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

Daily Lesson (Morning) September 6, 2024.

Part 1: Rabash. The Importance of a Prayer of Many. 7 (1986)

Reader: Hello, we shall be studying the Writings of Rabash. The article, “The Importance of a Prayer of Many.” You can find all of our texts on kabbalahmedia.info as well as on the Arvut platform where you can also send us questions. Anyone asking a question here in the study hall is requested to stand up, hold the microphone close to his mouth and to speak loudly and clearly. The Writings of Rabash. “The Importance of a Prayer of Many.”

Reader: (00:40) It is written in The Zohar, Vayishlach [And Jacob Sent], (p 13, Item 45 in the Sulam Commentary), “Come and see. Rabbi Shimon said, ‘A prayer of many rises before the Creator and the Creator crowns Himself with that prayer because it rises in several manners: One asks for Hassadim [grace], another for Gevurot [strength], and another for Rachamim [mercy]. It consists of several sides—the right side, the left side, and the middle. And because it consists of several sides and manners, it becomes a crown and is placed on the head of the Righteous One who lives forever, meaning Yesod, who imparts all the salvations to the Nukva, and from her to the entire public. And come and see, Jacob consisted of all three lines; this is why the Creator wanted his prayer, for it was in utter completeness—of all three lines, like a prayer of many. This is why it is written, ‘Then Jacob was very much afraid and distressed,’ since the Creator made it this way for him, so he would pray because He craved his prayer.

We see in the words of The Zohar that it interprets a prayer of many as a single person, saying that Jacob consisted of all three lines. But in all the places where it writes about a prayer of many, it literally means that many pray, as our sages said (Berachot, p 8a), “Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai, ‘Why is it written, ‘And I, my prayer is a time of good will unto You, O Lord.’’ When is it a time of good will? When many pray.”

This means that many pray together, literally. Also, we should understand what The Zohar says, that “A crown is placed on the head of the Righteous One who lives forever.” What does it mean that it becomes a crown on the head? A crown means the crown of the king, like the crown of the kingship. And what does it mean that the crown on his head is made of the prayer? What makes us understand the importance and greatness of a prayer? Since he wishes to reveal to us the importance of the prayer, he tells us, “Know that the crown for the king is made of the prayer.”

 It says that it is called Yesod and that it gives all the salvations to the Nukva, and from her to the entire public. We should understand why the crown is made specifically on Yesod, since it is known that we pray to Ein Sof, so what does it mean that a prayer of many becomes a crown specifically on Yesod? And also, why does it say that Yesod imparts to the Nukva, and from the Nukva to the public?

Baal HaSulam explained the matter of a prayer of many as a person praying for the many; this is called “a prayer of many.” This is why a prayer of many is called “a time of good will.” When a person prays for himself, he has slander and questions whether his prayer is truly worth acceptance. But when he prays for the public, it becomes irrelevant to scrutinize him and to see if he is worthy of his prayer being answered, since he is not asking for anything for himself, but only for the public.

This is why it was said that a prayer of many is called “a time of good will” and his prayer is answered. And according to what is explained in several places in the Sulam Commentary, a prayer of many relates to Malchut, who is called “the assembly of Israel” or “the Holy Divinity.” She is called “many” because she contains all the souls. And since Divinity is in exile, we ask about the exile of Divinity, which is sometimes called “Divinity in the dust,” since all those names indicate to us the content of the purpose of creation, which was in order to do good to His creations.

It is known that for Him to reveal the perfection of His deeds, there was the first restriction. This means that in a place where there is only a Kli called “receiving in order to receive,” the upper bounty will be hidden from that place. The abundance comes only to a place where it is possible to aim in order to bestow. And since by nature man is born only to receive, in that place that he sees, his receiver—called “self-love”—cannot receive. Instead, he must do everything for Divinity, meaning for Malchut, for only by that will His glory appear in Malchut. This is so because only when the Creator can appear to the lower ones will His glory be seen. It was written that the place where the Shochen [dweller] appears is called Shechina [“dwelling,” but also “Divinity”].

 This is called, “Let His great name be magnified and sanctified,” since the name of the Creator, who is called “The Good Who Does Good,” appears in the world. This is so because everyone obtains the purpose of creation called, “To do good to His creations,” since now there is a Kli that is fit for reception, being the intention to bestow, called Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator.

It turns out that since by nature the creatures are only about reception in order to receive, and since they cannot work in order to bestow without overcoming their nature, they cause Malchut to remain in the dust, meaning they cannot see her merit. This means that they cannot see what she can receive from the Creator because everything is hidden due to the restriction.

However, we need some introspection. That is, we should believe what our sages tell us, that all the pleasures in corporeal delights are but a tiny candle compared to the pleasures that exist in spirituality. As it is written in the Sulam Commentary (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” p 173), “This is the meaning of the breaking of the vessels that preceded the creation of the world. Through the breaking of the vessels of Kedusha [holiness/sanctity] and their fall into the separated BYA, holy sparks fell along with them to the Klipot [shells], from which came the pleasures and love of every kind into the domain of the Klipot, which pass them on for man’s reception and for his delight.”

