The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
World Kabbalah Convention: Rising Above Reason, May 18, 2024.
Lesson 2: Receiving from the Friends the Force of Faith Above Reason
Reader: (00:00) Lesson number two on the topic of Rising Above Reason, our topic today of our lesson is Rising Above Reason: Receiving from the Friends the Force of Faith Above Reason. You can find everyone on our sites and the study materials on Sviva Tova as well as the Arvut system. Whoever wants to ask a question and is sitting in the front part of our hall is asked to raise their hand so that our ushers will be able to see you and not lower your hand until Rav gives you permission to talk.
Whoever sits in the back side of the hall is asked to arrive up front to ask the questions. Whoever is in the Arvut system is invited to put their question mark up. Friends, we’re in a very internal Convention, let’s be very responsible with the questions we ask. Let’s make sure they will be only on the topic of the lesson. Questions on the matters of dissemination, social matters, state matters, international, families, we’ll do a special lesson for them after the convention. Please do make sure that your phones are turned off from all their noise, put them on vibrate. We have a question from PT6 to begin, for Rav.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:29) In the preparation, the whole world Kli talked about the greatness of the friends, about the adhesion that exists between us, the greatness of the Creator. The need for a covenant that we will make between us. From that, we had a question that came up. We wanted to know, according to the topic of the lesson, how can you receive from the friends the strength to rise above reason?
M. Laitman: If we are in a single group, we are learning that only through the friends we can connect with the Creator. And it's clear to us that only the connection between us and through all the friends, when we all connect to the Creator. That ensures for us that we'll reach adhesion from between us to the Creator. And then we'll attain everything we need to attain. Hence, we have no more to think about or what to base our good future on. Only on the connection between us, and from between us to the heart of the Creator.
Reader: (03:25) I guess we can start the lesson.
M. Laitman: Yes, this lesson, ask anything you want to ask. We'll try to answer all your questions. We have time, we have a desire, let's go.
Reader: We're in Lesson 2: Receiving the Force of Faith Above Reason From the Friends. Excerpt number one, from Rabash.
Reading Excerpt No. 1:(03:56) 1. RABASH, Article No. 30 (1988), “What to Look For in the Assembly of Friends”
The friends’ discussions of the greatness of the Creator awaken a desire and yearning to annul before the Creator because he begins to feel longing and desire to bond with the Creator. And we should also remember that to the extent that the friends can appreciate the importance and greatness of the Creator, we should still go above reason, meaning that the Creator is higher than any greatness of the Creator that one can imagine. We should say that we believe above reason that He leads the world in a benevolent guidance, and if one believes that the Creator wants only man’s best, it makes a person love the Creator until he is rewarded with “And you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” And this is what a person must receive from the friends.
M. Laitman: This is the main thing that we need to receive from the friends. Hence, the connection between us, each one needs to hold on to the other since from him, he receives. And in this way each and every one from everyone else, each one receives from the other that feeling that we're all we're all connecting. And from between us to the Creator that's, on that that depends our entire good future. Questions?
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (07:25) When we really try to nullify oneself before the friends, and then immediately critique rises towards what I see in the friends. How to work with that?
M. Laitman: We have a desire to criticize everyone, and leave no action without our critique, our criticism. That's built into us, from the beginning, in the form of the desire. And we don't want to agree with it, and if we don't want to agree with it, then gradually we uproot this tendency from within us.
Student: Only by me not agreeing with that criticism and just go above that?
M. Laitman: Yes, only by that.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (09:00) I came here, I was here in Passover, and I came again because I received this yearning. This yearning is simply burning me from within, and I feel like if I don't pass this to others, it'll simply burn me. What should I do with this, how can I pass this onwards because what I'm doing, this example that I'm giving. Give me advice please. I feel it as great sufferings, yearnings, longing, pain.
M. Laitman: What exactly is burning you?
Student: It could be that it's the fact that we're not managing to achieve this, this inner pressure that's happening within me. That is simply pressuring me and pushing me in the direction of prayer. I'm doing all those things but, in that moment, when I succeed to be in prayer, to somehow advance my friends within my intention. It gets calmed down a little bit but then it goes back and even stronger.
