. Is that how it works for us also? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: In our generation, there are also such that belong more to this, and others that belong more to that.

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: Should a person try to clarify, to scrutinize what he belongs to? 

M. Laitman: No. 

Student: Can we see signs? Maybe people who are more drawn to dissemination belong more to the surrounding light? 

M. Laitman: No, no, no, no.

Student: So, we shouldn't relate to this whole thing at all? 

M. Laitman: The time will come when we will be ready to receive it, to reveal it, study it, and then it will be revealed.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:04:27) Is the matter of revealing a portion and covering two: does it depend on time? Every moment - this is revealed, this is concealed. A year later or a week later, so, it's not about a period of time, but every moment, whatever a person discovers, it's then revealed. Can we say that? There such a thing, yes? In the beginning of my study, it's twenty something years ago, we talked about the intention, intention during the study. We emphasized connection less in this topic, and we also say that back then, it was revealed to us that the matter of intention was more important. We didn't yet reach the connection until 2005-2006. Is it also related to the matter of revelation? 

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: Now, about these Kabbalists that we now read about Rashbi, the ARI, Baal HaSulam and Rabash, in each one of the donations of their annual yahrtzeit. You emphasize once that Baal HaSulam is more intellectual, Rabash is more social. Can you now go and say that this one revealed this portion and covered those, and the other one revealed this and covered those? Can you distinguish between these Kabbalists?

M. Laitman: No, I really don't know. Meaning, I have some assumption in this direction and that direction, but being certain of that, I can't be. 

Question (Kiev 1): (01:06:31) How is the ability to reveal the materials we're studying related to the ability to pass it on? 

M. Laitman: To reveal the ability to reveal comes to a Kabbalist when there are students around him, in contact with him. And they're not just students, they're actually willing to receive from him, that’s all. And if there are no such students around him, and some Kabbalists had those times, when they lived simply without passing on knowledge to anyone, it was very difficult.

Student: For example, now we're in the stage of preparing for a congress, and we are preparing for a revelation of a certain quality within us, a new quality, Lishma, let's say, a new degree of the group. How is it related to the fact that we're passing on what we pass on to people? Or is it only related to our inner work and not related to us passing it on to the external world?

M. Laitman: These are things that are certainly interconnected, because the whole wisdom of Kabbalah comes from the word to pass on, to convey, to pass on. It's something that people have passed on to each other from the beginning of creation to its end, at least what they can reveal in their present state. And then, that's how it happens.

Question (Hadera 1): (01:09:22) Regarding revealing a portion and conceding two portions, is it out of concern for those who hear, or out of concern for the sanctity of the wisdom?

M. Laitman: More about the sanctity of The Wisdom. 

Student: This means that we should speak less so that the wisdom itself won't become a matter of so what? 

M. Laitman: Yes, but if you have a group of people that — but you know, they too engage in that — then, then you should open up what you're capable of for them.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:10:31) I also have a question about surrounding light versus inner light. Baal HaSulam was a scientist, according to his spirit, you can feel it very much, and he described general things, meaning how the system is built. Is this closer to surrounding light? And there are things that are passed on as a method: how can a person rise on the degrees? This is closer to inner light, can we say that?

M. Laitman: I don't know, possibly there's something to that. We’ll learn that at some point.

Question (MAK 24): (01:11:40) The wisdom teaches us to get closer to the feeling of the upper light. Is it the light that surrounds us? From the lights that surround us, what is closer to our feeling is the inner light. Without scrutinizing this inner light, without feeling it, it's hard to also feel the surrounding light and the upper light. So, how do you think we can learn? Maybe you can advise us: what should we do with the feeling of the inner light?

M. Laitman: The feeling of the inner light appears in a person who undergoes degrees — even though he goes through many degrees as he goes in and out of every degree — he has a special kind of feeling, special conditions. Then he discovers his desire in heart for the lights that he reveals in each and every degree.

Question (Haifa 1): (01:13:48) Baal HaSulam writes to us about the counsel of the Lord to those who fear Him. Can you explain that one?

M. Laitman: I can't explain it because it says, "the secret”.

Student: Should we add in fear? Study is the result of fear, not intellect? 

M. Laitman: No, intellect as well. In our studies there is an incorporation of the mind and the emotion.

Student: It reminded me that everything is in the hands of heaven except the fear of heaven. So, that's the direction?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Question (Moscow): (01:14:55) According to what  I heard, Baal HaSulam speaks about two sources, the Zohar, and the Corrections. What's the difference between those sources? The Zohar we read, and the Corrections, it seems, that we don't. What's the reason? And maybe there's a need for certain preparation? So, what's the difference between those two sources? 

M. Laitman: We read the Zohar, we also sometimes read verses from the Corrections, the Zohar Corrections. I think that The Zohar is still too early for us. I think it's still early for us to engage in the Zohar Corrections. That will be somewhere after the convention in February. And then we will be able to engage with the Zohar Corrections. Well, that's how it is. 

Question (Tel Aviv 1): (01:16:17) He writes that if you have an important thing to say which is worth one rock, so the silence is worth two. What is silence?