It therefore follows that the majority of pleasures are in Kedusha, while we see the contrary, that in corporeality everyone sees things that can be enjoyed. But in the toil in the Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], it is impossible to tell a person to engage in Torah and Mitzvot without promising him reward for his work. This is because while one engages in keeping the Mitzvot, he finds it completely tasteless, but when he is promised a reward and he believes it, he can work in Torah and Mitzvot because he will be rewarded.

This is not so when he engages in corporeal things such as eating, drinking, money, honor, etc. A person does not ask, “Why must I deal with these mundane matters?” since where one feels pleasure, he doesn’t ask about the purpose of receiving the pleasure. All he can think about while receiving the pleasure is how to enhance the pleasure in quantity and quality. God forbid that one should ever contemplate the matter of reception of pleasure, meaning, “Why do I need to receive pleasure?”

Sometimes, a person receives pleasure from something for which he did not pay a thing. Although it gives him much pleasure, the question still arises in him, “What is the purpose of that pleasure?” For example, a pleasure that costs no money is the pleasure of rest. There is no need to buy this pleasure, for one receives it free of charge. Still, many times a person asks himself, “What will I gain by enjoying this rest?”

But when a person experiences true delight and pleasure, the purpose of this delight never even occurs to him. And if it does happen that he should contemplate the purpose of this pleasure that he’s enjoying now, it is a sign that the pleasure he is feeling is not real pleasure, since he can still contemplate its purpose. This is a sign that there is a deficiency in that pleasure, and where there is deficiency, he can contemplate a different purpose than what he is feeling now.

From all the above, it follows that the majority of good taste and pleasure in life are found in Torah and Mitzvot, since this is where the upper light is deposited. It is written about it in the Sulam Commentary (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” p 242, “Visions of the Ladder,” Item 1), “When one is rewarded with listening to the voice of His word, the 613 Mitzvot become Pekudin, from the word Pikadon [deposit]. This is so because there are 613 Mitzvot, and in each Mitzva a light of a unique degree is deposited, which corresponds to a unique organ in the 613 organs and tendons of the souls and the body. It follows that while performing the Mitzva, one extends to the corresponding organ in his soul and body, the degree of light that belongs to that organ and tendon. This is considered the Panim [face/anterior] of the Mitzvot.”

It follows that by keeping Torah and Mitzvot, the purpose of creation—to do good to His creations—becomes revealed. However, he says in the Sulam Commentary that this comes specifically after one is rewarded with keeping the Torah and Mitzvot in the form of “Listening to the voice of His word.” But when he keeps Torah and Mitzvot in the form of “That fulfill His word,” before they are rewarded with listening, the Mitzvot are called Eitin [tips/counsels], and they are regarded as Achor [back/posterior]. It means that the upper light that belongs to that Mitzva is still not shining in them, but they are regarded as counsels by which to come to the light of Panim, which belongs to the Mitzva.

And all the work and the strengthening that one needs to overcome his desire and thought, which obstruct him from going on the path of truth, apply only when he is in Achoraim [back], in the form of “That fulfill His word.” This is so because in that state, he still doesn’t feel the upper light that is clothed in Torah and Mitzvot. Hence, he does everything because he believes it is a great privilege to be rewarded with engaging in Torah and Mitzvot, even when he doesn’t feel its importance but does everything with faith above reason, for this is man’s purpose—to achieve Dvekut with the Creator—and he does everything to achieve it. As a result, he observes everything and makes great efforts wherever he can, and his sole intention is to achieve wholeness.

And he sees that after all the efforts and prevailing when he wishes to overcome the obstructers that stand against him, he is still standing on the outside, since Dvekut means equivalence of form, and he still did not move an inch from self-love, which is an opposite act from Dvekut with the Creator. In that state, he goes to pray to the Creator to enlighten him so he can raise Divinity from the dust. This means that the kingdom of heaven—as she appears to a man when he wants to work only for her, to disclose the glory of heaven in the world—tastes like dust in that state. And he sees that everyone is like him, disrespectful toward the glory of heaven because they cannot appreciate her importance. This is called “a prayer of many,” meaning that he prays for the collective.

Two discernments must be made: 1) Malchut is called “many” because she contains all the souls. 2) A prayer of many, when he prays for the collective, means that the collective will be rewarded with the importance of Torah and Mitzvot, that they will be rewarded with 613 deposits that the upper light shines in each and every Mitzva.

It follows that at the end of the day, the two discernments of “many” become one. This means that he prays for the public to be rewarded, for the greatness and importance of Malchut—who is called “many”—to be seen, which occurs when everyone is rewarded with vessels of bestowal. At that time, the 613 Mitzvot will be revealed, as in “Listening to the voice of His word,” at which time the 613 Mitzvot are called 613 deposits.

