The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Lesson (Morning) June 11, 2024.
Part 2: Baal HaSulam. The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee], Item 20.
Reader: Hello, we are reading from the writings of Baal HaSulam “The Arvut” article, we're continuing from item 20. You can find the study materials on the Arvut system. So, “The Arvut” article, item 20.
Reading Article: (00:22) The Arvut [Mutual Guarantee], Item 20.
20) But the end of the correction of the world will only be by bringing all the people in the world under His work, as it is written, “And the Lord will be King over all the earth; in that day, the Lord will be one and His name one.” The text specifies, “on that day,” and not before. And there are several more verses, “For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord…” “…and all the nations will flow unto him.”
But the role of Israel toward the rest of the world resembles the role of our holy fathers toward the Israeli nation: As the righteousness of our fathers helped us develop and cleanse until we became worthy of receiving the Torah, for were it not for our fathers, who observed the whole of the Torah before it was given, we would certainly not be any better than the rest of the nations, as mentioned in Item 12, so it is upon the Israeli nation—through Torah and Mitzvot—to qualify itself and all the people of the world to develop until they take upon themselves that sublime work of the love of others. This is the ladder to the purpose of creation, which is Dvekut with Him.
Thus, each and every Mitzva that each person from Israel performs in order to bring contentment to one’s Maker, and not for any reward and self-love, helps, to some extent, with the development of all the people of the world. This is because it is not done at once, but by a slow, gradual development, until it increases to such a degree that it can bring all the people in the world to the desired purity. And this is what our sages call “shifting the balance to merit,” meaning that the necessary weight of purity has been achieved. They compared it to weighing on a scale, where the shifting of the balance is the achievement of the desired weight.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (03:59) So, what's the process here? That only when the scale goes to merit, then you see a change, and before it?
M. Laitman: And before that, it is the work of many individual people here and there, those who awaken and by this receive an opportunity for correction.
Student: And what does it mean that Israel changed the scales to the side of the merit?
M. Laitman: As you see, through the individuals in Israel who awaken and connect, by this, they cause everyone to connect.
Student: When does the shifting start?
M. Laitman: No one knows. It's when people awaken.
Student: When does the process start where Israel puts a sesame and another sesame?
M. Laitman: It started a long time ago. But when will it end in the last sesame seed being, beginning to bring down this scale?
Student: And that should be on which degree and to what extent?
M. Laitman: He doesn't write anywhere. It's not written anywhere how we can measure, see, how we can influence. Well, it's written pretty much how we can influence, but it's very vague. That's it.
Student: So, all of Israel need to shift the scale to merit?
M. Laitman: Yes, relatively, as much as possible.
Student: And until then, there's no changes in the world?
M. Laitman: Until then, the changes are usual, the way you see them.
Student: So they're bad?
M. Laitman: The bad to the good, yes. There's nothing you can do. We are in a situation where everything depends on us, and we have to understand it and become incorporated. And decide to the side of merit.
Student: It's hard to understand why the process is like that.
M. Laitman: Why?
Student: Why isn't it gradual? He says on one hand, it's a gradual development, slowly.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: But it's only in Israel.
M. Laitman: So what?
Student: Why isn't there some advancement? That we took a step and...
M. Laitman: I don't see that there was no advancement in humanity as well. Where do you not see it? From generation to generation, from century to century, we advance.
Student: To where?
M. Laitman: To understanding states, understanding that the connection between us can be beneficial, et cetera. Still, what you are now going to circulate to thousands of people, you can circulate and they'll understand you pretty much, more or less. Whereas, a few hundred years ago, it was impossible.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (08:31) Why is the development so slow?
M. Laitman: I don't think it's slow. What does it mean, slow? It takes another century, another two centuries, another 5,000 years.
Student: Yes, it's very slow.
M. Laitman: That's according to our time, our clock. But it's not really slow compared to the time that the universe has existed, and planet Earth, and how everything develops.
Student: Compared to all of creation, right, it's like a little nothing. But why not in a year? Why in our times it's so long?
M. Laitman: Because we cannot digest it. We can't participate in this.
Student: Why is the time of digestion so slow? Why do we digest it so slow, another hundred years, another generation? Why doesn't it happen?
M. Laitman: Ask people. Because they're changing slowly.
Student: Why is the mechanism built in a way that it's such a slow change, a slow recognition?
