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

Daily Morning Lesson: August 26, 2025 

Part 1: 

Recorded lesson - Nov 8, 2021

Baal HaSulam. Shamati 53. The Matter of Limitation

Reader: Hello, friends. In the first part of the lesson, we are going to be studying from a recorded lesson from November 8th, 2021, the writings of Baal HaSulam, the articles of Shamati, Baal HaSulam Shamati, Number 53, “The Matter of Limitation,” please. 

M. Laitman (Source Text/Commentary): (00:25) We are in Shamati 53, “The Matter of Limitation”. 

The matter of limitation is to limit the state one is in and not want Gadlut, 

meaning a person who is in a certain state, whatever it is, he needs to reach a decision that he doesn't want anything more than what he's got, what the Creator is giving him now, he settles for it, and he doesn't even feel like he's settling, it is rather completely sufficient, and he's willing to remain in that for eternity. Look at the correction of the vessels that we undergo. 

Instead, one wants to remain in one's present state forever, and this is called eternal Dvekut, 

that he doesn't want anything besides that - nothing more, nothing less, nothing else, whatever he's getting from the Creator, and he's certain that he's getting it from the Creator, “none else besides Him,” so he's willing to remain in that, he wants to remain in that, and that nothing else will change. If the Creator changes something, then he will take on the change, and this is called eternal Dvekut, 

regardless of the measure of Gadlut that one has, it doesn't matter at all, like he says, even if he has the smallest Katnut, if it shines forever, 

meaning that a person is willing to remain in that forever, 

it is considered having been imparted eternal Dvekut. Look at how easily and quickly we can touch Dvekut, 

that what the Creator gives you, you want to accept it wholeheartedly and not want to change anything, and just flow with what the Creator is giving you. 

However, one who wants more Gadlut, it is considered luxury.

All right, so even if one is in the smallest state, if it shines forever, meaning he doesn't want to change it, he agrees to stay with that forever, that means he's been imparted eternal Dvekut. 

However, one who wants more Gadlut, it is called luxury.

From here we can also understand what Tzimtzum means, what is a constant state, how we come out of it to more adhesion and more adhesion, meaning if the Creator now, in the present state, gives us less, not more - less, and we settle for that as well and say we don't want anything more, and we truly don't, we just want to have some contact with the Creator, not for me to have contact with the Creator, but in order to bring more contentment to the Creator. So, the less He gives me, and the more I'm happy about it, as long as I'm doing what's good for Him, that puts me in more adhesion, and that's how we come closer to restriction.To the point that, in the present state, I'm going to receive nothing, and be happy, and live above the restriction. ]

This is the meaning of, any sorrow will be surplus, meaning that sadness comes to a person because he wants luxuries. 

This is what it means, that to the extent that we long for luxuries, meaning more than we receive, so that brings us sorrow. 

(05:20) So, check yourselves. If you feel your state as lowly and low-spirited, that's an indication that you're looking for getting more. And so, from here, we need to understand, what does it mean that the righteous is always happy, is in eternal bliss? How can we be in that state of perpetual joy, that we simply don't want any more than what we receive from the Creator, just to cling to what He gives us. Whatever He is giving us, we adhere to it, whatever it is: bigger things, smaller things, doesn't matter what direction He changes us, we restrict our will to receive, our criticism, and we want to adhere to Him. And thus, we achieve eternal adhesion.

Again, 

this is the meaning of, any sorrow will be surplus, meaning that sadness comes to a person because he wants luxuries. 