The above-mentioned means that a prayer of many is not rejected when one prays for the collective. The collective is called “the whole of Israel,” and the collective is called “the Holy Divinity.” And since the collective comprises several discernments, The Zohar says that the reason why the prayer of the collective is accepted is that there is wholeness in it. It writes, “And the Creator crowns Himself with that prayer because it rises in several manners, since one asks for Hassadim, another for Gevurot, and another for Rachamim.”

We should understand why a prayer must consist of all of them. The rule is that all the discernments that we discern in spirituality are revelations that should be disclosed for the purpose of correcting the lower ones. It follows that the matter of three lines that we say—that perfection means that the three lines are revealed there—means that the Creator wishes to give to the lower one’s abundance so they can use them and there will not be any flaw there. This is unlike how it was in the world of Nekudim where there was the breaking of the vessels because there was no correction of lines there, as the holy Ari says.

In other words, when the upper one gives some abundance to the lower one, he wishes that the abundance that the lower one receives will benefit the lower one. But if the Kli where the abundance should go is imperfect, all the bounty will go to the external ones. This is the issue with the breaking of the vessels—that the bounty went outside of Kedusha [holiness/sanctity]. For this reason, the bounty is not poured out to the lower ones, and it is considered that the prayer was not accepted.

And here comes the matter of correction of lines in the collective. It means that the many, which is Malchut, consists of the collective. In other words, there is a correction called “three lines” by which the abundance remains in Kedusha and does not go to the external ones. Hence, such a prayer can be accepted, meaning that she can be given abundance.

The Zohar interprets about that, “Because Jacob consisted of three lines,” since Jacob is called “the middle line,” which includes the right and the left. This is why the Creator wanted his prayer, for it is in utter completeness, comprising all three lines, like the prayer of many. In other words, there are no delays on the part of the Creator in imparting the abundance below, since His desire is to benefit His creations. However, it is as though He waits for the vessels of reception of the lower ones to be fit for reception.

Thus, when there is a proper Kli on the part of the lower one—meaning that the prayer is the Kli that is fit for reception—it must be on the condition that the abundance will not be lost, meaning that the abundance will not go to the external ones, to the Klipot. This is why there is a correction on the Kli of Malchut that she should transfer the bounty to the lower ones, and this correction is called, “correction of lines.”

Now we will explain the rest of the words of The Zohar, which we asked about what it said. It writes, “And because it consists of several sides and manners, it becomes a crown and is placed on the head of the Righteous One who lives forever, meaning Yesod, who imparts all the salvations to the Nukva, and from her to the entire public.”

We asked, “But do we not pray to Ein Sof?” Thus, what does it mean that the prayer of many becomes a crown specifically over Yesod? The thing is that the order of the imparting of the bounty that comes to Malchut is called Yesod. This means that all of the first nine Sefirot give their essence to Yesod, and he is called “all.”

It follows that we always speak from the perspective of the giver and the receiver of the bounty, who is called Malchut. Thus, since the Emanator wishes to bestow and waits for the lower ones to give the proper Kelim for reception of the abundance, when the prayers go up—when the prayers are arranged in such a way that is fit for acceptance—they are called “a Kli for reception of the abundance.” It follows that the Kli rose to the giver, and since the general giver is Yesod, it is considered that the prayer rose to Yesod.

Accordingly, this follows the rule, “The act below awakens the act above.” It means that upon the awakening of the lower ones, who wish to draw near to the Creator and be rewarded with Dvekut with the Creator, they ask for the Creator’s help. It is as our sages said, “He who comes to be purified is aided” (Zohar, Noah, p 23, and in the Sulam Commentary, Item 63). If a person comes to purify, he is aided with a holy soul and he is purified, sanctified, and he is called “holy.”

Thus we see that when a man wishes to improve his actions, he causes a Zivug above, by which abundance is poured below. This is called raising MAN, meaning causing a deficiency above. But we should understand how we can say that the lower ones cause a deficiency above. And we should also know the meaning of “deficiency.” It is known that a Kli is called “a deficiency,” meaning that if there is a deficiency, there is room to place the filling there and fill the deficiency.

There are no delays in bestowing on the part of the Emanator, for His wish is to do good. The reason why we see that there is concealment of the light is because the lower ones have no Kelim to receive the abundance. Hence, when the lower one awakens to purify himself but lacks the strength, he asks the Creator to help him. Then this deficiency rises, so now the upper one has a Kli for giving him abundance, and this is called raising MAN.

It follows that when the prayer, which is a deficiency—what the lower one seeks for his deficiency to be satisfied—rises to the giver, and the giver is called Yesod, who bestows upon the assembly of Israel, called Malchut—it becomes a crown on His head. This is so because a crown means Keter [crown], indicating to the King’s crown, meaning the importance of the King. This means that when there is disclosure of His light, everyone recognizes the importance of the Creator.

However, during the concealment of the face, Divinity—the place where the King appears—is called “exile” and “dust.” This is so because no taste is discerned in spirituality, but the Torah and Mitzvot seem to taste like dust to them. And all this is because the lower ones do not have the Kelim to receive the abundance. And because of that, His glory is desecrated among the nations, meaning that before a person is rewarded with the discernment of being Jewish, he is similar to the nations, as it is known that each person is a small world and consists of all seventy nations, as well as of Israel.

