To Feel the Learning (The Breaking of the Soul and Its Correction)

Preparation for the Lesson

Rare excerpts from the lessons of kabbalist Baruch Shalom Ashlag, with commentaries of his student and successor Dr. Michael Laitman

RABASH: Why can’t you go out and work in order to bestow? It’s not an allegory; make it palpable!

Rav Laitman: Yes, so…

RABASH: It is given for people! first of all, we see that after the association of the quality of mercy with judgment, and after the Segula [remedy] of Torah and commandments, and after He gives all the remedies, well, how do we expedite it?

Rav Laitman: But it is speaking about the lower one…

RABASH: Don’t Rush…

Rav Laitman: …already attains its boundary.

RABASH: …What did you ask? Think about it! Meaning, they thought, “What can the lower one overcome?” Therefore, as it was in the sin of the tree of knowledge, when he was given a big soul, and he received it in order to bestow. And after he sinned, meaning drew a little more than he was given, then passion was greater and he could not aim that great pleasure in order to bestow—he fell from his degree.

How will he correct it once again? By way of depiction, we say that he took that great pleasure, called “the soul of Adam HaRishon,” and it was cut into 600,000 pieces, called “600,000 souls.”

It follows that each part that we must come and complete, is only a piece of the 600,000. For this we were given Torah and commandments and all those things. And you see [how long it takes] until it moves. Why did it not move, then? Because it is against nature, it’s difficult.

Rav Laitman: Yes but…

RABASH: If you want, first shift to bestowal, and then we’ll talk about your question.

Rav Laitman: No but from the learning…

RABASH: From the learning? There is no learning… learning! You need to feel the learning!