Morning Lesson November 06, 2023
Transcription is made from simultaneous translation, which leaves a possibility for differences in the audio
Part 1:
Rabash. Article No. 29, 1988. How to Recognize One Who Serves God from One Who Does Not Serve Him
1. Rav intro: Yes, so let's see what he writes for us? How to recognize one who serves God from one who does not serve Him.
Reading (00:49) “Our sages write in [Masechet] Ketubot: .....”
2. S. (35:59) The question is what can we do in the Ten so that no friend will fall again into waste?
R. Only to be in the Ten that holds itself that understands where it is going and what he is about to achieve now what is ahead of it and in what form and power it can attain the connection between them and if it is in it all the time then it won't fall.
3. S. (36:47) There's such a state where the thoughts of myself begin to take over and it's as if you sink into the water and I make an effort to grab hold of the Creator of the Ten and it says if I'm trying to float above the water. Can we hold on to the Creator in such a way that we will not sink into this mud,,into this descent?
R. No, you need to try to all the time hold on to the Creator, to be close to Him, together with the friends, through the friends you'll be able to hold on to the Creator. Only in such a way, but to guarantee something that is impossible because only from the descents can we get closer to the ascents.
S. The question is if I am in a descent I'm in total disconnection. I can't hold and do anything. How can we work in the Ten then?
R. Only by strengthening the ties between us. If there is a Ten and everyone is thinking about everyone then nothing can deflect them from the goal, the path, nothing even if they receive from above descents. falls. disappointments it doesn't matter, everything will work for their benefit.
4. S. (38:50) In the article he explains that we are receiving ascents and descents. During the descent do we need to be happier during the descent?
R. Well that's possible but not now, not in the initial states but later on yes. Ascents and descents we will get used to them and will recognize that from the descent we come to an accent. Therefore, it could actually be a time of happiness, yes.
5. S. (40:18) I have two points. First Rabash writes during the ascent a person has to read everything that happened to him so that during the descent he'll know how to beg for his life. What does it mean to check everything that happened to us during the descent? I have to write something down?
R. No, it doesn't mean to write it down but rather whatever you went through you have to awaken it again during the ascent and realize why did you go through it during the descent and what was the benefit from that, that you went through it during the descent and now you can rise above it.
S. You mean to hold this inside of me to remember the descent?
R. Yes.
S. There is another excerpt on a similar topic, He thought that he does not need the Creator to help?
R. (No answer)
S. How does a person understand that when a person is in an ascent or descent he doesn't know what to do?
R. Precisely because he was in a descent then he understands.
S. Can a person detect that he's in an ascent?
R. Yes he recognizes.
S. Then what should he do?
R. Help the Creator to transform himself from the point where he didn't need help, and now he does need help in an ascent.
7. S. (43:50) If the source of the Ten withers and dries can the Ten also become a barren tree?
R. It happens sometimes but these are very special states, very special.
8. S. (44:31) Is it possible to help a friend when he is at the bottom of the pit or must we wait for him to come to himself to be awakened by the Creator himself?
R. No, we should bring him out of there. This is how each one should care for the others. In this way we care for each and everyone that has fallen. This is how we will gain a lot because from each one we can get the depth of his fall and from that depth of the fall we will invert it into the height of the ascent.
9. S. (45:31) It says in the article that a person has to ask the Creator to let him know about his state, inform him about his state meaning alone I do not know about my state?
R. No, we always measure the state with one thing compared to another, so a person cannot buy himself on just one state that was a descent or an ascent, what was it for what purpose, it all comes out of how much one works together.
S. It's like, do not believe in yourself until the day you die.
R. Yes.
10. S. (46:31) What does it mean to suffer from being in a state of not serving Him? Does this include suffering in corporeal life too?
R. It could also be from corporeal life but mostly he feels the state of not serving him he feels on himself that he has no benefit from all the states that he has gone through. It's a very unpleasant state but it specifically becomes a new beginning. That's all.
11. S. (47:33) It is written in the article even if the whole world is telling you you are righteous you should be as wicked in your eyes, how to succeed in doing that?