M. Laitman: Gradually, it shall pass, well not pass, but you will be reconciled, this desire will be completed. Where are you from?
Student: I live in Barcelona.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (10:47) When a person depicts the greatness of the Creator from his ego, he imagines him and the Creator as kind of like partners. Maybe even imagines himself above the Creator sometimes. It seems like the Creator is pushing us, the Creator and also you're guiding us towards the friends. Where exactly does a person needs to depict the greatness of the Creator, how to depict it correctly?
M. Laitman: A person should portray the Creator as one unique and unified force. That is found above all other forces, all other forces of nature that we can think about and imagine. And the Creator is above anything we can imagine or assume in a person's mind and heart. And a person has to yearn to reach this, to come to it, at least to get to know this, to recognize that. So that a person will have the possibility of getting to know the Creator, of connecting with Him. To such an extent that he needs to depict for himself that he has a goal to reach, somewhere, to incorporate with the Creator. To connect with the Creator, this is how it will happen.
Student: If possible, in order to attain that, why does a person need the friends, why is it that he must have the friends?
M. Laitman: We learned about this many times. In order to reach the Creator, the revelation of the Creator, connection with the Creator, I first need to connect with the friends. To the extent that I connect with them, then through them, I'm able to receive a power of bestowal, a power of connection. Such that I'll be able to reach Him, that He will reveal Himself to me.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:06) To continue that question. Not once, I hope I'll be able to ask it, correctly. As long as we have this knowledge that we have friends, it feels like you can't rise above that because, more than once, I heard that rising above reason is actually when there's nothing to lean on in the work. It feels like this leap is always, we will always remain in that same revolution. It's like there's always this anger of the friends and we can't make this jump and truly be in adhesion. I always feel like there's this grip.
M. Laitman: I didn't get it, I didn't understand, why do you think that in the group where you're in you cannot attain the Creator?
Student: I'm not saying that we can't attain the Creator, we can attain the Creator. It feels like rising above this, we really need to need the Creator. It seems like I always need the friends in order to serve Him out of this fear from love.
M. Laitman: You want to say that to yearn to the Creator, it takes all the powers from you and then you don't have a yearning for the friends?
Student: Also.
M. Laitman: Also, what else?
Student: It's like I really feel like I, I'll give an example. For example, we are in the Ten and there was this need to separate. I truly felt like the ground was being pulled from under my feet. Then I remembered that this was the only place you could rise above and to truly continue to support the friends, so they don't break up and leave. It seems like there's truly no foundation.
M. Laitman: That's good, when there's no foundation, then nevertheless, you find that you can discover a certain basis, a certain foundation. And establish yourself on it and advance in this way.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (17:13) Whoever is here in the world, I'm certain feels now a very strong power. A power of this strong connection. First of all, what I feel is that great gratitude to the Creator for enabling us to reach this state. The question is we here created this thing in the connection together and the Creator helped us. The question is whether today we have the ability to create this kind of force every single day in the morning lesson?
M. Laitman: Well, first of all, it's good that you want it, and you feel that it's lacking, and what to do? All the rest is up to you.
Student: I'll ask one step back. What caused this force now that we're feeling right now, what are the actions that we did that made this force happen?
M. Laitman: There are one thousand and what, one thousand, five hundred maybe, more? Eighteen hundred people just here.
Reader: Thousands more in the world.
M. Laitman: Thousands more around the world, yes.
Reader: Three thousand, four hundred, we're told.
M. Laitman: So, it's not a little. And we all respect, value the lesson, the goal, and we want it to exist in a very special way and to persist. If we do it the way we're doing it now, I think that the best-case scenario and with the usual exertion that we are putting in. We can quickly reach a connection between us where the Creator will be revealed. And we can reach a state where we all feel that there is nothing more, all around the world, except for the Creator.
Student: If I take your advice from what I understood and concentrate it to us having to be every day in the effort, just like we were in this effort to create this connection and make it so that many friends will come. We need to create every day this big effort for friends to come to the morning lesson?
M. Laitman: Yes, well not to that extent, but in effect, yes, it's recommended.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (20:48) He begins by the friend's discussions of the greatness of the Creator. How do you discuss the greatness of the Creator?