And so, it's not just sadness. He is in a terrible mood, he's angry and cranky, and we need to understand the friends who are in such states. I was in that for quite a while as well, and I can understand them, and just wait, help, set an example for them. How, during those states where the ego demands and erupts from within, and you can't do anything about it yet, just to pray for some force to come from above, some small illumination from above, that will give you the ability to settle for what you have. And not think that it's Katnut, to settle for what you have, that you'll remain like you are, and not attain anything. No, the attainment and comprehension comes from nullifying the ego, and then rising to a different level, where we have attainment, and understanding, and spirituality, and eternity. And this is what it says, 

any sorrow will be surplus, meaning that sadness comes to a person because he wants luxuries. This is what it means that when Israel came to receive the Torah, Moses led them to the bottom of the mountain, as it's written, and they stood at the bottom of the mountain. Mountain means Hirhurim, thoughts. Moses led them to the end of the thought, and the understanding, and the reason, the lowest degree there is.

meaning complete and total, final lowliness. And 

only then, when they agreed to such a state, 

what does it mean to agree? 

to walk in it all the time, without any wavering or motion, 

meaning without ever wanting anything more

and remain in that state, as if they had the greatest Gadlut, and to be happy about it, as if they received an entire world. This is the meaning of serve the Lord with gladness, since during the Gadlut, it cannot be said that He gives them work to be in gladness because during the Gatlut, gladness comes by itself. 

Instead, the work of gladness is given to them for the time of Katnut, so, then during the Katnut, they will have joy during the time of the Katnut, although they feel Katnut, and this is a lot of work. 

This is called “the main part of the degree,”

the main content of the degree, the power of the degree, or the essence of the degree. To the extent that in the state of Katnut, one does not want to be more, and he wants to be as though he has the greatest Gadlut. And that's throughout all our degrees from here to Ein Sof. By this, we restrict ourselves more and more and more. The greater the will to receive, the more it demands, and we rise above it with the Tzimtzum, and thus we attain all the degrees from here throughout all of the worlds, 125 degrees, until the Malchut of Ein Sof, where we reach a state where everything the Creator wanted to give, we restrict it, and we are happy in not wanting anything for ourselves. And then there is work, where we can even go beyond that. That's just Katnut. Beyond that, we can even reach Gadlut, where we start working in order to bestow, receiving all these pleasures, but in order to bestow. That, however, is a great and very different kind of work, with the Tzimtzum, Massach, Ohr Chozer, coupling by striking and receiving in order to bestow. Here we are still talking about the state of Tzimtzum, attainment of the degree of Bina. 

So what he is saying, and 

this is called the main part of the degree, 

the main content of the degree, 

which is discerned as Katnut. This discernment must be permanent. And the Gadlut is only an addition. Also, one should yearn for the main part, not for the additions. 

Question (Latin 7): (12:48) How do we restrict, limit the desire? 

M. Laitman: Restricting and limiting the desire? We don't need to restrict the desire. Also, you can't restrict the desire. You just have to always think that if you want to be close to the Creator, you have to be in a state where you settle for what you're getting, for what He gives you. So you justify the Creator. Tzadik [righteous], meaning one who Matzdik [justifies] the Creator. What I receive, it all comes from the Creator, and I'm happy about my state right now, I'm already in adhesion with the Creator. It doesn't matter if it's a big or small Dvekut. But I have to achieve eternal Dvekut. That's the main thing. Meaning, the Dvekut is changing, but I, in each and every state that's changing, even each and every moment, I'm justifying the Creator, and I want to only be in adhesion with Him, only to bring Him contentment and nothing else. And then I forget about myself. Instead of thinking about myself, I think about Him. When I start thinking about Him, I begin to think about how I bring contentment to Him.

And then I remember, I feel, I think that this can be done through the group, the Ten, and then I begin to relate this way to the Ten, through them to reach the Creator, to get closer to the Creator, and thus I already practically enter the spiritual work. And that's what's now facing us. We all have to long for passing through these states. We have to shake things up and hasten these states. 

Question (Moldova): (15:19) From this article I see that if a person can constantly think of the friends, to turn to the Creator for them, and from this he is in gladness, it means he's already in adhesion.