R. Try all the time, try all the time to be higher, closer to the Creator, and it doesn't matter what you hear from all sides meaning what the world is telling you, and all kinds of examples that you see about who you are wicked or righteous and advancing or standing still but rather you have to think all the time that you are succeeding and you are going forward. You do not take into consideration all the states, that are suddenly revealed to you as bad states and such and such of different kinds
S. We know that sometimes we have a dangerous sense of confidence. I'm dangerous, I'm strong, I feel I'm smart, I have a strong soul. You see how many actions you do in dissemination and so on, so how to overcome that, how can a person become a zero?
R. It's only through the environment, alone. He doesn't see his state is good or bad. He doesn't know, but only inside of the environment he can see with respect to them, where he is and which direction.
12. S. (46:53) I understand from the article that the state of not serving him is described as an increased attachment to a man's worldly desires, is it not possible for a man to both feel his worldly desires and spirituality?
R. No, the intention should be clear, and accordingly this is how the will to receive is directed, according to man's intention.
13. S. (51:00) The work of Torah and Mitzvot, for honor and recognition for himself, is this the state of Lo Lishma or one who is not serving him?
R. I don't understand.
S. My working Torah and Mitzvot for honor and recognition is that a state of Lo Lishma not for her sake or not serving him that he's not serving the creator?
R. Of course it's the state Lo Lishma of because he's working for honor as I hear it.
14. S. (52:04) At some point in the article Rabash writes that a person feels in the trash and when he looks at life he feels like he's about to vomit and I feel like these words are speaking of me but together with that during an ascent I would have loved to not repeat those mistakes but it's not happening. How to acquire the strength to not feel in the state of being in the trash each time I feel a descent?
R. It's impossible if you won't feel it. How will you rise above it? This is why you have to go through all of these states, however here you can accelerate your development by connecting with the friends more.
15. S. (53:22) He writes here that life means pleasure because there's no life without pleasure and when a person is incapable of finding pleasure in his life, he promptly chooses death for himself. Which is considered that he commits suicide. The question is,,this state appears after a few years when I'm studying here, I cannot find any pleasure and there's no pleasure on the outside. On the other hand in the process, I also don't feel so much pleasure. The question is even before we even get to in order to bestow, where there is pleasure and bestowal in a person. Where does a person borrow strength of pleasure in order to have life?
R. In order to have life he needs to know exactly what is life. Life means that he attains the feeling of the other and that fails him because he was the one that caused it.
S. Why doesn't he feel it yet? It's already considered that he has a pleasure from bestowal but in the process when he doesn't yet feel pleasure from bestowal, where is the pleasure when you're not there yet?
R. He doesn't have any, it's only when he's on the path, only when he's on the path.
S. This means that he doesn't yet realize the goal he's on the path but he can already feel pleasure from the very fact that he's heading towards the goal?
R. Yes, yes.
16. S. (55:03) What actions should I do to reverse a friend's status, just prayer or can I do something else as well?
R. There are many actions, not one, not two, but many to help a friend, but it's important for you to know his state so I can come down to him, and embrace him. Together we will rise from that state to a better state.
17. S. (55:57) In the article, it says a few times, it talks about the suffering for me, the word suffering I replace it with the word effort or labor. How much can we replace suffering by labor or do these things not always go hand by hand? The more I invest effort I will feel more suffering.
R. Not necessarily you don't have to consider that you have to consider only the question of are you giving contentment to the Creator, that should be considered by you as effort in success.
S. Can we replace all the suffering in the world by labor? By exertion?
R. Of course, ultimately this is what we're doing.
18. S. (57:08) What is the state of the revival of the dead?
R. That those dead that desire to receive you cannot use, that a person determines that they are dead, we can now begin to work with them in order to bestow. That is the meaning of getting up again and getting ready for work. That's it that's what we call this process at the end of corrections
S. Yes.
R. We reach the state at the end of all corrections.
19. S. (58:02) How not to take pride in the state of rising up from the waste, from the trash he brings us very live examples here?