M. Laitman: If you're not going to go explain it, interpret it, you're going to leave it as is.

Student: And then he continues that the ones who spread wisdom that is useless just to seem smarter towards the readers, so, meaning, they're using words that don't have a meaning? So, what's in the first category or the second category? 

M. Laitman: Towards a person, a specific person, you can sometimes interpret the word or the sentence in a manner that suits him.

Student: And what's to make the words better for the reader? Why does he prohibit that? What is it even? 

M. Laitman: It's just like you're translating from one language to another. You change the tongue in it and make it closer to the one who's learning.

Student: Why is that a prohibition?

M. Laitman: Because through these changes you can cause great harm to the understanding of the wisdom. He writes about this somewhere. 

Question (Novosibirsk): (01:18:40) Regarding unnecessary words, when a comrade evaluates that another comrade is systematically saying some unnecessary things or making his assessments similar to malice, should he be consulting with other comrades, if they see this?

M. Laitman: I don't know. Think about it. Consult each other. And then, you'll be healed through such things. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:19:36) The wisdom that the sages wrote for us is for us to discover it, right? So, what should a person do, because everything is concealed and there are questions that we see people asking because we don't understand the wisdom too much, and we're here for many years. So, what's the meaning, or what should a person do in order to reach revelation of the wisdom? 

M. Laitman: Try to be straight with the Lord your God. That's the harshest of conditions. And then it will open up for you. Clear? What's not understood? We'll pray for it to be understood. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:21:01) A small scrutiny. Each one knows the situation of a child who knows what's happening in his house, and he goes out without awareness, and he sometimes even starts talking about things that you're not supposed to talk about that happen at home. Now, we have something very internal here. So, what do you recommend? What not to talk about on the outside? 

M. Laitman: We are in the framework of the Ten, each of us, and one needs to understand really well that the Ten is his internal Kli and it isn't worthwhile for him to try and go out of it. And then through the exercises that will go upon him he'll discover the Creator's attitude towards him and learn from Him what is needed.

Student: Everything we have internally we got from you. You also know what you gave us. You probably know what we have too. What should we make sure we keep that we guard on? What's the important thing in our heart that we have to keep in the Ten, in society, and watch over it?

M. Laitman: Connection. For it to be between us and the Creator, and it will come and get stronger.

Student: What do we have that's unique today compared to the external world? Each one feels here that we have something special?

M. Laitman: You have a special relation from above.

Student: Relation from the upper one?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: And what does it give us toward our relation towards reality? 

M. Laitman: To the extent in which you will understand that success depends on the connection between you, accordingly, you will advance and succeed.

Student: That means that today we're relatively compared to humanity, we have more of an awareness to this matter that the connection between us and what will bring us to connection with the upper one?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:24:44) Yes or no: surrounding expands from Atzilut towards all of us?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: And the restriction is something you want to want, right? You can't see the Creator is doing bad?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: To connect with the ten Sefirot there. So, you agree to the limitations that come with them? 

M. Laitman: You must agree. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:25:29) You said that there's a severe condition to try and be honest with the Creator. What is that condition?

M. Laitman: The Creator lets a person, he gives them sometimes such states, that a person seemingly has the ability to turn the Creator, somehow. Of course, it never is even close to being possible, but a person can use this, and then, he'll have to go through corrections.

Student: Why has the Creator given him such a state, supposedly to turn Him around?

M. Laitman:  It's also a correction, it's not necessarily a correction towards the person as it is towards the system.

Student: So, everything's correction? 

M. Laitman: Everything's correction. 

Student: What does it mean to be honest or direct with the Creator? What is that?

M. Laitman: To be direct, straight with the Creator, your God, is that you're operating with the Creator in a straight manner, in an honest way.

Student: And that means?

M. Laitman: It's that I know my state, I know my way, and I, how should I say this? Well, we will add to this.

Student: It sounds like a state of recognition of evil. If you're direct with Him, you're honest with Him, it means you know your nothingness, your nature, the way you need Him?

M. Laitman: Yes, yes, something like that. 

Student: What's the difference between direct or naive?

M. Laitman: Direct or honest, is one that has a purpose, a goal, and he is aimed towards it, and comes close to it in a constant way, forever. And besides that, he doesn't think anything about himself. He has no thought for himself. 

Student: So, that's direct or honest. What is naive? 

M. Laitman: Naive, it's that he doesn't take from his path, from his way any supporters, rather, expects the Creator will supply that to him.

Student: When you said to be direct or honest with the ways of the Creator, that I know my state, what does it mean, that I know? What is my measurement?

M. Laitman: I don't know how to say it.

Student: What's the connection between being honest with the Creator or honest with yourself?

M. Laitman: It starts from you talking with the Creator, and ends in you ... I don't know how to say it ... that you expect to be by yourself.

Student: And what does it mean to talk to the Creator? 

M. Laitman: To talk to the Creator is a development in a person, in his vessels. The Creator doesn't need development, we need it. And that's what grows us.

Student: The more a person develops, what changes in the way he talks to the Creator?

