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

Daily Morning Lesson: August 21, 2025

Part 3: Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 1. Inner Observation.

Reader: Helo, we are reading in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, in the “Inner Observation.”

Reading: (00:20) Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 1. Inner Observation.

The Study of the Ten Sefirot - Inner Observation

First, we must know that when dealing with spiritual matters, which have no concern with time, ‎space, or motion, and moreover when dealing with Godliness, we do not have the words by ‎which to contemplate and express. Our entire vocabulary is taken from sensations of imaginary ‎senses. Thus, how can they assist us where sense and imagination do not reign?‎

For example, if you take the subtlest of words, namely “lights,” it nonetheless resembles and ‎borrows from the light of the sun or an emotional light of contentment. Thus, how can they be ‎used to express Godly matters? They would certainly fail to provide the reader with anything ‎true.‎

It is even truer in a place where these words should disclose the negotiations in the wisdom in ‎print, as is done in any research of wisdom. If we fail with even a single inadequate word, the ‎reader will be instantly disoriented and will not find his hands or legs in this whole matter.‎

For this reason, the sages of Kabbalah have chosen a special language that we can call “the ‎language of the branches.” There is not an essence or a conduct of an essence in this world that ‎does not derive from its root in the upper world. Moreover, the beginning of every being in this ‎world begins from the upper world, and then cascades to this world.‎

Thus, the sages have found an adequate language without trouble by which they could convey ‎their attainments to each other by word of mouth and in writing from generation to generation. ‎They have taken the names of the branches in this world, where each name is self-explanatory, ‎as though pointing to its upper root in the system of the upper worlds.‎

M. Laitman: That's nice, I don't see questions, and he himself doesn't ask. He still hasn't started explaining, so please.

Reader: Let's continue.

Reading: (03:47) Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 1. Inner Observation.

That should appease your mind regarding the perplexing expressions we often find in books of ‎Kabbalah, and some that are even foreign to the human spirit. It is because once they have ‎chosen this language to express themselves, namely the language of the branches, they could no ‎longer leave a branch unused because of its inferior degree. They could not avoid using it to ‎express the desired concept when our world suggests no other branch to be taken in its place.‎

Just as two hairs do not feed off the same foramen, so we do not have two branches that relate ‎to the same root. It is also impossible to exterminate the object in the wisdom that is related to ‎that inferior expression. Such a loss would inflict impairment and great confusion in the entire ‎scope of the wisdom, since there is no other wisdom in the world where matters are so ‎intermingled through cause and effect, reason and consequence, as in the wisdom of Kabbalah, ‎where matters are interconnected and tied to each other from top to bottom like one long chain.‎

Thus, there is no freedom of will here to switch or replace the bad names with better ones. We ‎must always provide the exact branch that points to its upper root and elaborate on it until the ‎accurate definition is provided for the scrutinizing readers.‎

Indeed, those whose eyes have not been opened to the sights of heaven, and have not acquired ‎the proficiency in the connections of the branches of this world with their roots in the upper ‎worlds, are like the blind scraping the walls. They will not understand the true meaning of even ‎a single word, for each word is a name of a branch that relates to its root.‎

Only if they receive an interpretation from a genuine sage who makes himself available to ‎explain the matter in the spoken language, which is necessarily like translating from one ‎language to another, meaning from the language of the branches to the spoken language, only ‎then he will be able to explain the spiritual term as it is.‎

This is what I have troubled myself to do in this interpretation: to explain the ten Sefirot as the ‎Godly sage the Ari had instructed us, in their spiritual purity, devoid of any tangible terms. ‎Thus, any beginner may approach the wisdom without failing in any materialization or mistake. ‎With the understanding of these ten Sefirot, one will also come to examine and know how to ‎comprehend the rest of the matters in this wisdom.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (08:28) It says that we have no essence or the conduct of some essence in this world which is not drawn from its roots in the upper world. What does it mean?

M. Laitman: That there is connection between the upper world and our world, and we learn what takes place in the upper world, and what is the result of that in our world. That is what he is speaking about.

Student: He continues. His next sentence is that the inception of every essence in this world is in the upper world and then cascades down to this world. What does it mean that its inception is in the upper world and it cascades down to this world? What is this about?

M. Laitman: That everything we have in this world, in general, everything, it descends, it cascades from the upper world, and it comes to us. And laws and actions, we learn those.