R. Again?
S. How not to take pride, to boast that I fell from the trash I was thrown there and now I tell myself great now I acquired something?
R. What did you acquire?
S. The fact that I fell, I was in a descent?
R. That's not what he means.
20. S. (58:47) We know that we have to work with the Creator without receiving any reward. On the other hand, we need to see the trees bear fruit. Fruit doesn't mean that our actions should necessarily yield fruits of bestowal? What are these fruits of bestowal?
R. I didn't understand. Actions of bestowal are actions of connection between us, it's all the actions against our ego.
21. S. (59:36) He writes that in the end it is only the Creator who delivers him from the slowness and then it's the time to see the greatness of the Creator. We go through ascents and descends and how out of that do I learn about the greatness of the Creator. The reality and the outsider in the Ten the ascents and descents, what do we see that it characterizes?
R. Yes, they let you feel the difference between ascents and descents with respect to the hours, time, with the attitude that you, towards the Creator and then one versus the other when you place them like that, you see what's the difference between them and how to use them.
22. S. (01:00:50) He writes that he sees that he is immersed in self-love, also all of the animalistic passions awakened him that he never dreamed of, so the question is, if the clothing of these beastly less awakened him that he never dreamed of and they awaken in the same garment, the same dressing what can you learn in that?
R. What can you learn, that he hasn't finished correcting all of them, he did not finish the corrections.
23. S. (01:01:32) Why is it in the world of Assiya it is difficult to discern if we are working for the Creator or not? Can you explain that to us?
R. Again?
S. Why is it in the world of Assiya it is difficult to discern if we are serving the Creator or not for the Creator or not? Can you explain that to us?
R. Because the vessels are still small, and they cannot open themselves up and show themselves to people.
24. S. (01:02:24) It says that only fertile trees in the land of Israel are destined to bare fruit. As was said of the tree that has borne its fruit, the fig tree and the vine that yielded strength, what does it mean here that the fig tree and the tree gave strength?
R. The Fig and the vineyard are those trees that bare fruit specifically.
25. S. (01:03:25) It says that beastly less appear in him and he never considered and then he has to depict himself that he's already in holiness and it was given to him and this was all given to him so that he can be rewarded with holiness and should we really mention ourselves that we are in holiness and serving the Creator and bestowing to him and we have that feeling that we reach the state when we are in a descent?
R. We should calibrate ourselves in such a way that we wish to acquire holiness in order to bestow from all the states of in order to receive which we feel is descents as falls.
S. We should imagine this picture to ourselves that we are actually approaching the Creator?
R. Yes, precisely.
26. S. (01:04:46) Is lack of my correction, does it influence the advancement of the Ten?
R. Of course, it influences how else? In the ten every person is extremely important and if you will succeed in your connection in that by that you will lift all your friends in the Ten higher and higher.
27. S. (01:0:24) They describe states of ascents and descents and also at the time you recognize the state of truth that you're in but it's not a descent or an Ascent, it's kind of an intermediate state that we talk about it less. What does that state? Is it harmful to the group if a person is in the air? Are you harmful in that or not?
R. If he needs the state it doesn't harm him.
28. S. (01:06:12) About what it says in the text, that you should be as wicked in your own eyes, the question is to the extent that a person grows stronger, does his environment grow stronger? Or does his environment grow weaker and respect to the truth of the world of Assiya?
R. It grows stronger.
29. S. (01:06:52) Here in the article it says that the recognition of evil, this knowledge comes to one from above to the person. I always thought that after a person receives a lot of blows and suffering, from his flesh he begins to search for the source of the suffering, and he runs away and he tries to run away from the suffering, so can you explain that because it's not clear?
R. No I didn't understand what he said.
S. He receives blows and he receives suffering and here he says that the recognition of evil this knowledge comes from above I thought it comes from the person that he reaches the fact that the source of this evil is inside of himself it's his will to receive in order to receive this is what separating him from the Creator
R. Yes, that separates him the two of them.
30. S. (01:08:23) Can we say that the descent is an appearance of a new record?
R. Yes, you can say that.
S. Can we look at the descent as the state of death? Then how can we pray because in such a state the Creator cannot do anything for us?