But then, during the concealment, when the upper bounty cannot appear to the lower ones because they do not have the proper Kelim, whatever illumination they are given will go to the Klipot. Because of that, the upper abundance had to be hidden from them. This is called, “The crown has fallen from our head,” meaning that the importance of the Creator is desecrated.

But when a person comes to purify, when he wishes for the Creator to bring him closer and give him the vessel of bestowal by which to be rewarded with Dvekut, all the upper bounty that will be revealed will be in order to bestow. In other words, he wishes to be given strength from above to have the ability to always be in Kedusha, which is Dvekut.

Then a crown is made of his prayer, the King’s crown, since then the importance of the King is recognized. And this is the meaning of what The Zohar says, that the prayer “Becomes a crown and is placed on the head of the Righteous One who lives forever, meaning Yesod, who imparts all the salvations to the Nukva, and from her to the entire public.” This is so because through the prayer, the upper abundance is given to the lower ones, at which time the delight and pleasure are revealed. This is called “a crown,” the King’s crown, the importance of the King.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (33:32) Look, he mentions here that the Creator is, The Good Who Does Good. He repeats that several times. And then we read where he says, he talks about the secret of the shattering of the vessels, which occurred prior to the creation of the world, because by the shattering of the vessels and their fall to BYA of separation, holy sparks fell to the shells, and from them came all the pleasures, and the shells give them to the person for his enjoyment and so on. So, I ask you, if we say that the Creator is The Good Who Does Good, why did he need to shatter the vessels? And also, what are those vessels he talks about, which broke?

M. Laitman: You didn't study these things? I mean, we see that there was the shattering of the vessels.

Student: Yes, yes. So, why do you need to shatter them? Everything is fine, great, and..

M. Laitman: So, I'm asking you, what was the shattering of the vessels for?

Student: Maybe it was so that we reunite the vessels and glue them back together?

M. Laitman: Without the shattering of the vessels, it wouldn't be possible for us to reach the correction of the vessels.

Student: What is the correction of the vessels, if they're broken? What are those vessels? We need to understand. What are the vessels which broke?

M. Laitman: Well, you can go even before that.

Student: What do you mean?

M. Laitman: Well, I mean the beginning of creation.

Student: Okay, so what happened at the beginning of creation, actually?

M. Laitman: What am I going to do with you?

Student: He says that there was a great light, a big light, which covered all the created beings. What is the reason for this, even? Everything was fine. Why do you need to break everything?

M. Laitman: So you have to start anew. And see in every action, its necessity for it to occur. Then you will know the entire process. Why does each and everything happen? What is the reason? And what happens once something occurs? And in the end, all of these causes and their consequences bring about the correction, that it is impossible for us to reach the correction without discovering all the causes and without discovering all the consequences.

Student: Okay, so that's the macro, right? What we're talking about now. How does it come to us as an individual, right? Who does this correction?

M. Laitman: Well, we become incorporated in this creation. Kabbalists want us to attain this.

Student: So you mean each one needs to be shattered to reach whatever needs to be achieved?

M. Laitman: Each one has to undergo shattering and correction.

Student: What is this shattering, you're talking about? What do you mean—each one needs to reach a shattering? 

M. Laitman: Revelation.

Student: Revelation? 

M. Laitman: Revelation of the situation.

Student: So the Creator has to shatter me, before I can discover the…

M. Laitman: Discovering the state that we are broken to begin with, and that we have to correct ourselves.

Student: According to what you say, it's mandatory to be shattered.

M. Laitman: What?

Student: It's mandatory to be shattered; as individuals, each one of us?

M. Laitman: It's not necessary to be broken. They can't obligate us to be broken. We're just obligated to know our states.

Student: But at some point, we break. We do break. It's pretty hard.

M. Laitman: It's true. We undergo shattering.

Student: And how do we correct this breakage?

M. Laitman: Through the reforming light.

Student: And the friends?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: I understand.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (38:06) How can we reach a prayer of three lines every day?

M. Laitman: As he said: we learn one side of the created beings, the other side of the Creator, and the middle between them; how we connect one with the other.

Student: Last week, I asked you about how every day in the Ten at the end of the day, we compose a prayer, we raise a lack to the Creator. That we do in our daily work to connect. From all the states we get, we raise a common prayer. The common prayer, which we raise every day to the Creator—is that called the path of the three lines? The way of the three lines? When we ask the Creator to fulfill our lack in the most correct way, by bringing us closer to Him?

M. Laitman: Apparently so.

Student: So to continue, we're now approaching a congress. How can we build a vessel worthy of receiving the abundance from Him in this congress?

M. Laitman: We have all of the matter of creation on the one hand, and all of the light of creation on the other hand. If we unite them correctly, then we get the middle line between them. And then we begin to get to know the whole of creation.

Student: What do you mean by uniting it correctly? How can we now unite the two lines? Before the lesson in the congress we come quietly without any preparation. And now, how can each friend in the Ten and our whole world's Kli in the Arvut system as well, how do we do the inner work to unite these two lines into one?