Student: When does it descend, cascade?

M. Laitman: Everything you now feel comes down in order to enter your reason. Everything that exists in our world, meaning that we reveal, attain, that we are impressed by, that all comes to us from a higher world and cascades and descends according to the degrees that we learn.

Question (Holland): (11:00) Can you say some words about the dependency between the knowledge that the Kabbalists gave us by describing the upper worlds, the dependency between this knowledge and the sharpness or the cleanliness of our prayer to the Creator.

M. Laitman: That's still not for now. It's still not for now. It seems like we need to still learn.

Question (Kyiv 1): (12:11) Baal HaSulam describes the language of the branches where a branch in this world points to a root in the upper world, but then he says that he uses external terms to explain the root. Is TES not reading in the language of the branches?

M. Laitman: I don't know how to say that, but we will still clarify that.

Student: When we read a Kabbalistic book, do we have to find the connections between the root and branch?

M. Laitman: In general, we need to be in that all the time. Otherwise, we don't enter into the material. We don't absorb into ourselves what is written.

Question (KabU 12): (13:54) How do we relate to the fact that the upper world is called the world of causes? We're not called to act on this in any corporeal way, so how is it relevant to our spiritual work that the upper world is the world of causes?

M. Laitman: That we learn. That is the topic of our study. That's it.

Question (Darom 1): (14:45) How important is the way we pass these things on in our generation? Is there any place for an additional feeling?

M. Laitman: We learn through our efforts, with our feelings, and our mind, in order to connect to the force of Hochma [wisdom] which exists in reality and in the surroundings. And we connect to this, we come close to this, according to our efforts.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (15:44) Baal HaSulam writes that he who studies is like someone blind until everything opens up, until he hears an interpretation from a wise man. So, the understanding depends on the teacher teaching or the student receiving?

M. Laitman: Understanding depends on both. We don't know. Only, we sometimes learn how we need to be connected between us and from us to the upper.

Student: Because, if a person opens TES without a certain preparation, he'll for sure be confused and just imagine all kinds of things.

M. Laitman: Yes.

Student: So, what promises that he understands the teacher correctly? Maybe he doesn't understand that either. What's the difference between what's written and what the teacher explains? Eventually, he's just going to translate everything.

M. Laitman: But slowly, slowly, as he translates to himself what's happening, what he hears, there's a certain nature in that which he learns that brings him the spiritual picture and turns it to the more correct form.

Student: What makes the corporeal picture in his head a true spiritual picture, a spiritual reality?

M. Laitman: The reality, the spiritual reality. The spiritual reality surrounds the emotional, corporeal reality that a person depicts to himself. And gradually, one clothes the other correctly.

Student: So there's clothing. How does a corporeal reality turn into a spiritual reality?

M. Laitman: That, we will learn a little, but it's... We can't open now and talk about that. It will come slowly, slowly.

Question (Turkiye 1): (18:55) How can a person attain spiritual purity in order to get rid of the corporeal terms?

M. Laitman: We need to learn. We simply need to learn to invest more desire, and it'll come. There isn't here some secret. But rather simply your labor, your investment.

Question (New York 2): (20:02) Towards the end of the section, he writes, with the understanding of these ten Sefirot, one will also come to examine and know how to comprehend the rest of the matters in this wisdom. The question is, what does it mean to understand these ten Sefirot? What exactly is the relationship between TES and the rest of the wisdom?

M. Laitman: That we don't know, but it is certain that we feel that we don't have connection to spiritual things for the time being. Even though we're learning, and we want to depict it to ourselves, nevertheless, it's still not there in the attainment of the wisdom of Kabbalah. But with time, we nevertheless hope that we will reach a state in which it will be revealed to us more, and we will attain the spiritual things as they are.

Student: In other words, Rav, we studied many writings. Why specifically is the TES so important for us to focus on?

M. Laitman: The Study of the Ten Sefirot is a special book in accordance with its depth and according to the circumference of this wisdom that it covers. That's it. We simply need to try more and more to enter into it and try to be connected to it, so that what's in it is the secret of our existence.

Reader: Should we keep reading?

M. Laitman: Chapter 1, yes.

Reader: Yes, we got to chapter 1. Baal HaSulam writes,

Reading: (23:44) Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 1. Inner Observation. Chapter 1.