R. It's possible to pray because he feels the deficiency.
31. S. (01:09:18) Good morning. if I can ask two questions. You said that we can understand where we are only with the help of the environment. What happens if a friend has a particular view and another one has another view how can we understand the true state of affairs?
R. What is the true state? What we are shown is the truth for us.
S. What If we are shown two opposite things?
R. You accept what you feel and accordingly continue to pray and to ask and be grateful.
S. Another question. It says when a person is in a lowly state he's actually serving a different God, a different King, sorry. but only when a person understands this and he wants to emerge from the state. Does he already start to serve a true king?
R. Of course.
32. S. (01:10:36) Do all of the ascents feel like descents as time goes by? Do they actually prepare us for the next degree?
R. Yes.
33. S. (01:11:11) If we help a friend ascend from a deep descent will the whole time rise to a higher degree?
R. Of course, everyone, together.
S. It means that the descent of one can be an ascent for everyone
R. The descent of each friend is a descent of the entire group and an ascent of one is an ascent of the entire group.
34. S. (01:11:54) Is suffering a permanent condition so that we can learn from this work? Will it be this way until the end of life?
R. No, suffering is not until the end of life. Besides that the depiction of suffering can change constantly. Let's say, if I do well and I got an A minus in school and I'm not really truly happy because my grade is lower, and if I rise from that I am becoming happier. In other words, a sense and a sense or something that we determine? What are they and how much are they.
35. S. (01:13:15) If I feel that I am eating trash and I feel nauseous because of it, and am I disrespecting the Creator because he is good and does good?
R. No, you feel what you feel, and you pray from the truth. Which is what you feel, hence this day is correct and it's a state of truth and we need to rise from it. A person comes to corrections after going through all the states of the falls and descents. We have nothing to complain about here. Whether we can feel and we can understand all of this was prepared for us to receive the light of Ein Sof.
36. S. (01:14:40) What is the difference between Lo Lishma and not serving him, and which phase proceeds which phase on the path?
R. Yes.
37. S. (01:15:07) What are the practical actions in order for the personal descent, become a common ascent for the whole Ten?
R. Practical actions, we need to combine our personal descent with the general ones with the ascents and descents. If I am capable of turning to the Creator and asking to raise myself to a higher degree from my descent and He finds this and He wants this then at the higher degree I am strengthened and I can start receiving for the sake of the Creator.
S. if I don't have the feeling of the Creator but only the friends?
R. Then we need to continue to work until we have the feeling of the Creator. Start from bestowing to the friends and then you will discover that the Creator is hiding behind them.
38. S. (01:16:38) Ascents and descents, sometimes can you get confused between them? Because sometimes I feel that the descents open new records?
R. Well, why not yes, also a descent is a new beginning.
39. S. (01:17:10) How are all the disturbances that the Creator sends has only one purpose first to learn to go through them and connect?
R. Yes.
40. S. (01:18:10) What characterizes a person that enters the King's palace?
R. That he starts to feel that he is there and he starts to feel the king and that he can enter into contact with the Creator and to change his state.
41. S. (01:18:52) Actually the descents appear in the records, how can you speed up the process of the descents and ascents?
R. Those are our states that we are going through.
S. Yes, but we want to speed it up and go through it as quick as possible.
R. Work with the Ten more with the connection, and try as much as possible to work from there and you will see that the records and you are going to awaken and change faster
S. The work in the group the more intensive in the group
R. Of course, what else is there.
42. S. (01:20:05 ) If I'm angry at the Ten is that a type of descent?
R. Yes.
S. Also I wanted to know if a friend fell into the pit, she's in a descent should she let the friends know about it?
R. Yes.
S. If we try to help and there is no response then, what should we do?
R. Connect, connecting whatever you think is good.
S. in pairs and then supposedly what do you do?
R. It's called one will help his friend and each friend helps the other. Rise Up, and that's how we all take everyone up.