M. Laitman: You're asking me as though you were never in lessons.

Student: I just feel this state that we're coming. I feel we're coming to a new state. And I don't want us to miss it. There's this feeling of fear where we don't want to miss out on this state. It's a very unique state, very special. We prepared for so long, very special preparation. Every week, the great friends here and long-time students also ask, everyone asks—what do we need to do? And even two days ago, we still keep finding new changes that need to be made to the congress and so on. So I'm asking, how to come focused correctly to reach that vessel?

M. Laitman: This will be on the condition that you will be connected. And not that each one wants to scrutinize it individually, but all of us together. That's really the question. The solution has to be in connection.

Student: So, we come with the thoughts of being as one?

M. Laitman: No, no, you're just saying things—in my thought, I come as one.

Student: So, what does it mean to come connected in connection?

M. Laitman: So, we have to learn. We have to read. What does it mean to be together? What is our obligation of each one in order to be together? And then in such a way, we can think that we are actually getting closer to this demand to be together, to be connected. And you don't have time. We are already truly, very close to the gathering. So, it's necessary, as much as possible, to raise it in the heart of each and every one. That we are willing to pay with everything in order for the Creator, the upper light or some forces of the heavens…

I don't know—that they will perform this action on us. We, by ourselves, can't do it. It's fine, we can't do it. We lift up our hands from our own ability. But besides our ability, there is also the upper force. Let Him do it. If we ask of Him, He will do it. So, the problem is in our prayer, in our request. That's it. And that does not depend on time. It depends only on the desire in man's heart. If we will want it, it will happen. And it doesn't depend on how long, or what IQ there is in each one. None of that.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (44:36) Sometimes a person receives pleasure from something he doesn't pay for. There are times when a person asks himself, what do I gain from this pleasure? But when a person has true pleasure, in that state, he never even contemplates the purpose of this pleasure. And if he has mind to think about the purpose of the pleasure, which he's now enjoying, it's an indication that the pleasure he now feels is not true pleasure. Because there is still room in his mind to think about purpose. So how do we reach such complete pleasure, where there's no room in the mind to think about the purpose of it? What do I need to do to reach that?

M. Laitman: Here comes the answer that cancels out the question. It tells you the following. If you want to want something, first of all, you have to feel that you don't need it. That's it.

Student: If I want something, I need to say that I don't need it? It seems like moving in two different directions?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Two opposites in one carrier? What's happening here?

M. Laitman: No, you're already giving us this addition.

Student: I can't decipher these two contradictory motions. What does it mean?

M. Laitman: That it is impossible, that there is in a person such two questions. It is impossible for them to exist.

Student: So what can exist? 

M. Laitman: What did you want to ask?

Student: How to reach a state, where we feel pleasure without feeling about a purpose—just pure pleasure? How to experience that without that additional empty space he talks about?

M. Laitman: When do you want pleasure?

Student: Where I ask about the purpose of it. He says, when I think about the purpose of the pleasure, it means that there's room in the mind to think not about the pleasure, but about something in addition. How do I fill up that empty space in the mind?

M. Laitman: You have to fill it with the true answer, with the true pleasure.

Student: And how do I achieve that? Through prayer? By my own strength?

M. Laitman: What is the lack with a true pleasure?

Student: Wholeness, perfection, the desire for that.

M. Laitman:  What is that?

Student:  It's just words. You know, ultimately the words only carry you so far.

M. Laitman: No, he tells you. You need to want to receive pleasure with the source of the pleasure.

Student: Again, I didn't hear?

M. Laitman: You need to want to receive the pleasure with the source of the pleasure.

Student: Alright, I'll think about it. It's a good direction.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (48:15) So I want to quote a piece of the text and ask a question. We see that when a person wants to improve his acts, he causes a coupling above by which abundance is drawn downwards. And this is called raising MAN, meaning that pleasure is caused above. And I want to touch upon that word Zivug, coupling. I understand that the coupling is caused by the lack in the prayer of the created being to the Creator. My question is: This coupling, is it the same coupling which appears in TES, when we read about the coupling of AVI, with the outcome ultimately being that the prayer rises through degrees?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: Right. Okay. So recently, I went into TES a bit more.

M. Laitman: That's your personal issue.

Student: Sorry, one more thing about the congress and the Ten. So our Ten came here today. And I see many other Tens here now as part of our preparation for the congress, and with an emphasis on the great importance of proper preparation. I can say that we, as all the Tens, have a lot of joy and great anticipation, and we're inspired by all the friends who came here. And I only want to mention that our success in the congress, the great connection that will radiate out to the whole of the people of Israel and humanity. I want to wish us luck in that. L’Chaim Bnei Baruch.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (50:11) I read here that adhering to the Creator means to come to equivalence of form with Him. So here I want to ask about a text. The text here, it follows that by observing the Torah and commandments, the purpose of creation is revealed, which is to do good to His creations. But he says there in the Sulam Commentary, that this is after being awarded with observing the Torah and commandments in the sense of hearing His words. What does it mean to hear His words in our work? What does it mean to hear?