M. Laitman: By speaking about the exaltedness of the Creator, just simply the way you hear it. You have to talk about how the Creator is one unique and unified. Is the greatest of everyone and everything, He connects everyone. He is leading everyone and there’s no limit to His exaltedness, and there’s no one who’s actually close to Him.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (21:50) What’s the connection between my personal attraction to the Creator, like what’s revealed. What’s the difference between that, and the attraction that I’m supposed to make towards the Creator through the impression of the greatness that the friends awaken in me?
M. Laitman: There’s a great difference, nevertheless. Either you receive a deficiency from your development, or you receive a deficiency from the development of your society. Nevertheless, the society is a much stronger, much greater circle.
Reader: Excerpt number two from Rabash
Reading Excerpt No. 2: (22:54) 2. RABASH, Article No. 21 (1986), "Concerning Above Reason"
Can be obtained by adhesion of friends—new qualities by which they will be qualified to achieve Dvekut with the Creator. And all this can be said while he sees the merits of the friends. At that time, it is relevant to say that he should learn from their actions. But when he sees that he is better qualified than they are, there is nothing he can receive from the friends. This is why they said that when the evil inclination comes and shows him the lowliness of the friends, he should go above reason. But certainly, it would be better and more successful if he could see within reason that the friends are at a higher degree than his own. With that we can understand the prayer that Rabbi Elimelech had written for us, “Let our hearts see the virtues of our friends, and not their faults.
M. Laitman: It’s clear what is written here? Maybe read it again, a little quicker.
Reading Excerpt No. 2: (24:58) 2. RABASH, Article No. 21 (1986), "Concerning Above Reason"
Can be obtained by adhesion of friends—new qualities by which they will be qualified to achieve Dvekut with the Creator. And all this can be said while he sees the merits of the friends. At that time, it is relevant to say that he should learn from their actions. But when he sees that he is better qualified than they are, there is nothing he can receive from the friends. This is why they said that when the evil inclination comes and shows him the lowliness of the friends, he should go above reason. But certainly, it would be better and more successful if he could see within reason that the friends are at a higher degree than his own. With that we can understand the prayer that Rabbi Elimelech had written for us, “Let our hearts see the virtues of our friends, and not their faults.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (26:44) It's wonderful to be here, to incorporate, to feel everyone. You can feel the love, the connection. May we continue and may the people of Israel get stronger, and we move to a way of joy and love. How will we know that we're advancing on the path to correction? We have many difficult attempts and experiences along the way, ascents, descents for the people of Israel. Sometimes you don't feel the Creator as the Good that does Good, we feel ascents, we feel descents. How will we know that we are on the way and we're truly advancing towards correction that we all want to reach?
M. Laitman: You need to connect, support one another. Hold on to one another to such an extent that everyone would feel they are in a single society that has internal connections. And the Creator is surrounding you and you want each time, each day, to hang by Him, more and more. To feel how day in, day out, He's coming down to you, and with His plans, He's actually caring for you.
Question (Turkiye): (30:02) Are there different stages in the study or the work that we go through in above reason?
M. Laitman: Of course, we, now, need to enter this stage where we need to acquire faith above reason for the first time. And then, until the end of Correction, we constantly, constantly, will have to go, we have to walk on that path, forever. So, this work is never-ending, it's constantly, it should constantly be with us. Constantly think, how can we rise to faith above reason? We will learn about it and talk about it, more, but there's nothing, there's no stopping, there's no stopping. Constantly yearn more and more for faith above reason, that's really our constant, the constant inclination we should have.
Student: They asked another question, they asked if I built the intention above reason. I read the article, I prayed, I listened, is the next stage the demand? Do I need to now demand to receive this faith here and now?
M. Laitman: Well, that's according to the feeling of a person. He can't simply cry out, give me. Rather, if he truly has a strong desire, then he opens it up toward the Creator, and the Creator fills his desire.
(Question (Petah Tikva Center): (32:20) missing translation
M. Laitman: missing translation
Student: missing translation
M. Laitman: All right, there are several discernments here. Firstly, the first discernment is, it's more emotional and they're more dependent on each other, they're more devoted to each other. Each and every one of them wants to be amongst everyone.
Student: He writes that there would be more success if he could see within reason that the friends are standing on a higher degree than he is.