M. Laitman: Right, of course, yes. If a person doesn't demand anything from the state he's in, because he received it from the Creator, and he develops satisfaction in that state, so he doesn't want more. More already means luxuries, and the main thing for him each time in the present state is to develop a positive attitude to where he's at, through the group and through our whole environment, organization in general, through the whole world. In this way, he amplifies his vessels, and the Creator begins to change different conditions in that vessel for him. 

Question (PT 10): (16:36) We are in a situation, but we have to shake up the situation. Is this not wanting Gadlut? There's a contradiction. We're already in a situation, but you're saying, let's shake it up, let's move it. It seems like we're demanding to be in Gadlut, no? 

M. Laitman: No. In each and every state I receive from the Creator, I want to be happy about that state, not to want any luxury. Luxury, meaning to receive from the Creator more. I don't want that. I want to stay in my present state even, where I have nothing, no attainment, no feeling, no nothing, but I'm willing to remain in that state because I'm receiving it from the Creator. And then in the same state I'm in, I begin to feel the giver, the giver of that state, the Creator, and that He actually gives it to me. And if I agree with everything He's doing to me, then I'm already in adhesion with Him, at least as an embryo, an embryo. So what? So I'm in the Creator, I feel that He governs me from one end to the other, and that's how we grow. That's the first degree. All the rest of the degrees are with our more active participation, we'll talk about that later on. 

Question (PT 31): (18:22) When a person receives pleasure from his investment in the Ten, is that state Gadlut or Katnut, or is it in order to receive? How do you distinguish between them? 

M. Laitman: Say it again.

Student: When a person receives pleasure from his effort and investment in the group, is that state regarded as Gadlut or Katnut, or is it actually in order to receive? 

M. Laitman: It could be in all directions. A person could invest in the Ten and enjoy that, and that could be in order to bestow contentment to the Creator, or he might enjoy because in investing in the group he might want to get something egoistic. So the data you have here is insufficient. So before we begin the spiritual action, we have to reach Hafetz Hessed [delighted in mercy], Tzimtzum, Masach, Ohr Chozer, the degree of Bina, and only then begin to receive in order to bestow. We are going to learn that later on.

Student: In the Gadlut it's clear that we're getting joy, but what's the joy in Katnut? 

M. Laitman: From being adhered to the Creator. That's the joy. That specifically when I'm bonded with the Creator as an embryo, I'm inside the Creator. I just have to nullify myself, and that is sufficient for me to be in Dvekut. So I don't demand anything beyond that, no luxury, nothing else. What I receive, that's called an embryo. What I receive, that is sufficient for me, and I'm happy for that. This is an indication, this joyfulness, that I'm bonded with the upper one. I justify Him, I don't want anything more, just to belong to Him. This is the state of spiritual conception. In the corporeal conception, we receive that by nature itself. 

Question (PT 31): (20:53) How do we relate to the feeling of yearning? Let's say there's going to be a congress in some time, and I'm already yearning for this congress, to be there, to be connected with the friends. Is this also relating to what is written in the article, or not?

M. Laitman: No, here we're talking about adhesion with the Creator, and if you can also add to that. The Ten, that's good. But even if you can't yet join the Ten to that, even just by making this calculation between you and Him, and you calculate that whatever you get is from the Creator, whatever it happens, and I want to justify that state, then you're called a righteous. If you truly, truly ask and receive that strength, not to demand anything more than what you're getting right now. 

Question (PT 24): (21:57) In Katnut, or desire in mercy, the fact that he doesn't want more, is it because he overcomes, or he doesn't want more in order to bring contentment to the Creator? 

M. Laitman: Of course, it's in order to bring contentment to the Creator, and it's possible that he doesn't want more, that he receives such an illumination that helps him to not want anything more. And perhaps he already has complaints and some awakening of his egoistic desire, but he is asking for corrections. 

Student: It's a state of comfort? Is it comfortable, convenient to be desire in mercy?

M. Laitman: Ultimately, it's the most convenient, because you feel that you're inside the Creator, yes.

Student: When does it begin to move, until the Creator puts in him a new desire, a bigger one?