M. Laitman: Hear. Well, like you hear.

Student: This week I got a clip of you speaking from a good friend. You said that to hear the voice of God, you need gentleness of the soul, subtlety. And sometimes you mention that concept. Can you perhaps elaborate on it a bit?

M. Laitman: No. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (51:39) We mustn't forget the purpose during the congress, right?

M. Laitman: Yes. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (51:53) At what stage in our work do we begin to work with three lines?

M. Laitman: In the stage that follows the two lines, we get to the work with the three lines. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (52:16) Asking for my friends in the Ten, is that considered a prayer of many, already?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: How to transition from this state, where I can only ask for one friend at a time. I try to feel what pains him, what he lacks, how to strengthen him. But this is a degree. It's a low level, right? How do you transition to a higher degree?

M. Laitman: When you include all of them together.

Student: Yes, exactly.

M. Laitman: So you need to incorporate all of them together. 

Student: I'm asking for advice. What to focus on, so as to incorporate them together. What… is that the connection between them?

M. Laitman: The connection between them and what it is for. And to see them in this way.

Student: So to try to elevate the connection between them, so it's more goal oriented, more adhered to the…

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Belarus): (53:25) It's written that the mainstay of the pleasure is found in the commandments. What does it mean?

M. Laitman: As you read it.

Student: So what does it mean, that true pleasure exists in spiritual pleasure? What does it mean? 

M. Laitman: The true pleasure in the spiritual work, exists in the keeping of the Torah and Mitzvot.

Student: Can I add to that? We say that Mitzvot, commandments, those are the corrections, and the Torah is the light.

M. Laitman: To gather all of these things, when they connect, the Torah and the Mitzvot, the commandments. One who feels this connection discovers the wholeness.

Question (Women PT 6): (54:15) Without the request of the lower one, the upper one cannot bestow upon him?

M. Laitman: No, he can't. The upper one doesn't do things by coercion. This is why, before the lower one reveals the deficiency, he cannot receive and enjoy what it has, what it wants.

Student: The continuation of the question: Does the Creator only answer a true prayer from the heart of a man to achieve adhesion? Or is there a prayer which is not wholehearted, but the Creator can still answer?

M. Laitman: Well, there is of course in every prayer. There are also stages where we build it, and it is still not complete. But actually, more important is that a person reaches a complete prayer.

Question (Haifa 1): (55:16) It's written that when the prayers rise, and when the prayers are organized in a way fit to be received, they are called a vessel for the reception of the abundance. So the question is about the arrangement, the order. What does it mean? 

M. Laitman: Well, we see, even from the order in the prayer book, why is it called Siddur in Hebrew order—that we ask according to a particular order, and otherwise, it is not accepted.

Student: So with the previous question, the answer was that a lack is required. You need to turn to the Creator for Him to bestow. Now we're talking about the order of the prayers. So what is the connection between the order and the lack? What does it mean?

M. Laitman: The order means an order of deficiencies, an order of deficiencies.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (56:36) During the time of preparation the upper abundance is in the aspect of a small illumination. So advice about guidance on the path. We fail in bringing things from potential to reality. The advice that we get, it's all accumulated somewhere until our prayer and actions can raise it up from there? What we failed in, I mean.

M. Laitman: Yes. I understand. When we want to turn to the Creator we go over all of these questions, and all of the prayers, all of the requests. And out of that we reach the scrutinies. Later on comes the sorting of the scrutinies: this is more, this is less, this is primary, this is not so important. And then we raise it according to the importance we raise our requests.

Student: Can I ask the Rav for advice with respect to the congress?

M. Laitman: We still have a few days left. We will talk about it. I don't think that it's already worthwhile for me to say, to give you solutions. 

Student: Assistance, not a solution.

M. Laitman: Well, let's put it this way but there's still time.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (59:09) If I understand, Rabash begins here with the Prayer of Many, and then he continues on to observing the commandments. I don't understand the connection. And then he explains that regarding prayer, he says that the prayer is a lack, the lower one asks for his lack to be fulfilled from the bestower called Yesod, who bestows upon the Knesset, the Assembly of Israel, Malchut, and it becomes a crown on its head indicating the King’s crown, meaning the importance of the King, and so on and so forth. Meaning that the abundance can reach the state of hearing the voice, hearing His voice.

So, we learned that divinity dwells only in a place of happiness, a place of wholeness. But also, we learned that the moment there's pleasure, we immediately need to transition to a lack, right? We say in the prayer of Rescue Israel, we need to first pray and then be saved. And the Rabbi of Kotzk said that there's nothing as whole as a broken heart. So, am I allowed to feel this complete pleasure at some point? Or is it always a state, where you need to build a lack inside the pleasure? How to hold to both things?

M. Laitman: No, it doesn't mean that you're going to spoil the pleasure. But rather, that you should feel it in a more complete way.

Student: Okay, that's assuming that I'm in the Torah and commandments. I'm bestowing upon the friends. I feel the pleasure, and I don't break the pleasure. But what do I do now? I increase, do I add a new prayer, or hold on to the pleasure and the perfection and also the lack? I build a new lack? I hold on to both sides?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: All right. I hope we get there. Thank you Rav.

M. Laitman: We’ll get there. We’ll get there. 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:01:33) What preparation is required of us in this upcoming week, so as to reach the congress next week with a true prayer, a true demand for connection?

M. Laitman: You need to see that from all of these articles that we're now studying.

Student: What's your recommendation nevertheless, for this coming week. So that every day, we bring ourselves to the beginning of the congress with our hands up in bequest, in prayer? 

M. Laitman: First of all, you have to go over the materials of the congress, that's obvious. That's one thing. Second thing is that you have to check your Tens that are in the congress to sit together like in a congress and prepare yourselves for connection, for questions that may awaken. Maybe there are people who don't quite understand, or they're not quite ready. Nevertheless, because the people who are in the congress here they're in Bnei Baruch, they present themselves to the whole world. So you have to make sure that you also appear and pass on to everyone the excitement, the inspiration, the knowledge. That all has to be.

Student: I just wanted to mention that some question rose with respect to the congress. Yesterday, we asked them, we put them to you as well. And I'd like everyone to hear them, actually. So, because we have Tens, the congress is about gathering in the Ten, growing stronger in the Ten. There are Tens, where some of the friends cannot arrive for various reasons. And we heard from you that it's very important to work in the Ten. And that even if some of the friends can come here, two, five, as many as possible, it's important for them to come here and connect with their friends virtually, so that we don't mix Tens here.

M. Laitman: Yes, this is a problem. This is a problem that we have here. Even though everyone thinks that this is the safest and best place. But no, I don't think so. Most of our audience.. it’s partial, right?

Student: You mean that not the entire Ten always comes? I don’t know, friend, can you tell us, perhaps more accurately? 

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:04:51) Those who will come here to the congress, mostly it's people where, the entire Ten will be here physically. But also there are cases where we have friends coming from abroad, and not everyone can arrive. So they'll be here physically; and during the workshops, they'll be connected over the Arvut system or Zoom with their own Tens and do the workshop with them. But with respect to registration for the congress, you can see it's a new peak of seriousness that we see. Entire Tens are signing up. And it was never so obvious, so prominent where you see whole Tens signing together, saying, we're all coming. It's very…

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:05:48) In the congress, there's a strong emphasis about inner work in the Ten. That there's something we need to extract here or derive from the Ten in the congress. What is that?

M. Laitman: It's a direction towards the end of correction, towards this path. This is why it is so important. 

Student: And another question, which was asked. Workshops in the congress: There are friends who want to have more workshops so we can discuss things, talk about things. And we heard from you that to an extent in some way, we're past that time.

M. Laitman: No, it's never enough. But I don't know how much within our lessons, how much time there will be for that. But you have additional time besides that. You'll be together for two or three days, maybe even around the clock. So, go ahead, besides the lesson itself.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:07:03) The last Saturday before the congress  I want to say something. It's very important. We got this article as a gift. And in this article we just read, everything is laid out, everything. We need to read it again and again, not wait for the congress.

M. Laitman: Okay, fine, we heard you. You hear these things, maybe others don't. So, don't put your pressure on them.  

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:07:47) We read here about the importance of the Prayer of Many. And we also talked about it over the last few days. And we know that up to the congress a Ten needs to build itself up so that there will always be a prayer, right? And that will come into realization in the congress. I wanted to ask: What is the prayer which a Ten forms, weaves until we reach the congress?

M. Laitman: It's that it truly wants to build out of itself, a Ten that is suitable for correction.

Student: What is that Ten? I mean, what does it need to imagine to itself or depict?

M. Laitman: That all the friends are in their place in the Ten. And we're all connected together in the Ten. And each one knows the place of his friend, and the friend knows the place of the other friend, etc.. And this is how they reach a complete vessel. 

Student: And what does it want, the Ten? What does the Ten need to enter the congress with? 

M. Laitman: With this desire, that it comes in order to reach the complete connection without compromises. That's it. Everything becomes clarified through connection.

Student: What I'm trying to grasp is, what will the Ten undergo in the congress? A Ten that goes through this congress, how will it come out of the congress? How will it be different exiting the congress?

M. Laitman: It will be different because it will be a complete vessel. It will be a complete vessel. And they will want to be together in this one vessel. And there to discover how the Creator relates to them.

Student: How the seriousness of this occasion, the Ten determines within it, right? How can it feel the importance of the occasion, and succeed in fully realizing or taking advantage of it? How to do that?

M. Laitman: It depends on your work. As much as you talk between you, and you truly want to reach this.

Student: What do you mean to talk about it? You mentioned a few times that over the next few days, you have time to talk. What do you mean? What would you put an emphasis on in our talks?

M. Laitman: On connection, incorporation.

Student: We always talk about connection and integration and incorporation. But is there something to focus on specifically now in the discourse?