M. Laitman: That's for certain but he's not given that to see. So, he needs to elevate himself in faith above reason to see that they truly are high, exalted, connected, and truly deserve. They're truly deserving of ascending even further.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (34:52) If he would succeed to see within reason, then how would the person's work be manifested, where would his exertion be?
M. Laitman: He should search, he should search. He could say, I see my friends as being on the highest degree I can imagine. I feel that they could be together with the Creator on that degree. And what's next, go on?
Student: I don't know.
M. Laitman: Right, so there are many questions, there are many questions.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (35:49) You taught me how I rise above reason with the first question I asked. I'd like you to teach me how do I see the greatness of my friends, each and every one here?
M. Laitman: That is a very difficult problem, a serious problem. Because we need, when we receive some kind of rising, ascent, upliftment, we need to uplift the friends and tie them to the Creator. And then we'll receive, out of all our efforts, power. We will receive some kind of ascent, small, partial, for the time being. And so, we will advance.
Student: I study in this home how to elevate the friends, how to see the virtues of the friends. I want to raise a prayer: Dear Creator, guard this house and everyone in it. Dear Creator, bless this house, this home, bless these people, as you blessed Abraham, Abraham, our forefather and Isaac and Jacob.
M. Laitman: Thank you. Reader, please?
Reading Excerpt No. 3: (37:05) 3. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 99, "He did Not Say Wicked or Righteous"
If one does not have any desire or craving for spirituality, if he is among people who have a desire and craving for spirituality, if he likes these people, he, too, will take their strength to prevail, and their desires and aspirations, although by his own quality, he does not have these desires and cravings and the power to overcome. But according to the grace and the importance he ascribes to these people, he will receive new powers.
M. Laitman: Through it, it reaches him, so that in essence is our work because no one can say that he doesn't need it, right? But each one can, through the friends, through the group. If he submits himself, surrenders towards them, he receives from above. Through them, forces, understanding, discernments, emotions, and so he rises and develops.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (40:03) I do feel that I manage to receive strength from the friends, the greatness of the friends. I feel that I'm inspired by my Ten, but I don't manage to feel how it is necessarily related to the greatness of the Creator. That is, I do receive from them power, but I don't manage to necessarily tie it to the greatness of the Creator, to faith above reason. What should I do differently?
M. Laitman: Think about it, the main thing is you should invest your thought into that. And you'll see how it all connects together and you will discover the secret of the connection between you.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (40:50) I feel that, and I experience my Ten, my friends, as truly giants. I even feel the Creator through them, all the greatness that they bring, all the love and concern that they bring in the Ten. There are moments when I also feel the Creator's sweetness through them, and these are amazing moments. When it comes to faith above reason, for me, I'm stuck in it so, so strong, I don't know what to do about it. Meaning, reaching faith above reason, is it only if the Creator will change my inner form? I mean, if the Creator does everything, in the end, can only He change it, can only He raise us? Or raise me, above my reason? I mean, it always comes first from within reason and then we rise above reason. The reason is so strong, so big.
M. Laitman: Correct.
Student: So how?
M. Laitman: You will need to break reason in order to rise above reason.
Student: How, how do I reach love, not reason but love in the heart?
M. Laitman: How to reach love? That is through prayer, only through prayer. Try it, try it, it's right in front of you.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (43:03) In the work in the Ten, I am the result of the efforts of my Ten?
M. Laitman: On one hand, yes.
Student: If I look at the friends in the Ten and the state that each one of them is in. I should feel that every state that the friends are in, is this my responsibility towards them?
M. Laitman: Yes, you influence everyone.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (44:02) My question is about reason: Reason is the identity that we build our whole life from a young age. Then we simply have to dismantle it in order to allow us to see, to be the real thing. The thing that can connect me to the Creator? Because, seemingly, we identify ourselves with whatever we learned, what we engaged in as a profession. It's not clear to me how do I rise above it, so I need to really break it down, I mean, I heard you say to break reason?
M. Laitman: No, no, no, you don't need that now. We’re not talking about that now.
Student: Reason is not my identity, it's not what we've built over the years?
M. Laitman: Yes, it is, yes, it is.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (45:10) You said now that each one influences everyone. In relation to that, we had an argument: If I'm a part of everyone, I need to also care for myself. The question is if I need to care for myself, I want to do this for the friends. Is it egoism or actually concern for the friends?
M. Laitman: Concern for the friends.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (46:21) How can the Ten help a friend to receive a desire and craving for spirituality?
M. Laitman: How to help the friend get a desire and craving for spirituality? Well, you all, all her friends, pray for her that the Creator helps her. Very simple, just that He helps her, you don't even need to interpret it.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (47:16) When we work in the Ten, all of the qualities of the friends, they are on a daily basis, we are less impressed by it. We can pay attention to it a little bit, we can notice it. When you see the world Kli, it really makes your soul shatter. You see them driving a thousand miles coming from Chile, from Germany. Yesterday, I started crying. I said, how come? From where does this coarseness come that he doesn't let us see it in our friends but to see it in the whole Kli? You're on fire, there's nothing you can even do about it. How can we bring this thing to our daily life into the Ten and to see them with the same greatness?
M. Laitman: I don't know how we can see it every day with the greatness of the friends, but you're correct. That's what we lack, I hope we'll succeed.
Student: In this opportunity, we can also thank the world Kli, and really say thank you, for your personal example for everything they give to the society.
Reader: (48:53) Or maybe we can mention there are forty-seven Congresses, all over the world with more than a thousand participants in all of these Congresses together. They really do deserve an applause!
M. Laitman: Right, let's continue.
Question (Santiago): (49:25) The fact that I don't see in the friends the sufferings that I experience is because I see them as greater than me?
M. Laitman: I don't think it's worthwhile for us to go into that. I don't want to see my friends suffering at all, and so I hope it continues, that's it.
Question (Almaty): (50:48) What can I do for a friend who sees that he's better qualified or more talented than his friends? How can we use it for the spiritual advancement of the entire group?
M. Laitman: Use it, use that friend.
Student: How?
M. Laitman: Just make use of him.
Question (Colombia): (51:44) Hello Rav and world Kli from the Congress in Bogota, Colombia. We have friends who came from different regions in Colombia, in Mexico, and other countries. We have a beautiful feeling here and the power of the women who are pushing us. We would have liked for this feeling to reach all the citizens in our country. We adhere to faith above reason, but we see it doesn't yet yield any fruit. What should we do?
Reader: The friend is asking what should we do so that faith will catch on to the citizens of the country, what we call the 99%?
M. Laitman: The things you want. The wisdom of Kabbalah throughout life, throughout all generations, all the years. It was meant for individuals, and only now it begins to be ready for spreading amongst the masses so that they receive it and grow wiser thanks to it. So, let's study how to do that.
Reader: Excerpt Number four by Rabash.
4. RABASH, Article No. 21 (1986), "Concerning Above Reason"
I heard that Baal HaSulam said that the only thing that can help a person emerge from self-love and be rewarded with the love of the Creator is the love of friends. Hence, I have no choice but to bond with those friends, although in my view, it would be better for me to stay away from them and not bond with them. However, I have no choice and I must believe above reason that indeed, all the friends are standing at a high degree. However, I cannot see their virtues with my eyes. This is why he must believe above reason.
M. Laitman: Clear? Well, read again.
Reader: (54:50) I heard that Baal HaSulam said that the only thing that can help a person emerge from self-love and be rewarded with the love of the Creator is the love of friends. Hence, I have no choice but to bond with those friends, although in my view, it would be better for me to stay away from them and not bond with them. However, I have no choice and I must believe above reason that indeed, all the friends are standing at a high degree. However, I cannot see their virtues with my eyes. This is why he must believe above reason.
M. Laitman: Clear?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (56:23) Rabash says: My father Baal HaSulam said so, that besides love of friends, there is no other way. The exertion should be in love of friends, following their advice. My question is how can we help friends who find it difficult, it's very difficult for them. You know, I asked you before the Congress, how do we lower the level of the ego, the level of the pride, how do we bring it down? Because there are friends here who deserve, they truly deserve, and they do so much work, such great work. Maybe the Creator takes it into consideration and with their labor, He favors them?
M. Laitman: Please, turn to the Creator and submit your plea.
Student: How can I help the friends besides personal example?
M. Laitman: Plead with the Creator, ask Him to help them.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (57:45) How, actually, is it possible to reach this feeling? This lack and a true prayer from the bottom of the heart, even when the situation in the Ten is good. Not just when we have a descent, or we suffer some blow. Because during a descent, it's easier because, pretty much, I know what needs to be done, I have to ask the Creator and adhere to the friends. What should I do when I don't feel that?
M. Laitman: Does anyone have an answer? The answer is simple, If you don't feel, then what can you do? Ask, cry to the friends, before the friends for their help so they can help her, so they can help you. The connection between us, the Creator will never concede that, will never let that go. So, we have no choice, we have to really insist on it against, opposite the upper force.
Reader: (59:34) Excerpt number five, by Rabash
5. RABASH, Article No. 21 (1986), "Concerning Above Reason"
Our sages said, “Counters’ envy increases wisdom.” In other words, when all the friends look at the society as being at a high level, both in thoughts and in actions, it is natural that each and every one must raise his degree to a higher degree than he has by the qualities of his own body.
M. Laitman: Yes, seemingly a very simple matter, yes? Our sages said, counter's envy increases wisdom. In other words, when all the friends look at the society as being at a high level, both in thoughts and in actions, it is natural that each and every one must raise his degree to a higher level than he has by the qualities of his own body.
Is that clear? Meaning only work, which is slightly more, our work on the connection between us, in feeling that connection, that will help us. You could invest great efforts, and much time, but if you invest it in the correct place, immediately, you come to an ascent, immediately.
Reader: (01:02:16) Excerpt number six.
6. RABASH, Article 30 (1988), "What to Look For in the Assembly of Friends"
By reason, the friends are the ones who should love him, but he overcomes his reason, goes above reason, and says, “It is not worth living for myself.” And although one is not always at such a degree where he is able to say so, this is nonetheless the purpose of the work. Thus, he already has something to reply to his body.
M. Laitman: It seems to me that they're a little bit confused.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:03:25) My question is about the prayer, actually. There were instances where I truly prayed hard, let's say, for my sister, regarding the path and friends. For years, I felt that the Creator listened to me, and He satisfied my wish. It gave me a strong feeling that He does listen, and He does answer. I ask myself if I have this understanding already and even the proof for it within reason. that I ask and I receive, how come I don't manage to bring myself to pray more? To pray for all the lacks that I see around me. In addition, sometimes I reach states where I can be up all night, and I can't put my finger and turn on the lesson, and I can't even pray. Where does this dissonance come from? The fact that I know that there is a Creator, He answered me many times?
M. Laitman: It's in the Creator, that dissonance is in the Creator. If He wants, then you want. And you turn on the light, and you get up for the lesson. And if He doesn't want it, then you don't want to get up to the lesson.
Student: I'm completely helpless?
M. Laitman: It all depends on the will of the upper one, that's it.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:05:33) Why wouldn't the Creator want her to turn on the computer and watch the lesson, so that she would be in the lesson? Why would He not want that?
M. Laitman: I don't know, maybe He wants you to turn to Him and enter a dialogue with Him, one-on-one, tete-a-tete.
Student: Instead of being in the lesson?
M. Laitman: It could be, I don't know, that's His calculations.
Student: How is it possible to ask of the Creator?
M. Laitman: Pray, maybe that's what He wants.
Student: Is there something that is more than a prayer?
M. Laitman: No, no, but prayer is a very special force which rises instantly to the Creator. He feels it so you don't need to look for anything else.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:06:58) I know that when we pray in nature, it is much stronger than anywhere else?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:07:21) The condition to reaching love of friends, it's only above reason?
M. Laitman: No.
Student: What other condition is there, within reason?
M. Laitman: Within reason, yes.
Student: If in this equation of within reason and above reason. Well, within reason I see the friends as great. What happens is that I lose this element of above reason, then?
M. Laitman: No, no, no, no, no, don't you worry. When it's necessary, you'll receive it.
Student: The fact that I see the difference is great.
M. Laitman: Yes, work accordingly.
Student: It's enough for me, I see the difference is great, I adhere to them. What's the next stage?
M. Laitman: Rise along with them, like that, by appreciating them, more and more.
Student: Following what we read, this thing that he says there. That it is natural, this quality of envy, it then awakens. This is what in fact helps me to want to be like them?
M. Laitman: Yes, envy, honor, lust, all those things bring one out of the world.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:08:49) When pride awakens in one, or it seems to him in his judgment that maybe it awakens in the Ten, what would be good for us to do?
M. Laitman: It seems that?
Student: Pride awakens, it pops.
M. Laitman: In the whole Ten?
Student: It seems like it is happening in the Ten. Or maybe, even before that, let's say, I suddenly didn't recognize that pride pops in me. What are the actions that are most worthwhile for me to do right away?
M. Laitman: I think that the best would be to speak to the friends. Tell them what's happening, ask for advice. And then you will see how you're all very close to each other, truly.
Reader: (01:10:08) Excerpt number 7 by Rabash
7. RABASH, Article No. 21 (1986), "Concerning Above Reason"
Although within reason you see that your friend is wrong, you should still try to judge him favorably. And this can be above reason. That is, although logically he cannot justify him, above reason he can justify him, nonetheless. That is, although logically he cannot justify him, nevertheless above reason, he can justify him.
M. Laitman: Meaning we can utilize above reason, when within reason we cannot justify the friend. But above reason, certainly we can, and by that, you earn a great deal. You profit.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:11:19) I have a very, very deep pain for the children, for the children in general, and especially the children now in Israel, who are many orphans. Many brothers of soldiers who were killed, who are dealing with a period of age, really, of death. How can I ask for a prayer for them, a true prayer, that I will connect the orphanage? In general, how can I turn to the Creator now before you turn to the Creator?
M. Laitman: You need to know how to turn to the Creator. You connect with your friends and together with them, you raise the prayer to the Creator, that's it. And that should help, already.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:12:33) In this Congress, we see so much greatness of the friends in all the Tens, in the whole world Kli. It really enlarges our ability to do work above the egoistic mind. I feel fear that following the Congress, there will be a dissent, I will no longer be able to hold on to the greatness of the friends. How to prepare for it, how to make sure that it will continue as it is, later also?
M. Laitman: We, right now, throughout this entire Congress in all of our assents, we need to be thinking about the dissents that will come. It cannot happen that you don't have dissents. So, in such a way, we will succeed, dissents and dissents. Truly, that's our life.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:13:39) The Creator is clothed in the whole of reality around us. When it's about the still, it's much easier for us to ascribe things to the Creator. The more the Creator's clothing resembles our clothing more, it becomes more difficult for us to ascribe things to the Creator. How do we overcome it because this is where most of the work is? How do we overcome it and do ascribe the friends and the work with the friends to the Creator?
M. Laitman: It's easier?
Student: So that we will be able to reach this state when we truly work opposite the Creator, that through the friends we truly reach the love of the Creator?
M. Laitman: So, the Ten, each and every Ten, can for certain, hold itself in a state where they connect amongst themselves. And from the connection between them, they can give back to the Creator, what they feel comes from Him, reciprocate.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:15:15) We talked about envy and honor, we heard that there is envy regarding the lack of the word Kli. I can only say for myself that I need to scrutinize, why am I here, why am I in the world? Why all of these exertions, the labor, why? When I scrutinize it, I, automatically, reach above reason. Science doesn't tell you, why, only Kabbalah tells you, only in Kabbalah there is an answer. I have to bring forth the lack in order to bring this answer. Will it help if each one will perform this scrutiny within himself?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: How would it be if we were to do it now as a workshop?
M. Laitman: You should all become incorporated with our lack. How do we answer such a question when it awakens in us, I think that we are doing it. And this is how we will advance onward.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:18:02) The force of connection, there is a small force and there is a larger force, there is a bigger force, still. How to enlarge, grow, the force of connection between us?
M. Laitman: It depends on the connection between us, on your spiritual yearnings into each other. And the extent to which you appreciate your ascent towards the Creator.
Student: How can dissemination affect our connection?
M. Laitman: Of course, it influences it, but you need to realize that the most important is the connection between us.
Student: If I pray from a pure heart, from all my heart, I try, but the ego always adds that drop of poison. That bitter drop, into the greatness of the friend?
M. Laitman: This is something that you have to cope with on your own.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:19:38) If I see the friend's above reason, what other exertion do I have to do, do I have to make?
M. Laitman: Out of what you see, yes, yes out of that you have to perform an action.
Student: What action?
M. Laitman: I don't know, what you see.
Student: What's still left to do?
M. Laitman: What's left to do is to connect with them. Bring them to one body, one desire, one thought. And then rise to that and arrange everyone in that point of ascent in which you see them.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:20:53) I'm trying to understand the inner process I undergo in order to ultimately reach the degree of above reason. If I see or hear something which a friend says or does, that I have great resistance to, within. At the moment, it's very difficult, there's this rejection, but a moment after, I tell myself that this certainly came from the Creator, because He wants to grow me, cultivate me, take care of me, help me develop. What I feel is my ego, so is that a correct process by which to achieve above reason?
M. Laitman: A little bit like that, for the meantime.
Student: Is there anything more I could do?
M. Laitman: For the time being, no.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:21:59) I heard you say that the correct form of longing for the Creator is such that a person lacks the feeling of the Creator. What is the feeling of the Creator, and how do you get to that?
M. Laitman: I cannot explain that. One who feels it, feels it. One who doesn't feel it, doesn't.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:22:23) What is the difference between the greatness of the friends and love of friends?
M. Laitman: These are different things: The greatness of the friends, well, it could be in my feeling, in my awareness that they are great, and I appreciate them very much. And along with that, it doesn't obligate me to anything.
Student: I feel that the greatness of the friends is salvation?
M. Laitman: True.
Student: To help me exit the pit of the absolute junk, the garbage of myself, it's salvation. I feel that I'm exploiting their greatness in order to climb out of that pit?
M. Laitman: That doesn't matter, don't worry about it, they won't be left with less.
Student: I want to love them, I don't want to exploit their greatness.
M. Laitman: Specifically in order to love them more, you need to scrutinize the present situation and use it.
Student: I didn't understand.
M. Laitman: That doesn't matter, good luck.
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:24:02) If I do justify my friends, does it matter if it's within reason, above reason, how can you even tell?
M. Laitman: Well, of course, it matters.
Student: What's the difference? I justify, I don't know where I am, exactly. I justify the friend, I work on justifying her?
M. Laitman: Well, that's within reason.
Student: That's within reason? What is above reason, then, if I justify my friend within reason?
M. Laitman: Well, above reason, it's above all of your calculations, your corporeal calculations.
Student: I'm a bit confused but thank you.
M. Laitman: That's not too bad, soon, it will help you rise.
Reader: (01:25:06) Excerpt number eight by Rabash
8. RABASH, Article No. 3 (1987), ”All of Israel Have a Part in the Next World"
When we make a covenant we mean that since it is possible that something might separate them, they are making a covenant now, so that just as now they understand that there is love and equivalence between them, this covenant will persist even if afterwards things will come that should separate them. Still, the connection they are establishing now will be permanent. Accordingly, we should say that if afterwards things will come that should separate them, we should say that each one should go above reason and say that they will not notice what they see within reason but go above reason. Only in this way can the covenant hold and there will be no separation between them.
M. Laitman: Questions?
Question (Women Petah Tikva Center): (01:26:52) If my hardest conditions where I need to rise above reason, I feel those states not within the Ten but in other situations. For example, when I'm on duty here, volunteering or other places, does it mean I'm working incorrectly?
M. Laitman: Why?
Student: Because the majority of the work, it needs to take place in the Ten, no?
M. Laitman: No, not at all, all the works where they invite me to do something, and I do them without the Ten, then those are just a waste of time?
Student: I don't know, that's why I'm asking?
M. Laitman: No, no, each and every exertion a person makes, it all accumulates to his account.
Reader: A song? Let’s go!
Song: (01:28:24)
Reader: (01:30:56) We've received many exercises and advice from Rav, this lesson. Let's discuss now in a workshop in the Tens, sharing the central points we heard in this lesson today from Rav. The main things we have to practice between us. Again, let's discuss in a workshop in the Tens and share the central points we heard from Rav in this lesson, which we should implement between us.