M. Laitman: If you take into account the development of all of creation: still, vegetative, animate and speaking, you will see that it is built in some way that is relatively correct.
Student: Why isn't it double speed, this whole business? Why can't we speed it up? I don't get it. I understand I don't see the whole system, and it's precise. I don't have doubt about it. But why is it this way and not another way? It could be double the speed.
M. Laitman: You would still be asking, why then?
Student: Why not in a moment?
M. Laitman: I'm telling you, there is no logic in this way or that way.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (10:49) I still have an impression from the previous article. There was a state of somebody on the path, and because he doesn't have the fear of the heavens, so they brought him darkness, and he started getting suffering.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: That gradually brought him to a state that he got an impression from the fear of heavens. And it seems like the world is starting to get a lot of suffering lately. Not only here, it's spreading. And also here in the article, he says that Israel needs to reach a state that all their work will be for the sake of the heavens, and they'll help the world get there. So, I'm asking about those two degrees, that the world is suffering, but part of humanity already really feels this work to do it for the sake of the heavens. How will that part that is living or speaking will affect the still or the vegetative and bring the parts together?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How is that connected to the fear of heavens? We know that his sons won't die, that he'll have the next world, and then there's like a jump that he's fearful of His greatness. So that's our duty. What is our role in awakening those points in order to jump?
M. Laitman: Our role is to be the first in the correction. To come closer to each other. And it's already written in our books from thousands of years ago that we have to unite between us, and turn to the Creator and pray. And by this, to feel that we have to, we have to perform these actions the way they are written.
Student: How do you awaken suffering from a higher degree towards a lower degree?
M. Laitman: We don't need to awaken suffering, that's not our way.
Student: Not to awaken suffering, but that they'll have more discernments. Like we say that there's sufferings of love or being concerned of..?
M. Laitman: Only to pray. Only to pray.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (13:55) He writes that every commandment that each one from Israel performs in order to give contentment to his Maker, by this he helps the whole world develop.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What is the commandment in order to give contentment to the Maker? What does that cause? If we do a commandment in order to bestow?
M. Laitman: It awakens a person in the Creator to connect for the observance of that commandment.
Student: How does that affect all of humanity?
M. Laitman: It influences because we're all already connected into one system.
Student: What happens to a person in humanity when someone from Israel performs the action and gets illumination and surrounding light?
M. Laitman: What he receives, yes, some illumination of the surrounding lights.
Student: But not a correction. It's a…?
M. Laitman: It's an awakening.
Student: We say that each one needs to correct to the root of his soul, but here he says that it's all of humanity. That a person has to determine the scale of merit. So, it's something personally each one has to get to?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, how does each one correct his own until all of Israel will be corrected?
M. Laitman: Until all of Israel, until the whole world, and that's how it'll be.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (15:39) So, the result will be that the work here that woke up will spread to the whole world. Except for being a result, it has to be something that has to be in our intention in every action?
M. Laitman: No. No, we don't have correct intentions. So, we can't correct the world through intentions.
Student: So, our effort has to always be between us, and the result that it expands.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: We can't hold on of the purpose that it'll go onward?
M. Laitman: It's unrealistic.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (16:29) So it turns out that the scales are weighing spiritual sesames, not quantity but quality.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And it says Israel are few of the nations, but still they have a quality that can draw the whole world with them.
M. Laitman: The quality remains, yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (17:05) He writes that the role of the Israeli nation by the Torah and commandments to help the world develop, to receive the sublime work of love of others.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And that brings adhesion. Why should I love the others? What's the reason?
M. Laitman: Because it brings you to the purpose of creation.
Student: But the purpose of creation is adhesion with the Creator.
M. Laitman: Yes, because from the love of the people to the love of the Creator.
Student: I'm trying to think always towards the Creator. He loves without a reason, that's His nature.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: I don't have a measurement. I'm trying to measure towards Him all the time. I also have to work to love with no reason?
M. Laitman: No, you already have a reason, because the Creator wants it.
Student: It's because I'm teaching myself to love, so I understand that the Creator loves with no reason; that's His nature.
M. Laitman: So, He, without any reason, and you, with a reason.
Student: What's my reason?
M. Laitman: Yours? Because the Creator is in it.
Student: But it's not enough. What else do I need to tell myself, to imagine to myself? Towards the root. Why am I asking? Because my ego is against the others. Let's say, I want to pray for a friend.
M. Laitman: Clear.
Student: So I need a reason. Why am I doing an action towards the others now? I'm trying to come closer to them, pray for them. If my ego is all aimed against it?
M. Laitman: The reason is simple; otherwise, you'll suffer blows.
Student: That's not enough. What's suffer blows?
M. Laitman: What do you mean it's not enough?
Student: I already got blows. So I'll get blows. So what? I'm searching in my root, the Creator, a reason. He loves with no reason. It's His nature. I also have to reach that I love with no reason?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Why is there such a balance of forces that now I want to pray for the benefit of the friend? My ego is on one hand slandering against them, and I have to pray for the benefit of the friend.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Why is there such a not normal balance of forces?
M. Laitman: Why is it not normal? Although I don't want anything good for the friend, I have to nevertheless pray to the Creator to give me a good relation toward the friend.
Student: How do I give a prayer for the friend more forces?
M. Laitman: Through preparation.
Student: What's through preparation?
M. Laitman: Through preparation. When you think about it before you go and do it until you get such a relation to the friend and to the Creator that you yearn to be connected with them.
Student: And I'm doing all this because this is the Creator's nature?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (21:03) He writes that by engaging in Torah and Mitzvot, Lishma, we'll reach such an exalted development of love of others.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: One depends on the other? The engagement in Torah and Mitzvot, that's what the exalted role of love of others depends on?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What does it mean practically?
M. Laitman: That if you relate to the friends in this way, then by this you'll also elevate yourself and relate this way to the Creator.
Student: And the opposite, too?
M. Laitman: I don't know about the opposite.
Student: He writes that through the efforts in Torah and Mitzvot, Lishma for the benefit of the Creator, that we'll reach the development of a love of others.
M. Laitman: Yes, that's what I said.
Student: You said through the love of others.
M. Laitman: And the other way around as well.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (22:08) I want to go back to what friends already asked about when he said that each and every commandment that someone from Israel performs in order to bring contentment to one's Maker and not for any reward in self-love helps to some extent with the development of all the people in the world.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, this kind of like clogs all the questions, if you understand it, it just closes us off. We give contentment to our Maker in every commandment. That determines the whole world.
M. Laitman: Correct.
Student: How to grasp this, it's very… How should we understand this?
M. Laitman: This is how reality is built.
Student: That's how it's built, but it's concealed from us.
M. Laitman: So, they write to you.
Student: They write it and if I really grasp it, so it's an endless responsibility on each and every one.
M. Laitman: Yes. Yes. This is why there is antisemitism that awakens you.
Student: But it also means that if there's antisemitism, that we're not doing the work correctly.
M. Laitman: Correct. It means that what he writes here is correct.
Student: How do we make it settle on the heart, that's my question actually?
M. Laitman: By speaking about it, all the time.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (24:24) Now, at this point in time of the world, someone from Israel is comprised of the whole world, all the children of Israel, all the people in the nations of the world within him, and also the Creator. So, right now, in a person from Israel all created beings are included?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And it says here, you're deciding or sentencing. If I, first of all, how do I climb up the degrees of family, country, world, reality? How do we climb up these stairs?
M. Laitman: I don't understand what you're talking about.
Student: It can begin with small, like the family that you're included in, then the neighborhood, the city, the country, the world, reality. Including all the details in the family, country, the world, reality. How do we climb up the degrees of this? How does a person feel it, that he is comprised of…?
M. Laitman: By thinking and taking into account that he depends on everyone and everyone depends on him.
Student: It's a reality at any given moment. He is made of all the details. He feels them?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: I'm asking about the deciding. If such a person justifies or loves more than he hates the one who stands in front of him, he crowns the Creator right there and then: that's the question.
M. Laitman: I didn't hear it.
Student: He says you're sentencing the whole world to the side of merit.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Anyone from Israel can do it right now. I'm asking about sentencing. There's a person from Israel who justifies or loves the other more than himself, at that moment does he crown the Creator over all of reality?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Yes, crowns in practice?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: And what is that state, the world that is all good?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: So, in this way he causes all the elements of reality?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Now, it may be conscious in him and it's, there's a situation where all of reality is conscious of it. How when he is conscious of it, what is this? How does it pour this thing that it's all good, how does it pour from him to all of reality?
M. Laitman: I don't know. I do not know.
Student: But as there are degrees in incorporation…?
M. Laitman: You can say, that's your assumptions already.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (28:05) Is it possible to somehow understand from the state of the world if Israel is doing its job or not?
M. Laitman: Of course you can. And the result is negative.
Student: But from what I understand, the result will continue to be negative until we decide to the side of merit. So, how do we know if the negativity that's revealed now is a result, or not as a result, or it's unrelated, or we can't even measure the connection between what Israel does and what is happening in the world?
M. Laitman: We need to check, and see, and measure, and then determine what it depends on.
Student: So, what's the measurement? How do we see? Let's say a war breaks out somewhere.
M. Laitman: So, of course Israel are guilty.
Student: Yes, but are they only guilty or maybe it's actually to their merit, or maybe you can't determine anything?
M. Laitman: No, if it's a war, so it's not for their benefit.
Student: Why? Let's say a war causes the recognition of evil, of a separation. I don't know.
M. Laitman: You can say that about everything from the beginning of creation.
Student: I'm asking this because in the beginning we said that until the scale is set to the side of merit, the situation in the world will not gradually develop and improve. It will continue to evolve as it is, and it's developing egoistically, meaning to the worse. So, we needn't expect improvement in the world the more Israel works on connection, and correction, and suddenly the world becomes greener, and greener, and greener. So, if that's the case, can we conclude, or project, or measure the state of the world as a result of Israel's work?
M. Laitman: For now, we can measure and say that Israel is not doing anything good.
Student: How do we see this?
M. Laitman: According to the world.
Student: So, okay, I can't understand it.
M. Laitman: What can't you understand? What are you reading there that you can't understand?
Student: We read that sentencing to the side of merit, until the scale is decided, until the sesames accumulate and the scale is sentenced to the side of merit, the situation in the world besides Israel is not going to get better.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Meaning, the situation will not be good?
M. Laitman: Not good.
Student: So even when Israel sentenced another sesame and another sesame to the side of merit, the situation in the world will still not improve.
M. Laitman: Why not?
Student: Because that's what we said, only that when the scale is sentenced to merit, then the situation in the world will appear evidently, within reason, within the desire, openly as improved.
M. Laitman: Well, still, for the good.
Student: So, if that's the case, is it possible to somehow project on the connection between the state of the world and the state of Israel if they're doing their work, or are they negligent?
M. Laitman: It belongs.
Student: Who can measure this?
M. Laitman: We see it before us. If the world still didn't reach a good form, so Israel still aren't performing what they're supposed to. They haven't reached the shifting of the scales.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (32:42) After this conversation, when I look at reality with my eyes, it's hard for me not to condemn. I have a twofold pain on the situation itself and on the fact that I'm condemning or that I can't justify. And I read that all the work is on me. I have to do this commandment after commandment with me so that the world will be corrected.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How do I work with this pain that is created in a person when he sees this?
M. Laitman: You must still supposedly turn to all people on earth and to want them to understand and perform corrections that bring man and the world to the end of correction.
Student: But I can't even create a real prayer inside.
M. Laitman: So, for now, that's the reason.
Student: So, how do I come to a prayer? How do I come to an internal prayer that will really be? It's not coming. It comes and goes.
M. Laitman: As much as you can. As much as you can. What can you do? You're speaking about something that we're below. We're in the result of that.
Student: Yes, it's clear that it's a result of it. But all of us, well, I don't know about everyone, but me. I'm part of the system. I even feel that I'm a part of the system. But it's helplessness, because even when you can talk to someone, there's no feeling that it's coming through, that something is being conveyed from what you're telling me now.
M. Laitman: That has to come with a command from above.
Student: So should that be my prayer, that the command will come from above regardless of the results?
M. Laitman: The Creator has to decide that he gives a command to everyone. Good luck.
Question (Haifa 1): (35:25) In this conversation I wanted to remind us that there we said that everything is within a person, a person is a small world. And my teacher told me, correct yourself and you'll see that the whole world is corrected. My question is, 15 years ago, I wrote in my notebook that you said that love does not depend on sadness or joy. Then I couldn't understand. Please explain it to me.
M. Laitman: I can't say. I don't know what I was talking about back then. I don't know.
Question (Moscow 4): (36:26) Well, it's the first time I have this feeling that maybe it's the first time I heard that the mutual responsibility isn't just ideas, how to fix relationships between people, but it's a global transformation of all of creation. That our prayer comes to the Creator and He answers it. It's not just a happy, good life. It's a transformation in all of creation.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Women Turkiye 1): (37:13) Does the state of Arvut, mutual responsibility maintain our connection with the fathers?
M. Laitman: What did he say?
Student: Does the state of mutual responsibility maintain our connection with the fathers?
M. Laitman: Yes, of course.
Question (Kyiv 1): (37:40) We scrutinized regarding the Creator loving the created being, and according to his example, we have to love the friends, the Ten. How does the Creator love the created beings?
M. Laitman: I don't know, I guess like parents who love children.
Student: I have to love my friends in the Ten in order to sentence the world to the side of merit. What is my love for them so it will influence the whole world?
M. Laitman: You look at children, what can you do for them to feel good in an absolute manner?
Question (Holland): (38:40) The article is talking about shifting of the balance. So, what is our balance now?
M. Laitman: I can't tell you what the balance is right now. Right now, there is no balance, we’re in like an in-between state.
Student: So, what are we shifting then?
M. Laitman: We need between us to awaken love and that this love will spread through all people of the world, and we are able to do it. And then it's clear that it'll be good for everyone.
Student: So, if you can compare, let's say, you have scales. What is on one side of the scale and what's on this side of the scale?
M. Laitman: You don't understand what the scales are? Let's say this is good for everybody, for all of humanity, and this is what's good for yourself. So, where do you want there to be more?
Student: Who is holding those scales?
M. Laitman: Who is holding the scales? I don't know. I think it's the Creator. You are the one determining. The result comes from Him.
Question (Latin 4): (41:11) We're working on connection now. But in the secular part…How should we qualify ourselves to work, I guess, with secular people?
M. Laitman: We need to qualify ourselves by being connected and dependent on one another. And as much as our dependency will bring us closer to one another, we will be able to influence the whole system of nature, and it will be more and more, how do I say it, good for everyone. Good for everyone.
Question (Women PT 23): (43:03) What is missing for Israel's recognition of evil so it will influence the country and the world positively?
M. Laitman: For Israel, that's already a different type of work. We need to influence all of Israel, to change the purpose of the world, the path of the world themselves, and in this way, everything will change.
Student: How can we influence?
M. Laitman: By the connection between us. By the connection between us.
Question (Women Latin 15): (44:10) The prayer before a prayer, is this what can help us right now?
M. Laitman: Yes, of course, that makes the difference.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (44:38) What division should there be, in the intention for which we ask the correction? Should it be for the Creator, or for the world?
M. Laitman: That depends on what we're studying, and how we are.
Student: Should we see the whole world as being a part of the Creator, and then we're asking this for the Creator?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Reading Item 21: (45:28)
21) These are the words of Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, who said that the world is judged by its majority. He was referring to the role of the Israeli nation to qualify the world for a certain measure of purity, until they are worthy of taking upon themselves His work, no less than Israel were worthy at the time they received the Torah. In the words of our sages, it is considered that they had attained enough virtues to overcome the side of sin, which is the filthy self-love.
Clearly, if the side of merit, which is the sublime attainment of the benefit of loving others, transcends the filthy side of sin, they become qualified for the decision and the agreement to say, “We will do and we will hear,” as Israel said. But before they obtain sufficient merits, self-love will certainly prevail and they will refuse to assume His burden.
Our sages said, “He who performs one Mitzva is happy, for he has sentenced himself and the whole world to the side of merit.” This means that an individual from Israel finally adds his own part to the final decision, as one who weighs sesame seeds and adds them one by one to the scale until the balance shifts. Certainly, everyone takes part in this shifting, for without him, the sentencing would never be completed. Similarly, it is said about the acts of an individual from Israel that he sentences the whole world to the side of merit. This is because when the matter ends and the whole world has been sentenced to the side of merit, each and every one will have a share in this shifting, for were it not for his actions, the shifting would have been deficient.
Thus you find that Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, does not dispute the words of our sages that all of Israel is responsible for one another. Rather, Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon, speaks of the correction of the whole world in the future, whereas our sages speak of the present, when only Israel have taken upon themselves the Torah.
Reader: (49:07) Announcements. This concludes the lesson.