Chapter One

“Know that before the emanated beings were emanated and the created beings created, an upper, simple light had filled all of reality” (Tree of Life, 1:1). These words require explanation: How was there a reality that the simple light had filled before the worlds were emanated? Also, the matter of the ascent of the desire in order to be restricted so as to bring to light the perfection of His deeds. It is implied in the book that there was already some deficiency there.

Also, the matter of the middle point in Him, where the restriction occurred, is also quite perplexing, for he had already said that there is neither beginning nor end there, so how is there a middle? Indeed, these words are deeper than the sea, and I must therefore elaborate on their interpretation.

There is not one thing in all of reality that is not contained in Ein Sof [infinity/no end]. The ‎contradicting terms in our world are contained in Him in the form of One, Unique, and Unified.‎

1) Know that there is not an essence of a single being in the world, both the ones perceived by our senses and the ones perceived by our mind’s eye, that is not included in the Creator, for they all come to us from Him, and can one give that which is not in him?

This matter has already been thoroughly explained in the books, but we must understand the concepts that are separated or opposite for us, such as the term “wisdom” is regarded as different from the term “sweetness,” as wisdom and sweetness are two separate terms. Similarly, the term “operator” certainly differs from the term “operation.” The operator and its operation are necessarily two separate concepts. It is even more so with opposite terms such as “sweet” and “bitter”; these are certainly discerned as separate.

However, in Him, wisdom, pleasure, sweetness and acerbity, operation and operator, and other such different and opposite forms are all contained as one in His simple light. There are no differentiations among them whatsoever, as is the term “One, Unique, and Unified.”

“One” indicates a single evenness. “Unique” implies that everything that extends from Him, all these multiplicities, are in Him as single as His self. “Unified” shows that although He performs the multiple operations, one force performs all these, and they all return and unite in the form of One. Indeed, this one form swallows all the forms that appear in His operations.

This is a very subtle matter and not every mind can tolerate it. Nachmanides explained to us the matter of His uniqueness, as “One, Unique, and Unified.” These are his words in his commentary on The Book of Creation, Chapter 1, 47: There is a difference between One, Unique, and Unified: When He unites to act with one force, He is called “Unified.” When He divides to act His act, each part of Him is called “Unique.” When He is in a single evenness, He is called “One.” Thus far his pure words.

Interpretation: “Unites to act with one force” means that His operations differ from each other and He seems to be doing good and bad. At that time, He is called “Unique” since all His different operations have a single outcome: doing good.

We find that He is unique in every single act and does not change by His different operations. “When He is in a single evenness,” meaning “One,” it points to His self, for in Him, all the opposites are in “single evenness,” as written above. It is as Maimonides wrote, “In Him, the one who knows, the known and the knowledge are one, for His thoughts are far higher than our thoughts, and His ways than our ways.”

Question (Moscow): (31:03) We have one and only root, which is common to all of us. We call it Creator. For example, the hair, that each hair has each own root. Can we compare ourselves to a hair and imagine that we all have an individual root too?

M. Laitman: I don't know, that's something you need to reveal.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (31:51) Was the language of the branches created as a result of the restriction and departing of the light?

M. Laitman: Yes. Yes.

Question (Lithuania 1): (32:24) When a person attains, does he really feel the root to things in this world? And if not, how could you say that he's researching the upper world emotionally and not intellectually?

M. Laitman: During the process of the study, it gradually enters into us. And we start to receive it correctly. A little bit more, we just started.

Student: In different articles also, Baal HaSulam talks about it. Because sometimes he takes terms from this world and destroys their meaning. And instead of a corporeal perception, he tells what it is in spirituality.

M. Laitman: He has those kinds as well.

Question (W Turkiye 8): (33:35) What connection has to be between the teacher and the students so they will be able to learn to attain spiritual reality through him?

M. Laitman: They should be close in their opinions in relation to the study, in relation to the source of the study. That's what we need. And we will slowly, slowly learn that and do it.

Question (USA SF): (34:30) Most of our Tens each day have a call and they read a short excerpt of TES. And you said we should read it together and discuss it. So, can you clarify, give a little more guidance on what do you mean to discuss it, how should we interpret it, how should we feel it together as we prepare for each TES lesson?

M. Laitman: Preparation for the lesson is according to the spirit of each and every one. There are those that beforehand read psalms. There are those who don't pray, those who do pray, and slowly, slowly it will be revealed in us, it will be revealed.