M. Laitman: You can make it more precise. I don't know, there's no limit to that.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:11:46) The article is called, “The Prayer of Many.” And when a person prays for himself, it says that there are slanderers. They see, they look, they scrutinize him to see if he's worthy of his prayer being accepted. But when he prays for the collective, then no. And it's also written that when a person comes to be purified, it means that he wants the Creator to bring him closer to the Creator, and give him the vessel of bestowal by which he will gain adhesion.

It follows that he's asking for the upper abundance to be revealed in order to bestow. Meaning that he wants to be given power from above so as to have the ability to always be in holiness. So the question is, this prayer, how could you tell if it's a prayer for oneself or a prayer for the many? If the purpose, if the goal of the prayer is the many?

M. Laitman: That is the Prayer of Many. They all have to reach that.

Student: So, despite saying here that he's asking for himself, the target of the prayer is…

M. Laitman: No.

Student: No?

M. Laitman: He's asking for everyone.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:13:40) I mean the Tens, we have friends who invest more and those who invest less. How does the pleasure, the effort rather, of a friend who invests more, how does it contribute to the friend who invests less?

M. Laitman: Nevertheless, I think that each one does the maximum that he can. He puts all of his soul into it, so to speak. So there's no difference between one who does more and one who does less. It's just like, we're all different. Each one is in some way different from the other, more or less. And so the most important is that we will want that in the connection, we will be as one, and each one will complete everyone else.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (01:14:46) There's a paragraph here, I'll read it and ask a question. We must understand why we need the prayer to be included for all. It's according to the rule that all discernments made in spirituality are revelations, and they need to be revealed for the purpose of the correction of the lower ones. It follows that the matter of three lines, we talk about, that we say that perfection is revealed in three lines, meaning that the Creator wants to give the lower ones abundance so as to use it and there will be no flaw there, unlike what occurred in the world of Nekudim, where the vessels broke because there was no correction of lines there, as the holy ARI says.

And the question, my question, with your permission, Rav. Three lines, the issue of three lines, does it speak of the qualities of the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? And they were not used before, but we need now to reach the degree of the patriarchs?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: And this is also the reason why a short time ago, you had us go through preparation for the congress in the Ten and from the Ten to the whole world? That was to reach the expansion of the end of correction?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Women Turkiye 7): (01:16:42) Each of us has certain values or thoughts or opinions in all kinds of topics, and it brings obstacles to connect between us. Should we just cancel our opinions? Just throw them out in order to connect?

M. Laitman: No, there is always certain personal things for each one toward others that we can put aside so that they won't disturb him now during the congress. That's possible. And you shouldn't be worried about that or be sorry about that. If you don't pay attention to that, then you'll see how much it'll just disappear.

Question (KabU 14): (01:17:47) Please describe for me what is the difference between Hibur and Kesher, that English is insufficient for that?

Student: He's asking about the different two terms for connection. He's asking about the two of them.

M. Laitman: Connection and connection, these two different ways of saying it in Hebrew. It talks about equivalence of form of one to another. And in the other languages, it's simply Kesher; an external one without taking into consideration internal qualities of a person and their connections. That's how it is.

Question (Haifa 1): (01:18:50) There are a lot of questions on the importance of the work, when everyone works in their own Ten. If I can work with my Ten constantly, does it only depend which desires I'm correcting? Whether it's root one and two? So I finished working with Galgalta Ve Eynaim. If I finish working with the desires of three and four and so, I've corrected the entire Kli, is that right? 

M. Laitman: It is right. Okay. 

Question (Kyiv 1): (01:19:48) A few places in the article he writes the prayer should become our common desire when Malchut ascends to Yesod, what does that mean? How do we raise a common prayer in a way that Malchut ascends to Yesod? 

M. Laitman: That we want to be above reason, meaning to work with the vessels of bestowal. That is considered as us elevating ourselves from Malchut to Yesod. We'll still learn that. In the congress it won't be something that is lacking.

Question (Holland): (01:20:45) We just spoke about how we really want to reach a complete connection in the congress. That we truly want this Kli, this deficiency together. So, what does it mean to shift this deficiency, our deficiency, let's say to the Creator's deficiency through raising MAN?

M. Laitman: In practice, it means that we reach a state where the direction of our deficiency, the degree of our deficiency, and the direction of the deficiency of the Creator will be in the same level and direction that we request. And then the Creator helps us as a partner. And then we certainly will succeed in our prayer.

Student: Is that our goal, Rav? Is that the goal, actually, that the Creator will have the deficiency? 

M. Laitman: That will always be our goal. The question is only with what collaboration would we want to reach with the Creator? With what partnership? So, each time we come to a certain partnership we should say thank you for it, and really feel that He does that to us.

M. Laitman: What else do we have? That’s it? Let’s go to the next part. 

Student: (01:22:33) Next part, we have the Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah and special materials for the congress, sources about music and poetry and Hochma of Kabbalah. 

M. Laitman: Okay, so maybe we'll start with that.

Student: So, song, and we'll go to that part.

Song: (01:22:53)