M. Laitman: His speech becomes more closer to the Creator. Yes, closer.  

Student: What exactly is in this action of speaking? I'm speaking to Him, I hear Him. What does that mean? What's the action of speaking? 

M. Laitman: Speech begins from a person talking, crying, doing all kinds of actions. But at the end of the day, he ... I don't know how to say it, it’ll come.

Student: To be honest with the Creator, is that a quality that is acquired gradually? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: How does a person not lie to himself? Because the evil inclination constantly turns us around in a thousand directions, how do you not lie to yourself? 

M. Laitman: He needs to divide himself into several parts, and to accustom yourself to scrutinize things according to those parts that you divided. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:34:32) A person's emotions, you can't express them in words. How to be direct to the Creator to such an extent? Because every word you say is a lie. It's like you freeze what you said on your feelings. How to be honest with the Creator? 

M. Laitman: That is because I and you have a different language. That's why that's what happens. That’s it.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:35:25) Can there be a language that isn't different between me and you, like you said?

M. Laitman: Until it becomes the same language. 

Student: How does a language become equal? 

M. Laitman: The Creator is one and His name is one. We advance towards that.

Student: So, the moment you recognize, He is one and His name is one, in every relation, in every feeling, in every thought.

M. Laitman: Yes, we need many conditions to connect.

Student: Between people, right? Also between friends. The moment there's the intention between them, the same intention, they start understanding each other?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: Until then, what do we see in one another?

M. Laitman: Until then, we scrutinize the extent to which we are receiving from the Creator conditions, details, and as much as we can play with them.

Student: The friend was asking about the lie he keeps seeing in everything he actually does. 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: So, that is a good place you can say, right? It's a place, that from it, you can ask?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: So, in one place, it's a place of deception, but you recognize it and you see it's good. 

M. Laitman: Yes, yes. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:37:32) I don't know exactly how to say it, the matter of keeping in a person, what obligates him or gives him the ability to keep himself, that he notices his oppositeness. There's a point in the heart, yearning for something else, and the rest is corporeality. So, this oppositeness, that a person watches over himself, observes the Shabbat, there are all kinds of limitations, restrictions. It's in order to point his yearning towards the Creator, right?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: So, this inner war, actually there's no chance for a person to do it alone? It's like fighting an ocean. So, from here he's going to need the Creator?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: How between us we take a step forward and really charge that battle? Ignite everybody towards it?

M. Laitman: Yes. I think it's close. We need to give examples, to warm up the friends, to awaken the public, and that's it. There's nothing else to do here. 

Student: Is there a matter of breaking through in this? 

M. Laitman: Yes, of course, like in an attack.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:39:30) When a person thinks that he is honest with the Creator, trying to be honest, and he doesn't get an answer right away. So, what should he think of? What should he do in such a state?

M. Laitman: Perform scrutinies in what he is capable of. And hear what the Creator answers him about it.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:40:16) You said, I wrote it down - a person has to divide himself into a few parts, and to get used to scrutinizing things according to those parts in you that you divided. So, what are those parts that a person divides himself? 

M. Laitman: What did we talk about?

Student: We talked before, to be honest or direct with the Creator, that you're speaking to Him, and that speaking, crying, doing actions, and somehow it continued to where a person has to divide himself into a few parts to scrutinize things according to those parts you've divided. So, does that mean desires to receive and desires to bestow? That's the question.

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: So, I want to continue, if I understand correctly, what comes from the Creator, a person has to scrutinize with the desires to bestow and the will to receive? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: To scrutinize with the will to bestow is clear why you need to, but why do you need to scrutinize with the will to receive? What does it give you? What does it add?

M. Laitman: It adds for you to know about your qualities.

Student: To know about my qualities?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Student: And to scrutinize with the will to bestow, what does that give for a person?

M. Laitman: There inside, when you start scrutinizing, you'll see that this isn't a desire to receive, that's a desire to bestow.

Student: It's as if this thing gives a complete picture, I scrutinize with my will to bestow, with my will to receive, then I can supposedly take a decision how to advance? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Okay, so it's felt, a lot of friends also in the world Kli were asking, that a lot of friends feel, at least I think, that congress is the world Kli. Always when the World Kli comes, and you see the sparks of the friends starting to show up, or the friends that awaken questions from the world Kli, it raises us towards the Congress so much.  So, with what can we leave this lesson in order to be in the intention to support the world Kli? I know, friends were saying that in the friends of WhatsApp groups of the world Kli, friends are buying tickets already for the Congress, they got a ticket, they're ready, and where am I in them? I feel so unprepared compared to the world Kli, that they're making such efforts that how to incorporate with that, how to incorporate with the big vessel that demands that, how to join into the boat?

M. Laitman: Find in all of our materials exercises and spread them between everybody with an address where to send the answers to, and that's what helps you advance.

Student: The answers to what question? What's the actual question? 

M. Laitman: It should be there in your questions.

Student: Meaning, some exercise that the whole world Kli collects questions, deficiencies, desires, and send them to some place? 

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: And will that give us meaning, I need to read the deficiencies of everyone to be impressed and …

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Each one?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Song: (01:45:25)