Student: What the friend was asking is when we read TES a day before the lesson, what should we do? Should we just read it? Should we discuss it? If we do, talk about it, so, what exactly? If you could direct us.

M. Laitman: It's worthwhile to read the study material a day or two beforehand, before the lesson, in order to be impressed by it, and to come to the lesson with the proper clothing that's appropriate for the lesson. This is how we will advance.

Student: Is there anything specific for TES?

M. Laitman: In reading TES, you just need to be as connected as possible between you. The Ten needs to be incorporated wholly in one root, and thus, to read what's written in order to attain this root, and how he is a partner with them, what's common between them.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (37:32) What does it mean to come to the lesson in the correct clothing for the lesson?

M. Laitman: Usually, clothing is called surrounding. And to the extent in which friends are drawn to it, to be drawn and adapted to the one root, to be incorporated in Him, then this effort that exists in them operates on the absorption of matter, of the materials.

Question (W MAK): (38:40) What does it mean in our work that we're working from the point of One unique and unified?

M. Laitman: That's the definition that Baal HaSulam gave to the reception of the Creator in us, or the absorption of the Creator in us.

Question (Florida): (39:10) How do we use this principle of the Creator's uniqueness as One unique and unified? How does it help the reader approach the text?

M. Laitman: That's what we're learning from our study. That it brings us closer to the Creator. Then we learn the actions of the Creator, the operations of the Creator. And as much as possible, we yearn to reach Him. That's actually what's on the subject, what we are learning.

Question (Kyiv 1): (40:37) What does it mean that a Ten during studying TES is trying to incorporate in their common root?

M. Laitman: Yes, one common root for everyone.

Student: How should we incorporate in that common root while reading TES?

M. Laitman: Our root is the Creator. And we need to try to do it as much as possible, one for everyone, unique for everyone, and when we connect between us and connect with Him.

Question (Turkiye): (41:53) In the end of the previous part, he speaks about the one who does good or bad, and then he's called the One because all his different actions have one result: to do good. How can a person feel that he does good? How does he know that He's doing good?

M. Laitman: According to what he feels. For the time being, it's not demanded of us any change in reception, and feeling, and absorption of it.

Question (W Turkiye 7): (42:44) What effort on my behalf will bring me closer to TES?

M. Laitman: That you want to be connected to everyone, and to feel this connection inside your desire, inside your inclination. And this connection, for it to open, until you, to the extent in which you feel the Creator. Well, for the time being, it's like this.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (43:59) Is the One unique and unified a description by a Kabbalist how the Creator is perceived? Or is it an advice from him, how to unite all the observations into one?

M. Laitman: That is guidance from the Kabbalist to the student whereas Baal HaSulam is describing for us that through our mind, through our intellect, through our search, that we need to use this in order to find One unique and unified, and to be aimed towards Him.

Student: He's showing us that in each one of the three stages, we have to find a way to unite them?

M. Laitman: Yes.

Question (Ashkelon 2): (45:38) Baal HaSulam is preparing us for the greatness of the upper one above all. And your ego tells you, “listen, it's not even in your league.” But we know that our ego is about to disturb us. What relation, that if it comes to kill us, we have to kill him first. So, what relation in this stage should we establish in the connection between us, that the ego is going to be mixed in here? Because now he's saying, “where is the upper one?”

M. Laitman: We need to continue. That's what I see.

Reading: (47:11) Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 1. Inner Observation. Chapter 1.

How can we perceive the soul as a part of Godliness?

3) Now we can come to understand what the Kabbalists wrote about the essence of the soul: “The soul is a part of God above and is not at all changed from the Whole, except in that the soul is a part and not the Whole.” It is like a stone that is carved from a mountain. The essence of the mountain and the essence of the stone are the same and there is no distinction between the stone and the mountain, except that the stone is a part of the mountain, and the mountain is the Whole, thus far the essence of their words.

These words seem utterly perplexing, and the most difficult is to understand how it is possible to discern a difference and a part in Godliness to the point of resembling it to a stone that is carved from a mountain. The stone is carved from the mountain by an ax and a sledgehammer. But in Godliness, how and what would separate them from one another?

M. Laitman: Ok that’s the question. let’s continue for now.

Reading: (48:58) Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 1. Inner Observation. Chapter 1.