S. Try and call and send messages?
R. Yes, yes.
43. S. (01:21:23) How can a person advance from the state that he doesn't work in the sake of the creator to the state that he does?
R. Try to be connected to the group, to the Creator, first of all. Maybe go into translation and then constantly being in a state of serving others that will also help a lot. In short, try to put himself into the system.
44. S. (01:22:12) If I understand correctly, a lack of work in the group can bring for even more descents then taking more work on yourself?
R. Yes, yes
45. S. (01:22:41) In the article, Rabash reveals, when he writes to all the friends, look at your external part and I have to look through my eyes at my intention and nobody can see it. So you are the sinner and you'll see in your eyes that you are in the path of the sinner. Many times we support a friend and say how great he is, this great act, so how to work correctly in increasing the greatness of the friends? Because he got some kind of credit and he was told how great he is but here there's a recommendation that when I value my intention, I see it wasn't the best thing. Should I put myself into the state of the wicked and see that my intention wasn't right?
R. First, we need to attain a state in which we justify the friends and justify the Creator and understand that we are egotistical and at least I understand that I am an egoist and in such a way by being at the center of this entire connection, in the center of the group where I am also an egoist, actually a great egoist.
S. So the friends will see me as greater but I have to put it on the side and say no my intention wasn't right?
R. If the intention wasn't right, if the intention was not right. There's no point in inventing things the main thing is to aspire for clarity and openness.
S. I don't have the privilege to make myself fall?
R. You don't need to, for what?
46. S. (01:25:17) When a tree bears fruit is at a higher degree of justifying the friends and the Creator?
R. These are completely different things
47. S. (01:25:33) It is written here that Lishma is for certain ones and we are trying to attain Lishma just for a few of us and we are content with working in Lo Lishma and trying to attain for Lishma, who are the chosen ones?
R. Those who want to reach it, that's the answer. That's how Rabash said it because it's written that not everyone needs to work in the wisdom of Kabbalah and needs to advance on the Creator. Who yes and who not. He said very simply that whoever has desire can work, whoever doesn't have a desire cannot work, that's it.
48. S. (01:26:52) Rabash writes that a person who is immersed in a state of self love and all the beastly passions wake up in him so how do you deal with that state? That all of the lust awaken again, corporeal lusts.
R. It's written that what the mind doesn't do time will do, so we need to connect to pray and to depict ourselves a higher state
S. If a person is in a descent and he is afraid of falling down and going into loneliness does that fear help or he forgets about it?
R. Fear can be something that helps and stops. It could be something that draws a person downwards.
S. How can you take a friend out of the pit if you don't see that he is in the pit, because externally like he writes he can be righteous and inside he can be in a descent so how can you help?
R. How can you help, only by example, only an example. The best example is where you take him and together with him perform some form of ascent.
S. How do you take a friend and have an ascent with him?
R. It's like in a game, you take him and together with him you.
S. Why does recognition of evil come from above and not within man?
R. How can a person recognize the evil in him?
S. Because he gets blows.
R. No, it's written that he's close to himself.
S. The blows don't help him get a mind?
R. No.
49. S. (01:29:06) When a person feels at the bottom of the pit and he's lacking the recognition how does he come back again to the awareness and see the state that he's in?
R. By incorporating with the friends, by incorporating himself with the friends that's what helps him.
50. S. (01:29:54) I heard you say that if a friend is in a descent we have to go to the level of this descent and then raise the friend up from that level. How do we do that? How do we go to that level of descent that he's in, in order to raise him up?
R. That's the work together in the Ten. We are not quite learning how to do that, soon.
51. S. (01:30:36) Do our descents get deeper as we get closer to equivalence of form and how can we extract joy from those descents?
R. Only through the work together. There is no other way, one will help his friend. We don't wait until we have joy, a smile, rather we do it artificially even. Even when I do inside I show a friend and he already starts being happy on the outside and that's how it moves from one to the other from one to the other.