M. Laitman: Yes, when a bigger desire comes, contemplations begin, and then one has to work and move himself to not want, not demand, despite that change, not demand anything for himself, only to cling to the Creator, to agree with what he has, but with mind and heart, to the point that he doesn't want it to change. And all these vessels are given to us and we need to, we can work with them. We could be in a criticism.

Question (Latin 1): (24:05) Here in the text it says... That Moses guided them to the lowest degree of understanding and reason, and that only in this way they were able to demand from the Creator. What can we interpret from the text, when it says that Moses reached the lowest state? 

M. Laitman: It doesn't matter to me what state am I in, a lower state or the highest state. First, I have to bring myself to a state where I'm in adhesion with the Creator. What's that? That everything that happens in me comes from the Creator, and I am clinging to Him like an embryo in its mother's womb. I cling to Him, I completely nullify myself. We all saw this picture of how the embryo is inside the womb. So, that's how we should feel. That, firstly, I'm in that state within the Creator, and then I want nothing more. Otherwise, it'll be a breakage, it'll be an abortion. I have to reach a state where I'm nullified before the upper one. Then I can enter the womb, enter the upper one, and begin to evolve there as an embryo. And this is what's facing us now, all of us, and we have to help each other and consult each other on how to do it, show examples, discuss it. But our whole state right now is, we don't want anything besides in the state we're in, we just want to justify the upper one. And it doesn't matter what state I'm in, whatever the healthcare situation, your economic situation, whether you're rich or poor, whatever it is, it doesn't matter. Within me, I have to find connection with the Creator. So, within me, regardless of what happens outside of me, I have to be in adhesion with Him, connect with Him and justify Him, and accept this for eternity. On my part, it can stay the way it is. By this, I nullify my egoistic desire. I'm willing to adhere to the Creator eternally, which is already a spiritual form. I am thankful to Him for that. I pass this state through the Ten. I organize them and I push all of us to be a part of that. And as much as we have people in the Ten, between five and ten people, if we can work this way, within a short time, we begin to feel that we are inside the Creator, inside the upper one. And then, we already receive a new kind of relationship from Him. He'll start growing us and give us spiritual changes. And as we respond to them, we'll begin to grow. This is called “Me for my beloved and my beloved is for me.” And in this reciprocal way, we begin to grow within the Creator. 

Question (Belarus): (28:28) I'd like to make a precision. In a state where you feel that the Ten can go up to Jerusalem, but the friends have all kinds of urgent business. In that state, should we also be thankful to the Creator? 

M. Laitman: We need to receive the attitude from the Creator as perfect. That He perfectly, infinitely, is exactly suitable for our state. And the Creator takes into account each and every one and all of us together, because it's the upper one that is in constant and complete rest, and relates to each and every detail. And not just to each and every person, but each and every piece of data within the person, internally, biologically, psychologically, spiritually, whatever it is. Including family relationships, work relationships, whatever it is. Because the upper light that designs this state does it to the very last detail in utter accuracy. And we just have to respond on our part. Our spirituality has to be in satisfaction and adhesion with the friends and the Creator. Or at least, if we can't arrange it with the friends yet in a complete manner, then with the Creator. And after that, you'll feel that you have to add the friends to it in order to have such power and intensity in your response to the Creator.

Question (Kyiv 1): (30:38) Being content with little, when the Creator doesn't give or takes away from you, that's one thing. But when He gives you some pleasures, opportunities, confuses you with this, how do you make a restriction in that state? 

M. Laitman: That what the Creator gives you is the most correct state, so that you will only want to be in a state of restriction. Meaning, not to want more, but only want Dvekut, that's it. From adhesion we begin to move in spirituality, and it's in a different way than what you think about right now. That I feel more, and get more, and receive more. No, it's not on the same axis. So our entire work is to be adhered to the state we're in, and not demand anything more. That's called justifying the Creator for what He's doing. So first be a righteous, and then you'll see the next degrees, and in such a direction you haven't thought about.