The spiritual is divided by disparity of form, as the corporeal is divided by an ax.

4) Before we come to clarify the matter, we shall explain the essence of the separation in spirituality: Know that spiritual entities become separated from one another only by disparity of form. In other words, if one spiritual entity acquires two forms, it is no longer one, but two. Let me explain it in souls of people, which are also spiritual: It is known that the form of the spiritual law is simple. Certainly, there are as many souls as there are bodies, where the souls shine. However, they are separated from one another by the disparity of form in each of them, as our sages said, "As their faces are not the same, their opinions are not similar." The body can discern the form of the souls and tell if each specific soul is a good soul or a bad soul, and likewise with the various forms.

You now see that as a corporeal matter is divided, cut, and becomes separated by an ax and motion that increase the distance between each part, a spiritual matter is divided, cut, and separated by the disparity of form between each part. According to the measure of disparity, so is the distance between each two parts, and remember this well.

Reading: (51:57) Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 1. Inner Observation. Chapter 1.

How can there be disparity of form in creation with respect to Ein Sof‎ [infinity/no end]‎?

5) We are still not content. In this world, in souls of people, in relation to the soul, of which it was said to be a part of God above, it is still unclear how it is separated from Godliness to the point that we can call it “a Godly part.” We should not say “by disparity of form,” since we have already said that Godliness is simple light that contains the whole abundance of forms and opposite forms in the world in His simple uniqueness, as in “one, unique, and unified.” Hence, how can we depict disparity of form in the soul, making it different from Godliness, rendering it distinct, to acquire a part of Him there?

Indeed, this question applies primarily to the light of Ein Sof prior to the restriction, for in the reality before us, all the worlds, upper ones and lower ones, are discerned by two discernments: The first discernment is the form of this entire reality as it is prior to the restriction. At that time, everything was without a boundary and without an end. This discernment is called “the light of Ein Sof.” The second discernment is the form of this entire reality from the restriction downward. Then everything became limited and measured. This discernment is called the four worlds Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya.

It is known that there is no thought or perception whatsoever in His self, and there is no name or appellation in Him, anything that we do not attain, how can we define it by a name? Any name implies attainment, indicating that we have attained it as that name. Thus, it is certain that there is no name or appellation whatsoever in His self, and all the names and appellations are but in His light which expands from Him. The expansion of His light prior to the restriction, which had filled the whole of reality, without a boundary or an end, is called Ein Sof. Thus, we should understand how the light of Ein Sof is defined in and of itself, and has departed from His self to the point that we may define it by a name, as we have said about the soul.

Reader: Headline number six.

Reading: (55:45) Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 1. Inner Observation. Chapter 1.

Explanation of the words of our sages: “Hence, work and labor have been prepared for the reward of the souls, for ‘One who eats that which is not one’s own is afraid to look at one’s face.’”

6) To somewhat understand this sublime place, we must go into further detail. We shall research the axis of the entire reality before us and its general purpose. Is there an operation without a purpose? And what is that purpose for which He has invented this entire reality before us in the upper worlds and in the lower worlds?

Indeed, our sages have already instructed us in many places that all the worlds were created only for Israel, who observe Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], etc., and this is well known. However, we should understand this question of our sages, who asked about it: “If the purpose of the creation of the worlds was to delight His created beings, why did He create this corporeal, turbid, and tormented world? Without it, He could certainly delight the souls as much as He wanted, so why did He bring the soul into such a murky and filthy body?” They explained it with the verse, “One who eats that which is not one’s own is afraid to look at one’s face.” This means there is a flaw of shame in any free gift. To spare the souls this blemish, He created this world, where there is work, and they will enjoy their labor in the future, for they take their complete reward in return for their work, and are thus spared the blemish of shame.

Question (Petah Tikva Center): (58:46) When he says that the Creator is what we attain in the vessels, so when we speak of the One unique and unified, is it also something that we attain in different degrees, or is it revealed as one?

M. Laitman: That's how we attain the Creator, in limitations. And gradually, these limitations are broadened and connect between them. That's the path.

Question (W Latin 24): (01:00:01) How can it be that the soul of the righteous includes the souls of the wicked if they don't have equivalence of form?

M. Laitman: If he is greater than them, then he includes them, and what they receive moves through his soul.

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Preparación para la Lección

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