Question (ITA 1): (32:09) Who is this Moses who leads us to the bottom of the mountain? Is it a force within me, or an external force? 

M. Laitman: Well asked. Moses is a force that exists within us.The name Moshe implies its work. It's pulling the person from corporeality to spirituality. That's why it's called Moshe. And it's a force that is comprised of both the will to receive and the will to bestow. As we read about it in the Torah, that after he was born, he was sent to the Nile, and then Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh, educated him and brought him up. Meaning, Moses is comprised of both states of reception and bestowal, Katnut and Gadlut, and all the various forms, meaning it's a complete vessel, and a big vessel. And therefore he can understand and attract us, pull us out of all the states towards the Creator. 

Question (Volga): (34:02) It is written in the article that during the Gadlut, the joy comes by itself. But I heard from you that the will to receive is happy about it.

M. Laitman: No, even in the state of holiness, Kedusha, in Gadlut, but also the light of wisdom, Hochma, that spreads in the vessel, brings joy. The vessel is filled, and that's why in Gadlut we don't need to work on the joy, whereas in Katnut our work is to come to a state where we don't demand anything, yet we are in gladness because we justify the Creator, we agree with the Creator. I spoke to you a few days ago about how we need to change our direction, not for myself but for the Creator, and to constantly try to be that way toward Him, toward Him, right? And that's our work. If we go for it, then we will soon succeed, okay?  

Question (Tbilisi): (35:24) Tbilisi. It sounds like the state of Katnut contradicts the ability to raise MAN in prayer, because if you settle for everything you've got, what can you ask from the Creator? 

M. Laitman: That's true. The little one can't really ask if it's satisfied with what it has, and he's happy with what it has, but a little one is also concerned about the future. What it wants is mainly to be satisfied, to be desired in mercy. And a grown-up, just like we, care for the children: we raise them, we rear them, we buy them toys, we feed them with all kinds of foods, we do all kinds of exercises on them so they will grow. Leave it to the Creator, He knows how to rear us. The main thing for us, especially now is to be satisfied. Whatever I am getting, whatever the Creator is doing is for the best. In every single state, I want only to send Him my gratitude, to relate to Him well, to justify Him.  

Question (PT 19): (36:56) I heard that we also need to be in criticism in the Ten, like half an hour a day or something.

M. Laitman: It's still not for us, because we're not 23 and a half hours a day in adhesion.

Student: What do you do in states where there are friends who constantly create disputes to the point that friends even are leaving a meeting? 

M. Laitman: You need to give them an example and speak among yourselves, among those who agree, that you want to be connected. Because in the connection between you, only in the connection between you, can you discover the Creator. And you're in a group in order to discover Him. And we cannot change nature's laws, which the Creator gave us. So we have no choice but to bow our heads and do what is written. Because these are laws, we can't do anything with them. You cannot jump above them. So if they don't want to, let them leave. But we have no choice. We are smarter. We understand that if it's a law of nature, then I have to become integrated into it, just like we have natural laws in our world, in our situation. And we only learn how to use them correctly in order to gain and not lose. The same goes for spirituality. We have an opportunity to use the supernatural forces, higher than nature. So we can use them in order to succeed as well, to gain and not lose. And it's only through a connection between us. So that out of the connection between us, we want to bring contentment to the Creator. And in this way, we receive from Him the powers to grow until we become like Him. Like Him. You understand? This is what's ahead of us. It's a waste if we lose it.

Student: During the Gadlut, you said the light spreads in the Kli. How can we reach this Gadlut at minimum time? How do we do that? 

M. Laitman: Only through annulment.

Student: Self-annulment towards the friends?

M. Laitman: Annulment of yourself before the friends, and annulment of everyone with the friends before the Creator. By this, you allow Him to take care of you.

Reader: We'll go to the next part of the lesson, Pticha, Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah.